It is likely that many of our readers remember certain "must-have" accessories in the offices of the 1990s. From the famous stress balls to the electric pencil sharpener, some of these objects were more "distractions" than "useful tools". One that seems to have taken the web by storm recently is the diskette calculator, which was distributed as a courtesy by some very high-profile companies, including IBM and Microsoft.
Office Oddities Worth Remembering
Think for a moment about one of those accessories you were dying to have, but that in the end was almost useless. Personally, I remember certain mechanical pens with different inks inside. The idea of having so many colors in a single pen was irresistible... however, they all ended up destroyed in less than a week. On the toy side, it would be a serious mistake to forget those wristwatches that transformed into robots, holographic rulers, the classic Tamagotchi, and slightly more mechanical options like the yo-yo and the tiki-taka, banned in some parts of the world. But the existence of strange accessories with dubious utility didn't end there. The offices of the last century were truly fertile ground for them, with "novelties", "courtesies", and more. For example...
The Diskette Calculator
That's right, a floppy disk turned into a solar calculator. The excellent video published by LGR explains that this specific IBM version wasn't available for sale, but was distributed among its main partners. All the basic functions we expect from any calculator are there, and to turn it on you just have to move the metal piece that hides the photovoltaic cell and the LED panel. When it comes to doing calculations... yes, these diskette calculators are absolutely dreadful. No one in their right mind could expect to work with such a calculator, but that didn't stop other companies from handing out very similar designs among their clients and partners. Some of the examples available on the web have logos from Apple, Microsoft, Sony, MacUser magazine, and the disk that went viral recently belongs to MacWareHouse, which apparently still exists.
Promotional Giveaways
The Hunt Today
Finding these calculators today in places like eBay is very difficult, but if for some reason demand starts to grow, I imagine the Chinese legions won't hesitate to flood Aliexpress with new designs. Do you happen to have any of these calculators in your possession? If so, we'd love for you to share a picture.
