Olivetti

 Home > Browse Our Collection > Computing Companies > Olivetti
 

Olivetti was founded as a typewriter manufacturer in 1908 in Ivrea, near Turin, by Camillo Olivetti. The firm was mainly developed by his son Adriano Olivetti. Olivetti opened its first overseas manufacturing plant in 1930, and its Divisumma electric calculator was launched in 1948. Olivetti produced Italy's first electronic computer, the transistorised Elea 9003, in 1959, and purchased the Underwood Typewriter Company that year. In 1964 the company sold its electronics division to the American company General Electric. It continued to develop new computing products on its own; one of these was Programma 101, one of the first commercially-produced personal computers.
 
Source - Wikipedia

Timeline for Olivetti :

Date Event
8 Jul 1971 Olivetti launches P602 "minicomputer"
24 Feb 1972 Olivetti DE 523
8 Nov 1973 Olivetti wins big PO VRC order
15 Nov 1973 Olivetti launch P652 micrcomputer
15 Nov 1973 Olivetti P652
Apr 1981 News Article : New Olivetti computers
Jan 1982 News Article : Micro-80 provides the typewriter link
Apr 1982 News Article : Typewriter solution
20 Jan 1983 News Article : Olivetti spark printer for Acorn
20 Feb 1985 Olivetti buys 49 percent stake in Acorn Computers Ltd.
13 Jun 1985 News Article : Acorn boss appointed from Olivetti
27 Jun 1985 News Article : Acorn suspends shares again amid continuing financial difficulties
4 Jul 1985 News Article : Crisis talks at Acorn continue as financial crisis deepens
1 Aug 1985 News Article : Acorn deal saves new BBC micros in second rescue package this year
1988 Hermann Hauser leaves Olivetti to start the Active Book Company


Hardware Products

Acorn JP-101 Printer

Acorn JP-101 Printer
Unknown
The Acorn JP101 "spark ink jet" printer was an Acorn badged Olivetti printer.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Peripheral

Active Badge

Active Badge
Unknown
This Active Badge from Olivetti Research was used by Piers Wombwell at Network Computing on Newmarket Road, Cambridge.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Peripheral

Olivetti Cable Kit for Quaderno

Olivetti Cable Kit for Quaderno
Unknown
Cable kit for Olivetti Quaderno.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Peripheral

Olivetti Elettrosumma 22

Olivetti Elettrosumma 22
1958
Dimensions: 230W x 370D x 180H Weight: 10.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Calculator

Olivetti Summa Prima 20 (pre-decimal)

Olivetti Summa Prima 20 (pre-decimal)
1961
This mechanical calculator is from the 1960s and dates from pre-decimalisation in 1971.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Calculator

Olivetti Summa Prima 20

Olivetti Summa Prima 20
1966
Olivetti Summa Prima 20 mechanical adding machine .

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Calculator

Olivetti Summa Quanta 20

Olivetti Summa Quanta 20
1972
The Olivetti company was founded by electrical engineer Camillo Olivetti (1868-1943) in 1908.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Calculator

Olivetti BCS 3030

Olivetti BCS 3030
1979
The BCS or Business Computer Systems, were a series of machines designed by Olivetti for business management, the 3030 was a very flexible machine, designed to work with many different modules, including hard disk capacity up to 10MB.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Computer

Olivetti Logos 9 Calculator

Olivetti Logos 9 Calculator
1980
The Olivetti Logos 9 calculator was released in 1980.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Calculator

Olivetti ETS 2010 with ET 115 Typewriter

Olivetti ETS 2010 with ET 115 Typewriter
1981
This is a word processor, that uses an electronic typewriter as an in and out device.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Computer

Olivetti Quaderno

Olivetti Quaderno
1982
The Olivetti Quaderno is a 1992 sub-miniature notebookModel Number: PT-XT-20 with a serial number of S0112340.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Computer

Olivetti M20 D

Olivetti M20 D
31st March 1982
The Olivetti M20 was a 16-bit computer that was based on the Z-8001 processor, which ran at 4MHz.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Computer

Olivetti M21

Olivetti M21
1983
'The Olivetti Personal Computer M21 is a transportable computer system, designed to provide the versatility and computing power required in the modern business environment.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Computer

Olivetti M10

Olivetti M10
1st January 1983
Olivetti is known for the eccentricity of its early machines (M20, M24).

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Computer

Olivetti M290

Olivetti M290
1984
The Olivetti M290 was a personal computer based around the Intel 80286 processor.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Computer

Olivetti M15 Plus

Olivetti M15 Plus
1st January 1985
The M15 had a Ni Cad battery 512K of RAM, and has a detachable keyboard, the screen is green, 640x480 in resolution, but with no back light.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Computer

Olivetti Prodest PC 128S

Olivetti Prodest PC 128S
1987
The Olivetti Prodest PC 128S is an Italian version of the Acorn BBC Master Compact that was sold exclusively in Italy.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Computer

Olivetti M380/C (Pandora Project)

Olivetti M380/C (Pandora Project)
1988
Olivetti 380/C Personal Computer used in the Pandora ProjectMachine type: XP 1050 1988ME916 4MB RAM CardGO723 – HD/FD Controller ST506RLLGO481 – Paradise VGA PVGA1AWestern Digital WD8003EBT Ethernet Card.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Computer

Olivetti PC1 Prodest

Olivetti PC1 Prodest
1988
This is an XT clone, Its specification is similar to the Amstrad PC20 (aka Sinclair PC200) or Schneider Euro PC.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Computer

Olivetti Prodest PC1 HD

Olivetti Prodest PC1 HD
1988
This is an XT clone, Its specification is similar to the Amstrad PC20 (aka Sinclair PC200) or Schneider Euro PC: System unit contains motherboard, keyboard, power supply and floppy drives.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Computer

Olivetti M290S

Olivetti M290S
1989
Year of production: 1984Country: ItalyFeatures:1 MB RAM, 30 MB hard drive, 3.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Computer

Olivetti D33

Olivetti D33
1991
The Olivetti D33 laptop was released in 1991.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Computer

Olivetti PCS 286S

Olivetti PCS 286S
1991
Olivetti PC Computer with VGA Monitor and Keyboard.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Computer

Olivetti EO Personal Communicator 440

Olivetti EO Personal Communicator 440
April 1993
The Olivetti EO Personal Communicator 440 is an early tablet from Eo, Inc that was released in April 1993.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Computer


Software Products

MS-DOS & Manuals for Olivetti PCS 286S

MS-DOS & Manuals for Olivetti PCS 286S
Unknown
MS-DOS operation system for the Olivetti PCS 286S, complete with manuals.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Software

MS-DOS & Manuals for Olivetti PCS 86

MS-DOS & Manuals for Olivetti PCS 86
1989
3 x MS-DOS3.30a Installation Disks (3.5") MS-DOS Software Installation Guide PCS 86 - Installation & Operations Guide MS GW-BASIC - Quick Reference Guide...

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Software


Promotional Items

Olivetti S6000 Multi-Workstation Business Computer Brochure

Olivetti S6000 Multi-Workstation Business Computer Brochure
Unknown
A promotional brochure for the Olivetti S6000 Multi-Workstation Business Computer.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Promotional Item

Olivetti SV 40 Serial Printer

Olivetti SV 40 Serial Printer
August 1969
Double-side A4 leaflet with specification for the 40 character per second serial printer.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Promotional Item

Olivetti Te 308 SH Terminal

Olivetti Te 308 SH Terminal
September 1969
Double-sided information leaflet for the Olivetti Te 308 SH Send/Receive Heavy Duty Time Sharing Terminal.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Promotional Item

Olivetti OCR-8091

Olivetti OCR-8091
September 1969
Double-sided information leaflet for the Olivetti OCR-8091 Alphanumeric Page Printer.

Manufacturer : Olivetti
Type : Promotional Item


Video Relating to Olivetti :


Photographs Relating to Olivetti :


Magazine Articles About Olivetti

 

Olivetti

 

 

Help support the museum by buying from the museum shop

View all items

Founding Sponsors
redgate Google ARM Real VNC Microsoft Research
Heritage Lottery Funded
Heritage Lottery Fund
Accredited Museum