How much did an IBM Selectric II cost?
It cost about $3,000 in today’s dollars and feature a replaceable type ball that improved typing speeds immensely. Unlike other typewriters, which struck the paper with hammers, it used golf ball-like type heads embossed with a full set of alphanumeric characters.
How does a ball head typewriter work?
The mechanism that positions the typing element (“ball”) takes a binary input, and converts this to character offsets using two mechanical digital-to-analog converters, which are “whiffletree” linkages of the type used for adding and subtracting in linkage-type mechanical analog computers.
What is a typewriter ball?
Officially known as a type element, a typeball is a sphere containing raised characters on its surface that strike an ink ribbon on a typewriter. These devices are used in older typewriters and were revolutionary for their time because of how easy they were to remove.
Who invented the IBM Selectric ball?
Eliot Noyes
The aesthetic design of the Selectric was the responsibility of Eliot Noyes, an architect and industrial designer who served as consulting design director to IBM for 21 years.
Does IBM still make the Selectric typewriter?
The Selectric typewriter was discontinued in 1986 after 25 years of success. According to IBM, by 1986, the company sold 13 million Selectric typewriters worldwide.
How much does an IBM Selectric II weigh?
Product information
| Product Dimensions | 22 x 15 x 7 inches |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 36.9 pounds |
| ASIN | B01M5C1LAE |
| Item model number | IBM Selectric II |
| Customer Reviews | 2.1 out of 5 stars 16 ratings 2.1 out of 5 stars |
Does IBM still make Selectric typewriters?
What does Selectric mean?
Filters. Introduced in 1961 by IBM, the Selectric was the first typewriter to use a golf ball-like type element that moved across the paper, rather than moving the paper carriage past the individual character hammers. Allowing different fonts to be used by easily switching balls, the Selectric became extremely popular.
When did IBM stop making Selectric typewriters?
What is golf ball printhead?
One of the first types of printer for a computer is a character printer which prints one character at a time instead of one line at a time. The golf ball head is a small ball with multiple rows of characters arranged around it. …
What was the function of the IBM Selectric typewriter?
The IBM Selectric typewriter, the machine that switched typeface styles by changing its “golf ball” element seen here, quite simply revolutionized the way in which the world typed.
How many characters does a Selectric typewriter have?
Selectric and Selectric II type elements (balls) have 88 characters and white lettering. Selectric III balls have 96 characters, yellow writing, and say “96”. They do NOT interchange! Selectric and Selectric II Type Styles (Fonts) These are 600 dpi black and white (not greyscale) scans from the mid 1970s IBM Type Styles and Elements brochure.
What was the type ball for the IBM Selectric?
In addition to Univers, a Century, Times Roman, and later an “Aldine” font (Bembo) were available, as was a Symbols font. However, the Composer, with its relatively small market, never had anything like the variety of typeballs available as there were for the Selectric (see below).
What did the golf ball do on a Selectric typewriter?
Instead of the “basket” of individual typebars that swung up to strike the ribbon and page in a traditional typewriter, the Selectric had a type element (frequently called a “typeball”, or more informally, a “golf ball”) that rotated and pivoted to the correct position before striking.