The Apple Keyboard - a life changing event

So, here's the oddest thing I've done recently, before that Florida trip. I went to an Apple Store. I'm mainly a PC type of person, but unlike PC folks, I don't despise the Mac and unlike Mac folks I don't despise the PC, I think I'm a computer version of Switzerland. It's kinda nuts to fall one way or the other, and as a teacher I shouldn't lean either way. Mainly, PC's have been generally cheaper for me to buy, but the Macs are generally far more user friendly. I keep up on both worlds as my students use both PC's and Macs. So, while I haven't bought a full blown Mac, and have no plans too, I do have an older G4 powerbook that I use to answer student questions. But, I was bored on that fateful day so I wandered into the Apple Store, and I found this:



That my friends, is a keyboard, from the side and top. It's smaller and cooler than it looks in those pix, and it's my new best friend. I don't have a small desk to work off of, so the keyboard is a perfect fit, and feels oddly comfortable. It's kind of sad when one falls for a keyboard the way I have, but it has happened. Costs just a shade under $50, but best keyboard I've bought. It's sturdy too.

I think the trick with apple is that they actually pay their research team to do usability studies with the people that use their products. Unlike most other companies it seems.

Proof of that has to be the iPhone, one of the most amazing user interfaces I have ever seen. If you get a chance, (and don't own one), hop over to the local Apple store and play with one. It's an experience. Of course, I had no use for the phone, but did ponder, "if only they came up with an iPod that is like the iPhone without the Phone part". A few weeks later, they announced the iPod touch. A week after that, yours truly pre-ordered one. Now, mind you, I hate iPods, they are a great user experience, but I don't like the restrictions on it. However, I'm have this innate desire to own that user interface so I'm taking the plunge. I'll let you know how it pans out when I get it in 2 weeks.

That's going to be one heck of a week too. Halo 3, the only game I care about coming out for any system, is coming out that week. I'm a big fan of the series, and particularly, the music (good stuff). So that week will be geek week for me.

In other tech news, from the Slibocker world, the new PSP came out, and I, shockingly, got one. There's not other way to put this: I'm a PSP addict. I love that handheld. It does it all, games, movies, music, and it's great for traveling. I do a lot of traveling, so this works out well. In particular, I constantly play MLB '07 on it. I had just about beaten my current one into the ground, so I ordered the new one, and I'm happy with it. It's thinner, lighter, and less noisy, plus the screen looks better. So, it was a good thing for me to get. I got the limited edition silver one for a change of pace, and this thing will be traveling a lot with me.

Speaking of traveling, seems like I'll be doing it a lot soon too:

• Tomorrow, I go to Chicago.
• Then I'm home for a month (I think)
• Then: at the end of October and beginning of November, Chicago, Dallas, Phoenix
• Mid November: Detroit and Grand Rapids

So, should be interesting...