I remember the clunky Apple computers I saw somewhere in stores in the 1990s. My uncle said that those computers were quite old and don't match up real well with the Windows-run machines during the time. Call it the 'gamer' within me; I was pretty sold on PC gaming and playing with Battle Realms that I did not care much for news on technology and innovation. I did not realize the significance of those old models, given the fact that I was still ignorant of technology and its history. Remembering those times today seem to be bittersweet, considering how far everything has developed and changed in this computer-driven world.
My first Apple product ever was the iPod mini released in 2004. Able to convince my parents to buy it after iterating that I was an honor student, music became a significant part of my being from that day until now. iTunes became synonymous with my music consumption, so much that I no longer use any other music software. There were other music devices competing for my attention during that time, such as the Creative Zune and Philips models, other more sleeker and easier-to-use devices that were not as clunky as the 'mini' player. Yet, it just clicked, given its simplicity of use and elegant design. And with this philosophy, the other Apple devices followed suit and stepped into our doorstep: a 2006 Macbook Pro that was part of the first line of Intel-powered devices, the black 2008 Macbook that is now quite rare, a Mac desktop that is still eye candy in our room and a third gen iPod Nano back in 2009 that was a gift to my brother. Creativity and innovation just breathed through these products and simply put, they were easy and a joy to use.
But beyond aesthetics and the sleek, expensive look of Apple's hardware, its still the software that matters for each and every product. Just as much as the devices looked wonderful, the programs and interface of these wonders just kept getting better. From the Grey, efficient display of my Ipod Mini, to the current generation of Lion OS X and the i-OS 5 mobile system, they were intuitive, useful and novel. The software of these devices made computing, entertainment, information and work very lively, vivid and integral to our everyday lives. As an example, when the iPad was released last 2007, its sleek design, convenient user interface, high-powered graphics and sheer power were marketed to such a degree that almost 90% of the tablet market is saturated with these little screens. The iPad, though essentially not the first tablet to be released to the market, became a phenomenon that captured the hearts and minds of many people throughout the world. I have not heard of anyone else who has bought another tablet outside the Samsung Tab. The iPhone, which was released around the same time as the iPad, revolutionized the way we talk about mobile communications and paved the way for the smart phone industry to emerge. Never before has a device only as big as your palm had the computing and graphics power of a laptop. With the current versions of the device, you could forget about your laptop/camera/other devices at home and still check your email, analyze spreadsheets and take photos and videos with amazing clarity.
As such, getting any Apple device these days entails joy, beauty, and the best of what technology has to offer. Gone are the days that talking about computers and tech lingo is confined to the "geek" corner of the room. Gone are the times when normal consumers struggle with what computer to buy or what smart phone to use. Cool Geek these days is the new trend, and such a branding and management of ideas and design have become synonymous with success. Critics and naysayers could say that Apple as a company was just ahead of the curve or lucky, or for the aggressive opponent, stealing ideas from companies and filing law suits for patents to almost every innovation. As a company, Apple has had mishaps in the past, like the decline in the early 1990s, the lack and mismanagement of leadership within, lackluster sales and a reduced customer base. Yet it has survived through a change in its core technology (i.e. the use of Intel processors for the Macbook/Mac lines), better marketing of its design philosophy and a redefinition of the company's direction. It is constant change that has decided the course of Apple since its darker days and it continues to be the trend towards the future.
The world lost a great man, this Oct. 5, 2011. He was an innovator, a true futurist, a hard-worker, a creative genius and a true 'man for others'. He went beyond himself, his own problems and weaknesses and stuck with what he was good at. The only difference between him and someone who hides in his comfort zone is that he stretched his strengths beyond the norm, looking beyond himself, and seeing the beauty that is humanity's potential to be beyond his own person. Coming from an Atenean perspective, isn't that an ideal the Blue Faithful should look up to? The man was a change catalyst, moving, working and struggling in his own to come up with innovations that seek to help the less abled and marginalized in society. Yes, Apple products seem expensive and for the rich and elite, yet the things that we buy from shiny Apple stores should not diminish the social value we could derive from them. What if a song made on Garage Band inspires people to act? How would a video edited on iMovie affect netizens to effect change in their own ways? Could your the Keynote presentations inspire people to change for the better? These are merely ideas shared to us by a man who never stopped changing for the better, who never stopped believing that their is a future where technology could be a promise to be kept and realized.
This piece is merely my experience with Apple and a man who had a vision, grabbed it by its cudgels, and raced on it in search of his own interpretation of what it means to live. He leaves us a legacy and many more questions and ideas to ponder on. I thank him for giving me 7 years immersed in the beauty and potential of technology and what could be a better, brighter tomorrow.
Steve Jobs has closed his Keynote speech for the last time. So, what would you do?
"...Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new."-Steve Jobs
