iLove

on my way between work and class today, i stopped in compUSA and bought an ipod. not a photo, not a mini. just an ipod.

oh wow.

first of all, the packaging is just great. it came in such a nice box that i didn't want to hurt it with my scissors when i was taking off the plastic. i don't think i've ever taken that much care in opening something that wasn't a present.

inside a colorful shell (that mimics the ipod TV commercials) is a simple black box. it opens in half, and the halves are covered inside by clean white panels. on top of one of the panels sits the white box that holds the cd and instructions. it says "enjoy."

when you remove the cd and open the panels, the first thing you see is the ipod itself. it's wrapped in easy-to-remove plastic (i can't really describe it, but it's such a good idea). on top of the screen, the plastic says "don't steal music" in four languages. it's sitting in a little cardboard plate of sorts. if you lift up the plate, you see the power adapter. it's covered in the same easy-to-remove plastic. it's shaped so it fits in an outlet in any direction and can keep itself out of the way of other cords. the plugs themselves fold into the base, so it packs into a neat little rectangle.

if you remove the cd from the other side of the box and lift up the panel, you'll find the cables. there are two, so you can choose what kind of port to plug the ipod into. the firewire cable doubles as the power cord and plugs neatly into the adapter. the plugs come with labels, so if you're technologically inept you can tell the difference. they also have nice plastic caps that slide so wonderfully into place. and--and this is my favorite part--the caps have clips that help keep the cords neatly coiled up. clips! for the cords! on the caps!

just opening the damn thing was an experience. i haven't been able to use it yet because my computer doesn't have a high-power USB port. but i don't care. i love it already.

the whole thing is based on these little details. the solid color and white theme. the fonts. the fact that the iPod speaks to you (enjoy!). the minimization of the number of cords, and the clips to keep them neat. the labels. i know it's all marketing. but the clever designs make me feel like apple really cares about my well-being. apple can tell that i hate tangled cords and like smooth, shiny surfaces. i feel known, invested in. that's what makes me buy this one instead of some other mp3 player that only pretends to be as friendly. i want to be a part of that clever, clever family, even if it means buying my way in.

really, i just want to find the person whose brain gave birth to the iPod and give him a really big hug.