PRIVILEG Modell 802 – Calculator from the former West Germany

During the communist era, the dream of many people was to own electronic equipment from the West. Acquiring the coveted computer equipment was downright impossible, but equipment such as calculators and audio systems were somehow obtainable. Today we will take a closer look at one such design. The Privileg Modell 802, as it is referred …

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The arcana of technology, or what do Qualcomm Snapdragon X and Apple have in common?

One of the more interesting developments in the world of technology is the recent launch of a new series of ARM processors created by Qualcomm. We are, of course, talking about the Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus chips, which are designed to run in Windows laptops. This is not the first attempt to combine Windows and ARM architecture CPUs, but it is the first one that, in my opinion, can succeed. However, in order for me to sufficiently explain the full background of this story, we need to go back to 2007.

Электроника МКУ-1 – Soviet school calculator

The story of our today’s hero begins in 1987. It is then that the electronic equipment factory in Svetlovodsk (today’s Ukraine) leaves the first calculator Электроника МКУ-1 (Elektronika MKU-1). The device was the result of an idea by officials of the Central Planning Bureau and was designed with a specific purpose in mind – the equipment was to serve high school and college students of the Soviet Union. It would enable them to solve even complex mathematical equations much more quickly and simply.

What’s hidden inside a smart socket?

In today’s world, the importance of various types of devices from the “smart home” category is growing day by day. There is nothing surprising in this, after all, thanks to these, sometimes very simple equipment, we can remotely control home lighting, heating or ventilation. Besides, thanks to all kinds of sensors, reading temperature, humidity and light intensity has become much simpler. The data collected by the system can be used to intelligently manage actuators such as relays. In other words, today’s technology allows us to build really complex structures at a low cost, which we can call a smart home.

Электроника МК-52 – Soviet calculator in orbit

The great events of the space industry not only capture our attention, but also inspire us to think about the achievements of science and technology. One of the fascinating aspects of the conquest of space is the role that technology has played in these spectacular achievements. However, in the shadow of the famous rockets, astronauts and space stations, there are little-known elements of this space history, such as the Soviet Электроника МК-52 calculator.

The art of microelectronics – silicon integrated circuits

Modern microelectronics is one of the fastest growing areas of science and technology. Its relevance to our daily lives is immense, as it is thanks to microelectronics that we can use advanced electronic devices, such as smartphones, tablets and laptops, which have become an integral part of our reality. In today’s article, we invite you to take a deeper dive into the fascinating world of silicon, where we will consider the construction of elements such as transistors and diodes.

In the land of silicon – an introduction to electronic structures

The modern world is constantly flowing toward the future, driven by incredible advances in technology. Central to this dynamic process is the electronics that underpin most everyday devices. One of the key foundations of electronics are structures called integrated circuits, which have been revolutionizing our ability to process information and communicate for years. However, when we look deep into electronic chips, we see that they are made up of structures such as transistors, diodes, resistors and even capacitors. These elements are placed together, on a single piece of silicon, which makes them significantly different from similar structures placed on printed circuit boards. In this article I will tell you a little about silicon electronic structures, the foundation of today’s technological world.

Miniaturization of big ideas – how integrated circuits came to be

In today’s dynamic world of electronics, we are constantly using advanced technologies that enable us to perform tasks faster, more efficiently and more conveniently. One of the most remarkable developments that has affected our daily reality is the invention of the integrated circuit. These small but powerful electronic components, typically containing hundreds, thousands or even millions of elements on a single silicon wafer. Chips have revolutionized our world in ways we could not even imagine before. But in order to explore the history of integrated circuits, we need to go all the way back to the 1920s, to the days of tube designs.

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