Videos: Woz on Steve Jobs' leave; parents on Tim Cook's rise
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak argued in a television interview this past week that he thinks Steve Jobs' temporary absence from Apple could be a blessing in disguise. Meanwhile, the parents of interim chief Tim Cook discuss the compulsive work ethic that's helped propel their small town boy to the top of Silicon Valley.
Steve Wozniak
Speaking on NBC, Wozniak said he has no reason to takes Jobs' explanation for his leave from Apple at anything but face value, explaining that some "rest and peacefulness" could translate into the next wave of innovation upon a return to the company later this year.
"What do you do when you rest? Sometimes your mind floats. A person like his is probably going to work out [...] better concepts and products, and the way the future can be -- the way we live our lives -- you know, more than almost any individual could," he said. "It's probably a great, great thing for Apple."
Wozniak also noted that technology companies like Apple have traditionally worked off long pipelines where products gestate for upwards of two years, meaning they "aren't going to be disturbed" suddenly due to Jobs' shift in day-to-day activities.
That said, Wozniak refused to speculate on whether Apple would remain as capable as it is today should Jobs fail to return to his post at the company.
Tim Cook's parents
Meanwhile, a local Alabama TV station caught up with Donald and Geraldine Cook, parents of Apple's acting chief executive Tim Cook, to talk about their son's rise to the top of one of the world's most recognizable companies.
"He's the kind of fellow that doesn't believe in giving up on nothing. He's a go-getter. He's a workaholic," said his dad. "Anything he started he finished. No matter what it was. If he got in it, he finished it."
"He's given a lot of pleasure," added his mom. "He won a speaking contest back in school and I don't know where he got that speaking from. We can't do that,"
And despite a workload that would make most people cringe, Cook never misses a call to his mother on Sunday morning.
"He calls every Sunday, no matter what, no matter where he's at," his dad said. "Europe, Asia no matter where he's at, he calls his Mother every Sunday. He don't miss a one."
Steve Wozniak
Speaking on NBC, Wozniak said he has no reason to takes Jobs' explanation for his leave from Apple at anything but face value, explaining that some "rest and peacefulness" could translate into the next wave of innovation upon a return to the company later this year.
"What do you do when you rest? Sometimes your mind floats. A person like his is probably going to work out [...] better concepts and products, and the way the future can be -- the way we live our lives -- you know, more than almost any individual could," he said. "It's probably a great, great thing for Apple."
Wozniak also noted that technology companies like Apple have traditionally worked off long pipelines where products gestate for upwards of two years, meaning they "aren't going to be disturbed" suddenly due to Jobs' shift in day-to-day activities.
That said, Wozniak refused to speculate on whether Apple would remain as capable as it is today should Jobs fail to return to his post at the company.
Tim Cook's parents
Meanwhile, a local Alabama TV station caught up with Donald and Geraldine Cook, parents of Apple's acting chief executive Tim Cook, to talk about their son's rise to the top of one of the world's most recognizable companies.
"He's the kind of fellow that doesn't believe in giving up on nothing. He's a go-getter. He's a workaholic," said his dad. "Anything he started he finished. No matter what it was. If he got in it, he finished it."
"He's given a lot of pleasure," added his mom. "He won a speaking contest back in school and I don't know where he got that speaking from. We can't do that,"
And despite a workload that would make most people cringe, Cook never misses a call to his mother on Sunday morning.
"He calls every Sunday, no matter what, no matter where he's at," his dad said. "Europe, Asia no matter where he's at, he calls his Mother every Sunday. He don't miss a one."
Comments
The problem with many people is work/life balance. If you have a family
it's imperative that you have this down. Cook, IIRC, has no wife or kids.
In the end the only accolades I really care about are how I rose to the challenge of
being a father, a husband, a brother and a citizen. That's still a work in progress
Good for Apple though. Workaholics are great.
why this guy, Steve Wozniak, is still newsworthy?
Steve is still newsworthy because he has a great engineering mind. He knows Steve Jobs very personally, and has an outsided vested interest in apple.
I think the way Steve handled these jack ass interviewers was very professional. I also feel what he said is what reports need to listen to. I feel it's an interesting way to look at it. If Jobs has 6 months off and comes back... I'm sure he will have some very interesting ideas for apple. Steve Jobs is the type of mind that never stops thinking.
We all need to take what Steve Jobs says and move on. If you aren't comfortable with it, dump the stock and shut up. If that is how Apple wants to run the business and you aren't comfortable with it, then their stock isn't for you.
a freshly invigorated mindset that's just rarin'
to share new ideas, (get some nixed, of course),
but also,
some embraced.
This is the core of "Great" corporate leadership.
Hand over the reigns.
I'm not happy that it's for health reasons, obviously.
But, it's still going to be a positive thing, nonetheless!
This is Apple.
Think Positive. They do, it's in their mindset!
P
If you aren't comfortable with it, dump the stock and shut up. If that is how Apple wants to run the business and you aren't comfortable with it, then their stock isn't for you.
I think every statement from Apple should contain that right up front for the next 6 months!
I really couldn't agree more.
Side note... I'm glad to see Appleinsider is indirectly supporting Psystar by having their ads on the website
since my 2 ad blockers clean up almost everything I don't really notice annoying ads especially those flash moving ones saying "click me" or something to that effect.
"He don't miss a one."
"He calls every Sunday, no matter what, no matter where he's at," his dad said. "Europe, Asia no matter where he's at, he calls his Mother every Sunday. He don't miss a one."
[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]
His iPhone must be jail-broken.
I think the way Steve handled these jack ass interviewers was very professional.
I agree with your terminology describing the interviewers. Seems nowaday, that's all you get of an interviewer. Anyone know of any interviewer worth their salt that one would enjoy the back and forth questioning in either the field of technology like Apple or the other spectrum news/politics?
The problem with many people is work/life balance. If you have a family
it's imperative that you have this down. Cook, IIRC, has no wife or kids.
I don't know for sure, but I do have pretty good "gaydar," and I'm fairly certain Cook is gay.
No offense to my southern friends in the U.S., but man, reading the comments from Cook's parents, I envision a nice quaint little house right next door to Bobby Boucher's Mom's house in "The Water Boy"
"He don't miss a one."
No offense taken, but isn't it great that dialects and coloquialisms still exist. If we all spoke the same youse guys wouldn't have no one to make fun of.
I think every statement from Apple should contain that right up front for the next 6 months!
I agree entirely. If they aren't happy with the situation, they can cash in their shares and go elsewhere. Contrary to what they seem to believe, they won't be missed.
I don't know for sure, but I do have pretty good "gaydar," and I'm fairly certain Cook is gay.
This could explain the $100,000 donation. I get that impression from him too. You never know though, he might just be playing the field. Some people just don't like to commit and if he is a workaholic then it doesn't bode well for a steady relationship.
why this guy, Steve Wozniak, is still newsworthy?
He seems to be quite involved with Axiotron, who make the tablet Mac Apple don't seem to want to make yet:
http://www.itsartmag.com/features/woz/
It's a shame it's so expensive because Wacoms with displays cost a lot and I think that a Macbook with a touch screen that allows pressure variations for drawing would be a big hit among designers on a budget, maybe design students.
12" Cintiq = £800, Mini = £390 (cheapest Mac setup) = £1190
Macbook = £930
Touch Macbook tablet for £1199 would work pretty well.
Thing is, this is Macbook Air pricing but I think the Air should have been this way to make more people want to buy it. Touch tablets are coming soon if they aren't out already:
http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/19/t...-new-protoype/
If anything, Woz and Axiotron are more newsworthy than Apple right now as Apple have no new products to show. Axiotron brought out a touch MBP.
I agree with your terminology describing the interviewers. Seems nowaday, that's all you get of an interviewer. Anyone know of any interviewer worth their salt that one would enjoy the back and forth questioning in either the field of technology like Apple or the other spectrum news/politics?
Brian Lamb of CSPAN. But then he is very much alone. The rest of the so called reporters all want to be opinion generating columnists and have turned their backs on reporting in favor of pundancy.
That makes total sense !