DATAMATH

DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM

Bowmar 901B

Date of introduction:	September 1971	Display technology:	LED-stick
New price:	$240	Display size:	8
Size:	5.2" x 3.1" x 1.5" 133 x 78 x 37 mm³
Weight:	10.9 ounces, 310 grams	Serial No:	284455
Batteries:	6*AA NiCd	Date of manufacture:	mth 02 year 1972
AC-Adapter:		Origin of manufacture:	USA
Precision:	8	Integrated circuits:	TMS0103
Memories:
Program steps:		Courtesy of:	Joerg Woerner
		Download manual:	(US: 2.3 MByte)

Texas Instruments announced September 17, 1971 the "calculator-on-a-chip" and Bowmar/Ali Inc. of Acton, Massachusetts, USA. introduced the famous 901B "True-Pocket-Size" calculator based on the TMS0103 with a suggested retail price (SRP) of $240.00.

It took less than one year before Texas Instruments announced the TI-2500 Datamath calculator in April 1972 with a SRP of only $149.95, its delivery in June 1972 to first customers in the Neiman-Marcus and Sanger-Harris department stores in Dallas, TX and its formally introduction on September 21, 1972. The SRP of the TI-2500 was reduced to $119.95 by the date of its introduction.

Dismantling the featured Bowmar 901B manufactured in February 1972 reveals not only the TMS0103, but four Texas Instruments display drivers, the original Klixon™ keypad and a Bowmar made Opto-stic LED display.

Compare this Bowmar 901B with the Mariner NRC7200 sporting LED displays from Monsanto.

Digging in the history of portable electronic calculators? Don't miss the Sanyo ICC-804D, Sharp EL-8 and Rapidman 800.

Later with the Bowmar 901D a similar calculator with a 10 digit display was sold.

This calculator was sold under different labels, beside this Bowmar 901B it was popular as Commodore C110 and Craig 4501, too. A very similar design was introduced by Columbia with the Scientific. Don't miss the minirex 73, the eastern copy from GDR company RFT and the Heathkit IC-2009. The Litronix Checkmate looks similiar but is completely different.

If you are familiar with the Klixon™ keyboard, have a closer look on the following machines: All three calculators were manufactured by Texas Instruments and use this keyboard:

• Radio Shack EC-200
• Montgomery Ward P800
• Longines Symphonette EC

Compare this 901B with later products like the MX-55.

Bowmar Instruments was one of the first casualties of the Calculator Wars and filed in 1976 for bankruptcy. Don't miss a mystery calculator with the Bowmar brand introduced in 1977!

Klixon™ is a trademark of Texas Instruments.

If you have additions to the above article please email: joerg@datamath.org.