If I was an investor, I’d be thrilled”, and “he’s fully operational”, are two of the several responses that , Apple Inc.’s Steve Jobs, has been receiving , an year after getting a liver transplant that saved his life.

Although, he remains thin and talks with acquaintances about his struggle to put on weight, Jobs’ hands-on approach to Apple’s operations instills confidence among investors, who credit him with making the once- ailing computer maker a leader in Smartphone’s and digital music.

As Apple closes in on Microsoft Corp. as the most valuable U. S. technology company and embarks on a battle with Google Inc. in mobile advertising, Steve Jobs is back and is rejuvenated because of the release of the iPad.

Jobs, who underwent surgery for a rare form of cancer in 2004, took a 5 1/2-month leave of absence in January 2009 after revealing that a hormone imbalance was “robbing me of the proteins my body needs to be healthy”.

After Jobs returned to work in June 2009, Apple said he would work from home for a few days each .Answering customer e-mails, ruminating on everything from technical issues to the fragility of life Jobs has been lucky enough.

Having attended some events, including the September debut of new iPod media players, January’s unveiling of the iPad, Apple’s shareholder meeting in February and an April 8 briefing on new software for the iPhone, Jobs has stepped up pace.

“People like Steve Jobs have a different operating system from you and me,” says Guy Kawasaki, a former Apple employee who helped promote the Mac when it was released in 1984. “In his eyes, I don’t think anything is impossible”.