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TEAL Photon

Date of introduction:  1977 Display technology:  LCD (yellow)
New price:   Display size:  8
Size:  5.0" x 2.7" x 0.3"
 126 x 68 x 8 mm3
    
Weight:  2.5 ounces, 70 grams Serial No:  141272
Batteries:  n.a. Date of manufacture:  mth 02 year 1978
AC-Adapter:   Origin of manufacture:  Japan
Precision:  8  Integrated circuits:  Toshiba T3603
Memories:  1    
Program steps:   Courtesy of:  Joerg Woerner
Download leaflet:   (US: 0.6M Bytes) Download manual:   (US: 0.9M Bytes)

Tokyo Electron Applications Laboratory (TEAL), of Tokyo, Japan introduced in 1977 with the Teal Photon the World’s first calculator using solar cells instead of batteries. Please keep in mind that Sharp's EL-8026 Sunman introduced a few months earlier recharges internal batteries with solar cells mounted on the back of the calculator housing.

Dismantling this Teal Photon manufactured in February 1978 in Japan reveals a very clean construction based on a Toshiba T3603 single-chip calculator circuit known already from the TI-1750 (2nd design).

It took till 1981 before Texas Instruments entered with the TI-1766 the market of LCD-calculators powered by solar cells.

 


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

© Joerg Woerner, February 15, 2011. No reprints without written permission.