Woz’s dancing was hilarious. The kids stayed up specially to watch him and we laughed our heads off. Especially when he first came out on his Segway and went into a dance pose.

Woz had some great moves, saluting his slinky partner, twisting his meaty hips and dropping to his knees. For a big guy, he had surprising energy.

We were expecting a cringe-worthy disaster, but he comported himself superbly. It was a genuine a hoot. Can’t wait till next week.

I’m long on Woz. He might go to the finals, just like the BBC’s pudgy John Sergeant in the UK last year.

UPDATE: The stupid judges gave Woz and Karina Smirnoff low marks. Idiots.

See Also: Voting for Woz on Dancing with the Stars? Here’s how

Photo from Woz.org

Steve Wozniak on “Dancing with the Stars” is the greatest cultural event of the decade. As such, I’m plopped in front of the couch awaiting the Woz for the West Coast broadcast (I’m told we’re just three minutes away). Nicole told you how to vote, and I’m here to tell you how he did. Check out the blow-by-blow below!

9:15 p.m. I just endured a solid three minutes of Jewel’s cowboy husband not dancing. It was absurdly painful. He gets a total of 14 points.

9:18 p.m. There goes Olympic silver medalist Shawn Johnson. She’s being pulled around by a man who looks like the uglier brother of Mark from “Ugly Betty.”

9:23 p.m. Big points for Shawn! I guess! I’ve never watched this show before.

9:23 p.m. Woz just rolled in on a Segway in a cloud of smoke! There is a god.

9:24 p.m. Also, Tom Bergeron just said Woz founded Apple in the early ’70s. A factual error on first sentence.

9:24 p.m. Woz meets his dancing partner by rolling up on a Segway, too.

9:25 p.m. Woz really does not know how to dance, based on these rehearsal shots. Though he does notice that dancing can be mathematical and left-brained.

9:26 p.m. Words of Wozdom: “I like to close my eyes when I’m practicing, because it lets me get an image of my head of me dancing. It’s like I’m dreaming.”

9:27 p.m. “Nerds can dance.” No, Steve, they can’t.

9:27 p.m. Steve comes out with a giant pink feather boa and a tux. He’s actually got a lot of personality, although he might want to close his mouth. Still, he’s a natural ham. A lot of sticking his tongue out.

9:28 p.m. The song is “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet.” Quite.

9:29 p.m. You know, by the standards of this show, that was very not embarassing.

9:29 p.m. Bergeron: “Take that, Bill Gates.” Also: “If Safari freezes, should I delete it or restart it?” Yes, because Woz has a lot to do with current Apple software.

9:30 p.m. Cranky Italian judge: “It was like watching a Teletubby going mad at the gay pride parade!” Well said.

9:30 p.m. Lady judge: “You are what this show is all about!” And “You made it to the end! It was fantastic!” It’s true. He didn’t once take a break or sit down.

9:31 p.m. Woz score coming after the ad. I have to say. He looks way more composed than his partner.

9:33 p.m. Here come the scores: 5, 4, and 4 for 13 total. Which means they did worse than Jewel’s stupid cowboy husband. Which is a serious miscarriage of justice. He was so much better than that guy! 

9:34 p.m. Empty headed-host: “You said that ballroom dancing is harder than designing computers. But you just got through that entire dance!” They really seem concerned about his ability to remain standing.

9:34 p.m. Woz: “That was the most incredible fun thing I’ve ever done. It’s so great. I’m so glad to be here!” More fun than pretending to date Kathy Griffin?

9:35 p.m. Dance partner Karina Smirnoff: “Honestly, he’s the nicest man alive, and he gives 100 percent in every rehearsal!” Well, he would have to give at least that much. He’s Woz.

9:36 p.m. And…it’s over. Please turn it off before David Alan Grier dances, and get your vote in now! (Just done with my 13 now; what a worthy cause!)

See you next week? Maybe?

Steve Wozniak is hoping to get the geek vote for his fancy footwork on Dancing with the Stars.

He will be tripping the light (?) fantastic tonight with partner Karina Smirnoff on the ABC show (8/7c), where he’s up against “Jackass” Steve-O, former Go-Go Belinda Carlisle and actress Denise Richards, among others.

Here are the numbers to vote:

Steve Wozniak & Karina Smirnoff

phone number:  800-86834-10 or  800-VOTE4-10
text in code:   3410

To vote online, check out the official site (poll page goes up when the show goes live).

You can also follow the Votes for Woz movement via the dedicated  twitter stream or Facebook group.
Dancers are judged by professionals but the folks at home decide whether the couple moves forward in the competition.

Phone lines, text votes (AT&T customers only) and online polls will open at the top of each performance show so viewers can vote for their favorites.

Phone and text lines stay open for 30 minutes after the end of the show. Online voting will remain open until noon (Eastern Time) the next day. (Wonder if that means Woz fans outside the US can vote for him or it will be blocked…Update: you can vote online — 13 times — until noon EST the day after the show is broadcast, from anywhere, as long as you register.)

Wozniak adds: “You can vote up to 13 times with your cell phone. Actually, you can only vote as many times as there are contestants, which will likely be either 11, 12 or 13 this Monday, but extra votes surely don’t hurt.” He also spoke of an iPhone app to vote in the iTunes store, but a quick search didn’t turn it up…

Are you planning on voting your support?

I want to ask when the hurting will stop, but the first episode hasn’t even aired yet… This will be the best TV trainwreck of the year, without question.

CNET via Valleywag

Wow. I just… he’s majestic. In the words of Mr. Show, “He’s like a swan. Like a pregnant swan.”

I almost want to watch this. Almost.

Livejournal via The Daily What via Gizmodo

Image courtesy Bearotic (probably NSFW)

In case you were wondering, Steve Wozniak (pictured is now confirmed to be a competitor on the next season of “Dancing with the Stars,” alongside Steve-O, Jewel, and many other formerly famous people. Because he couldn’t just start working for a new company, which was announced last week. He needed to make a series of embarrassing appearances on TV.

Edit: No offense intended in link; was more looking out for people on the internet who haven’t figured out what the suffix “rotic” means at this point. Have revised to reflect.

Via Zap2It

When the comfortably semi-retired co-founder of one of the hottest high-tech entrerprises of the past ten years goes back to work, it’s news – whether he’s called by opportunity, need, or just plain desire.

Steve Wozniak is going back to work – at a storage start-up he says he’s joining because ” I like the people and the product, and … I would like some greater involvement.”

Fusion-io is backed with investment from Dell, and has distribution agreements in place with the Texas hardware maker as well as with HP and IBM, according to a report in the NY Times.

It’s said in times of greatest crisis there is greatest opportunity, so I’m inclined to take Woz at his word when he says, “I think I have a better place at smaller companies looking at new ideas.”

via [gizmodo]

Steve Wozniak gave his own unique and valuable perspective on Steve Jobs, Jobs’ health and Apple culture in an interview on NBC11 in San Jose over the weekend, saying, “What [Jobs] says, we ought to accept,” referring to the public’s insatiable curiosity about the Apple CEO. “No matter how much he gave, in explanations and explanations and explanations, there [are] a lot of people that keep wanting more and more.”

In addition to defending Job’s public statements on his health and the culture of privacy at Apple generally, Woz allowed that “Apple has some incredible people…followers of the Apple mentality, followers of Steve himself,” who will lessen the impact of a short six month absence. “The products coming out of Apple, out of tech companies, have a long tech pipeline…they work their way through for a year, year and a half…Those products are in the pipeline, they’re not going to be disturbed.”

Woz even spoke of an epiphany he had in the shower, about how Jobs’ medical leave might benefit Apple: “He wants a rest. The rest and peacefulness. What do you do when you rest? Sometimes your mind floats. A person like him works out better concepts and products and ways the future could be and way we live our lives better than any individual could. Probably a great thing for Apple.”

Gotta love Woz’s positivity.

Steve Wozniak, Apple co-founder and designer of the Apple I and Apple II computers, has joined the advisory board of Axiotron, maker of the Modbook Mac tablet.

Wozniak “brings a network of personal and professional contacts and offers his insight into market trends,” according to an Axiotron statement.

In 1976, Wozniak cofounded Apple with Steve Jobs, now CEO of the Cupertino, Calif.-based computer-maker.

Earlier this month, Axiotron updated the tablet-based Modbook, improving its screen and dropping to 5.3 pounds the weight of the unit priced at $2,249. MacBooks can also be converted to a Modbook, using Modbook Service for $1,299.

An anonymous tipster pointed us to this photo, posted anonymously on the web, of Woz on his Segway at the urinal. There’s just no place left to hide, is there?

Via