73K views · Oct 6, 2022 · 1:32:48 · 3 HN recommenders · 6 mentions · discussed 2023–2026
A feature-length documentary on General Magic, the 1989 startup that envisioned the smartphone and handheld connected devices, featuring Tony Fadell, Andy Hertzfeld and Marc Porat. It covers the company's vision and eventual failure.
Why Hacker News points people here: Recommended as a fun and illuminating watch on early mobile computing, especially in threads about Bill Atkinson and Telescript.
“check out the documentary[0] on General Magic which Bill co-founded in 1990”HN comment, 2025
“For anyone else amazed by General Magic, the recently released documentary is available for free”
Documentary on General Magic, free on YouTube
For anyone else amazed by General Magic, the recently released documentary is available for free (legally) on YouTube: this video
“check out the documentary[0] on General Magic which Bill co-founded in 1990”
Documentary on General Magic, which Bill Atkinson co-founded; early vision of mobile email
If you haven't, check out the documentary[0] on General Magic which Bill co-founded in 1990. Among the more remarkable scenes in there is when a member of the public seems perplexed by the thought that they would even want to "check email from Times Square." An unthinkable future, but they thought it. And yet, most folks have never heard of General Magic. 0. this video
“perhaps the General Magic documentary is a fun watch too”
General Magic documentary is a fun watch
Plenty of interviews will Bill on YouTube. Example: link Also, perhaps the General Magic documentary is a fun watch too: this video
“someone expresses the excitement anticipating the smart phone”
Timestamp of Atkinson and anticipation of the smartphone
Atkinson at this timestamp: this video Also, it's here in the documentary that someone expresses the excitement anticipating the smart phone. It's hard to watch for me now and not shake my head, "Oh, it's not quite as wonderful as you imagined."
“There's also a documentary about General Magic”
Documentary on General Magic where Fadell once worked
This headline isn't great. It's an interview with Tony Fadell who invented the iPod, iPhone, and Nest thermostat. Before the iPod, Fadell worked at failed PDA maker General Magic. The interview doesn't get into other 90s attempts like the IBM Simon, Palm Pilot, or Apple Newton. There's also a documentary about General Magic: this video
“Take it all with a grain of salt.”
Well, the Macintosh team certainly thought they were. There's a YT video about General Magic that tries to paint them that way, and they thought of themselves that way at the time. this video Take it all with a grain of salt.
