The History of Mouse Pads

In the early 1980s, Bob McDermand was working in San Francisco. Due to his friendship with Steve Jobs, he was given the opportunity to demo an early Mac prototype. While doing so, he noticed that the mousing experience varied wildly depending on the type of surface the mouse was placed on. After testing various surfaces in his home, he realized that it would be ideal to have a portable surface to place the mouse on, as this would allow for a consistent mousing experience for the user. His first attempt used Formica, but he and his collaborators soon realized that polyester — which was flexible, lightweight, and could be printed with various designs — was a far better option. McDermand began working with a rubber manufacturer to create his new mouse pads. While the business began as a side project, it quickly took off and became a full-time gig. His company, Moustrak, advertised in magazines like MacWorld. Apple also distributed some of the mouse pads — which they had Moustrak print with the Apple logo — to various computer sellers across the U.S., furthering the Moustrak’s notoriety. Notably, Moustrak didn’t create the first mouse pads ever made, but McDermand’s company is widely credited with popularizing them. As their popularity grew, Moustrak began contracting with various companies like Disney, Paramount, and LucasFilm to make branded mouse pads, often emblazoned with high-quality replications of movie stills. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing — for a time, the company made mouse pads using ethylene, which was later found to cause a chemical reaction with lacquered desks, leading to damaged surfaces and some unhappy customers. McDermand hadn’t patented his mouse pad, so as the accessory caught on, similar products began to flood the market. McDermand ensured that Moustrak mouse pads were made to the highest quality standards, but lower prices from other manufacturers, especially those based overseas, made the company less and less profitable. Consequently, McDermand sold off his interest in Moustrak in 1997. Mouse pads are still used today, although they are less popular than they once were as computer mice have evolved and devices like laptops and tablets have made the use of computer mice less common.