The Devil is in the (design) details: Braun Calculator ET66 re-release

I am a sucker for all things that come with a rich history, and this calculator's past is entwined with its legendary Braun designer: Dieter Rams. His 10 principles of good design are so mesmerisingly simple and all encompassing, that designers now refer to them as the 10 Commandments of Design.

So when the re-release of a classic Braun ET66 calculator scrolled past my eyes in my Pinterest feed I knew I was going to needlessly part with my hard earn dollars. I had to. Fxck it, I bought it.

I don't even need to calculate things often, and when I do, my trusty do-it-all smartphone is never more than an arms length away. The Braun ET66 calculator is actually larger than my iPhone 5, and it doesn't even Flappy Bird.

Physical calculators, even those of supreme design, have out lived their utility in the modern world. Even so, there is something that is lost in pressing faux software buttons on a touchscreen panel. The tactility of a button pressed is worth far more than what most of us can remember. To kids born post Steve Jobs' touch screen revolution, it would be nothing more than a relic of the past; not unlike the all mighty Walkman.

Believe it or not though, the native iOS calculator app is actually modelled off the Braun ET66. Jony Ive and the Apple design squad have actually "borrowed" a lot of design elements and stylings from the legendary Dieter Rams / Braun product line. Ives is a huge fan of the minimalistic design philosophy of Dieter Rams, and this is made apparent in most if not all Apple products. Not that I have a problem with this, as I would like nothing more than to see two of my favourite companies merge their design language.

Either way, I figure it'll pretty up my desk to the very least. If I can take care of it, it might be worth something some day. If not, I can always add it to my small but growing Dieter Rams collection.

Enjoy the pics!