A Miniature Mathematical Must

I remember back in 8th grade (I'm a first-year college student now) when all the hype in algebra class was about this new-fangled "TI-30x" calculator. "And when your parents ask you what you want for Christmas, tell them that you want a brand new TI-30x calculator," our teacher would jest. It wasn't bad advice; the TI-30x turned out to be a mere precursor to the long line of amazingly easy-to-use and incredibly powerful calculators Texas Instruments has put out on the shelves in the last 6 years.
So as I strutted into Ackerman Union at UCLA this past weekend with the intentions on purchasing a scientific calculator (termed "dumb calculator" by my chemistry teacher) for my Chemical Structure class, I knew exactly what I was looking for. Well, upon realizing that, unbelievably, Texas Instruments, over the course of 6 years of calculating development had in fact IMPROVED the TI-30x, I was more than eager to buy the new invention.
I tore open the box that afternoon, and ever since have been absolutely amazed at how much a "dumb" calculator can accomplish. Perhaps it can't produce the fancy-shmancy 3D-graphs the TI-89 can, or solve multiple-variable equations like even the TI-86 is capable of doing. Nonetheless, when it comes down to needing a quick -- and CHEAP (it was less than 20 bucks!) -- solution for math calculations, the TI-30x IIs is definitely the way to go.
The TI-30x IIs is not like conventional scientific calculators, in that you can actually see what you've written as an expression (its display is like graphing calculators in this aspect); you can edit the line of numbers and operators you've entered if you make a mistake. The TI-30x IIs also features a "stat" menu that allows you to find averages, and make other statistical analysis -- more than anyone should expect from a simple 20 dollar piece of technology.
Anyone seeking a useful tool for a math or science class who doesn't want to (or, rather, have to) shell out a hundred dollars for a piece of technology with features half of us won't ever even dream of using anyway should definitely turn to the TI-30x IIs, miles ahead of other competition from companies such as Casio or Hewlett-Packard. Perhaps there's some truth to the saying that everything's bigger and better in Texas...