NST Online: Topnews

Posted: 05 Oct 2011 06:40 PM PDT

SAN FRANCISCO: The Apple chairman and former Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs passed away on Wednesday after a long struggle with pancreatic cancer.

He was 56 years old, reported China's Xinhua news agency. Steve's brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives," Apple said in a statement.

"The world is immeasurably better because of Steve."

The American computer entrepreneur and inventor had been suffering from various health issues following the seven-year anniversary of his surgery for a rare form of pancreatic cancer in August 2004.

Apple announced in January that he would be taking an indeterminate medical leave of absence, with Jobs then stepping down from his role as CEO in late August 24.

"His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene Powell, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts," Xinhua quoted the statement as saying.

"Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being," the company said in a statement.

"Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built and this spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple."

Apple has also put up the following website in memory. They're asking for "thoughts, memories, and condolences" to be shared by way of this email address: rememberingsteve@apple.com

While, Jobs' family, in a statement said that: "Steve died peacefully surrounded by his family. We are grateful for the support and kindness of those who share our feelings for Steve.

"We know many of you will mourn with us, and we ask that you respect our privacy during our time of grief." Apple's website has changed to "Steve Jobs: 1955-2011," along with the most iconic picture in which the scraggly bearded charismatic visionary posed with one hand up to his chin.
One of the most legendary businessmen in American history, Jobs turned three separate industries on their head in the 35 years he was involved in the technology industry.

Personal computing was invented with the launch of the Apple II in 1977. Legal digital music recordings were brought into the mainstream with the iPod and iTunes in the early 2000s, and mobile phones were never the same after the 2007 debut of the iPhone.

Jobs played an instrumental role in the development of all three, and managed to find time to transform the art of computer-generated movie-making on the side. The invention of the iPad in 2010, a touch-screen tablet computer his competitors flocked to reproduce, was the capstone of his career as a technologist.

A conceptual hybrid of a touch-screen iPod and a slate computer, the 10-inch mobile device was Jobs' vision for a more personal computing device. In 1986, Jobs bought The Graphics Group (later renamed Pixar) from Lucasfilm's computer graphics division for the price of $10 million.

Due to his young age, great wealth, and charisma, after Apple's founding Jobs became a symbol of his company and industry.

When TIME named the computer as the 1982 "Machine of the Year", it published a long profile of him as "the most famous maestro of the micro. Jobs was prominently featured in three films about the history of the personal computing industry.

Jobs remained Chairman of the Board at the company, as well as director and an Apple employee. He recommended that company Chief Operating Officer (COO) Tim Cook take his place as CEO. On Tuesday, Cook gave his first keynote address as CEO, unveiling the new iPhone 4S. -- BERNAMA

Strive for innovation, PM tells corporations

Posted: 05 Oct 2011 10:56 AM PDT

2011/10/06
By Alang Bendahara
alang@nst.com.my

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin congratulating the SIFE World Cup winners from University of Regenburg, Germany, yesterday. With them is International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed. — NST picture by Sairien Nafis

KUALA LUMPUR: The private sector needs to play a more active role in helping the government's efforts to move the country towards becoming an innovation economy.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said as part of its innovation agenda, the government would support efforts of corporations, research organisations and individuals.

"This includes developing human capital, investing in innovation infrastructure and nurturing new ventures through incubators.

"I also want to see more innovations that are capable of being commercialised, and I urge the private sector to come forward and collaborate with universities and schools to innovate new products with the potential to contribute to economic growth and to our societal well-being," said Najib at a dinner to mark the Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) World Cup 2011, a prestigious event being held for the first time in Malaysia. His speech was delivered by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Najib said the government wanted to develop world-class educational institutions with world-class leadership able to nurture creative and analytical human capital.

"The success of our innovation agenda will depend on our ability to value openness, to embrace critical thinking and to encourage risk taking and experimentation -- because sometimes we all get things wrong before we get them right."

He said the government's aim was to encourage more young people to think the unthinkable and forge a bold new path, shaping a supportive ecosystem, creating new opportunities and funding enablers for innovation.

He also urged corporations to align their corporate social responsibility initiatives with the SIFE Malaysia Foundation to help develop innovative, brave young minds and spirits.

Najib added that he hoped businesses and corporations would make the most of their access to some of the best candidates for recruitment through the SIFE teams.

"The students who 'graduate' from SIFE programmes are exactly the type of quality graduates prized by organisations everywhere in the world."

Najib congratulated the winner of this year's SIFE World Cup, the team from University of Regenburg, Germany. Second place went to Zimbabwe's Chinhoyi University of Technology, third to Puerto Rico's University of Puerto Rico, Humacao and fourth to Guatemala's University of the Valley of Guatemala.

Najib said he was also proud of Universiti Teknologi Petronas as Malaysia's representative in the competition.

This year's SIFE World Cup competition brought together teams from 37 countries.

Since its beginnings in 1975, the SIFE World Cup has nurtured millions of young people, helping their ideas to develop, and fostering a new and international culture of enterprise.

Kredit: www.nst.com.my

Rabu, 5 Oktober 2011

NST Online: Topnews

NST Online: Topnews

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