It seems that the TI-Nspire is definitely not geared toward programmers, but rather educators. However, I would like to know whether the TI-nspire will be able to take advantage of its improved technical specs (more memory, etc.) when in TI-84+ mode. If it can, and it could operate as an ultra-fast 84 w/ more memory, then programming on it might not be a lost cause. Imagine 83-family games designed specifically for the Nspire's extra performance! Of course, I'm sure assembly for the Nspire, if not supported outright, could always be hacked eventually...

I would hazard to guess that is not the case. The (Nspire) OS update contains the exact number and size of files in the ti84/ directory to make up the FLASH of the user archive of the 84+ SE (? Or BE? I forget).

Doing so would completely break backwards compatibility anyway. You can't make more speed and screen space available without breaking programs that expect a certain behavior. Accessing more memory would likewise have major problems. The 84+'s paging scheme only allows it to address 4MB anyway, a far cry from the Nspire's approximate 32MB.

If not assembly, I certainly hope BASIC from the 84+ is supported. With the 84+ keypad, it should support BASIC programming. The pictures of the N-Spire's own keypad didn't show a PRGM key. Or maybe I just didn't see it.

The two different versions are only $5 apart?!? Why not just make one version with both the CAS and the 84 keyboard? I mean, both features would be useful, especially if the emulated 84 could take advantage of the nspire's power. This seems like a waste and a poor decision on TI's part. It would make sense if there was a significant difference in value, but it's only $5! And one model is not totally better than the other; they both have different features. I just don't see why TI thought it necessary to produce two different models.

Calculators with CASes are not allowed on some standardized tests (I believe the ACT is one of the but don't quote me on that).

Doesn't that the 89 have CAS? Or is that something else I'm thinking of?

Indeed. I was correct that the ACT disallows calculators with CASes. See URL above (http://www.actstudent.org/ faq/answers/calculator.html)

Haha! My birthday is in September! Maybe I should flood my parents computer internet history with TI-Nspire pages...

I have an idea for the 'no programming support' issue. A team of talented programmers, working for a LONG time, could hack the OS, remaking it in their own image.

Or, if they REALLY wanted to go for broke, they could make their own...

Or the same team of talented programmers could spend less time making TIGCC support the NSpire.

You're both entirely missing the point

A toolchain will be of no use if there's no way to run the programs it produces.

As for sending a modified OS, again writing it is not the hard part (it can even be done by 1 person, see PedroM), getting the device to accept it is.

If the "acceptance code" is in non-volatile memory, (as opposed to etched into the chip itself) then you could just nuke it via computer control. Wipe the slate completely clean, and start over.

Of course, if it's etched into the main circuit board, you're up the creek less paddle.

Given the lack of programming support, a Mastergamer like me would stay far away from the N-Spire... so that's what I'm doing now.