The technology world draws a collective sigh, and sheds tears of sadness across our world. Steve Jobs passed away at the age of 56 after a hard battle with a rare form of pancreatic cancer.
My first experience with Apple was at the age of 16. iPods had been out for a while, but I had no interest in the ‘Apple bandwagon’, so I never bought one. Then, in my last year of high school I bought a 5th generation iPod. The recently released Video (in a 60GB variety). I loved it. I stored tons of my music, put entire tv series I loved on it, and kept some movies on to watch during my spares. It was great, and I was the envy of my high school (a school of only 300, and as they were $500 no one had gotten one yet).
Eventually I stopped using the iPod, and Apple went by the wayside to me. I sat by and ridiculed the iPhone when it was announced, despite working in telecommunications for a few years. I thought a touch-screen phone was a stupid idea, even more so for a company who had never made a phone before.
The 3GS came out, I continued the same sentiments. When the iPhone 4 was announced I was blown away by the beauty of it. And more so, that an electronic device was actually truly beautiful. I knew I wanted and needed it. I then went out and got a 3GS to familiarize myself with the operating system. Come launch week, I went to my local Telus dealer, and got the iPhone 4. I was blown away by the design and simplicity. It was art in phone form, and my passion for telecommunications grew.
Later that year I got an iMac from my parents as a birthday gift. I had never used one, but was blown away with the aesthetics of it and quality of the display. That year, I lost my job. I felt like such a disappointment. The field I had exceeded in for years suddenly escaped me and I felt unskilled at anything. I went in to an Apple store and was blown away by the energy of the staff, so I applied. Somehow, I was hired on as a Specialist at West Edmonton, inspired by some amazing talent, and felt I belonged to a home. I found my passion, and a place to grow and start a career. I was able to become an Expert, and end up at the same store I was so impressed by that first time, and that is where I am today, with an amazing team who make every day a true blessing.
Steve Jobs has changed not only the world, but me. He’s given me hope for my future. He’s given me a family, a place where I can work hard and excel. He has shown me that you need to put your heart into something first, and then the rest of you. That life has no limits. That if you put others first, the rest will fall into place.
We have lost a titan of a man, a leader, a visionary, an artist, and an innovator. And a man that has literally shaped my life for as far into the future as I can see.
RIP Steve Jobs.
Josh Owen
1955 — 2011
date of birth:
2.24.1955
date of death:
10.5.2011
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