Steve Jobs

When did I fall in love with Apple? I don’t remember, probably it was the first time I saw an all-in-one aluminium iMac at a local computer store. It was the time when that concept was not heard. Then I knew, Apple manufactured gorgeous computers, but, I had my doubts about the OS. Added to that the computer costed a bomb, so I passed it over. The next time Apple caught my attention was when they released the iPod. I love mobile gadgets. Be it a gaming handheld, or a Walkman. I had an excellent CD Walkman from Sony, but, the iPod was revolutionary (I’d vote this as the best invention of our times). 40gb hard disk? That was the size of the hard disk of my desktop at home. I begged my family to give me the money and purchased it. I was in love. All my music library (which was considerable huge) fitted comfortably in the iPod  I used the heck out of it. But, as time moved, devices got sleeker and sexier. My iPod felt like a brick. I bought a iPod Shuffle (Voice over edition). It was sleek, but, I had tough time with it – the voice over couldn’t pronounce the songs. But, I stuck with it. One day while working, I saw the ad for iPhone. My jaw dropped. A cellphone with only touch input? I wanted it badly.

As with any Apple products, the price scared me away. It was too high. But, I knew I had to take the plunge, and plunge I did when I bought my first iMac. Standing tall at 27 inches, it just changed the way I looked at internet and what it means to have a personal computer. And, last year, finally, after a very long wait, I bought an iPhone. My life changed for the better after I got that gadget. It was not just a phone, I sometimes even forget I can use it to make calls. With Apple products in my hand, I dwelled into Apple universe. I loved what I found. A dedicated group of developers and customers driven to make the “Apple” experience great. I replaced whatever gadgets I could with Apple. Then, I asked myself, why were people falling in love with Apple? What caused the maniacal obsession? The answer was obvious – the man behind everything. He inspired everyone.

Apple’s universe revolved around one person – Steve Jobs – the rock star of technology. I just knew him as a CEO of Apple, but now I researched about him – I wanted to know his philosophy. After watching all the videos I could and reading all the books I could lay my hands on, I became fascinated with his personality. Famously described as a jerk to work with, but known for his work ethic, I found there were lessons I could learn from him. Some I’ve incorporated into my life.

• First – ‘Focus’. Just get down to basics. What is the ‘essential’? What do you absolutely need and what do you don’t? Concentrate only on that, irrespective of what others dictate, what others say is must & should.
  • Learning: What are you good at? Focus relentlessly on them. Don’t be a jack of all trades, just master a few.
• Second – ‘Experience’. What kind of experience does your product provide? How do consumers feel about your product? What will they remember long after they stopped using it? Create that product.
  • Learning: What kind of a life do you want? What experiences do you want? What kind of life do you want to reminiscence  What do you want others to say about you in your memorial service? Create that life.
• Third – ‘Quality’. Every Apple product oozes with quality. They look & feel great. They are known for industrial design. Heck, even there packaging is stellar. Whatever they do, they do it like art.
  • Learning: Not everything is worth doing, but if if’s worth doing, then it’s worth doing with utmost care. What do people at your workplace think about your work? How do others feel about how you handle things? Do they think you give your best in everything?

After writing all this, I wondered if I picked these qualities from Apple or Steve Jobs. But, aren’t they both synonymous? I miss him today. I wonder what new product he would’ve introduced and changed all our lives had he been here. Time passes on, but his legacy will live in the hearts of every Apple geek. RIP Steve. Thank you for everything.