Products
Product: TI-Nspire CX Handheld
9/27/2011 By: Henry Thiele
www.education.ti.com Retail Price: $165 MSRP; retail prices vary.
Texas Instruments Education Technology has
unveiled the color-display TI-Nspire CX handheld.
Using the 16-bit, 320 x 240 pixel calculator
with TI-Nspire Software, Version 3.0 allows
students to view color images, photos, animations,
and rotating 3-D graphics to understand
mathematical and scientific concepts better.
Quality and Effectiveness: The TI-Nspire
CX handhelds have become a standard piece
of equipment in many of our classrooms. This
device includes everything you need in the
standard TI calculator—such as the full suite
of scientific and graphing functions, the ability
to connect and download data to a computer,
and graphing functions—and takes those features
up a notch. Stand-out features include
large readable screens, fast processors, protective
slide case, usb ports, and a “Press-to-Test”
feature. The TI-Nspire CX also adds a rechargeable battery,
full color back-lit screen, document management and editing,
full keyboard, and touchpad features to improve upon
the traditional TI scientific calculators.
Ease of Use: Those already experienced with a TI-Nspire
or TI graphing calculator will have no problems using this
device. The added features mentioned
above are helpful in the
classroom, however the key size is
on the small size and several users
were not comfortable using them
at first.
Creative Use of Technology:
Jill Sweetwood, the Math
Department Chair at Maine East,
says, “The backlit screen has good
resolution and is so much easier to
see than the regular graphing calculator.
T he colors are a big help
in distinguishing multiple graphs
on the same axes.” Also, the battery lasts more than two
weeks on a full charge and the 3D graphs make this device
stand out.
Suitability for Use in a School Environment:
Although the price for a single purpose device can be high
for individual students, this device is superb for students
or teachers to create and view
their work. Students can add real
images to their work in several
digital formats to reinforce concepts
or increase understanding.
These devices also interface with
the TI-Navigator software, allowing
for wired or wireless network
connections, question and
polling capabilities, collaborative
activities, document transfer,
screen captures, live presentations,
portfolios, and auto-grading
features.
Top Features
• The back-lit screen makes it
easy to see.
• The TI-Nspire CX builds on
the TI line of calculators,
so teachers and students
are familiar with using the
technology.
• The handheld has impressive
color and 3D graphing
functions.