Steve Jobs Was An iCon
By Andrew Cardinali, 97.1 The Ticket Correspondent
Avid Apple fans are always anticipating the next big announcement. They're usually about the gadgets we all know and love or the next step in the next phase of the greatest tech company in the world.
Unfortunately, this announcement was not that of the iPhone 4S - but rather of the untimely death of Apple's founder, former CEO, and all around dream weaver - Steve Jobs.
In the midst of an evening full of conflicted emotions, I sat lazily on my couch. Half full of nerves and disdain over the previous night's difficult Tigers' loss, half eager and excited about the upcoming Monday night football game - I did as I do most nights, and frantically huddled around the warm glow of my over-used iPhone 4.
A swirl of uncertainty ran through my head as I plowed through a wide assortment of various opinions on the upcoming release of the latest installment of the iPhone phenomenon. Was it worth the cost of an upgrade? As a total Apple nut, could I honestly cope with the idea of other's actually having an iPhone superior to my own?
It's this anxious feeling that defines Mr. Jobs' true genius. To develop products that keep consumers eagerly on the edges of their seats, anticipating the next announcement about the next version of our favorite gadgets. Hundreds of dollars worth of perfectly good pre-existing technology already in our pockets, yet driven to willingly hand over even hundreds more just to stay on the cutting edge. Some might call such behavior an obsession, others pure lunacy - but to fellow avid Apple fans such as myself...it's just business as usual.
Midway through browsing my Twitter timeline, I grumbled angrily, still reading tweets proclaiming excellence towards the Curtis Granderson diving catches from the night before. A couple more 140-character explanations of the latest installment of Billionaire-vs-Millionaire drama in the NBA. Then it hit me. First it was a couple of small hash tags laced "RIP" messages dedicated to Mr. Jobs. In the wake of a recent Twitter faux pas where Steve Jobs was mistakenly announced deceased, I didn't want to rush to any conclusions.
A quick refresh of my timeline, and the truth hit me in the face like a sack full of iPads. The genius had left us. The man with more vision and creative inspiration than most people commonly referred to as "artists", was now gone. This hurt.
Steve Jobs spoke about his products with such conviction and passion that it was difficult not to share his excitement. His ability to keep his head in the stars, and outright refusal to allow impossibility get in the way of his vision is the stuff that inspires entire generations.
It's true he has left us, but I can honestly say I do not doubt that the ripple effect of this man's short time on earth will be felt among all of us for many, many years to come. The genius in the black turtleneck, he truly was an iCon.
