Tony Fadel: developer - it's for life
Makradar Technologies / / December 19, 2019
Now Fadel Anthony (Anthony Fadell) is the head of the company Nest Labs (who is also its founder), a manufacturer of "smart" thermostats for the home. Before that, he had worked at Apple, and has developed the concept of the first iPod, for that Fadela even called "grandfather iPod'a". Anthony Fadel - man with a very interesting biography, excerpts from it, we present in this article.
I was born in Detroit, but since my father worked in sales, we are often moved. For 15 years, I changed the 12 schools, I produced Grosse Pointe, Michigan.
For the summer holidays we went back to Detroit. My grandfather worked as a teacher of high school, and later director of the school, taught me and my brother to repair all around the house, and still we collected tarantasses in the workshop.
I remember that once the computers seized my thoughts. Back in elementary school I attended summer courses in computer programming using punch cards. It was my grandfather helped me buy my first Apple II. Although he knew nothing about computers, but he realized that it was just as important for me as for him - his hammers and drills. In high school, my friend and I organized a small company called Quality Computers. We have worked on the ground floor in the house of his parents: resell spare parts for the Apple II and wrote the program.
In 1987 I entered the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor on the faculty for the study of computer equipment. But these activities did not satisfy my interest in computers, so I started a company that engaged in educational software, and another, which is engaged in the development of processors for PC Apple IIgs.
Released from the university in 1991, I went to Silicon Valley to realize their dream: to partner with General Magic, whose founders created the first Apple Macintosh. I knocked on their door, but they did not take me to work. I spent 4 years developing hardware and software for smartphones, including for MagicLink from Sony, for example. I showed proprietary communicator led the Dutch electronics giant Philips, and he He hired me to create a group for the development of electronic Velo personal assistants and Nino.
Another my passion has always been music. Philips company wanted to expand in the United States, and made me vice president of strategic development of their digital music trends and investment in this area. But this post is not very happy with me, I wanted to do something technical. And I founded Fuse Systems - a company for the production of consumer electronics, but it was ruined during "the dotcom crisis" in 2001. In the same year I was invited to work at Apple as a consultant on the design of the first iPod. Computers + Music + Apple - so it was just a holiday when all dreams come true!
After eight weeks of taking me to work, I gave Steve Jobs initial concept iPod and has been appointed as head of the development and production team. For the first iPod'om followed by another, and another... and then another three-generation iPhone.
My wife also worked at Apple. I eventually want to see more of in our two children and decided that I needed a break from work. Therefore, in 2008 I left the post of senior vice president of iPod department for development and production, and has become a strategic advisor to Mr. Jobs. He was very interested in my opinion on the withdrawal of products to market.
After leaving Apple, we decided to build a "green" house on the island Tahoe in California. While I was researching the cooling and heating systems, I realized that the area of the thermostats requires innovation. And I started Nest LabsTo produce a programmed thermostat. When the owners are not home, the sensors control the temperature so as to save energy. We sell thermostats in Canada and the United States, but since they are equipped with WiFi, I can say with confidence that they are being used in more than 80 countries.
We have developed a thermostat so that you can install it on their own, and even put a special screwdriver into each box. I think my grandfather would have been pleased with it.
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