Viewtron: "So Futuristic It Boggles the Mind!"

Описание: On this date in 1980 the Future arrived in Coral Gables, and the Future was Viewtron, "an electronic home information system so futuristic it boggles the mind!" Fire up the Viewtron terminal and news, shopping, restaurant menus and movie reviews come to...You!

This news story records the Coral Gables launch of Viewtron, an early online service offered by Knight-Ridder and AT&T. The Gables was chosen as a test market for its upper-income households that could spring $600 for a Viewtron terminal and its reliable telephone service.

Viewtron went live across South Florida in October 1983 and was available throughout Florida, and in some cities by 1985, but it was kaput by the first quarter of 1986. Knight-Ridder was miffed to find out that Viewtron customers spent more time using email, message boards, and educational areas of the service than its Knight-Ridder news feed.

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This clip is derived from news film in the WTVJ Collection. Accession number 271-12; airdate July 16, 1980.