History OF Calculators

The very first calculator was a Pascaline adding and subtracting machine created by Pascal in 1642, so calculators have been around for a long time - almost 400 years. The interesting connection with Pascal's calculator is very little has changed since then, as far as how the figures are calculated. The difference today is the speed and variety of calculations can be completed with a calculator.

Calculator’s golden age began in the 1800s. Technological and mechanical challenges were faced with all those who developed early calculators. These limitations often caused early calculators not working properly, if at all. Meantime, in 1800 technological and mechanical options advanced enough for reliable mechanical calculators, to be built and operated. Some of these include:

In 1820, was developed by Arithmometer Colmar used a step drum technique to add, subtract, multiply and divide.

In 1875 it was originally developed by Odhner invented a mill or a variable gear calculator, used a hand crank to complete the calculation.

In 1885, Comptometer was developed by Felt, who invented the first calculator using the keys to press for numbers and calculations.

In 1900, the golden age of calculators continued and began to take on the familiar form we use today.

In 1901, the standard calculator developed by Hopkins, who used two rows of five buttons that represent the digits 0 to 9 to perform mathematical calculations.

In 1911 was the standard ten-digit keyboard we use today developed by Sundstrand, which brought the design from Sweden to the United States.

In 1914, began the first commercial calculators in business and the use of calculators began to be popular.

Golden Age calculators continued until the 1960s when they were mechanical devices that require to enter numbers in specific sequences to achieve the desired mathematical calculation. Most even had the mechanical lever you pulled in different parts of the calculations eventually end up with the desired result.

In the 1960s things began to change as fast as transistors and other technology components can be made small enough to fit in portable calculator units. The first electronic calculators began to appear:

In 1961 Anita MK8 was developed using vacuum tubes 170 coupled to a decade counter, the basic mathematical operations and was used to display numbers in a desktop calculator.

In 1964 Sharp Compet CS 10A was developed as the first commercial transistor calculator.

In 1968 Sharp Compet 22 was marketed as the first commercial electronic desk top calculator.

In 1969 Sharp QT8-D was introduced as the first battery-powered handheld calculator. It was only 5.2 inches wide, 9.6 inches high and 2.75 inches thick. This was a great achievement in the 1960s.

In 1970 the first Texas Instrument calculator, called Pocketronic, was developed and was even smaller than Sharp QT8-D.

Calculators continued to evolve and became smaller and more sophisticated in their ability complete complex calculations.

In 1975, HP 55, Hewlett Packard introduced at a price of $ 385.00.

From the 1970s until 1990 a market war waged by many companies trying to enter the calculator business. In 1990 there were only four majors back:

Casio

Hewlett Packard

Sharp

Beginning in the 1990s to today, the number of Calculators exploded on the market. They include graphing calculators and specialized media, scientific calculators. Because of technological advances, the price of calculators has fallen sharply. The first calculators built in the 1600s, 1700s and 1800s, which could simply not the four basic mathematical calculations, will cost thousands of dollars today. Today you can get a calculator to complete the same basic functions in less than a dollar.

Calculating machines have come a long way through the technological stages of development; the question is what they will look like 400 years from now?