Review: Ultronic TC3022

Ultronic TC3022 - Front view, open

Before I start discussing today's calculator, I want to express my excitement for this new platform: I'm excited. Facebook was fine for the first few reviews, but I wanted to be able to do a lot more than it would allow. Plus I don't particularly like Facebook, and it limited my audience to friends and family. The rest of the world will now have the opportunity to read honest, critical, thoughtful reviews of both handheld and desktop calculators.

I didn't plan for the first calculator on this new platform to be my worst. It just sort of worked out that way. The Ultronic TC3022 is a mess. It's not a bad-looking calculator by any means, and it's got some great ideas, but Ultronic can do and has done much better than this.

Most notable about the TC3022 is its compact clam shell design. It fits nicely in the palm of your hand even while open. The buttons are some kind of rubber, but retain a nice clicky feel when pressed. The digital screen is big enough to accommodate a clock, calendar, and the date at the same time.

Aaaand that's where the positives come to a screeching halt. In order to use this device, an annoying combination of tape and a piece of folded paper are required to hold in the single CR2032 battery. I know what you're thinking- "That's not the calculator's fault! You just lost the battery cover!" Well, you're right, I did. But I lost it because when I was using the cover, the battery STILL wouldn't seat properly. I ended up breaking the cover while removing and reinstalling it over and over trying to get this calculator to stay on.

To add to the frustration, every single time this thing powers on, it plays the worst rendition of the William Tell Overture I've ever heard. This is because the calculator also contains an alarm clock, and when it powers up, the alarm is set to on and to sound off at 12 AM. Some genius decided to also set the default time to 12 AM, so it will never not play.

My fix to keep the battery in place. It doesn't work well.

These two problems create the perfect storm of irritation. While cleaning and storing my calculator collection, every time I bumped this device, I'd hear that annoying beeping music. After a few days of this, I decided to leave the battery out. It's cruel, I know, but this calculator sucks.

Released in either 2006 or 2007, it's sad to see the spring-loaded mechanism on this device barely works when I open it. I found it at Goodwill in a bag with two other calculators for $1.50.

CR2032 battery for scale.

Calculators are better than this.

Be sure to check out the video review to see the TC3022 in action!