A couple of days ago, we reflected on the 30th anniversary of Apple’s famous “1984” ad – you know, the creepy one that aired during the Super Bowl and was directed by Ridley Scott. That ad’s purpose was to usher in a new age in personal computing, at least according to Apple. The subject of that famous ad was the Macintosh computer, later referred to as the Macintosh 128K – and today, Apple has dedicated their site to saying happy birthday to the iconic machine.

On January 24th, 1984, the first Macintosh was released to the public. Its cost was $2,495, and it had strong sales from the get-go. The Macintosh 128K is credited with popularizing the graphical user interface.

Apple waxes nostalgic about the first Macintosh:

The one that started it all – the original Macintosh – wasn’t just a computer. It was a declaration that the power of the computer now belonged to everyone. At the time, most people didn’t even know how to use one. But thanks to the simple graphical interface of the Macintosh, they didn’t have to. It was approachable and friendly, starting with the smiley face that greeted you. There were folders that looked like file folders and a trash can for throwing things away. And with the click of a mouse, you could suddenly do the unimaginable. You could move things around on the screen, change the way they looked, combine words with images and sounds, and create like never before. A new era had begun.

Apple has set up a dedicated page to celebrate the history of the Mac, accessible here. There, you can take a trip through a timeline, see data on how people used the very first Macs, and also tell your own, personal “Mac story.”

What’s your favorite Mac memory?

Images via Apple, Wikimedia Commons