CRI听力:Steve Jobs, Simplifying Complicated Things

Steve Jobs, who fought against pancreatic cancer for a number of years, left the world in late 2011, at the age of 56.

Millions of his followers around the world were left grieving upon hearing the news.

"To hear the news of his passing today was rough. He contributed a lot both to the world and technology specifically."

"Steve Jobs changed the way we do things in New Deli a lot."

Jobs not only won the hearts of many Apple users around the globe, he was also praised by his business rival Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, and even U.S. President Barack Obama.

President Obama was quoted as saying that Steve was among the greatest American innovators, brave enough to think differently, bold enough to believe he could change the world, and talented enough to do it.

Steve Jobs always emphasized technology could change the world and he was devoted to making that happen throughout his lifetime, whatever life threw at him.

"It's in Apple's DNA that technology alone is not enough. It is that technology marrying liberal arts and humanity that yields us the results that make our hearts sing."

He made an uNPRecedented impact on the world's consumer electronics market with a string of successful products. In little more than a decade, he took Apple from near-bankruptcy to being the world's second most valuable company by market capitalization, with around 80 billion U.S. dollars in the bank.

Charles Arthur, technology editor with The Guardian newspaper, says Apple's products redefined three entire industries, music, mobile telephony and personal computing.

"If you look back his life, he revolutionized three businesses, and computers. They created the first personal computer, with mouse on. He revolutionized the film business because computer-animated film was unknown until Pixar appeared. And the whole music industry was revolutionized with the emergence of the iTunes store in 2003."

Through iTunes, Jobs provided a simple way for users to buy digital content where previously they would have downloaded pirated copies. The iTunes store turned out to be a huge success. They sold millions of songs in the first year. Even more remarkably, they sold their first million songs in the very first month of its launch.

Throughout his lifetime, Jobs was described as a control freak, He was known to have rejected hundreds of ideas in the quest for his idea of perfection. He pursued beauty of simplicity, and highlighted that electronic devices should be easy to use and technology should change people's life for the better.

Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple computer, says Jobs was continuously driving innovative things to happen.

"He has the ability to think about new ways of doing things, not just improving what we've had, or a better version or something. But he tried to do it in a totally different way that the whole world will swing towards it."

The iPhone is a case in point. Jobs delivered the iPhone in Jan. 2007. The moment the iPhone was out, the amazing electronics device created a stir around the world. Crowds of people were willing to queue up for hours in the hope of getting their hands on an iPhone as soon as possible, upon its original launch worldwide.

The iPhone is not merely for making calls. Its function centers around the apps that were designed for it. For iPhone users, it is a gateway to amazing downloadable software, be it for shopping, entertainment or studying.

Jobs' desire to deliver the best possible customer experience also led him to open Apple retail stores.

Rita Clifton, chairman of Interbrand UK, says the retailing store brings customers the unique Apple experience, which in turn boosts Apple's popularity and brand image.

"Apple's move into retail is not about opening a shop, but rather Apple opens up its experience. And it allows people to buy Apple products in a kind of style, in a kind of environment that really suited that brand."

What Jobs left us is not confined to cool gadgets, such as one-button iPhones which do much more than just making phone calls, or the iPod with a scroll-wheel which allows you to easily browse thousands of songs in seconds, or the iPad which surprises you with its size, weight and powerful functions.

More importantly, Jobs inspired us to be innovative, to seek perfection relentlessly, to believe that the impossible is actually possible, and to simplify complicated things to make life better with the help of ever-changing technologies.

No wonder Jobs' business rival Bill Gates praised his achievement so highly after hearing about his death. Gates is quoted as saying that the world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come.