Steve Wozniak returns to hardware, joins Fusion-io

Robert Hallock 9 Feb, 2009 at 2:22pm ET Article published in Tech

The grand pappy of Apple PCs, Steve Wozniak, has joined PCIe-connected SSD vendor Fusion-io as the chief scientist.

As part of his new role, he will serve as a technical advisor to Fusion-io’s R&D team and will also work with CEO Don Basile’s team to develop a strategy that will accelerate the growth of their global accounts.

Meanwhile, others are torn by his new position within the solid state firm. The Register believes that Wozniak is no longer a hardware visionary, nor can other vendors deny the incredible pull that Woz still holds for technology the world over.

We cannot – not even at our kindest – realistically think Woz has any sort of expertise, given that track record, of a capability for devising a strategy to penetrate global corporate customers. I mean, in the nicest possible way, that is surely grade one, solid gold BS. Fusion-io’s SVP for sales and corporate development, Dixon Doll, cannot be basing his future sales strategy on such input, can he?

Woz is no empty technology shell but neither is he a visionary, driving engineer any more. What he does have is the stuff of dreams still. This guy is real. He is the closest thing to a technology saint that America has got and now Don Basile’s Fusion is hoping that some of the Wozniak glamour will burnish the brightness of its SSD offerings and, hey, if you are a prospective global account, you might get to have Woz speak directly to you and be able to talk to a living legend, an actual living, breathing hero of the computer revolution.

Comments

9 Feb 2009 ~ 2:52pm jared On a similar note, he is also going to be on the next season of Dancing with the Stars.
11 Feb 2009 ~ 11:45am DrLiam

jared wrote:

On a similar note, he is also going to be on the next season of Dancing with the Stars.

o_O;; wat?
11 Feb 2009 ~ 10:11pm Tim Isn't he super rich? What does he want a job for?
11 Feb 2009 ~ 10:45pm Snarkasm Some people like doing things with their talents.
12 Feb 2009 ~ 2:42am DrLiam

Snarkasm wrote:

Some people like doing things with their talents.

Take Paris Hilton for example.
12 Feb 2009 ~ 10:05am Snarkasm Liam, you and I both know she doesn't have an ounce of talent in her entire body.
12 Feb 2009 ~ 11:32am Thrax I'd put a few ounces of talent int-- whoooooa. Whoa whoa whoa. Glad I dodged that bullet. Phew.