It may be too soon for a “legacy” commentary on Steve Jobs. But part of Job’s legacy is that he helped popularize the “having a mobile device that can do everything, from anywhere at anytime” quickness of contemporary communication. His devices helped facilitate the cultural shift toward on-the-go, real-time media consumption. Because of him (and others), we can now hear about news, process it with others and, yes, even write a blog post about it as quickly as we want to. That I’m writing this on my Apple MacBook Pro is not meta irony as much as it is an unavoidable reminder of this man’s prodigious legacy and his brand’s revolutionary reach. How many of you who are reading this now on an Apple product?

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Steve Jobs is an icon. He has (almost) single-handedly transformed personal computing, revolutionized smart phones, created an intense market desire for the tablet computer, and changed how we shop for electronics. Few people have had the colossal business and cultural impact over the past three decades as Steve Jobs. I will never forget when my family got our first desktop Mac in 1984, and I am now looking forward to the iPhone 5 (this September…please!). I have an iPhone, iPad, and a MacBook Pro. Yes, I’m a Mac-geek. But at least I’m cool!

And I am also an evangelical Christian. You might be thinking, “So what! What on earth does being a Christian have to do with Apple computers or Steve Jobs?” More than you may think. I write books, speak publicly, and teach classes on philosophy and theology, which means I love motivating people to think deeply about the important issues of life. And Steve Jobs, one of the most powerful people of our day, has offered a secular “gospel” to our culture. My goal in this post is not to criticize Jobs (that would be foolish!), or to promote Christianity, but to contrast their respective worldviews so you, the reader, can decide what you think is true.

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Unless you've been living under a rock or a Kindle, you probably have heard the rumors surrounding Apple’s unveiling of the Apple Tablet (which will take place Jan. 27). According to Steve Jobs, the tablet “will be the most important thing I’ve ever done.” That is saying a lot since he was the mastermind behind other little hits (iPod, iPhone, Pixar). In any case, you don’t have to be a tech geek to know that the announcement may revolutionize the world as we know it, or at least the world that revolves around multi-touch screens, cool apps, pricey gadgets and a man who loves wearing jeans and a black turtleneck.

I’ll come out and say it, I want this tablet. I don't even know what it looks like (although this blogger took a nice stab at it) nor do I know what is really rumor or fact, yet I still want it. Functionally (I assume), it will make me more efficient at my job, as well as make for a great companion on my morning commutes. Not only that, but I’ll be the envy of every subway commuter … well, until they get their own.

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I bought an iPhone, the new 3Gs version that just came out.  It's my first iPhone.  I stood in line to buy it, which gave me plenty of time to think about this:  What if Christianity were more like Apple?

Everything about my iPhone purchase experience ran contrary to the way business is done these days.  With just about everything else I buy, it's all about expediency and anonymity.  Whether I'm buying books or groceries, whether online or in a store, the goal is to get in and get out with minimal effort and personal contact.  Not so with Apple.  Apple, especially the Apple Store, has created the ultimate hands on personal experience.

As I stood in line, I wasn't the least bit impatient (as I usually am in lines) because I really wanted what was inside the Apple Store.  At the same time, I reveled in the culture surrounding the transaction.  As I experienced the process of buying my iPhone, I couldn't  help but wonder if the experience of Christianity could be more like that.  Here are four observations I took from my Apple experience.

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Sorry it's been so long.  I've been teaching a lot the last couple weeks so my free time has been taken up with preparation.  Things are back to normal though so I'll try to be more diligent with writing here.

To lead off, a funny story.

Former Clinton Press Secretary Dee Dee Meyers wrote an article for Vanity Fair in January claiming that President Obama is the "Most Famous Living Person Ever".  It's the usual unrestrained media gushing about how we can thank him for 'making America cool again'.

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a general description applied to people who have trouble staying focused on something, such as a task, a conversation, or minor surgery.  People with ADD are often inattentive, impulsive, and hyper-active--pretty good characteristics for creative types, but not so good for people who operate heavy machinery or dispense prescription medication.

Actually, people I know with ADD are quite happy with their "condition," and I'll admit they're fun to be around.  They're happy, lively, and good at delivering clever one-liners.  Still, I wouldn't want all my friends to have short-attention spans.  I need a few people in my life who at least act like they're paying attention to what I have to say, even if I'm babbling. 

I'm finding that it's getting more difficult to find people who pay attention.  The whole world, it seems, has ADD, and it's not because everyone is drinking the same kool-aid--unless the kool-aid happens to be a  Blackberry or an iPhone.  Call me an anti-luddite, but the way I see it, our collective ADD is directly related to our dependency upon--or maybe I should say our addiction to--hand-held electronic communication devices, and it's killing the practice of paying attention.

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Originally published at The Curator Magazine, January 2, 2009.

The Amazon Kindle and iPhone apps like Stanza are beginning to make inroads in the e-Book market. But nothing will ever really replace paper books. Why, you ask?

10. No need to wait until the pilot gives you permission to use personal electronic devices.
9.  It’s OK if you forget to charge your real book.
8.  Unwrapping a download is so anti-climactic.
7.  Speaking of which, it’s hard to wrap a download.