Costing $2,400, the computer became popular at home ... Blige and Coldplay. In 2004, Apple remastered its iconic 1984 commercial, adding an iPod classic to the hammer-wielding runner.

By the time the ad was shown to the board, Apple had already spent $650,000 to make "1984" and a second ad for its Lisa model business computer. That money was used to enlist the services of ...