Steve Jobs Has Passed Away
A visionary, as many say. May sound clichè, but he (and the team he led) have truly revolutionized the world of technology. Under Steve’s command Apple brought UNIX-based laptop and desktop machines to a wider audience with the Mac with a longer life cycle than any more popular Windows-based systems then. Steve made listening to music while wearing earbuds cool with the iPod line, and changed the world of mobile telephony with the simply yet powerful iPhone. He (literally) pushed the envelope for power in a small package with the MacBook Air, and (despite the initial controversy in the media) created a new standard in tablet computers with the iPad laying out the path for others to follow.
A few things I will remember about Jobs for:
- The precursor of the Personal Computer era,
- User-centered design and engineering working together into one product. Products that needed no manuals: play with them as soon as you get them out of the box. Remember the first iMacs? Seeing my daughter play with an iPhone since she was less than 2 years old is a testimony to Steve’s genius in proving complex experiences packaged in simplicity.
- Technology not for technology’s sake, but having solutions and people in their center,
- Awe-inspiring presentations that were just as simple as the products he envisioned. Using metaphors, clean imagery, and a soft-spoken tone.
Being in the field of Education myself, I have to say that Apple has long had a foot in Education providing excellent resources, professional development on how to use their products in and outside the classroom, and even offering products exclusively targeting the Education market. But it’s due to Jobs’ vision that creative professionals, educators, students are able to access, create, and share knowledge in ways we could only imagine a few years ago, being it on iOS devices’ innovative gesture-oriented interface, or sleek MacBook on the go.
Steve played a big role in Apple’s ascension. The world of technology in general owes a lot to his vision and leadership.
Even though he has passed away, his legacy is here to stay. He will be missed.
Here is what the Apple website looked like on this sad day.
Some countries translated the message above.
Here are some examples.
Brazil:
Argentina:
