Steve Jobs: A Life Remembered 1955-2011

CEO. Tech-Guru. Artist. There are few corporate figures as famous and well-regarded as former-Apple CEO Steve Jobs. His list of achievements is staggering, and his contribution to modern technology, digital media, and indeed the world as a whole, cannot be downplayed.

With his passing on October 5, 2011, readersdigest.ca looks back at some of his greatest achievements, and pays our respects to a digital pioneer who helped pave the way for a generation of technology, and possibilities, few could have imagined.

How has Steve Jobs' inventions changed the way you live your life, view the world or interact with technology? Share your feelings in the comment box below.

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Macintosh: Released in 1984, the Macintosh turned computing mainstream, thanks to its groundbreaking mouse and graphic-user interface. It exploded onto the scene with an elaborate Super Bowl commercial, created by none other than Hollywood-director Ridley Scott.

Pixar: Before Pixar made Academy Award-winning films like Up, Wall-e, and Toy Story, it had struggled as both a computer hardware manufacturer and animator. Purchased by Jobs from George Lucas in 1986, Pixar would go on to become one of the most profitable animation studios in the world. To date their films have grossed over $6 billion worldwide. Here is Pixar’s earliest animated short, created in 1986, Luxo Jr.

iPod, iTunes, iPhone and the iPad: Jobs’ return to his position as Apple’s CEO in 1997 saw him usher in a new line of consumer electronics which would define a generation. The first iPod, released on November 10, 2001, proved to be a watershed moment for both Apple, the average consumer, and the entertainment industry as a whole.