Steve Wozniak Story
By jayita, Gaea News NetworkWednesday, November 25, 2009
Steve Wozniak, the Silicon Valley icon and an electronics genius, is the co-founder of Apple. Stephen Wozniak, along with Steve Jobs, has brought revolution in the computing industry with their Apple Computer Company. Personal computers become within the reach of millions thanks to Apple and Steve Wozniak.
Stephen Wozniak was born on August 11, 1950 in San Jose, California. As a kid, he took great interest in electronics, which last forever. In fifth standard, he made a very large computer-like project. He built a machine that played Tic-Tac-Toe, for the Science Fair Project of sixth grade. He got his HAM radio license in sixth grade as well.
As he grew older he turned up with more innovative creations. He built more and more sophisticated computer projects, all of them were exclusively done by himself. It was really astonishing that Wozniak had neither took a course nor did he buy any book to help carry his work. He had only used his head.
Wozniak was ahead of his time. Every time he tried to improve his own design and got success. He designed a computer with 200 chips, then with 150 and finally with only 100 chips. He found similarities between calculator and computer while working in Hewlett Packard. He realized that a calculator was a kind of computer, too, except that it used little tiny parts called microprocessors. This results building of computer namely Apple 1.
At the Homebrew Computer Club, Wozniak was treated as leader of new technology. Steve Jobs joined him and together they went into business. They named their fledgling company Apple, the name later spread around the world.
Three people were responsible for Apple’s early success: Steve Jobs, Mike Markkula, and Stephen Wozniak. Jobs had the idea of selling presassembled, ready-to-use computers. Mike Markkula provided capital, credibility, and business sense, though he never actually worked for the company. And Wozniak was the engineer who made it all fit together.
For his tremendous achievements at Apple Computer, Steve was awarded the National Medal of Technology by the President of the United States in 1985, the highest honor bestowed America’s leading innovators.
In 2000 Steve was inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame and was awarded the prestigious Heinz Award for Technology,
Wozniak founded the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and was the founding sponsor of the Tech Museum, Silicon Valley Ballet and Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose.
Steve is currently a member of the board of directors for Jacent, a developer of cost-effective telephony solutions, Danger, Inc. He is also a developer of an end-to-end wireless Internet platform, Ripcord Networks and many more. WOZ just accepted the Chief Scientist position at Fusion-io. Most recently WOZ just accepted a role to star on “Dancing with the Stars.”
Steve Wozniak, the man behind the success of Apple, is an inspiring personality to all of us. His unique life story, his passion for innovation and his ideas for bringing up new technology give boost to the tech-savvy.
