Steve Jobs appears at Palo Alto Apple store for iPad launch

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs made an appearance Saturday for the iPad launch, talking with customers and even giving a hands-on demo of the device at his company's Palo Alto, Calif., store



As first reported by Cult of Mac, Twitter user Cedric Lignier spotted Jobs at the store wearing blue jeans, sneakers, and a hoodie sweater over his trademark mock turtleneck. Jobs reportedly showed a little girl how to use the iPad, and Lignier said he believed the girl might have been Jobs' daughter.



According to the San Jose Mercury News, Jobs arrived at the University Avenue store shortly before noon, causing a great deal of interest among the patrons there.



"Many in the crowd pulled out cameras and iPhones to capture the most magic of Silicon Valley moments," the report said. "Jobs chatted with a handful of other shoppers, but even his 30-minute invasion did not get in the way of their serious business ? the buying of and playing with new iPads."



Jobs has been seen at that location before, which is just 20 minutes from Apple's campus at 1 Infinite Loop. When the iPhone first launched in 2007, Jobs appeared and spoke with programmers Andy Hertzfeld and Bill Atkinson.



Early this year it was reported that Apple plans to build a new prototype store in Palo Alto, which could signal the closing of the existing store. First opened in October 2001, the University Avenue location was just the ninth retail outfit built by Apple and the first street-level Apple store.



Photo credit Cedric Lignier.



Also on launch day, Jonathan Ive, Apple's senior vice president of industrial design, was spotted at Apple's San Francisco store. Cult of Mac noted that although the Stockton Street location was a "mob and media frenzy," few noticed Ive, though one iPad buyer did snap this photo with him:



Photo credit Matt Galligan.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 26
    spotonspoton Posts: 645member
    I'm glad to see Steve out and mingling with his fans a little.



    He has a new lease on life, his mission on bringing Apple back from the dead has succeeded and he should enjoy himself and his hard earned fame.



    Love you Steve and Thanks!



  • Reply 2 of 26
    chronsterchronster Posts: 1,894member
    LOL! It almost looks like Jobs is unnoticed in that photo. That's hilarious.
  • Reply 3 of 26
    Jobs is one thing, but seeing MR. Ive's out and about is definitely a rarity. I'm curious if he scurried away shortly after that public photo opp? If memory serves me right, he's more private that Jobs even. H
  • Reply 4 of 26
    jetlawjetlaw Posts: 156member
    Ive seems like a pretty cool guy. Heck of a sense of design in that one!
  • Reply 5 of 26
    spotonspoton Posts: 645member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by josephwinters View Post


    Jobs is one thing, but seeing MR. Ive's out and about is definitely a rarity. I'm curious if he scurried away shortly after that public photo opp? If memory serves me right, he's more private that Jobs even. H



    He better soak up a little fame while he can, likely he won't be around when the cleaning of the house occurs after Steve retires.



    He supposedly gets a $1 million a year from Apple, he should have enough to retire.



    Not bad for a guy that used to design toilets, now you know why the white Mac's sell so well, it's that clean white ceramic look about them. (not a troll, it's the truth)
  • Reply 6 of 26
    I think it's great he mingles with the public. He'll certainly get a lot less hassle long term by getting out and about as opposed to remaining anonymous.



    The chairman of our football team, who's as much a legend in our town as Jobs is to you Californians, regularly turns up for Sunday league football. It's just the norm now and he gets little or no hassle.



    If the occassional idiot gets a little carried away the public generally step in and usher them away. Must be a nice feeling to have such fame and be able to walk freely among the public and live as close a normal life as possible.



    Best of both worlds i guess.
  • Reply 7 of 26
    myapplelovemyapplelove Posts: 1,515member
    Gotta love the Stevester and Ive popping up and going unnoticed.
  • Reply 8 of 26
    hittrj01hittrj01 Posts: 753member
    I just wonder if anyone would notice and/or care if Steve Ballmer walked into one of the Microsoft stores. Although it would be hard to miss him. I think even a deaf guy would tell him to quiet down a notch or two.
  • Reply 9 of 26
    jayparryjayparry Posts: 22member
    Ya i met him at that store when it first opened
  • Reply 10 of 26
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpotOn View Post


    He better soak up a little fame while he can, likely he won't be around when the cleaning of the house occurs after Steve retires.



    He supposedly gets a $1 million a year from Apple, he should have enough to retire.



    Not bad for a guy that used to design toilets, now you know why the white Mac's sell so well, it's that clean white ceramic look about them. (not a troll, it's the truth)



    I really disagree. Apple's industrial design is their most recognizable quality. From iMac to iPod to iPhone, Jonny Ive has his fingerprints on every product from the past dozen years (AKA Apple's resurgence).



    If anyone has secured his worth to Apple, it's Ive.
  • Reply 11 of 26
    debusohdebusoh Posts: 85member
    Every time I see a picture of him, I just feel bad that he has had to go through so much with his health. It's such a bummer both for him and his family (obviously) and for the tech community because he as driven such great products at Apple.



    Hopefully the worst is over and he will be around for a long while.



    It would have been really fun to see him at a store and possibly get to say hi to him.
  • Reply 12 of 26
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    I'm of two minds when I see stories like this. On one hand, it's nice to see the driving force behind Apple continue to be so involved in the minutia of it's operations. On the other hand, it's like TMZ stalking a celebrity, since what really matters is customers continuing to respond favorably to the products and the company.
  • Reply 13 of 26
    dr millmossdr millmoss Posts: 5,403member
    The only time I got close enough to take a really good picture of Jobs was at the press preview for the iMac G4 (showing it off to none other than Walt Mossberg). The odd part was that although it was a media only event Steve had this rather imposing woman running interference for him. She would move you off quite aggressively if you tarried too long in Steve's personal space. So I am a bit surprised to see him mingling on his own in a far less controlled situation.
  • Reply 14 of 26
    danielswdanielsw Posts: 906member
    Nothing like direct observation.



    He was probably grateful he wasn't totally mobbed.



    If it were my most important product, I'd want to do the same thing.
  • Reply 15 of 26
    bwikbwik Posts: 565member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpotOn View Post


    He better soak up a little fame while he can, likely he won't be around when the cleaning of the house occurs after Steve retires.



    He supposedly gets a $1 million a year from Apple, he should have enough to retire.



    Not bad for a guy that used to design toilets, now you know why the white Mac's sell so well, it's that clean white ceramic look about them. (not a troll, it's the truth)





    Uh.. why should he retire?



    You do realize Apple is one of the world's most valuable companies, ever?



    And that Ive has been a _primary_ contributor to that?



    Many "serious" executives and engineers have not made the contribution (or the profit) that Ive has. Just sayin'.
  • Reply 16 of 26
    federmoosefedermoose Posts: 195member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpotOn View Post


    He better soak up a little fame while he can, likely he won't be around when the cleaning of the house occurs after Steve retires.



    He supposedly gets a $1 million a year from Apple, he should have enough to retire.



    Not bad for a guy that used to design toilets, now you know why the white Mac's sell so well, it's that clean white ceramic look about them. (not a troll, it's the truth)



    I've been in a room with the man and spoke with him. He's unbelievably brilliant, if softspoken. Don't underestimate him in the slightest.
  • Reply 17 of 26
    mdriftmeyermdriftmeyer Posts: 7,503member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpotOn View Post


    He better soak up a little fame while he can, likely he won't be around when the cleaning of the house occurs after Steve retires.



    He supposedly gets a $1 million a year from Apple, he should have enough to retire.



    Not bad for a guy that used to design toilets, now you know why the white Mac's sell so well, it's that clean white ceramic look about them. (not a troll, it's the truth)



    Another moronic post. No. It's not the truth.



    The entire internal infrastructure is ex-NeXT and new additions selected by those ex-NeXT personnel.
  • Reply 18 of 26
    nikon133nikon133 Posts: 2,600member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpotOn View Post


    He better soak up a little fame while he can, likely he won't be around when the cleaning of the house occurs after Steve retires.



    He supposedly gets a $1 million a year from Apple, he should have enough to retire.



    Not bad for a guy that used to design toilets, now you know why the white Mac's sell so well, it's that clean white ceramic look about them. (not a troll, it's the truth)



    What makes you think so? Apple will continue to do what Apple does, with or without SJ..?
  • Reply 19 of 26
    spotonspoton Posts: 645member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by acslater017 View Post


    I really disagree. Apple's industrial design is their most recognizable quality. From iMac to iPod to iPhone, Jonny Ive has his fingerprints on every product from the past dozen years (AKA Apple's resurgence).



    If anyone has secured his worth to Apple, it's Ive.





    Steve and Jon are good friends.



    It's been in my experience that when a changing of the leader occurs, there is a differences in taste of style at the top.



    It's like a spec house having $100,000 cherry cabinets and the new owner likes the cheap white metal ones from the 50's, or new CEO replaces all the paintings in the lounge and hallways.



    Plus it's a power/pecking order thing too, what is Jon going to do around Apple after Steve retires?



    Tell the new CEO "well Steve always liked it that way"??? not going to wash.



    I could be wrong, who knows? Perhaps the new CEO will be so timid that he won't change anything, perhaps Jon will adjust not being so buddy buddy with the new boss.



    Just talking and speculating.
  • Reply 20 of 26
    spotonspoton Posts: 645member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nikon133 View Post


    What makes you think so? Apple will continue to do what Apple does, with or without SJ..?



    Well Disney continued without Walt, but it hasn't really innovated anything since.



    In fact EPCOT is supposed to be a self contained city.



    Walt died before it started and well, the new honchos made it a cheap ethnic theme park.



    Sad, a lot could have been learned from it.



    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epcot
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