The Sharp PC-E500S was a 1995

pocket computer A pocket computer was a 1980s-era user programmable calculator-sized computer that had fewer screen lines, Some had only one line and often fewer characters per line, than the Pocket-sized computers introduced beginning in 1989. Manufacturers in ...

Sharp Corporation is a Japanese multinational corporation that designs and manufactures electronic products, headquartered in Sakai-ku, Sakai, Osaka Prefecture. Since 2016 it has been majority owned by the Taiwan-based Foxconn Group. Sharp employs more than 5 ...

and was the successor to the 1989 PC-E500 model, featuring a 2.304

MHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose expression in terms of SI base units is s−1, meaning that one he ...

CMOS Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS, pronounced "sea-moss", ) is a type of metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) fabrication process that uses complementary and symmetrical pairs of p-type and n-type MOSFE ...

CPU A central processing unit (CPU), also called a central processor, main processor or just processor, is the electronic circuitry that executes instructions comprising a computer program. The CPU performs basic arithmetic, logic, controlling, and ...

Description

It was slightly wider, and the keys are slightly larger than the previous model. The display had more contrast, and the keyboard cover is a (removable) hinged lid (clamshell) instead of plastic slipcase. There were also four additional BASIC commands (Multiline IF ... ENDIF, WHILE ... WEND, REPEAT ... UNTIL, SWITCH ... CASE ... ENDSWITCH) It came with 32 KB of RAM which could be upgraded to 96 KB using memory expansion cards. The monochrome

LCD A liquid-crystal display (LCD) is a flat-panel display or other electronically modulated optical device that uses the light-modulating properties of liquid crystals combined with polarizers. Liquid crystals do not emit light directly but in ...

had 240×32 pixels which could display four lines with 40 characters per line as well as graphics. The 256 KB system

ROM Rom, or ROM may refer to: Biomechanics and medicine * Risk of mortality, a medical classification to estimate the likelihood of death for a patient * Rupture of membranes, a term used during pregnancy to describe a rupture of the amniotic sac * R ...

the contained the

BIOS In computing, BIOS (, ; Basic Input/Output System, also known as the System BIOS, ROM BIOS, BIOS ROM or PC BIOS) is firmware used to provide runtime services for operating systems and programs and to perform hardware initialization during the ...

, a diagnostic suite, and the

BASIC BASIC (Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) is a family of general-purpose, high-level programming languages designed for ease of use. The original version was created by John G. Kemeny and Thomas E. Kurtz at Dartmouth College ...

interpreter used to program the device. An algebraic calculation system was included. The Algebraic Expression Reserve (AER) memory: Frequently used formulas or constants could be stored in memory and recalled for repeated use. The PC-E500 series also performed as a scientific calculator when switched into 'CAL' mode. It also included an X<>Y exchange key for working with complex numbers and polar to rectangular conversions.

Applications

Mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

(

integer An integer is the number zero (), a positive natural number (, , , etc.) or a negative integer with a minus sign (−1, −2, −3, etc.). The negative numbers are the additive inverses of the corresponding positive numbers. In the language ...

equation In mathematics, an equation is a formula that expresses the equality of two expressions, by connecting them with the equals sign . The word ''equation'' and its cognates in other languages may have subtly different meanings; for example, in ...

s, differential & integral

calculus Calculus, originally called infinitesimal calculus or "the calculus of infinitesimals", is the mathematical study of continuous change, in the same way that geometry is the study of shape, and algebra is the study of generalizations of arithm ...

formula In science, a formula is a concise way of expressing information symbolically, as in a mathematical formula or a ''chemical formula''. The informal use of the term ''formula'' in science refers to the general construct of a relationship betwee ...

s and

graphs Graph may refer to: Mathematics *Graph (discrete mathematics), a structure made of vertices and edges **Graph theory, the study of such graphs and their properties *Graph (topology), a topological space resembling a graph in the sense of discre ...

) *

Physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...

* Earth sciences *

Meteorology Meteorology is a branch of the atmospheric sciences (which include atmospheric chemistry and physics) with a major focus on weather forecasting. The study of meteorology dates back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not ...

Chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...

Biology Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary i ...

Geology Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Ear ...

Electrical engineering Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems which use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...

Mechanical engineering Mechanical engineering is the study of physical machines that may involve force and movement. It is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and mathematics principles with materials science, to design, analyze, manufacture, and ...

In addition things like

amino acid Amino acids are organic compounds that contain both amino and carboxylic acid functional groups. Although hundreds of amino acids exist in nature, by far the most important are the alpha-amino acids, which comprise proteins. Only 22 alpha am ...

s and the

periodic table of elements The periodic table, also known as the periodic table of the (chemical) elements, is a rows and columns arrangement of the chemical elements. It is widely used in chemistry, physics, and other sciences, and is generally seen as an Cultural i ...

were available. These built-in programs were accessed through a menu system and special function keys. There was also a built-in menu editor to add new software to the menus or indeed replace some built-in software or formulas.

Operating modes

* BASIC (programming and execution) * CAL (scientific calculator) * MATRIX (matrices calculations) * STAT (statistics) * ENG (engineering) * AER (algebraic expressions editor). This mode can be accessed from the ''second'' main menu page (press up/down arrow near the lower left display corner).

Accuracy

* 10 digits (mantissa) + 2 digits (exponent) in single-precision mode. * 20 digits (mantissa) + 2 digits (exponent) in double-precision mode. * In the CAL, MATRIX and STAT modes, only the single precision mode can be used.

Memory expansion

The Sharp PC-E500 series could store data and programs on memory expansion cards as well as the main RAM. Six cards were available: * CE-210M: 2 KB * CE-211M: 4 KB * CE-212M: 8 KB * CE-2H16M: 16 KB * CE-2H32M: 32 KB * CE-2H64M: 64 KB These cards used a CR1616 lithium battery for memory backup. The memory configuration was software-switchable from the command-line. The RAM card could be appended to the system memory, replace the system memory or act as a separate space to be used as a RAM drive (F:). The main memory could also be partitioned off to a RAM drive (E:).

Peripherals

* : Thermal printer & cassette interface. * CE-140F: 2.5-inch pocket floppy drive. * CE-130T:

RS-232 In telecommunications, RS-232 or Recommended Standard 232 is a standard originally introduced in 1960 for serial communication transmission of data. It formally defines signals connecting between a ''DTE'' (''data terminal equipment'') such a ...

adaptor level converter. * CE-135T: RS-232 adaptor level converter. (Macintosh) * CE-515: 4-color X/Y plotter printer The PC-E500S had a weight of 340 g (with batteries) and was powered by four AAA batteries. It could, given its power consumption of 0.09 W, be used for about 70 hours on a charge.

Variants

* PC-E500 (English): 32 KB, engineer software, double precision, slipcase, rubber keys, black, 1988/1989 * PC-E500 (Japanese): 32 KB, engineer software, double precision,

Kanji are the logographic Chinese characters taken from the Chinese family of scripts, Chinese script and used in the writing of Japanese language, Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese ...

, slipcase, rubber keys, black, 1988 * PC-E500PJ / PC-E500-BL (Japanese): 32 KB, engineer software, game "HEAVY METAL mini" (by CRISIS Software) preloaded into RAM, double precision, Kanji, slipcase, rubber keys, blue, 1990, limited special edition by Pokecom Journal (PJ) * PC-E500S (English): 32 KB, engineer software, double precision, high contrast display, clamshell, plastic keys, black, 1995 * PC-E550 (Japanese): 64 KB, engineer software, double precision, Kanji, slipcase, rubber keys, white, 1990 * PC-E650 (Japanese): 64 KB, engineer software, double precision, structured BASIC, Kanji, clamshell, plastic keys, black, 1993 * PC-1480U (Japanese): 32 KB, no engineer software, "coop uni" label, double precision, Kanji, slipcase, rubber keys, black, 1988 * PC-1490U (Japanese): 32 KB, no engineer software, "coop uni" label, double precision, Kanji, slipcase, rubber keys, black, 1990 * PC-1490UII (Japanese): 64 KB, no engineer software, "UNIV. TOOL" label, double precision, Kanji, slipcase, rubber keys?, black, 1991 * PC-U6000 (Japanese): 64 KB, no engineer software, "UNIV. TOOL" label, double precision, Kanji, clamshell, plastic keys, black, 1993 (NB
University Co-operative

References

* *

External links

* —demo of a Japanese PC-E500 {{DEFAULTSORT:Sharp Pc-E500s PC-E500S PC-E500S