I was in molecular biology, but now I do environmental due-diligence.
Cloning a gene is actually inserting it in a circle of DNA (the circles are called plasmids), then getting it into a bacteria so the gene can be expressed, or get more copies (by growing the bacteria). Originally, you took cells, treated them with certain solutions and the plasmids, heat shocked them for a few minutes , let them grow for an hour and then plate them.
With electroporation (started being done about 10 years ago or so if I remember right), you treat the cells with a solution, put them in a little disposable chamber with the DNA. Push a button (zap the cells), and plate the cells. There are controllers that can vary the length of charge, decay rate and other parameters. If there is too much salt in the solutions, it arcs and makes a little pop and doesn't work.
Apoptosis is what gets rid of the webbing between your toes and fingers before you are born. When it doesn't work, you are born with webbed feet (supposedly Dan Akroyd was).
Amplifying DNA (using PCR) is pretty easy too.