New Internet Computer

New Internet Computer (NIC)
Manufacturer New Internet Computer Company
Release date July 6, 2000 (2000-07-06)
Introductory price $199
Discontinued June 2003
Units sold Less than 50,000
Operating system Linux
CPU 266 MHz Cyrix MII
Storage capacity 4 MB Flash Memory
Memory 64 MB RAM
Connectivity 10 MBps Ethernet
56K Modem
Two USB 1.1 ports
Online services NetZero

The New Internet Computer (NIC) was a Linux-based internet appliance released July 6, 2000 by Larry Ellison's New Internet Computer Company. The system (without a monitor) sold for US$199.[1]

The NIC boots from a CD-ROM with a custom Linux distribution developed by Wim Coekaerts. It has no hard drive and no way to install additional software.[1] The system's only nonvolatile storage is 4 MB of flash memory.

Ellison planned to sell 5 million units the first year, but fewer than 50,000 units were sold. The company shut its doors in June 2003. PC World ranked the NIC as the ninth worst PC of all time.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c Tynan, Dan. The 10 Worst PCs of All Time, PC World, March 19, 2007

External links