Accession No

4529.242

Brief Description

Texas Instruments electronic pocket language translator with case, by Texas Instruments, American, 1980 (c)

Origin

United States of America

Maker

Texas Instruments

Class

computer technology

Earliest Date

1979

Latest Date

1980

Inscription Date

1979

Material

Plastic; metal (aluminium; steel)

Dimensions

Length 211mm; width 102mm; thickness 40mm

Special Collection

Francis Hookham Collection of Hand Held Electronic Calculators

Provenance

Donated by Francis Hookham in 1987. Donated to Francis Hookham on 01/02/1982 by Texas Instruments.

Inscription

[Texas Instruments logo] “Texas Instruments” (front of translator, top left)
“LANGUAGE TRANSLATOR” (front of translator, centre left)
[Texas Instruments logo] (front of case, bottom)

Description Notes

Silver and black Texas Instruments Language Translator in lined brown plastic case.

10-digit green alphanumeric fluorescent display.
Rear panel of translator gives model details and patent numbers.
A compartment in rear is for a ‘Language module’. On the front, above the screen is a speaker. Rear has copyright date for ‘Program contents’ of 1979.
Case fastens by means of two poppers and translator is secured by a thin plastic strip fastened by a popper. It also has two hooks at the bottom for attaching a strap.

Keys are short-travel, have a rubber-like texture, quite heavy to the touch, rock backwards on depression to give a bright, hollow, metallic click (S Davis 20/8/2007).

References

Events