Portal

Today Casio renewed the design of its downloads page. Now the site is more intuitive and easy to use, as we can see below:



They also separated the different calculators in several pages to make browsing more user-friendly :
-> Classpad
-> fx-CG series
-> Graphic Calculators
-> fx-ES PLUS series & Standard models

However, is not all good news. They blocked direct linking files.

You can visit the new page in edu.casio.com/dl/

Casio America is organizing a contest on their facebook page, with the aim of offering a projector lamp free, Resident Evil 6 Special Edition.



One of the characteristics that distinguishes them from other brands is LAMPFREE technology. The fully mercury-free light source has a life expectancy of 20,000 hours with performance of up to 2,500 ANSI lumens. This new lamp-free technology means that Casio projectors are better for the environment; and with no need to buy replacement lamps, they are also much better for your pocket!

With a power consumption of less than 1 watt in standby mode, the projectors are fully compliant with the demands of the new EU directive 1 requiring reduced power demand for technical devices from the beginning of 2010.



It can also be used with Casio calculators (prizm, fx9860 and classpad 330 plus) just connecting the USB cable of calculators to the projector.



Note: This promotion is only valid for U.S. residents.
I've posted it here because we have some U.S. visitors who may be interested in participating.

You can join here: http://www.facebook.com/CasioUSA?v=app_ ... 742&rest=1

Good Luck

During the past month, Casio French Community Planet Casio organized a programming contest having as subject the future.


The contest had large participation, which in part was due to the fact that the participants can choose the calculator/platform and language (c, lua, basic). To decide the winners, games will receive voting. The official announcement of winners will be made at the end of this month (October) in the community Planet-Casio.

As a prize, they will offer 5 ClassPads 330 Plus to the best works!

You you can visit the work of participants here. There are very good games!

I usually search the patents belonging to various companies (like sony, apple, samsung, microsoft...) to know at first hand the technological innovations.

Recently, I decided to do a patent search of Casio and I found what may be the next Casio calculator with touchscreen technology.

Firstly i found the patent US20090307587 (3 Jun 2009) which apparently seems to be a reformulation of the Casio ClassPad (never launched).

The position of the keyboard has been changed in draft.



I think this model will not be released, because they recently launched the new Classpad 330 Plus with the same keyboard position.


After that, I found something quite interesting, what might be the revolutionary new future model of casio, in US Patent US20110016165 (12 Jul 2010).
Below is a draft, possibly a prototype:



Apparently, the FKEYS were reduced to 4 (instead of 6 in models like fx9860, prizm...) and SHIFT/ALPHA keys were removed.

In this patent is also contemplated another possible novelty, a communication control unit that can communicate with web server (maybe a casio alternative to nSpire wifi functions, who knows?).



There is also reference the multitouch technology, which is unheard of for a calculator:



This technology can innovate and simplify the form of input in a graphic calculator
EXEMPLE: changing the order of members of an account, can easily be made:


But the innovations do not stop there, maybe this calculator will adapt a method of text selection similar to android:


You think you've seen everything? You are mistaken!
I found yet another patent, with the draft of this mysterious new model and with some more interesting information (patent US20100231597).

This mysterious model possibly also have a pen and a function of HANDWRITTEN MATHEMATICAL FORMULA RECOGNITION. No it isnt a new classpad (i think), the proportions of the screen are similar to the fx9860/prizm, maybe a new model/serie or a prizm refresh in future?



Here is the patent referent to this formula recognition (US20120162107 from 8 Dez 2011)



I really liked this supposed future calculator, who knows, maybe a year from now or two is not launched?

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During this search, I found a function that can be implemented in the future that will not please many users, contemplated in the patent US7840621, a Anti Cheating feature.
With this function will be possible for exemple block acess to e-activities and programs, choose block duration time, etc...using a SD card.



After Texas Instruments taking the first steps in combating cheating in tests (with a led in Nspire), Casio will follow the same way?

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Would like to remind that patents are used to safeguard the rights of an invention, and it is not mandatory that this invention is placed on the market for example.

If you bought the new casio fx9860 series model, Power Graphic 2, possibly you have had problems with games and programs that do not work. You can find more info about this new model here.

Astianax from Planet-Casio had the idea of create a list of add-ins that work/not work with new calculators. This list can be found on Casio Universal Wiki. If you have this new model, you can leave in this topic (or add directly on wiki) your tests with add-ins.

Ziqumu (wiki co-founder) was working on the wiki, and now registrations are open again (of course wiki is protected with an anti-spam plugin). If you have not registered, register now and share your knowledge.
The article editor was also improved.

EDITED: The forum now has a syntax highlight plugin that auto recognit the language and work with native code tag. Demo