Ever notice how in real life, the engineers, mechanics, and managers behind the scenes often go unnoticed by the media and company peers? Usually, it's their much flashier counterparts such as outgoing salespeople, super-social marketers, and artsy designers that tend to steal the thunder.

I'm always interested in staying at the forefront of technology--as long as it makes sense, is reasonably affordable, and fits somewhere into my life. This usually comes in the form of being the first in line for a new Apple tablet or perhaps adopting brand new gadgets far before they hit their prime, if ever.

One notable exception, however, is the world of MP3 players. Being a self-professed Apple guy and iDevice fan, you'd think my primary music player of choice would be an iPod--but you'd be thinking wrong.

It's a Sansa Clip.