Wozniak Gives Old Friend Jobs High Marks For Technology Leadership

In an interview at the 8th annual CRN Industry Hall of Fame event at the Computer Museum in Mountain View, Calif. , Wozniak said Apple is the best bar none at developing technology that "fits how a human being is and thinks. I still see that going on at Apple more than any other company in the world."

Wozniak, who developed the Apple II, said he still stays in touch with Jobs, but doesn't advise Apple on new products or initiatives. "I may someday," said Wozniak. "I love Apple. I love what [Jobs] is doing."

Wozniak praised Jobs for using innovative technology to reinvigorate Apple. Initially, Wozniak said, he was not greatly impressed with Apple's products when Jobs returned to the company. "They are actually striking back to our original ideals of Apple, which a lot of it came from Steve's head anyway," said Wozniak.

When all things are considered, Apple computers are "very reasonably priced or even lower priced" than PCs, said Wozniak.

"Apple just leads the way over PCs," raved Wozniak. "Being the first to massively introduce things like WiFi and Bluetooth and build them into computers. Apple is still the leader in technology. Look at the iPods and how they work with the computer."

Ultimately, Wozniak said Apple is the best at developing technology "that feels special, that feels like you are a special person when you use it."

Wozniak said that he sees Apple as being very successful. "If the market share drops that is disappointing and sometimes a little scary," he said noting that Apple remains a success as long as the company continues to come up with "products that look so good, function so well, and have the newest outstanding features that make sense in life, not the ones that are just a bunch of dumb things."

Wozniak said he still considers the early Macintoshes more "humanistic computers" than anything available today. "The software was intuitive," he said. "You figured it out without thinking. Now any program whether you are on a Mac or a PC, you can't really go to another program because you know that all your skills are knowing where things are and you can't really figure your way around as easily as before."

Wozniak said he does not like the "proprietariness" of today's computers, even with Apple's products. "Still, if we have a good enough leader, Steve Jobs, that we are going to get the best products in the world and we are going to get the best development and really the leadership to the future, then I will pay the price."