Steve Wozniak was born in San Jose, California in 1950. He received a ham radio license when he was in 6th grade and was the recipient of numerous math, science and electronics awards while in school. In 1970, he became friends with Steve Jobs, who was four and one-half years younger. Both were working – Jobs as a summer intern; Wozniak on the mainframe computer – at the same business.

Jobs had an idea to sell the computer as a fully assembled personal computer. Wozniak was skeptical at first, but was convinced by Jobs’ enthusiasm about giving it a try. They sold some of their prized possessions – Wozniak’s HP scientific calculator and Jobs’ Volkswagen Van – and raised $1,300 to build the prototypes in Jobs’ bedroom, then moved to the garage. This computer was years ahead of the Altair 8800, introduced by MITS in early 1975. During this year, Wozniak withdrew from the University of California, Berkeley to work on the computer that eventually made him famous.

Unlike the Altair, the Apple I (so named by Wozniak) was made for public use as a fully-functioning, fully assembled microcomputer. In 1976, Wozniak quit his job with Hewlett-Packard, and he and Jobs formed Apple Computer. Priced at $666.66, Apple Computer sold their first 100 computers to a local dealer.

With money in his pockets and Apple Computer as his employer, Wozniak could focus full-time on fixing and upgrading the Apple I, while maintaining simplicity and usability. The Apple II was the next generation and contained high-resolution graphics, which could now display pictures as well as letters. Wozniak continued to improve the computer and write software for the system. In 1980, Apple Computer went public and Wozniak and Jobs were millionaires. In 1981, Wozniak crashed his Beech Bonanza airplane while taking off and as a result suffered retrograde and anterograde amnesia. He had no recollection of the accident, the hospital stays, or being released. He went back to his regular routine, but could not recall what had happened. He sometimes would forget the day of the week and walk into a room and forget why. After a period of time, he began to piece things together and eventually, his short-term memory was restored.

After the plane crash, Wozniak did not return to Apple. Instead, he married his girlfriend and returned to University of California Berkeley to finish his undergraduate degree. In 1983 he returned to Apple in product development as an engineer. In 1987, he and his wife, Candi divorced after having three children together. He reconnected with a high school flame at a reunion and the two married in 1990. They later divorced in 2004. In 1987, Wozniak left full-time employment with Apple for good, although he is still a shareholder and receives a “paycheck.” He also maintains contact with friend, Steve Jobs. Wozniak went into teaching (fifth grade) and is active in charitable activities in education.

Wozniak received an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree from the University of Colorado in 1989; and in 2000 he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. In 2001, he was part of the creation of the wireless GPS technology. In 2004, Wozniak received honorary degrees from North Carolina State University, Nova Southeastern University in Florida, and Kettering University in Flint, Michigan.

Wozniak is currently a member of the Segway Polo team, the Silicon Valley Aftershocks. He recently attended the FIRST National Competition of Lego robots in Atlanta. He is dating actress-comedian Kathy Grifffin, with whom he attended the 2007 Emmy Awards.