Cool Apple Accessory

[Scott Baret]

It's not a Mac...it's not something that plugs into a Mac...it's not even something with a circuit board inside....

It's an Apple luggage tag!! It reads, "Tools for tomorrow, today" with the Apple logo at the top.

I can't think of anything more appropriate than that for an educator who is into classic Macs. This won't be going on luggage or an old Mac bag, however. Instead, it will proudly sit on my desk.

I also picked up a non-Mac conquest today...another TI-83 calculator. For $10, who could resist?

 

[PB145B]

Cool! Maybe a picture? Guess I'm not the only one on this forum that likes TI graphing calculators

 

[68krazy]

I found a TI-83 for $6 a few years ago. I wasn’t able to pass it up either! Definitely a cool device.

 

[John_A]

Calculators are cool! Have a ti-86, similar to the ti-83 but with more ram. Have my eyes on a vintage HP 45 right now.. Love the feel and old school design..

 

[Scott Baret]

Here's the luggage tag!



I don't have a photo of the TI-83 on hand, but it's the earlier model with the square buttons and sloped screen.

I use my 83s with the students...in addition to the one I just got last week, I have two of the TI-83 Pluses. One is the calculator I had in high school, which is one of the older models without the "education" stamp on the battery cover (I paid $53 for it in July 2001, it was on sale at Office Max). The other is slightly newer; I believe it's from around 2004-2005 but I could be mistaken. I'd like to get a TI-84 Plus too since I know there are a few differences between the two and many of the students I work with have them.

At home, I have an original TI-89. This was also a calculator I bought new, in December 2003, as I prepared to go on to calculus and other higher maths. I don't let this one leave the house, but do use it quite often when developing exercises for the students I work with (particularly in calculus and stats).

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

I had a slide rule in high school and used it to figure my GPA in college. :

 

[Scott Baret]

I have played with a slide rule a few times just for kicks! I'm tempted to show one to some of the kids who think anything pre-iPhone is too antiquated! (Believe me, I get a lot of kids who say that about TI calcs!)

My pre-graphing calculator was an HP 6S scientific calculator. Mine has been out of commission for a good while now, and I'm sort of tempted to try to repair it sometime. 

I use TI-30 series calculators with the pre-Algebra students at times, but also like to introduce them to the TI graphers early so they can become familiar with them. Our pre-Algebra teacher actually did this in middle school with a class set of TI-83s, which we'd get from time to time to do exploratory work on. Some of the teachers are doing more of this than others these days.

The one gripe I have about TI calculators is the inflated prices due to TI monopolizing the market by striking deals with every textbook company. There is a Casio model which retails for about $50 that is on par with, if not slightly better, than a TI-84 Plus, yet the TI will sell for over twice that. (I'm actually hoping to get a bunch of used TI-83/TI-84 calculators to donate to students who require one but don't have the means to afford one, especially since schools don't buy as many of them as they used to and are reluctant to loan them out).

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Graphing calculators? PFFFFT!!!!!!!!!!! Have the kids log some rhythms on a slipstick, keeping track of the decimal point and get 'em to realize only three of the dozen digits popping up on that newfangled calcatating contraption's screen are really all that significant and they'll learn to handle numbers in their heads. HEH! [] ]'>

 

[CC_333]

I have an 83 I think, and I definitely have an 89 Titanium.

I don't like them very much, but they get the job done, I suppose.

In particular, I don't much like the look of the 89. The classic 89 looks much more like my 83, and I don't know, I guess I just like square and boxy-looking things. I really like cars from the 80s and early to mid 90s for the same reason; their square lines just look so clean and simple to me that it amazes me that nobody wants to keep them that way (everything's either overly curvy and round, or sharp and angular; don't get me wrong, there are some examples of each style I like, but I feel like they're being overused, and it's time for something more simple and conservative looking I think; sorta like Apple, but less minimalistic.

Random thought: if Apple built a car, it would probably have only four controls, (steering wheel, turn signal lever, accelerator and brake; wipers and headlights would activate automatically as needed), and it would require complete drivetrain replacement every time it went to the shop for any sort of maintenance or repair because all the mechanical and electronic parts (save for the battery, if it has one in the conventional sense) are completely sealed and unrepairable (unlike the internals, the body and interior could be replaced and customized at will, though a standard "stock" body would be provided, but it would only be available in one size and four colors: black, silver, gold, or rose gold). It would also require an extra special type of fuel that only Apple can provide.

Gee, that sounds a lot like a modern iPhone or MacBook, doesn't it? :lol:

c