Tom Davenport

Steve Jobs posted cancer victims special gifts

This revealing story posted to Quora explains how Steve Jobs, or someone working on his behalf, sent special gifts to cancer victims. It’s a personal side to the great leader that might only be revealed after his passing.

Before I met the wife I had a girlfriend named Rebecca. Rebecca had non-Hodgkinsons lymphoma. It was a rough time in her life and she was very depressed by it, even though chemotherapy was healing her over time.

Rebecca was a big fan of Pixar films. I knew Steve Jobs had also been battling cancer and was a big part of the Pixar company. I didn’t know a lot about the guy at this time as it was before the rise of the iPod, iPhone, or iPad. I also wasn’t the thorough nerd that I am now. Yes, there was a time I didn’t care about technology.

I sent a letter to Steve Jobs telling him about Rebecca and her situation. I asked for an autograph for her, hoping that could be something positive for her and encourage some positivity. I never thought I would get a reply, but i thought it was worth a try.

A week later I receive a package in the mail. In this thick envelope was a letter from Steve Jobs speaking of his cancer fight and how he wished Rebecca a quick recovery. Also in this envelope was six Pixar prints signed by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Mike Doctor, And Joe Ranft (a fellow cancer sufferer). Each of these men had written a letter to Rebecca wishing her well.

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Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith … Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.

If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.

Stay foolish.

Steve Jobs, 1955-2011

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— Steve Job’s parting words to Stanford University graduates, 2005.

The difference between iPad and tablet buyers

Sound observation from Marco Arment. He created Instapaper and an increasingly influential voice in web tech a’la Daring Fireball: 

My theory is that there’s an iPad market, not a “tablet market” — that people want the iPad and specifically seek it out without comparing it to other tablets.

A “tablet market” suggests that people first decide they want a tablet, then they comparison-shop and choose the one that best fits their needs and budget, like buying a dishwasher.

(Source: marco.org)