Survey posted 1999-12-21 05:52 by Andy.

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It seems like my 89 eats batteries faster than any other calc.

Really? I've only had to change my batteries once in the 1.25 years I've owned one.

--BlueCalx

I guess it depends on how often you use your calc, but my ti-89 eats batteries alot quicker than my 86

same here

TI-89 has a flash card(a really small one) and it takes alot of battery's power to write something on it.

--Mike.

When i first got my ti-89, the batteries sure lasted longer than they do in my ti-85. My 85 sucked, which is why i got the 89, but i think the 89 lasts at least as long, I think longer than the 85. Also, the 89 runs the batteries down a lot more than the 85. I could take the batteries out of my 85, when you could barely see anything on the screen, and put them in my 89 and it would be fine. I would run for a while on them. I thought that was great. The battery indicator doesnt even say the batteries are low. I think the 89 is much better at bettery consumption and i also enjoy the automatic contrast feature. Your calc never gets a dim screen.

You have to replace batteries more often if you use graphlinkª. I've never had my batteries go low enough to stop me from doing anything on my calc, but for the calc to recieve from a computer it needs high battery power.

I've own a graphing calculator for about 6.5 years. :P

Anyway, maybe that shows you don't use it a lot? I thought you tested programs...?

Or maybe it means that TI-89's haven't existed for six and a half years.

--BlueCalx

It seems to me that the 89 would go through batteries faster since it uses a faster chip...

... and more memory including FLASH memory. Also, the screen probably requires more power becasue it has more pixles.

I've got a stupid / Non-related question:
Is there a difference between Hardware v2 and ASM 2 for the TI-89 ?
I know asm is a language, but I'm still confused if they are the same thing... If they aren't, is it worth it to get HWv2 ?

Thanks,
Kaven

I hate when those bitches leave your calculator on when they borrow it to divide like 200/300 to find out their grade. Or when you're putting the case back on and it accidently turns your calculator on or when you step on your backpack and it turns it on, and you got a program that removes the automatic shutdown from the calculator, so it doesn't turn off. I had to change my batteries in three days once.

I totally agree with you on that first comment...for example, in my chemistry class this one kid asks to borrow my 89 every day to play phoenix...then he complains that the teacher doesn't teach what's on the test. I have no sympathy...it would be a miracle for him to pass the AP exam! and of course when I need it for stats or something, the batteries are low. that brings me to another point, I recently bought an 83+ for statistics, and now I find out that there is a prog for the 89 which will make it work like the 83. doesn't make me happy, but i'll survive. the 89 wasn't mine anyway...(it's great when the school lends out 89's to the math nerds until they graduate!!)

And THEN they put their greasy fingers all over the screen and buttons! They hand it back to you with the case on and running an asm so it doesnt power off! And then they ask stupid questions or complain "idontlikethisgame." Then get your own calculater and put whatever you want on it! Esp on an 89 running mostly basic so they dont know how to switch games (varlink) so they give it back to you and you have to switch it for them...This guy in my chem class borrows my 85 and sleeps. I dont know how he is still in there. All he does is play tetris, even though i have 10 games on my 85. Once he begged me to let him borrow it for a whole day. I am considering charging people for calc usage.

HWv2 is a new hardware configuration (If you hit F1 and choose about and it says "TI-89 Hardware version 2.00", you have HWv2) for the 89. You have to buy a new 89 to get it. ASMv2 should be AMSv2, a rom update for your calculator downloadable from TI's website. Be warned, most ASM progs will not work in AMS2. Hope this answers your question.

Maybe we should petition to be allowed to carry a liscense to buy mercury batteries. Talk about power density! We'd have to agree to dispose of them properly, though.

Tip DS

Mercury Batteries would be too dangerous for a school environment. I remember one comment on an old survey where someone said a teacher threw a calc across a room (breaking it), which would probably break the batteries and cause the mercury to leakout and the DEP would have to evacuate the school.

IMO, if the teacher throws a calc across the room, he/she deserves to be fired for being dangerous... If my teacher threw my 92+ and broke it, I'd sue him/her and the school (Not that I would even get enough to buy another one, but its the principal of the matter) If it had mercury batteries, I would tell the teach so he/she would know and couldnt say otherwise when he/she gets fired for that and a million and one other reasons...

Well... The mercury batteries have a solid mercury compound that doesn't "leak" the way liquid mercury would. If you open one, it's consistency is about the same as, say, an alkaline battery. It is dangerous if it is ingested (but so are alkaline guts.) The real danger is in its disposal. If it's thrown in the trash, it (in large quantities) has the potential to toxify the ground and groundwater. That's the need to have it regulated. If licencees were required to register for each battery, and then turn in each battery before another could be issued, that would curb the tendency for users to chuck the batteries when done. If they were turned in properly, they can be recycled or disposed of properly.

Blah blah blah I go,
Tip DS

You know WAY too much about batteries. :)

wasn't there a false news article here awhile ago about a kid using plutonium in his 89? hmm... maybe that wouldn't be such a bad idea! (look ma i'm green!)

That was Radium which he used to overclock it.