Internet appliance, also called net appliance or web appliance, is a term once used to describe an inexpensive computer designed primarily to provide a connection to the internet. Manufacturers sold them during the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. The devices allowed people to email and browse websites. But they lacked many features of more expensive computers at the time, such as the ability to store files. Some internet appliances also included features that are not associated with the internet, such as the ability to control other devices or systems in the home or to play compact discs and DVD’s. A number of modern devices, such as small, cheap laptops called netbooks, are also designed mainly for internet use. But they can store files and are not typically called internet appliances.
