Essay/Term paper: Internet pc's: next wave or nonsense?

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Information Technology

Internet PC's: Next Wave or Nonsense?

Call them what you will: Internet appliances. Network terminals. The whole
computer industry is abuzz over proposals for ultra low-cost devices that let
you surf the net, shop, and bank from home. However many sceptics abound saying
they are merely the most recent fad alternative to the traditional PC. I would
agree, saying that where the cost ($300-800) and the ease of use may be
appealing, the real-world applications limit these machines so-much that they
will be obsolete in ten years, much like the 80486. So don't get your Pentium
ready for the rummage sale just yet. Investment is pouring into surfboxes right
now because average people may turn out to prefer single-function devices. Says
Steven McAllister, vice president of sales and marketing for Bandi: "[these
systems will] open up the web... to a huge market that either couldn't afford a
PC or didn't want to be a hobbyist. But nobody's sure customers really want
them."