“R.I.P. Steve Jobs
(1955 - 2011)

Source: The Wall Street Journal

About 1.5 months ago, I blogged that Steve Jobs retired from Apple (See Post). Today, I am saddened by his death. Coincidentally,  I am blogging about it through my MacBook, which was one of Jobs' many innovations.

Tributes have poured in globally but I think these two quotes captured the essence of it all.

"Despite all he accomplished, it feels like he was just getting started," Disney CEO Robert Iger said.

(Source: Mashable)

“The world has lost a visionary,” Obama said. “And there may be no greater tribute to Steve’s success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented.”

(Source: Mashable)

Indeed, the world is now less brilliant due to the loss of a visionary in Steve Jobs. Twitter feeds have been abuzz with tributes but I believe had Steve Jobs been alive, he would have encouraged everyone of us to remain optimistic.

Spoken at Stanford University's Commencement Ceremony in 2005, Steve Jobs was forthcoming about life and urged graduates to seize the opportunities presented to them. More importantly, Steve encouraged everyone present then see the good within every setback, including DEATH. Looking back now, his words really resonated and I believe that having battled with pancreatic cancer for ages, death may not be that bad after all...

Steve Jobs' Commencement Address 2005

Source: StanfordUniversity

It's sort of a dampener that just after a day the iPhone 4S was launched, we have to deal with the news of Steve Jobs' death. Well, that's how life can twist and turn before we know it isn't it? Probably it's also fitting that Steve Jobs managed to at least "see" the launch of his brainchild in the iPhone 4S before taking his leave.

Of course, we can mourn and what not. At the end of the day, the legacy that Steve Jobs leave behind will carry on for years or centuries. Steve Jobs has brought Apple to the zenith of brands, with Apple now being the Most Valuable Global Brand (See Article from The Guardian). Now, the onus is on Apple's successors to carry on from where Steve Jobs left off and do his brand justice.

Once again, thank you Steve for the iPods, MacBooks, iPads etc that you have given to this world. Life would have been so different had it not been for you! I wish I could dim the backlight of my MacBook as a tribute to you but I just don't know how...so

THANK YOU!