On January 24, 1984, the tech company Apple launched the Macintosh. The novelty was responsible for spreading PCs (personal computers), an idea that companies had not managed to make popular until then.

At the time, computers were viewed as exclusively for work, and di_ cult to move around. The Macintosh changed this by simplifying commands so that anyone could quickly learn how to use them. Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, is considered one of the main people responsible for the success of the venture. He coordinated the project, guided developers, and even took part in the marketing campaign.

When it was launched, the product cost around 2,945 US dollars, which would amount to around 7,400 US dollars today (36.5 thousand reais at current prices) — this occurs because money changes value over time through a process called inflation (a generalized increase in prices – find out more about this topic in the TINO Econômico newspaper by accessing www.tinoeconomico.com.br).

Apple has never revealed exactly how many computers were sold, but it did state that, at the time, it easily exceeded its target of 250,000 units.

X-RAY VIEW OF THE 1984 MACINTOSH

☞ Floppy disk slot: If you wanted to load software or documents on your computer, you could use this slot. Floppy disks are a technology like CDs, but they were square shaped with chips that stored information.

☞ Screen: it was 23 centimeters (cm) diagonally and generated images through electrons (particles that are present in atoms).

☞ Weight: Its 7.5 kilograms (kg) may seem like a lot today, but this weight was sold as a plus. At the time, it was common for computers to weigh 20 kg. Today, an Apple Macbook weighs around 1.3 kg.

☞ Mouse: even though keyboards were not uncommon, the mouse was a surprise. Although it was not the first computer to use this technology, it was the one that made it popular.

SOURCES: ESTADÃO, GALILEU, GZH, BOOK STEVE JOBS (WALTER ISAACSON), NEW YORK TIMES, O GLOBO, TERRA, AND TINO ECONÔMICO

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