Want a Cool Looking Calculator? I Dunno, Alaska.
August 31st, 2007
It takes some really striking design to get me excited about something as mundane as a desktop calculator, but the designer who created this one has bowled me over.
The clear, ice-like acrylic case inspired the name “Alaska” for this LCD calculator. While the pictures might make it look white, you can really see all the way through it, meaning that it transforms into whatever color lies beneath it.
When looking at the calculator from off-angle, the numbers virtually vanish beneath the tall cylindrical buttons. However, when looking head-on, the digits are completely visible. I also dig the cool dot-matrix LCD screen that’s got mod square pixels. The manufacturer, Area Plus, also makes a version with removable buttons “for fun & play game,” but I’m not sure why you’d want to do that.
The Alaska acrylic calculator can be found on Japanese online boutique Cataloger, and retails for ¥3675 (about $32 USD).
Very nice find – gorgeous.
that is beautiful! someday i’m gonna have a desk with these types of things on it (and they won’t be dusty)…
Anyone know where I can buy the Alaska acrylic calculator
Good question, I haven’t seen it in a couple of years, and at the time, it was only in Japan. I’ll dig around and let you know if I can find it anywhere anymore.
Well, this is the only clue I could find…
http://www.asia.ru/en/ProductInfo/1236816.html
Looks like they were made by
AREA PLUS LTD
http://www.areaplus.com.hk/product.php
http://www.areaplus.com.hk/contact.php
Perhaps you could order a wholesale batch, but I doubt you could buy an individual calculator from them.