212 REFINE AND REHEARSE
their company, product, or service. Jobs always walks onstage
with a broad smile, an easy laugh, and a joke or two (often at
Microsoft’s expense).
On October 16, 2003, Jobs had finished the discussion of a
new music alliance with AOL and an explanation of the new
iTunes features. The audience thought he was done, but Jobs had
“just one more feature” to talk about. He said it was a feature that
“a lot of people thought we would never add till this happened.”
He pointed to the slide, which read: “Hell froze over.” He said,
“I’m here to report to you today that this has happened.”^9 And
with that introduction, Jobs announced iTunes for Windows.
The audience laughed even harder when Jobs said, “iTunes for
Windows is probably the best Windows app ever written!” The
audience was thrilled, and Jobs himself was clearly enjoying the
reaction.
Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak has said he and Jobs loved
two things in common: electronics and pranks. From the
early seventies when Jobs and “Woz” were building computers
together in their parents’ garages, Jobs had a passion for bring-
ing personal computing to the masses. That “spirit” comes
across in every Steve Jobs presentation. A Steve Jobs presentation
is passionate, exciting, informative, and, above all, fun. In many
ways, it comes naturally, because it’s the way he has lived his
life.
When Jobs took his leave of absence in 2009, Apple’s shares
plummeted on speculation over Jobs’s health, a possible lack of
new and exciting products, and potential management changes.
Observers wondered, would Apple without Jobs be successful?I have no secret. There are no rules to follow in business. I just work
hard and, as I always have done, believe I can do it. Most of all,
though, I try to have fun.
RICHARD BRANSONRichard the Fun-Hearted