Category: Mouse

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USB Mouse (graphite, M4848, 1999)

The Apple USB Mouse was first released with the original iMac. The mouse was translucent white and accented in translucent Bondi blue, the same colors as the original iMac. The mouse was round and often referred to as the “hockey puck” mouse. Like previous Apple mouse designs, the USB mouse used a single button and a rubber ball for tracking. However, the rubber ball was two-toned to add design interest by capitalizing on the translucent case.

The mouse has been described as a rare design mistake for Apple because its round shape made it difficult to feel the top of the device, making tracking difficult. Soon after its release, Apple added a dimple in the graphite version of the mouse at the top above the button. The dimple is shown below next to an original Bondi blue USB Mouse.

The mouse also had a short cord. Although the cord worked well when plugged into the USB port on a matching iMac keyboard, the cord was too short to use (for right-handed users) with Mac laptops at the time since USB ports were located on the left side.

The graphite Apple USB mouse was included with a late-1999 Special Edition iMac SE model.

Source: Wikipedia.com

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USB Mouse (original, Bondi blue, M4848, 1998)

The Apple USB Mouse was first released with the original iMac. The mouse was translucent white and accented in translucent Bondi blue, the same colors as the original iMac. The mouse was round and often referred to as the “hockey puck” mouse. Like previous Apple mouse designs, the USB mouse used a single button and a rubber ball for tracking. However, the rubber ball was two-toned to add design interest by capitalizing on the translucent case.

The mouse has been described as a rare design mistake for Apple because its round shape made it difficult to feel the top of the device, making tracking difficult. Soon after its release, Apple added a dimple in the graphite version of the mouse at the top above the button.

The mouse also had a short cord. Although the cord worked well when plugged into the USB port on a matching iMac keyboard, the cord was too short to use (for right-handed users) with Mac laptops at the time since USB ports were located on the left side.

Source: Wikipedia.com

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Apple Desktop Bus (ADB) Mouse II (M2706, 1993)

The Apple Desktop Bus Mouse II transformed the angular blocky designs to a curved teardrop shape. This basic shape is still used in mouse designs today by Apple and others. This mouse was included with Macintosh computers from 1993–1998 when the original iMac was introduced.

The Apple Desktop Bus Mouse II matched the platinum gray color of Macintosh computers at the time. However, a black version of this mouse was included with the Macintosh TV and the Performa 5420 (sold only in Europe and Asia).

Four different variations of the Apple Desktop Bus II Mouse are in my collection. The three platinum gray color versions have different color trackballs, and one has no label (with the product numbers cast directly into the plastic). The fourth example is the black Apple Desktop Bus II Mouse included with the Macintosh TV.

Source: Wikipedia.com

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Apple Desktop Bus (ADB) Mouse (A9M0331, 1986)

The Apple Desktop Bus Mouse was redesigned and named for its new ADB connector that was used in Macintosh computers from 1986–1998. This mouse featured low-profile blocky design with a flattened pentagonal side profile and a flat rectangular (slightly trapezoidal) bottom. It had a single button and tracked using a rubber ball.

I have three different variations of the ADB Mouse in my collection. One has a dark ring supporting the trackball, another has a light ring matching the color of the body of the mouse, and a third model uses a ring with an arrow.

The ADB port was a round, 4-pin plug that was used on the Apple IIGS (1986), Macintosh computers, and licensed for use on NeXT computers. The Apple Desktop Bus system was created by Steve Wozniak as a single connector for input devices that was inexpensive to produce. The Macintosh II and Macintosh SE were the first Macintosh computers to use the ADB port. 

Source: Wikipedia.com

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Apple Mouse (original Mac, M0100, 1984)

The Macintosh Mouse used a rubber roller ball and a single, rectangle-shaped button. The first version of the Macintosh Mouse was beige to match the color of the original Macintosh, but was offered in platinum beginning in 1987 to match other Apple computers of the time.

This Macintosh Mouse design was based upon the mouse that shipped with the Lisa. The Lisa mouse also used the DE-9 connector and had a single button. The Lisa mouse used a steel ball for tracking.

Source: Wikipedia.com