268 Part VIII: TI-Nspire Computer Software

✓ TI-Nspire Docking Station: This is a new product that recharges class

sets of TI-Nspire handhelds, transfers documents to or from multiple
handhelds, and updates the OS on multiple handhelds at the same time.
✓ TI-Nspire Lab Cradle: This product can help students collect data from
nearly all of Vernier’s sensors. This system charges the cradles and sup-
ports users to get fast-rate data collection, including digital and multi-
probe support.
✓ TI-Nspire Navigator: This is my favorite product to use with TI-Nspire
Teacher Software! It allows my computer to communicate with a class-
room set of TI-Nspire Handhelds wirelessly. I can transfer files, collect
and grade questions instantly, take screen shots of the whole class,
project a student’s handheld screen . . . the possibilities are endless. It
makes for a much more dynamic learning environment.

Transitioning to the Computer

The transition from working on your handheld to working on your computer
is quite seamless. In the following sections, I point out some of the key dif-
ferences. However, I also encourage you to open a new document and start
playing around with it. You’ll likely find these key differences for yourself in
short order. And you’ll see that these differences allow you to complete tasks
with the Computer Software even more efficiently than on a handheld device.

Using your mouse

Your computer mouse replaces the Touchpad on your handheld. Here are
some key tasks that you can perform with a mouse and a brief description of
how these tasks differ when performed on the handheld:

✓ Click and drag: This is probably the most obvious difference. On the
computer, move your mouse to an object, press and hold the left button
on your mouse to select the object, and move the mouse to manipulate
it. On your handheld, you must use the Touchpad to move the cursor to
an object, press /x to grab it, and use the Touchpad again to manipu-
late the object.
To release an object on the computer, just release the left button of the
mouse. To release an object on your handheld, press the d key.
✓ Right-click: As you know, I’m a huge fan of the right-click context menu.
To access the context menu on the computer, move to an object or area
and click the right button on your mouse. On your handheld device, use
the Touchpad to move to an object or area and press /b.