R.I.P. Steve Jobs

I could not call myself as an Apple fanatic, nor could I say I am a loyal follower of Steve Jobs.  But I admire his vision and creativity.

Think Different

The first time when I got a sense of his creativity is the Think Different ad series.  I was a kid and that time, yet I could still remember the shock these ads gave me.  Simple but powerful, a picture could really say a thousand words.

Newton

The second thing I like about Apple and SJ is Newton.  I have never been a Newton owner, but thanks to a friend of mine I got the chance to play with this innovative product for a few days.  That was the time when iPhones first hit the market.  Even as of today I still think that Newton is a great product.  The user control is very intuitive, it is truly an electronic notepad.  Write with the hand and the texts are recognized.  Delete a word by rubbing it out like using an eraser.  Draw a straight horizontal line to start a new page.  The note taking apps for present-day tablets are simply followers.

iMac

The first mac I have ever touched and used was the original iMac.  The OS was a bit new to me at that time, but the way that the computer and the monitor were packed in a stylish and tiny all-in-one case was really impressive.

Mac OS

Being a kid who grown up with DOS, Windows 3.1 and Windows 95, Mac OS is simply a heaven.  I began using Mac OS everyday when I bought my first 17″ iMac, which is the one I am using to write this blog post.

When people ask me why I like Mac OS, I always tell them Mac OS is designed for human and Windows is made for (and by) engineers.  You virtually do not need to learn before using Mac.  Windows is a totally different story.

iPod

iPod is not the first digital music player, but it is truly revolutionary.  Just like how Apple made computers that fit in the living room as a decorative piece, iPod is not only a music player.  It’s a companion when jogging, an accessory to wear, a news receiver (via podcasts), a pain reliefer (meditation tool)…  I spend many hours on iPods everyday.

In Memoriam

Many mega web sites have found their ways to pay tribute to Steve.  Google did not change the doodle, but added a line underneath the search box.

Amazon dedicated a corner of their main page to Steve, which links back to Apple’s official web site.

I have already pre-ordered the Kindle ebook version of his official biography, Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, the pre-orders of which jumped 418 times on Amazon, according to thenextweb.  There are some other books and movies that you may have a look if you want to know more about him.  My top recommendations are:

The Official Biography

An Informative Book About Steve’s Way of Thinking

Pirates of Silicon Valley

Steve Jobs, the man who changed the world, I’ll miss you.