Steve Jobs made technology adoption worth it for everyone.
As I sit here now and type this post on my MacBook Pro, flanked by my upright iPad 2 on my left, my iPhone 4 on my right, both plugged into USB ports, all three devices receiving notifications and photos and videos from various internet mediums simultaneously from friends, family and coworkers, I realize that these products have become personal permanent creative appendages of communication for me. I use the Apple fan boy product trifecta every day. Steve Jobs knew how to connect people with technology products in a way that only he could do, a way that would change the world.
The video below is one that my friends are tired of me sharing, but he tells us very clearly (at about the 1:50 mark) what the big secret is. Steve's success, and the products that pretty much invented the tech fanboy genre, are done well for one simple reason. He knew technology would be a waste if it was a bad experience for those that needed to actually use it. He knew that innovation would only be able to progress if it inspired creativity and stimulated the user's imagination as opposed to just being a product of his own personal invention. His passion for the potential of everything technology was unbridled. Some hated him. Some obsessed on him. Most were just waiting to see what direction he was going to take us all next.
I've been in tech for more than fifteen years and I've never seen a technology company whose products play such a big role in people's lives. Whether someone is starting their own business, raising a family, going to work, heading out on vacation or entertaining friends, millions of people use Apple products all day every day to work, play, create and explore. Apple is a phenomenal product experience backed by an even more phenomenal story.
September of 2005 was the month that restored my faith in technology and computing and its place of relevance in my life. It was the month that I switched to Apple products and never looked back.
Thank you Steve for raising the product bar so high. You were one of a kind and will be missed.
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