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Twenty-seven years after introducing the world’s first graphing calculator, Casio has developed its most sophisticated educational Game Boy ever. Indeed, the new Casio fx-CP400′s 320 x 528 resolution screen isn’t just colour—it’s a freaking touchscreen that flips from vertical to horizontal. That’s a far cry from the drab 94 x 64 display on the the Casio fx-7000G from 1985.
Man this tech has come a long way. Let’s hope the kids do more than play Drug War on the fx-CP400 when it’s available next summer. [Casio via Engadget]
Image via Bob Blaylock/ Wikimedia Commons
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JC, that Casio is sexy. I need that.
I’ve got one. Salvaged from the maths cupboard at my school a couple of years ago!
You would think it would be easier as an app.
Apps can’t be brought into exams. But I suppose, a counterpoint would be that only a 64 x 64 black/white screen is really NECESSARY in an exam.
I’m sure it won’t be long before someone programmes this thing with a pile of cheats anyway.
Yes, but I suppose it’s the principle.
This can’t be brought into any exams either. In almost all UK schools and universities you have an approved list of calculators and it is incredibly rare for a graphing calculator to be on it. Generally you are limited to casio fx-8x series scientific calculators.
I know, my uni and A-levels are the same. But I meant higher levels that require graphing calculator – I know of an advanced computing class that requires a calculator with this level. And these calculators will be designed for this. Most, but not all.
Generally from my experience of classes like that from my undergrad you would do it in a computer suite and use something along the lines of matlab or mathcad or self written code. The only time I have seen graphing calculators used like that is where the software tools aren’t available which can happen because the licences can be more expensive that some departments are willing to pay. But there are more than a few programs for phones and tablets that replicate the features of a graphing calculator and don’t cost much or anything. The stock android calculator even does graphing now.
In the past before the software was so commonly available and functional graphing calculators made a lot of sense as the other option was essentially writing the code to solve problems by hand. Which is very useful and interesting but slightly more time consuming and was what I had to do for my first two years at uni but that was because my professor was well past retirement age and had firm ideas on the subject.
Plus a lot of the functions you need for higher level maths have now moved down to the lower level calculators. The newer casio 115 which is now on the allowed list in a lot of places. It does a lot of the more advanced stuff people used a graphing calculator for but without the things that prevent it from being used for examinations e.g. the ability to store and display large volumes of text.
It does seem a bit redundant these days.
See my comments about exams above.
What if I don’t?
I tried to come up with a wise reply, but sarcasm doesn’t really come across well.
I refer you to this: http://xkcd.com/768/
I have fond memories of programming my Casio Graphical calculator to allow me to play connect 4 in 1992 or so. I was quite proud of managing in in the 500 bytes (or so) of memory available.
To be honest, what amazes me most is how crude the new version looks. Low res screen, touch or not, and lack of obvious firepower. I am surprised this survives at all in the age of high powered, high resolution tablets.
How long till this has Doom on it?
8008135
I used to have that fx-7000G – it was excellent, and I kept it from when I was 14 to when I was about 32; then I sold it – wish I hadn’t now; it’ll be a real collectors piece at some point, and it was in great condition too – ahh back when maths was fun…
the new one may have a bigger screen, but the buttons hide all the complexity of using a proper scientific calculator – typical dumbing down on UIs.
I agree with those saying it’s unnecessary. My 7400 must be almost 10 and I use it everyday and I can’t see me wanting an upgrade any time soon.
Pretty useless given the state of computing these days with phones, tablets and PCs all replicating and enhancing upon the functions of a graphing or scientific calculator.
The only time you really need a calculator and since graphing calculators are banned in almost every academic institution during exams its totally redundant. I have had two graphing calculators over the years, and really loved my old Sharp because it was a particularly good calculator without using graphing. But short of using it in class to help visualise functions the graphing features never got used and when I got to university I stopped using it entirely as the rules were far stricter on calculators.