Why Are Students Still Required to Buy Graphing Calculators?

In observing April Fool’s Day, AOL’s gadget blog “Engadget” has posted a raft of reviews for technology from yesteryear.  One such review is of the venerable graphing calculator TI-83 Plus.  The reviewer writes that even ten years after its introduction in 2002, the calculator still functions great but still costs a whopping $85 for what he claims is only “about forty cents worth of technology,” which begs the question — Why are students still required to buy these things when their iPhones and iPads can run circles around antiquated graphing calculators?  You might not like the reason the author postulates.

http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/01/texas-instruments-ti-83-plus-review/