TI Calculators: Am I the ONLY one that can kill them on a regular basis?

[EyeMWing]

I've been through about 1 TI-83+ every year since 7th grade (When the 83+ was brand spankin' new).

They just stop working. They spend all their time in my front pants pocket (If not in my desk), which gets pretty hot in the summer and gets banged around a lot. They also get dropped a fairly good deal. Some of them havn't even survived to the first battery change. The cover latches are usually totally worn down within my first 2 weeks of use. Lettering wears off the keys. The LCD occasionally becomes damaged.

This rule doesn't seem to apply to my TI-89, however, it's in its second year and still works as well as when I bought it (Better, actually, thanks to the Apps desktop introduced in one of the AMS upgrades).

Is this just because the M68k CPU used in the 89 is that much better suited for abuse than the Z80 in the 83+? I always joke about it being a "pocket Macintosh." As far as hardware longevity, it seems to be right on track with my old M68k macs (My early PPC macs are starting to die off, but the M68k units, despite INSANE amounts of physical abuse, continue to truck on)

 

[Nocturnal]

I <3 my TI-89.

 

[elbirth]

I think you should just learn to take care of your stuff better.... I mean, almost $100 per year on a new calculator is ridiculous.... I've had my TI-86 calculator for about 5-6 years now and it's still good as new, albeit some wear on the "clicking in place" of the case......

 

[Angrymarshmello]

The first question is, why are you carrying around a TI calculator in your pocket?

Second - my 82 I gave to my sister has lasted several years. My 85 about 2+ (bought used beforehand, the previous owner got 3 years use out of it). The 82's we used to use in high school had been in circulation for at least 3 years, so I guess you're just destructive or something

 

[clicknext]

I've got quite a few friends who've been using theirs for 3 years.

 

[LordMaul]

I ended up killing my TI-86 somehow. Still got the 89 for backup though.🙂

 

[bubbadu]

I killed a 83 silver in like 4 months.... i bought it back to Costco and got store credit 🙁 Now I have no calculator.... I will probaly pick up a 89 @ Staples for cheap sometime soon

-Bubbadu

 

[amdskip]

I've had my 83+ 7 years now and it still works thankfully.

 

[EyeMWing]

Originally posted by: Angrymarshmello
The first question is, why are you carrying around a TI calculator in your pocket?

I use it in virtually every class (Except english) for somthing or other, and refuse to place such a valuable object in my locker (I had a $60 CD player stolen - that was that for keeping items of value in a supposedly safe locker.) It also serves as my watch.

Tony, what time is it?

*whip out calculator* - 1:42

 

[Jejunum]

i destroyed my 86 after 3 hard years...my 85 has survived 4 so far...need to get an 89 to start cheating though!

 

[EyeMWing]

Hey hey hey, 89's aren't cheating. They're doing things the modern way. WHEN are you going to have to do calculus/higher algebra/trigonometry/physics without a calculator? Outside of the "no calculator" portion of the test anyway.

 

My regular TI-83 (yeah, I'm old school...got it in 8th grade) is in perfect condition.

 

[StormRider]

Try changing the batteries....

 

[Konigin]

Originally posted by: EyeMWing

Originally posted by: Angrymarshmello
The first question is, why are you carrying around a TI calculator in your pocket?

I use it in virtually every class (Except english) for somthing or other, and refuse to place such a valuable object in my locker (I had a $60 CD player stolen - that was that for keeping items of value in a supposedly safe locker.) It also serves as my watch.

Tony, what time is it?

*whip out calculator* - 1:42

What kinda lockers do you have in that school? Don't they lock?

 

[EyeMWing]

Originally posted by: Konigin

Originally posted by: EyeMWing

Originally posted by: Angrymarshmello
The first question is, why are you carrying around a TI calculator in your pocket?

I use it in virtually every class (Except english) for somthing or other, and refuse to place such a valuable object in my locker (I had a $60 CD player stolen - that was that for keeping items of value in a supposedly safe locker.) It also serves as my watch.

Tony, what time is it?

*whip out calculator* - 1:42

What kinda lockers do you have in that school? Don't they lock?

They lock - until you put on about 50lbs of heat. Then one of two things happens - the locker yanks clean out of the wall, or the lock pops. Some of them are still original construction - built with the building in 1930. The rest were added in the 50's.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: EyeMWing

Originally posted by: Konigin

Originally posted by: EyeMWing

Originally posted by: Angrymarshmello
The first question is, why are you carrying around a TI calculator in your pocket?

I use it in virtually every class (Except english) for somthing or other, and refuse to place such a valuable object in my locker (I had a $60 CD player stolen - that was that for keeping items of value in a supposedly safe locker.) It also serves as my watch.

Tony, what time is it?

*whip out calculator* - 1:42

What kinda lockers do you have in that school? Don't they lock?

They lock - until you put on about 50lbs of heat. Then one of two things happens - the locker yanks clean out of the wall, or the lock pops. Some of them are still original construction - built with the building in 1930. The rest were added in the 50's.

50lbs of heat? WTF?

 

[austin316]

I stepped on my 86 and broke the screen. That same day I found an 83 laying on the ground outside my place. Woot!!