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Toshiba LC-836MN MEMO NOTE 30

Date of introduction:	1978	Display technology:	LCD (yellow)
New price:		Display size:	8
Size:	5.4" x 2.7" x 0.35"
Weight:	2.8 ounces	Serial No:	C54068
Batteries:	3*LR44	Date of manufacture:	year 1978
AC-Adapter:		Origin of manufacture:	Japan
Precision:	8	Integrated circuits:	Toshiba T3690, T3691
Memories:	30
Program steps:		Courtesy of:	Joerg Woerner

The Toshiba LC-836MN could be called the first portable electronic Databank. It was introduced already in the year 1978 and was 9 years ahead the first Mini Data Bank sold by Texas Instruments.

The LC-836MN uses an early chipset manufactured by Toshiba, Japan. The T3690 microcontroller scans the keyboard, drives the display and does the calculating functions. The T3691 stores a maximum of 30 information items in units of 6 alphabetical characters and 8 numerals each. If you add the bits together you end with a total amount of 2048 bits or 256 bytes.

Later products like the LC-840WA continued the approach of small chipsets in calculator derived products.

The alphanumeric display uses an odd 8-segment layout with one additional segment to the standard calculator layout. The display on the left reads "MEMORY".

Radio Shack gave in their manual a lot of ideas what you can store in the 30 memory places:

• Person's name and telephone number
• Bank name and balance
• Person's name and date of birth
• Passport number, Cash card number, License number
• Caloric value of foods
• Various rate of money exchange
• Golf scores
• Key and Locker number
• Constants such as C = 2.997925, me = 9.1091, K = 1.38054

A similar product was sold by Radio Shack with the EC-4002 and by Hanimex with the SLC 891. Later the LC-1038MN added an alarm clock. Japanese competitor Canon introduced a smaller Databank with the LC-MEMO in 1978, too.

Don't miss later Personal products like the Avigo, introduced 20 years later.

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