Rent-an-app with Wyse Net terminals

A new $500 Internet box will provide Net access and software rental plans.

Mike Ricciuti Staff writer, CNET News

Mike Ricciuti joined CNET in 1996. He is now CNET News' Boston-based executive editor and east coast bureau chief, serving as department editor for business technology and software covered by CNET News, Reviews, and Download.com. E-mail Mike.

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Mike Ricciuti

June 17, 1996 8:30 a.m. PT

As reported previously by CNET, Wyse Technology this week plans to announce a $500 Internet box and a plan to let users rent software by the hour on the Internet.

The company has also signed up two Internet service providers, Moose Logic Technologies and First Internet Franchise, to offer the terminals, along with Net access and software rental plans, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Wyse's plan will allow users to rent the terminals bundled with Internet service for roughly $40 per month. Rental of software from Microsoft and other companies will be available for a fee of about $1 per hour, according to the report. Applications will reside and execute on ISP servers, not on user terminals.

Still to be ironed out are licensing agreements between ISPs and software makers to allow people to use applications simultaneously. Wyse is also negotiating with 10 other ISPs to provide the terminals and software rental service.