WebPC
Encyclopedia
The WebPC was a short-lived personal computer
designed by Dell Computer for the consumer market. The computer was designed to make it easy for home users to connect to the Internet. A small form factor
machine, the WebPC was an early system in a class known as legacy-free PC
s.
Windows 98
, 64MB of system RAM
, a 4GB hard disk
, a 15-inch CRT
monitor
, a year's worth of Internet
service and a Hewlett-Packard
printer for $999 USD. In a move remotely mimicking the iMac
, Dell also offered the WebPC in different colors, however the colors only were accents on the case; the majority of the case remained black.
In 2000, Dell offered upgraded models of the WebPC, featuring processors up to a Pentium III
at 600MHz, 10/100 Ethernet
built in (previous models included only a 56K modem), a bundled flat panel display
, and larger hard disks up to 20GB.
The system's case was extremely compact. The CD-ROM
or DVD-ROM drive was a laptop-type unit with a custom bezel, but its internal IDE
hard disk
was a standard 3.5" drive.The system also made use of MiniPCI, another standard typically found on laptop computers, for its communications card. It did however use standard SDRAM
modules for memory. The case measured only 6 inches wide, 10.7 inches high, 10.1 inches deep and weighed a maximum of about 12 pounds. It also featured a unique "e-support" button that caused the computer to run diagnostic tests and also allowed quick access to online technical support..
.
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
designed by Dell Computer for the consumer market. The computer was designed to make it easy for home users to connect to the Internet. A small form factor
Small form factor
A small form factor is a computer form factor designed to minimize the volume of a desktop computer. For comparison purposes, the size of an SFF case is usually measured in litres. SFFs are available in a variety of sizes and shapes, including shoeboxes, cubes, and book-sized PCs...
machine, the WebPC was an early system in a class known as legacy-free PC
Legacy-free PC
A legacy-free PC is a type of personal computer that lacks a floppy drive, legacy ports, an ISA bus...
s.
Specifications and price
The system was originally introduced in 1999. Available in prices ranging from $999 through $2,399 USD. Its cheapest configuration was a 433-MHz Intel Celeron processor, MicrosoftMicrosoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
Windows 98
Windows 98
Windows 98 is a graphical operating system by Microsoft. It is the second major release in the Windows 9x line of operating systems. It was released to manufacturing on 15 May 1998 and to retail on 25 June 1998. Windows 98 is the successor to Windows 95. Like its predecessor, it is a hybrid...
, 64MB of system RAM
Ram
-Animals:*Ram, an uncastrated male sheep*Ram cichlid, a species of freshwater fish endemic to Colombia and Venezuela-Military:*Battering ram*Ramming, a military tactic in which one vehicle runs into another...
, a 4GB hard disk
Hard disk
A hard disk drive is a non-volatile, random access digital magnetic data storage device. It features rotating rigid platters on a motor-driven spindle within a protective enclosure. Data is magnetically read from and written to the platter by read/write heads that float on a film of air above the...
, a 15-inch CRT
Cathode ray tube
The cathode ray tube is a vacuum tube containing an electron gun and a fluorescent screen used to view images. It has a means to accelerate and deflect the electron beam onto the fluorescent screen to create the images. The image may represent electrical waveforms , pictures , radar targets and...
monitor
Computer display
A monitor or display is an electronic visual display for computers. The monitor comprises the display device, circuitry, and an enclosure...
, a year's worth of Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
service and a Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
printer for $999 USD. In a move remotely mimicking the iMac
IMac
The iMac is a range of all-in-one Macintosh desktop computers built by Apple. It has been the primary part of Apple's consumer desktop offerings since its introduction in 1998, and has evolved through five distinct forms....
, Dell also offered the WebPC in different colors, however the colors only were accents on the case; the majority of the case remained black.
In 2000, Dell offered upgraded models of the WebPC, featuring processors up to a Pentium III
Pentium III
The Pentium III brand refers to Intel's 32-bit x86 desktop and mobile microprocessors based on the sixth-generation P6 microarchitecture introduced on February 26, 1999. The brand's initial processors were very similar to the earlier Pentium II-branded microprocessors...
at 600MHz, 10/100 Ethernet
Ethernet
Ethernet is a family of computer networking technologies for local area networks commercially introduced in 1980. Standardized in IEEE 802.3, Ethernet has largely replaced competing wired LAN technologies....
built in (previous models included only a 56K modem), a bundled flat panel display
Flat panel display
Flat panel displays encompass a growing number of electronic visual display technologies. They are far lighter and thinner than traditional television sets and video displays that use cathode ray tubes , and are usually less than thick...
, and larger hard disks up to 20GB.
The system's case was extremely compact. The CD-ROM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
or DVD-ROM drive was a laptop-type unit with a custom bezel, but its internal IDE
AT Attachment
Parallel ATA , originally ATA, is an interface standard for the connection of storage devices such as hard disks, solid-state drives, floppy drives, and optical disc drives in computers. The standard is maintained by X3/INCITS committee...
hard disk
Hard disk
A hard disk drive is a non-volatile, random access digital magnetic data storage device. It features rotating rigid platters on a motor-driven spindle within a protective enclosure. Data is magnetically read from and written to the platter by read/write heads that float on a film of air above the...
was a standard 3.5" drive.The system also made use of MiniPCI, another standard typically found on laptop computers, for its communications card. It did however use standard SDRAM
SDRAM
Synchronous dynamic random access memory is dynamic random access memory that is synchronized with the system bus. Classic DRAM has an asynchronous interface, which means that it responds as quickly as possible to changes in control inputs...
modules for memory. The case measured only 6 inches wide, 10.7 inches high, 10.1 inches deep and weighed a maximum of about 12 pounds. It also featured a unique "e-support" button that caused the computer to run diagnostic tests and also allowed quick access to online technical support..
Discontinuation
In July 2000, Dell discontinued production of the WebPC. WebPC computers are rarely seen today, however they have been known to appear on eBayEBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
.