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1. xp84+(OP)[view] [source] 2026-02-02 01:54:51
I was pretty delighted to realize I could now delete the lame Calculator.app from my iPhone and replace it with something of my choice. For now I've settled on NumWorks, which is apparently an emulator of a modern upstart physical graphing calc that has made some inroads into schools. And of course, you can make a Control Center button to launch an app, so that's what I did.

Honestly, the main beef I have with Calculator.app is that on a screen this big, I ought to be able to see several previous calculations and scroll up if needed. I don't want an exact replica of a 1990s 4-function calculator like the default is (ok, it has more digits and the ability to paste, but besides that, adds almost nothing).

replies(2): >>Button+O2 >>vscode+8r1
2. Button+O2[view] [source] 2026-02-02 02:22:27
>>xp84+(OP)
I looked at that calculator. But HP Prime and TI-89 have CAS systems that can do symbolic math, so I prefer to emulate them.
3. vscode+8r1[view] [source] 2026-02-02 15:23:26
>>xp84+(OP)
Calculator.app does have history now FWIW, it goes back to 2025 on my device. And you can make the default vertical be a scientific calculator now too.

Also it does some level of symbolic evaluation: sin^-1(cos^-1(tan^-1(tan(cos(sin(9))))))== 9, which is a better result than many standalone calculators.

Also it has a library of built in unit conversations, including live updating currency conversions. You won’t see that on a TI-89!

And I just discovered it actually has a built in 2D/3D graphing ability. Now the question is it allows parametric graphing like the MacOS one…

All that said, obviously the TI-8X family hold a special place in my heart as TI-BASIC was my first language. I just don’t see a reason to use one any more day to day.

replies(1): >>xp84+Szd
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4. xp84+Szd[view] [source] [discussion] 2026-02-05 19:14:35
>>vscode+8r1
I haven't reinstalled it to check how it's implemented, but I want that history visible on the screen. So that I can do 3 calculations, then look up and see the calculations and results, for instance, to copy them down somewhere.

I'd like multitasking too with multiple apps visible at once so I could copy figures easily from one app to another, like the Android I tried in 2020, but obviously that's asking too much of Apple.

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