Casio Mini

The Casio Mini was a palm-sized electronic calculator that went on sale in August 1972. From the outset, the goal was to develop a calculator for personal use. Because of its streamlined functionality and low price, the Mini triggered the widespread popularity of pocket calculators. Priced initially at 12,800 yen, the Mini weighed 315 grams (215 grams for the unit and 100 grams for the batteries), drew 0.85 watts, and came in a 146×77×42mm (w×h×d) package.

Besides carrying out addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, continued multiplication, and continued division operations, the Mini could perform power exponent calculations and mixed computations. The calculator displayed six digits with six small low-power vacuum fluorescent display tubes. It performed addition and subtraction to six digits, multiplication of 6digits×6digits＝12digits (using a double-length method), and division of 6digits÷6digits＝12digits.

The Casio Mini was a huge success immediately after its release, selling more than one million units in the year after its launch. It had a tremendous impact on the pocket calculator market at the time and was a pioneer in individual use of calculators. The Casio Mini was turned into a series of calculators, with Casio releasing the Mini CM-601 through to the CM-605 as well as the Personal-Mini CM-606 and CM-607. In total, over 10 million Mini series calculators were sold.