During the month of January 2013 only, Amazon is giving a $50 discount on the Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9 inch tablet.

The only requirement to be eligible for the offer is to have an active Amazon Prime Student account. The best part of the offer is, it is not required to have a paid Amazon Prime membership. Students currently enrolled in the free 6 months of Amazon Prime for Students are also eligible for the discount. If you have a “.edu” email address, as most universities give out to students, you can register for the Amazon Student program.

The Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9 inch tablet is a great alternative to the more expensive iPad and iPad Mini. With Amazon’s App Store and digital media catalog, Kindle Fire users can stream movies, music, and other content on demand. Amazon Prime members, like those eligible for this Kindle Fire HD discount, also have access to Amazon’s huge selection of free streaming movies.

Related articles

• Kindle Fire HD 8.9″ Discount Code
• The New Kindle Fire and Kindle Paperwhite – Great Holiday Gifts and Companions for School

The post Exclusive Kindle Fire HD 8.9 Inch Discount for Students appeared first on TI Wizard.

TI-83+ and TI-84+

Mario 2.0

Mario is one of the most recognized characters on the planet, which is why it is no wonder that Mario has been ported to almost every TI calculator out there. A fast paced, sidescrolling platform game, and one of the most popular games on the calculator. For the TI-83+ and TI-83 calculators.

PacMan

Play the classic game of PacMan with either 3 or 4 enemies, and you may choose from Fast or Slow mode. This version of PacMan runs quickly with graphics that look similar to the original game.

Phoenix 4.0

Phoenix 4 is a massive update to the popular space shooter Phoenix. Now featuing a score counter during gameplay, side scrolling (you can turn this off), and bug fixes, this is the best Phoenix update yet.

Related articles

• TI-83+ and TI-84+ Calculator FAQ
• Best Graphing Calculator for High School Students

The post The Best Games for Your New TI-83+ and TI-84+ Calculator appeared first on TI Wizard.

College & High School Students

It’s getting to be towards the end of the quarter, and as the year goes on the classes are getting harder. Your kid’s TI-83 may not cut it anymore. Times have changed, and there are some really cool new calculators on the market, and amazingly, they aren’t that much more expensive either:

TI N-Spire Touchpad

Non CAS | CAS

The TI N-Spire is an amazing calculator– I have one myself. First launched in 2008, Texas Instruments has made a few changes to make using it a little easier. Instead of being interspersed with the numeric keys, the letters are placed at the bottom of the keypad. While it was previously common to accidentally hit these keys, their new placement makes this very difficult to do.

In addition, the TI N-Spire has a new Touchpad in place of the older, circular D-Pad style keys. This improved navigation pad makes it easier to guide the cursor around on the screen.

The TI N-Spire Touchpad also makes a great present for high school students. Texas Instruments allows all N-Spire owners to request a TI-84+ keypad at no extra cost. To use the second keypad, push on the switch on the back of the calculator to pop the keypad off. Then, simply snap in the TI-84+ keypad, and turn the calculator back on. It’ll function exactly as if the N-Spire were a TI-84+. Want the advanced features such as 3D graphing? Simply pop the N-Spire keypad back in.

This means that in addition to the new, advanced capabilities that are included with the N-Spire keypad, you can use the calculator as if it were a TI-83+ or TI-84+. This is a great feature for classes in high school designed for the older family of calculators, while still having the more advanced N-Spire keyboard for college and calculus.

TI N-Spire CX

Non CAS | CAS

For the kid who always likes to have the latest technology, there is the TI N-Spire CX. This thing is guaranteed to make any math geek smile: the first thing you will notice is the color, backlit screen. Though slightly more expensive, the N-Spire CX comes with a color screen, thin design, and rechargeable battery. This mini-computer is possible the most advanced calculator by Texas Instruments, and it is still approved for use on the SAT, PSAT, ACT, AP and IB exams. It is also permitted on some state exams. Amazingly, this is TI’s lightest calculator.

With the latest TI N-Spire software, you can load images and color graphics onto the calculator. This allows you to graph some pretty unique stuff right on top of real world images. With the color screen, the 3D graphs look pretty cool on this computer– it’s hard to call this thing a measly “calculator.”

Software

Both of these calculators, whether you purchase the more traditional TI N-Spire Touchpad or the advanced CX model, come with the TI N-Spire OS 3.1. This cool software upgrade comes with support for 3D graphing, more data collection tools, picture viewing, features for graphing statistics, and differential equation graphs. Any calculus student knows how much of a pain differential equations are– the newest TI N-Spire software makes graphing them a breeze, while an AP Statistics student will appreciate summary-level frequency plots and more.

And for the programmers, version 3.0 of the software allows you to run programs written in Lua.

Have the older TI N-Spire with the Clickpad? You can upgrade your calculator to the same software for free from Texas Instruments

CAS vs Non CAS

One feature I find that people are consistently confused about is the CAS– computer algebra system. The newest TI N-Spire calculators, both Touchpad and CX, come in two flavors each– without the CAS, and with.

The Non-CAS version of the calculators lack certain advanced functionality, but are usually permitted on the SAT, PSAT, ACT, AP, and IB exams. In contrast, the CAS versions are usually only permitted on the SAT and AP exams.

The Computer Algebra System adds some advanced solvers and functionality:

• Solving systems of equations
• Solves for derivatives and integrals
• Expands expressions
• Solves expressions and returns the roots
• Factors expressions
• Finds the minimum and maximum over specific intervals
• Finds zeroes of the function

In addition, the CAS versions of the calculators are often more expensive, though usually only by $15-$20.

It’s up to you to determine what version is right for you. Are you doing a lot of complex calculations, but do you not need a calculator for the IB or ACT exams? You may want to consider the CAS. However, if you are looking for a cheaper calculator and compatibility with a wider range of exams, the non-CAS version may be appropriate.

It’s also worth noting that the CAS versions of the N-Spire Touchpad are not compatible with the TI-84+ keypad, though students in lower levels of math that need the compatibility of the TI-84+ will likely not need the CAS anyways.

Quick Guide

TI N-Spire Touchpad

An amazingly powerful calculator, complete with 3D graphing and a Touchpad to control a cursor.

Buy on Amazon for about $115.

TI N-Spire Touchpad CAS

For a couple dollars more, an integrated Computer Algebra System is included to solve more complex equations.

Buy on Amazon for about $140.

TI N-Spire CX

A color screen, rechargeable battery, and thin design make this the most advanced TI calculator.

Buy on Amazon for about $140.

TI N-Spire CX CAS

You get all of the above, plus the computer algebra system.

Buy on Amazon for about $150.

The post Holiday Gifts for the Math Geek appeared first on TI Wizard.

Kindle Fire HD 8.9 inch (Photo credit: Giftss)

You can get the $50 discount on the Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9 inch tablet by entering the coupon code FIREHD89 on Amazon through this link.

For more information on the Amazon Kindle Fire HD tablets, as well as the rest of the Amazon Kindle lineup, visit our comparison of the Amazon Kindle devices.

The post Kindle Fire HD 8.9 Inch Discount Code appeared first on TI Wizard.

Video Games

Video games are a great way to take a break from school. They can help you relax and distract you from thinking about next quarter or semester. Fortunately, a bunch of great games just came out over the last few months:

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2

Call of Duty returns with the newest game in the franchise taking place in the future. COD: BOPS2 has an immersive single player campaign that spans over two different time periods, a Special Strike Force game mode, the popular zombie survival mode, and a great online matchmaking system.

XBOX 360 |PS3 |PC

Assassin’s Creed 3

Assassin’s Creed 3 Kenway Conner Close Up (Photo credit: Rooster306)

Assassin’s Creed 3 is set in a completely new and unique time period– the American Revolutionary War. Play as a special assassin and fight in the busy streets of Revolutionary War America or in some of the most famous battles of American history.

XBOX 360 |PS3 |PC

Far Cry 3

Far Cry 3 has its fair share of controversy, but this open world sandbox shooter is still a fantastic game that has received high praise. Your friends have been kidnapped while vacationing on a tropical island, and it’s up to you to save them with a wide array of weapons and the ability to free roam around the island.

XBOX 360 |PS3 |PC

Just Dance 4

Just Dance 4 is a great game for parties and late nights in the dorm halls after you’ve completed your last final. Show off your dance skills to some of the greatest hits of 2012, including Gangnam Style and others.

Wii| XBOX 360 w/ Kinect

Movies

The Dark Knight Rises

The Dark Knight Rises (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Dark Knight was one of my all time favorite movies, and now the sequel, The Dark Knight Rises, is out on Blu-Ray and DVD. If you have a Blu-Ray player and love the Dark Knight trilogy, you owe it to yourself to sit down with some friends, popcorn, a nice flatscreen TV, and the Dark Knight Rises Blu-Ray for a night of fun.

Blu-Ray

The Avengers

If you haven’t seen it already (I don’t know how you couldn’t have), the Avengers is a great superhero action movie that blends Iron Man, the Hulk, Captain America and others into a two hour battle to save the world.

DVD| Blu-Ray

The post Take a Break from Studying with these Games and Movies appeared first on TI Wizard.

If you’ve ever lived in an area with stormy weather, you know it’s common to lose power– and in some cases, hours, days, or weeks of work due to a failed or destroyed computer.

Personally, I’ve had several electronics, including a TV, taken out by lightning. The actual lightning bolt struck our neighbor’s back yard, but it also shook the entire neighborhood and literally knocked photos off our walls. Fortunately, I was prepared for this scenario and had my computer on a surge protector (and several other electronics on a UPS). Had I not bought the surge protector, my computer likely would have been fried and I would have lost the big essay I was working on.

Backup Your Computer

Local Backups

First of all, everyone should backup their computer, no matter where you live or what you do. Computers and hard drives can randomly fail, even if you have a $3000 top of the line gaming PC or a budget laptop. If you have a Mac, you can use Time Machine to perform automatic backups on your computer. However, this requires you to have an external hard drive or networked drive.

Cloud Backups

If you don’t want to spend the money on having an external or network drive, you can use cloud backup services. Even if you do use Time Machine, it’s a good idea to backup your computer to the cloud– what if your house floods or burns down? The hard drive you were using as a backup is lost, and now you’re not only dealing with recovering from a disaster, but you also could lose years of photos and memories.

Carbonite

Image via CrunchBase

Carbonite costs about $59 a year per computer, but they allow you to store unlimited data on their cloud servers. The Carbonite software automatically performs backups on your computer at a regular interval. If your computer ever fails or is destroyed, you can restore all of your important documents.

For $99 a month, Carbonite also offers additional features, including a full system mirror image backup and the ability to backup your external hard drives.

You can also get a completely free trial of Carbonite and try out their services.

Mozy

Mozy, like Carbonite, offers online backup space and software that automatically performs the backups. It costs $5.99 a month for 50 GB of storage space or $9.99 a month for 125 GB. Mozy also has mobile apps to let you access your files, or you can easily restore them from a web based interface.

Protect Your Electronics

Now that you’re backing up your computer, you should also be protecting the PC or Mac itself. If you live in an area with heavy rain or wind and the potential to lose power, you may want to consider a UPS or surge protector.

Surge Protector

Essentially, a surge protector is designed to handle a sudden surge of electricity due to a branch falling on a power line or some other event. It is designed to fail and sacrifice itself instead of your computer if the electricity spike goes over the rated amount for your particular surge protector.

You can buy surge protectors for around $20 or less on Amazon, like this Belkin Home/Office Surge Protector with 12 outlets.

However, while surge protectors work to prevent electricity spikes from damaging your computer, if a power outage follows, your computer will still shut off due to the lack of electricity, causing you to lose any unsaved work.

UPS

A UPS, or Uninterruptible Power Supply, is a like a combination of a battery and surge protector. Unlike a simple surge protector, a UPS is a large box that often is a little larger than a cereal box.

Because a UPS has a battery, it can keep your computer running during brownouts or during a power outage, allowing you to save and close your work and shut off your computer properly. If you have a desktop PC or Mac, it is recommended you immediately save and close any open work as soon as the UPS kicks in, because the battery will not last that long– it isn’t like a laptop where the battery will last for five ours.

UPSs are more expensive, running at $50 or more. This APC 8-outlet UPS is relatively cheap but still has various features like self testing and dataline protectors (it prevents electricity surges through phone lines).

You can also get a fancier UPS with a screen, like the highly rated CyberPower Intelligent Tower UPS, which lets you know how full the battery is and the estimated remaining runtime.

When it comes to backups and protecting your computer, you don’t want to look back and say “I wish I had done more.” Make sure, if you don’t do regular backups already, start today. It’s never too late until your computer fails, and companies like Carbonite make it easy to set-it-and-forget-it. The cost of any backup service, whether it’s your external hard drive or a cloud service, will definitely be worth it when you need to restore the years of memories and photos that were lost on your failed computer.

The post Protect Your Essays and Computer: Backup Your Stuff! appeared first on TI Wizard.

Best Graphing Calculator for High School Algebra & Geometry

English: Texas Instruments TI-84 Plus Graphing Calculator (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Many high school students start their math careers in the Algebra and Geometry track. This covers topics such as linear equations and graphs, as well as more advanced topics such as inequalities. A lot of high schools recommend a specific model of calculator due to its low cost and simplicity: the TI-83 Plus family. This family encompasses the TI-83 Plus, TI-84 Plus, and TI-84 Plus Silver Edition. There is little to no functional difference between any of these models of calculator except for the expanded memory of the TI-84 Plus and TI-84 Plus Silver Edition. However, the small differences (such as the USB connector on the TI-84 Plus versus the old Graphlink cable required for the TI-83 Plus) make it worth spending the less-than-$10 difference between the two to get the newer TI-84 Plus.

However, some enthusiastic math students may want to consider the more advanced TI NSpire. A unique feature of the NSpire is its two keypads– once you swap out the TI NSpire’s keypad for a TI-84 Plus compatible one, the calculator functions exactly like a TI-84 Plus and is compatible with all TI-83 Plus/TI-84 Plus apps, games, and instructions. Swap the NSpire keypad back in to get advanced features such as Lua scripting, 3D graphing, and spreadsheet editing. The TI NSpire may actually be the best deal out of all of the calculators due to its ability to switch into a sort of “advanced” mode when needed. This is great when taking Chemistry and Biology later in high school, as the graphing and spreadsheet functions make data collection in labs easy.

Recommendation

If you have a little more money to spend, TI NSpire (non-CAS) is the best graphing calculator for high school. Otherwise, the good old TI-84 Plus will get you buy just fine in high school Algebra and Geometry. If you have the option of buying a TI-83 Plus, I would avoid doing so unless you do not plan on playing games at all or you can get the TI-83 Plus significantly cheaper than the TI-84 Plus. Alternatively, if you’re looking for a color screen, you can wait until Spring of 2013 to get your hands on the new TI-84 Plus C Silver Edition.

TI-Nspire Clickpad (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Best Graphing Calculator for High School Calculus and Pre-Calculus

Some students may choose to go onto Pre-Calculus or Calculus in high school as well. Similar to Algebra and Geometry, the TI-83 Plus/TI-84 Plus family is often recommended in schools for their simplicity. While the TI-84 Plus will do just fine, even in the most advanced calculus courses in universities, I recommend the TI NSpire (with CAS) for calculus students. The Computer Algebra System (CAS) will aid you in solving equations. Unlike regular calculators that show you decimal numbers, the CAS will give you answers in terms of Pi and variables. This is immensely helpful when checking your work. It’s important to note, most teachers and some standardized tests (mainly the ACT in the United States) will not allow the CAS. However, the SAT and AP tests do permit the NSpire CAS on the tests. Alternatively, if you do not need the CAS, you can purchase a Non-CAS model of the TI NSpire that is allowed on all major standardized tests. Or if you want to get really fancy, you may consider the TI NSpire CX with a color screen. And yes, games can be in color on the TI NSpire CX as well.

Recommendation

The TI-84 Plus never loses its value or usefulness and will work great in all calculus and pre-calculus courses, but the TI NSpire (CAS, non-CAS) reigns supreme with its ability to draw 3D graphs and aid you in checking your work with a computer algebra system. Even better, if you choose to buy the TI NSpire (non-CAS, with swappable keypad), it’s like having both the TI-84 Plus and TI NSpire, making it the best graphing calculator for high school students, whether you are taking geometry or calculus.

Related articles

• TI Releases new TI NSpire Graphing Calculator
• TI-84 Plus C Silver Edition: Is TI Reviving their Old Calculators with Color?

The post Best Graphing Calculator for High School Students appeared first on TI Wizard.

Evernote

Image via CrunchBase

Personally, I find Evernote to be an invaluable tool for taking and reviewing class notes. While I previously used pen and paper like most other students, I found that I never actually looked at my notes again, making them pretty useless. With Evernote, I can search through notes I previously took and tag them based on subject matter. Evernote will even look through images you embed in your notes, making it possible to search through the text in photos or pictures. Evernote also has great iOS, Mac, and PC apps, making it easy and fun to edit and create notes.

Google Drive and Google Documents

For group projects I always setup a shared group folder in Google Documents. This allows anyone I give permission to edit, create, and delete documents. The best part is, everyone can edit a single document at the same time. When more than one person is looking at a document and editing it, you’ll see everyone else’s cursor moving around and typing– live.

Image via CrunchBase

YouTube

When you’re struggling to understand a concept and homework is due the next day, YouTube can be your best friend– especially in subjects such as Calculus and Chemistry where heavy computation is involved. Try searching for the topic you’re struggling with and look at some of the videos that pop up. For example, searching “how to integrate by parts” in Google brings up a fantastic tutorial by PatrickJMT. Patrick, in particular, has tons of video tutorials on math subjects that are extremely helpful and walk you through complete problems. Similar video authors exist for other subjects– just search around.

Teachers, Friends, and Family

When YouTube isn’t enough or you have a little more time to get help, consider asking your friends, family, and (especially) teachers for help. Chances are, someone you know will be able to help you out and walk you through different problems. Just remember– ask them questions if you don’t fully understand a particular part of a problem so that they can go more in depth where you need more explanation. Also, thank them after they’re done helping you!

Tablets and Smartphones

With the iPad, Kindle Fire HD, and Nexus 7, you now have access to an amazing number of great education apps to help you study. The previously mentioned Evernote has a fantastic iPad application, allowing you to sync notes between your laptop, tablet, and even your phone. Interactive apps that include videos and 3D models, such as the extremely popular “The Elements,” are great for visualizing concepts.

As you can see, there’s a ton of great tools and websites to help you study for your next exam. What’s your favorite tool to help you study? Let us know in the comments!

Related articles

• Calculus Studying Tips: The Mistakes I Made in High School
• 10 Powerful Ways To Use Google In Education

The post 5 Tools and Sites to Help You Study and Make the Grade appeared first on TI Wizard.

Updated November, 2012 to add Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Paperwhite

Amazon Kindle

If you haven’t heard of the Kindle already, it is a family of electronic reading devices. On the majority of the slates in the Kindle family, instead of a traditional LCD, which is backlit and can harm your eyes if used for an extended period of time, there is a unique E-Ink display. This is great for reading because there is no backlight, and it looks exactly as if you were reading off a paper book. Another great feature of the E-Ink display is the low power consumption– instead of using electricity to power the display, it only consumes power when the page is changing.

The Amazon Kindle has been around a little while. The first generation device was a landmark in electronic reading devices. It had a great E-Ink screen and 3G access, which meant that you could download a book in tens of different countries– for free.

Fast forward a few years and Amazon now has a several different devices under the Kindle name. From Kindles with keyboards, to touchscreen devices and the Kindle Fire HD tablet, there is a reader for everyone.

All of the Kindle devices, with exception of one, come with a couple of cool features. First, they can store audiobooks. With an integrated headphone jack, simply plug your earbuds in and hit play, and the Kindle will read the book to you. Audible.com has over 60,000 audiobooks ready for download on your Kindle. In addition to audiobooks, the Kindle can play MP3s, such as music, while you read. Simply plug the device into your commuter with the USB cable, and drag the songs over.

The Kindle devices don’t just do books: the Newsstand feature places magazines and newspapers, such as Time and The New Yorker, right into your hands. You can purchase a subscription right on the device and new issues are downloaded the instant they are released.

Kindle Keyboard

This is a Kindle classic– a 6 inch E-Ink screen, a full QWERTY keyboard, and optional 3G connectivity. Not only is a great reader, but it’s really cheap: as low as $99 for the WiFi only version. The battery life is phenomenal, and you normally will never have to think about charging the device. With the wireless connectivity off, as it will be most of the time, you can read books for about two months. It’s also really light: only a 8.5 ounces, and with the Kindle Keyboard’s 4GB of storage that can store over 3,500 books, you’ll really be able to take a lot of weight out of your backpack.

Kindle Touch

The Touch is a new addition to the family. Unlike the Kindle Keyboard, the screen covers the entire front of the device, which increases the reading area. And because there is no keyboard, it’s lighter by 12%. It can store the same 3,000 books and has both 3G and WiFi options.  Even if there is no physical keyboard, you’re not missing out– there’s still a on screen, touch keyboard to help you navigate through the Kindle bookstore.

3G versus WiFi

For the Kindle Keyboard and Touch there are a two options for wireless connectivity: 3G plus WiFi, or plain WiFi. If you opt for the cheaper, WiFi only versions, you will only be able to download books when connected to a WiFi hotspot. If you rarely download books, this may be fine for you– just download books when at home, work, or right before you takeoff from the airport with the free wireless access. But if you’re on the road and you run out of books, then you are out of luck.

This is the main advantage of the 3G version: if you are out and about, you can flip on the 3G wireless, browse the book store, download a book, and begin reading, all while you’re in the car or train. There’s no need for WiFi at all, but you still have the option of turning it on if you’re at home and downloading large files such as audiobooks. Not only do you get the 3G access in the United States, but you get free connectivity in over 100 countries globally as well. If you are a frequent traveler, the 3G is really convenient.

A hidden feature of the Kindle is the “Experimental Web Browser.” Basically, it will allow you to browse the web over the WiFi connection if you have the correct Kindle. If you are on the road and happen to be near a WiFi hotspot, and need nearby restaurants, you can simply pull up Yelp and find reviews on your Kindle.

Special Offers

When purchasing a Kindle, you may also notice the choice between “With Special Offers,” or without. Special Offers, in simple terms, are ads. They are only displayed on the screensaver if you have not touched your Kindle for a couple of minutes and on the home screen. They will never appear when you are reading a book. For some, saving $40 may be worth having these ads. In fact, some of the ads are actually good deals. For example, at one point there was a 25% off coupon for laptops purchased on Amazon.com– but you could only use the coupon if you had a Special Offers Kindle. Most ads won’t be useful: $30 off Yoga Classes, ads for AT&T, and $1 Kindle Books you don’t care about.

It’s up to you to decide whether Special Offers is worth the money saved, but if you purchase a Special Offers Kindle, you can always purchase an upgrade on your Kindle to remove the ads later. Remember, hardware-wise there is no difference, it’s simply whether ads are displayed or not.

Kindle and Kindle DX

At only $69, the “Kindle” (no suffix or nickname) is one of the cheapest, and most feature filled E-Reader. You get the same E-Ink screen, light device, and month-long battery life, but for a really low price. However, there is a tradeoff: there are no audiobooks, and the device can only store about 1,400 books. While you probably will never hit that limit, the lack of MP3 playback and audiobooks may be a deal killer for some. In addition, there is no touch screen or keyboard– just a D-Pad. While this is a great deal for the budget conscious consumer, most will prefer the Kindle Touch or Keyboard for $20 more.

The Kindle DX is a more specialized E-Reader. It’s huge, and much more expensive at $379. The DX comes with a 9.7 inch screen– as big as an iPad. However, it’s still an E-Ink display, so you get the same great outdoor reading experience. While it is big length and width-wise, it is still extremely thin. In fact, it is just as thin as the other members of the Kindle family. It also comes with free 3G access and can carry up to 3,500 books. If you don’t mind the bigger form factor and appreciate the large screen, the Kindle DX is a great device. But for casual readers who want a light, portable E-Reader, it may make more sense to choose one of the smaller Kindles. Unfortunately, the Kindle DX has been discontinued and can only be bought from third party vendors.

Kindle Paperwhite

The Kindle Paperwhite is a new offering from Amazon with some pretty cool new technology. Embedded in the screen is a “frontlight.” Unlike a computer screen, where the backlight shines into your eyes, the light on the Kindle actually is reflected off the front of the surface. This makes the Kindle’s screen comparable to having a reading light on and will strain your eyes less. Best of all, you can turn the light off, and because the light is embedded into the screen itself, you’ll never even know it’s there.

The Kindle Paperwhite also has a brand new, higher contrast, and sharper screen to make reading more pleasant.

For more information on the Kindle Paperwhite, see our overview of the Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Paperwhite.

And introducing…the Kindle Fire

The recent addition of cheaper Kindles and the Touch are welcomed, but they all build on the same, standard E-Reader format. While there’s nothing wrong with this, there are some people who would prefer a radically different device.

This is where the Fire comes in. Unlike the other Kindles, and like an iPad, the screen is a full color LCD. While this may not be ideal for some readers, the Fire isn’t designed just for reading. In addition to the millions of books available on the Amazon store, you get access to 18 million TV shows, apps, movies, songs, books, newspapers, magazines, and more. The 7 inch IPS display is great for streaming movies from Amazon’s library, and magazines are simply beautiful, especially when compared to the black-and-white displas of the other Kindles. For the multimedia junkie, this the device.

Younger kids that love books make take to the traditional Kindle devices, but the Fire is great for children as well. During story time, simply bring up a full-color children’s book, complete with beautifully illustrated pictures.

With the device, you get one month of Amazon Prime. Simply put, Amazon Prime a subscription that includes streaming movies, free books, and free two day shipping on most items purchased from the Amazon store. If you buy the Fire, you will probably need (or at least really want) Prime due to the multimedia focus of the device. There are included apps for streaming the free movies included with your Prime subscription, and you can purchase rental rights for new releases. The Fire, based on the Android operating system, has email, Facebook, Netflix, Twitter, and a web browser. All of this for only $199– less than half the price of an iPad. This is the device everyone has been talking about– it’s a cheap tablet that actually makes sense to buy. Paired with the $80-a-year Prime subscription (only $40 for college students!), this deal is unmatched by anything from Apple, Vizio, Samsung, or any other tablet vendor.

There are a few cons when compared to the traditional E-Ink Kindles: it’s heavier, doesn’t have the E-Ink screen, and the battery life is much, much lower. These are tradeoffs that will have to be made for a device like this, because it isn’t really an E-Reader. It’s a lot more than that, and it’s something that any book worm or cinephile will absolutely love for the holidays.

Kindle Fire HD

Now that Amazon’s released the new Kindle Fire HD 7″ and Kindle Fire HD 8.9″ tablets starting at the same price as the original Kindle Fire, you have even more options. The Kindle Fire HD 7″ starts at $199 and includes 16 GB of storage. Impressively, the 8.9″ version of the Kindle Fire HD comes with a full HD screen. This means that your 1080p movies will be amazingly sharp on the screen, without any additional letter-boxing or scaling.

For more information on the Kindle Fire HD, see our overview of the Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Fire HD.

Buyer’s Guide

The post What are the Differences? Kindle E-Readers Explained appeared first on TI Wizard.

TI-84 Plus C Silver Edition. Source: “0rac343″ from Cemetech Forums

The rumored device was supposedly given to a teacher (actually, two whole classroom sets of 24 calculators) to pilot his classroom with. According to the source, only known as “0rac343,” the calculator is still running OS 2.55 and is only slightly different than the existing TI-84 Plus calculators.

The story, which originally debuted on the Cemetech forums, also indicates that the programming language (TI Basic) remains largely unchanged from the older TI-83 Plus and TI-84 Plus, which both use the same syntax.

As with many others, I am slightly skeptical about the whole story. After all, TI has an amazingly powerful calculator and operating system that it has been transitioning to recently: the NSpire. Backtracking and reviving their old TI-84 Plus format can be considered a step backward, and may confuse individuals and book publishers that have been getting used to the new TI NSpire and rewriting texts for the new format.

The TI NSpire also has two different models– a less expensive grayscale calculator, and the TI NSpire CX, which is designed to compete with the similarly featured Casio Prizm. TI could take this approach with the TI-84 Plus family, and provide the inexpensive monochrome TI-84 Plus in addition to this new TI-84 Plus C Silver Edition.

This would divide their calculator product line into two main segments– the newer, more advanced TI NSpire, which has capabilities such as 3D graphing and chart generation, and the elementary TI-84 Plus product line, designed for younger students in Pre-Calculus and Algebra/Geometry. Additionally, each of these two families would be subdivided once more and provide a less expensive entry model in addition to a more advanced calculator with a color screen.

In any event, as the supposed Spring launch window approaches, it’ll be interesting to see if TI makes another attempt to diversify the aging graphing calculator market.

Via Tech Powered Math

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