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Casio Mini CM-601 Electronic Calculator

Date of introduction:  August 1972 Display technology:  Fluorescent
New price:  $99.95 Display size:  6
Size:  3.2" x 6.1" x 1.45"
 81 x 154 x 37 mm3
   
Weight:  8.7 ounces, 248 grams Serial No:  
Batteries:  4*AA Date of manufacture:  mth 03 year 1973
AC-Adapter:   Origin of manufacture:  Japan
Precision:  12  Integrated circuits:  Hitachi HD32127, NEC uPD129C
Memories:      
Program steps:   Courtesy of:  Joerg Woerner

Casio Computer Co., Ltd introduced its first handheld calculator Casio Mini CM-601 already in August 1972, even a few weeks before Texas Instruments' entered the market with the famous Datamath.

Dismantling this Casio Mini CM-601 manufactured in March 1973 reveals a clean design centered around a Hitachi HD32127 single-chip calculator circuit and a NEC uPD129C display driver circuit.

Please notice that the featured calculator sports a 6-digit tube-style display while earlier models used six individual tubes.

The Casio Mini CM-601 was soon replaced with the Mini CM-602 adding a decimal key and dedicated [=] key but keeping the unusual 6-digit display and [] key. Next in line were the CM-603, CM-604, and CM-605 - all with a similiar horizontal layout before offering in 1975 their first product in the more common "portrait orientation". Every rule has an exception, don't miss the odd ROOT-8S.

The Casio Mini CM-601 was ahead its time, Casio's entry into the market of handheld scientific calculators was with the fx-10 rather disappointing.

 

horizontal rule

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

© Joerg Woerner, May 26, 2011. No reprints without written permission.