Stephen Fry had the chance to visit The Campus, meet Steve Jobs and try out the iPad. He has written an article for Time Magazine about his experience of the device: http://is.gd/b9MdR

Since I first heard about the iPad and watched Jobs' keynote address where he unveiled it, I have been very skeptical about the need for such a device. I have not been skeptical about the fact that people will buy it en masse. Of course they will...it is from apple and it is new and cool. I am unsure that a real need and use will come out of the device (something that isn't already fulfilled by smartphones, netbooks, laptops etc). 

What I like most about Fry's article is how he describes how Apple approaches the creation of new technology. He points out that Apple sees the relationship between the user and the equipment as a much more human experience and as much more of an actual relationship than other technology companies (read: Microsoft). Perhaps the concerted effort on Apple's part to make these technologies and extension of our human selves has paid off and that is why the iPod, iPhone and (perhaps to a lesser extent) Macbooks are as popular as they are today. 

A few weeks ago, I decided to turn on iTunes Genius. Sure, it sends information back to Apple and its sole purpose is to sell me more music, but, hey, I like playlists. I like it when someone else curates them for me while I write or clean or throw a one-woman dance party. My first mix was based on The Temptations' "Ain't Too Proud to Beg." While it was only 13 songs, it was pretty good mix. I doubt I would have thought to throw Flo Rida in with the Marvelettes.

At first it seemed like the only drawback was Genius' refusal to base mixes on certain songs. Cat Power's "Half of You" could appear in a mix, but it doesn't contain enough information to be the starting point. When this happens, I get a little pop up asking me to update Genius. Apparently someday these updates will magically produce a mix based on one of the rejected songs, but I'm not holding my breath. 

This weekend, however, I came to realize the real problem with Genius. Every single mix I have created contains at least one Ben Folds song. At first I assumed that this meant that I have a disproportionate number of Ben Folds songs available. Turns out I have only four Ben Folds songs. 4. Yet one, if not all four, song appears in each mix. They are completely middle of the road in terms of ratings and play count, so I am left to wonder what Folds has done to deserve such Genius prominence. Does he have compromising pictures of Steve Jobs with a giraffe and a jar of pickles?