Steve Jobs : an Apple a day...

It was a fine Thursday morning in India when I woke up to complete some of my work on the computer. I logged in to my Facebook account, to see my news feed full of  posts about the untimely demise of a significant personality.

 
Just a day after the unveiling of his latest iPhone 4S, barely a couple of months after retiring from the post of Apple's CEO; Steve Paul Jobs had passed away.

The man himself

 
To be very frank, I am more of a Bill Gates person. But Jobs was in an entirely different league altogether. From  an adopted baby to a world class citizen, from a drug addict to a computer whiz, from a simple technician at a video game company to the CEO of one of the most successful companies on the planet; Steve Jobs has done it all. The life and times of Steve Jobs are colourful and for all of us to see.

Early Days

So when the man died from his long fight against pancreatic cancer on 5th of October, the world mourned for him. It felt queer. The man behind Apple Inc. The man who had changed the world of communication, information, sharing, music, computers and what not.

While Apple was his brainchild, he had to stay away from it for some time. This was when companies like NeXT and the most successful animation label Pixar were born. His impact on Apple was so much so that during his absence, Apple became hapless. But after his impending return as iCEO, there was no looking back. He masterminded the development of radical, brilliant and efficient computers in the form of the Macintosh hierarchy. His computers set the benchmark for others to follow. But Jobs did not stop there. He produced colossally successful devices like iPod, iPhone, iPad out of his hat which revolutionized not only the industry, but also our lifestyles. 

   

The man had 317 patents under his name, a sign of his grandeur. The simple yet elegant designs, the robust efficiency of his products were some of the reasons which led many other companies to ape his style. He was a mentor, an idol, a graven image in the hearts of  many a technical and design minded people. One of the greatest modern inventors, he was a visionary and a guiding light for learners all over the globe. 

On a personal level, Jobs was an artist in his own right. His outlook to life aptly matched his success and splendour. A person who led life his way, he was a contemporary thinker. He indulged in narcotics, turned Buddhist and had daughters from various women; someone who followed his intuition and urged others to do so.

                                 Jobs's famous Stanford commencement address.

The death of Jobs has indeed sparked many emotions with the likes of Barack Obama, his long time rival Bill Gates and a horde of known and unknown people. A paragon personality, Steve Jobs might be dead, but his legacy, his Apple will carry on...

Tablet Computers : Are they really useful?

Tablet Computers - the next big thing in the computer world. Tablet computers were first released on a large scale by Apple in 2010 in the form of 'iPad'. Given the heavy marketing and Apple's glamorous status, the 'iPad' was an instant success. Other computer giants soon followed suit and today the tablet market has grown on a humongous scale. The tablet has fast carved a niche for itself between a smartphone and a laptop.

    

 Yes, tablets are slick and cool. It is one of those things that guys from sci-fi movies of the past used to work on and we would all stare in amazement. But do tablets have any real utility? Or are they merely an accessory? I would like to go with the latter.

    

 

Firstly, tablets are expensive. One can get the most decent  laptop or net-book at the price of the cheapest tablet. A laptop gives more processing power, more applications and more hardware paraphernalia. A tablet, in contrast is just a gimmick. Also, a laptop can just as easily fit in your bag as a tablet. If you can play games on a tablet, it is nothing compared to what kind of games you can play on a laptop.

    

On a professional level, it would be very hard to replace a laptop, since office and design applications will always need the expert navigation and a keyboard which it provides. If compatible, these applications would be very difficult and frustrating to use on a tablet. Imagine directing your fingers along the many tabs and tools of such an application along with the more than half-a-screen blocking virtual keypad. To tackle these problems, we always have pricey tablet accessories like a physical keyboard and mouse. Yes a screen, a keyboard and mouse; laptop, anyone?

    

 Also, a tablet can not match the portability and handiness that a cell phone provides. With a smartphone one can browse the web, send messages, play games and most importantly, call people. All that and it fits in your pocket. A tablet on the other hand is just an over sized smartphone which will not fit on your palm, however big your palm may be. Agreed that with additional services, one can call people via a tablet. But it is not always convenient to keep a gigantic slate pressed against your ears every time you want to talk. Of course, a simple earphone will see to that problem; but still, would you not prefer a phone instead?

Having ranted about the tablet, I agree that there are some advantages to it. It makes an excellent and perfect e-book reader, is great for on-the-go multimedia and allows you to use itself even in a relaxed position.

    

But again you can see videos/listen to music/watch pictures on your laptop or phone with a wee bit adjustment from your side. And these advantages do not justify the purchase of a tablet over a smartphone or a laptop, unless of course you have a big pocket and are ready give in to the bling value.

What I have here is fistful of uses and a heap of cons. But again, its just my opinion (as is my blog) and the topic is highly debatable...