Steve Jobs

The biography book of Steve Jobs written by Walter Isaacson has been around for a long time since Oct 2011. I remembered being very emotional learning from the news that Jobs passed away. Back then, I've already had my first Macbook from Apple and liked using it a lot. Jobs and his company impressed the world, so his leave was a shock even though people all knew Jobs had been struggling with his health since 2004. I was eager to learn more about him and also understand why he has been so influential and why Apple is so popular. Of course, the next year I also purchased my first iPhone and again enjoyed the experience.

I didn't get to read the book until this summer, when Dave's mother Sarah bought me this book as a birthday present. I kept it with me and would read a little every day before going to bed. Sometimes the book was so intriguing that I ended up falling asleep really late. Recently I finished this book and have to admit that my attitude to the book and more importantly to Steve Jobs has also changed.

Because of my own background experience, I sometimes do not see things from the same perspective as those from journalists. I would perceive them as opinions from rich people who often do not know what is actually happening. Nevertheless, I respect those who do a reasonable job in their own position regardless of their background not only because they do things, but because I might be wrong since I do not know everything. For example, I had no idea of the presence of Apple and its great products until after I came to the US, which was July 2010. By then, Macbook, iPod, iPhone and even iPad were becoming more and more available. Unfortunately, I had not had the privilege to experience any of them.

It's only after using Apple's products that I started understanding Apple, which also helped me understand what the book is trying to convey, that Apple and Jobs really wanted to make great products.

I bought my first product from Apple, a Macbook Pro, in Dec 2010. For the first time, I realized that computers could be made so well, which was a different experience from having my old Dell computer. I liked the look, the stunning screen,  the convenient multi-touchpad, the various tools for viewing photos, the music player, the iTunes which allowed me to listen to podcasts, the Mail app that allowed me to synchronize multiple accounts, the terminal command, and so many others. Later after I had my first iPhone, there was also the joy of synchronizing songs from my computer to my phone, and the iPhone was an excellent music player, way better than the MP3s that I had previously. Of course there are also things that I do not like, such as how my photos and music files are stored, how some of my Chinese files could not be identified properly (which could also be a problem with copyright issues), how Apple always likes to ask you for your ID when doing anything, etc. In the modern world where more and more open-source hardware and software are available, it is also arguable whether the closed and integrated model Apple is doing will last.

My worst relationship with Apple was when my iPhone 4S stopped working properly starting from the past summer. The battery would suddenly drop from 80% down to 20% and then the phone would shut down completely in cold weather. To make matters worse, the wifi connection on the phone once stopped working. The genius bar in the local Apple store told me that they couldn't fix it and suggested upgrading to a new one. I would love to if I'm in a better position, but I was able to fix it myself with a little advice from someone online who had the same issue. I understand that there is a lifetime for electronics, but the frequent breakdown of Apple products makes me wonder if the whole thing is necessary or simply some business trick that is aiming at boosting their sales revenue.

That being said, I think Jobs is not only visionary in making great products, but also a great businessman who understands deeply how business works. He once had the famous saying that people don't know what they want until you show them. Jobs may not be a nice guy to work with, but he was able to combine ideas (although without acknowledging other people who originally thought of the ideas) and introduce solid products that excite millions of people. For that, I admire and respect him, even though I dislike some of his ways of being a top manager.

Let us remember, not only Jobs but the products that bear his name and ideas, and eventually become our companions in our life. Still they may not be perfect, but we enjoy being friends with them and let them be part of our lives.