A gadget freak I am not—let’s be clear about that from the outset—but in the past couple of weeks our postman (a.k.a. the mailman) has arrived not once, but twice, with a package containing one of the most ingeniously compact bundles of consumer technology that exists today. The first was a long-overdue necessity: a cell phone to replace the battered but trusty companion that had been bounced off a few too many rocks and hard floors. Actually it still worked fine—the necessity had more to do with sparing the blushes of my offspring when such a three-year-old “dinosaur” was taken out in public. OK, I’ll be honest: I was seduced by the upgrade model—a 3G “smartphone” with built-in browser, cameras (yes, plural: one front and one back, believe it or not!), MP3 player, FM radio, and the list goes on. It could also make and receive calls, which was a relief.

Even avowed nongadget types admit a frisson of anticipation when unpacking such a marvel. Sadly, the initial excitement soon evaporated to be replaced by disappointment and mounting frustration—before long I was looking around for a convenient rock. Yes, the phone certainly did all the things that it claimed to do, but it excelled at none of them. I may be particularly slow, but even making a call necessitated a quick glance at page 10 of the manual. The much-trumpeted accompanying software “suite” turned out to be a confusing hodgepodge of applications each with its own unique and inscrutable user interface. To top it all, the software was only for Windows— no mention of the Mac: it didn’t exist so far as this major manufacturer was concerned. Ruefully, I stuffed the lot back into its fancy box and returned it, having duly made my peace with my old phone.

A week or so later, and that feeling of anticipation is back as I’m extricating an entirely different gadget from its packaging. No built-in camera this time; no browser, no FM radio, no Bluetooth—it can’t even make a phone call. But—as I soon discover—the few things that this device can do are executed so superbly that it totally blows away my (already high) expectations. The accompanying software is fully integrated and works seamlessly with the device. It can be installed on both Mac and Windows and works exactly the same on both. I’m talking about the latest video iPod, of course, and its companion software—iTunes 6.