Internet appliance

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
A VTech Model 80-36447, a type of Internet Appliance. Note the button on the console that would link the user to the Yahoo! webportal.

An Internet appliance is a consumer device whose main function is easy access to

network computer, or even thin client,[2]
but now it has fallen out of general use.

Internet appliance was contrasted with any general purpose

do approximately the same things, but are more powerful, more successful in the market, and generally not classified as Internet appliances.

History

Internet appliances were promoted by a variety of technology companies during the 1990s but, as the price of full-featured computers dropped, never met the market expectations. Jim Louderback would later describe the concept as one of the "eight biggest tech flops ever".

An

Nokia Internet Tablet series (including the Nokia N900
).

Early in the 21st century a new breed of household devices, such as Vonage

IPTV
boxes, began to use the broadband connections in PC-independent ways.

Notable devices

Current

Discontinued

See also

References

External links

  • Linux-Hacker.net Community Page pertaining to getting Linux to run on older Internet Appliances