Sharp QT-8B Micro Compet Electronic Calculator
date: label: date made
content: ca 1970
name: label: maker
content: Sharp Corporation
notes: label: Description
content: This Japanese-made non-printing electronic calculator is a relatively small and light desktop machine. It has an array of nine digit keys with a 0 and a decimal key below these. On the right are a clearance key, a key for indicating that multiplication (rather than addition) should be carried out, a key for indication that division (rather than subtraction) should be carried out, and a key for multiplication or division. The machine has an eight-digit capacity for all operations. In back of the keyboard is an eight-digit display. The on-off switch is on the side.
label: Description
content: A mark on the front left reads: SHARP. A mark on the front right reads: microCompet. A mark behind the display reads: CORDLESS. A tag attached to the back reads in part: SHARP QT-8B (/) CORDLESS MICRO COMPET/. It also says in part: NO. 0067148 (/) SHARP ELECTRONICS CORPORATION (/) 10 KEYSTONE PLACE, PARAMUS (/) NEW JERSEY 07652 MADE IN JAPAN. The black carrying case has a handle.
label: Description
content: The calculator fits into a plastic battery unit. The unit is plugged into the wall to operate the machine on alternating current or to charge the adapter. To operate the machine on direct current, the plug is not used and the switch is turned off. A mark on the back of the adapter reads: MICRO COMPET ADAPTOR. The adaptor has a gray cloth cover.
label: Description
content: The instruction manual that comes with the calculator indicates that the machine incorporates four ELSIs (Extra Large Scale Integrations) with one 4-phase clock generator. The calculator was advertised in American newspapers from mid-1970 into 1971. The QT-8B (with the battery pack) cost $495.
label: Description
content: References:
label: Description
content: Sharp Electronics Corporation, <I>SHARP Electronic Calculator with ELSI Micro COMPET QT-8B Instruction Manual</I>, no date.
label: Description
content: [advertisement], <I> Los Angeles Times</I>, July 29, 1970, p. G5.
label: Description
content: [advertisement], <I>Chicago Tribune</I>, December 2, 1970, p. G5.
label: Description
content: [advertisement], <I>The New York Times</I>, January 9, 1971, p. 41.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: Japan
topic: label: Subject
content: Business
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Computers
label: See more items in
content: Computers & Business Machines
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content: Desktop Electronic Calculators
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Jon Eklund
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2006.0132.22
label: catalog number
content: 2006.0132.22
label: accession number
content: 2006.0132
objectType: label: Object Name
content: electronic calculator
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: plastic (case, keys material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (wiring material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 3 1/4 in x 5 3/4 in x 10 1/4 in; 8.255 cm x 14.605 cm x 26.035 cm