Steve Jobs Dead at 56

Steve Jobs, the innovator and inventor who took Apple AAPL to unprecedented heights, passed away Wednesday. He was 56 years young. While Apple was not solely his creation, Jobs was the driving force behind nearly every new product Apple pushed out over the past decade. His vision and leadership changed not only his company, but his industry and, one could say, the world. He was a revolutionary man, wrapped up in black turtlenecks and little glasses. Apple, just moments ago, released the following statement about 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," the statement said. "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 was only a few months ago, August 24 to be precise, that Jobs stepped down from his position as CEO of Apple. His successor, Tim Cook, was hand-picked some time ago. The Board of Directors then named Jobs as Chairman of the Board. While many in the tech world will focus on Apple and where the company goes from here, our hearts and thoughts are with his immediate family and those in the Apple community who loved Jobs as much for his passion as they did for his products. He leaves behind an amazing legacy and tremendous shoes to fill.