alt Hacker NewsCasio S100X Japanese Lacquer Edition (JP Page Only)
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Reading this webpage, and then the other comments here, taught me something important about myself: I am a Philistine. I don't think I would notice any difference between this and a glossy plastic calculator costing $5. I actually assumed that this piece was for people who collect calculators, but it seems like it has broader appeal based on the other comments?
Why do I have an urge to buy this? I have no use for it. But damn did they sell it to me well.
About $1k on ebay https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=Casio+s100x+lacquer
My god, the keys: the keycaps are __double-shot__, have scissor switches, and 3-key rollover.
It's a vanity item, like a Rolex watch, and its existence is not for actual utility.
Utility-wise for the cost, it's not outstanding compared to regular calculators. If you spend enough time with S100X for the cost to be justified, then you are wealthy or you are spending way too much time at the calculator and should reconsider your workflow, e.g. using a spreadsheet or Python script instead, and those things are cheaper than this calculator.
Nothing wrong if anyone wants to buy it. But technically there is nothing special here, just the physical appearance/build.
Was hoping this was a lacquered F-91W, but the calculator is pretty nice too.
Time to start a project to make a handcrafted lacquer face for some other calculators; I have a few HP-80 (https://www.hpmuseum.org/hp80.htm) to test the idea on ;)
Only 650 units worldwide, according to The Verge.
I tried to buy this, when it was released. It sold out instantly. I was sad.
There's also a Hokusai range of calculators I saw at yodobashi camera Yokohama this spring. It was 60$,I didn't buy it but I kind of wish I did.
Looks like I need to plan for a weekend trip to Tokyo to get this and along with my annual pilgrimage to Akihabara
This is amazing. If you've ever held a fountain pen with this finish you know.
About $600 apparently. The regular S100X is $350.
Knowing about Japanese Lacquer (aka Urushi) will change the way that you see the world. Urushi is the sap of a tree that is related to poison oak and posion ivy. You can learn to use it by wearing a biohazard suit or by suffering through until you develop an immunity to the urushiol. To call it "the itch" does not do it justice. You do not really know the full depths of being a human until you decide, with full knowledge of the consequences, to go down this road.
Urushi is transformed by curing in a warm and humid environment to something that is food safe and not toxic - for example Japanese rice bowls. Then there are they myriad decorative techniques such as Rankaku - using quail egg shells for decoration.
I've recently seen the word "entanglement" in a completely different context. But Urushi entangles you in nature and your environment in way that is utterly breath taking. For example: https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2019/modern-masters-...
[edit for grammar and clarity]
This is gorgeous. I’m very afraid if I buy one it will trigger a wave of revulsion for normal everyday products and I’ll become one of these obsessive people who talk about fonts.