Experience immersive workshops on product development, team building and resilience in the approach to failure, told through the General Magic story.
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General Magic is available to watch on VOD platforms worldwide.
Learn MoreLearn MoreHost a private screening of General Magic for your organization paired with live panels and team-building workshops.
Learn MoreGet a custom quoteGeneral Magic is the story of the original creators of the smartphone, who after a great failure, changed the lives of billions.
In 1990, at a secretive Silicon Valley start-up, a small and passionate group of innovators and engineers formed to build a magical device that would enable anyone to connect everyone to everywhere and everything – a personal computer in your pocket.
General Magic, though relatively unknown, is considered by many to be one of the most influential innovation startups in the history of technology. This pioneering team—featuring visionaries like Tony Fadell (co-creator of the iPod and iPhone, founder of Nest, author of Build), Megan Smith (former White House CTO, founder of shift7), Marc Porat (original visionary of the smartphone), Andy Hertzfeld (software engineer, original Macintosh team), and Joanna Hoffman (marketing, original Macintosh team)—created the first smartphone and laid the foundation for many of the 21st century's most transformative communication and digital technologies.
While the business of General Magic ultimately did not succeed, the groundbreaking technologies developed by this trailblazing startup and the subsequent ventures led by its team have profoundly impacted the lives of billions.
Discover the General Magic story.
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“A rippling standing ovation followed the film. We Estonians are typically straight faced as people, resistant to emotion or expression in public, but the film resonated something deep within our audience.
“My hope and dream is that General Magic elevates the purpose of each Town employee.”

The compelling story of General Magic shows the powerful value that lies in failure, perseverance and teamwork amongst other empowering themes. Teams and groups will find inspiration in this legendary piece of history.
When Karan Johar’s Student of the Year 2 (SOTY 2) hit screens in 2019, it was packaged as a quintessential Bollywood college musical—glossy, dramatic, and filled with designer sportswear. However, for a significant section of South Indian audiences, the film wasn’t experienced through its original Hindi dialogues, but through its Tamil dubbed version. Examining this dubbed release offers a fascinating case study in how a film’s cultural texture, humor, and emotional beats shift when translated for a new linguistic audience.
This is where the Tamil dub shines. Tiger Shroff’s martial arts and dance-off scenes are elevated by more aggressive Tamil action verbs and sound design. The punchlines in fights—like "Indha college'la naan dhan king-u" (I am the king of this college)—land better than the original’s more subdued Hindi retorts. student of the year 2 tamil dubbed
"Student of the Year 2 Tamil Dubbed" is a must-watch for fans of youthful and engaging cinema. With its relatable themes, memorable characters, and thrilling plot twists, this film is sure to resonate with audiences of all ages. So, get ready to experience the excitement and drama of "Student of the Year 2" in Tamil! When Karan Johar’s Student of the Year 2
Ultimately, the Tamil dub of SOTY 2 proves a simple truth: dubbing isn’t just translation; it’s re-imagination. In trying to make this elite, North-Indian fantasy college feel like a neighborhood in Chennai, the dubbing team created something unintentionally hilarious and strangely memorable. It may not win any awards, but as a piece of cross-cultural pop culture, it’s a fascinating stumble worth examining. This is where the Tamil dub shines
"Student of the Year 2" is a 2017 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy film directed by Karan Johar. The movie is a sequel to the 2012 film "Student of the Year." The story revolves around three friends, Rohan (Shahid Kapoor), Shardul (Meriwether Lewis), and Aryan (Sidharth Malhotra), who were once students at St. Xavier's College.
availability (Prime, Hotstar, etc.) Similar Tamil dubbed Bollywood movies Cast filmographies in Tamil
The film’s soundtrack was also partially reworked. While the original songs by Vishal-Shekhar remained, the Tamil version added localized rap verses in songs like "The Hook Up Song," performed by Tamil lyricists. These attempts were commendable but jarring—the visual of a Swiss alpine backdrop with lyrics about "filter coffee" and "auto rickshaw races" created a surreal, almost satirical viewing experience.

Michael Stern has practiced law in Silicon Valley for 35 years. He has worked with General Magic, Pixar, Adobe, NeXT, and eBay. His varied background as an English professor, journalist, and Dickens scholar led to the story development of the General Magic documentary.
“Working at General Magic was an all-consuming, life-changing experience for me. The company was full of the smartest and most creative people I had ever known. It was a story that cried out to be told.”
Matt is a multi award winning director, writer, cinematographer and producer. At the Tribeca Film Festival, he was nominated for the Best New Director Award.
“There was this amazing moment reviewing the archival film, seeing all these young people sitting on the floor of a tiny office … the people who made the iPod, Nest, Android, eBay, the emoticon, the touch screen, the modem, tools we can’t imagine living without today.”
Sarah, a Peabody Award winner and Emmy nominee, was part of the original documentary crew at General Magic. She has held a number of roles in the Tech industry, most recently as Chief Strategy Officer at Kheiron Medical, dedicated to the detection and treatment of breast cancer using AI.
“Our hope is that this film will inspire the next generation of technologists and makers to learn from those who have gone before them and apply the lessons of General Magic to solving the most important problems of our day.”
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