I loaned my iPod to a friend of mine this weekend and he brought it back with an interesting comment: “You seem to have two types of music on there --complete one-offs or complete albums. What’s up with that?”

After reviewing my music choices, I realized he was right. And it got me thinking: Why does my music fall into those broad buckets?

I figured out that if I know the genre or the artist, I”m confident in making selections and purchases. If I’m exploring a new genre or new artist, however, I like to have the complete CD. It gives the artist a chance to guide me and educate me about their music.

I feel the same way about technology: If I know what function I want the technology to perform--or if I’ve had a previous positive experience with the brand--I’m comfortable making a specific purchase. For example, I’m totally comfortable choosing a printer for my home office.  But if I had to set up a network of printers for my dad’s small business, I’m not sure I’d know what to buy.

That’s where technology partners come in. They can serve as the “technology DJ” to help guide me through the many different options for tech choices in the same way I rely on musical artists to educate me about their music--and to make recommendations about artists they like.

So, what about you? What kinds of technology do you feel comfortable and confident buying on your own? What product purchases do you think you could benefit from the guidance of a tech DJ?

Tags: ipod, network, partner, small business, technology