Steve Jobs, co-founder, chairman and ex-CEO of Apple computers, passed away today at the age of 56. In his wake he leaves behind a long legacy of simple, easy to use computing devices that have made their way into nearly every other home in America. His imprint on the world is vast and he will be missed, not only for his charisma and charm, but for his innovation and impact on not only how we access information but in how we interpret it. Wired magazine said it best:
"A visionary inventor and entrepreneur, it would be impossible to overstate Steve Jobs’ impact on technology and how we use it. Apple’s mercurial, mysterious leader did more than reshape his entire industry: he completely changed how we interact with technology. He made gadgets easy to use, gorgeous to behold and essential to own. He made things we absolutely wanted, long before we even knew we wanted them. Jobs’ utter dedication to how people think, touch, feel and interact with machines dictated even the smallest detail of the computers Apple built and the software it wrote." Wired
I could be snarky here and
point out all the ways Jobs has be condemned as a nightmare to work for, but I feel the title said it best. Without him, the company may be directionless. Sure, he could be a dick, but he was a dick that got things done. The
iPhone 4s is possibly just the beginning of crap Apple has plans for that do not include that little bit of "Jobs magic" that made them so special. I would start selling stock now, folks, because if the trend continues Google's gonna be kicking some ass on the hand held front.
