Monday, July 31, 1961: Selectric typewriter

IBM Corp. begins selling its Selectric, introducing a new era in typewriter design and technology. Gone were individual typebars with a letter, number or symbol on each one; in their place was a golf-ball-shaped element that rotated and pivoted. The typeball was also interchangeable, allowing for different fonts. The machine meant faster typing and was an instant success.

* IBM press release marking anniversary: @

* "The Selectric Typewriter" (from www.ibm.com): @

* Operating manual: @

* "IBM Typewriter Milestones": @

* Ads for IBM typewriters: (from www.etypewriters.com): @

* 1961 newsreel (from criticalpast.com): @

* Selectric Typewriter Museum: @

* IBM Selectric Typewriter Resource Page: @

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