“As pressure mounts from the ‘free PC’ craze and other
market forces, some sellers of the WebTV set-top boxes are slashing
prices to as low as $50.
The TV set-top boxes, which offer Web viewing and enhanced
television programming, were first introduced two years ago at
$199–a relative bargain compared to the price of a full desktop
PC.
But during the last two years, PC prices have plummeted, with
major retailers offering the equivalent of free PCs through rebate
and subsidy programs. In the meantime, WebTV pricing has stayed
static. Now it appears that a basic WebTV box may be one of the
cheapest ways to get online.”