Tag: steve jobs

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Steve Jobs

Finished reading Steve Jobs, the official biography by Walter Isaacson, over the long weekend. The biography is very personal with Jobs himself confiding directly to Isaacson his opinions, his thoughts, his motivations, his aspirations. This is further supported by close friends and business associates, even rivals and enemies. Of course, given Job’s intense privacy, you still feel you’re not getting everything. But I guess this is as close as you can get.

Even better, this book is not just about Steve Jobs. Because they’re closely intertwined, it is also about the companies he founded, Apple, NeXT, and Pixar. Creativity and innovation are Job’s hallmarks and it provides a glimpse of the creative and innovative processes in those companies. One thing you note is that in these companies, it’s not just Jobs coming up with ideas. A lot, including many that he initially rejected, also came from his colleagues. A definite read not just for fans and admirers of Jobs but also for any student of business.

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RIP Steve Jobs

This morning, when I got to my desk and checked the iPhone, I read the news: Steve Jobs has passed away. Just a day after the launch of Apple’s latest iPhone, just a few months after he resigned as CEO of Apple. His passing is the end of an era for Apple, the industry, even the world. He is a visionary whose ideas, principles, and philosophies (much influenced by Zen) are what formed Apple and its products to what they are today: less technical and more functional. Or more simply put: simple and works. He will be missed.

 

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Steve Jobs Resigns

This morning, when I got to my desk and opened the browser, I read the news: Steve Jobs has resigned. And I was just thinking about him as I was driving to work. Thinking about his impact to Apple and the industry. He is a visionary. His ideas, principles, and philosophies (much influenced by Zen) are what formed Apple and its products to what they are today: less technical and more functional. Or more simply put: simple and works.

His resignation is the end of an era for Apple. This is the second such ending since. Back in the 80s, he was forced out of Apple in a management squabble. After his departure, Apple faltered as it went about with the wrong vision and direction. Practically only his return revitalized the company.

Hopefully, it won’t happen this time around. Most importantly, he wasn’t forced out. He would have his succession plan, his people, and his roadmap in place. And he had succeeded in making Apple the most valuable company in terms of market capitalization. Such mass carries a lot of momentum. These will help Apple continue along his envisioned path.