Time capsule containing Steve Jobs' 1983 Apple mouse excavated

[AndThenThereWas1]

A lost time capsule, officially called the "Aspen Time Tube", from the 1983 International Design Conference was found. It was originally due to be open in 2000, but because of renovations in the area the exact location was unknown. Inside it contained a mouse, the Lisa mouse, that Steve Jobs' used during his presentation at the conference. It also contained many other items from the attendees of the conference.

 

Image of the capsule on the day it was buried:

 

Image after it was found:

 

Here are a few more images from cnet: here

 

Here are a few quotes from the cnet and The Verge:

 

In 1983, at the close of the International Design Conference in Aspen, Colo., organizers buried a time capsule, known officially as the Aspen Time Tube. Many attendees contributed various items, like a Rubik's cube, name tags, and even a Moody Blues recording, but because the late Apple co-founder donated the Lisa mouse he'd used during his presentation at the conference, it has become known as the "Steve Jobs Time Capsule."

 

Luckily, many of the items had been protected prior to burial, so the hope is that much of what's in the tube will still be in good condition. "They had the foresight to put a bunch of stuff in plastic bags," Saylor said. "I could see at least a dozen plastic bags and other trinkets and items. But I know for sure there's got to be photographs in there. People had hand-written things on the back of the photographs, so there will be some really interesting things inside."

 

-From cnet

 

During his speech "he spoke about the company's goals to create portable computers, wireless networking, and make email more readily available."(The Verge)

Here is the audio of his speech:

 

 

After Steve Jobs' speech, in which he used an Apple Lisa computer to control what Celuch recalls was a six projector setup, [Celuch] approached Jobs and asked for something that he could include in the time capsule," Brown's blog post read. "Jobs thought about it for a few seconds and then unplugged the mouse from the Lisa. Celuch recalls that he was amused by the manner in which he was handed the mouse, as Jobs held the mouse by its cord, almost as one would hold a real mouse by the tail. So into the time capsule the Lisa mouse went, where it was buried at the end of the conference.

 

 

Harry Teague, who was the president of the conference, recalled that he put a six-pack in the tube because "the guys that dig this up will be sweaty and appreciate a six-pack." Based on the initial pictures of the interior of the time capsule, the six cans of Balantine beer appear to be in fine shape. Bottoms up.

 

 

Thanks to the participation of the National Geographic Channel show "Diggers," the Aspen Time Tube has finally surfaced. Yesterday, the show's crew, aided by a local Aspen excavation crew, found the time capsule and dug it up.

 

cnet has a video of the finding, but its only a preview for the actual episode that will air Tue feb 25 at 10 pm ET on national geographic.

 

Although the find is very awesome, i think the thing that makes this more significant is that the mouse was used during a speech in which he predicted what the future in tech would have for us. Its amazing listening to his speech and being able to look around and say "oh i have that". Steve Jobs was definitely one of the greats.

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

[Ryan Leech]

I wonder what else was in that time capsule...

[Tea1337]

That's pretty cool, and that capsule looks kinda full of things

[Hirad123]

That is quite the capsule. Any word on what is happening with the mouse? Who's keeping it? 

[SSL]

Clearly Apple knew as much about designing an ergonomic mouse then as they do now.

[AndThenThereWas1]

That is quite the capsule. Any word on what is happening with the mouse? Who's keeping it?

No idea, but Id imagine the organizers of the International Design Conference might have a say in it.

[AndThenThereWas1]

That's pretty cool, and that capsule looks kinda full of things

There were dozens, if not hundreds, of people who put stuff in. Everything from items to small hand written messages. Most of which have been preserved because they were placed in plastic bags.

[Lachrymal]

Best unboxing yet...

[EChondo]

Would love to see and read a full list of everything put into the capsule.

 

To bad Steve couldn't be here to see this, bet it would have made his day.

[Puppet]

Why didn't they leave it down there longer? I doubt there's anything exciting from 1983 down there.

 

What a waste.

[Tea1337]

Why didn't they leave it down there longer? I doubt there's anything exciting from 1983 down there.

 

What a waste.

It was planned to be dug up in 2000, after 17 years and lost it. And you're right, they should have left it untill 2020 or 2025