Alonso 1

Dominic Alonso Professor Jacobs MW ENC 1101 5 April 2014 Without the Apple Our world is built upon and ran by technology. Cell phones have become an essential part of the daily population in todays society. Most people at some point in their lives have owned an iPhone or another apple product. To most people their iPhone is their most important device throughout the day, without it they probably would not be able to do their job. For instance, people can now instant message via text, or stay updated with the latest news around. Regardless on how technology is used, society has grown accustomed to a norm of having it and adapted to a new way of life technologically. This new norm could not have been possible without a great thinker and innovator like Steve Jobs and Apple, the company he founded, set to usher a new way of life. Apple granted us with its great technological innovations by creating a device capable of provide us with a near unlimited capacity of music stored on a single device. This transformed us from an era where compact discs were used universally throughout the world. Apple went through hardships throughout its growing process as a company in the beginning, but little did people know that a company that had began with two individuals in a garage, would later revolutionize our world tremendously. Steve Jobs, born in San Francisco, adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs since they were unable to have children as stated by The Telegraph, would later drop out of college as a

Alonso 2

freshman. He felt that what was being taught to him was insufficient to what he personally felt he could accomplish. Steve went on a spiritual journey to India before being the founder of Apple. Steve Jobs and his friend Steve Wozniak would then build a prototype computer in the garage of his parents (The Guardian). Apple would then release the Apple I and soon after the Apple II. Most people do not know that Bill Gates actually invested $350 million on Apple regardless of the rivalry. Having a steady income flow was one of the many struggles Steve faced with the company starting out. Even as a CEO of his own company, he always felt the need to prove himself. The greatest thing about the struggles he went through and his ambition is that it helped make his dream a reality. Steve had a vision to change the world and that soon would manifest into reality in the year 1997. Apple Inc. which stands for Apple Computer, Inc, is a company that distributes electronic technological devices for people. They build computers, computer software, and electronic devices like their famous iPod. Apple struggled to gain any speed starting out with many financial issues or getting people to invest in them. One of Apples moves to alter their current course would be to bring in Steve Jobs as interim chief executive. (The New York Times) Most can recall at least seeing one of the first Macintosh computers with the green and blue tops. These were around the 1990s and during that time most people hardly knew how to use these computers because of the different operating system it ran on compared to Microsoft Windows operating system. Microsoft had set a standard for all computers early in their lifespan. Times change and most people in present day are more familiar if not accustomed to using Apple operating system. Apart from the straightforward use of computers and laptops, most Apple consumers use their products to listen to music (iPod) or connect daily with other people around them via iPhone.

Alonso 3

. Imagine doing daily work on a computer without a mouse; certainly it would be difficult to do simple mouse task with only a keyboard. The mouse was first conceived by Doug Engelbart in the early 1960s. (Educational Software Review) Many companies created prototypes but Apple was the first to truly perfect the mouse. Apple modified the Lisa Mouse model and introduced it with the Macintosh 128K. Microsoft predicted the heavily investment Apple made on the mouse addition would backfire. Microsoft did adopt a mouse accessory before Apple, unfortunately it never caught on with consumers. Apple revolutionized the way society use computers by incorporating a mouse accessory that later became a standard with consumers to control their computers. This creation would then evolve from a wired accessory to a wireless that in modern society is now built into laptops. Music is a part of almost everyones life in some way. Before Apple, people would have to listen to music played live by instruments. Technology later advanced over time and switched from being played on vinyl, to a cassette, and then to a compact disc. Unfortunately only a certain amount of songs would fit into these methods. Our world then started to change and move into the digital world with the introduction of computers and especially the internet. With the introduction of the internet, it opened a vast library of music. There was only one problem, where to store the music and how it would be carried without heavy books of CDs. Apple would then introduce breakthrough MP3 music player that packs up to 1,000 CD-quality songs into an ultra-portable, 6.5 ounce design that fits in your pocket. (Apple Press) MP3s were in fact in the market but nothing definitive like the new product Apple introduced in 2001. Apple had done it once again and revolutionized and set a standard on how music is portably stored and used. This had an effect on other technological giants like Microsoft, Samsung, and Sony. Most people by now own an iPod and who can blame these other tech giants for attempting to create a

Alonso 4

similar successful product like Apple did. Copying the blueprints, Microsoft created their very own product known as the Zune, but it was not a big success like the iPod was. The innovation Apple brought to the table changed the way people listened to music, going from a cassette player, to a walkman, and to what is now known to all as an iPod. With the iPod, Apple created iTunes where a huge storage of music would be collected all into one place. Today this is a huge advancement from carrying a case full of cassettes or CDs. IPods changed forever the way people listen to music. As consumers wanted more Apple products, iPods easily transitioned from physical buttons to touch screens MP3s that included apps, letting us know the weather on demand, news, and even watch videos from YouTube. Since the first introduction of the first iPod many improvements were made to the original mp3 from Apple. Now our music listening experience goes farther than just having music in one device but also the use of the internet and other social media sites instantaneously available all on one device. Things back in the 1980s and 1990s are not as simple as they are today. Back in those times people had to carry multiple cartridges or disc if they wanted to listen to a vast variety of music. In present day most people around the world either use their iPod or their iPhone, another apple product, to store their favorite music. Music is part of everyday life and even if it is not stored on an Apple device, it is stored on a device made by a company that most likely followed Apples footsteps. Apple also brought out a successful mouse that many other inventors could not. In the early stages a computer could only be directed by the use of a keyboard. Microsoft doubted Apple in their investment but it was Apple who had the last laugh. Apple in todays economy is a massive technological juggernaut. Apple revolutionized the world by giving consumers great and easy to use products. Thanks to Apple the creation of the computer mouse survived and is an essential part of our computers on how we navigate through it

Alonso 5

Works Cited Aubrey, Alicia. "Apple - Press Info - Apple Presents IPod." Apple - Press Info - Apple Presents IPod. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Apr. 2014. <http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2001/10/23Apple-Presents-iPod.html>. Batty, David. Steve Jobs: from parents garage to world power. Theguardian. Gaurdian News and Media, 5 October 2011. Web. 29 Mar. 2014. <http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2011/oct/06/steve-jobs-timeline-apple> Maisel, Andrew. "Father of the Mouse: Doug Engelbart. An Exclusive Interview in SuperKids Software Review." Father of the Mouse: Doug Engelbart. An Exclusive Interview in SuperKids Software Review. Educational Software Review, n.d. Web. 05 Apr. 2014. The Associated Press. Apple Formally Names Jobs as Interim Chief. Technology Cybertimes. The New York Times, 17 September 1997. Web. 29 Mar. 2014. <http://partners.nytimes.com/library/cyber/week/091797apple.html> Resources "A History of Windows." Windows.microsoft.com. N.p., Nov. 2013. Web. 10 Apr. 2014. <http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/history#T1=era5>. "CD." Abbreviations.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2014. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. <http://www.abbreviations.com/CD>. Stone, Brad. "Steve Jobs: The Return, 1997-2011." Bloomberg Business Week. Bloomberg, 06 Oct. 2011. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.

Alonso 6

<http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/the-return-1997201110062011.html>. Warman, Matt. "Steve Jobs: Adopted Child Who Never Met His Biological Father." The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 06 Oct. 2011. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.

<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/steve-jobs/8811345/Steve-Jobs-adopted-childwho- never-met-his-biological-father.html>.