Apple's got a lot going on all of a sudden — and as a result, so do I

The first thing that happened was Wednesday's product announcements.

Predictably, I ordered the new iPad (sticking with AT&T mostly out of inertia), a new Smart Cover (light blue like the one on my iPad 2), and Apple TV 3.

The acknowledgments from Apple said I'd receive the iPad and Apple TV next Friday, March 16, and the Smart Cover next Wednesday, March 14.

Good thing I'm compulsive and 1) printed out the sheet that lets you pre-sign so the FedEx guy will leave it at your door rather than require your live signature, then 2) taped it to my front door even though delivery wasn't scheduled until four days from today.

Because when I returned home from Bodo's after running the Martha Jefferson 8K (44:47 = 9:01/mile) earlier this morning, the piece of paper was gone and a Smart Cover-shaped flat box was sitting in front of my door.

Nice: Apple exceeded expectations.

But I bet a lot of people aren't quite as compulsive as me and didn't print out the "leave it on the doorstep" delivery sheet and so got a notice from FedEx that they tried and failed to deliver and will try again Monday.

But wait, there's more.

Apple stealthily improved the Smart Cover unbeknownst to me and perhaps everyone: instead of the inside being matte gray, it's now the same light blue as the outside, but with an ultra-suede-like texture, very nice.

Much more attractive, especially when rolled into positions of function, where you now see only the one color instead of the inner gray.

While I'm on the subject of iPads, I noticed that today my iPad 2 said "No SIM card" when I was out and about, though nothing's changed — except for the fact that iOS 5.1 is now installed.

I'm thinking that part of the software update included AT&T disabling the unlimited data plan I was grandfathered in with when I switched the SIM card from the original iPad to iPad 2.

No matter, actually, since undoubtedly the new iPad would never have accepted the old SIM card and its unlimited data plan.

So I'll have to sign up for a more expensive, limited plan once the new iPad arrives.

No problem really: once you start drinking the Kool-Aid, why would you stop?

But there's still more stuff.

My iPhone 4S now says "4G" instead of "3G" up top, another result of the iOS update.

I know this because I read about it yesterday — as well as learning that nothing in terms of speed has changed, it's just old 3G wine in a new 4G bottle.

Whatever.

Still more: a few minutes ago my Air screen started looking funky (see screenshot up top), with the upper menu bar dark but still functional.

I took the pic, then restarted, and now everything looks normal.

If you don't take a picture or print it out, it never happened, is the thing you have to remember when it comes to computers.

Bits are virtual foam, they come and go like quantum ships in the night.

Which brings me to another, related subject – but I'll save that for another post.

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Note added at 2:55 p.m. today: More blowback from the iOS 5.1 update. The hard keyboard dock for iPad, which came out the day the original iPad was introduced some two years ago, worked fine with the iPad 2 — until this week, when the update to iOS 5.1 rendered it a brick.

Oh, well. 

Sometimes Kool-Aid leaves a bad aftertaste.

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Note added at 4:06 p.m. today: After reading PT's comment on this post about how his iPhone 4S starting giving him a "No SIM card" message after he'd had it for seven months, the penny suddenly dropped.

When something involving electronics starts acting funny, unplug it and then plug it back in.

Works with TVs, cable and satellite boxes, computers — why not do the equivalent with my iPad 2's SIM card?

So I dug out that little thingie that makes the card pop out, did the deed, counted to seven (you have to count to seven — never six or eight, it must be a single-digit prime number that's not 1 or 3 or evenly divisible by 5, but of course you already knew that — put the SIM card back in, and all of a sudden I'm back on the network and Bob's your uncle.

Of interest is that it says it's on AT&T's 3G network, unlike my iPhone five feet away that says 4G.

Way, way above my TechnoDolt®™© pay grade.

Thanks for nudging me, PT, with your comment.