Desk Electronic Calculators




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	Featured Electronic Desktop Calculators: The first electronic desktop calculators were the Anita Mk VII and Mk 8 which employ vacuum tube technology and were introduced simultanueously in late 1961. Desktop calculators using Germanium transistors appeared in late 1963/early 1964 with the Friden EC-130, IME 84RC, Sharp Compet CS-10A, and the Mathatron. In the mid-1960s the first calculators using integrated circuits appeared, initially using many small-scale integrated circuits. Electronic calculators were at the forefront of integrated circuit development, and gradually more of the circuitry was squeezed into fewer integrated circuits, also reducing the size of the calculator. This culminated in the first use of a "calculator on a chip" in the Busicom Junior / NCR 18-16 in 1969. Featured here are significant desktop calculators and a selection of typical models. For photographs and brief details of some other desktop electronic calculators see the Desktop Calculator Photo Library on this site. See also "Precursors and Prototypes" at the bottom of this page, which includes some especially interesting early electronic calculators which never went into production. For information about the electronics inside the calculators see the Calculator Technology section. *Click on a picture below for more details and more, bigger pictures.*

	The first electronic desktop calculators ... based on vacuum tube technology.


	Anita Mk VII 1961 The Anita Mk VII and Mk 8 were the first electronic desktop calculators. Four-function, with full-keyboard. Uses cold-cathode tubes & vacuum tubes (thermionic valves).


	Anita Mk 8 1961 The Anita Mk VII and Mk 8 were the first electronic desktop calculators. Four-function, with full-keyboard. Uses cold-cathode tubes & vacuum tubes (thermionic valves).


	Some of the first all-transistor electronic desktop calculators


	Friden EC-130 & EC-132 1964 EC130 was one of the first all-transistor desktop calculators. Four-function, square root. Uses Germanium transistors, delay-line memory, cathode ray tube display.


	IME 84 1964 Was one of the first all-transistor desktop calculators. Four-function, raising to powers. Uses Germanium transistors & magnetic core memory.


	Sharp Compet CS10A 1964 Was one of the first all-transistor desktop calculators. Four-function, with full-keyboard. Transistors.


	The first desktop calculator using integrated circuits


	Victor 3900 1965 The first desktop calculator using integrated circuits. cathode ray tube display. Problems manufacturing the integrated circuits meant that very few were sold.


	A selection of other all-transistor electronic desktop calculators


	Casio AL-1000 1967 Four-function, memory, square root, programmable. Uses Germanium transistors & magnetic core memory.


	IME 26 1967 Four-function. Uses Germanium transistors & magnetic core memory.


	Monroe Epic 3000 1967 Four-function, programmable, with printout. Uses Germanium transistors & delay-line memories.


	Canon Canola 130S 1968 Four-function. Uses Germanium transistors & "light-pipe" display.


	Featured electronic desktop calculators, using silicon integrated circuits ... in approximate chronological order


	Sharp Compet 22 1968 Four-function, memory. Could be made programmable by plugging in a "memorizer" unit. Small-Scale Integration (SSI) integrated circuits.


	Anita 1011 1969 Four-function, %, memory. Medium-Scale Integration (MSI) integrated circuits & transistors.


	Sharp QT-8D "micro Compet" 1969 First calculator to use Large-Scale Integration (LSI) integrated circuits. Four-function.


	Toshiba BC1623G 1969 Programmable, 2 memories, square root. Medium-Scale Integration (MSI) integrated circuits.


	Canon Canola 1200 ~1970 Four-function. Medium-Scale Integration (MSI) integrated circuits.


	Facit 1123 ~1970 Four-function. Small-Scale Integration (SSI) integrated circuits.


	Ricoh RICOHMAC 1200 ~1970 Four-function. Medium-Scale Integration (MSI) integrated circuits.


	Singer Friden EC1114 ~1970 Four-function, memory. Medium-Scale Integration (MSI) integrated circuits.


	Adler 1210 ~1971 Four-function, memory. Medium-Scale Integration (MSI) integrated circuits.


	Anita 1011 LSI ~1971 Four-function, memory. Large-Scale Integration (LSI) integrated circuits.


	Casio 121K ~1971 Four-function. Large-Scale Integration (LSI) integrated circuits.


	Casio AS-C ~1971 Four-function. Large-Scale Integration (LSI) integrated circuits.


	Commodore (cbm) C108 ~1971 Four-function. Small, low-cost calculator using Large-Scale Integration (LSI) integrated circuits.


	NCR 18-16 (aka Busicom Junior) ~1971 First use of a "Calculator on a Chip" - All calculator functions in a single Large-Scale Integration (LSI) integrated circuit. Four-function.


	Busicom 141-PF / NCR 18-36 1971 Four-function, memory, printout. The microprocessor was developed for this calculator. Has an Intel 4004 microprocessor - the first product to have "Intel Inside".


	Olympia CD200 ~1971 Four-function. Large-Scale Integration (LSI) integrated circuits. Probably the ugliest calculator ever made.


	Singer Friden EC1117 ~1971 Four-function. Large-Scale Integration (LSI) integrated circuits.


	Teal TL-2M ~1971 Four-function, memory. Made by Tokyo Electronic Application Laboratory Ltd., a casualty of the crash in calculator prices.


	Hitachi KK521 ~1972 Four-function, memory. Large-Scale Integration (LSI) integrated circuits.


	Sanyo ICC-1122 ~1972 "Portable radio"-shaped case. Four-function, memory. Large-Scale Integration (LSI) integrated circuits.


	Summit 3114 ~1972 Four-function, memory. Large-Scale Integration (LSI) integrated circuits.


	Advance / Wireless World 1972 Make it yourself calculator kit. Four function.


	Rapid Data Rapidman 1208LC 1972 First desktop models with LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) Four function, %. Large-Scale Integration (LSI) integrated circuits.


	Burroughs C5205 ~1973 Four function, memory, Panaplex display. Medium-Scale Integration (MSI) integrated circuits.


	Rockwell 920 ~1975 Limited scientific, programmable, magnetic card reader, printer. Large-Scale Integration (LSI) integrated circuits.


	Betting-shop Calculators ~1972 to ~1982 Some specialised calculators for use in settling bets in betting-shops.


	Precursors and Prototypes

		Some precursors to the electronic desktop calculator and some prototypes which never went into production.

		Calculating Typewriters


	Bandatronic 1960 Electronic calculator for invoices with arithmetic unit and up to five typewriters.


	Some prototype calculators that never went into production


	???


	Electrosolids Corp. Electronic Calculator 1961 Transistorised electronic calculator announced.


	Philips Prototype Electronic Calculators 1962 A prototype 3-function electronic calculator and two models of electronic "Comptometer", which never went into production. A step on the way to the first commercial transistorised eletronic desktop calculators.


	Mullard Prototype Electronic Calculator 1964 Early, low-cost, electronic calculator, never went into production. Cold-cathode tubes and transistors.


	Ultramat SQR-2000 1966 Early, prototype, electronic calculator produced by high-school student. Transistors.

The first electronic desk calculators of the 1960s and early 1970s were very large and VERY expensive, but were versatile, quick, and silent.
They were so expensive that many could be rented by the week.
If you only wanted to add lists of numbers then mechanical and electro-mechanical calculators were fast and still cost effective into the early 1970s, until the price of the electronic ones plummeted.

There was a general reduction in size, number of electronic components, and cost over this period. For further information see the section on The Calculator Business and the section on Calculator Electronics.

This is only a small sample of vintage electronic desktop calculators. There were many more models from many manufacturers.
Other notable early manufacturers were -

Hewlett Packard
Olympia
Wang

For featured British desktop electronic calculators see the British Calculators section.

There are photographs and brief details of other desktop electronic calculators on this site in the Desktop Electronic Calculator Photographic Library.

For general information about the electronics of calculators see the Calculator Technology section.

Excellent sources of information about vintage electronic desk calculators are at -