TI-36X Pro—Replace the batteries or just get a new one?

[jlind]

(08-25-2019 01:56 PM)ijabbott Wrote:  

(08-25-2019 08:42 AM)jlind Wrote:  The discussion about the TI-30X Plus MathPrint has piqued my interest. I need another scientific pocket calculator like another hole in my head. If it were about 3/4" shorter I'd be more likely to buy one.

If you do, make sure you get the Pro version rather than the Plus version. (The "Pro" version is feature compatible with the TI-36X Pro and TI-30X Pro MultiView. The "Plus" is the cut-down features version.)

The 30X Pro MathPrint arrived yesterday. It's a bit taller than I was hoping for, but it's smaller and a little thinner than the current Nspire CX II CAS and Prime G2 CAS. I chalk that up to the real estate consumed for the LCD and solar panels above the keyboard - noticeably more than that on my vintage 1995 36X Solar. Played with it a bit last night and this morning and I'm impressed. Ran a couple of benchmarks on it and they're right up with what has been posted by others. Even ran the VBlogMag numeric integral test from -6 --> +6 (versus 0 -->6) and it still was under ten seconds. Then I cranked the Epsilon error allowed from 1x10^-5 down to 1x10^-13 and it didn't change the time required much, if any. No difference in precision of answer, and this calculator one has two hidden guard digits (12 total; displays 10). Blazing fast compared to the TI-36X Pro's 108 seconds that VBlogMag clocked. Much more attractive in style. Thinner and lighter. The only thing I don't care for and it's not a deal breaker, is the snap-on cover with its top and bottom tabs that stick out. A sliding one like that found on the graphing calculators would be nicer and make for less height.

Discovered the "back story" behind the very recent creation of the TI-30X Plus and Pro MathPrint. Seems the 30X Plus MultiView could be hacked with a couple of keystrokes converting it into a full-blown 30X Pro MultiView, something that was eventually discovered by the educational powers that be in Bayern and Baden-Württemberg after no doubt the 5th year and above students had known this for some time. The two German "states" had banned test and exam use of calculators capable of:
• Numeric derivatives
• Numeric integrals
• Numeric equation solving, and
• Polynomial solving

The Plus MultiView didn't have these capabilities, until the simple Shazam! key press hack was discovered that unleashed its super-powers. Didn't sit well with the authorities as one couldn't distinguish between banned and permitted calculator models. TI announced it was fixing the "exploit" in a revision of the Plus model about two years ago. Issue with this was obvious. One wouldn't know which revision of a 30X Plus MultiView they were looking at unless they pulled up the "about" screen, looked at ROM and H/W revision numbers, and remembered how to distinguish the new from old. I get visions of the famous scene of Danny Kaye in The Court Jester thinking about it:



TI then quickly changed course announcing the new 30X Plus and Pro MathPrint in new, rectangular and thinner cases. No confusing these with their predecessors. Excellent decision by TI, but still wonder why these haven't been released in North America - even if it's under a 36X badge to remain consistent with 30 in Europe vs 36 in North America. If the OP changed the batteries successfully versus replacing his, he should still think about getting this one.

Thanks, Ian, for mentioning this European gem.

John

[Matt Agajanian]

Jlind, please clarify. Which model are you recommending I get should I decide to get if I don’t want to replace the batteries in the 36X Pro?

[ijabbott]

(09-10-2019 06:21 PM)Matt Agajanian Wrote:  Jlind, please clarify. Which model are you recommending I get should I decide to get if I don’t want to replace the batteries in the 36X Pro?

It's the TI-30X Pro MathPrint (not to be confused with Plus and/or MultiView).

A decent place to buy it from is amazon.de:

https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07BNMB84P

[jlind]

(09-10-2019 10:22 PM)ijabbott Wrote:  

(09-10-2019 06:21 PM)Matt Agajanian Wrote:  Jlind, please clarify. Which model are you recommending I get should I decide to get if I don’t want to replace the batteries in the 36X Pro?

It's the TI-30X Pro MathPrint (not to be confused with Plus and/or MultiView).

A decent place to buy it from is amazon.de:

https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07BNMB84P

^^^^^^^^^
What Ian said.
Amazon.de is where I bought mine. Arrived in about two weeks which is average from Germany, 3-5 days of which are spent in US Customs. Shipped to the US in spite of the notice that it couldn't be (some items are prevented by contractual distribution agreements). Amazon.de has a language setting for English. Use your Amazon USA account ID and password, which works on any Amazon site globally.

A photo of one captured sitting in its native nest (cover) so you can spot and identify them in the wild:



It had just finished the VBlogMag speed test integral evaluated from -6 to +6.

John

[jebem]

(08-10-2018 09:33 AM)pier4r Wrote:  Does TI really make the battery compartment so complicated to access to let users throw the calculator away?
......
Consumerism is really cancerous for the planet.

Good points.

We are pushed to consume things even if we don't really needed it. Depleting the planet resources seems to be humankind ultimate goal.

Concerning the OP question, well, Texas design decision to not include a proper battery cover, like so many other brands making low end machines, was simply to cut down manufacturing costs and maximize profits.

Go ahead and just replace the battery, it is not that hard, and then get the new German version 30X Pro MathPrint as well.

I just did. Got it from Amazon Deutschland for 42 Euro s&h included.
In my case, based in Portugal, I could have used Amazon Spain that ships for free despite the final price being about the same at 41 Euro.

Thanks to all contributors that spent the time to test and compare this excellent Texas machine against the Casio.