General Magic

A startup by ex-Apple computer gods Bill Atkinson and Andy Hertzfeld to create a "personal intelligent communicator"-- a tablet-like personal information device that used an always-on radio network connection. Products were produced and sold by OEMs (most notably Sony) based on Gereral Magic designs and its MagicCap? operating system/UI, but the vision was many years ahead of the technology. MagicCap? couldn't compete with the AppleNewton, much less the coming wave of Palm PDAs.

General Magic morphed into a software development house, and marketed a voice telephony system called Portico as well as writing the software behind GM's OnStar? service. The company's management and focus changed a few times and the company finally ceased operation in 2002.

A couple of ex-Apple designers who spun off to create the world's greatest PDA, ever, bar none. Unfortunately the company was then "repositioned" as a software component creator, renamed "Data Rover" and then something else I can't even remember. The whole thing was wound up in 2001.

In short, a terrible shame. Anyone lucky enough to glom a Magic Link PIC-2000 should hold onto the thing like it's made of gold.