Source and Copyright
This page is a reproduction of an article in the August 1974 edition of Electronics Today International (ETI).  It is copyright of and presented by very kind permission of EPE (Everyday Practical Electronics) by Wimborne Publishing Ltd, 408 Wimborne Road East, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 9ND, UK.  In February 1999 ETI was acquired by Wimborne Publishing to merge with their very successful EPE magazine. This page is not to be copied or disseminated in any way beyond this site's internet access without their express permission.    Vintage Technology enthusiasts may be interested that Wimborne Publishing Ltd also own Radio Bygones. 

This (truncated) image of the front page shows a range of calculators available in the UK at the time.  From left to right, top to bottom they are:

Advance 80, an abacus for effect, Advance 85
Anita 810, Sinclair Executive Memory
Sinclair Cambridge, Sinclair Scientific, Sheen 004, and the bottom row...
Prinztronic Unknown,  Hewlett Packard (suspect HP80), Monroe 40, Unknown

Where the unknown ones are sure to be in the lists below.

In Britain we are just beginning to see mass sales of calculators, in Japan and the U.S.A. this point was reached some time ago and it is this situation, rather than the local one, that has pulled the prices down.  It is difficult to predict if prices will fall as dramatically as they have done in the last eight months.  Sooner or later there is bound to be an £8 calculator but it may not be for a very long time.

The variety of types is daunting, even to those who try to keep up with these things.  In the preparation of this feature we managed to track down considerably more calculators than those shown  but they have not been included for a variety of reasons.  The main reason for not being included is that current models are shortly to be replaced and stocks were now selling out.  A number of calculators are not widely available and have not been included for that reason.

We have been very loose in our interpretation of 'hand-held'.  Relatively few are true pocket size and many of the small ones are designed primarily for desk top operation.  We have not dealt with the larger machines, print-out types or non-portables.

Although this feature has been planned for some time, the final information has been gathered very recently to make it as up-to-date as possible.  However there are continual changes and readers will be well advised to check prices before buying; current trends mean that these will normally be lower.

We have included recommended retail prices only.  Some calculators are available at considerable discounts while others are only sold at the recommended price.  We have included VAT in all prices.  Avoid being impressed by high percentage discounts - these are often last year's recommended prices.  It is only what you pay that matters.

Analyse Your Requirements
Before you even look at prices, work out what you want out of your calculator.  This sounds obvious but we know of several people who have calculators wholly  unsuited to their purposes.  It can be surprisingly difficult to predict your needs unless you have had experience of using a calculator.

At ETI we have a company calculator which is used for the editorial, accounts and advertising.  Before we had it we never felt the need except on rare occasions - but once you have the facility, your working methods alter: you no longer rely on crude estimates for highly complex calculations as the true answer is so easy to derive.  It is also very quick to double-check figures and you get in the habit of doing this.

If you are doing a lot of financial calculations such as percentage discounts and VAT, a constant facility and percentage key are very useful although on even the simpler calculators you quickly get used to doing without these if you have to.

If your calculator is going to be used in one place for several hours per day a mains power supply, or at least rechargeable batteries, have obvious advantages

A number of people are put off an otherwise satisfactory calculator by entry methods which are unusual.  With some calculators for 3 - 2 = 1 the numbers are entered 3 + 2 - = 1.  This appears awkward at first but one rapidly becomes used to it and it is not a serious drawback. [Note this site refers to this entry method as semi-RPN - Ed]

Calculators with a memory have obvious advantages but they are considerably dearer and if the occasions on which it is required are few and far between this facility may be wasted (you can always jot the number down!).