The Death of Steve Jobs
When Apple co-founder Steve Jobs died of cancer this year, the global reaction to his passing was one usually reserved for spiritual icons or great nationalist heroes, not a shrewd businessman with a vast fortune. But such is the impact of the products Jobs helped design and market that the tech pioneer was virtually beatified and canonized within days of his death. TIME stopped the presses on an issue heading to newsstands to produce a special commemorative edition, hailing Jobs and the brave new world he has forged. And we were hardly alone. President Barack Obama applauded Jobs with this simple truth: "The world has lost a visionary. And there may be no greater tribute to Steve's success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented."