This is now!

How Ho technology has changed

WEBTV WHAT WAS IT?

In 1996, WEBTV Networks announced a service that would deliver the web to living rooms without a PC. The company had a rocky start: it had burned through $1.5m when Sony, a major partner, pulled out, leaving founder Steve Perlman to mortgage his house while trying to persuade others to invest. They did, and Sony eventually returned, along with Philips and others. Less than a year later, Microsoft bought the company for half a billion dollars. WEBTV made money for a while, but never really caught on.

HOW HAVE THINGS CHANGED?

WEBTV boxes, made by Philips and Sony, cost around $350 (equivalent to $560 today, or £425) and had a 33.6Kbps modem connection. Today, Windows 10 laptops are available for less, with built-in screens that have higher resolutions than 1990s TVS, and network connections that are a thousand times faster. Most smart TVS, meanwhile, come with a built-in web browser. Perlman’s fortunes have been mixed, but WEBTV colleague Andy Rubin went on to create Android.