August 2, 2005: Mighty Mouse Released

The debate about the one button mouse raged for years. Proponents claimed that the one button mouse was easier for novices to use and cited early Apple research to back up their claims. Those that disagreed said the single button mouse was too limited and in the days of widespread computer ownership, anachronistic.

The argument refused to die and after 21 years few thought Apple would introduce a multi button but in a move as shocking as the adoption of Intel chips Apple introduced not a dual button mouse but a multi clicky mouse. Named the Mighty Mouse the USB pointing device featured a tiny scroll wheel for panning and scrolling (pushing the ball fires up Dashboard), right and left clicks and squeezable sides to invoke Expose.

One button mouse diehards weren't dragged kicking and screaming into the morass of multiple button confusion, the Mighty defaulted as a single button mouse with the trackball when installed. Users who wanted the functionality of an Apple multi button mouse were ecstatic. Apple broke its long standing love for the single button mouse with the introduction of the Might Mouse on Aug 2, 2005.