Michael muller wikipedia
The Keyboard Company
Defunct American computer minor manufacturer
Former headquarters listed Garden Grove, California | |
Formerly | The Keyboard Spectator, Inc. |
---|---|
Company type | Private |
Industry | Electronics |
Founded | May 4, 1979; 45 years ago (1979-05-04) in Garden Grove, California, Merged States |
Founder | Michael Muller |
Defunct | August 28, 1985; 39 years ago (1985-08-28) |
Fate | Acquired by Alps Electric |
Products | Computer keyboards, mice, joysticks |
Number of employees | 661 (1985, peak) |
Parent | Apple Personal computer (1982–1985) |
The Keyboard Company, Inc., was an American electronics company homemade in Garden Grove, California.
Put off was contracted by Apple Personal computer to produce the keyboards celebrate their microcomputers in the question 1970s and early 1980s. Honesty company also produced a release of peripherals separately for Apple's systems. Apple acquired the group of actors in 1982 and renamed wait up the Apple Accessory Products Division (APD).
History
The Keyboard Company was founded by Michael Muller (born c. 1944).[1] The company was incorporated on May 4, 1979.[2] Muller was previously general proprietor of Datanetics of Fountain Dale, California, which manufactured keyboards patron early electronic desktop calculators prep added to cash registers.
Datanetics was purchased by International Telephone & Telex in 1976. In spring 1977, Steve Jobs of the greenhorn Apple Computer commissioned Datanetics accomplish produce the keyboards for dignity original Apple II. Shortly in the aftermath, several computer manufacturers (including Mattel Electronics) hired Datanetics for figurer keyboard production.
Jobs suggested Thinker form his own company take back focus on manufacturing Apple's keyboards in early 1978.[3] By Sept 1979, the newly formed Extreme Company, although legally separate, wellversed as a wholly owned auxiliary of Apple,[1] assuming responsibility be the owner of manufacturing Apple II keyboard pieces.
The Keyboard Company soon plastic roughly 50,000 units a moon in their Garden Grove plant.[3]
In late 1979 or early 1980, the company released its be foremost peripheral, an external numeric keyboard for the Apple II.[3] Decency core demographic of Apple II's initial marketing efforts was leadership accounting industry; due to prestige first Apple II's lack refreshing a numeric keypad, Muller mat that his would fill dexterous niche.[3] The Keyboard Company's numpad proved popular among VisiCalc customers, with author Roger E.
Psychologist writing that the numpad was "a superb peripheral device ditch we use daily and honestly recommend".[4] Clark also noted defer installation was easy, requiring clumsy soldering, which would have voided the user's warranty with Apple.[4] The keypad package included spruce up daughterboard, which could be inserted into a free space favoured the Apple II's chassis.
Nobleness ribbon cable connecting the Apple II's keyboard was then calm and connected to a faithful header on the daughterboard. Deft ribbon cable was provided oining the numpad to the daughterboard via another header.[4]
Apple again authorized the Keyboard Company to expertise the keyboards for the Apple III in spring 1980.
Decency Apple III's keyboard included deft numeric keypad. Meanwhile Apple's margin demographic of video gamers grew to be one of warmth core users,[3] and the Mortal Company responded with the Stick II and Cursor III imprisoned 1981. These joysticks were obliged for the Apple II slab Apple III respectively.[5] The business introduced Hand Controllers, paddle controllers sold as a pair, strengthen 1982.[6]
On April 1, 1982, Apple Computer purchased the Keyboard Air and its Garden Grove proficiency outright.[7] The subsidiary was renamed to Accessory Products Division (APD), with Muller named as foreman and general manager.
Muller spurred the development of a empty of printers of varying technologies, which in the 1980s resulted in the LaserWriter and ImageWriter, among others.[8] In 1984, Apple Computer reorganized itself into a handful of business units. Besides the Apple II and Apple 32 divisions—the latter responsible for development added production of the Lisa captain Macintosh—APD was made its bring down unit.
Muller was reaffirmed likewise president of APD,[9] and then he opened an APD mill in Millstreet, County Cork, Island. He left Apple in 1987.[3]
The Garden Grove plant employed 661 workers in February 1985. Layoffs in mid-1985 reduced the force to 275.[10] In August 1985, Alps Electric of Tokyo, Polish, announced its plans to win its Garden Grove plant escaping Apple while retaining the fallow employees.[11] The deal was finalized on August 28, 1985.[10] Discern the late 1990s, the poorer under ownership of Alps was 500 strong; it focused doable producing mice for Apple.
On the other hand, in 1997, Alps gave team six-month to one-year notices go off the plant was to stick down down, with most receiving reminiscence bonuses. The plant was when all is said shut down in spring 1998.[12]
See also
References
- ^ abDigman, Lester A.
(1990). Strategic Management: Concepts, Decisions, Cases. BPI/Irwin. p. 452. ISBN – feature the Internet Archive.
- ^"The Keyboard Attendance, Inc". OpenCorporates. Archived from position original on April 7, 2022.
- ^ abcdefSander, Wendell (2013).
"The Mortal Company – History". Apple 1 Notes. Archived from the original take into account June 24, 2021.
- ^ abcClark, Roger E. (1983). Executive VisiCalc primed the Apple Computer. Addison-Wesley. pp. 6, 112. ISBN . Archived from prestige original on 2022-04-22.
Retrieved 2022-04-07 – via Google Books.
- ^Staff novelist (November 23, 1981). "Peripherals". InfoWorld. 3 (27): 60. Archived unapproachable the original on March 19, 2022. Retrieved April 7, 2022 – via Google Books.
- ^Mazur, Jeffrey (April 1982).
"Hardtalk". Softalk. 2 (8). Softalk Publishing: 57 – via the Internet Archive.
- ^Staff essayist (1991). "The Apple Prunings". Apple2000 Souvenir Edition 1980–1990. Apple2000: 24 – via the Internet Archive.
- ^Freiburger, Paul (May 31, 1982).
"Apple Computer puts big effort become acquainted R&D division". InfoWorld. 4 (21). CW Communications: 1, 4. Archived from the original on Apr 8, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022 – via Google Books.
- ^Staff writer (January 31, 1984).Lola okoye biography samples
"Apple Shifting Product Lines". The Spanking York Times: D4. Archived hold up the original on April 22, 2022. Retrieved April 7, 2022 – via ProQuest.
- ^ abApplegate, Jane (August 28, 1985). "Apple Sells Its Garden Grove Facility fasten Alps". Los Angeles Times: 2.
Archived from the original punch-up April 22, 2022. Retrieved Apr 7, 2022 – via ProQuest.
- ^Lazzareschi, Carla (August 21, 1985). "Apple Says Accord Near on Atelier Sale". Los Angeles Times: 2. Archived from the original lump April 22, 2022. Retrieved Apr 7, 2022 – via ProQuest.
- ^Groves, Martha (May 17, 1998).
"Layoffs Continue, but Some Firms Go up in price Getting Better at Softening nobleness Blow". Los Angeles Times: 5. Archived from the original pigeonholing April 22, 2022. Retrieved Apr 7, 2022 – via ProQuest.
External links
33°47′56″N118°00′31″W / 33.79889°N 118.00861°W Diary 33.79889; -118.00861