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Canada News.Net
3 days ago
- Business
- Canada News.Net
End of an era: AOL to shut down its last dial-up connections
NEW YORK CITY, New York: AOL will officially shut down its dial-up internet service on September 30, marking the end of one of the earliest gateways to the web for millions of households. The decision closes a chapter in online history that began in the 1990s, when the company's beeps-and-buzzes connection sound became an iconic part of getting online. In a notice on its support site, AOL said it "routinely evaluates its products and services" and has decided to discontinue dial-up internet and related software "optimized for older operating systems." At its peak, AOL, formerly America Online, dominated the market, introducing countless users to the World Wide Web. The service became famous not only for its connection noises but also for its quirks, such as losing your connection if someone picked up the landline phone, and for the flood of promotional CDs offering free trial hours. While broadband and wireless eventually took over, dial-up never entirely vanished. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, about 163,401 U.S. households still used only dial-up to access the internet in 2023, representing just 0.13% of homes with internet subscriptions. AOL has long been the largest dial-up provider, but smaller ISPs still offer the service. The decline of dial-up mirrors the disappearance of other internet relics. AOL shut down its Instant Messenger service in 2017, Microsoft retired Internet Explorer in 2022, and Skype was discontinued earlier this year. AOL's "You've got mail" greeting, immortalized in the 1998 Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan film, remains a nostalgic hallmark for many. Founded in 1985 as Quantum Computer Services, AOL rebranded, went public in 1991, and became a titan of the dot-com era, hitting a market value of nearly $164 billion in 2000. However, a troubled merger with Time Warner and subsequent ownership changes saw its fortunes fall. Verizon acquired AOL in 2015, when it still had 2.1 million dial-up users, but by the time Verizon sold AOL and Yahoo to a private equity firm in 2021, that figure was "in the low thousands," according to a source cited by CNBC. Today, AOL continues to operate its free email service and paid subscriptions, offering identity protection and tech support. But for the few remaining customers relying on its phone-line-based internet, the September cutoff will mean finding a new way online, and for the broader public, it's a reminder of how far, and how fast, internet technology has evolved.
Qatar Tribune
4 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
AOL is finally shutting down its dial-up internet service
Agencies AOL's dial-up internet is finally taking its last bow. Yes, while perhaps a dinosaur by today's digital standards, dial-up is still around. But AOL says it's officially pulling the plug for its service on Sept 30. 'AOL routinely evaluates its products and services and has decided to discontinue Dial-up Internet,' AOL wrote in a brief update on its support site — noting that dial-up and associated software 'optimized for older operating systems' will soon be unavailable on AOL plans. AOL, formerly America Online, introduced many households to the world wide web for the first time when its dial-up service launched decades ago, rising to prominence particularly in the 1990s and early 2000s. The creaky door to the internet was characterized by a once-ubiquitous series of beeps and buzzes heard over the phone used to connect your computer online — along with frustrations of being kicked off the web if anyone else at home needed the landline for another call, and an endless bombardment of CDs mailed out by AOL to advertise free trials. Eventually, broadband and wireless offerings emerged and rose to dominance, doing away with dial-up's quirks for most people accessing the internet a handful of consumers have continued to rely on internet services connected over telephone lines. In the U.S., according to Census Bureau data, an estimated 163,401 households were using dial-up alone to get online in 2023, representing just over 0.13% of all homes with internet subscriptions nationwide. AOL was the largest dial-up internet provider for some time, but not the only one to emerge over the years. Some smaller internet providers continue to offer dial-up today. Regardless, the decline of dial-up has been a long time coming. And AOL shutting down its service arrives as other relics of the internet's earlier days continue to disappear. Microsoft retired video calling service Skype just earlier this year, for example — as well as Internet Explorer back in 2022. And in 2017, AOL discontinued its Instant Messenger a chat platform that was once lauded as the biggest trend in online communication.
News18
4 days ago
- Business
- News18
Microsoft Edge Vs Google Chrome: How The 90s Browser War Is Back With An AI Twist
Last Updated: Google is now backing an industry coalition called the Browser Choice Alliance (BCA), which counts Opera, Vivaldi, and other smaller browser developers among its members Nearly a quarter century after it was accused of using its dominance in the personal computer market to push Internet Explorer onto millions of users, Microsoft once again finds itself at the centre of a browser war. The company had faced a bruising antitrust battle in the late 1990s, a case it ultimately lost, and spent years rebuilding its image. Now, under CEO Satya Nadella's leadership and powered by an aggressive artificial intelligence strategy, Microsoft has returned to the top ranks of the tech industry. But this time, the challenger is Google, and the roles have reversed. Google is now backing an industry coalition called the Browser Choice Alliance (BCA), which counts Opera, Vivaldi, and other smaller browser developers among its members. The group's mission is to pressure Microsoft to stop what it claims are unfair tactics to promote the Edge browser through Windows. While BCA has multiple participants, Google is its largest financial backer, an unsurprising fact given that browser dominance directly affects Google's control over the search market. According to the alliance, Microsoft is once again using its operating system to give Edge an edge, this time by leveraging AI. Microsoft has integrated its AI-powered 'Copilot" assistant directly into Edge, offering features ranging from tab management to task automation. The BCA claims this integration is paired with 'dark patterns", subtle interface choices that make it harder for users to switch browsers. These reportedly include warning messages when downloading competitors' browsers and system resets that restore Edge as the default. The stakes are high because the AI race is increasingly being fought on desktop and laptop computers. While smartphones dominate daily usage, the desktop remains the tool of choice for professional and productivity-heavy work. Microsoft's approach appears aimed at making Edge the go-to 'AI browser" before rivals can catch up. Regulatory pressure is mounting. In Europe, the BCA has filed complaints alleging Microsoft is skirting new competition rules, while in Brazil, Opera has lodged a formal grievance accusing the company of harassing users who try to switch browsers. The irony is not lost on industry observers. Google, which itself has faced criticism for aggressively promoting Chrome, is now championing 'fair competition" in the browser market. BCA members argue that genuine rivalry benefits both consumers and the broader tech sector. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Internet Explorer reigned supreme after being bundled with Windows starting in 1995. By 2002, its market share exceeded 95 percent, but complacency and lack of innovation left it vulnerable. Mozilla Firefox's launch in 2004 dealt the first blow, and Google Chrome's debut in 2008 finished the job. Chrome's speed, minimalist design, and developer-friendly features propelled it past IE by 2012, and today it holds more than 60 percent of the global market. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
AOL is finally shutting down its dial-up internet service
By Wyatte Grantham-Philips NEW YORK: AOL 's dial-up internet is finally taking its last bow. Yes, while perhaps a dinosaur by today's digital standards, dial-up is still around. But AOL says it's officially pulling the plug for its service on Sept. 30. "AOL routinely evaluates its products and services and has decided to discontinue Dial-up Internet," AOL wrote in a brief update on its support site - noting that dial-up and associated software "optimized for older operating systems" will soon be unavailable on AOL plans. AOL, formerly America Online, introduced many households to the world wide web for the first time when its dial-up service launched decades ago, rising to prominence particularly in the 90s and early 2000s. The creaky door to the internet was characterized by a once-ubiquitous series of beeps and buzzes heard over the phone used to connect your computer online - along with frustrations of being kicked off the web if anyone else at home needed the landline for another call, and an endless bombardment of CDs mailed out by AOL to advertise free trials. Eventually, broadband and wireless offerings emerged and rose to dominance, doing away with dial-up's quirks for most people accessing the internet today. Still, a handful of consumers have continued to rely on internet services connected over telephone lines. In the U.S., according to Census Bureau data, an estimated 163,401 households were using dial-up alone to get online in 2023, representing just over 0.13% of all homes with internet subscriptions nationwide. AOL was the largest dial-up internet provider for some time, but not the only one to emerge over the years. Some smaller internet providers continue to offer dial-up today. Regardless, the decline of dial-up has been a long time coming. And AOL shutting down its service arrives as other relics of the internet's earlier days continue to disappear. Microsoft retired video calling service Skype just earlier this year, for example - as well as Internet Explorer back in 2022. And in 2017, AOL discontinued its Instant Messenger - a chat platform that was once lauded as the biggest trend in online communication since email when it was founded in 1997, but later struggled to ward off rivals. AOL itself is far from the dominant internet player it was decades ago - when, beyond dial-up and IMs, the company also became known for its "You've got mail" catchphrase that greeted users who checked their inboxes, as famously displayed in the 1998 film starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan by the same name. Before it was America Online, AOL was founded as Quantum Computer Services in 1985. It soon rebranded and hit the public market in 1991. Near the height of the dot-com boom, AOL's market value reached nearly $164 billion in 2000. But tumultuous years followed, and that valuation plummeted as the once-tech pioneer bounced between multiple owners. After a disastrous merger with Time Warner Inc., Verizon acquired AOL - which later sold AOL, along with Yahoo, to a private equity firm. At the time Verzion announced that sale to in 2021, an anonymous source familiar with the transaction told CNBC that the number of AOL dial-up users was "in the low thousands," down from 2.1 million when Verzion first moved to acquire AOL in 2015 - and far below peak demand seen back in the 90s and early 2000s. But beyond dial-up, AOL continues to offer its free email services, as well as subscriptions that advertise identity protection and other tech support.
Business Insider
4 days ago
- Business Insider
RIP, AOL dial-up: Take a walk down memory lane to 5 other now-defunct tech icons that defined millennials' youths
AOL is sunsetting its dial-up internet service after more than 30 years. After September 30, users will no longer be able to use the service. We took a nostalgic walk down memory lane to revisit other defunct pieces of tech. It's an indelible sound for those above a certain age: a sequence of beeps, dial tones, static, droning, and screeching. Dial-up internet: the sound of going online. After September 30, there will be one fewer dial-up internet option. AOL's dial-up internet, after 30 years, is going the way of EarthLink and ceasing operation. Even without AOL, at least three providers are still available — Juno, NetZero, and DSL Extreme. AOL dial-up joins a list of other defunct technological wonders from the '90s and early '00s. Let's walk down memory lane to visit these once ubiquitous pieces of tech. AIM Another AOL relic, AOL Instant Messenger, was sunset in 2017. Launched in 1997, AIM was a social lifeline in the US, allowing instant messaging between friends. It was also known for its iconic notification sounds, like the sound of opening and closing doors when friends came online or went offline. However, competition from players like Facebook and the rise of SMS and WhatsApp started picking up in the 2010s, squeezing AIM. Like all good things, the service saw its end in December 2017. The BlackBerry and BBM Owning a BlackBerry phone was like having a mini computer in your pocket before touchscreen phones were a thing. BlackBerry's smartphones, including the brand's iconic 5810, were a hit device in the early 2000s. The phone, made by the Canadian company of the same name, had a full keyboard, could access and write emails, browse the web, and had its own messaging service called BlackBerry Messenger. BBM was an instant messaging platform for all BlackBerry devices that was ahead of its time. It used unique PINs for each device instead of relying on phone numbers or emails. It was the designated "It Girl" phone of its era — seen in the hands of Kim Kardashian and Lady Gaga. However, BlackBerry discontinued its software in 2022, as competition from players like Apple grew stronger. It also stopped manufacturing its devices in 2016. Netflix DVDs Netflix is now known as one of the biggest streaming giants in the world, with over 300 million subscribers. The company has humble origins as a DVD rental service. Launched in 1997, Netflix started offering movies for rent in 1998, mailing out bright red envelopes containing movie DVDs to households in the US. As its streaming service gained traction, it phased out its DVD rental service. Its final discs were shipped out on September 29, 2023. "After an incredible 25 year run, we've decided to wind down later this year," Netflix's co-CEO Ted Sarandos said in a blog post in April 2023. "Our goal has always been to provide the best service for our members but as the business continues to shrink that's going to become increasingly difficult," he added. Internet Explorer Internet Explorer was a web browser created by Microsoft in 1995. It became so popular that it became essentially synonymous with the internet. However, it soon faced fierce competition from other browsers like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. Internet Explorer was retired in June 2022, when Microsoft said in a blog post that support for the browser had ended. The company recommended that users switch to Microsoft Edge, a browser launched in 2020. Skype Skype walked so Zoom could run. Skype launched in 2003, starting as a service that allowed users to make free voice calls over the internet. By the 2010s — after Microsoft acquired it — Skype had become the go-to platform for making free voice and video calls while offering messaging and file sharing services. Competition from players like WhatsApp, Zoom, FaceTime, and others grew stronger during the COVID-19 pandemic. Microsoft itself switched gears to focus on Microsoft Teams for enterprise use.
