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geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: Lastpilot on Sat, 09 March 2013, 21:40:28

Title: Alpsulator! [$73.18]
Post by: Lastpilot on Sat, 09 March 2013, 21:40:28: UPDATE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nCVaazCHaA
Not a valid vimeo URL
Purchase Link: http://www.retailfacility.co.uk/calculators/64-10-key.html

Very interesting. I wonder what is behind those keycaps when the calculator costs so much?
Title: Re: Keyboard Calculator [$73.18]
Post by: AKIMbO on Sat, 09 March 2013, 21:43:45: I'm pretty sure they are xm alps clones. The unofficial name for that tenkey (which also functions as a standalone calculator) is the alpsulator.
Title: Re: Keyboard Calculator [$73.18]
Post by: Lastpilot on Sat, 09 March 2013, 21:57:07: Wow I would have never have guessed. I just realized that there's no way this can be solar powered right? That's kind of a downer, but still - an alps calculator sounds awesome as a desk item.

EDIT: Just founds this since you gave me the name

It sounds so nice :D What is that USB cord about? and WIN/MAC toggle? Is this dual-purpose as a key...OH NOW I GET IT. You called it a ten-key, so this is a dual-purpose?

The guy on YouTube labeled them as XM Cream Switch, I'm guessing that's the same?
Title: Re: Alpsulator! [$73.18]
Post by: dorkvader on Sun, 10 March 2013, 01:52:30: I believe akimbo is right about the alps. I have two of these (game one to a friend). Unfortunately, the keycaps are smaller than standard, so I had to shave the NeXT keycaps I put on it. Second, the keyswitches do not appear to be compatible with monterey keyswitches (The only other alps-like I've used). At the least, they have a different aspect ration (less square) and wouldn't fit. It may be possible to mod the plastic plate to fit them though.

The design and features are really great. You can (for example) computer a sum, and press a button to send it as a string over to the computer. It's a combo tenkey/hand calculator and is battery powered when not operating via USB. I'm sure you could modify it to operate via solar power, if you could find room for the panel. The build quality is rather lacking. It was probably worth the $20 or so I paid, but I certainly wouldn't pay 50 GBP for it.
Title: Alpsulator! [$73.18]
Post by: Deviruki on Sun, 10 March 2013, 01:56:49: Dorkvader, where'd you get it for $20? That's insane...
Title: Re: Alpsulator! [$73.18]
Post by: dorkvader on Sun, 10 March 2013, 17:40:42: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=24902.msg469972#msg469972

My memory isn't perfect. Looks like it was $27
Title: Re: Alpsulator! [$73.18]
Post by: Muffet on Mon, 11 March 2013, 06:01:04: its a little cheaper here.http://www.yliving.com/idea-international-10-key-calculator.html?productid=idea-international-10-key-calculator&channelid=AMAZO (http://www.yliving.com/idea-international-10-key-calculator.html?productid=idea-international-10-key-calculator&channelid=AMAZO)
Title: Re: Alpsulator! [$73.18]
Post by: danielucf on Mon, 11 March 2013, 10:52:17: I got one awhile ago for around $40 I think, but to me it wasn't worth the money at all, and functioned poorly as a tenkey for a computer since it lacked several basics that all tenkeys should have.
Title: Re: Alpsulator! [$73.18]
Post by: dorkvader on Mon, 11 March 2013, 12:21:53: Quote from: danielucf on Mon, 11 March 2013, 10:52:17
I got one awhile ago for around $40 I think, but to me it wasn't worth the money at all, and functioned poorly as a tenkey for a computer since it lacked several basics that all tenkeys should have.
hmm, what was it missing? Mine's been broken for a while (stem broke off in switch during removal of large "enter" keycap) but when I was using it, I remember it having a quite complete set of features.
Title: Re: Alpsulator! [$73.18]
Post by: esoomenona on Mon, 11 March 2013, 12:27:24: I'm interested in one of these. I like that they're stand alone as well. Just no $75 interested...