Texas Instruments TI-2500 (Datamath) Handheld Electronic Calculator
date: label: date made
content: 1973
name: label: maker
content: Texas Instruments
notes: label: Description
content: This is an example of the first model of an electronic calculator marketed by Texas Instruments under its own name. The handheld electronic calculator has a tan plastic case with a dark brown keyboard. It has an array of eighteen keys, sixteen of them square and two rectangular. These include ten digit keys, a decimal point key, a total key, four arithmetic function keys, a clear entry key, and a clear key. A switch at the right in the top row of keys may be set at “CHAIN” or “CONST.” A mark above this switch reads: Datamath. Behind the keyboard is an eight-digit LED display.
label: Description
content: A jack for a power outlet is along the back edge. An on/off switch is on the left side. A sticker on the back reads: MADE BY (/) TEXAS INSTRUMENTS (/) INCORPORATED (/) DALLAS, TEXAS. Another sticker reads in part: TI-2500 electronic calculator. It also reads in part: Datamath (/) electronic calculator. It also reads in part: Serial Number (/) 2500-344952 (/) 001-E Manufactured in U.S.A. The sticker indicates that the calculator had a built-in battery that gave six hours of portable operation and fully recharged in ten hours.
label: Description
content: Unscrewing three long screws on the back of the case allows one to remove the back. The inside has five chips. The largest reads: TMS0119NC (/) 7310 (/) ZA 072. This is a TMS0119 chip, manufactured in the tenth week of 1973. There is space for four soldered batteries.
label: Description
content: This appears to be the second version of the TI-2500, introduced in February of 1973 for a price of $119.95. The calculator initially was introduced in 1972.
label: Description
content: Compare 1986.0988.188, 1986.0988.189, 1986.0988.190, 1986.0988.342, and 1986.0988.359.
label: Description
content: References:
label: Description
content: Guy Ball and Bruce Flamm, <I>The Complete Collector’s Guide to Pocket Calculators</I>, Tustin, CA: Wilson/Barnett, 1997, p. 157.
label: Description
content: Online Datamath Museum, accessed May 13, 2015.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Computers
label: See more items in
content: Computers & Business Machines
label: See more items in
content: Handheld Electronic Calculators
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of John B. Priser
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1986.0988.189
label: accession number
content: 1986.0988
label: catalog number
content: 1986.0988.189
objectType: label: Object Name
content: electronic calculator
label: Other Terms
content: electronic calculator; Handheld
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: plastic (case; circuit board; keys material)
label: Physical Description
content: paper (stickers material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (circuitry; screws material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 1/2 in x 2 3/4 in x 5 1/2 in; 1.27 cm x 6.985 cm x 13.97 cm