I was front row center when Steve Jobs unveiled the Apple Macintosh to the world in 1984 in Boston. While the crowd cheered and clapped and squealed, I was scratching my head. What did this pretty beige box offer that a hundred other computers didn’t already offer, besides a higher price, much less choice in software, and no compatibility with the rest of the world’s devices?
The answer should have been obvious. The Mac was playful, it was classy, it was fun to use. With cute icons, mouse-driven graphics, and gorgeous fonts, the Mac appealed because it was likable, aesthetically pleasing, and, more than anything, it was cool. And so Jobs had kicked off what would become a growing love affair between the public and technology that delivered a terrific look and feel—one that would drive me nuts, because the resulting thrill with i-everything has pushed the tech industry away ...
