On October 6, 2011, Apple news sources reported that Steve Jobs, Apple Inc. co-founder and one of the most brilliant executives in history had passed away after a long bout with pancreatic cancer. People from all over the world mourned the death of the man responsible for revolutionizing the way they use computers. Jobs’ legacy remains, however, which has prompted countless tributes to his near-mythic status in the tech industry. Here, for example, are five of the incredible ways that Steve Jobs has changed the world:

1. He raised Apple from the dead.
   In 1976, Jobs founded Apple Computer with Steve Wozniak in his parents’ garage, but later resigned in 1985 after tensions related to poor Macintosh sales during the PC “war” between Apple and IBM. While absent, Apple continued to struggle as Microsoft Windows-run PCs dominated the market. By the time Jobs returned, the company was nearly bankrupt. Now, however, Apple is considered to be one of the most valuable companies in the world thanks to many innovative products Jobs spearheaded and released since his return.
2. He made personal computers popular.
   In the 80s, Jobs and Wozniak developed the Apple II, an 8-bit personal computer that was simple enough to use that they became very popular. Many adults who grew up during that decade fondly remember using them at school to play educational games such as Oregon Trail; this was largely due to Apple’s aggressive marketing campaign to educational institutions. Today’s Apple Mac computers remain popular because of their stylish design and user-friendly interface.
3. He revolutionized the digital download industry with iTunes.
   Digital download distribution has been around long before Steve Jobs introduced iTunes, but it was largely disorganized. Users would have to go to different sites to download content. Some sites, such as Napster, attempted to build an accessible database for MP3 sharing, but piracy-related lawsuits damaged these companies’ reputations. When Jobs decided to link Apple’s iPod to the iTunes file-sharing site, he revolutionized the industry by creating a one-stop shop for movies, apps and music used exclusively by Apple products. iTunes also gave recording artists more control over their intellectual property by selling their music through the service.
4. He revitalized the cellular phone industry with the iPhone.
   While cellular phone companies have tried to integrate different media features into their products, no one was more successful than Apple. The iPhone integrates home computing with the cell phone, enabling users to do just about anything while mobile – listen to music, play games, shop online, plan road trips and even take educational courses. Each year, apple news sources announce more and more applications for this product, which in time will slowly make desktop computing a thing of the past.
5. He made mobile gaming popular with iOS.
   Portable gaming has been around since the 1980s with handheld systems such as Nintendo’s Game Boy. Cell phone games were introduced later, but none of these systems penetrated the market as much as Apple’s iPhone. The iPhone’s iOS system makes it easy for developers to create a variety of gaming apps for users to download, and some companies such as Rovio (the creator of Angry Birds) have made millions with these apps. Handheld gaming is no longer reduced to a niche market thanks to Steve Jobs’ vision.

Brandi Tolleson is a prolific freelance writer in the Los Angeles area.