Old Sharp Calculator Commercial check out how big they are.

[Pengocent]

LOL WTF - I BOUGHT MY CALCULATOR FOR ONLY 2 POUNDS xD (3 dollars)

[prescott231233]

SMALLEST IN THE WORLD OMG

[superspit]

memory was the biggest cost then....as with all older digital 'computer' type devices of the time. Still seems to be to some point, albeit proportionally much cheaper nowadays. Was this calc Intel 4004 based?

[colindhowell]

@superspit Nope, it used 4 specialized logic chips made for Sharp by Rockwell.

Intel was just a startup then, concentrating mostly on memory chips, and not many calculators ever used the 4004. Most 4004s were used in custom electronic control applications. Most calculators used chips designed specifically for calculator work.

For calculators from that era, I would say that the biggest cost was either logic or program ROM, since most had practically no memory, only a few registers or so.

[ExcelSub]

never knew calculators costed so much.. i guess not many kids had calculators in scchool then?

[lasercult]

It's the shit!

[avcomth]

Sharp's printing desktop calculators are still very popular today and they're not much smaller than the ones seen here. Can't believe how little these units have changed over the years.

[kaiserwilhelm]

@avcomth you don't want them to be small because you'll lose them on the desk, that's reason one. Also it's easier to press the keys.

[avcomth]

@kaiserwilhelm, thanks for telling, I already knew that since I own a couple of them. Also the larger units are there to accommodate the larger (taller) display and the bigger and faster print heads (up to 8 lines per second for thermal models) which are found on the more expensive models. I really liked Sharp over Casio because it has a simple power switch on the bottom left side of the body instead of a silly sliding buttons found on the Casio models.

[nokomarie1963]

I recall my dad getting a Sharp calculator back in the 70s. Coolist thing in the world to turn it on and try to spell things with the numbers. Oh, youth, where did you go?

[manyvideoinerests]

I also had a Sharp Calculator that talked and had a clock and calendar in it that would give you the day of the week a day would fall on between 1901 and 2099! That was a nice one that is no longer being made unfortunately. I remember spending hours playing with it even.

[acedaface954]

OMG ITS THE SIZE OF KIA LOLOLOLOL

[Trance88]

This ad I believe is from around 1971 or so. It's amazing how the size of calculators changed throughout the 70's. By the late 70's calculators were made small enough to put in a wallet.

[unarmed1234]

EXPENSIVE

[Lachlant1984]

Sharp were very well known for their calculators back in the 80's, I have somewhere a Sharp desktop calculator that only runs on AC power, it can't run on batteries. I've been wanting for many years, and still want the Sharp Elsi Mate EL-640 talking calculator/clock, what a wonderful piece of kit that was.

[dobbins2550]

Imagine 25 years from now, what they will be saying about our technology today.

[Perktube1]

we need a time machine so we could go back and make fun of our old technology..maybe accidentally plant a pc or ipod..lol that would screw up the time line.

[mcdonchris]

That is too funny...just the sign of the times how you can get a calculator for like a couple of bucks now...Oh technology...lol

[mubd1234]

INFLATION CHECK!!!

$345 in 1975 is worth $2000 today!!!

[steviebboy69]

geez that would make it expensive today or probably even then.

how much would wages have been to the average american or australian back then.

not much.

[DamianColucci]

Did anyone else get a kick at laughing at this commercial from only 40 years ago? I couldn't stand myself looking at that huge thing being named the "smallest" calculator priced at $345. It's scary on what you think people will be laughing at inventions like the iPhone in the year 2048 knowing that its obsolete to something else far more advanced that we cannot even comprehend right now.

[steviebboy69]

hi,

that is true, things get smaller and smaller.

and way more advanced. you are right at saying about say the iphone.

also in the gramophone days, who would have thought you could store thousands of songs on those small devices we call mp3 players or even on phones.

i love both new technology and old stuff.

[Detroit8V92tta]

@DamianColucci What are you talking about, I am already laughing at the iPhone!

[trico93lol]

lmao...the smallest....lol

ha ha 345

[kogomelacaga]

omg imagine getting that out of a bookbag in school in front of everyone!

[Plan9wood]

Yeah but if you had one back then it would prolly be considered cool.

[xkw798]

WOW 345. Yo can get one for 3.45 at target, and it is silent OWH

[hdofu]

this was in the late 60s early 70s

[321ArmanD123]

Haha...technology these days

[kingpolaris]

OMG $345 what ..

[steviebboy69]

yeah, its a lot.

its amazing how much technology has changed these days.