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Casio Unveils New Color Screen Graphing Calculator

Posted by samzenpus on from the new-hue dept.

An anonymous reader writes "As reported by hobbyist calculator programmers, Casio has recently unveiled new graphing calculator models, the Casio fx-CG10/20 series, less than a year after Texas Instruments released the TI-Nspire Touchpad. The calculators features a 65536 colors screen (16-bit) with a resolution of 384x216 pixels, 16 MB of Flash memory (10 available for the user) and 140 hours of battery life. The calculators will retail starting at $129.99. Although Casio's new calculator official page have limited information about the calculator programming capabilities and processor speed, could this eventually mark the end of TI's reign in North American schools?"

6 of 313 comments (clear)

  1. Why? by BassMan449 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I don't understand the need for such fancy calculators for students. I'm sure there are some professionals that might like to have it, but I used a TI-83 through all high school and college and never found something you couldn't make it do that you needed.

    What is the purpose of making these calculators with color screens rather than just making simpler but still advanced graphing calculators cheaper?

    1. Re:Why? by Stregano · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I remember playing Zelda on my graphing calculator in math class (it is easy to get away with playing games on a graphics calculator). I bet the game they release for this thing (even the homebrews) will be awesome.

      --
      The world is how you make it
    2. Re:Why? by AshtangiMan · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I've had an HP 15C since 1987 and have changed the batteries once (about 3 years ago). RPN for the win!

    3. Re:Why? by Nursie · · Score: 3, Interesting

      "The same could be said for netbooks."

      No, it couldn't, they're not an artificial market. You could build a desktop for the money, sure, a crappy one. And then I wouldn't be able to take it in the car with me to play music, or throw it into a bag with my stuff when I go away for a weekend, or 101 other things that I like it to do.

      Nothing like the artificial market that specifically calls for a limited device due to a fairly arbitrary set of rules.

  2. Buttons by PCM2 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    One answer that maybe nobody else will come up with: Easy UI.

    I just find it a lot faster and easier to punch up some calculations on a device that has a whole mess of purpose-built buttons on the front of it, rather than trying to do the same with a standard keyboard that was never intended for scientific calculation. You can write up programs and key them to buttons, too.

    Disclaimer: I use an HP 50g. Your experience with a TI or Casio calculator may vary. RPN, baby.

    --
    Breakfast served all day!
  3. Haven't they gotten a lot larger? by grimJester · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The fancy calculator I had when I was a kid (late 80's) was the size of a phone in 2010. Today's calculators have nothing like the processing power of a phone that costs roughly the same, yet they are now the size of ancient mobile phones. I don't get it.