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The second of the "calcu-lighters" in the collection is an elegant Casio multi-function alarm clock/calculator from 1980. Calculators makers pushed the envelope after perfecting miniaturization and the LCD display system, so it was only logical to package a lighter within a calculator during the pro-tobacco days of the Carter and Reagan eras. On another note, as calculator manufacturing costs plummeted, they became popular premiums when purchasing cigarette multi-paks during the mid to late 80s. Hmmm...they say an average cigarette takes 11 minutes off your life, so whip out your Newport Lights calculator and multiply 11 times 20...

As discussed above, there were new conquests in the advancement of the handheld calculator following the fall of LED models. The leader in sales and manufacturing was TI, and they symbolically contributing to the Casio-dominated clock/calculator field with this entry. The DataChron may be considered an early electronic organizer as it packed as much technology available into this shirt pocket-sized unit. Full compliment of time, alarm and stopwatch functions behind an early UV-filtered LCD display. Sold for about $40 is 1977.

Jay has vivid memories of this one. In 1982, his local K-Mart store was closing out the KMC2000 calculator/clock combo. They were marked down to $4 from an original price of about $25 and he wanted this one bad. But would Jay's mom give him an advance on his lawn mowing allowance? Newoooooooooooooooooooooooo! Instead, Jay had to wait about fifteen years to find this used model for...yes, $4! Still love you, mom :)

From the distinguished lineage of the Casio pocket clock/calculators comes the JQ-100 for your desktop. Yellow LCD is indicative of a display of the early filtered variety. Neat monthly calendar feature and with alarm and stopwatch.

Time to share the first mini clock and calculator combo from Casio. The MQ-1 had the yellow LCD typical in mid to late 70s models. As you'll later discover in the 'Pocket Calculator Museum', the succeeding models in the MQ line offer more features, but none may be quite as charming as their first. This micro-computer has a hinged cover on the right to expose calculator and setting buttons for the clock, stopwatch and calculator. Remarkable Casio quality in a tiny package could be attained in 1977 for about $50.