It's definitely not as strong as it was back then. The first time I got to interact with a Macintosh Plus, back in the Fall of 1986, it was some sort of revelation. That phrase "wheels for the mind", attributed to Apple Computers in the 80's, comes to mind. THAT feeling. Like everything is now possible. Like you could do anything, create anything, the sky is the limit. First with little things like MacPaint and MacWrite and over the years iMovie, GarageBand and all the way to Final Cut Pro. It felt like an extension of the brain. If you could think it, you could create it.
But this new format I'm testing now leads me to believe we're about to enter a new computer era with Apple. I'm talking about the iPadPro with the new Magic Keyboard, all running iPadOS. This new keyboard and trackpad combo that allows you to "dock" into, and out of, using built-in magnets. It's not perfect, by any means. Especially in the format I'm using, meaning the 11 inch model. No doubt the 12.9 inch iteration feels a lot less cramped than what I'm typing this post on. And I am certain iPadOS will continue to evolve towards something more useful than it currently is. But I get the definite sense that we're getting a taste of the future here: the shape of things to come. I have a little bit of that same feeling again, like back in 1986. Can't quite put it in words yet, but we might look back at this current setup as a new beginning, especially if, as rumours would have you believe, iPadPro versions of Logic Pro X and Final Cut Pro X are on their way and might be introduced as early as this year.
Of course 2020 will be remembered mainly for other things, but in that small Apple "bio dome" that I like to take refuge in every once in a while, I marked this moment as a landmark. Time will tell whether I was right.