DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM
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DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM |
Texas Instruments TI-21
| Date of introduction: | 1982 | Display technology: | LCD |
| New price: | Display size: | 8 (5 + 2) | |
| Size: | 6.1" x 3.0" x 0.75" 156 x 77 x 19 mm3 |
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| Weight: | 4.2 ounces, 118 grams | Serial No: | 84948875 |
| Batteries: | 2*AA | Date of manufacture: | |
| AC-Adapter: | Origin of manufacture: | Taiwan | |
| Precision: | 9 | Integrated circuits: | |
| Memories: | 1 | ||
| Program steps: | Courtesy of: | Joerg Woerner |
We
wrote the year 1980, when Texas Instruments discovered the lower labour costs of
Taiwan, R.O.C. compared to US or Europe. Till the early 80s most calculators from Texas
Instruments were produced either in US or Italy and some early LCD models like
the TI-25 even in Japan.
Texas
Instruments introduced together with this TI-21 a whole variety of calculators
manufactured in Taiwan, for instance the TI-15, TI-18
and TI-1100 models. Compared
with US-built calculators of that era,
like the slimline model TI-30-II or
the early slanted model TI-55-II, these first calculators
assembled in Taiwan look and feel cheaper.
But these calculators were just the first movement of a major wave in outsourcing of manufacturing, ten years later advanced calculators like the TI-85 were assembled in Taiwan and the lower-end models either in Thailand or China. Since about 2002 all Texas Instruments calculators are manufactured in different plants in China.
The
TI-21 itself is nothing unusual, at first glance it looks more like an early
Casio product than a TI calculator. Dismantling the calculator reveals a very
simple construction but doesn't answers the question about its manufacturer.
If you have additions to the above article please email: joerg@datamath.org.
© Joerg Woerner, December 5, 2001. No reprints without written permission.