In memoriam: Steve Jobs changed the way I listen to music

The earliest memory I have of using an Apple product was in middle school, though I believe I may have used them even earlier. Like many of us, an Apple computer helped me learn to type, keep my math chops sharp and even forge a river along the trail to Oregon.

It wasn't until many years later that Apple returned to my life, first in our college newspaper's production desk and then shortly after graduating, when I bought my first iBook G4 to use as a tour manager. It was on the road that I was introduced to the iPod, which changed my life forever.

Far from being an early adopter, I bought my first iPod in 2005 (the fourth generation with the click wheel) and it radically changed the way I listen to music. I could suddenly carry most of my music collection with me in my pocket, no longer worrying about lugging CDs around with me everywhere and having them end up scratched or missing. While I still prefer to buy my music in physical form, one of the first things I do is add the music to my iTunes Library and sync my iPod.

Since the iPod, Apple has obviously created many other groundbreaking products, as a music lover none have changed my life more than the iPod. It's still baffling that I'm able to carry almost 14,000 songs around with me every day (and it is only about a third full) in something that weighs less that 5 ounces.

Thank you, Steve Jobs, for all that you did to change the way we access media, especially music. May your innovative spirit live on in Apple and in the imaginations of aspiring innovators around the world.