Back then, connection speeds were mostly dial up, and all you could really do was search,

check email, or hang out in chat rooms.

or ... stare into space while waiting for the dial up connection so you could then do

those things.

We spend SO much more time online these days.

"We watch videos, talk with friends, share ideas and photos, read blogs, write blogs,

or even read news. "

There's way more to do, and it's changing all the time.

In the last 15 years, technology has changed dramatically - and it's changed us, too.

Can you remember the last time you went to a video store to pick up a movie, or the last

time you mailed a letter?

Technology has changed the way our world works. It's also changed advertising.

Take your mind back to 1998 when you could only search and check email.

This is the era of the first online ads.

There were banner ads on news sites and text ads on the results pages of search engines.

Over time though, with faster speeds, the technology grew to support more images, video,

and interactivity. As the technology evolved, so did the advertising.

Now, it's all changing again. As more and more people use smartphones and tablets to

access the web, we're seeing ads designed specifically for those devices.

Looking back to how far ads have evolved since 1998, it's pretty clear that advertising is

influenced by technology and by user behavior.

And that's a pretty neat thing, especially since online ads help keep the internet free.

And that's what this channel is all about. How the internet has changed advertising,

and how to understand the constantly evolving world of online ads.