The Rise and Fall of General Magic: Silicon Valley's Most Important Failed Company

Nerdy Stuff

The Rise and Fall of General Magic: Silicon Valley's Most Important Failed Company

Clean

Published on Sep 25, 2026, 9:09:14 AM
Total time: 00:14:51

Episode Description
In 1990, a secretive Apple spinoff called General Magic set out to invent the pocket computer that could do everything—email, apps, touchscreens, and e-commerce. They failed spectacularly, but their alumni went on to create the iPhone, Android, and eBay. This is the story of the company that was right about the future but wrong about the timing.
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