I first partook in the advent of the computer age on the 14-inch green and black screen of an Apple IIc computer. I was so enthralled by the availability of technology at my fingertips I even learned how to program simple games. Twenty-plus years later, Apple remains the leader in visionary consumer technology, and has grown to become the most admired company in the world (2009; Fortune magazine). With devotees bordering on religious, unmatched marketing acumen, and two of the most ubiquitous--and cool!--products in modern history, Apple continues to astonish.

Take a look at the variety of Apple products after the jump.



Apple has built its reputation and market share by appealing to the tech-savvy, young, artistic demographic with its aesthetically-designed products and hip marketing. Carrying on the venerable tradition of Apple's line of affordable and easy-to-use Macintosh desktop computers, the Apple iMac is a sleek and powerful successor. A mainstay in the graphic design, film editing, and recording industries, this top-of-the-line Apple iMac features a dazzling 24-inch monitor with 1920x1200 resolution, 3.06 GHz processing, 4GB of RAM, and a mind-blowing 1 terabyte of hard drive capacity. And to think, there was a time when they thought no one would ever need more than 128k. This iMac would make HAL shiver.




Apple long ago intuited that computer users of the future would seek portability for their computers, creating the PowerBook series in 1991. The 15-year success of that line gave way to the MacBook series, of which the latest and most scintillating family member is the MacBook Air Notebook. It's so slim (its thickest part is only 3/4 of an inch) and light (3 lbs.) that you'd almost forget it's a computer, if not for the fact that it still performs. 2GB of DDR2 RAM, 80 GB of memory, 1280x800 LED resolution, built-in camera, Bluetooth and more make it a serious piece of hardware for the business traveler or on-the-go student. Just to give you an idea of how thin it is, the MacBook Air Notebook would fit between the first five lines of this paragraph. Amazing!





The 21st century saw Apple expand in earnest into the consumer electronics field, with an innovation that in my opinion ranks among the most dynamic in recent memory. It goes without saying that the Apple iPod revolutionized digital music storage, and in conjunction with iTunes, has influenced the recording industry itself in ways that are just becoming evident. With over 200 million iPods sold around the world, the word ubiquitous is an understatement. The Apple iPod Nano is just one of dozens of options for storing and playing digital music, videos, photos, and even games. This model features 16GB storage, video playback on a 320x240 resolution screen, and a sleek 3.6x1.5 inch body that weighs just over an ounce.





Apple also produces a number of accessories for your electronics, including batteries, adapters, memory upgrades, cables, docking stations, carrying cases, and so much more.


But of course, the pièce de résistance for Apple now is the incredible iPhone. Upon its release in 2007, mass mania ensued for this cell phone/computer/iPod/teleporation device (coming soon I'm sure). Seriously, what can't the iPhone do? I'm not easily swooned by tech toys, but the iPhone is just cool. June 2009 saw the release of the Apple iPhone 3GS, which boasts impressively faster web browsing and applications, video and editing functions, and voice recognition. With thousands of fun and useful applications now available from the Apple App Store, the Apple iPhone is a marvel. About the only thing you can't do is eat it.


Apple has stood the test of time as a company committed to producing innovative user-friendly technology with an eye on being fun, trend-setting, and aesthetically pleasing. I can't wait to see what they come up with next!