Logitech ships billionth mouse

Logitech (SIX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI) yesterday announced that it has shipped its billionth mouse. A pioneer in the development of the computer mouse in the 1980s, Logitech has enthusiastically driven nearly every major innovation in mouse technology - persistently refining this ubiquitous interface between people and their digital experiences. With more than a billion people currently using computers worldwide and another billion expected to begin using computers by 2014, according to a report by analyst firm Gartner, Logitech continues to pursue compelling innovation to delight users of the next billion mice and input devices of the future.

Founded in a farmhouse in Apples, Switzerland in 1981 and shortly thereafter establishing strong ties in Silicon Valley, Logitech introduced its first retail mouse in 1985 and reached the 100 millionth mouse mark in 1996. Sales of Logitech mice topped 500 million seven years later. Today, Logitech sells mice in more than 100 countries worldwide and manufactures an average of 376,000 mice per day and 7.8 million every month.

“Since the first click of the Logitech P4 mouse in 1982, Logitech mice have played an indispensable role in the evolution of the personal computer,” said Gerald P. Quindlen, Logitech’s president and chief executive officer. “During the last few decades, the way people use computers has changed dramatically - what was once strictly a business tool has become highly integrated into our personal lives. Logitech has continually pursued innovations to meet those changing conditions, introducing - in the last five years alone - the world’s first laser mouse, hyper-fast scrolling and the nano-receiver.”

“Looking to the future, the gesture-based Logitech MX Air mouse and the hybrid Logitech diNovo Mini palm-sized keyboard hint at what can be expected from Logitech’s next generation of innovations,” said Rory Dooley, Logitech senior vice president and general manager of the Control Devices business unit. “While the traditional mouse and keyboard still make the most sense for productivity, the emergence of the digital home and new forms of entertainment are opening the doors to new ways of interacting with the computer, whether it be voice, touch or something entirely new.”

As Logitech celebrates its milestone, many will be celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the first public demonstration of the computer mouse.

“What a wonderful coincidence that the leading mouse manufacturer has reached such a significant milestone in the same month that we celebrate Doug Engelbart’s legendary public debut of the computer mouse,” said Curt Carlson, president and CEO of SRI International.  “Logitech’s product innovations support Engelbart’s vision of human-computer tools for interactive and collaborative work.”

In celebration of its billionth mouse, Logitech is launching a worldwide contest that invites people to follow the travels of this notable mouse - from the manufacturing line to its final destination - and to try to figure out where in the world it will end up. The mouse’s journey will be chronicled on Logitech’s blog, BLogitech. For more details, please visit blog.logitech.com.

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