Prodigy Impressive Despite Limits
Sears and IBM have joined forces to create Prodigy, an electronic information service designed for people who use personal computers at home. Like The Source, Compuserve, Genie and other dial-up information services, Prodigy lets users exchange electronic mail, read the latest news and make travel and entertainment plans.
But there are some substantial differences between Prodigy and the competition. Most of the other services display text only. Prodigy, on the other hand, displays color graphics (provided, of course, that you have a color monitor).
The graphics, which enable Prodigy to provide illustrations, also make the service easier to use. Rather than choosing commands by typing in words or numbers, users can make their selections by pressing tab or arrow keys.
At the same time, however, the graphics also make Prodigy slower than other on-line services. (On-line services are systems that let personal computer users communicate with a “host” computer over the telephone lines.) Graphics require far more bits, or characters, than text and therefore take longer to travel over the phone lines. It also takes longer for your personal computer to process and display the pictures.
The Prodigy service, which comes with its own software, requires an IBM-compatible personal computer with at least 512K of memory and the ability to display graphics in color or monochrome. Versions for Apple Computer’s IIgs and Macintosh models will be available in 1989. Prodigy now is available only in California, Georgia and Connecticut, but plans call for beginning service in the Washington area early in 1989, followed by 12 other markets later in the year.
Prodigy is much less expensive than other on-line services. For other services, the typical charge is from $6 to $25 per hour. Prodigy charges a one-time $50 membership fee that includes the required software and three months of use. After that, users pay $10 a month for unlimited use. In other words, there are no hourly fees. And for the $10 a month, up to six users can share a single account, each with an individual secret password. For an extra $100, you can purchase a membership that includes a 1,200-bits-per-second Hayes modem.
Prodigy is able to offer relatively low rates because, like most newspapers and magazines, it carries advertisements. Ads appear in the form of a small banner near the bottom of the screen. You can’t
suppress the ad display, but you can ignore it. Or, if an ad piques your interest, you can press a key and be
whisked to an area where you’ll get detailed product information.
The service offers information on a variety of subjects. Headline news, supplied by Associated Press, gives brief coverage about breaking stories. The news coverage is not nearly as thorough as that from competing services, although major stories, such as the recent crash of the Pan American jet in Scotland, are covered in detail. The crash coverage included a map of the crash area as well as related “sidebar” stories.
There are also specialized news reports on business, sports, science, computers and other topics. A limited amount of local news is provided for Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Atlanta and other cities served by Prodigy. Weather coverage includes a color national weather map along with reports and three-day forecasts. Although I am impressed by the format of the news and information services, I would like to see a wider variety and the option for more in-depth coverage.
Prodigy is perfect for the home shopping enthusiast. There are more than 100 vendors on the system ranging from department stores to boutiques. Some only display sales information; others also let you order brochures and catalogues, while still others encourage you to buy products through the computer system. Prodigy already knows your name and address so you don’t have to provide it when you place an order.
Subscribers in the San Francisco area can use the service to have groceries delivered. Customers of New York’s Manufacturers Hanover Trust can pay bills or view statements. The Broadway, a Southern California department store chain, has an on-line catalogue that, in some cases, includes color product illustrations.
You also can order from Sears, J. C. Penny and Neiman Marcus. PC users can order hardware, software and supplies from a variety of firms, including IBM.
There are a number of travel services, including Eaasy Sabre, the American Airlines-sponsored reservation system that includes schedules and fares for domestic and international airlines. Users can check flights, make reservations and purchase tickets. Eaasy Sabre is also available from Compuserve, Genie and other on-line services, but on those services you pay an hourly fee for using it. Also, Prodigy’s graphics make it much easier to use.
Prodigy has an impressive list of “experts” who write daily columns and also answer questions sent by users over the service’s electronic mail. The columns are quite brief, often just a paragraph or two. If you send a question, the expert, or an assistant, will get back to you within 72 hours.
Frankly, I can’t imagine this lasting if Prodigy attracts the millions of users that its backers anticipate. For now, though, the list of experts reads like a “Who’s Who”: Jane Fonda on fitness and food, Gene Siskel on movies, Robert Novack and Jack Germond on politics, Stephen Birnbaum on travel, “Heloise” on household hints, Dick Schaap on sports, Sylvia Porter on personal finance and Stewart Alsop on the personal computer industry.
Prodigy is the first service I’ve used that has access to product information from Consumer Reports, the monthly publication of the nonprofit Consumers Union. You can get product comparisons or you can send electronic mail to Consumer Reports, which promises a personal reply within three days.
The electronic mail is very easy to use. You compose your letter in a simple word processor and correct any errors by using the arrow and backspace keys. Unfortunately, you can’t transfer data from your PC’s disk to the electronic mail, nor can you save mail or any other Prodigy screens to your disk. That’s a big drawback. When I’m on-line, I like to save information to review later, but Prodigy’s software doesn’t permit that. In most cases, you can’t even print what’s on the screen.
Also, Prodigy doesn’t maintain libraries of free public domain software as do competing services. The sharing of software files is one of the major attraction of Prodigy’s competitors.
Despite its limitations, Prodigy is impressive. Its graphics, ease of use and low cost make it accessible and pleasant to use. Prodigy can be reached at (800) 822-6922, Ext. 125.
Computer File welcomes readers’ comments but regrets that the authors cannot respond individually to letters. Write to Lawrence J. Magid, 1641 North First St., Suite 160, San Jose, Calif. 95112, or contact the L. Magid account on the MCI electronic mail system.
PRODIGY: THE SPECS
Features
Prodigy is an electronic information service designed for people who use personal computers at home. It offers news, sports, electronic mail, travel information, stock reports, food and fitness tips, Consumer Reports analyses, weather and other current information as well as home banking and travel reservations. Advertisers let you order information or products while on line. Uses color and graphics to display illustrations and text.
Requirements
IBM-style personal computer and at least 512K of random access memory.
Publisher
Prodigy Service Co., 445 Hamilton Ave., White Plains, N.Y. 10601. Telephone: 1-800-822-6922, Ext. 125. Suggested retail price: $50 for start-up kit, software and three months of service, then $10 a month. No hourly usage fees.
Los Angeles Times
