The power of a secret.

"Yes Virginia... There is a Santa Claus."

Be honest, since learning the truth about childhood "heros" that bring gifts in December, furry critters that deliver eggs and sweets each spring and still more that delve beneath your pillow for ejected deciduous teeth, we haven't had many surprises as adults. Too many people (in my opinion) find out the sex of their babies before birth, the last true mystery we as grown-ups can experience. Unless you're a techie. Unless we visit the mall often and shop in those stores decorated in predominately white. If we look west, to the Northern California suburb of Cupertino, there's still a magical place where secrets are kept. Adult-grade secrets. They are kept so well not even our best guesses turn up the truth. So well that rumors swirl through the Internet as published by our most trusted sources alleging to know what will happen, when it will happen, and what it might entail. Really?

This churn, usually twice a year, eminates from Apple. It comes through their labs, their leader(s) and their product offerings. The level at which Apple goes to in keeping secrets about its product line and features is amazing.  It captivates not just techies, but millions of worldwide users - all waiting and watching to see what their future will be like a year or two from now. We clamor to see what's coming, but inside, we yearn for the surprise. The secrets make for good press, good standup comedy, good speculation and criticism from competitors, it is a wonderful thing we are experiencing. And it's happening now, when we think we know everything, when "google" is a noun and a verb, ten years into the new millenium. How can they seemingly do what so few other entities anywhere else can accomplish? Foreign governments are pressed to keep good secrets from our intelligence agencies. Our government can't readily keep good secrets from the public, but Apple can clamp down in so many ways to keep their gems hidden until they're ready to show them off. It's fantastic, I LOVE THE HYPE!

Here's where we stand... If the media needs to find a prototype in a bar or have a former Vice President blurt out a launch date in a speech to get its info, Apple is masterfully dominating the secret-keeping. I can wait until the next release, I'm anxious to upgrade my iPhone 3Gs to the iPhone 5. I am an adult, and they have me excited like a child. I'm thankful that someone has put together all the pieces necessary to cloak research, muffle the facts about production, disguise delivery and specifics until the launch day arrives. Heck, even the store employees are in the dark until the products are in the back room ready to be displayed. In this age of Twitter, blogs, text messaging and everyone having a camera nearby, kudos to Apple for being smarter that the experts. Thanks to the folks in Cupertino for giving us ideas to follow, products to long for, and a cottage industry of people that can't unlock the secrets, which makes this adult laugh.