Talk:Pocket computer
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[edit] What's the difference?
What is the difference between the calculators listed in this article, and current calculators, other than the name? For example, my TI-89 can use BASIC. Why wouldn't it be a pocket computer?Ziiv (talk) 04:40, 4 March 2008 (UTC)
- Hmm. Does it have an alphanumeric keyboard and text display? I think that would be a good divider between "advanced calculator" and "pocket computer", though I see from the ti 890 article that this may not be much of a difference. How do you edit BASIC programs on the TI 89 without an alphabetic keyboard? --Wtshymanski (talk) 01:56, 5 March 2008 (UTC)
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- The TI-89's alphanumeric characters are printed above other keys in purple, and are accessible via the alpha (i.e. shift) key. It even has a built-in text editor and IDE. It also supports assembly.Ziiv (talk) 06:13, 5 March 2008 (UTC)
- Hmm again - I'm not sure there's a meaningful difference. Although when I look at the TI89 picture I think "calculator", where as something like the HP 95LX looks like a pocket "computer". What are we trying to say when we distinguish between computers and calculators? --Wtshymanski (talk) 18:57, 5 March 2008 (UTC)
- The TI-89's alphanumeric characters are printed above other keys in purple, and are accessible via the alpha (i.e. shift) key. It even has a built-in text editor and IDE. It also supports assembly.Ziiv (talk) 06:13, 5 March 2008 (UTC)
Well, Tandy and Sharp (at least) specifically marketed these with the name "product computer" (as evidenced in the photos). And they were sold as computers rather than as calculators, despite the fact that they have a calculator mode (and after all, almost all computers come with a calculator program). - Keith D. Tyler ΒΆ 20:22, 6 March 2008 (UTC)
