Busicom

Busicom (at least 1970-1973 ) was a Japanese manufacturer of mechanical and electronic computers. The company was one of many international applicants in just emerging business with this part mechanical computers.

History

From about 1970 originated in two collaborations, one with Mostek and another with Intel, two pioneering examples of the architecture of electronic computers.

This Mostek was commissioned to design and manufacture a "single chip" circuitry, which should enable the construction of the first commercial full - integrated calculator among others. The resulting therefrom semiconductor MK6010 was first used in desktop computers Busicom Junior, which has since been regarded as the first calculating machine with fully integrated electronics. The following model Busicom LE- 120A mobile phone was already completed in January 1971 and came to 89,800 yen in trading. This calculator was extremely compact ( 72 × 124 × 24 mm), battery operated and had the same integrated circuit MK6010 as its predecessor. In addition, for the first time a 12-digit LED seven segment display was used. This model is considered the first calculator of its kind

Intel was commissioned at the same time with the development of a complex but flexible chipset for computing machines. As a result of 4004 came out which represented a full microprocessor system, together with some other chips, such as a ROM for storing the machine code. The first electronic computing machine with such a microprocessor was the Busicom 141- PF model. She came in October 1971 for 159,800 yen on the market.

These two devices are commonly the most important milestones in computer history.

In 1973, Busicom went because of the enormous cost pressure caused by the increasing number of competitors into bankruptcy. The patent rights in 4004, the world's first microprocessor CPU, Intel had recently bought back by Busicom.

The brand name " Busicom " is still used by a former sales partner from England.