USB Mouse (1998)
The round, one-button USB ball mouse supplied with the original Bondi blue iMac.
- Shape
- Compact
- Buttons
- 1
- DPI
- –
- Battery
- –
- Connects by
- Cable
- Weight
- –
Specifications
Report a wrong or missing specTracking
- Shape
- Compact
- Hand
- Either hand
- Sensor
- Mechanical ball
- Buttons
- 1
- Sensor
- A rubber ball drives the tracking mechanism; the original Bondi blue model has a two-tone ball.
- Scroll wheel
- None.
Connections and battery
- Connects by
- Cable
- Power
- Cable
- Works with
- USB; originally connected through the USB keyboard supplied with the 1998 iMac.
Design
- Materials
- Translucent white and Bondi blue plastic in the original iMac configuration.
- Colours
- Bondi blue; later iMac bundles used other colours.
- In the box
- Supplied with the original iMac. Apple's iMac specifications give its introduction as 15 August 1998.
Pros and cons
Pros
- USB connection works with the iMac's keyboard port
- Symmetrical shape can be used with either hand
- Uses no batteries
Cons
- One button and no scroll wheel
- Ball tracking needs periodic cleaning
- Circular shape gives little indication of its orientation by touch
Closest rivals
Model | Shape | Buttons | DPI | Battery | Connects by | Weight | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 1 | – | – | Cable | – | Jul 2000 | |
| Standard | 1 | – | – | Cable | – | 1993 | |
| Standard | 1 | – | 3 months | Bluetooth | – | Sept 2003 |
Newer model: Pro Mouse (2000).
Sources
- support.apple.com/en-ae/112281
- collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/1232133
- macworld.com/article/159716/mouse.html
Photo: i.ebayimg.com
