Adam Norwood

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October 19, 2022

A Brief History of the Numeric Keypad

Graphic showing two common layouts for numeric input: a horizontal 5-by-2 design next to the common grid-like calculator layout with 7-8-9 at the top

If you’ve ever wondered why the numeric keys on a calculator resemble those on a phone (in the U.S. anyhow), but inexplicably backwards with the 7-8-9 at the top, or if you just like looking at old mechanical cash registers and other button-based devices, here’s an excellent read for you! Time to go dust off my own Burroughs Class 3…

Go check it out →

Tagged:

  • buttons
  • calculators
  • design
  • history
  • numbers
  • telephony
  • ui
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