General Magic
Magic Cap and TeleScript
January 21, 1994
General Magic recently introduced the Magic Cap operating
system and TeleScript communications technology. To mimic the
real-world desktop, they deploy 3D icons for communications devices,
in/out baskets, rolodex, notebook, etc., plus door to a hallway
and other "rooms." The consumer version lets users
move along a computer image of a street to storefronts of interest,
e.g. AT&T phone service "building" or a travel
agency. Sony, Motorola, Philips, Matsushita will equip PDAs (personal
digital assistants) with Magic Cap. Telescript may become standard
for interactive, intelligent messaging systems. General Magic
investor AT&T has Telescript-based network project called
Personal Link Services which will provide handhelds with simplified
access to electronic networks via intelligent agents. (as reported
in the San Jose Mercury News).
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<P>Andy graduated from Brown University in June 1975 with a B.S.
with honors in Computer Science. While attending graduate school
at U.C. Berkeley in January 1978, he purchased an Apple II computer,
which changed his life. He began developing software peripherals
for the Apple II, eventually starting working at Apple Computer
as a systems programmer in August 1979. He developed a number
of peripheral products for the Apple II, including the Silentype
printer, a low cost graphic printer as well as the first 80-column
card for the Apple II.</P>
<P>In February 1981, he became one of the principal members of
the team responsible for the design of the Macintosh, a revolutionary
personal computer known for its innovative design and radical
ease of use. He designed and implemented about one third of the
Macintosh system software including the User Interface ToolBox
and desk accessories like the Control Panel and Scrapbook.</P>
<P>Andy left Apple in March 1984 and has developed a number of
major products on his own since then, including ThunderScan,
a low cost, high resolution scanner. He continued to develop
important system software for Apple, including Switcher, the
Mac's first multi-tasking environment, and QuickerDraw, a graphic
package which tripled the speed of key color graphics routines.</P>
<P>In 1986, he become a founding shareholder of Radius, Inc.
where he developed innovative software for the Radius Full Page
Display, which pioneered the concept of utilizing multiple screens
in a single coordinate space. He also wrote the system software
for the Radius Accelerator and other Radius products.</P>
<P>In May of 1990, Andy became a co-founder of General Magic,
Inc., a start-up company involved in developing a new category
of consumer electronics products called "personal intelligent
communicators".</P>
<P>Andy desires to make computers and consumer products even
more accessible to ordinary people and hopes to develop more
innovative, fun products in the coming years.</P>
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