His Biography
Born on February 24, 1955 in San Francisco, California, Steve Jobs was an adoptive child. He was then adopted by Clara Jobs and Paul Jobs. As he was beginning his life with his new family, Steve started school. He was never interested in it until the 4th grade when his teacher started bribing Steve with candy and $5 bills to do his work. With this method, Steve started doing very well in school. He did so great that he was able to skip the 5th grade and head straight to middle school.
In high school, Steve developed his fascination in electronics and technology. He took an electronic class and even had a summer job at the HP company. During this time, Steve met Stephen Wozniak or Woz. Even though they had an age gap (Woz at 19 years old at the time, and Steve at age 14), they both a had one thing in common. Together they shared an interest in technology. As their friendship grew, they created small electronics. Woz had been working on a computer and together they had built "blue boxes." These were devices that was able to block AT&T long distance lines, so you were able to make free phone calls.
After high school, Steve wanted to attend Reed College, but only after a semester, he dropped out. During this time, Steve was getting into eastern philosophy. He then got hired at a video game shop and was able to save up enough money for a trip to India to seek enlightenment. When Steve came back, he started taking up an interest in electronics again with his old friend Woz.
Woz at that moment was attending meetings of a group called Homebrew Computer Club. This flourished his knowledge for technology enabling him to build his very own computer. Steve was fascinated by Woz creation and thought people would love to buy it. Steve convinced Woz to establish a company together. So on April 1, 1976, the Apple Computer was born. Steve Jobs then showed an Apple-1 to a guy named Paul Terrell who owned a Byte Shop computer store. He wanted to order 50 of the machines for his store. The sale was successful. With this achievement, Steve wanted to create a new and improved computer that everyone could use. Steve and Woz, didn't have the money to create an entire new computer. The banks wouldn't loan them money either because the idea back then was foolish. They then meet Mike Markkula, who was a retired from Intel. He like their idea and believed it could be successful. Mike then decided to personally invest $250,000 for them. "Steve and I get a lot of credit, but Mike Markkula was probably more responsible for our early success, and you never hear about him." said Steve and Wozniak in Failure Magazine.
In high school, Steve developed his fascination in electronics and technology. He took an electronic class and even had a summer job at the HP company. During this time, Steve met Stephen Wozniak or Woz. Even though they had an age gap (Woz at 19 years old at the time, and Steve at age 14), they both a had one thing in common. Together they shared an interest in technology. As their friendship grew, they created small electronics. Woz had been working on a computer and together they had built "blue boxes." These were devices that was able to block AT&T long distance lines, so you were able to make free phone calls.
After high school, Steve wanted to attend Reed College, but only after a semester, he dropped out. During this time, Steve was getting into eastern philosophy. He then got hired at a video game shop and was able to save up enough money for a trip to India to seek enlightenment. When Steve came back, he started taking up an interest in electronics again with his old friend Woz.
Woz at that moment was attending meetings of a group called Homebrew Computer Club. This flourished his knowledge for technology enabling him to build his very own computer. Steve was fascinated by Woz creation and thought people would love to buy it. Steve convinced Woz to establish a company together. So on April 1, 1976, the Apple Computer was born. Steve Jobs then showed an Apple-1 to a guy named Paul Terrell who owned a Byte Shop computer store. He wanted to order 50 of the machines for his store. The sale was successful. With this achievement, Steve wanted to create a new and improved computer that everyone could use. Steve and Woz, didn't have the money to create an entire new computer. The banks wouldn't loan them money either because the idea back then was foolish. They then meet Mike Markkula, who was a retired from Intel. He like their idea and believed it could be successful. Mike then decided to personally invest $250,000 for them. "Steve and I get a lot of credit, but Mike Markkula was probably more responsible for our early success, and you never hear about him." said Steve and Wozniak in Failure Magazine.
As Steve and Woz's success was starting off, they wanted to continue it and move forward. That's where they had came up with a new and improved computer, the Apple II. It was a huge advancement compared to the original Apple I. It had many features including a connected keyboard and case, colored graphics, and it could be used right out of the box, no setting up or having the hassle of putting it together. But the quality that made the Apple II so successful was the VisiCalc. It was a spreadsheet program that allowed anyone to make calculations at home. Business owners, accountants, any job or career that dealt with math and money was able to use VisiCalc on the Apple II. It was convenient and efficient. The VisiCalc was such a demand in the education and business departments, it made the Apple II so high and successful in sales.
Although Apple's journey success was quick, it ended after many new products that failed. IBM at the time was exceeding Apple's sales. When Steve tried to compete with them, he created the Macintosh. Even though it still had positive sales, it was not enough. This led to Steve being fired from Apple.
This did not stop Steve. He then came up with a new company called NeXT. Even with new products being produced from Steve's new company, it never actually became successful as Apple. Later in the year, he bought an animation company and named it Pixar Animation Studios. Steve had a vision where he wanted to make films using computer animation only. At that time, there wasn't a computer with that kind of technology to fulfill Steve's dream. During the next few years, Pixar won an Academy Award for its short film "Tin Boy." As Pixar was slowly taking off, Disney decided to sign a deal with them to create a movie full of computer animations. On November 22, 1995, Toy Story came into theaters and was a huge hit. Pixar's film stock was so high, Steve was making five times more than he was when he was in Apple.
Although Apple's journey success was quick, it ended after many new products that failed. IBM at the time was exceeding Apple's sales. When Steve tried to compete with them, he created the Macintosh. Even though it still had positive sales, it was not enough. This led to Steve being fired from Apple.
This did not stop Steve. He then came up with a new company called NeXT. Even with new products being produced from Steve's new company, it never actually became successful as Apple. Later in the year, he bought an animation company and named it Pixar Animation Studios. Steve had a vision where he wanted to make films using computer animation only. At that time, there wasn't a computer with that kind of technology to fulfill Steve's dream. During the next few years, Pixar won an Academy Award for its short film "Tin Boy." As Pixar was slowly taking off, Disney decided to sign a deal with them to create a movie full of computer animations. On November 22, 1995, Toy Story came into theaters and was a huge hit. Pixar's film stock was so high, Steve was making five times more than he was when he was in Apple.
Even though Pixar was thriving, NeXT was not. Simultaneously, Apple was facing the same problem. Microsoft released the Windows 95: a copy of the Mac OS. This caused the Macintosh sales to decrease greatly. As the Apple company tried to save itself, they wanted to buy NeXT's software. Steve then convinced them to buy the whole company instead. In December 1996, Steve Jobs was back at the company he founded. To get Apple's stock and sales back up and running, he had to create a new product. In May 1998, Steve created the IMac. It was translucent computer. With this quality, it shocked the whole PC industries. Other companies were only able to manufacture black or beige computers. With this innovation, Steve was able to put the Apple company back on track. Throughout the later years, Steve was able to create more Apple products, including the IPod, MacBook Air, & the IPhone that then improved and revolutionized to the products we have today.
In 2003, Steve Jobs was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Instead of getting his surgery immediately, he stuck to his beliefs of the Eastern Philosophy. For nine months, Steve based his ways treatment and diet off of the Eastern principles. This worried the whole entire Apple company. On July 2004, Steve finally agreed to go through with the surgery. The surgery went well and for the next 5 years, he was healthy.
In June 2008, Steve health started to decline. He was getting weaker and becoming frail. By the month of December, Apple announced that he could not make it to a speaking event. They also, announced that he was taking a 6 months medical leave due to the fact that his pancreatic cancer returned. In April, Steve got the liver transplant he needed need to live. It was enough for him to live, but Steve was still in a unstable state. Even with this reason, he still returned to Apple to continue his work. During this time, Steve managed to create the IPad and the program ICloud. As the cancer was taking over his life, Steve knew that he needed to be prepare and to not leave Apple without an objective. In 2008, he created an Apple University at the Yale School of Management. Here students are prepped and groom to become future executives of Apple. They are exposed to history of the company, and exposed to how it runs and works. Steve had to make sure that Apple would be able to manage without him. On October 5, 2011. Steve Jobs passed away in his home at the age of 56. Following his death, the IPhone4s was introduced.
In 2003, Steve Jobs was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Instead of getting his surgery immediately, he stuck to his beliefs of the Eastern Philosophy. For nine months, Steve based his ways treatment and diet off of the Eastern principles. This worried the whole entire Apple company. On July 2004, Steve finally agreed to go through with the surgery. The surgery went well and for the next 5 years, he was healthy.
In June 2008, Steve health started to decline. He was getting weaker and becoming frail. By the month of December, Apple announced that he could not make it to a speaking event. They also, announced that he was taking a 6 months medical leave due to the fact that his pancreatic cancer returned. In April, Steve got the liver transplant he needed need to live. It was enough for him to live, but Steve was still in a unstable state. Even with this reason, he still returned to Apple to continue his work. During this time, Steve managed to create the IPad and the program ICloud. As the cancer was taking over his life, Steve knew that he needed to be prepare and to not leave Apple without an objective. In 2008, he created an Apple University at the Yale School of Management. Here students are prepped and groom to become future executives of Apple. They are exposed to history of the company, and exposed to how it runs and works. Steve had to make sure that Apple would be able to manage without him. On October 5, 2011. Steve Jobs passed away in his home at the age of 56. Following his death, the IPhone4s was introduced.