There is nothing more joyful than taking the plunge and buying your first Apple product. The thrill of getting something new. The inspiring packaging. The wonder of the product that really works, that makes you look cool just for having one. But then comes the Apple Curse.

Apple makes good gizmos. I love them. It’s obvious that Apple enjoys making the stuff as much as you enjoy using it. I believe that’s a key to Apple’s success: a giddy sense of pride and wizardry.

Perhaps my favorite part of getting a new Apple gizmo is opening the box. Apple packaging is so beautiful and clever. I remember opening my first iPod. The box unfolded like a flower in the sun. I put everything back and opened the thing twice just because I was so amazed.

I recall having a wonderful experience opening my G4 MacPro, even though it was 10 years ago. After setting it up, connecting everything, then plugging it in, there was the most amazing and clever startup video. It was really fun and a refreshing change from the PC’s banal, “which country do you live in?” setup.

Of course, Apple’s stuff lives up to its reputation beyond the packaging. But then comes the disappointment.

Although the packaging is great, and the product performs, you’ll eventually discover the curse of being an Apple Freak: At some point, Apple will introduce a newer, better, and potentially cheaper version of the gizmo you’ve fallen in love with. That point is often sooner than you think.

I remember radio personality Glenn Beck railing against Apple on his national show one day. Glenn had just bought an iPod and, naturally, he loved it. Just a few days, later he found that his beloved iPod was replaced by a newer, better, cheaper model. Yep, that happens!

The Apple Curse is fresh in my mind because in my last post I talked about getting a new Mac instead of a PC. While I still recommend that decision, know ye well that Apple is most likely to introduce new iMacs and a new miniMac this month. So while you may love that new Mac, you’ll probably be crushed by the curse almost instantly.

Apple doesn’t pre-announce hardware (no computer company does), so the new Macs are just a rumor. Still, there are those who closely watch the Apple front and tune themselves into subtle signs that a new product is coming out. The MacRumors website is an excellent source for this kind of information, especially their buyer’s guide pages.

I’m not trying to dissuade you from buying a Mac. If you need one now, buy one now. Just be aware of the curse. If you get on the right product cycle, the curse should never bother you. For example, I’m looking to get a new phone, but I know that there are new iPhones out there due to the rumor mill. So I’ll wait for that. But if I needed a new phone today, I’d have no problem buying an iPhone. That’s because I am an Apple Freak, and I know and accept the curse.