TI’s answer to the 41 and peripherals

[Matt Agajanian]

Hi all.

While the TI/HP competition from the HP-35 vs SR-50/50 A & HP-45 be SR-51/51A up to HP-67 vs TI-59 are easy to follow, what were the competing models since the 41, Voyager, Pioneer, and 33S/35S series?

Thanks

[Dave Britten]

The TI-88 was originally going to be their alphabetic model, but it doesn't look like it would have compared with the 41 in terms of peripherals and connectivity. For whatever reason, the 88 was canceled shortly before release. They never really had an answer to the 41C.

The TI-95 Procalc came out much later (1986), and it compares very favorably with the 42S, and even surpasses it in a few aspects, such as comparisons between x and any register, the single slot for RAM or ROM expansion, a more readable LCD, and a port for connecting to a printer or mass storage. However, it's also HUGE - probably about 10 times the size of the 42S. It's a very nice machine though, and definitely the best algebraic keystroke programmable out there.

After that, TI kind of veered off in the direction of graphing calculators and the educational market. I think the 85 and 86 were really their last "engineers'" calculators.

[Gene]

TI seems to have been caught a bit flat-footed when the HP-41 series came out - thinking that the TI-59 and TI-58c (announced a month (?) before the 41C) were going to stay at or near the top.

The calculators TI came out with can be examined at datamath.org if you like.

The TI-66 is nice, but TERRIBLY slow. Had alpha for the program step instructions, but no alpha messages.

The other factors were a flirtation with the handheld BASIC machines and the entry of TI into the home computer market, with the TI-99/4A

[Jake Schwartz]

(02-07-2020 12:09 AM)Gene Wrote:  TI seems to have been caught a bit flat-footed when the HP-41 series came out - thinking that the TI-59 and TI-58c (announced a month (?) before the 41C) were going to stay at or near the top.

According to Google, the TI-59 was introduced on May 24th, 1977, so it would have a two-year head start on the HP-41. The TI-88 looked promising when it was shown at the TI booth at the 1982 Summer CES in Chicago, but when it never got to market, I guess they decided it just wasn't going to cut it in the marketplace.

Jake

[Gene]

Yep, I meant the TI-58C was announced one month or so ahead of the HP-41C. The original TI-58 and 59 were in 1977. I remember being amazed seeing an ad for them in Science News that summer.

[Csaba Tizedes]

What was the TI's reply?

As I can see from here, behind the iron-curtain: TI targeted the educational market, HP stayed at engineering/science fields. When the PCs are flooded the world, at the beginning of the 90's, the TI (easily) swapped to the education and started the monopolization - because they are clearly seen that the HP's calculators was too complex for education, so they can not compete with them.
Also, HP with their system-like calculators can not to compete with the PCs and their calculators market reduced dramatically - the engineers, scientists choosed PCs instead of HPs.

Summarize the above: when TI changed to education, won the race - as we can see it today.

Csaba