Internet Viewer

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Has anyone (other than me) heard of this:

About a year ago, ‘they’ came out with an appliance that is basically a monitor with a keyboad and mouse that
is used solely for Internet surfing and E-Mail. It sold for about $100.

I was at a couple of computer stores yesterday, and got the dreaded “Deer in Headlight” response from the
salespeople. I gather this never made it big and was never mass marketed – therefore it doesn’t exist ??
(This is not Web TV)

Any one know what I’m talking about?

Thanks for all replies !!

Michael

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I recall that Compaq had a line of products called iPaq (not just the handheld). These were Internet Appliances, as you described. I imagine that other manufacturers had similar products as well.

I believe that Compaq dropped these products after the merger with HP – most likely a marketing decision.

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http://athome.compaq.com/showroom/static/i…ntappliance.asp%5B/url%5D

That’s the only one I could find doing a Google.
Perhaps others might remember.

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Thanks guys!!

Can I gather there is no similar product on the market now ?

Michael

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Like Yogi said, this is like deja vu all over again! Folks, I know my old brain may be suffering from CRS, but just within the past week or two I saw a MICROSOFT ad on TV advertising an “internet machine” of some kind. They showed some people using it – a television, keyboard and I don’t remember what else. I swear I hope I’m not dreaming, but since it was for something I have absolutely no interest in, I “tuned it out of my brain” and went on about my paperwork chores that I was working on. Man, if I see that ad again, I’ll sure post back…..

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Actually, Big Al, I saw that machine in person. They told me it only works with msn & only on your TV.

I really just wanted to spend a hundred bucks so I could be on the computer and my wife
could be on the Internet. Oh well…

Thanks everyone!!
Michael

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Our company occasionally sells 3 year old PCs to employees for a couple hundred dollars with just the OS and OEM software on it. I bet if you mention to a few people that you’re interested in used computer, one will come out of the woodwork around your price point.

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Walmart is selling a cheap PC online (only online I think). Non Intel and non-Windows. I’d do a very careful review & soul searching before purchasing. It probably has the cheapest components possible.

Joe

--Joe

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In case anyone is interested, Call for Help on TechTV did a review of these machines a few weeks (months??) ago. Here’s the link.

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Is it possible that you’re thinking of the ill-fated Audrey that was released and subsequently pulled by 3com? There were a few others around, such as Sony’s e Villa, which has also been consigned to the dustbin of technology, and the iOpener. Gateway took a stab at this market with the TouchPad. Yet another that comes to mind is the MailStation.

Many potential users turned away from Internet appliances when they realized that for slightly more they can get a fully functioning computer. Personally, I can’t help but agree – the concept is great, but there doesn’t seem to be a single company that has hit the sweet spot with one of these devices. It doesn’t seem likely to happen either, given that you can find bare-bones low end PCs that cost the same or less and can do more (whether they are reliable or not is another story). I don’t think mass marketing was the problem so much as the built-in limitations…and perhaps poor marketing.

HTH,

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