Watch General Magic

General Magic is a 2018 documentary film directed by Sarah Kerruish and Matt Maude that captures the fascinating story of General Magic, a technology startup company in the early 1990s that was ahead of its time. Featuring interviews with the original members of the team, including Tony Fadell, Andy Hertzfeld, and Marc Porat, the documentary explores the innovative ideas that drove the development of the General Magic platform, a precursor to modern-day smartphones.

The film begins in the 1980s, a time when computers were largely limited to the business world and were not yet accessible to the general public. To address this issue, several former Apple employees came together to create a new company called General Magic, with the goal of creating a portable device that could be used to communicate with others in a more efficient and interactive way.

Their early vision for the platform was nothing short of revolutionary, incorporating features that seem commonplace today, but were groundbreaking at the time, such as email, messaging, voice recognition, and touchscreens. The team worked tirelessly to develop the hardware and software technology necessary to bring the platform to life, often pulling all-nighters and working seven days a week to meet the aggressive development schedule.

Despite the challenges they faced, General Magic's team was incredibly passionate about their work, and their dedication paid off with the creation of the Magic Cap platform, which they eventually licensed to other companies. However, despite the initial success, they soon ran into a number of obstacles, including the limitations of the hardware of the time, and the lack of infrastructure to support their ambitions.

One of the most compelling themes of the movie is the idea of "failing forward," or learning from mistakes and moving forward despite setbacks. General Magic did not achieve the success they had hoped for, but their work laid the foundation for today's smartphone technology, and many of the members of the team have gone on to play key roles in the development of other transformative technologies.

The documentary features a wealth of archival footage and photographs from the time, and the interviews with the original team members provide a fascinating window into the early days of the tech industry. Additionally, the film features cameos from several prominent figures in the tech world, including Kevin Lynch, CEO of the smartwatch company Withings, and Megan Smith, the former chief technology officer of the United States under the Obama Administration.

Overall, General Magic is a compelling and inspirational documentary that offers a unique perspective on the early days of the tech industry, and the passion and dedication of those who helped shape the world we live in today. The film is a must-watch for anyone interested in the history of technology, entrepreneurship, or innovation.

General Magic is a 2018 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.4 and a MetaScore of 69.