Texas Instruments TI-60

Datasheet legend
Ab/c: Fractions calculation
AC: Alternating current
BaseN: Number base calculations
Card: Magnetic card storage
Cmem: Continuous memory
Cond: Conditional execution
Const: Scientific constants
Cplx: Complex number arithmetic
DC: Direct current
Eqlib: Equation library
Exp: Exponential/logarithmic functions
Fin: Financial functions
Grph: Graphing capability
Hyp: Hyperbolic functions
Ind: Indirect addressing
Intg: Numerical integration
Jump: Unconditional jump (GOTO)
Lbl: Program labels
LCD: Liquid Crystal Display
LED: Light-Emitting Diode
Li-ion: Lithium-ion rechargeable battery
Lreg: Linear regression (2-variable statistics)
mA: Milliamperes of current
Mtrx: Matrix support
NiCd: Nickel-Cadmium rechargeable battery
NiMH: Nickel-metal-hydrite rechargeable battery
Prnt: Printer
RTC: Real-time clock
Sdev: Standard deviation (1-variable statistics)
Solv: Equation solver
Subr: Subroutine call capability
Symb: Symbolic computing
Tape: Magnetic tape storage
Trig: Trigonometric functions
Units: Unit conversions
VAC: Volts AC
VDC: Volts DC
Years of production:   Display type: Numeric display  
New price:   Display color: Black  
    Display technology: Liquid crystal display 
Size: 6"×3"×1" Display size: 10(7+2) digits
Weight: 4 oz    
    Entry method: Algebraic with precedence 
Batteries: 2×"LR44" button cell Advanced functions: Trig Exp Hyp Lreg Intg Cmem BaseN Units 
External power:   Memory functions: +/-/×/÷ 
I/O:      
    Programming model: Keystroke entry 
Precision: 12 digits Program functions:  
Memories: 12(1) numbers Program display: Keycode display  
Program memory: 84 program steps Program editing:  
Chipset:   Forensic result: 9.00044229369  

ti60.jpg (22004 bytes)Oh, no, not again! Another "almost programmable"! These calculators drive me nuts. They're nice, useful, accurate, and ergonomic... what on Earth possessed the designers at Texas Instruments to not include a GOTO and a conditional instruction? About the only reason I can think of is marketing: they probably didn't want to jeopardize the market of their higher-end programmable calculators.

The TI-60 (not to be confused with the SR-60, also from Texas Instruments) looks and feels very much like the TI-55-II or TI-55-III. Indeed, any differences are superficial, except that the TI-60 has about twice the amount of memory of the LCD TI-55s. Unfortunately, the completely unmerged programming model makes this larger program memory less useful than it could be. I have not, for instance, found a way to shoehorn a reasonable approximation of the Gamma function into this calculator.

One good thing: this calculator's RST button, when used in a program, does not stop program execution; instead, execution continues at step 0, so rudimentary loops are possible, just like on the original (LED display) TI-55. As an example, here again is a simple factorial implementation. When the calculation is complete, the program stops with an error, and the result can be recalled from memory register 0:

PC00    OP61    STO
PC01    OP01    1
PC02    OP76    1/x
PC03    OP71    RCL
PC04    OP01    1
PC05    OP65    ×
PC06    OP61    STO
PC07    OP00    0
PC08    OP53    (
PC09    OP71    RCL
PC10    OP01    1
PC11    OP75    -
PC12    OP01    1
PC13    OP54    )
PC14    OP22    RST