3 10 106 https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/81841e2e4f1dc29145fd6dc6629c4ed0.jpg 444a7818c898c31006a416e358a5e8e1 https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/dbd7bfc5f9084ed8e958e2ca9d4e5b74.jpg 5f12388d3169344bd20241a21b3b40a3 https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/01877f0bc16464c5186ef0a5e20c9b96.jpg 19e5ec93113875899e8be2cb12496eae https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/10046bfd4d5788329d35aaa2b12248bd.jpg a65dd0609bf2a5674b7016c8993d228d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource DATAR Archive Subject The topic of the resource <img src="http://museum1.eecs.yorku.ca/www_decorations/datar_logo.jpg" alt="Nortel_logo" width="25%" height="25%" border="0" /> An archive of documents on Digital Automatic Tracking and Remoting System (DATAR) created by Commander James (Jim) Louis Belyea, Royal Canadian Navy. Description An account of the resource DATAR (Digital Automatic Tracking and Remoting) was a comprehensive digital electronic system developed at the Royal Canadian Navy between late 1940s and early 1950s. Its purpose was to assist and aid naval command during complex naval warfare situations caused by large volume of high speed targets (e.g. airplanes and submarines). DATAR was to provide the command with a complete, up-to-date, and accurate picture of the tactical and strategic situations. It was to rapidly analyze data received from a variety of sources and to provide the necessary information and issue commands to all the ships linked by the DATAR network. DATAR was a brainchild of Royal Canadian Navy Lieutenant  James Louis Belyea. The first known proposal for the system was summarized in his  April 15, 1948 document entitled DATAR. A successful demonstration of DATAR  took place in Fall 1953 on Lake Ontario using a three-ship convoy  consisting of two Bangor-class minesweepers (HMCS Granby and Digby) and the third ship simulated by a shore station on the Scarborough Bluffs overlooking Lake Ontario. At the heart of the demonstrated DATAR system were three special-purpose digital computers built by Ferranti Electric Ltd, Toronto, and installed on the ships. Canadian, American and British military observing the demonstration were impressed with the system's performance and potential. It is difficult to overestimate DATAR's historical significance. The project contributed to the creation of the first  Canadian computer companies (e.g. Computing Devices of Canada), originated the first digital electronics research centers within Canadian companies (e.g. the Electronics Division of Ferranti Electric Ltd.), and spawned the first generation of digital electronics engineers. DATAR also resulted in the development and demonstration of the first wireless computer communications network and of the installation and operation of an electronic digital computer equipment in a mobile environment. It introduced novel digital transmission equipment, input and display devices  (the trackball and a new generation of radar tracker displays). In the words of Arthur Porter, director of research at Ferranti Electric's Electronics Division, DATAR was "the most advanced system of its kind in the world." Now, DATAR symbolizes Canada's early entrance into computer age at the end of the 1940s. In 1958, due to claimed high costs of development, the construction of the full scale DATAR system was canceled. Some historians conjectured that all the technical reports on DATAR have either been destroyed or lost. However, in 2021, Belyea estate donated J.L Belyea's archive to YUCoM. At least this collection of documents offers a glimpse into the creation of DATAR -- one of the most significant  Canadian technological achievements. For more information on DATAR, visit <a href="http://www.cse.yorku.ca/~zbigniew/papers/Cold_War_Computing_CH_Feb_Mar_22.pdf">Cold War Computing</a>. Reports, technical notes <ul> <li>J. Belyea, DATAR, Canadian Naval Electronics Laboratory, Ottawa, Canada, April 15, 1948 [D9]</li> <li>Staff Target, Naval DATAR Equipment Type WEB-1 for A/S Escort Use, N.S.S. 7428-16 (5 pages), unsigned, August 15, 1949 [D23]</li> <li>Development Target, Naval DATAR Equipment Type WEB-1, N.S.S. 7428-16 (3 pages), unsigned, March 29, 1950 [D23]</li> <li>Jim Belyea, DATAR, A New Development, Report no. D.400, Ottawa, Ontario, January 28, 1950 [D7]</li> <li>Automated Tracking, A Report to the Electrical Engineer-in-Chief, Electronics Design Section, National Defence Headquarters, Ottawa Canada,  Technical Report no. 3, Ferranti Electric Ltd., Toronto, Canada, November 1950 [D26]</li> <li>DATAR Study, A Report To: The Electrical Engineer-in -Chief, Electronics Design Section, National Defence Headquarters, Ottawa, Canada, technical Report No. 6, E.E.C. Ref. 1440,  Ferranti Electric Ltd., Toronto, Ontario, November, 1950. [D6]</li> <li>J.L. Belyea and J.B. Hall, Report on Londonderry Trip, memorandum to E.E.C, E.E.C Ref. 1436, N.S.S. 7428-16 (TS) November 14, 1950; the report includes: <ul> <li>J.L. Belyea, Report of visits to HMCS "Magnificent", HMCS "Huron" and Joint A/S School, Londonderry 22 August, to 15 September, 1950, to study A/S Warfare matters affecting the Datar development project, report NsC 7428-IL, November 14, 1950 [D15]</li> <li>S.F. Knights, Report on 1950 Summer Cruise of HMCS "Magnificent", "Huron", and "Micmac" from 22 August, to 15 September, 1950, with a view to an evaluation of Datar application, November 14, 1950 [D15]</li> <li>L.R. Wood, Report of the Ferranti Electric Limited representative to the RCN exercises at Londonderry during September, 1950, in connection with the Datar development project, October 12, 1950 [D15]</li> </ul> </li> <li>A Proposal For a Datar System, Technical Report No. 8, RL 109.19,  Ferranti Electric Ltd., Toronto, Ontario, September 1, 1951. [D3]</li> <li>Specifications for DATAR Model, A Report to Datar Committee, National Defence Headquarters, Ottawa, Canada, Ferranti Electric Ltd., Research Department, Toronto, Canada, November 16, 1951 [D4]</li> <li>J.M. Davison and E.J. Miller, Meeting of the Development Section, EEC/CNTS, R.C.N.,  A/EEC(D) Technical Note nr. 1500, April 9, 1951 [D19]</li> <li>E.J. Miller, Organization of Effort for the Datar Development Programme, A/EEC(D) Technical Note nr. 5000, May 8, 1951 [D19]</li> <li>E.J. Miller, Discussion on Datar Between Representatives of the R.C.N. and Ferranti Electric Limited, A/EEC(D) Technical Note nr. 5001, May 8, 1951 [D19]</li> <li>The Experimental Digital Automatic Tracking and Remoting System (DATAR), Part Two -- Technical Description, Royal Canadian Navy, Naval Headquarters, Ottawa, Ontario, 15 August, 1953 [D2]</li> <li>R.C.N. Development of a Digital Automatic Tracking and Remoting System (DATAR), NSS 7428-16 (Staff), April 1, 1953 [D22]</li> <li>DATAR -- An Explanation, unsigned, undated [D22]</li> <li>Tentative Staff Requirements, Naval A/S DATAR Equipment, unsigned, undated [D22]</li> <li>S.F. Knights, A Progress Report on DATAR, NSS 7426-16 (EEC), September 16, 1954 [D21]</li> <li>RCN Proposal for International Automatic Radio Message, Appendix "A" to NSS 7428-16 (EEC), February 7, 1955 [D21]</li> <li>DATAR Project "SPIDER" - Royal Canadian Navy (preliminary document and corrections), undated [D10]</li> <li>Some Typical Problems as Seen in DATAR by Mr. S.F. Knights, undated [D11]</li> <li>Partial List of Problems Involved in DATAR, undated [D11]</li> </ul> Minutes of meetings <ul> <li>Minutes of an Inter-Service Meeting held 14th October, 1949 to discuss DATA[R], Transmission problems and DRB contracts X-3-3 and K-5-1 [D19]</li> <li>J.S. Johnson, [minutes of] 2nd Meeting of Project Committee on DATAR, NSS 7428-16, November 15, 1950 [D19]</li> <li>J.S. Johnson, [minutes of] Special Meeting of the Research Control Committee [on DATAR], NSS 7428-16, June 17, 1950 [D19]</li> <li>E.J. Miller, Minutes of Second Meeting of the Development Section, EEC/CNTS, R.C.N., 20 April, 1951, A/EEC(D) Technical Note nr. 1501, May 9, 1951 [D19]</li> <li>J.S. Johnson, Minutes of 4th Meeting [of Project Committee on DATAR] held at 1400, 9 February, 1951, NSS 7428-16 [D19]</li> <li>J.S. Johnson, Minutes of 5th Meeting [of Project Committee on DATAR] held at 1400, 13 March, 1951, NSS 7428-16 [D19]</li> </ul> Laboratory records, notebooks, and handwritten notes <ul> <li>Jim Belyea, Confidential Notebook, RCN Room 2311C, EEC/CNTS, National Headquarters, Ottawa, undated [D8]</li> <li>Jim Belyea, a file of handwritten notes named "Old" DATAR Notes, undated, [D12]</li> <li>J. Belyea, a file of handwritten notes on DATAR, 1950s [D14]</li> <li>J. Belyea, handwritten technical notes, undated [D9A]</li> <li>J. Belyea's handwritten notes on the early days of DATAR, 16 pages, undated [D1]</li> <li>M.K. Taylor, Ferranti Electric Ltd. Laboratory Record, Book no. 1, December 2. 1949 - February 1953 [D5] </li> <li>J. Belyea, a file of handwritten notes on DATAR and tactical trainers, 1980s [D26A]</li> </ul> Other Documents <ul> <li>E.E.C Specification #E4 901, Construction of a Data Transmission System, November 25, 1948 [D25]</li> <li>E.E.C Specification #E4 900, A Study of Data Transmission Methods, November 26, 1948 [D25]</li> <li>E.E.C Specification #D2-04, Datar programme -- technical study contract, August 18, 1950 [D25]</li> <li>J. Belyea, Memorandum on the present status of the R.C.N. Development Program on a Tactical Integrated System for anti-submarine warfare applications, August 16, 1950 [D17]</li> <li>J. Belyea, "Dolphins": A proposal for exploiting DATAR in the anti-submarine role [...], October 1, 1953 [D16]</li> <li>General Schedule of A/S Type DATAR Programme, EEC/CNTS (1 page), unsigned, March 11, 1951 [D24]</li> <li>W.H.G. Rogers, Data Transmission Systems, memorandum to the chairman, The Warning and Identification Subcommittee, Joint  Telecommunications Committee, Department of National Defence, NSS 7428-16, July 9, 1952 [D17]</li> <li>A file of RCN DATAR documents consisting of: </li> <ul> <li>D.J. Hanington,  a draft covering letter to JCEC re Naval Data Processing System - "DATAR", December 4, 1953  (1 page) [D18]</li> <li>Minutes of 3rd Meeting, held at 1430, 3rd November, 1953 at 139 1/2 Sparks Street, Data Processing Sub-Committee of the Joint Telecommunications Committee (2 pages), unsigned, undated [D18]</li> <li>W.H.G. Roger, Naval Data Processing System - "DATAR", memorandum to the Chairman, Data Transmission Sub-Committee, NSS 7426-16 (EEC), (1 page) Ottawa, November 30, 1953 [D18]</li> <li>Appendix A: A Digital Automatic Tracking and Remoting System, Draft Staff Requirements, (3 pages) National Defence Headquarters, Ottawa, June 19, 1953 [D18]</li> <li>Appendix B: A Digital Automatic Tracking and Remoting System, Operational Specifications (14 pages), NSS 7428-16 (Stuff), July 16, 1953 [D18]</li> <li>Appendix C: DATAR - The Model X Experimental and Demonstration System, NSS 7428-16, unsigned, undated (19pages) [D18]</li> <li> A Digital Automatic Tracking and Remoting System (DATAR), Operational Specifications (3 pages) July 16, 1953 [D18]</li> </ul> <li>Financial Statement -- FM 109,069, Datar Project, unsigned, undated [D22]</li> <li>W.H.G. Roger, Research and Development  Estimates, 1956-57, memorandum to D.S.S., NSS 2200-56(EEC), August 8, 1955 [D22]</li> <li>S.F. Knights, Specification. Facilities desired in 3 -Ship Datar Model, undated [21]</li> <li>Five J. Belyea's notebooks with handwritten technical notes, 1946-1951</li> </ul> Photographs and drawings <ul> <li>Two photographs of DATAR demonstration system included with the report [D7]</li> <li>One photograph of DATAR demonstration system module (included with [D5])</li> <li>A photograph of an electronic board (included with [D5])</li> <li>A block diagram of DATAR architecture, title: U.S.N. Version of DATAR (I) (Interim System (before 1952)), Canadian Naval Electronic Laboratory, May 26, 1948 [D20]</li> <li>A block diagram of DATAR architecture, title: U.S.N. Version of DATAR (II), Fully Automatic Systems (before 1957), Canadian Naval Electronic Laboratory, May 26, 1948 [D20]</li> <li>schematic diagram of an unidentified electronic unit, Ferranti Electric Ltd., Toronto, Canada, February 17, 1949 [D20]</li> </ul> Correspondence <ul> <li>a letter from W.B. Lewis to G.S. Field regarding DATAR demonstration, February 3, 1950 [D24]</li> <li>a letter from W.H.C. Roger to J.L. Belyea about Belyea's contributions to DATAR earning commendation from Naval, February 11, 1950 [D24]</li> <li>email correspondence between  Jim Belyea and Ken Bowering, February-April,  2010 [D0]</li> <li>A letter from A. Porter, Head of Research Department, Ferranti Electric Ltd, to the Naval Secretary, Navy Headquarters, National Defence Building, Ottawa, Ontario, regarding "Patents arising out of development work in connection with contracts for The Electrical Engineer-in-Chief", June 26, 1950 [D13]</li> </ul> Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource DATAR images Subject The topic of the resource DATAR project Description An account of the resource DATAR project: scans of photographs and front pages of technical documents. For full listing of DATAR-related documents and photographs, consult DATAR Collection. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Royal Canadian Navy Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1948-1956 Relation A related resource DATAR collection Language A language of the resource English Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Canada, 1940s-1950s https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/f5867db03a8602668c4b6b07696308cc.jpg 4358682b35dec595d9691fca83a72060 hardware A computer (or a calculator), its components and peripherals (displays, printers, pointing devices, modems, external storage devices, etc). Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Commodore 202 adding machine Subject The topic of the resource hardware: electric calculator Description An account of the resource Historical context Commodore International Ltd. (or Commodore) was one of the world's largest manufacturers of electronic hand-held calculators as well as home, educational, and business microcomputers. It was best known for its popular personal computers including the PET line of personal desktops as well as the VIC-20, Commodore 64, and the Amiga computers. It was founded on October 10, 1958 as Commodore Portable Typewriter Company Limited in Toronto, Ontario. Two years later, the company incorporated its Commodore Business Machines subsidiary in New York. In 1976, Commodore reorganized its corporate structure as Commodore International Ltd. and moved its financial headquarters to the Bahamas and the operations headquarters to Pennsylvania. The restructured company encompassed several entities world-wide including Commodore Business Machines Ltd., Canada. In 1947, the company's founder—Jack Tramiel—emigrated from Poland to the US. During his US army service (1948-51) he gained considerable experience in repairing office equipment which he turned into business in his civilian life, first in Bronx, New York, and later in Toronto, Canada, where he moved in 1955. His Toronto business was initially focused on repairs and selling licensed typewriters, adding machines, and other office equipment. Initially located at 2 Toronto Street, in the city's downtown core, a short distance from the IBM Toronto Downtown Office, the company relocated several times before establishing its headquarters at 946 Warden Ave, Scarborough, Ont. During the 1960s the scope of Commodore's business expanded to office furniture as well as to electric and eventually electronic calculators. The first Commodore-branded adding machine was the model C mechanical calculator manufactured by a Czechoslovakian company Nisa and sold by Commodore around 1960. The first exclusive Commodore adding machine—the 202—was announced in 1967. The following year, the company began to turn its focus toward electronic desktop and, soon after, hand-held calculators. Commodore entered the market of hand-held electronic calculators in late 1970s with its CBM 110 device. Within months, the company introduced what would become a popular series of Minuteman calculators. That series, in turn, was followed by the "SR" and "SF" line of scientific and financial hand-held calculators. By the mid-1970s, Commodore was selling a wide range of electronic calculators, becoming one of the largest American manufacturers of these devices. Commodore's entry into microcomputer market was, to a large degree, the result of fierce price war in the calculator market that started in late 1973, and the decision of Texas Instruments—one of the main suppliers of calculator chips—to enter the calculator market and to compete with its clients. To stay competitive and independent of third parties for the chips and displays that went into its products, Commodore purchased MOS Technology in 1976. With the acquisition came not only MOS integrated circuits (most notably the 6502 microprocessor) but also Chuck Peddle's—the 6502's chief designer's—considerable technical expertise and impeccable sense of changing trends in electronics market. While at MOS, he built the KIM-1 single-board computer that quickly became popular among computer hobbyists. Peddle urged Commodore not to underestimate the market potential for mass-manufactured microcomputers and his team got permission to go ahead with a project of designing a desktop computer around the 6502 processor. The all-in-one Commodore PET (or Personal Electronic Transactor) was introduced in 1977. It was successfully marked world-wide, which opened the door into the consumer electronics market for the company's next best sellers: the VIC-20 introduced in 1980, and the Commodore 64 unveiled in 1982. By 1983, in just 25 years, a small downtown Toronto typewriter sales and repair shop was transformed into one of the most revered personal computer companies in the world, shipping more units world-wide than any other computer company. However, the departure of Tramiel from Commodore in 1984 marked the beginning of the company's downfall. Commodore was loosing grounds to the IBM PC and Apple Macintosh platforms. The purchase of Amiga and the sales of its aging fleet of 8-bit computers sustained the company for a while but eventually, in 1994, Commodore began its liquidation. Commodore 202 description The Commodore 202 was possibly the first adding machine sold exclusively by the  company. It was announced in 1967 and manufactured by a Japanese company Ricoh which previously built the 201 adding machine for Commodore. The award-winning case design for the adder was created by Thomas McGourty of Commodore. The 202 featured a built-in column indicator (recording the number of digits pressed) and a printer. <ul> <li>Operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, credit balance, automatic total and sub-total, automatic repeat key for repeat addition, subtraction, and multiplication,</li> <li> column indicator : 10 digit, mechanical,</li> <li>printing mechanism: 10 column list, eleven column total, red and black printing,</li> <li>keyboard: 17 keys including "clear", single, double, and triple "0" keys,</li> <li>power: AC only.</li> </ul> Museum holdings <ul> <li>Commodore 202 adder, serial nr. B-152639.</li> </ul> Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1967 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ricoh and Commodore International Ltd. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant North America, Europe, late 1960s -- early 1970s adder calculator https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/8acf029fe39a1eccac729afd22c09db8.jpg 294d989409725a89c06fba3b8fe55323 Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Research in Motion Itner@ctive 950 Pager Subject The topic of the resource hardware: two-way pagers Description An account of the resource Historical Context The Inter@ctive Pager 950 announced by Waterloo, Ontario-based Research in Motion Limited (RIM) in August 26, 1998, was a successor to and a major refinement of the Inter@ctive 900 two-way pager introduced by the company in 1996. It was smaller, lighter, and cheaper than the 900. It featured more powerful processor, more memory, improved LCD display, easier-to-use keyboard, menu-driven interface, enhanced messaging applications, and extended battery life. The pager operated on BellSouth Interactive Paging Service in the US and Cantel AT&T in Canada. In May 1999, RIM introduced a variant of its Inter@ctive 950 pager--the Inter@ctive 850--designed for the eLink wireless email service from American Satellite Corp. operating on American Mobile's ARDIS network in the US. In addition to offering advanced two-way messaging services,  the eLink wireless email service allowed users with standard POP3 complaint email systems to extend their desktop email to the Inter@ctive Pager 850. RIM advertised its 850 and 950 pagers as "first complete, secure, integrated wireless email solution", as devices that allowed mobile professionals to send and receive email and messages as well as synchronize their schedule, tasks and contacts with their PC. "Now you can communicate with millions of Internet e-mail users worldwide directly from your pager. Plus, you can send custom messages to other Inter@ctive Pagers, fax machines,  alphanumeric pagers and telephones via text-to voice service. With custom programming, you can even retrieve data from the Internet and corporate intranets." (RIM, October 1999) The Inter@ctive Pager 950 received Mobility Award in Wireless Hardware category at the Mobile Insights '99 Conference. Technical Specifications: <ul> <li>processor: Intel 386EX</li> <li>memory: 4MB flash memory, 512KB SRAM</li> <li>display: LCD with backlighting, 132 x 65 resolution, selectable 6- or 8-lines</li> <li>keyboard and controls: 31-key QWERTY-style,  mouse-type scroll wheel</li> <li>ports: RS-232C-compliant serial port</li> <li>transmitter/receiver: 2W transmitter and high-efficiency receiver</li> <li>networks: 800MHz DataTAC (Inter@ctive 850) and 900MHz Mobitex (Inter@ctive 950)</li> <li>battery: single alkaline or rechargeable nickel-metal hydride AA battery (removable)</li> </ul> External Design: <ul> <li>housing: palm-held, ruggedized, plastic</li> <li>size: 8.9cm(L) x 6.4cm(W) x 2.4cm(H)</li> <li>weight: 133g (with battery)</li> </ul> Main Features: <ul> <li>icon and menu driven interface</li> <li>sending and receiving emails</li> <li>paging and faxing</li> <li>calendar</li> <li>address book</li> <li>task list</li> <li>memo pad</li> <li>calculator</li> <li>selectable alerts</li> </ul> Software: <ul> <li>950 Operating System (with integrated email/organizer software)</li> <li>950 Backup Restore Utility</li> <li>Software Developer's Kit for custom application development (SDK)</li> <li>third-party custom applications developed using SDK</li> </ul> Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1998 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Research In Motion Limited Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant North America, 1998- Contribution Form The set of elements containing metadata from the Contribution form. Online Submission Indicates whether or not this Item has been contributed from a front-end contribution form. No blackberry pager RIM https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/94802222e5164736ee03b17de723c77a.jpg 79784aaf2dbd983f9d373f51a884b188 https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/883a69b5cdf2a67b40e3394ffa3ca41c.jpg d298f5146db09d6fd3fccebe1dd4b853 hardware A computer (or a calculator), its components and peripherals (displays, printers, pointing devices, modems, external storage devices, etc). Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource BlackBerry Porsche Design P'9981 Subject The topic of the resource hardware: smartphone Description An account of the resource Historical Context: In May 2011, Research in Motion (RIM, Waterloo, Ontario) announced its new Blackberry 9900 Bold smartphone that sported an elegant slim design, enhanced keyboard, high-resolution touch-screen display, and new BlackBerry 7 operating system. Favourable reviews and positive response from users around the world soon followed. Half a year later (October), RIM unveiled yet another smartphone--the Blackberry Porsche Design P'9981--the result of collaboration between RIM and Porsche Design. From the technical specifications point of view, the P'9881 was the BlackBerry 9900 repackaged into a superbly designed and manufactured housing. Both smartphones used the same processor, memory, display, camera, OS and battery. What set these handhelds apart were the industrial design of the housing, target customers, and pricing. The P'9981 was a special edition, luxurious smartphone sold to the business elite. Porsche Design came up with a unique and arresting design implemented using the finest materials available. "It fashioned out a smartphone capable of standing apart from its peers, much in the way cars of its parent company do."  wrote Vlad Savov in his 2012 review of the P'9981 smartphone. "The Porsche Design P'9981 smartphone from BlackBerry is instantly identified as a Porsche Design product." reads RIM press release from October 17, 2011. "The exclusive material choices for this unique smartphone include a forged stainless steel frame, hand-wrapped leather back cover, sculpted QWERTY keyboard, and crystal clear touch display. This customized Porsche Design P'9981 comes with an exclusive Porsche Design UI and a bespoke Wikitude World Browser augmented reality app experience. It also includes premium, executive PINs that help easily identify another P'9981 smartphone user." The Porsche Design P'9981 introductory price was $2,300. A limited "gold" edition (only 25 smartphones were produced!!) offered the P'9981 device in a stainless-steel case finished with a 24-carat gold layer. The limited-edition number was etched on solid 24-carat gold plate attached as the camera cover on the backside of the smartphone. The Porsche Design P'9981 was followed by the release of the Porsche Design P'9982 in 2013 and Porsche Design P'9983 in 2014. These new smartphones were premium makeovers of the BlackBerry Z10 and Q10 smartphones, respectively, aimed at RIM's elite customers. Porsche Design P'9981's Specifications: <ul> <li>Chipset Qualcomm MSM8655 Snapdragon</li> <li>CPU 1.2GHz</li> <li>GPU Adreno 205</li> <li>memory: 768MB RAM, 8GB built-in media storage expandable up to 32GB with a microSD card</li> <li>display: multi-touch, 640 x 480 pixels, 16M colors</li> <li>data inputs: QWERTY style keyboard, optical trackpad, navigation keys, touchscreen</li> <li>camera: 5 megapixel, with flash</li> <li>video: 720p HD</li> <li>audio: loudspeaker, headset jack</li> <li>sensors: accelerometer, magnetometer, and proximity sensor</li> <li>ports: USB microUSB v2.0</li> <li>SIM interface: Mini-SIM</li> <li>networks: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks, 2100/1900/850/800 MHz networks, or 2100/1700/900 MHz UMTS/HSPA networks</li> <li>Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n</li> <li>Bluetooth: v2.1, A2DP, EDR</li> <li>built-in support for GPS (autonomous, assisted, and simultaneous) and Near Field Communications (NFC)</li> <li>battery:  lithium-ion, rechargeable</li> </ul> External Design: <ul> <li>housing: palm-held, stainless steel frame, hand-wrapped leather back cover</li> <li>size: 11.5cm(L) x 11.3cm(W) x 6.7cm(H) x 1.13cm(D)</li> <li>weight: 155g</li> </ul> Main Features: <ul> <li>messaging: SMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Email, IM</li> <li>browser: HTML</li> <li>media player: support for a variety of media file formats</li> <li>mobile hot spot</li> <li>personal organizer, tasks, memos, contacts</li> <li>voice enabled search</li> <li>social networking and mobile purchasing: BlackBerry App World, Social Feeds, Facebook for BlackBerry smartphones, Twitter for BlackBerry smartphones</li> <li>media server: wirelessly sharing media files from a smartphone with Universal Plug and Play compatible devices</li> <li>GPS, Compass, Maps</li> <li>calculator</li> <li>notification: vibration, LED light; MP3, WAV ringtones</li> <li>security: password protection, two-factor authentication, keyboard and screen lock</li> <li>BlackBerry ID: to provide single sign-in identity across BlackBerry products, sites, services, and apps</li> <li>customized options</li> </ul> Software: <ul> <li>operating system: BlackBerry v.7.0 and 7.1</li> <li>BlackBerry Desktop Software v.6.1</li> </ul> The museum has a Porsche Design P'9981 with Porsche Design Smartphone P'9981 User Guide v 7. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Research in Motion (RIM) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2011 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource donated by Abdulaziz Almowanes Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context M01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant world, 2011-- blackberry porsche RIM https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/681cab0d05371a32e65a5aaee93d8cde.jpg 22f3d9cd028426acc53e84cd832ef1c1 hardware A computer (or a calculator), its components and peripherals (displays, printers, pointing devices, modems, external storage devices, etc). Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Blackberry 7200-series smartphones Subject The topic of the resource hardware: smartphone Description An account of the resource Between 1996 and 2004, Research in Motion (RIM, Waterloo, Ontario) released several generations of wireless communications devices: the Inter@ctive 800, 900, 850, and 950 two-way pagers, the RIM Wireless Handsets 857 and 957 as well as the BlackBerry 5000- and 6000-series smartphones. By 2004, RIM was a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. By the end of that year, the Blackberry wireless platform (the Blackberry Enterprise Solution that featured integrated hardware, software, and service) was adopted by thousands of corporations and the company reported over two million subscribers worldwide. The continuously intensifying competition in the smartphone market (from companies such as HP, Nokia, Palm, Samsung, and Sony-Ericcson) resulted in RIM's new lines of smartphones that incorporated more technically sophisticated solutions and offered more attractive industrial designs. Within a short period of time, starting from the mild-2003, RIM introduced the 7200-series and the 7100-series of smartphones, the latter featuring new sleek and stylish designs matching the ones offered by RIM's competitors. The 7200-series of smartphones was initiated by the introduction of the Blackberry 7210 in the mid-2003. It delivered the same popular communications experience as the previous 6200 models with the added benefit of a high resolution color display. The 7210 was followed by the 7230, 7280, and 7290 smartphones. From the hardware and software point of view, they were mostly identical, but supported different connectivity bands (see Supported GSM/GPRS Networks and Coverage table below). While the 7210 was supporting only two frequencies and single markets, the 7230 and 7280 were tri-band handhelds, and the 7290 was a quad-band phone designed for business customers who want to stay connected while travelling internationally enabling both domestic and international roaming in the majority of GSM markets worldwide. Finally, in 2005, the 7200 family was further expanded with the introduction of the Blackberry 7250 for dual-band 800/1900 MHz CDMA2000 1X and cdmaOne networks, and the Blackberry 7270 for secure enterprise communication over a wireless local area network (WLAN). Technical Specifications for the Blackberry 7210, 7230, 7280, and 7290: <ul> <li>processor: ARM 9EJ-S Core, 32 bit</li> <li>memory: 16 MB flash and 2MB SRAM (32MB flash and 4MB SRAM in model 7290)</li> <li>display: high-resolution full-color display, 240x160 pixels, 65,000 colors</li> <li>keyboard and controls: 33-key QWERTY-style (backlit), mouse-type scroll wheel</li> <li>ports: USB</li> <li>SIM interface: support for 3V SIM cards</li> <li>modem: embedded RIM modem</li> <li>networks: see table below</li> <li>battery: lithium ion, removable, rechargeable</li> </ul> External Design: <ul> <li>housing: palm-held, plastic</li> <li>size: 11.3cm(L)x7.4cm(W)x2cm(D)</li> <li>weight: 136g (139g for the 7290 model)</li> </ul> Main Features: <ul> <li>phone, email, SMS, browser, attachment viewer, and organizer applications</li> <li>email account compatibility: integration with existing enterprise email account or up to 10 personal/business email accounts</li> <li>designed to work with BlackBerry Enterprise Server supported by: v. 2.1 or higher for Microsoft Exchange, and  v. 2.0 with Service Pack 2 or higher from IBM Lotus Domino</li> <li>user interface: icon and menu driven</li> <li>notifications: tone, vibrate, on-screen, or LED indicator (user-configured)</li> <li>configurable options</li> <li>handheld security: password protection and keyboard lock</li> </ul> Software: <ul> <li>RIM BlackBerry OS, v. 4.0</li> <li>RIM Blackberry Desktop Software 3.6 or higher</li> <li>The BlackBerry Java Development Environment (JDE)</li> </ul> Supported GSM/GPRS Networks and Coverage: <table> <tbody> <tr> <th></th> <th>7210</th> <th>7230</th> <th>7280</th> <th>7290</th> </tr> <tr> <td>850 MHz, Canada and US</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>X</td> <td>X</td> </tr> <tr> <td>900 MHz, Europe\Asia Pacific</td> <td>X</td> <td>X</td> <td></td> <td>X</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1800 MHz, Europe\Asia Pacific</td> <td></td> <td>X</td> <td>X</td> <td>X</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1900 MHz, Canada and US</td> <td>X</td> <td>X</td> <td>X</td> <td>X</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> The museum has a Blackberry 7230 and 7290 with manuals and Desktop Software. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Research in Motion Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2003--2005 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant world, 2003- blackberry RIM smartphone https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/adff29a72e68d90bd4198eb806897bd3.jpg 6ad506a94c9086b4a251dc0185e04c2a hardware A computer (or a calculator), its components and peripherals (displays, printers, pointing devices, modems, external storage devices, etc). Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource RIM 857 and RIM 957 Wireless Handsets Subject The topic of the resource hardware: pager Description An account of the resource Historical Context By 2000, Research in Motion (RIM, Waterloo, Ontario) became a world leader in the mobile communications market. RIM Wireless Handhelds--the Inter@ctive 800, 900, 850, and 950--were widely deployed and distributed through leading solution providers including Aether Systems, BellSouth Wireless Data, Compaq Computer, Dell Computer, GoAmerica, Motient, PageNet, Rogers AT&T;Wireless, SkyTel as well as various leading Internet Service Providers. To strengthen its position in the mobile communications market, RIM introduced its third generation of data-only wireless handhelds--the RIM 857 and RIM 957--in 2000. The RIM 957 (code name RIM Proton) was announced on April 11, 2000 as "a new advanced, palm-sized wireless handheld with integrated support for wireless email, Internet, paging and organizer features. The highly-anticipated RIM 957 Wireless Handheld is optimized for mobile users and incorporates a large high-quality screen, 32-bit Intel 386 processor, 5MB flash memory, easy-to use keyboard, embedded wireless modem, integrated organizer and full support for the award-winning BlackBerry wireless email solution." (RIM press release, April 11, 2000). The RIM 857 was announced in October 2000. It was a variant of the 957 and offered on Motient Corporation's wireless network in the United States and on Bell Mobility's ARDIS wireless network in Canada. Both devices were housed in a palm-sized enclosure that made the devices' operation much more convenient than the previous RIM handhelds. Although the devices offered much more refined mobile tools to deal with users' mobile communication needs, the world of wireless communication was already transitioning into a new integration level combining data and voice in a single hand-held device -- the smartphone. Just a few months after the introduction of the RIM 857 and 957, RIM announced its first smartphone -- the Blackberry 5820. RIM 857 and 957 Technical Specifications: <ul> <li>processor: Intel 386EX, 32 bit</li> <li>memory: 512KB SRAM and 5MB flash memory</li> <li>display: full-graphic LCD (grey/monochrome, backlit), 160x160 pixel viewing area, 16 or 20 line display (user-selectable)</li> <li>keyboard and controls: 34-key QWERTY-style (backlit), mouse-type scroll wheel ports: RS-232C-compliant serial port</li> <li>modem: embedded RIM modem</li> <li>networks: 800MHz DataTAC (RIM 857); 900MHz Mobitex (RIM 957)</li> <li>battery: internal lithium-ion rechargeable</li> </ul> External Design: <ul> <li>housing: palm-held, ruggedized, plastic</li> <li>size: 11.7cm(L) x 7.85cm(W) x 1.8cm(H)</li> <li>weight: 136g</li> </ul> Main Features: <ul> <li>works with BlackBerry Enterprise Server</li> <li>emails/messages: receiving, sending, forwarding, and replying to emails and messages</li> <li>folder management: composing, saving, searching for, and deleting emails and messages</li> <li>icon and menu driven interface</li> <li>calendar</li> <li>address book</li> <li>task list</li> <li>memo pad</li> <li>calculator</li> <li>alarm notifications: tone, vibrate, on-screen, or LED indicator configurable options</li> <li>password protected device lock</li> </ul> Software: <ul> <li>BlackBerry OS, v. 2.0 Blackberry Desktop Software v. 2.0 Software Developer's Kit (SDK)</li> <li>third-party custom applications developed using SDK</li> </ul> The museum has a RIM 957 Wireless Handheld and the Installation and User's Guide. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Research in Motion Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived donated by Z. Stachniak Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2000 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant North America, 2000- Contribution Form The set of elements containing metadata from the Contribution form. Online Submission Indicates whether or not this Item has been contributed from a front-end contribution form. No blackberry handset pager RIM https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/3724cadbc56752ae515781d481a5cada.jpg eb88470a81fd705fe8fd596cba1d09a1 hardware A computer (or a calculator), its components and peripherals (displays, printers, pointing devices, modems, external storage devices, etc). Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Rebel.com NetWinder Server Subject The topic of the resource hardware: server Description An account of the resource The original NetWinder Linux microcomputer was developed by Corel and offered in 1998. In January 1999, Hardware Computing Canada of Ottawa acquired the NetWinder division from Corel and change the name of the combined company to Rebel.com. The company continued revising and manufacturing the NetWinder line of computers until July  2001 when Rebel filed for bankruptcy. The hardware configuration of the Rebel.com rack-mounted NetWinder Server was similar to that of the original Corel NetWinder with some notable exceptions such as no multi-media support (audio and video) and a larger 3.5 inch hard disk that offered 10-26MBytes of storage. The museum has a Rebel.com NetWinder server model  MWRM0735, serial number 800-00016.  NetWinder documentation and other resources are available from <a href="http://www.netwinder.org/docs.html">netwinder.org site.</a> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rebel.com Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1999[?] Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context H.24 Contribution Form The set of elements containing metadata from the Contribution form. Online Submission Indicates whether or not this Item has been contributed from a front-end contribution form. No NetWinder Rebel.com server https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/8389413874c5ce551900f2e4ae7ffd7a.jpg 4cb3a362b0243be9eb0b0e016d37ed83 https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/b8763ac0ad40587a239c2d56139140a1.jpg 4077a22201ed9455a755c03bc8461a53 hardware A computer (or a calculator), its components and peripherals (displays, printers, pointing devices, modems, external storage devices, etc). Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Rapid Data Rapidman 1212 calculator Subject The topic of the resource hardware: desk-top digital electronic calculator Description An account of the resource Historical context (by Z. Stachniak) In the early 1970s, the consumer electronics market was going through one of the hottest periods in its history. Advancements in microelectronics, especially in integrated circuit technologies, had made it possible to offer inexpensive desktop and, soon after, hand-held digital electronic calculators. In 1971, the promise of a calculator power at your finger tips (pledged by Bowmar Instrument, Cannon, and, soon after, by scores of other calculator manufacturers) was rapidly gaining social acceptance. It was the idea of a personal, inexpensive, powerful electronic calculating device for your own unrestricted use, always in your pocket, in your briefcase, or on your desk that made the pocket calculator one of the most desired electronic gadgets of the first half of the 1970s. Commodore Business Machines (founded in 1958 in Toronto) and Rapid Data Systems and Equipment Ltd. (incorporated in 1962 in Toronto) were the earliest Canadian companies that offered their own electronic desktop and pocket-sized calculators. Rapid Data's first calculator--the Rapidman 800--was introduced in February 1972 at the time when intense competition put immense pricing pressure to offer hand-held calculators for under $100 and the stores across North America were racing to be the first to sell them. In early 1972, to win the race, Alexander's--New York's iconic department store chain--ordered 20,000 Rapidman 800s to be sold at $99.99. In a short succession, the Rapidman 800 was followed by the 801, 802, 804, 812, (introduced in 1974(?)) and 824 hand-helds. In his 2005 recollections written for York University Computer Museum, Henry Dasko--a former European Sales Manager at Rapid Data--describes the company's corporate history and his involvement with Rapid Data in the following way. "The year was 1971, late Spring. I had been in Canada for just over a year and was looking for a job. Ideally it would be something in exports. But most of Canada's exports were raw materials and commodities and I had no experience and no feel for that. Finally, I found an ad that seemed to give me a chance. An electronics company was looking for someone with languages. I applied and soon got a phone call. "You say you speak Russian," the voice said. "I do." "How many years did you study Russian?" "Fourteen." "OK, come for an interview." I did, to a modern, low building near the Toronto airport. "We make calculators," a well groomed, silver haired man told me. I had no idea what a calculator was. "A Soviet trade delegation is coming to see us. They would like to buy our technology. We are not going to sell it to them, but we will talk to them. Let’s see how well you do." I did well enough. The Russians left and I was told to return the following day. I had a low level job in the International Marketing Department. My boss was to be one Rick Denda, whom I hadn't met - he was travelling in Europe, but his silver Ferrari 330 and his white Mercedes sedan were sitting in the company lot. I liked him already. He returned soon and we got along fine. I familiarized myself with the product line and was told to gather as much information about competitive products as possible. Our most popular model was a pocket calculator named Rapidman 800. It had 8-digit [display] capacity and could perform four basic functions. Hang tab keys were molded into the case. Decimal point was fixed at 2. Individual LEDs were hand inserted into the PCB. It was difficult to align them, and they were almost always crooked. The unit was made on an electronics assembly line in London, Ontario. It sold for $100. Our biggest export market was in the US, where we had our own branch in Detroit. I had nothing to do with it. My responsibility was the secondary markets, where we dealt with export agents and distributors. We communicated via telex, which I learned to use. Selling was not a problem. We just could not get enough product. Everyone wanted it. Sometimes the requests were outrageous. "I am calling you from the cabinet of the president of Chile," Leslie Sebastian, a Hungarian expatriate yelled at me. "I want 100,000 calculators and I want them now. Every schoolchild in Chile is going to have his own machine. Chile will be the first in the world." Soon we had several competitors - American companies Texas Instruments and Bowmar, and the Japanese giant Sharp, which offered an elegant brushed aluminum box with large, glowing, diffused LEDs. There was also a Canadian competitor named Commodore. Its president was Jack Tramiel who, like me, was a Polish Jew. In Polish, his real name was Trzmiel, pronounced "Chmiel", which in Polish means "hornet". He was an Auschwitz survivor with a number tattooed on his forearm. A bear of a man. He started a typewriter service shop in the Polish area of Toronto. The president of our company, Clive Raymond, was very different. He was born in India, where his father was a British colonial officer. In Canada he ran an office equipment company named Roneo Vickers, which specialized in spirit duplicator machines. He was a portly, elegant man with commanding presence. I met our design engineers, who were responsible for technology development. Their names were Joe Kelly and Joe Tari and they both came from an academic background. Raymond gave them a long term contract and shares in Rapid Data. Soon our product line expanded. We added model 801 with a floating decimal point and a model 812 with 12-digit capacity and full memory. Rapidman 824 was one of the first to perform complex scientific calculations. We also made desktop calculators, powered by the mains. A 12-digits Rapidman 1212 and even more sophisticated Rapidman 1220, both using orange coloured gas discharge Panaplex displays we bought from Burroughs Corporation in New Jersey. We also made printing calculators, which recorded calculations on a paper ribbon. The printing heads came from Seiko Corporation in Japan. Most of our chips except for the small Rapidman 800 came from an aerospace company in California, named Rockwell International. Financing for our company came from the Eaton's Pension Fund, where Raymond knew people. Even though there weren't enough calculators to fill the orders, prices were plummeting. I understood it to be the rule in electronics. The same phenomenon had happened previously with transistor radios. I was doing well. Soon I was promoted to European Sales Manager and transferred to Shannon, Southern Ireland, where we had a distribution facility in a tax-free economic zone. But the company was not doing well. In printers, which were the most profitable product, we have fallen behind technology curve. Printing heads had a spinning roller, which in the first generation model emitted annoying buzz. Seiko subsequently developed a silent printer, but would only sell it to Japanese calculator makers. I understood then that it wasn't how many products you sold, but how much profit you made - a principle which stayed with me throughout my professional life. Rapid Data was losing money. Soon Rockwell and Eaton's demanded payments which we couldn't make. Even though we all worked very hard and the spirit of the company was fantastic, Rapid Data had to close down in the largest Canadian bankruptcy in Canadian history. We all lost our jobs. For me personally it was a very sad moment, but I have learned a lot and was confident of the future. I wasn't wrong - I had gained experience in electronics, and electronics was the name of the game. Within three months I had another job." Rapidman 1212 features: <ul></ul> <ul> <li>12 digit display,</li> <li>4 functions (+, -, x, ÷),  automatic percent calculations,</li> <li>full floating decimal system, decimal position selectable 0-5 places from keyboard,</li> <li>indicators: negative sign, overflow, and memory in use,</li> <li>24-key keyboard with entry correction and percent, clearing, change, and exchang keys as well as memory addition/subtraction, memory recall, and clear memory keys.</li> </ul> Hardware: <ul> <li>3 registers (1 numeric, 1 constant, and 1 memory)</li> <li>CPU: LSI single chip</li> </ul> Museum holdings: The museum has a Rapidman 1212, serial number 26354. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rapid Data Systems and Equipment Ltd., Toronto, Canada Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource introduced in 1974(?) Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant world, 1974(?)- Contribution Form The set of elements containing metadata from the Contribution form. Online Submission Indicates whether or not this Item has been contributed from a front-end contribution form. No calculator Canadian Rapidman 1212 https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/da323183cc8c236463005dbf605153be.jpg c8fdf152bb245587c969b32ccf179595 https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/786d1f02969dcbff35a5c812c3ecef71.jpg 4077a22201ed9455a755c03bc8461a53 https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/1c070baac9d3a18129af52ece174fc34.jpg 3d295dff75c29a56ba7f0713400c4184 Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Rapid Data Systems and Equipment Ltd. promotional brochures Description An account of the resource Historical context (by Z. Stachniak) In the early 1970s, the consumer electronics market was going through one of the hottest periods in its history. Advancements in microelectronics, especially in integrated circuit technologies, had made it possible to offer inexpensive desktop and, soon after, hand-held digital electronic calculators. In 1971, the promise of a calculator power at your finger tips (pledged by Bowmar Instrument, Cannon, and, soon after, by scores of other calculator manufacturers) was rapidly gaining social acceptance. It was the idea of a personal, inexpensive, powerful electronic calculating device for your own unrestricted use, always in your pocket, in your briefcase, or on your desk that made the pocket calculator one of the most desired electronic gadgets of the first half of the 1970s. Commodore Business Machines (founded in 1958 in Toronto) and Rapid Data Systems and Equipment Ltd. (incorporated in 1962 in Toronto) were the earliest Canadian companies that offered their own electronic desktop and pocket-sized calculators. Rapid Data's first calculator--the Rapidman 800--was introduced in February 1972 at the time when intense competition put immense pricing pressure to offer hand-held calculators for under $100 and the stores across North America were racing to be the first to sell them. In early 1972, to win the race, Alexander's--New York's iconic department store chain--ordered 20,000 Rapidman 800s to be sold at $99.99. In a short succession, the Rapidman 800 was followed by the 801, 802, 804, 812, and 824 hand-helds as well as 1208, 1212, 1220, 2000, and 2001 desktop calculators. In his 2005 recollections written for York University Computer Museum, Henry Dasko--a former European Sales Manager at Rapid Data--describes the company's corporate history and his involvement with Rapid Data in the following way. "The year was 1971, late Spring. I had been in Canada for just over a year and was looking for a job. Ideally it would be something in exports. But most of Canada's exports were raw materials and commodities and I had no experience and no feel for that. Finally, I found an ad that seemed to give me a chance. An electronics company was looking for someone with languages. I applied and soon got a phone call. "You say you speak Russian," the voice said. "I do." "How many years did you study Russian?" "Fourteen." "OK, come for an interview." I did, to a modern, low building near the Toronto airport. "We make calculators," a well groomed, silver haired man told me. I had no idea what a calculator was. "A Soviet trade delegation is coming to see us. They would like to buy our technology. We are not going to sell it to them, but we will talk to them. Let’s see how well you do." I did well enough. The Russians left and I was told to return the following day. I had a low level job in the International Marketing Department. My boss was to be one Rick Denda, whom I hadn't met - he was travelling in Europe, but his silver Ferrari 330 and his white Mercedes sedan were sitting in the company lot. I liked him already. He returned soon and we got along fine. I familiarized myself with the product line and was told to gather as much information about competitive products as possible. Our most popular model was a pocket calculator named Rapidman 800. It had 8-digit [display] capacity and could perform four basic functions. Hang tab keys were molded into the case. Decimal point was fixed at 2. Individual LEDs were hand inserted into the PCB. It was difficult to align them, and they were almost always crooked. The unit was made on an electronics assembly line in London, Ontario. It sold for $100. Our biggest export market was in the US, where we had our own branch in Detroit. I had nothing to do with it. My responsibility was the secondary markets, where we dealt with export agents and distributors. We communicated via telex, which I learned to use. Selling was not a problem. We just could not get enough product. Everyone wanted it. Sometimes the requests were outrageous. "I am calling you from the cabinet of the president of Chile," Leslie Sebastian, a Hungarian expatriate yelled at me. "I want 100,000 calculators and I want them now. Every schoolchild in Chile is going to have his own machine. Chile will be the first in the world." Soon we had several competitors - American companies Texas Instruments and Bowmar, and the Japanese giant Sharp, which offered an elegant brushed aluminum box with large, glowing, diffused LEDs. There was also a Canadian competitor named Commodore. Its president was Jack Tramiel who, like me, was a Polish Jew. In Polish, his real name was Trzmiel, pronounced "Chmiel", which in Polish means "hornet". He was an Auschwitz survivor with a number tattooed on his forearm. A bear of a man. He started a typewriter service shop in the Polish area of Toronto. The president of our company, Clive Raymond, was very different. He was born in India, where his father was a British colonial officer. In Canada he ran an office equipment company named Roneo Vickers, which specialized in spirit duplicator machines. He was a portly, elegant man with commanding presence. I met our design engineers, who were responsible for technology development. Their names were Joe Kelly and Joe Tari and they both came from an academic background. Raymond gave them a long term contract and shares in Rapid Data. Soon our product line expanded. We added model 801 with a floating decimal point and a model 812 with 12-digit capacity and full memory. Rapidman 824 was one of the first to perform complex scientific calculations. We also made desktop calculators, powered by the mains. A 12-digits Rapidman 1212 and even more sophisticated Rapidman 1220, both using orange coloured gas discharge Panaplex displays we bought from Burroughs Corporation in New Jersey. We also made printing calculators, which recorded calculations on a paper ribbon. The printing heads came from Seiko Corporation in Japan. Most of our chips except for the small Rapidman 800 came from an aerospace company in California, named Rockwell International. Financing for our company came from the Eaton's Pension Fund, where Raymond knew people. Even though there weren't enough calculators to fill the orders, prices were plummeting. I understood it to be the rule in electronics. The same phenomenon had happened previously with transistor radios. I was doing well. Soon I was promoted to European Sales Manager and transferred to Shannon, Southern Ireland, where we had a distribution facility in a tax-free economic zone. But the company was not doing well. In printers, which were the most profitable product, we have fallen behind technology curve. Printing heads had a spinning roller, which in the first generation model emitted annoying buzz. Seiko subsequently developed a silent printer, but would only sell it to Japanese calculator makers. I understood then that it wasn't how many products you sold, but how much profit you made - a principle which stayed with me throughout my professional life. Rapid Data was losing money. Soon Rockwell and Eaton's demanded payments which we couldn't make. Even though we all worked very hard and the spirit of the company was fantastic, Rapid Data had to close down in the largest Canadian bankruptcy in Canadian history. We all lost our jobs. For me personally it was a very sad moment, but I have learned a lot and was confident of the future. I wasn't wrong - I had gained experience in electronics, and electronics was the name of the game. Within three months I had another job." Rapid Data folder of promotional materials includes brouchures for: <ul> <li>Rapidman 801</li> <li>Rapidman 804</li> <li>Rapidman 808</li> <li>Rapidman 812. Rapidman 824</li> <li>Rapidman 1212</li> <li>Rapidman 1220</li> <li>Rapid Printer 2000</li> <li>Rapid Printer 2000R</li> <li>Rapid Printer 2001</li> </ul> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rapid Data Systems and Equipment Ltd. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Rapid Data Systems and Equipment Ltd. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1970s Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant world, 1974- https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/141aabfe33a53e00cbadf2419d502f36.jpg 3f138a6a148b54a902b4906d35fc8992 Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Rapid Data Rapidman 800 calculator Description An account of the resource Historical context (by Z. Stachniak) In the early 1970s, the consumer electronics market was going through one of the hottest periods in its history. Advancements in microelectronics, especially in integrated circuit technologies, had made it possible to offer inexpensive desktop and, soon after, hand-held digital electronic calculators. In 1971, the promise of a calculator power at your finger tips (pledged by Bowmar Instrument, Cannon, and, soon after, by scores of other calculator manufacturers) was rapidly gaining social acceptance. It was the idea of a personal, inexpensive, powerful electronic calculating device for your own unrestricted use, always in your pocket, in your briefcase, or on your desk that made the pocket calculator one of the most desired electronic gadgets of the first half of the 1970s. Commodore Business Machines (founded in 1958 in Toronto) and Rapid Data Systems and Equipment Ltd. (incorporated in 1962 in Toronto) were the earliest Canadian companies that offered their own electronic desktop and pocket-sized calculators. Rapid Data's first calculator--the Rapidman 800--was introduced in February 1972 at the time when intense competition put immense pricing pressure to offer hand-held calculators for under $100 and the stores across North America were racing to be the first to sell them. In early 1972, to win the race, Alexander's--New York's iconic department store chain--ordered 20,000 Rapidman 800s to be sold at $99.99. In a short succession, the Rapidman 800 was followed by the 801 (introduced in 1973), 802, 804, 812, and 824 hand-helds. In his 2005 recollections written for York University Computer Museum, Henry Dasko--a former European Sales Manager at Rapid Data--describes the company's corporate history and his involvement with Rapid Data in the following way. "The year was 1971, late Spring. I had been in Canada for just over a year and was looking for a job. Ideally it would be something in exports. But most of Canada's exports were raw materials and commodities and I had no experience and no feel for that. Finally, I found an ad that seemed to give me a chance. An electronics company was looking for someone with languages. I applied and soon got a phone call. "You say you speak Russian," the voice said. "I do." "How many years did you study Russian?" "Fourteen." "OK, come for an interview." I did, to a modern, low building near the Toronto airport. "We make calculators," a well groomed, silver haired man told me. I had no idea what a calculator was. "A Soviet trade delegation is coming to see us. They would like to buy our technology. We are not going to sell it to them, but we will talk to them. Let’s see how well you do." I did well enough. The Russians left and I was told to return the following day. I had a low level job in the International Marketing Department. My boss was to be one Rick Denda, whom I hadn't met - he was travelling in Europe, but his silver Ferrari 330 and his white Mercedes sedan were sitting in the company lot. I liked him already. He returned soon and we got along fine. I familiarized myself with the product line and was told to gather as much information about competitive products as possible. Our most popular model was a pocket calculator named Rapidman 800. It had 8-digit [display] capacity and could perform four basic functions. Hang tab keys were molded into the case. Decimal point was fixed at 2. Individual LEDs were hand inserted into the PCB. It was difficult to align them, and they were almost always crooked. The unit was made on an electronics assembly line in London, Ontario. It sold for $100. Our biggest export market was in the US, where we had our own branch in Detroit. I had nothing to do with it. My responsibility was the secondary markets, where we dealt with export agents and distributors. We communicated via telex, which I learned to use. Selling was not a problem. We just could not get enough product. Everyone wanted it. Sometimes the requests were outrageous. "I am calling you from the cabinet of the president of Chile," Leslie Sebastian, a Hungarian expatriate yelled at me. "I want 100,000 calculators and I want them now. Every schoolchild in Chile is going to have his own machine. Chile will be the first in the world." Soon we had several competitors - American companies Texas Instruments and Bowmar, and the Japanese giant Sharp, which offered an elegant brushed aluminum box with large, glowing, diffused LEDs. There was also a Canadian competitor named Commodore. Its president was Jack Tramiel who, like me, was a Polish Jew. In Polish, his real name was Trzmiel, pronounced "Chmiel", which in Polish means "hornet". He was an Auschwitz survivor with a number tattooed on his forearm. A bear of a man. He started a typewriter service shop in the Polish area of Toronto. The president of our company, Clive Raymond, was very different. He was born in India, where his father was a British colonial officer. In Canada he ran an office equipment company named Roneo Vickers, which specialized in spirit duplicator machines. He was a portly, elegant man with commanding presence. I met our design engineers, who were responsible for technology development. Their names were Joe Kelly and Joe Tari and they both came from an academic background. Raymond gave them a long term contract and shares in Rapid Data. Soon our product line expanded. We added model 801 with a floating decimal point and a model 812 with 12-digit capacity and full memory. Rapidman 824 was one of the first to perform complex scientific calculations. We also made desktop calculators, powered by the mains. A 12-digits Rapidman 1212 and even more sophisticated Rapidman 1220, both using orange coloured gas discharge Panaplex displays we bought from Burroughs Corporation in New Jersey. We also made printing calculators, which recorded calculations on a paper ribbon. The printing heads came from Seiko Corporation in Japan. Most of our chips except for the small Rapidman 800 came from an aerospace company in California, named Rockwell International. Financing for our company came from the Eaton's Pension Fund, where Raymond knew people. Even though there weren't enough calculators to fill the orders, prices were plummeting. I understood it to be the rule in electronics. The same phenomenon had happened previously with transistor radios. I was doing well. Soon I was promoted to European Sales Manager and transferred to Shannon, Southern Ireland, where we had a distribution facility in a tax-free economic zone. But the company was not doing well. In printers, which were the most profitable product, we have fallen behind technology curve. Printing heads had a spinning roller, which in the first generation model emitted annoying buzz. Seiko subsequently developed a silent printer, but would only sell it to Japanese calculator makers. I understood then that it wasn't how many products you sold, but how much profit you made - a principle which stayed with me throughout my professional life. Rapid Data was losing money. Soon Rockwell and Eaton's demanded payments which we couldn't make. Even though we all worked very hard and the spirit of the company was fantastic, Rapid Data had to close down in the largest Canadian bankruptcy in Canadian history. We all lost our jobs. For me personally it was a very sad moment, but I have learned a lot and was confident of the future. I wasn't wrong - I had gained experience in electronics, and electronics was the name of the game. Within three months I had another job." Rapidman 800 features <ul> <li>four functions (+, -, x, ÷), chain of mixed multiplication and division, constant calculations in all four functions,</li> <li>decimal system: two places,</li> <li>single key entry correction and cleaning,</li> <li>negative sign and overflow indication,</li> <li>power on indication,</li> <li>low battery indication.</li> </ul> Hardware specification <ul> <li>display: 8-digit LED display with constant,</li> <li>CPU: Mostek MK5010P,</li> <li>keyboard: 17-key including on/off and clear keys,</li> <li>indicators: negative sign, and overflow,</li> <li>power supply: 9V battery or AC adapter.</li> </ul> Museum holdings <ul> <li>Rapidman 800, serial number 385224</li> <li>Operaing Instructions for your Rapidman 800 Calculator, Rapid Data, 1972. </li> </ul> Subject The topic of the resource hardware: electronic calculator Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rapid Data Systems and Equipment Ltd. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant world, 1970s Contribution Form The set of elements containing metadata from the Contribution form. Online Submission Indicates whether or not this Item has been contributed from a front-end contribution form. No calculator