How cool is Apple?

OK, it's probably my age.

I can think of no other reason (well, apart from the splendid ubiquitousness of Stephen Fry and his ability to influence the interwebz for the better), but Apple and their stuff is increasingly cool. Forget Santa, it's Steve Jobs I want to send a wish list to...

Anyway, I happened to be in the Apple store in Norwich yesterday buying a gift for someone and was officially impressed by technology. Not all the Apple kit in the store (although I want it - all of it...), but the payment system was pretty froody for starters. None of those old fashioned till thingummies - just a wireless credit card scanner attached to each worker. Cool.

Even cooler, the server then asked me if I'd like my receipt e-mailed to me. Good idea - I'll only lose the bit of paper anyway if something goes wrong, whereas I can handily file the e-mail away for a year. I was expecting to have to give her my e-mail address but, no, I'd clearly used my credit card on iTunes so she could access their database and quote the address at me straight away.

Saves time, money, paper, me losing something and is pretty darned cool all round in my book.

Now, that's what I call progress in an ict rich environment