901B is the first pocket calculator I remember - I don't know if there were
earlier ones.
On Tue, 16 Apr 2024, Van Snyder via cctalk wrote:
The first one I remember is the HP Digital Slide Rule, about 1965. Six
digits. $600.
The HP-35 was marketed with a name of "Electronic Slide Rule"
https://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/calculators/1/64/264
Similar title, 52 years ago, not 59 years ago.
It came out in 1972.
I saw one in late 1972.
In 1972, however, you could get a Silent 700, and connect to a timesharing
machine over telephone.
Although the HP-35 was the first "pocket calculator" from HP, it was not
the first handheld calculator.
In 1970 or 1971, Wang had a tiny desktop calculator that had a card
reader! The card reader was an external peripheral, that clam-shell closed
on individual port-a-punch cards (perforated normal sized cards using
every other column)
In fact, by 1972, there was even a handheld calculator made in France; one
of my bosses in 1972 had that. It was kept in my desk drawer, and they
called me "Head of computing services" in bidding on at least one
contract. A completely undeserved title, just because I did a little
programming in FORTRAN and APL, and was the keeper of the calculator.
