> Soon the cost of microcircuits started to decrease, and it became possible to consider the development of pocket size calculators with prices accessible to the wide consumer.
Most of calculator models cost like 30%-50% of monthly salary of engineer who developed such devices. Scientific ones were up to 100%. It was quite far from accessible.
Well, I remember that there was no problem acquiring MK-52 or MK-61 in Kiev back then. And I vaguely remember that the more modern version, the one with an LCD screen, was not readily available, but by then the era of programmable calculators has already passed.
It's funny how my first programmable calculator was Citizen SRP-175 in the early 1990s. And my dream of MK-52 was fulfilled only in 2000s :) I lived in Primorsky krai near Japan though.
Most of calculator models cost like 30%-50% of monthly salary of engineer who developed such devices. Scientific ones were up to 100%. It was quite far from accessible.