Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs-related posts.

Remembering Steve Jobs 2013

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It has been two years since Steve passed away from cancer. His sudden departure to every single one of us devoted fans was just devastating, the news breaking the day after a lacklustre iPhone 4S Apple event. I could still remember the events of that day two years ago and how it affected me for the remainder of that year. Even today, I could not bring myself to read the badly written Steve Jobs biography.

Two years down, what has changed?

Analysts are still looking for excuses to pull down Apple in order to manipulate its stock price. Their recent excuse was “Apple is doomed without Steve Jobs!”. Three or more years ago, their excuse was “Apple is doomed BECAUSE OF Steve Jobs!”. No creativity there, it seems. Well business analysts (and generally business people) are idiots anyway, so it’s not hard to figure that out.

Jony Ive has used his influence to force out yet another thorn in his eye, this time round Scott Forstall, who is probably the last guy in Apple who will stand up to him. Ive totally has Tim wrapped around his finger, but it’s a situation that is mutually beneficial. He still goes about his whole English gentlemen speaking softly routine in PR videos thing.

Hair Force One Craig Federighi is now the third most important person in Apple. It’s cool, I like him and his ideas for OS X.

Tim? Tim is still running all the operations work at Apple, just like when Steve was still around. His job scope never changed in the last decade, despite what some silly analyst-people say.

So what is missing from Apple? Innovation?

Don’t be silly.

Apple has created way more interesting products in the last few years than say, from 2001-2006.

What is missing is simply, Steve’s presence.

The energy behind his presentations at Apple events/Macworlds, the fuck-you attitude he gives to anything he disapproves of, the whole “he sounds like an arsehole but millions look up to him” thing.

That “Steve” thing.

It is never coming back.

Remembering Steve

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Today is the day that Steve Jobs passed away, a year ago.

Steve was the only person I looked up to in this world, the one person driving the one company that made my life interesting while I wait for the next thing they dish up, every few months or so. For someone like me, that kept me going.

I love all the rumours, the stories about his personality, and while I was never trying to emulate any of that, I loved every part of it.

Can anyone imagine how I felt when he passed away last year?

To me, he was not the control-freak CEO of a powerful tech company that people loved to curse and make fun of even though he was dying.

To me, Steve Jobs was the only reason I found life interesting.

The Parities of Steve Jobs and Hyuuga Tooru in “Rich Man, Poor Woman”

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Those of you who know me personally know that in addition to being an Apple freak, I am also more Japanese than most other Singaporeans. This drama season (summer, running roughly from July to September), I am addicted to “Rich Man, Poor Woman” a “Getsuku”(Fuji TV’s most famous timeslot for Japanese dramas, Monday 9pm, also the time slot that usually garners the highest TV ratings, and dramas in this timeslot usually receive the biggest budget from Fuji TV every season) drama about a love story between Hyuuga Tooru (Oguri Shun), a young and famous entrepreneur, and Natsui Matoko (Ishihara Satomi) a college student from Tokyu University who is unable to find work as graduation approaches. It’s my favourite drama of the year so far.

Being an Apple freak and “Chief Steve Jobs Worshipper”, I can’t help but keep noticing the blatantly obvious parities between the lead character, Hyuga Tooru, and Steve Jobs.

It’s highly probably that the scriptwriter, Adachi Naoko, wrote this script as a tribute to Steve Jobs.

*SPOILER ALERT* Those who are interested to watch the drama please be warned that there are a lot of spoilers below.

The Parities of Steve Jobs and Hyuuga Tooru

1. Steve Jobs behaved like a tyrant in his original stint at Apple, which he co-founded. So did Hyuuga.

2. Steve Jobs’ second company is called NeXT, Hyuuga’s company is Next Innovation.

3. Steve Jobs fell in love with a college student from a top college, Stanford. Hyuuga fell in love with Natsui, from Tokyo University, the most prestigious school in Japan.

4. Steve Jobs was forced out of his original company by a man whom he then trusted to be his partner, John Sculley, and Hyuuga was forced out of Next Innovation by Asahina Kousuke, his co-founder and partner.

5. Apple went downhill after Steve left, and so did Next Innovation.

6. Steve Jobs is all about Simplicity in all his products and UI(User Interface), and Hyuuga’s Personal File data system’s strongest point is the super simple User Interface that can be understood and used by everyone from young to old.

7. Steve Jobs’ crazy attention to product details and admiration for well built products (including the story about him spending a lot of time studying the construction, design and details of mercedes cars in the carpark) is matched by Hyuuga’s crazy attention to details about his furniture, and how he spent two years looking and thinking about the table that he wanted to buy.

8. Steve Jobs, in his younger days, stayed in a big house with very little furniture. So did Hyuuga.

9. Steve Jobs looked like a hippie in his early days before he founded Apple. After he cleaned up, he was a very charming and handsome guy who looked great in a suit. Hyuuga looked like crap before he started Next Innovation as well, and he too look great in a suit.

10. Steve Jobs loved Japan, especially Kyoto and its old temples (even though he did proclaimed that he will never visit Japan again after airport officials at Kansai International Airport ill-treated him). Hyuuga’s “place of peace” is in a Zen temple.

11. Steve Jobs was given up for adoption when he was young. So was Hyuuga. Steve eventually searched for his real parents but kept a distance, and so did Hyuuga, having found his real mother in episode 10 but not telling her that he is her son.

12. Steve Jobs founded Pixar during his exile, which became very successful, and Hyuuga founded Wonder Wall, which became quite successful during episode 10. Why do I call Wonder Wall the equivalent of Pixar in the drama? There is one very obvious fact;

John Lasseter, who is an important member of the Pixar team, looks like this with his usual dressing style:

and here is Hosoki, an important member of the Wonder Wall team, with his usual dress style:

The parity is so obvious that any REAL Apple historian can’t help but notice.

13. After his stint at NeXT and Pixar, Steve Jobs became an even better leader than before, and do did Hyuga after starting Wonder Wall.

14. Steve Jobs returned to Apple to save it from bankruptcy and turned it into the greatest company ever in tech history, and Hyuga is seemingly going to do the same to Next Innovation from the preview of episode 11, the last episode, at the end of episode 10.

These are just some parities that I can remember from the top of my head, and I’m sure there are even more. Will update as I remember.

While obviously the main story here is the crazily cute puppy love between the two leads and almost everything is fictionalised, I can’t help but feel consoled that Apple supporters are all doing their own tribute to Steve Jobs in their own ways.

Those who have yet to catch Rich Man, Poor Woman, please do! It’s my favourite Japanese drama of the year. The theme song by Miwa is crazily nice too. Though it sucks that Samsung paid their way into the product advertising for this show. It does serve as a reminder that this is all a parody of the real world.

Losing Steve Jobs

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Losing Steve was personal for me
Not because I’ve seen him before in person, because I never have, and now never will
But because he was probably the biggest influence in my life for the past 8 or so years
And because joining Apple with him in charge, regardless whether he is CEO or not, was the single biggest aim in my life
That now can never be realized

When I bought my first ever Mac back in 2004 it was nothing more than a really nice and interesting computer to me in the first few months
Until I started finding out more about Apple
And Steve
And then I started following Apple
And saw with my own eyes the wonders that Apple, and Him, were capable of
That made me who I am today

Becoming the vice president of MacNUS (the Mac User Group in NUS) was a starting step
But it wasn’t until the following year when I took over the presidency from my good friend Steve (Yang) that things were put into motion for me
I envisioned a school with a lot of Mac users in a world where the majority of Macs were running PowerPC chips
And was always heartened by the fact that my faculty of choice, Arts and Social Sciences, had a large number of Mac users as compared to other faculties
I pushed for chances, implemented lots of new ideas, held talks, seminars, made partnerships with third-party accessories makers, Apple resellers and assisted Apple in so many ways that the then-in-charge of educational sales in Apple South Asia, Eric, told me that he would find me a job in Apple
Most of all though, I made many great friends during that single year, most of whom I am still in constant contact with today

Even after I graduated and past the reins to my trusted aide and friend Hansen, I continued to be constantly involved in things for almost another year
Even after Eric got promoted and suddenly seemed to developed amnesia and have forgotten ever telling me that he’ll find me a job in Apple, I never stopped getting involved in Apple-related stuff
I never stopped trying to join Apple, the Apple that Steve led

Steve was always just “the outstanding and cool CEO of Apple” to most people
But to a smaller group of people, those of us who are always more involved in things, he was a teacher, a philosopher, a leader
His strive for perfection and simplicity greatly influenced those of us in our work and daily life
He taught us that regardless of one’s position in a company, how one will naturally get more involved in the process, because if one has a passion for everything one is creating it is impossible to be just another CEO and just sit around one’s office replying emails or play golf
And most of all, his own beliefs in life have shaped me into the person I am today

Every day I wake up and ask myself if what I am supposed to be doing that day is what I want to be doing on the last day of my life
And all too often that answer was No
But if it continues for quite a number of days, then I have to change things and I usually did
And that is why I do things the way I do, how I am the person I am today
I live by my own wishes, and never bother with how others or society might view me

Steve is the single biggest influence in my life for the past decade

I knew it will be hard when he eventually has to depart, but when it came, all of a sudden yesterday morning at 7 plus, it was unbearable
Totally unbearable
I went to work trying to look as normal as I can
And then I came home last night and cried myself to sleep

Losing Steve is losing the one single person that you live your whole life believing in
Christians call that person God
I call him Steve Jobs

I Believe in Steve Jobs

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Yeah so I am upset about the Steve Jobs health issue. Not upset because I think he lied to us, but upset because he is sick.

Yes we all know that Steve Jobs is mortal, and he is already in his fifties. Having probably the highest profile job in the whole of the tech industry and him being a vegan is probably not helping his age (unlike Bill Gates who seems to have really nothing much to do at Microsoft except ruining products like Vista).

BUT……

Somewhere in the hearts of all Apple fans we truly believed that Steve Jobs is, and always will be immortal.

Steve Jobs is God, and the iPhone is the Jesus phone. How hard can it be?

Just like any devoted worshipper will believe in his or her god, I believe in Steve Jobs. I believe everything he says, I believe every single letter he publishes, I believe that he will be back in July with more ideas for more godly Apple products.

There are people who speak of an Apple without Steve Jobs, on how it might be a chance for Apple to show that they can go on without Jobs in these six months of absence, or how Apple will fade away in two years.

I say fuck it all. I really can’t be bothered about Apple.

You see, deep down inside, I am a Steve Jobs devotee, the ultimate Steve Jobs fanboy. If Steve Jobs takes on the job of Microsoft CEO tomorrow I will sell all my Macs and buy a Windows PC. If Steve Jobs runs Samsung I will buy a Samsung phone. If Steve Jobs takes over Creative I will switch to a Zen.

I worship Steve Jobs.

So Steve, please, please come back in July.

Gizmodo’s Jesus Diaz tries to cover Steve Jobs’ health screwup through misleading article

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Gizmodo and Jesus Diaz is getting out of hand.

Instead of posting some kind of apology for screwing up the Apple stock prices after the release of Steve’s and Apple’s statement earlier today, they went again and posted a disgusting article about how they were right after all.

Are they?

In this original article, they claimed that “the real cause (for Apple dropping out of Macworld) is his(Steve’s) rapidly declining health” while in the latest article written to cover his shit tracks, Jesus Diaz wrote “The reason why Steve Jobs is not doing the Macworld 2009 keynote is his health”.

In the first article, he specially suggested that Apple’s total dropout of Macworld is because Steve is dying and that there is no way Apple keynotes at Macworld will ever be the same again, thus the decision by Apple to pull out from Macworld. This suggestion was made through these words “Apple is choosing to remove the hype factor strategically vs letting the hype destroy apple when the inevitable news comes later this spring. This strategic loss will be less of a bang with investors. This is why Macworld is a no-go anymore. No more Steve means no more hype. “

The main point of his first article, thus, is not about Steve Jobs deciding to drop out from the 2009 Macworld Keynote due to his health, but rather “Steve Jobs is dying, thus Apple decides to pull out from all future Macworld Expos”.

His most recent article addressing this issue, therefore, is nothing more than a shitty attempt to try and cover the fact that he screwed up badly.

This is absolutely disgusting coming from Gizmodo, one of the big two gadget blogs.

Gizmodo should answer for this.

Disgusting.

Steve Jobs is alive and well!! (Not exactly 100% healthy, but definitely not in a life threatening situation)

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Steve Jobs and Apple released public statements with regards to Steve Jobs’ health today.

As expected, Steve Jobs has been suffering from an hormone imbalance which caused him to lose weight rapidly throughout the past year. It has been widely speculated that the condition was an after effect of his procedure to cure him of his cancer which he undergone a few years ago.

Here is the statement from Apple;

It is widely recognized both inside and outside of Apple that Steve Jobs is one of the most talented and effective CEOs in the world.

As we have said before, if there ever comes a day when Steve wants to retire or for other reasons cannot continue to fulfill his duties as Apple’s CEO, you will know it.

Apple is very lucky to have Steve as its leader and CEO, and he deserves our complete and unwavering support during his recuperation. He most certainly has that from Apple and its Board.

And here is His Steveness’ own words;

Dear Apple Community,

For the first time in a decade, I’m getting to spend the holiday season with my family, rather than intensely preparing for a Macworld keynote.

Unfortunately, my decision to have Phil deliver the Macworld keynote set off another flurry of rumors about my health, with some even publishing stories of me on my deathbed.

I’ve decided to share something very personal with the Apple community so that we can all relax and enjoy the show tomorrow.

As many of you know, I have been losing weight throughout 2008. The reason has been a mystery to me and my doctors. A few weeks ago, I decided that getting to the root cause of this and reversing it needed to become my #1 priority.

Fortunately, after further testing, my doctors think they have found the cause — a hormone imbalance that has been “robbing” me of the proteins my body needs to be healthy. Sophisticated blood tests have confirmed this diagnosis.

The remedy for this nutritional problem is relatively simple and straightforward, and I’ve already begun treatment. But, just like I didn’t lose this much weight and body mass in a week or a month, my doctors expect it will take me until late this Spring to regain it. I will continue as Apple’s CEO during my recovery.

I have given more than my all to Apple for the past 11 years now. I will be the first one to step up and tell our Board of Directors if I can no longer continue to fulfill my duties as Apple’s CEO. I hope the Apple community will support me in my recovery and know that I will always put what is best for Apple first.

So now I’ve said more than I wanted to say, and all that I am going to say, about this.

Steve

See that you Gizmodo bastards? All of you should fuck off and stop publishing ever again. You people are an absolute disgrace to the journalism world.

Here’s hoping that Steve Jobs lives on healthy, forever and ever!!!