Apple CEO Tim Cook announced on Monday that Apple will hold a special event on October 19th at 10:00 a.m. PST in the Apple’s outdoor amphitheater to celebrate the life of Apple co-Founder Steve Jobs. “Although many of our hearts are still heavy, we are planning a celebration of his life for Apple employees to take time to remember the incredible things Steve achieved in his life and the many ways he made our world a better place,” Cook said in a letter. The event is open to all Apple employees and Cook said more information will be made available through the company’s internal AppleWeb system. Steve Jobs passed away on October 5th from complications related to pancreatic cancer. Read on for the full letter from Tim Cook.

Team,

Like many of you, I have experienced the saddest days of my lifetime and shed many tears during the past week. But I’ve found some comfort in the extraordinary number of tributes and condolences from people all over the world who were touched by Steve and his genius. And I’ve found comfort in both telling and listening to stories about Steve.

Although many of our hearts are still heavy, we are planning a celebration of his life for Apple employees to take time to remember the incredible things Steve achieved in his life and the many ways he made our world a better place. The celebration will be held on Wednesday, October 19, at 10am in the outdoor amphitheater on the Infinite Loop campus. We’ll have more details on AppleWeb closer to the date, including arrangements for employees outside of Cupertino.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Tim

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Acer believes there’s still consumer interest in netbooks despite the surging tablet market, and the firm recently said that it’s not giving up on the mini notebooks just yet. “Tablets have impacted overall netbook sales, but we’re not stepping away from the [netbook] segment,”Acer’s senior product marketing and brand manager, Eric Ackerson, told Forbes. “We think there’s still opportunity for sales, including in the U.S.” Acer’s not ignoring the tablet market — its Acer Iconia Tab A500 recently launched in the United States — but it also has some new netbooks up it sleeves that are expected to launch later this summer. The firm believes that netbooks, which are typically priced far below tablets, are beginning to offer an experience that’s on a par with notebooks thanks to bumps in hardware specs. “The death of netbooks is overstated,” Lisa Emard, an Acer spokesperson said. “We may not see the same explosive growth as before, but the netbook price point is still killer,” she added.

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Today is a truly sad day in telecommunications. One of its longest serving CEOs, Edward Samuel “Ted” Rogers, has passed away at the age of 75. Long suffering from congestive heart failure, Rogers was admitted to the hospital in early November and eventually discharged to the care of his family with Alan Horn taking the role of interim CEO. Unfortunately, Rogers passed away early this morning in his Toronto home but thankfully he was surrounded by friends and family.

The official statement from Rogers is available after the break.

It is with great sadness that the Board of Directors of Rogers Communications Inc. announces the death of our colleague, leader and friend, Edward Samuel “Ted” Rogers, the founder of the company, a visionary communications industry pioneer and an icon in Canadian business. He was 75.

Mr. Rogers, known for his indefatigable drive, built Rogers Communications into a Canadian and North American leader in wireless telecommunications, cable television, broadcasting, publishing and more. Mr. Rogers’ name is synonymous with innovative, high-quality communications products across Canada, products that improved and simplified the everyday lives of Canadians.

“We wish to express our deepest sympathy to Loretta and all of the Rogers family for this loss,” said Alan Horn, Chairman of Rogers Communications and acting CEO. “Ted Rogers was one of a kind who built this company from one FM radio station into Canada’s largest wireless, cable and media company. A leader also in giving to the community through his and Loretta’s many philanthropic initiatives. He will be sadly missed.”

Phil Lind, Rogers Vice-Chairman, worked alongside Mr. Rogers for almost 40 years. “Our sincerest condolences to Loretta, the children and the grandchildren. He will be missed by so many. Though Ted was relentless in business and building this company over the years, he was also very much a family man. His impact on family, community and country was as impressive as his business success,” Mr. Lind said.

Mr. Rogers, who suffered from congestive heart failure, saw his health weaken over the past few years. He was surrounded by loved ones when he died at his home in Toronto.

Mr. Rogers’ successor as Chief Executive Officer will be addressed by the Rogers Communications Inc. Board of Directors which intends to form a special committee to lead a search considering internal and external candidates. In the meantime, Alan Horn, Chairman of Rogers Communications Inc., will continue to serve as acting Chief Executive Officer and lead the company’s office of the president.

Funeral arrangements will be announced by the family.

Rest in peace, Uncy Ted.

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