Thanks to the stunningly-looking iPhone and aluminum iMac (thanks to the team of designers really), Apple took home not one, but two Black Pencil awards from the British organization D&AD. Among the nominees were also the iPod nano and Apple's innovative aluminum keyboard (I wonder why the latter failed to impress more), while the iPod touch got a Yellow Pencil, which is the prize for second-place winners over at D&AD.

D&AD is an educational charity that represents the global creative, design and advertising communities. As such, it has been setting the industry's standards since 1962. It has educated and inspired the next generation and, more recently, has demonstrated the impact of creativity and innovation on enhancing business performance. The Black Pencil award from D&AD is something every electronics maker (but not only) wants to take home.

Since D&AD promotes the very best of design, this year, Apple triumphed having two of its latest products, the aluminum iMac and the all-popular iPhone, awarded with Black Pencils. The iPod touch received second prize, the Yellow Pencil, while the iPod nano and aluminum keyboard were nominated, but that's only as far as they got. As I noted above, I'm quite surprised Apple's latest keyboard hasn't managed to impress all that much, especially when it comes bundled with one of the Black Pencil winners, the aluminum iMac.

Nevertheless, two Pencils is good, even for Apple who has six of these babies back home, having earned its first in 1999. And just in case you were wondering who designed the luscious aluminum iMac, it was Steve Jobs (the CEO of Apple Inc.), Duncan Kerr, Shin Nishibori, Matthew Rohrbach, Doug Satzger, Christopher Stringer, Eugene Whang, Rico Zorkendorfer, Bart Andre, Daniel Coster, Daniele De luliis, Jonathan Ive. So that's pretty much everyone important at Apple.

Ever notice how leaders are generally good at everything? I'll bet they'd do a heck of a job as janitors too.