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He isn't actually, and Apple's genius leader decided to prove it once and for all. As Steve Jobs walked across the stage for the launch of the new iPod models, the huge black screen behind scrolled Mark Twain's unforgettable words: 'The rumours of my death are greatly exaggerated.' Mark T had been compelled to issue that immortal comment after rumours circulated in the early 20th century about the writer's demise.

Dressed in his trademark blue jeans and a black pullover, Jobs -- who spent a year in India in the 1970s and transformed the computer business on his return home -- grinned, 'Enough said. The real topic for today is music.'

Speculation about his health has been rife since the company's Worldwide Developer's conference in June when he looked unwell. Apple's explanation that he had been ill but was now recovering did nothing to settle the speculation; Jobs has survived pancreatic cancer and there were those who wondered if the dreaded disease was back.

Then came Bloomberg's goof-up. The financial wire service updated its obituary about the Apple CEO on August 27. Unfortunately, someone in the service accidentally published the obit.

Jobs, of course, has chosen to laugh off all rumours. He has a bigger job at hand. And, on September 9, he was doing exactly that in his first public appearance since rumours about his health began in June.

Apple launched a slim, upgraded Nano that lets you shuffle music by shaking it and a slimmer iPod touch model with a built-in speaker. Jobs also announced upgrades to the iTunes store, including one that recommends songs to customers. The new version of iTunes, which was also announced, has a new feature that automatically groups similar music in your library into playlists.

Image: Apple CEO Steve Jobs at the special event September 9, in San Francisco, where he announced a new version of the popular iTunes software | Photograph: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images