American Experience "Silicon Valley" Special Hitting PBS In 2013 [Time/Date Update!]
On the Tuesday, February 5th at 9PM, a new entry into the always-excellent documentary series AMERICAN EXPERIENCE will take on the information age: Silicon Valley. This made-for-tv documentary entry into the series will take on rural Santa Clara County's transformation into the "hub of ingenuity" of the modern age, also known as Silicon Valley by the whole entire planet. This film will begin back and the beginning: the creation of Fairchild Semiconductor and the rise to prominence of none other than Robert Noyce.
This movie will show how Fairchild Semiconductor made the integrated circuit which pushed the United States forward as the top superpower in both space exploration and personal computers – and the revolution therein. Back in 1957 is when this documentary begins, and straight forward through one of the most powerful of those directly influenced by Noyce, Steve Jobs, and the mobile age it will go.
This documentary follows Noyce and the "Traitorous Eight" who founded Fairchild Semiconductor: Gordon Moore, Sheldon Roberts, Eugene Kleiner, Victor Grinich, Julius Blank, Jean Hoerni and Jay Last. This documentary is directed by Randall MacLowry and will be making its first appearance on television in February 2013 (on the 5th, as mentioned previously). You'll find that October 4th, 1957, will be much more significant in your mind from your first viewing forward.
"On October 4, 1957, the young founders of the newly minted start-up heard some startling news: the Soviet Union had just launched the first artificial satellite into orbit around the earth. With the United States scrambling to catch up, the timing couldn't have been better for the upstarts at Fairchild. Eisenhower quickly launched NASA and the nation's new obsession with technology provided the opportunity of a lifetime. In less than two years, Noyce would co-create a groundbreaking invention that would help put men on the moon. But Noyce's innovation — the integrated circuit — would have an impact far beyond the Apollo program. The integrated circuit, also known as the microchip, would re-shape the future, making possible the invention of smart phones and digital video recorders, pacemakers and microwaves possible, and launching the world into the Information Age."
Have a peek at the trailer above and make sure you tune in when the time comes. Let us know if you plan on picking up this epic journey on your antiquated television set or if you're going to go mobile and see how easy it is to get this documentary about the future here in the past!
[via TechCrunch]