Steve should've been awarded this award. He was the real designer behind the iconic Apple products. Without him Ive is incapable to create anything beautiful. Ive himself acknowledged that Steve was an exceptional designer.
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Cambridge Awards Jony Ive With Honorary Degree in Science for Design Work at Apple
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That's the UK for you - be one of the rich in-crowd & you get awards aplenty from the other pointless, worthless nobodies who's only impact on the world is taking money from others. And of course, because its the UK, spend a few years making money at someone else's expense - heh, here's a knighthood. Spend a lifetime of selfless service to others, say a teacher or doctor - here's your OBE (i.e. a lower ranked award) - very class- (read money-) ridden society. That's why the UK is screwed - no true visionaries, pioneers or, frankly, real intelligent people in positions of true power/influence who are looking to make a real difference to peoples lives (as opposed to just taking their money). (Time to walk the dog for a chill I think - that was quite a rant!?)
Ooooh, very subtle doublespeak, I like it.....
On topic, not to diminish Sir Joni's marvellous accomplishments, but I can't help but wonder whether Sir Joni, if he was originally from Sri Lanka or Peru or whatever other country rather than Great Britain, would have been awarded this "highest honor bestowed by the University", this "honorary doctorate in science" degree.
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Some genuinely ridiculous comments here IMHO. I'm happy to joke about Apple's ever-thinner products as much as anyone, and certainly think that, collectively, as a company, they sometimes have skewed priorities... but if one wants to really disregard the net positive impact Ive has had on Apple and the design of its products since he joined I think that's kind of unfair and frankly more than a little silly as far I'm concerned.
I don't usually agree with honorary degrees (I feel like it's usually as much about a public relations exercise for the institution handing it out as anything), but seeing as this one isn't a million miles away from his actual academically earned degree, let alone his career that should be more than worth another one, I'm just quite pleased for him.
I don't usually agree with honorary degrees (I feel like it's usually as much about a public relations exercise for the institution handing it out as anything), but seeing as this one isn't a million miles away from his actual academically earned degree, let alone his career that should be more than worth another one, I'm just quite pleased for him.
Hey Ivy,
We're just poking fun.
No hard feelings.
We like to bash Apple whenever we can because, well that's fun too.
We're just poking fun.
No hard feelings.
We like to bash Apple whenever we can because, well that's fun too.
Actually no. I’d prefer to brag that I have their products and that they are great, (like I used to despite the price). Nowadays they seem to be nickel and diming everybody and removing ever more functionality with each release.
I didn’t mind paying more than I needed to for more power than I needed, (a Mac Pro), all those years ago as it gave me longevity and versatility. Now that have that stupid one trick pony tube thing with proprietary parts in it.
I didn't know Design was considered a science on par with neurobiology and physics, or even a science at all. What a joke.
Your comment made me laugh. But seriously if you look at his body of work in total rather than the past couple of years you start to appreciate his contribution to industrial design.
The stunning original coloured iMac revolutionised the way we looked at PC design. Later the iMac created the first all-in-one computer. The MB Air changed the way we look at laptops. Add in all the other great designs like the worlds smallest computer the Mac Mini, the iPhone, iPad, iPod, etc, etc.
Admittedly the designs have gotten safer and less radical over the past few years but I would bet that has a lot to do with the handover from Jobs to Cook. Cook is a moron with no sense of design or style. He's a bean counter, a self publicist and totally the wrong man for the job. If Steve had not passed away I think we would have continued to see a lot more innovation.
Yep. As others have said, the honorary degree is a marketing ploy / pay off by the college / university. If I spent many years getting a real PHD, I wouldn't look favorably on the people getting the honorary degrees.
No, I'm not just poking fun.
Ive personifies what is wrong with Apple now. Too much BS, not enough share price enhancing innovation.
The "cult of crass" now at the top of Apple set an appalling example to those looking to have a true impact on the world.
Seeing people like Ive publicly applauded is shameful, depressing and leaves me in no doubt that even ancient and respected institutions like Cambridge University value nothing but £/$-signs now rather than intellect, learning and pursuit of a better, more enlightened future. I swear that there are people out there that probably think Twitter is a life changing innovation....God help us all.......
Really?
Perhaps the products he designs don't need to become thinner year after year, but you can't deny the beauty of an iMac, a MacBook, a Mac Pro, or an iPhone compared to what came before. You'll never find an Intel Inside sticker marring the palm rest of an Apple notebook. You won't find 15 plastic bits on the front of a CPU tower, all that stick out slightly creating an incongruent surface. Unnecessary buttons are forbidden, necessary buttons and twitches are sleek and blend into the surface. Apple products are beautiful. People comment with envy on their beautiful design. You can criticize features and battery life or anything else, but you can't dispute the simple beauty of a 27" iMac resting on a desk.
I believe these institutions are more about honouring a fellow Brit. They took a cue from J.K. Rowling, and conjured up the "Contribution to Science" aspect. It's all about putting a noble face forward.
Yes, their products are superb examples of great design. However minimalist design is not new and I would wager Ive does not personally work out the engineering and production engineering required to implement the concept drawings.......
A search of the University's publicly visible pages finds University Honorary Degrees 2016 | University of Cambridge but the linked content is only accessible to members of the University of Cambridge with a Raven account.
Better, truly published (yesterday): Leaders in fields from sport to computer design awarded University's highest honour | University of Cambridge
Consider the faces in all seven photographs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desktop_computer#All-in-one describes all-in-ones as popular during the early 1980s. Still, I share your sentiments; the first flat-screen iMac appeared not only extraordinary, but extraordinarily good. And so on.
A well deserved honor.
The University of Cambridge has awarded seven "distinguished individuals" with honorary degrees -- known as the highest honor bestowed by the University -- in fields like law, business, and medical science. One of those honored was Apple's own Jony Ive, who received a doctorate in science for the "elegance, purity and beauty" he brought to personal computers in his time at the company.
Cambridge won't be the only esteemed university giving Ive an honorary degree, as Oxford plans to bestow a similar honor onto Apple's chief design officer next week. The Oxford ceremony recognizes ten figures from similar fields as Cambridge, including theology, law, economics and, in Ive's case, science.
At Oxford, Ive will be named a "Doctor of Science," alongside neurobiologist Dr Cornelia Bargmann and physicist Mildred Dresselhaus. The honorary degrees will be given out at the University's annual Encaenia ceremony on June 22.
Article Link: Cambridge Awards Jony Ive With Honorary Degree in Science for Design Work at Apple
