Apple CEO Steve Jobs, the man behind the first personal computer, died Wednesday at 56 after a long battle with cancer. The innovative genius revolutionized the technical world with the iMac, iTunes, iPod and iPhone.
"Extra" remembers Jobs and all of his world-changing accomplishments. Here are "10 Interesting Facts About Steve Jobs."
10 Interesting Facts About Steve Jobs
Apple guru Steve Jobs was born in San Francisco and was adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs.The Jobs family later adopted a daughter, Patti.
Steve's Ethnic Background
Steve Jobs' biological father, Abdulfattah John Jandali, was of Syrian descent, and his biological mother, Joanne Schieble (later Simpson), was of German ancestry.Jandai is a political science professor and Schieble a language pathologist.Steve never met his biological dad — who had previously expressed a desire to see his genius son.
Jobs' relationship with Bay Area painter Chrisann Brennan yielded his first daughter, Lisa Brennan-Jobs, born in 1978.Steve initially denied he was the father, claiming he was sterile. The Apple CEO later acknowledged Lisa as his daughter, even naming the Lisa computer (the "Apple III") after his first-born.
Brilliance Runs in the Family
Steve's biological sister, Mona Simpson, is the famous author who penned, "Anywhere But Here" — a novel about Simpson's relationship with her folks.Jobs, who looked for Mona in the '90s, did not meet his sibling until he was an adult.It was reported that Steve learned a lot about his biological parents through his sister.
The Apple chairman was a pescetarian, meaning, he did not eat meat, only fish. His diet also included eggs and dairy.
A Little Company Called Pixar
In 1986, Steve bought The Graphics Group (later renamed Pixar) from Lucasfilm's graphics division for $10 million.Jobs almost went broke with the giant purchase, after years of unsuccessfully trying to sell the Pixar Image Computer.The company struck gold when it partnered with Disney to produce some of the most memorable computer animated films, including "Toy Story," "Monsters," "A Bug's Life" and "Cars."
Steve was a Zen Buddhist and once thought about joining a monastery.Jobs' wedding to wife Laurene Powell was officiated by Zen Buddhist monk Kobun Chino Otogawa.
When Jobs resumed control as Apple's CEO in 1997, he stopped all of its philanthropic programs, saying, "Wait until we are profitable."Even after rising to the top to become a $40-billion company, Apple still doesn't donate to charity.
Fortune magazine once wrote that Jobs was "considered one of Silicon Valley's leading egomaniacs."The tough and demanding Apple boss was known for his aggressive personality and erratic management style.Jobs made Fortune's list of America's Toughest Bosses in 1993.
As the CEO of Apple, Steve earned $1 a year. However, he held on to 5 million Apple shares and 138 million shares in Disney.In 2010, Forbes estimated his net wealth to be $7 billion, making him one of the richest people in the world.
