Ede <ted@mbunix.mitre.org> (08/22/90)
In article <11111@accuvax.nwu.edu> jill@midway.uchicago.edu (jill holly hansen) writes: >In a few years, cell phones *are* going to be as ubiguitous as pocket >calculators. Does anyone have an idea how today's technology will meet the capacity demands of say, 1995? Can the cellular companies just keep adding cells to keep up with the increasing density of cellular calls? >[Moderator's Note: Your mention of the high prices of the early >calculators brought back some nostalgia. I bought a TI-58 and a TI-59 >programmable calculator from Texas Instruments in 1976. They cost >almost five hundred dollars each! If you want to talk vintage calculators, my dad has one of the first Bowmar calculators. In 1973 it cost $189.95 and had four functions. They bought the chip from TI, who later refused to sell them the six function chip, wedging them out of the market. He bought it back in '73 and got a deal on it because he sold them the LED displays. Power supply and all still work today, seventeen years later. Ted Ede -- ted@mbunix.mitre.org -- The MITRE Corporation -- Burlington Road linus!mbunix!ted -- Bedford MA, 01730 -- Mail Stop B091 -- (617) 271-7465
Chris Petrilli <petrilli@walt.cc.utexas.edu> (08/23/90)
>>[Moderator's Note: Your mention of the high prices of the early >>calculators brought back some nostalgia. I bought a TI-58 and a TI-59 >>programmable calculator from Texas Instruments in 1976. They cost >>almost five hundred dollars each! >If you want to talk vintage calculators, my dad has one of the first >Bowmar calculators. In 1973 it cost $189.95 and had four functions. >They bought the chip from TI, who later refused to sell them the six >function chip, wedging them out of the market. >He bought it back in '73 and got a deal on it because he sold them the >LED displays. Power supply and all still work today, seventeen years >later. This is nothing ... a friend of mine has a Wang Programmable Calculator Mainframe (key word) ... it supports six add on "terminals", and is implemented in discrete logic (i.e. 1000s of transistors). The main unit is about 4'x4', and makes an aweful sound when on. At the moment it doesn't work, and for some strange reason, Wang doesn't support it anymore (I wonder....). The date on it is 1969. Chris Petrilli "Opinons represented here University of Texas at Austin do not necessarily INTERNET: petrilli@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu represent those of a sane SNAILMAIL: 429 Brady Lane, Austin, Texas, 78746 person. Take them as PHONE: +1 512 327 0986 simply that."