| TI-73 | |
| Type: | Graphing calculator |
| Entry: | D.A.L. |
| Manufacturer: | Texas Instruments |
| Introduced: | 1998 |
| Latest Firmware: | 1.60 |
| Predecessor: | TI-80 |
| Successor: | TI-73 Explorer |
| Processor: | Zilog Z80 |
| Frequency: | 6 MHz |
| Memory User: | 25 KB RAM 64 KB flash ROM |
| Memory Rom: | 512 KB |
| Display: | 96×64 pixels, 16×8 characters |
| Prog Lang: | TI-BASIC |
| Supply: | 4 AAA's, 1 CR1616 or CR1620 |
| Weight: | 182g |
| Dimensions: | 7.2x |
| TI-73 Explorer | |
| Type: | Graphing calculator |
| Entry: | D.A.L. |
| Manufacturer: | Texas Instruments |
| Introduced: | 2003 |
| Latest Firmware: | 1.91 |
| Predecessor: | TI-73 |
| Processor: | Zilog Z80 |
| Frequency: | 6 MHz |
| Memory User: | 25 KB RAM 128 KB flash ROM |
| Memory Rom: | 512 KB |
| Display: | 96×64 pixels, 16×8 characters |
| Precision: | 14 |
| Prog Lang: | TI-BASIC |
| Supply: | 4 AAA's, 1 CR1620 |
| Weight: | 182g |
| Dimensions: | 7.2x |
The TI 73 series is a series of graphing calculators made by Texas Instruments, all of which have identical hardware.
The original TI-73 graphing calculator was originally designed in 1998 as a replacement for the TI-80 for use at a middle school level (grades 6-8). Its primary advantage over the TI-80 is its 512 KB of flash memory, which holds the calculator's operating system and thereby allows the calculator to be upgraded. Other advantages over the TI-80 are the TI-73's standard sized screen (as opposed to the TI-80's smaller screen), the addition of a link port, 25 KB of RAM (as compared to the TI-80's 7 KB of RAM), and a faster 6 MHz Zilog Z80 processor (as compared with the TI-80's 980 kHz proprietary processor). The TI-73 also uses the standard 4 AAA batteries with a lithium backup battery (instead of the TI-80's 2 CR2032 lithium batteries).
In 2003, the TI-73 was redesigned with a new body shape and redesignated the TI-73 Explorer to indicate its currently intended use as a bridge between the TI-15 Explorer and similar calculators and the TI-83 Plus, TI-84 Plus, and similar calculators. Later, the TI-73 Explorer was remodeled to resemble the TI-84 Plus graphing calculator more closely.
Due to lack of demand in middle schools, the TI-73 and TI-73 Explorer have not been huge sellers for TI and are not carried by most retail stores. Most American upper-level middle school algebra courses generally tend to use the TI-83 or TI-84 families instead of the TI-73 or TI-73 Explorer, while most basic middle school math courses generally do not use graphing calculators, instead opting for scientific calculators such as the TI-30 or TI-34 families.
Originally the TI-73 could only run programs written in TI-BASIC, although that has changed in recent years. In 2005, an assembly shell called Mallard was released for the TI-73. Mallard allows the user to run programs written in assembly language.[1] As with the TI-82 and the TI-85 before, a hacked backup file is downloaded containing the assembly shell.
Released in late 2008, the Windows utility Chameleon allows a user to load the TI-73 Explorer with a slightly modified TI-83+ firmware, giving it nearly equivalent functionality.
In 2009, Texas Instruments updated the skin of the TI-73 Explorer to match the shape of the larger TI-84 Plus's case. This resulted in a slight increase in mass from 182 grams to 208 grams. The hardware and software remained unchanged and is identical to an older unit wearing the TI-83 plus style casing.
512 KB with 128 KB available for Flash Applications
32 KB with 25 KB available to the user
Text: 16×8 characters
4 AAA batteries plus 1 lithium battery for backup