To continue my discussion of this device, I have to say, it is in possession of one of the most intuitive interfaces that I’ve encountered. The phrase “intuitive interface” has become a little clichéd, so let me expand on it. When I say intuitive, I mean that when I use it, I feel like it knows what I’m trying to do. Its screen is very sensitive, but accurately so. It doesn’t register every touch to the point of frustration. It recognizes different gestures, for example, sweeping your finger to scroll versus tapping an option to select.

It is also very cool because of the additional programs it has. You can store pictures, you can enter contact information, you can watch movies. I didn’t explore all of the features, but the ones that I did I found to be skillfully made. The iPod is sensitive to how you are holding it. It switches the screen from landscape to portrait based on which way you are holding it. When entering contact information, a keyboard appears on your screen. When I first looked at the keyboard, I almost scoffed at the size of it. I imagined it was going to be a frustrating experience, but they’ve managed to deal with sensitivity issues. It registers your typing properly, and the keyboard adjusts slightly based on what kind of information you’re entering. When entering an email address, it puts the “@” symbol on a special key. That key changes to a “.com” key for when you’re entering in a website. When entering an address, you can switch to a numbers-and-symbols keyboard, and when you hit the space bar after a string of numbers (ie, the street number of your house), it switches back to the letter keyboard automatically so that you can enter the street name.

I wish that I had been able to explore more of the features, but from what I have seen, I am impressed. Apple, as it always seems to do, has thought beyond the basic function of its products; it has worked on the “minor” details that set their products apart as being products that are a joy to use. Coming from a Windows platform, I have finally stopped being surprised when an Apple device just works. My delighted surprise is now saved for when it seems to work in concert with my thought patterns. When a device is created so expertly that it seems to predict my intentions, that is when I am surprised.

Apple has set the new standard for consumer electronics and, unsurprisingly, has already reached it.