Prodigy

Definition

An early consumer online service launched by Sears and IBM in 1988 that provided email, news, shopping, and other content over dial-up connections, competing with CompuServe and AOL. It was notable for its graphical interface and flat-rate pricing model, making it an alternative to pay-per-minute services.

Example Usage

My parents subscribed to Prodigy to get news and weather updates on our home computer.

Origin

Named to suggest innovation and exceptional talent—a prodigy being a remarkably talented child.

Fun Fact

Prodigy was one of the earliest online services to implement a graphical user interface, predating the mainstream web browser boom.

Source: Definition backfill (hailey)

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