Steve Jobs
Born: Feb. 24, 1955
Died: Oct. 5, 2011
Steve Jobs, Apple’s guru and godfather for groundbreaking innovations, changed many industries, and he changed consumers’ attitudes about technology by making computers more accessible and friendly for the masses. He thought different.
Real estate has historically been an industry characterized as being on the back burner when it came to embracing new technologies. Apple’s iPhone and iPad represented a grand paradigm shift for the real estate industry, consolidating many devices, applications, and the power of the Internet. Such devices have empowered real estate professionals to be more mobile — and more productive and efficient in the field — than ever.
And real estate professionals were early adopters in flocking to the iPhone, the iPad, and then to the copycat smartphones and tablets that jumped on Apple’s bandwagon.
Those devices were a logical path on the innovation timeline for Jobs considering his previous breakthroughs in miniaturizing and simplifying technologies, and his skill at defiantly slipping through the fingers of other technology titans at just the right moments.
His foresight, stubbornness and perseverance paid off, time and time again.
Jobs led Apple’s birth and rebirth, and whether you’re in the PC crowd or the Mac crowd, you can appreciate the impact he’s had on the way we interact with technology and the way that technology empowers us to interact with one another.
Several Inman News columnists shared their thoughts on the passing of Steve Jobs:
"The iPhone and the iPad have been real game-changers for mobile professionals — especially Realtors. On a personal level, the first computer I ever owned was an Apple IIe. I cannot imagine life without an iPod. I think I have owned one of those since the year they were invented, whenever that was. I love music."
–Teresa Boardman, Inman News columnist and real estate broker with Saint Paul Home Realty
"Steve Jobs caused me 10 years of having to endure my husband’s ‘Get a Mac’ rant every time my PC crashed — until I finally converted. After shifting everything over to Apple three years ago, my PowerBook doesn’t seem any more intuitive to me than the first punch cards I used to run my doctoral research on a giant mainframe.
"And I would never, never go back to using a PC. No more crashes, no anti-virus software required, a bounce feature in email that helps me eliminate spammers, customer service that outshines anything else in the industry. Everything works together: my laptop, iPad, and iPhone.
"Mr. Jobs, your vision has changed the world for the better for billions of people. Rest in peace."
–Bernice Ross, Inman News columnist and CEO of RealEstateCoach.com
"The world lost one of its greatest leaders and innovators. Steve’s passion touched people and his products changed their lives. He truly put a ding in the universe."
–Tom Flanagan, Inman News columnist and director of information technology for Residential Properties Ltd.
Read more commentary at InmanNext.
Please feel free to share your thoughts here about what Steve Jobs has meant for the world, for the real estate industry as a whole, and for you, personally, or send them to press@inman.com.
