Apple Turns 30

This Associated Press article takes a nice look at where Apple is going, and where it's been.

Reporter May Wong writes: "Apple's journey began in 1976 when two college dropouts — [Steve] Jobs, a marketing whiz, and his friend Steve Wozniak, an engineering genius — filed partnership papers on April Fools' Day, their eyes set on building and selling personal computers. Another friend, Ron Wayne, opted out of the risky venture within two weeks.

"Their first product was a build-it-yourself computer kit. A year later, in 1977, the Apple II microcomputer was born. It was not the first personal computer but it was the most successful — a hit not just among engineers, but home users, too. Many credit the Apple II as the genesis of the personal computer revolution."

Inc. trivia buffs will know that an article on the company appeared in the very first issue of Inc. in 1979.

Mike Hofman was previously editor of Inc.com and a deputy editor at Inc. magazine, which he joined in 1996. The site was nominated for a National Magazine Award for Digital Media in 2010, and was named the best business website by Folio Magazine. In 2006, Hofman was part of a team of writers nominated for a Webby Award for best business blog. He lives in New York City. @mikehofman