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The first Palm Pilot was released in late 1997. it would've been a really, really big deal to have one in 1995. Laptops would've been recognizable, but their u
by mercutio2 10y ago
The first Palm Pilot was released in late 1997. it would've been a really, really big deal to have one in 1995.
Laptops would've been recognizable, but their utility was severely limited without WiFi, which I think was arguably a bigger transition (wired Internet -> wireless) than BBS -> Internet. So I guess I'm agreeing with you, connectivity was the big phase change!
- ghaff 10y agoI didn't realize they were quite so late. That said, the "1995" transition date was probably more like 1998 or so. WiFi connectivity was still in its infancy at the turn of the century and the availability of meaningful amounts of online content and services was only a few years ahead of that. Laptops were somewhat useful even prior to WiFi. I had my first one in 1997 or so. It was convenient to take work home, for example. But you're right that, viewed through the lens of today, they weren't a huge win relative to wired desktops for many uses.