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Usually when we're scouring the internet looking for interesting things to report here it takes a bit of time; sifting, considering, disregarding and deciding are not quick...at least for us! But today's romp through the interwebs unearthed a fantastic column from Mike Elgan at Computerworld and we'd like to share pieces with you...cause we read it going, "Oh yeah. That's totally what they're doing."

Training Wheels
According to Elgan Apple is grooming us for the gadget filled, touch scren desktop toting future, changing our consumer mindset similar to the way Starbucks did with our coffee. He cites several different examples from the App Store to the iPhone keyboard to Apple TV, making the case with all of them that Apple is instituting small changes in the way our brains process gadgetry so the big stuff they have planned goes over well.

"My belief is that Apple blocks iPhone keyboards as part of its user-transformation project. They're forcing those of us who want to use an iPhone to accept the on-screen keyboard. Later this year, when the rumored Apple touch tablet is likely to ship, everyone will be so happy with a larger version of the iPhone's on-screen keyboard. Had they shipped the tablet first, we no doubt would have complained about that keyboard. But since they've lowered our expectations with the iPhone keyboard, we'll love the tablet's.

I think the initial tablet will feature a 10-inch touch screen. The keyboard will probably span the screen. Then they'll ship a 13-inch tablet. Then a 15-inch. By the time they ship a 27-inch desktop touch tablet (used at an angle like a drafting board), we'll be just giddy with excitement about how wonderful the on-screen keyboard is."

Interesting, yes? And how true...this company is shaping the future and starting with us!

Apple and LaLa
In the same vein Apple's recent purchase of LaLa could transform iTunes and us by making cloud computing based storage a reality for the mainstream. A browser based iTunes experience where a user's entire library is online and accessible from any capable device doesn't just make our lives easier and more seamlessly integrated, it circumvents music and movie download licenses that Apple might otherwise have to pay.

Longsighted, these guys.

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Till tomorrow, Newsies...