With the amount of media influence today, it’s a wonder any information can be gleaned from its maw. However, on October 5, all news venues were reporting the same: Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, has passed. From National Public Radio to Fox News, Tumblr to AOL, anyone with access to news would hear the fate of one of the world’s most famous and innovative technological minds.

In the realm of modern technology, one cannot go more than a few paces without encountering a product of Steve Job’s imagination—anything with a prefix i- branches from Apple. Debuting in 2001, the iPod has revolutionized the way we approach music. Nearly everyone has one of these portable MP3 players, something that has evolved over time to shapes both thick and thin, black and silver, click wheel and touch screen. The iPod and its derivative iPad have infiltrated our lives with their sleek designs and large capacities, giving our music files new life; Macintosh computers awaiting the commands of our digits and mouse-clicks, giving processors new capabilities. From the Macintosh desktops in computer labs to iPads in Digital English, even Bethel High has integrated Apple products into learning. All of this would not be possible without the innovation of Steve Jobs.

Born in 1955, Steve Jobs died at the age of 56 due to pancreatic cancer. He was diagnosed with the disease in 2005, but still battled on. Co-founding Apple in 1976 with Steve Wozniak, Jobs began marketing a personal computer known as Apple II, a gateway for the myriad of processors and technology that was to follow. Jobs built the company into a multimillion dollar success, developing products that have revolutionized the way we approach technology. Even though he stepped down as chief executive this past August, he has remained an important figure in modern technology, and even in his death we carry on with the technical legacy he paved for us in metal and LCD screens.

For additional reading:
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/steve-jobs-apple-ceo-dies/story?id=14383813
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs