As I approach my 70th year in physics, let me tell my younger colleagues about my adventures with computation. When I was 14, my father gave me a slide rule because I appeared to be headed toward a career in physics. Since then, I have had experience with many other calculating devices.

Smartphones and tablets are packed with sensors that allow us to take experimental data, essentially making them mobile physics labs. Apps exist that make it easy to capture and analyze data from these sensors, allowing users to study diverse phenomena such as free fall acceleration, the speed of sound,radioactivity, and many others. Commonly, the…

Deals with the conversion of electronic hand calculators to timing devices. This article illustrates a conversion of a rather versatile calculator by means of simple and inexpensive circuitry. (HM)

Provides a simple routine which allows first-year physics students to use programmable calculators to solve otherwise complex electrostatic problems. These problems involve finding electrostatic potential and electric field on the axis of a uniformly charged ring. Modest programing skills are required of students. (DH)

Describes the necessary procedures and equipment needed to modify the American Association of Physics Teachers' (AAPT) pocket calculator timer so that it can be controlled photoelectrically. (SL)

Argues the failure of calculators to show significant numbers only predicates a re-evaluation of the types and uses of electronic calculators in schools. (CP)

Outlines a problem concerning the computation of hydrogen spectral line wavelength in a general physics class which is appropriate for computations on calculators with 8 significant digits of accuracy. (SL)

Describes a hand held calculator exercise for computing the Rydberg Constant accurately. (SL)