As Cheryl Pell browsed the Internet on her MacBook on Wednesday night, she received an email announcing the death of one of the world’s leaders in technology.
Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple, had died earlier that day — doctors said Thursday that a long battle with pancreatic cancer probably was the cause of death. He was 56 years old.
“I felt that we had just lost a great visionary,” said Pell, a senior faculty specialist in MSU’s School of Journalism. “He has made such a huge impact on the way we think and do things.”
Jobs constructed Apple’s first product in his parent’s garage in 1976, along with company co-founder Steve Wozniak, launching what became the most profitable technology company in the world, according to CNN.
Now, with products ranging from Macintosh computers and laptops to various models of the iPod, iPhone and iPad, Jobs proved to be a progressive and influential pioneer in the rapidly evolving technology industry.
“There’s two types of people in the world — those that use Macs and those that don’t,” Pell said.
A devoted Mac-user since 1987, Pell said she genuinely was sad when she heard the news.
Although Apple’s products are somewhat expensive, she said they are worth the price.
“I just love (Apple’s) products,” Pell said. “It’s not just the great technology that takes place within but also the look and the feel and the simplicity — everything he did was what I believe in, in terms of design.”
She even waited in line outside an Apple store in March to purchase the iPad 2 when it first hit the market, she said.
“I know it’s ridiculous, but I did it because I wanted one so bad,” Pell said. “I’m in my 50s, and I still get excited about all of these products.”
Similar to Pell, business administration senior and MSU Computer Store employee Cole Frayer also discovered Jobs’ had died while using an Apple product.
While scanning his Twitter feed on his iPhone, Frayer saw posts about Jobs’ death and said he didn’t believe it at first.
“It’s always tough to lose a pioneer like that,” Frayer said. “He did a lot for Apple as a brand and a lot for technology in general.”
Although natural resource recreation and tourism sophomore Bryan Chapman currently uses a PC, he plans to hop on the Mac train soon by purchasing an iPad.
“Macs are made to be simple. They are definitely known to be user-friendly,” Chapman said. “Apple has really pushed the envelope in developing new technology.”
After taking a leave of absence in January due to health complications, Jobs officially stepped down as Apple CEO in late August, leaving Tim Cook to take over the position, according to CNN.
“Jobs has inspired so many people,” Pell said. “They believed in him and his mission and will continue forward.”
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