Texas Instruments has brought its graphing calculator functionality to a more modern platform, according to TechPoweredMath. TI-Nspire for iPad mimics the functionality of the color TI-Nspire calculator and has cloud integration for teachers to share files with students.

TI’s graphing calculators have been stuck staunchly in the past as much as possible. Color screens were a recent development for its most popular line of devices, and developers have had to build games with only a handful of kilobytes of code. As smartphones and tablets rise in popularity, it makes increasing sense to fold the graphing calculator functionality into devices that students are likely carrying around with them anyway.

This is not to say graphing calculator apps haven’t existed for some time—they have, for both smartphones and tablets, and many are free. But until now, TI has refused to cross over.

The new iPad app will likely be a tough sell for students over the cheaper versions already in the market. TI-Nspire for iPad costs $29.99 and lacks the all-important constrained environment that would make it acceptable for use in exams or standardized tests. But the app does have Dropbox integration so that students can access files, such as sets of graphed equations, that teachers or other students upload via a button in the interface.

The inability to use the app as an official calculator, combined with the cost, is disappointing. However, we wonder if the user profiles we've wished for in the next version of iOS could be the key—instead of forcing students to reset their calculators to clear out shortcuts and programs, test-givers could force students into a restricted profile (though that would only work if the school alone held the passcode).

TI placed the app in the App Store for a brief while before it was pulled due to a security issue; once that's resolved it will be reinstated.