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Curated by: Philip Mershon (110 videos)
In 1967, if you wanted to do serious math, you didn’t reach for your phone—you grabbed a slide rule or a "desktop" calculator the size of a typewriter. Join Philip Mershon in The Mid-Century Vault as we explore the wild, high-stakes race to shrink the calculator and put the power of a computation in the palm of your hand. From Texas Instruments’ secret "Cal-Tech" prototype to the legendary HP-35 (the iPhone 1 of the 1970s), we’re uncovering how the pocket calculator killed the slide rule and started a cultural revolution. We also dive into the "Math Wars" of the 1970s—a time when educators feared that "cheating machines" would cause the total collapse of the human brain. In this episode, we cover: The secret origin of Texas Instruments’ first prototype. Japan's Busicom HANDY LE beat everyone to the shelf. Why early "pocket" calculators actually required giant pockets. The HP-35: The ultimate 1970s status symbol. The "Math Wars": Why schools tried to ban calculators. If you enjoyed this trip through the Vault, hit that LIKE button to help the algorithm find more history nerds like us! #midcenturyvault #philipmershon #pocketcalculator #nostalgia #popculturehistory