Before social media became synonymous with Facebook or Twitter and before Google became equivalent with research, the popular websites of today were not as advanced. Although the technology was not as advanced as it is today, this is how our beloved websites looked like, way back in the day.
Apple.com
To keep its loyal consumer base updated regarding the upcoming releases and other products, Apple launched their very own website in 1987. However, the look and feel of the website then and now are miles apart.
Yahoo
Founded by Stanford duo Jerry Yang and David Filo in 1994, Yahoo is the acronym for “Yet Another Hierarchical Officious Oracle.” Considered to be the first online navigational guide to the web, the original interface featured a simple search bar and hyperlinks to other websites but soon became a sleek, personalized news website.
eBay
Founded by Pierre Omidyar in 1995, eBay was originally supposed to be called AuctionWeb. Today, the company has an artificial intelligence powered shopping assistant and a market capitalization of $37.48 billion.
Amazon.com
Everyone who knows the story behind Amazon knows the online retail store was first started to sell books. The ecommerce giant of today first took root in 1995, however, the company now offers deals on almost everything.
Google
Launched in 1996, Google had a simple interface that it has continued to use to date. Google Founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin kept the user interface simply because they did not know HTML and were looking for a quick design.
Wikipedia
The online encyclopedia was registered by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger on 15 January in 2001. Little has changed in the world’s fifth most popular website which receives a monthly readership of 495 million and 18 billion page views per month.
MySpace
The original social networking site, MySpace had a pretty bland original design. However, the site skyrocketed in terms of popularity between 2005 and 2008 after News Corp., acquired the company.
Facebook
Thefacebook, as it was called in 2004, was only available to Harvard University Students. The original interface featured a man’s face on the upper left hand corner of the site which was a digitally manipulated picture of Al Pacino.
YouTube
Video sharing website YouTube which shined a light on stars like Justin Bieber and hits like “Charlie bit my finger” was launched in 2005. The overall look, 12 years later still has a similar look and feel had a practically empty interface and no evidence of videos. The first video uploaded on the site was created by one of YouTube’s founders, Jawed Karim, and was titled “Me at the Zoo.”
Twitter
The microblogging social media website, Twitter, which gained popularity for its character limit was supposed to be called Twttr. The website had a barely recognizable design at the beginning and since then has changed their interface design at least six times.
CARS24, a leading online used-car marketplace, has acquired Team-BHP, India’s most trusted and active automotive forum, to deepen its connection with car enthusiasts and improve its technological capabilities. The acquisition will focus on strengthening Team-BHP’s product, technology, and AI features to deliver a better experience for its large community of automotive buyers and enthusiasts.
Team-BHP is renowned for detailed reviews and passionate discussions, making it a valuable platform for car buyers and sellers. By integrating Team-BHP’s expertise with CARS24’s marketplace, the combined platform aims to offer richer insights, improved market intelligence, and more personalized services to users exploring the used-car market.
This move follows earlier collaborations between the two companies, including a comprehensive report on India’s used car market trends in 2025, highlighting growing SUV demand and the dominance of pre-owned cars over new sales.
Overall, this acquisition positions CARS24 not just as a transaction platform but as a knowledge hub, combining community-driven insights with advanced technology to better serve India’s expanding used car market
Meta is developing its first true AR glasses, set to launch in 2027. Before the public release, employees will test the device starting in 2024. The company is also releasing new generations of Ray-Ban smart glasses in 2023 and 2025 with enhanced features like a “viewfinder” display.
Specifications and Features
The AR glasses are expected to feature OLED displays and Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets, offering sophisticated AR and AI capabilities. They will enable users to interact with virtual objects and project high-quality holograms of avatars onto the real world.
Design and Competition
Meta aims for a sleek design, potentially building on its Ray-Ban partnerships. The AR glasses market is competitive, with Apple and Google also investing heavily. Meta seeks to make its AR glasses a game-changer by offering a unique user experience.
Future Plans
In addition to AR glasses, Meta is expanding its VR offerings with new headsets like the Quest 3 and exploring other wearable technologies. The company is focused on reducing costs to make the AR glasses more consumer-friendly by launch.
OneStack, a Gurugram-based fintech startup, has raised $2 million in a pre-Series A funding round led by GrowX, Stride Ventures, 9Unicorns, and Venture Catalyst. The funding aims to accelerate the digitization of cooperative banks and credit societies across India, with the company setting an ambitious target of modernizing over 1,000 institutions by the end of 2025.
Driving Digital Transformation
Founded in 2019 by Amit Kapoor and Vishal Gupta, OneStack offers innovative solutions such as OneCBS (Core Banking Solution), a cloud-based platform designed to streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and enable data-driven decision-making for cooperative banks. Additionally, it is introducing SoundBox, a merchant ecosystem solution that facilitates seamless digital payment services.
Currently serving over 200 cooperative banks, OneStack plans to expand its reach into South and East India while establishing nationwide offices and growing its team. This funding will also support the deployment of advanced technologies like UPI Switch and Bharat BillPay systems to empower banks with branded digital payment services.
Impact on Financial Inclusion
OneStack’s efforts align with India’s Digital Bharat initiative, aiming to bridge the technology gap for underserved financial institutions. By digitizing cooperative banks, which serve nearly 50% of India’s bankable population, the startup is driving financial inclusion for millions. “This funding propels our growth journey at an accelerated pace,” said Amit Kapoor, Founder and CEO. “We are empowering cooperative banks to compete in this digital epoch.”
With this milestone funding, OneStack is poised to transform India’s cooperative banking landscape while fostering innovation and financial accessibility nationwide.