Internet Scam

May 19, 2004 11:38 AM

Dot-com fraudster whose company name I can't remember: Despite Google searches, I've been unable to find more on a scam I remember from the '90s. It was a guy who claimed to have a new display technology, but after a lot of investment it was revealed that the technology didn't exist. Who was it?
posted by inksyndicate to Computers & Internet (8 answers total)

I think you're thinking of VisuaLabs.
posted by jjg at 11:44 AM on May 19, 2004

Duke Nukem Forever?

I'll be here all week, please tip your waitress
posted by falconred at 12:21 PM on May 19, 2004

Response by poster: Heh heh. Yes, the next Duke Game...

Thanks, I think this is it. Thanks.
posted by inksyndicate at 12:57 PM on May 19, 2004

Are you thinking of Bitboys, which claimed to have a revolutionary desktop 3D graphics accelerator back in 1998, 1999 or so, but so far has yet to produce anything but a web site?
posted by majick at 4:55 PM on May 19, 2004

I remember a story like this but not the company. It was based in Houston. The guy claimed to have some kind of awesome video streaming software that would do full frame video over dialup. What he had was a rigged demonstration.

They got venture funding and raised millions, ALL of which they blew on a company party in the Compaq Center in Houston. They hired the Dixie Chicks and some other high dollar acts.

I think the guy turned out to have several wives also. A real scam artist.

Is that the one you're talking about?
posted by RustyBrooks at 7:15 PM on May 19, 2004

Maybe Pixelon? I think that's right, and I believe there was a second incarnation at some point... At least that's definitely the one RustyBrooks is talking about.
posted by costas at 7:26 PM on May 19, 2004

Except for all the business about Houston, it certainly sounds like Rusty's talking about Pixelon.

However, note that the original question had already been answered.
posted by jjg at 7:52 PM on May 19, 2004

Wow, that's insane. That's how urban legend nonsense gets going. Why did I think it was Houston, and SPECIFICALLY think it was the compaq center? Because I lived there? I really don't know. Somehow I managed to change the details of the story to fit my life. The odd thing is that I distinctly remember where I was when I was listening to the story, so many details about it, but I fudged the story details.

What other elements in my life did I just freaking make up?
posted by RustyBrooks at 7:50 AM on May 20, 2004