Much has; is and in all probability will continue to be written about Steve Jobs (including a letter written by none other than Bono to the NY Times) regarding his philanthropical efforts on fighting AIDS via the firm’s special edition iPods / association with (Project) RED (founded by Bono himself).
Whatever the case may be; there is A LOT that technology can do to assist people with leading a better quality of life (that economic-determinism far too often stands in the way of as profits tend to overwhelmingly hold sway).
From Apple Insider: http://goo.gl/7B5cN