Jobs died peacefully, family says

Apple co-founder and former CEO Steven Paul "Steve" Jobs died peacefully surrounded by family members, according to a statement released by his family. Tech site CNET on Thursday (Manila time) said that Jobs' family, in their statement, also thanked the many people who had shared wishes and prayers during Jobs' illness. "Steve died peacefully today surrounded by his family. In his public life, Steve was known as a visionary; in his private life, he cherished his family. We are thankful to the many people who have shared their wishes and prayers during the last year of Steve's illness," it quoted the statement as saying. It said Jobs' family added a website will be provided for those who wish to offer tributes and memories. But Jobs' family also asked the public to respect their privacy at this time of grief. "We are grateful for the support and kindness of those who share our feelings for Steve. We know many of you will mourn with us, and we ask that you respect our privacy during our time of grief," the statement said. A 'celebration' of Job's 'extraordinary life' Meanwhile, Tim Cook, who replaced Jobs as Apple CEO, said they are planning a "celebration" of Jobs' "extraordinary life." In a memo emailed to Apple employees, Cook described Jobs as a "visionary and creative genius," adding the world "has lost an amazing human being" with his death. "We are planning a celebration of Steve's extraordinary life for Apple employees that will take place soon. If you would like to share your thoughts, memories and condolences in the interim, you can simply email rememberingsteve@apple.com," he said, according to a report on CNET. "No words can adequately express our sadness at Steve's death or our gratitude for the opportunity to work with him. We will honor his memory by dedicating ourselves to continuing the work he loved so much," he added. Apple Inc. is mourning the death of Jobs, who stepped down from his post as CEO for health reasons earlier this year, died at age 56. He underwent surgery for a rare pancreatic cancer in 2004. On Thursday (Manila time), Apple's website featured a black-and-white image of Jobs, with the text "Steve Jobs 1955-2011". "Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple," read a message linked to Jobs' image on the site. It invited those who want to share thoughts, memories and condolences to send their emails to rememberingsteve@apple.com. Tech site Mashable cited a statement from Apple announcing Jobs' passing. "Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve. His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts," it quoted Apple as saying. Other tech sites also ran stories highlighting Jobs' amazing career at Apple. "One of the most legendary businessmen in American history, Jobs turned three separate industries on their head in the 35 years he was involved in the technology industry," CNET said. CNET cited the Apple II in 1977 for personal computing, the iPod and iTunes for bringing legal digital music recordings to the mainstream in the early 2000s, the iPhone for changing mobile phones in 2007, and the iPad in 2010 for more personal computing. "Jobs was considered brilliant yet brash. He valued elegance in design yet was almost never seen in public wearing anything but a black mock turtleneck, blue jeans, and a few days worth of stubble. A master salesman who considered himself an artist at heart, Jobs inspired both reverence and fear in those who worked for him and against him, and was adored by an army of loyal Apple customers who almost saw him as superhuman," it said. — TJD/ELR, GMA News