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Apple's Future Computer: The Knowledge Navigator

Blake Patterson1 HN recommender · recommended in 1 month, 2011–2024
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demo · general · evergreen · 2011–2024 on HN

Apple's late-1980s Knowledge Navigator concept video, produced under John Sculley, showing a professor using a tablet-like device with a conversational software agent. It envisions hypertext, touchscreens and voice assistants.

HN cites it as an early vision of personal software agents and AI assistants, and as a fun retro look at predicted computing.

GUI, HCI & interface historyTech company stories & documentaries#knowledgenavigator#apple#softwareagents#conceptvideo

4 comments from Hacker News

@rlu2014-06 · in “Microsoft's ’90s vision for the smart home looks a lot like today [video]”

These are always fun to watch. Here's one of Apple's versions if you're curious: ▶ this video Microsoft still maintains its "home of the future". I think they update it every 3-5 years or so. Here's a newer one I found on youtube: link . It's pretty funny to see how the set, from what I can tell, is basically identical. And here's another Microsoft video about the "future of productivity" made back in 2011: link

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@1oooqooq2024-06 · in “Steve Wozniak Reacts to Apple's New AI Tools”

it's so funny he still talks about the worst most embarrassing apple ad of all time. ▶ this video it's so bad it's awesome.

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@frik2015-12 · in “Andreessen: 'In 20 years, every physical item will have a chip implanted in it'”

This. Exactly this. A personal software agent will make a lot of "smart" devices and many apps irrelevant. See Apple's vision from early ’90s: ▶ this video

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@zephjc2011-08 · in “Samsung cites Kubrick's "2001" as Prior Art in Patent Case Against Apple”

Are you sure you're not thinking of Apple's Knowledge Navigator concept? ▶ this video This video is allegedly from 1987. Edit: I changed the link to an expanded video from the early 90s(?) which contains the original video + some other mockup usage examples for OpenDoc

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