DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM

Texas Instruments TI-89 Titanium

Date of introduction:	Jan.7, 2004 Available: August 2004	Display technology:	LCD dot matrix
New price:	$149.99 (SRP 2008)	Display size:	100 * 160 pixels
Size:	7.5" x 3.3" x 0.85" 190 x 84 x 22 mm³
Weight:	7.6 ounces, 216 grams	Serial No:	2015011373
Batteries:	4*AAA + SR44 (35mA)	Date of manufacture:	mth 04 year 2004
AC-Adapter:		Origin of manufacture:	China (S)
Precision:	14	Integrated circuits:	CPU: MC68SEC000 ASIC: TI REF 680TG0204R02 Flash: LH28F320
Memories:
Program steps:	188k Bytes, 2.7M Bytes Flash ROM	Courtesy of:	Joerg Woerner

The TI-89 Titanium was announced together with the TI-84 Plus, the TI-84 Plus Silver Edition, and the financial calculator BA II PLUS Professional early in 2004.

Compared with the original TI-89 the enhancements are minor:

• More stylish housing with integrated kickstand
• Integrated USB port for computer connectivity
• Three times of user memory
• Advanced display
• 16 pre-loaded software applications

The internal construction of the TI-89 Titanium matches now the TI-84 Plus family and makes use of only on printed circuit board (PCB). The position of most components and the shape of the PCB's are identical, only the design of the housing differs among the three calculators.

Counting the Integrated Circuits on the PCB reveals a big surprise, the two 128kx8 bits Static RAM chips found in the TI-89 are missing but the size of the Flash ROM chip Sharp LH28F320 doubled to 2Mx16 bits.

Exploring the hardware of the TI-89 Titanium reveals a new ASIC integrating not only the former glue logic, the USB port, but even the 256k Bytes RAM. Learn more about the Hardware Architecture of TI’s Graphing Calculators.

The two Sharp display drivers known from the predecessor are still used and attached in chip-on-board technology on the main PCB.

Please notice that the memory specification matches now with the Voyage 200 introduced in 2002 as successor of the TI-92 Plus.

The Flash-ROM of the TI-89 Titanium is loaded with software,
Texas Instruments included quite interesting Apps:

• Calendar
• CellSheet™
• Contacts
• EE*Pro®
• Finance
• French Localization
• German Localization
• NoteFolio™
• Planner
• Polynomial Root Finder
• Simultaneous Equation Solver
• Spanish Localization
• Statistics with List Editor (English, French, German and Spanish versions)
• StudyCards™
• Symbolic Math Guide
• Tasks

The TI-89 Titanium supports the ViewScreen panel and the TI-Presenter with an Presentation Link Adapter.

A special "teacher version" called TI-89 Titanium VSC combines the standard TI-89 Titanium features with a port to connect to a ViewScreen panel via a cable. Placing the panel on the overhead projector enlarges the image of the handheld screen so that each student can follow along.

A serial port of the calculators allows the connection to the Calculator-Based Laboratory system CBL, its successor CBL 2, the Calculator-Based Ranger CBR and its successor CBR 2. The optional full-sized QWERTY Keyboard introduced already in 2002 matches with a new cradle even with the TI-89 Titanium.

Don't miss the colorful slide cases developed for the TI-84 Plus Silver Edition, they fit on the TI-89 Titanium, too.

Texas Instruments announced in 2006 the TI-Nspire, this long-awaited calculator family arrived finally July 2007 in the store shelves.

Hardware-Versions:

The two different hardware revisions of the TI-89 Titanium are known as HW3 and HW4. You can check the HW version of your TI-89 Titanium using the following key sequence and reading the number on your screen:

[F1] [A]

Disassembling both HW3 and HW4 (manufactured in May 2006 and later) revealed only minor differences in the revision of the ASIC.
In the same month Texas Instruments introduced in France a new design of the TI-89 Titanium with a new black case.

ROM-Versions:

3.00 (March 24, 2004)
3.01 (October 7, 2004)
3.10 (July 18, 2005, actual in February 2008)

Advanced Mathematics Software v2.09

You can check the ROM version of your TI-89 Titanium using the following key sequence and reading the number on your screen:

[F1] [A]

Information provided by ticalc.org and Xavier Andréani.

Exam acceptance:

Since the TI-89 Titanium lacks a QWERTY keyboard it is permitted (as of September 27, 2007) for use on SAT, PSAT and AP exams. Calculators with computer algebra system (CAS) functionality are not allowed on ACT exams.

Find here the original press release dated January 7, 2004:

Math, Science Whizzes Connect Quicker and Easier with TI-89 Titanium

TI's ultimate handheld for advanced students now includes built-in USB connectivity

DALLAS, January 7, 2004

Texas Instruments, the leader in handheld educational technology, today announced the launch of the TI-89 Titanium, the next generation of TI's most powerful educational handheld for use in advanced mathematics and science courses. The TI-89 Titanium includes a new built-in Universal Serial Bus (USB) port to allow for direct data transfer between computer and handheld, as well as between TI handheld graphing devices.

In addition to this increased functionality, the TI-89 Titanium is also redesigned with a sleek new look while maintaining the same keystrokes as its predecessor, the TI-89. This powerful graphing handheld offers students in high school advanced placement (AP+) and college-level mathematics and science courses the highest level of functionality and applications to meet their specific classroom needs. With more than 2.5M of available Flash memory and 188K of available RAM, this product is the most powerful TI tool allowed on many AP+ exams, including AP Calculus, Physics, Chemistry and Statistics. The device comes preloaded with 19 Handheld Software Applications (Apps) including CellSheet™, a spreadsheet application; Symbolic Math Guide, a tutorial for transformations for problems in algebra, pre-cal and calculus; and, EE*Pro, an all-inclusive App for electrical engineering.

"With direct USB connectivity, the TI-89 Titanium represents the most powerful handheld tool to aid students with some of the more complex processes involved with heavy academic lifting," said Susan Herman, Product Line Strategy Manager for Texas Instruments Educational & Productivity Solutions business. "Because TI develops its products with direct input from educators, we're confident that both students and teachers will find the TI-89 Titanium is unmatched in functionality and usability."

By connecting a USB cable to the TI-89 Titanium's built-in USB port, users can customize their units by downloading various TI Apps from a computer. The unit also comes equipped with a powerful organizer so teens can track and store tasks, class schedules, appointments, phone numbers and other important information. This portable symbolic graphic unit comes complete with a symbolic Computer Algebra System (CAS), Advanced Mathematics Software and Flash technology that enable students to perform 3-D rotations, symbolic manipulation, and upgrade the unit's software electronically.

The TI-89 Titanium comes prepackaged with a mini USB unit-to-unit link cable, as well as a USB connectivity cable. The TI-89 Titanium is scheduled for availability in August, and will be sold at various retail and office superstores, as well as through educational dealers. For further information, visit the Web at education.ti.com/buy. The TI-89 Titanium has an estimated street price of $149.99.

+ AP is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board, which was not involved in the production of and does not endorse this product.

If you have additions to the above article please email: joerg@datamath.org.