Thin Client

vSpace software creates virtual desktops
NComputing vSpace desktop virtualization software creates an independent workspace for each user on a shared computer. Each workspace is a virtual desktop that looks and feels just like it would on a standalone PC. Users interact with their virtual desktop through their U170 access device, which connects directly to the PC through a USB cable or optional USB hubs.

Installs in minutes
A USB virtual desktop kit includes vSpace virtualization software, a U170 access device, and a 1.8 meter USB cable. Install the vSpace software, connect your keyboard, mouse and monitor to the U170, plug the U170 into the PC and you are all set. If you need USB peripherals, simply connect them to a hub downstream from the U170. Our software will automatically assign each device to an individual user. Want your desk space back? The compact U170 mounts directly to the back of VESA-compliant monitors.

If you have users more than 10 meters away from the shared computer, choose the L-series instead. If you need the absolute lowest cost per user, choose the X-series.

http://ncomputing.com/Solutions/Useries.aspx

Posted by staff at 05:56 PM | Comments (0)

Wyse Extends Market Leadership in Workstation-Class Client Virtualization with Broad Support of VMware View™ 4

SAN JOSE, Calif. – November 10, 2009 - Wyse Technology, the global leader in thin computing and client virtualization, today announced solutions that will support VMware View™ 4 and its PC-over-IP (PCoIP) display protocol. Wyse is announcing support for the PCoIP protocol in existing thin client devices, new devices, and a new zero client.

The new Wyse P20 zero client is specifically designed to bring the premiere PCoIP experience to a whole new class of virtualization users whether operating from a datacenter, private or public cloud. These devices are expected to be listed on the VMware Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) and available for VMware View 4 by Nov. 19, 2009 when the solution becomes generally available.

Wyse is launching support for VMware View 4 with integrated support for PCoIP across its line of existing thin clients, including immediate support for Wyse thin clients based on Microsoft Windows XP Embedded and Windows Embedded Standard. Wyse will also support PCoIP on its line of Linux and segment-leading Wyse ThinOS clients in the near future.

Advanced protocols such as PCoIP have the potential to provide a new class of users the benefits of virtual clients, those using applications that have traditionally required powerful PCs or workstations. For this user segment, Wyse introduces the Wyse P20 zero client, its smallest, stateless access device designed specifically for the PCoIP protocol.

In partnership with VMware and with PCoIP support in hardware and software, the Wyse P20 zero client is designed for the most demanding rich media applications, including CAD/CAM, 3D solid modeling, video editing, advanced simulations, and rich media. Customers will receive a true PC experience with a device the size of a book and consuming fewer than 15 watts of power.

"We have been relentlessly addressing the needs of end users for many years now, and with the introduction of the Wyse P class we have successfully addressed many of the challenges in rolling out a client virtualization model to high-end specialty workers," according to Curt Schwebke, Chief Technology Officer at Wyse. "Designers, scientists, architects, engineers and artists will be able to run their most sophisticated applications on a virtual client that uses as much energy as a small light bulb."

"The combination of zero client hardware and improved protocols addresses many of the challenges in rolling out a client virtualization model and has the potential to open the virtualization door to entire new category of users," according to Bob O'Donnell, Vice President at IDC. "Traditionally, enterprises hadn't considered the possibility of virtual clients for workers using intensive rich media applications, but that's clearly beginning to change now that nearly any application can be successfully virtualized and delivered to knowledge workers."

The Wyse P20 also resolves the challenges of provisioning, managing, maintaining and securing enterprise desktops without incurring the security risks associated with transmitting data across a network or having data reside in remote PCs. Small firmware located on the client enables users to connect to the VMware View or other PCoIP host. The client does not have a local operating system such as Windows or Linux, so it's simpler to deploy, requires no local antivirus protection, and seldom needs management. And because the device has no local storage, it is completely secure and virus-proof.
Wyse P20 offers flexible PCoIP support for use in two configurations:
Hardware Client -> Software Host
The Wyse P class (Hardware Client) connects to a VMware View 4 with PCoIP hosted virtual desktop (Software Host).
Hardware Client -> Hardware Host

The Wyse P class (Hardware Client) also connects to a backend server which has a PCoIP host card (Hardware Host).

Desktop, mobile, and even handheld support for VMware View 4 will be delivered exclusively from Wyse. In addition to the new Wyse P20 zero client, and the existing Wyse thin client family, Wyse will also deliver day one support for VMware View 4 in Wyse's breakthrough mobile access software Wyse PocketCloud, making it easy to access a VMware View 4 environment from an Apple iPhone. An updated version of the product will be made available this month. PocketCloud is currently available from the iTunes AppStore.

"Wyse's day one support and certification of VMware View™ 4 featuring the new PCoIP protocol will help ensure Wyse and VMware customers can deploy end-to-end virtual desktop solutions effectively," said Kiran Rao, Director of Product Management at Wyse. "Together, Wyse and VMware are delivering the Wyse P20 with PCoIP protocol technology enabling the practical consolidation of all IT resources into a data center, eliminating the need for desktop workstations and PCs. Wyse is also working closely with VMware to deliver the VMware PCoIP software client on a variety of thin client devices."

"VMware is excited to partner with Wyse to help bring to market our new PCoIP protocol, the only purpose-built protocol for delivering a rich, high-quality desktop experience from the LAN to the WAN," said Patrick Harr, vice president, enterprise desktop marketing, Desktop Business Unit, VMware. "Together with Wyse, we will deliver a rich end-to-end virtual desktop experience so that businesses can realize the benefits of truly flexible and secure desktop computing for any user and from any location."

Visit Wyse for more info

Posted by staff at 05:48 PM | Comments (0)

Wyse Technology Partners with Citrix Systems on Desktop Virtualization Program

SAN JOSE, Calif. – November 10, 2009 - Wyse Technology, the global leader in thin computing and client virtualization, today announced the consistent day one support of Citrix® XenDesktop™ 4 and certification as part of the Citrix Ready™ Open Desktop Virtualization program.

Wyse's entire Windows Embedded and Wyse ThinOS thin computing portfolio is certified under the Citrix Ready Open Desktop Virtualization program. Wyse anticipates certification for Linux and Windows CE thin computing devices soon.

Wyse will also soar ahead in Citrix's virtualization program with future certification in its Management, Provisioning, Performance and Virtualization software solutions, including Wyse Virtual Desktop Accelerator (VDA), Wyse TCX Suite, Wyse Device Manager and Wyse WSM.
Citrix's new, aggressive program enables businesses to easily identify the best virtualization solutions for use with XenDesktop and their IT environment. The open architecture of XenDesktop 4 gives customers the confidence to make the switch to virtualization and their program includes Data Center, Client Devices and Client and System Management categories. Wyse client virtualization solutions fall under the latter two.

The combination of Citrix XenDesktop 4 and HDX™ technology, and the extreme performance of Wyse client virtualization hardware and software, provides the ideal virtualization solution.

"Citrix continues to work closely with Wyse to ensure that customers are able to realize the power of Citrix XenDesktop when used in combination with Wyse thin computing products. Many customers already use our products together to simplify their desktop management and lower desktop management costs," said Sumit Dhawan, vice president of product marketing, XenDesktop product group at Citrix Systems.

"Wyse's commitment and participation in the Citrix Ready Open Desktop Virtualization program will make it extremely simple for customers to pick the joint solution without any guesswork or risk."

"We're pleased and grateful that as enterprises look at ways to optimize the desktop with virtualization technologies, they can now look to Citrix's Ready Open Desktop Virtualization program and choose Citrix and Wyse virtualization solutions," said Ricardo Antuna, Senior Vice President of Product Management, Business Development and Alliances at Wyse. "Desktop and application virtualization technologies from Wyse and Citrix are stepping up to deliver on the promises of virtualization."

a href=http://www.wyse.com>www.wyse.com

Posted by staff at 05:46 PM | Comments (0)

October 26, 2009

Wyse Supports Windows 7 and RDP7 out of the gate

Wyse Technology Extends Thin Computing-centric Client Virtualization Day One support for Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7

Sunday, October 25, 2009
SAN JOSE, Calif.- Wyse Technology, the global leader in thin computing and client virtualization, on Friday October 23, 2009 announced Day One support for Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7, the latest version of Microsoft Windows, which was made available last Friday.

Wyse thin client hardware and virtualization software now supports Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7. This level of support allows users of Windows to immediately embrace Microsoft’s extended virtualization technologies from the datacenter to the desktop.

In fact, there are six compelling reasons for businesses to look to Wyse to deploy their virtual environments on Windows Server 2008 R2:

VDI. Wyse’s broad support for Microsoft’s virtualization platform makes Wyse solutions the best test bed for virtualizing Windows 7 on Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2008 R2. Wyse thin client hardware and virtualization software is immediately capable of integrating with Windows Server 2008 R2 Remote Desktop Services (RDS) and the new version 7 of Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). Wyse thin clients provide the perfect end-point for Microsoft VDI offering and complement the Microsoft VDI Suites.
Energy and Power Efficiency. In support of Windows Server 2008 R2 improved power efficiency and management capabilities, Wyse delivers the broadest portfolio of Energy Star Windows 7 capable thin devices, including:

• R class – The most powerful and flexible thin client in the market
  
• V class - The most popular thin client in the industry
  
• X class – Best in class mobile thin device
  
• NEW! C class – The best performing and energy efficient thin client in the market
  

According to Manlio Vecchiet, director of Windows Server marketing at Microsoft, "Microsoft and Wyse offer enterprise customers considering VDI the software and hardware to support their needs and have been working closely together to improve the experience of VDI desktops. Microsoft is excited about the prospects of Wyse bringing the benefits of thin computing to Windows Server 2008 R2."

"The combination of Microsoft’s Windows Server 2008 R2, together with Hyper V and RDP7 deliver a very compelling offering for enterprises to embrace VDI," said Ricardo Antuna, Senior Vice President, Product Management, at Wyse. "Wyse’s portfolio of energy efficient devices and virtualization software provides the best solution to further reduce the cost of deploying virtual desktops with Windows 7."

About Wyse Technology

Wyse Technology is the global leader in thin computing-based virtualization software and hardware solutions. Wyse and its strategic partners, including, Citrix, CSC, IBM, Lenovo, Microsoft, Novell, VMware and others deliver the most innovative hardware, software, and services that optimize the benefits of cloud computing, virtualization and green IT. These thin computing solutions allow consumers, SMEs and large public and private enterprises to access high definition voice, data and video content they need, with optimized security, manageability, and user experience at a much lower total cost of ownership than other traditional end user devices, including PCs. Wyse has the largest global distribution network in the thin computing market through its partners and offices worldwide. Wyse was founded in 1981, and it is headquartered in San Jose, California, USA.

For more information, visit the Wyse website at

http://www.wyse.com

or call 1-800-GET-WYSE

Posted by Staff at 10:09 PM | Comments (0)

October 15, 2009

PR - NoMachine NX provides SMBs a cost-efficient remote access solution to fit their tightening budgets

Rome, Italy – With SMBs taking the brunt of the economic downturn, more and more are looking for new ways to cut IT costs, enhance employee performance and improve customer satisfaction to establish steady productivity and growth over time. NoMachine NX offers a solution to meet their needs, providing a complete high-performance remote access and hosted application solution, at a price they can afford.

Rome, Italy – With SMBs taking the brunt of the economic downturn, more and more are looking for new ways to cut IT costs, enhance employee performance and improve customer satisfaction to establish steady productivity and growth over time. NoMachine NX offers a solution to meet their needs, providing a complete high-performance remote access and hosted application solution, at a price they can afford.

According to Spiceworks' annual survey of SMB tech departments, 39 percent of small and medium businesses reported budget cuts in 2009, averaging a 22 percent reduction in IT funding. Many companies are focusing on long-term IT investments that contribute directly to their bottom line, like reducing costs and boosting productivity. NX provides SMBs with a server consolidation and desktop virtualization solution to reduce their IT budgets by providing a unique and predictable all-inclusive, per-server pricing structure.

The cost-effective NX Small Business Server is designed for small to medium businesses with strict IT budgets, who require a product to provide access to small workgroups and branch departments. NoMachine's complete range of server products, tools and support options provide any environment the flexibility to grow with ease and adapt to changing business dynamics. Businesses can upgrade to NX Enterprise Server or NX Advanced Server to scale their network to match growth and support unlimited users and connections.

For example, Commerce Corporation, the leading distributor for manufacturers in the lawn and garden industry, chose NoMachine NX as a cost-effective remote access solution for their geographically dispersed sales reps. NX enabled their business expansion into a premier supplier of exclusive products and value-added services.

Commerce's application developer, Steve Romanow said, “NoMachine has been flexible enough to provide numerous implementation choices. As we expand our business, I am confident that NoMachine will continue to provide us with the most cost-effective, well managed, remote access, anywhere we need it, through their amazing NX technology."

Keeping travel and energy costs to a minimum are also essential ways to reduce spending for many SMBs. These cost-cutting initiatives become reality with NX, which allows employees to access centralized office-based applications from home or other remote locations, and at the same time enhance work force productivity. Its fast performance over any network guarantees maximized end user experience, and the NX Client can transform any device into a thin client, ready for remotely accessing hosted desktops on the office server.

According to a report from Forrester Research which surveyed businesses during Q2 of this year, SMBs are still depending on outsourcing IT solutions and consulting services to improve their bottom lines and provide specialized skills and knowledge, strategic tactics, a depth of experience and access to the most current technologies. NoMachine has a long list of worldwide trusted partners who understand the needs of SMBs in their industry and can deliver value-rich consulting services finely-tuned to these smaller niche companies.

Small local newspapers turn to Software Consulting Services (SCS), a valued NoMachine partner, to provide remote access to media and publishing applications on Linux-based servers via NX. They depend on SCS for a trusted solution, personalized training and communication, and a deeper understanding of the software they are using.

Founder and co-owner of SCS, Martha Cichelli said, “We include NX exclusively in all of our proposals for the Linux Server because we want to offer our customers the best solution possible.”

Software administrator for Sun Media, John Mosley said, “With Layout-8000 from SCS and NoMachine NX, everything is at our fingertips, no matter what our location, creating an easily manageable network. NoMachine NX's seamless training and setup makes it easy to use and make adjustments along the way as well.”

With all of these issues gaining importance and affecting where SMBs are headed for the future, the need for an affordable, yet high-performance hosted desktop and application delivery solution continues to grow. NoMachine NX meets the needs of these environments providing enterprise-class performance, features and tools along with small business-class flexibility and price.

About NoMachine
Based in Rome, Italy, NoMachine is the creator of award-winning NX software, an enterprise-class solution for secure remote access, application delivery, and hosted desktop deployment. Since 2001, NoMachine's mission has been to revolutionize the way users access their computing resources across the Internet to make seamless desktop access as easy and widespread as Web browsing. NoMachine provides a comprehensive software infrastructure stack, core development, and support services built around the self-designed and self-developed NX suite of advanced components. For more information about NoMachine NX technology, please visit http://www.nomachine.com.

About Commerce Corporation
Commerce Corporation, just like most of the independent garden centers it serves, is a family business spanning over 80 years and three generations. Commerce has grown a company with 450 team members, 125 dedicated sales consultants, 5 state-of-the-art distribution centers, a fleet of trucks, and a will to provide the best service in lawn & garden.

About Software Consulting Services, LLC
With over 30 years of experience serving the newspaper industry worldwide, SCS offers enterprise-wide and modular publishing solutions for advertising order entry and billing, edition design, ad dummying classified pagination, production workflow, digital asset management, editorial workflow and archiving. SCS is dedicated to continuous system development, innovative technology and reliable customer support. More than 300 newspapers in the United Sates and abroad use SCS every day.

Media Contact:
Katie Glossner
NoMachine Marketing and Public Relations
513-618-2652
[email protected]

Posted by Staff at 02:57 PM | Comments (0)

Real Life - Facing big budget cuts, county turns to thin clients, SaaS

Milwaukee County CIO Dennis John plans to propose replacing some 4,500 desktop PCs with thin clients beginning next year. The big step is in some respects a necessity because of a possible $2 million cut in the county's IT budget.

Source Link

Like many state and local governments, this Wisconsin county is seeing difficult times. Its proposed budget for 2010, starting Jan. 1, would require cutting nearly 400 jobs in IT and other areas, reducing the county's overall workforce to 5,256 people. Tensions over the budget appear to be very high; one local TV station showed a film clip of a scuffle that occurred this week during a protest of the cuts.

John said that next week he will present to a budget committee a $16 million 2010 spending proposal for his department that includes a move to thin clients and a plan to outsource mainframe work.

Previous cuts across government agencies have made it difficult to fund the replacement of old PCs. The county is supposed to be on a five-year replacement cycle, but a lack of funding has left some users with PCs that are six or seven years old, said John.

To stick to the five-year replacement schedule, the county would have to replace 900 PCs a year at a cost of $1,000 per machine. But the best the county can afford now is 150 new PCs a year. "We have been neglecting our PC replacement program dramatically," John said. Moving to thin clients would save the county more than $400,000 over the course of five years, he estimated. "It's a significant issue for us," he noted.

The county has funded replacement PCs out of its operational budget, but it's planning to finance the thin client upgrade as part of a bond issue that will see a partial rebate under the federal stimulus legislation approved by Congress earlier this year.

The county had already laid the foundation for a move to thin clients through earlier decisions to adopt server virtualization technology. And Web-based application delivery via the software-as-service model is making the move even easier. Last year, the county started using human resources applications hosted by Ceridian Corp.

While there may be little difference in some cases between the direct cost of hosted and on-premises applications, John said that SaaS becomes more economical when the costs of other services associated with on-site systems, such as storage and disaster recovery, are weighed. Johns did note that in some cases he doesn't see the benefits of SaaS. For example, he said that large cloud-based e-mail providers have yet to convince him that they can offer the county an exit strategy for abandoning its current system, he said.

Milwaukee County's plan to adopt thin clients "is probably fairly far out in front," at least among county governments, said Tom Manielli an analyst at IDC, who added that he sees a lot of positives to it. "From a maintenance perspective, you no longer have to send a tech with a cart to a desktop to do fixes." And thanks to improvements in hardware and virtualization tools, end users "probably won't notice a big difference" between thin clients and PCs, he said.

Thin client usage remains low, but Gartner Inc. forecast earlier this year that thin client terminals and diskless/repurposed PCs will represent 10% of all professional client devices by 2014. And Ray Bjorklund, a vice president at consulting firm Federal Sources Inc. in McLean, Va., said he expects the federal government to increase its adoption of thin client and cloud technologies. "It's a trend that makes pretty good economic sense and even better operational sense," he added.

While thin clients can help cut costs, John and his IT department face a particularly difficult time ahead. The budget proposal will outsource mainframe work, but the county will still host the environment. The outsourcer will be required to give hiring priority to county workers affected by the move. The budget document indicates that some 13 staffed positions may be impacted by the change and that outsourcing the tasks could save $450,000.

Posted by Staff at 02:40 PM | Comments (0)

Real Life - Moving from thin clients to Windows 7 at BAA

The airline operator is using the new Microsoft operating system as a reason to move away from thin clients

Source Link

BAA runs seven UK airports, including Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted, servicing 200 million passengers a year with 12,000 operational and security staff. The company is currently implementing a £6.6bn capital investment programme.

“We have a clear five-year plan, with £600m to be spent on IT systems and infrastructure, which includes Windows 7, Exchange and SharePoint rollouts being at the heart of the process of simplification,” said BAA chief information officer Philip Langsdale.

BAA is bucking the trend of firms moving to thin client systems, by moving to Windows-based PCs. “We’re taking a phased deployment approach, because we have a very large Citrix/Wyse environment,” said Langsdale.

“We’re not going to rush deployment, but over the coming months I want to be able to move over to a PC-based world, and only five per cent of our systems could run Windows 7 currently,” he said.

“We have some issues with application migration, but not particularly big ones, because the applications are virtualised already. We’ve also done lots of stress testing on Windows 7 systems it’s been a good, easy migration so far.”

Posted by Staff at 02:37 PM | Comments (0)

October 07, 2009

USB stick converts PC to thin client

Customers simply plug the Converter into a PC and boot from it. The Igel firmware is automatically installed on the hard drive and a converted PC can then be managed as a thin client.

Igel Universal Desktop Converter lets firms repurpose existing hardware
By Daniel Robinson
Source link

IGEL TECHNOLOGY is touting a USB stick that converts a PC to a thin client.

The idea is to allow businesses to extend the life of ageing hardware by using it to access server-hosted computing sessions or virtual desktop infrastructure, rather than try to run the latest and greatest software on its aging processor.

Available immediately, the Universal Desktop Converter is simply a USB stick that carries a version of Igel's Linux-based firmware from its own thin client systems, plus one or more licences.

Customers simply plug the Converter into a PC and boot from it. The Igel firmware is automatically installed on the hard drive and a converted PC can then be managed as a thin client.

"By converting to thin client firmware, customers get a simple way to test out and enter virtual desktops and server-based computing, and it lets them sweat the assets they have today," said Igel UK general manager Simon Richards.

"The maintenance overheads of thin clients are less than a traditional PC operating system, so it enables you to get cost reductions at the desk and deliver a consolidated back-end."

The Converter can be used to upgrade any number of systems, but each must be licensed before it can be used. Licences can be applied using the Converter, or centrally using Igel's Universal Management Suite software, which automatically picks up the devices once converted.

The device is a development of an earlier PC Conversion Card that fitted inside a computer chassis, but because the Converter is software-based it can also be used to convert other thin client hardware, such as that from HP, Neoware or Dell, to Igel's firmware to create a homogenous environment.

Igel's firmware is available in three flavours. The Entry pack supports basic ICA and RDP remote desktop capability, while Standard and Advanced offer more features such as clients for VMware and Citrix virtual desktop infrastructure. Customers can unlock the functionality they need simply by upgrading their licence, Igel said.

The firmware can also be deployed using other methods, such as PXE boot or Igel's Universal Management Suite, but the key thing about the Converter is that it makes it easy for customers to test out conversions, according to Richards.

"Customers can go to our site and get a free licence to try it out. We can create a .ISO file for them to test on their own hardware, and this does not need the Management Suite to deploy. It's simple and doesn't cost anything," he said.

Pricing for the Universal Desktop Converter starts at £24.50, which is the cost of a single seat using the Entry version of Igel's firmware.

Posted by Staff at 08:38 PM | Comments (0)

October 01, 2009

Thin client questions? HP still quiet, but Wyse replies

Good article on Daniel Kusnetzky blog on bandwidth requirements of HP or Wyse thin client. Wyse provides a nice response and numbers.

Source

In the post HP Thin Client Questions I presented a number of questions that a potential HP Thin Client customer asked on September 15th and 16th. I forwarded the questions to HP’s analyst relations team to get the definitive answers. Since the questions were pretty basic (see below), I thought I’d get a quick answer and could help HP. Nearly two weeks later, I still don’t have a response from them.

Just for fun, I contacted Wyse and a few other suppliers of thin client and PC blade hardware to see what they would answer. Wyse responded nearly immediately, engaged in a dialog to discover what I needed and put together a response in less than six hours. Their answer was clear, concise and really useful. I’ve taken the liberty of reproducing their answer below. Thanks for your help Tarkan Maner, Tim Smith, Ricardo Recardo , Param Desai, Daniel Barreto and, of course, Jeff McNaught.

As the others respond, I’ll post their comments here on Virtually Speaking.

Potential HP Thin Client Customer’s Questions

“Do you happen to know what the bandwidth requirements are for the HP Thin clients? We are considering deploying them (30) at each of 5 locations and just having one central thin client server. These remote sites are joined to the main site by T1s.”

“If it’s like Remote Desktop at 64Kbps then we have 24 workstations 64*24 =1536. That’s practically a T1 right there.”

“I heard that this will tend to spike when people do printing, I was wondering how much extra bandwidth would be consumed adding in printing.”

Here’s how Wyse answered those questions

While we cannot comment on HP thin client performance, we can share what we see in the Wyse environments. When using a Wyse thin client in a similar situation average RDP 5.2 protocol per session bandwidth usage is around 0 - 150Kbps to 0 - 200 Kbps for basic desktop use cases (normal office worker running 2D graphics presentation apps, email, simple web browsing). The amount of bandwidth needed is very dependant on the actual changes on the user screen. When the user is reading a Word doc, there is very little data crossing the network (often 0 Kbps), versus when a complete Word screen is being painted, where it can spike to 200Kbps. Printing, depending on the complexity of the document can use over 200Kbps for short periods of time. If you can use Citrix’s ICA/HDX protocol, results can be better (lower bandwidth usage and better screen display), but you mentioned RDP, so we’ll stick with that for now.

At a high level, our customers have found two things:

RDP traffic is bursty, so when user’s screens are not updating, network bandwidth is available for those whose screens are updating. This tends to average to 100 – 200 Kbps, but can be lower in simpler text-only applications.
Multimedia, which is becoming more common, is a big swing here. RDP 5.2 does not render video well, so a 100Kbps video can use 1Mbps of network bandwidth, and still display poorly under RDP. Wyse solved this with virtualization software we call Wyse TCX. It’s been hugely successful, and is even licensed by VMware for their View client. It adds the ability to display video under RDP (and ICA) using less server CPU, less network bandwidth (typically uses only the authoring rate of the video file), and displays that video in very high quality to the user. More on this below.
The OS in the thin client plays a role in bandwidth utilization as well. The RDP client implementation on Wyse ThinOS (Wyse’s market-leading ultra-thin and ultra-green firmware) based thin clients achieves this by intelligently caching bitmaps and on-the-fly compression on the wire. Not all of the 64Kbps screen data is sent across the wire, effectively reducing bandwidth needs.

On a LAN deployment, along with bandwidth usage, two additional parameters that administrators need to be concerned about are server scalability (number of concurrent users on the server) and end user experience. As the nature of the use case gets more complex (requiring media playback, Flash content, VOIP based soft phones), basic RDP may not suffice. The bandwidth usage in such situations tends to be very high and the end user experience is compromised (choppiness, loss of audio-video sync). Wyse’s industry-leading virtualization and user experience optimization software solution, Wyse TCX Suite (built using the Collaborative Processing Architecture) intelligently balances the bandwidth usage, server scalability and end user experience angles by implementing multimedia and audio redirecting technologies thus enhancing RDP protocol for best of the breed deployments. More on this at http://www.wyse.com/products/software/tcx/index.asp

On a WAN deployment, mobility (access to applications on the road) and latency on the network also become important factors for diverse enterprise deployments. Wyse introduced a rich RDP client for the iPhone called PocketCloud which is on the app store now. Check it out at http://www.wyse.com/iphone.

If the network connection is affected by latency and packet loss, this will cause the user experience to degrade significantly. Wyse has a solution for this too, with the new Virtual Desktop Accelerator software product – it effectively improves protocol performance an average of 3-5X or more. It’s free to eval on the net at http://www.wyse.com/products/software/vda/index.asp

These Wyse products are available on Wyse thin clients and supported PCs.

Bottom line: Budget 100Kbps per user. 64kbps is light unless your application is text based, and screen paints occur infrequently, like in call center applications. If there is any multimedia, you’ll need more bandwidth than 64KBps for sure, and should budget to add the bitrate of any planned multimedia content to the overall equation, If you plan to use some 384Kbps multimedia, and 30 users, I’d suggest:

30 x 100Kbps - 3,000Kbps

+ 384Kbps

——————————

= 3,384Kbps

Hope this helps. Feel free to contact us and we’ll connect you to the right individuals in your area, who can provide additional guidance.

Snapshot analysis

An IT-based solution is far more than hardware and software. It this case, it is clear that responsiveness and offering clear information is just as important. If my experience could serve as a guide, Wyse is clearly more responsive than HP was in answering these simple questions. While it may not be true that they would be this responsive in all circumstances, their response was to the point, concise and very helpful.

Unasked for, shoot-from-the-hip advice

HP, you need to consider how to better support your customers who have technical questions about your products. The glowing marketing messages posted on your website rarely offer the detail an IT decision maker would like to have. While I know that you offer very responsive, helpful service to the largest of your customers I’ve often heard that support for smaller organizations is no where near as good.

Daniel Kusnetzky is a member of the senior management team of The 451 Group. He is responsible for research and publications on a broad array of technology topics. He examines emerging technology trends, vendor strategies, research and development issues, and end-user integration requirements. You can follow Dan on Twitter. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations. If you're going to be in Boston November 3 & 4, you can see him at the The 451 Group 4th Annual Client Conference
Email Dan Kusnetzky

Posted by Staff at 07:25 PM | Comments (0)

September 30, 2009

NEC Deploys One of Japan's Largest Thin Client Systems for Tokio Marine

Tokyo, September 29, 2009 - NEC Corporation today announced the beginning of construction of one of Japan's largest virtual PC thin client systems as part of strengthening information security and reducing total cost of ownership (TCO) for Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. (Tokio Marine; President: Shuzo Sumi). Trial deployment of the system will begin in 2009 and installation of approximately 30,000 units is scheduled to start in 2010.

Tokyo, September 29, 2009 - NEC Corporation today announced the beginning of construction of one of Japan's largest virtual PC thin client systems as part of strengthening information security and reducing total cost of ownership ( TCO ) for Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. ( Tokio Marine; President: Shuzo Sumi ). Trial deployment of the system will begin in 2009 and installation of approximately 30,000 units is scheduled to start in 2010.
The system will utilize NEC's uniquely advanced virtual PC thin client system, the "Virtual PC Center."

Tokio Marine has implemented comprehensive internal security controls in order to constantly monitor and comply with each of the wide reaching management regulations that apply to information security. Within this framework, business and staff workload related to the storage of important information, and the procedures for managing the transport of information externally, have become challenging issues.

Thin client systems enable companies to significantly reduce the financial costs and employee burdens associated with strengthening and maintaining high security environments. Since the management and operation of thin client terminals is concentrated on a server, the terminals do not carry internal data or software. This means that burdensome implementation of management rules and monitoring that formerly took place on individual terminals is largely unnecessary. Furthermore, this enables employees to concentrate greater on their specific jobs, rather than computer maintenance, which is connected to improved work quality and higher customer satisfaction.

It is expected that the operational costs of using PCs ( the full range of costs associated with operational management, including configuration of each device, corresponding layout changes, asset management, repairs, security patches, etc. ) may be reduced by approximately 30%.

Looking forward, Tokio Marine may capitalize on its thin client system to implement such work-style reforms as telecommuting, business continuity plans for natural disasters and others.

NEC aims to utilize the deployment of this thin client system to accelerate its provision of future systems, which will contribute to the streamlining of customer business with strengthened corporate security, business continuity plans, work-style reforms, reduced system TCO and more.

Posted by Staff at 06:23 PM | Comments (0)

September 18, 2009

ACP ThinManager Road Show Announcement

ACP is on the road demonstrating best in class technology.

ACP Roadshow - Implementing a ThinClient Architecture in a Plant Environment - Lower Cost, Higher Reliability, Increased Security, More Functionality, Environmentally Beneficial

The ACP Roadshow is coming to a city near you

Philadelphia, PA - September 21st

Whippany, NJ - September 22nd

Boston, MA - September 23rd

Rochester, NY - September 28th

Youngstown, OH - September 29th

Indianapolis, IN - September 30th

Madison, WI - October 1st

Minneapolis, MN - October 2nd

An in depth product demonstration will be presented during a half day seminar explaining how you can implement a terminal server/thin client architecture for your SCADA, HMI, MES and other plant floor computer applications.

ACP's ThinManager, which has been implemented with software solutions from Wonderware, Rockwell, Emerson, GE and other companies, provides a solution that includes redundant Ethernet, sophisticated load balancing schemes, improved security models, multi monitor clients, and remote access and management of your network.

Over the past 10 years this solution has been implemented in such industrial facilities as chemical, food, pharmaceutical, power, transportation, water and waste water as well as commercial applications including hospitals. You can see a complete schedule and agenda at the following website where you can also register.

Register

Posted by Staff at 11:02 PM | Comments (0)

ChipPC Super Lite Linux based OS

ThinX Linux O/S available for evaluation now. From ChipPC. We've got one of the Extreme PCs from ChipPC and have it outfitted with touchscreen and rugged keyboard. Specs have it as low as 3W (competitor like Fit-PC2 is around 6W).

Source with links

Now that it's finally out, I'm proud to say that I had the pleasure to work with Alex Fradkin, Mark Lifshitz,Andrey Baranovsky , Nicolai and Andrey "The Big" our highly esteemed R&D manager.

The fruit of our labor is ThinX , a very low resource consuming Linux based OS that allows for the production of super lite computing units. The units are tightly secured and are excellent for usage as a thin client. Python was instrumental in its creation.

It was a pleasure working with you guys, I hope to be working with you sometime soon again on either projects that we may encounter.

I urge anybody who have needs for such hardware to contact sales and place your order. There's even an evaluation plan. Just don't forget to mention Sivan Greenberg recommended it to you through his blog! :-)

To see the line of products go to ChipPC's website and whet your appetite.

Now that ChipPC has atom based units, I wonder how fun it would be to have Ubuntu installed as the OS :-) Food for thought!
Posted by Sivan Greenberg at 5:44 PM

Posted by Staff at 02:54 PM | Comments (0)

WES News: IGEL and Leostream Partner to Provide a Comprehensive Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Solution for Windows Users

IGEL Technology, the world's largest Linux thin client vendor and the third largest thin client vendor (2008 by revenue, IDC), today announced the inclusion of the Leostream Connection Broker in its Windows Embedded Standard (WES) firmware.

Source from VMblog

Leostream™ Corporation is a leading developer of virtual hosted desktop software. The Leostream Connection Broker, the industry’s most widely-deployed vendor-independent product of its kind, is delivered as a virtual appliance and provides the software management layer necessary to tie desktop images in the data center to a user’s thin client, laptop, workstation or Web interface.

The combined solution gives IGEL customers the ability to deploy and manage Windows virtual desktops within their IT environments. It also provides users with a virtual desktop experience that is equal to or better than that of a traditional desktop. Furthermore, customers can access their virtual desktop from any location, due to the technology’s ability to direct users to their own virtual desktop image.

“We’re excited to extend our partnership with Leostream to include the latest version of its Connection Broker into our WES firmware,” said Simon Richards, UK general manager at IGEL Technology. “With this addition, our customers can deploy virtual desktops and have real-time access to Windows resources from anywhere in their organization. No matter which applications, operating systems, protocols or peripherals our customers have, our thin clients will work seamlessly in their environment.”

“IGEL and Leostream share a commitment to providing organizations with top-quality technology solutions, and through this partnership, we’re able to help them achieve robust, enterprise-scale, production-proven VDI deployments,” said Michael Palin, CEO of Leostream. “The combination of our Connection Broker with IGEL’s broad hardware range creates a particularly effective solution for users working in Windows and Linux environments.”

The benefits of Leostream Connection Broker, which must be purchased separately from the IGEL thin clients, include:

· Desktops can be remotely managed and assigned to users from, and then returned to, a pool for the most efficient use of computing power.

· Single sign-on lets users avoid re-entering usernames and passwords.

· Support for a wide-range of remote desktop protocols enables the complexity of the backend system to be hidden from the user - they just login and are automatically connected to the appropriate resource using the necessary connectivity.

· Minimal user training is required since the hosted desktops look and behave exactly like physical desktops.

The new IGEL WES firmware became available in Entry, Standard and Advanced firmware feature packs as of September 1st. The Leostream Client is included in the Standard and Advanced firmware packages. Existing IGEL customers will also be able to download the latest version of the firmware from www.igel.com free of charge. The integration of the Leostream client in IGEL’s Linux firmware is planned for November 2009.

Posted by Staff at 02:51 PM | Comments (0)

Cool vendor demos and conversations from the VMworld 2009 exhibit hall

Brian Madden, he's a very vocal observer, analyst, critic and commentator on virtualization - and he's had a fair amount to say about thin clients in the past. Please see his September 16, 2009 blog below regarding the Wyse announcements and demos at VMWorld recently.

Cool vendor demos and conversations from the VMworld 2009 exhibit hall:
Wyse

I have a new mini crush on this company. I mean Wyse just had so much cool stuff at VMworld. They were showing the C-class terminals that are tiny and cheap with the dedicated streaming media processors. They had the new P-class devices which include the hardware PC-over-IP chips. They had their PocketCloud RDP / VMware View iPhone client. They introduced us to a new thing called Project Borg which has something to do with them taking over the world, one legacy PC at a time. (Seriously, Borg turns a PC into a Wyse managed thin client.) Oh, and they also had VDA, that software for extending RDP and ICA over long-haul WAN links.

So yeah, really cool stuff. (I think there’s a joke in here somewhere. Like “How do you make a thin client company sexy?” “Get them to stop focusing on thin clients!” :)

But damn they’re hot.

----------------------

Brian Madden

September 16, 2009

Link on Madden site

Posted by Staff at 02:25 PM | Comments (0)

Symbio Technologies Introduces Two New Stateless Thin Clients

NEW ROCHELLE, NY?Symbio Technologies (http://www.symbio-technologies.com), an award-winning innovator in secure stateless computing for government, business and healthcare, has added two new stateless thin clients--the SYM5100E and the SYM5120--to its product line.

Affordable yet powerful, the SYM5100E has state-of-the-art VIA Chrome9 graphics, gigabit networking, an on-board serial port and an optional smart card reader. The SYM5120 is the smallest of the company's thin clients. It consumes only 8 watts of electricity but contains the latest in Intel embedded technology and DVI-I video.

The new stateless and diskless thin clients continue Symbio's product line of desktop devices that are highly secure, energy efficient workstations with no embedded software, no internal moving parts, and no internal storage.

"Those who have enjoyed our SYM1112 will find that our new SYM5100E offers enhanced graphic capabilities and more options at the same price point," said Gideon Romm, co-founder and CTO of Symbio. "All Symbiont-certified stateless thin clients are excellent choices for organizations and businesses that are looking to the future, which will be dominated by virtualization and cloud computing."

Symbio's thin clients are in use in highly classified networks developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). They work with the Symbiont Boot Appliance, which boots up to 250 desktop units, directing them to the appropriate application server, or with the Symbiont Boot Stick, a USB pen drive which boots any USB-bootable device, even old PCs and laptops.

Symbio Technologies' products are available from authorized resellers worldwide.

About Symbio Technologies

Symbio Technologies reduces the cloud computing revolution to a plug-and-play, appliance-based solution. Certified and accredited by the US Department of Energy, the security-hardened Symbiont Boot Appliance makes network deployments simple, consistent, reliable, and secure. With this technology, organizations can reuse existing equipment, connect to the cloud through numerous protocols, and meet their security objectives. Symbio's products are available worldwide through a network of distributors, value-added resellers and integrators in Australia, Canada, Chile, Egypt, Mexico, Pakistan, South Africa, and the U.K., as well as throughout the U.S.

###

Posted by Staff at 02:22 PM | Comments (0)

August 31, 2009

Voice, Data & Video On A Tiny Box Delivering Breakthrough HD Performance

Windows CE 6.0 supported on Wyse Thin Clients.

With The Best User Experience, The Wyse C class
Sets A New Benchmark For Thin Computing

Meet the Wyse C class. Three models are available featuring Windows CE & Windows XP Embedded operating systems - and a zero client model for Wyse WSM provisioning.

Compact. Clever. Capable.
Creating highly productive, fully functional and compact virtual desktops has never been easier. The Wyse C class features rich user enhancements - that includes multiple display support, multimedia, sound and peripheral connectivity - and Wyse WSM zero client provisioning software delivering a PC experience on a thin or 'zero client'

Cool performance. Cooler workspaces.
Designing these levels of high processing and graphics performance into such a compact space hasn't been at the expense of energy consumption and heat emissions either. Each Wyse C class draws under 7 watts of power - creating cooler working environments - in every respect.

High performance. Inside out.
Inside every compact, Wyse C class lies a punchy VIA C7 1 GHz processor and an advanced hardware graphics accelerator delivering rich multimedia and video playback up to 1080p HD resolution. Outside, you'll find advanced DVI-I display connectivity for one or two display (dual 1920x1200 video support), four free USB 2.0 ports, PS/2 ports for keyboard and mouse, gigabit Ethernet and optional WiFi (b/g/n) support.

See table below for part numbers and pricing

Description Part No. ECP

C30LE - 128MB FLASH/512MB RAM 902173-01L $349
C30LE - 128MB FLASH/512MB RAM with IW 902172-01L $399
C90LE - 1G FLASH/1G RAM 902167-01L $449
C90LE - 1G FLASH/1G RAM with IW 902166-01L $499
C90LE - 2G FLASH/1G RAM 902167-21L $499
C90LE - 2G FLASH/1G RAM with IW 902166-21L $549
C90LE - 2G FLASH/2G RAM 902167-31L $549
C90LE - 2G FLASH/2G RAM with IW 902166-31L $599
C00LE - 0 FLASH/1G RAM 902176-01L $349
C00LE - 0 FLASH/2G RAM 902176-21L $399

**Detailed product information on Wyse C class or evaluate today **
**For sales related questions please call 800-GET-WYSE or email [email protected]**

Windows CE 6.0 Now Supported on Wyse Thin Clients

Wyse-enhanced Microsoft Windows CE 6.0 is now available on S class, V class, and the new C class thin clients. This solution is ideal for departments and organizations that need support for Citrix ICA and Microsoft RDP as well as local browser and terminal emulation, plus standard connections to peripherals and add-ons.

What is new in Windows CE 6.0?

What is the upgrade path if I already have Windows CE units?

Description Part No. ECP

CE 6.0 Upgrade Kit - S Class 920222-18 $49
CE 6.0 Upgrade Kit - V Class 920222-20 $49

**For sales related questions please call 800-GET-WYSE or email [email protected]**

Posted by Staff at 04:31 PM | Comments (0)

August 27, 2009

News from Thindesk

Thindesk out of Canada picked up some accolades recently. ThinDesk & TELUS were recently listed by the IDC; as one of the Top 10 Cloud Solutions to watch in Canada. Also has been declared a Top 3 finalist in the Best Small Business Solution’s category by CDN & IT World Canada.

IDC Profiles 10 Canadian Cloud Solutions to Watch

06 Aug 2009
Cloud to be a Hot Growth Niche for Emerging Firms

TORONTO, Ontario, August 6, 2009 – IDC Canada recently profiled ten Canadian Cloud solutions companies to watch.

"Cloud computing is still only in the nascent stages in Canada, but is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years," says Krista Napier, senior analyst, Competitive Intelligence and Emerging Technology at IDC Canada.

In addition, Thindesk has been declared a Top 3 finalist in the Best Small Business Solution’s category by CDN & IT World Canada. We are going to be acknowledged and awarded this at the www.channeleliteawards.ca Gala Event coming up on September 29th, 2009.

By 2012, IDC estimates 9% of spending on IT services worldwide, including business applications, application development and deployment, system infrastructure software, storage and servers, will be in the Cloud – and the leading area of IT growth (IT Cloud Services Forecast, Oct 2008).

"Still, the barriers to adoption in the short run must not be underestimated, and this poses challenges for emerging ICT firms with limited track records that are bringing cloud solutions to market," says Napier. "Showcasing ROI and cloud success stories will be key for emerging vendors to succeed in the cloud."

IDC has released a new study that profiles ten of these emerging companies in Canada offering solutions that address the cloud. The IDC study, 10 Canadian Cloud Solutions to Watch (IDC #CA4TIW9), provides insight into the solutions, go-to-market strategies, partners, and customers of the profiled vendors. Lessons learned may provide a model for other emerging companies in the Canadian technology marketplace, and help larger vendors, government, and investors identify partnership and investment opportunities.

Some of the key findings from this study include the following:

Cloud suits emerging Canadian companies. The very nature of smaller emerging companies makes them well-suited to deliver disruptive solutions in the cloud – these companies tend to demonstrate flexibility and speed, they are not restrained by legacy products or investments, and some cloud services such as application solutions require minimal upfront capital to launch initially in the market. This has led to an influx of emerging Canadian ICT companies bringing solutions to market that address the cloud – sometimes as 100% cloud solutions, but often as hybrid offerings that give customers the choice to use the solution as a service in the cloud, or on-premise at first to encourage gradual change.

Substantial barriers to the cloud pose a challenge for emerging firms. While cloud has generated tremendous attention and excitement, customers are still concerned about datacenter facility outages, exporting data from the cloud, data security, lack of common application programming interfaces (APIs), and data ownership. These concerns are compounded when working with a relatively small unknown vendor. Emerging companies can benefit from partnering with larger incumbents looking to broaden their on-premise solutions to become part of an overall cloud computing strategy that can extend a start-up's reach and legitimacy.

"Freemium" is the answer – sometimes. The "freemium" model has been an effective approach for many emerging companies delivering SaaS-based solutions to attract individual users with a free version of their solution, and to expand their footprint later with a more robust version of the solution for a fee. However, for instances where customers are unfamiliar with cloud solutions, or where high-touch support is needed to ensure a successful first-time experience with the product, some solution providers have found more success charging for the software upfront.

The ten companies featured in the report (in alphabetical order) include:

Asigra
BoardSuite
CiRBA
Enomaly
FreshBooks
Nulogy
PollStream
Rypple
Teradici
ThinDesk

This study is one of a series of documents that IDC publishes as part of the Canadian Technology Innovation Watch report series, which tracks Canadian ICT companies including software, hardware, services, and communications companies from across Canada. The series examines emerging companies, their solutions, and why they have been successful. For more information about IDC's series of reports on Canadian-grown ICT, visit: http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=IDC_P15343

Contact

For more information, contact:

Tatiana Abramova
[email protected]
416-673-2279

Posted by Staff at 09:30 PM | Comments (0)

August 10, 2009

PR: Joint Warfare Analysis Center Implements Trusted Computer Solutions' SecureOffice Trusted Thin Client

HERNDON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Trusted Computer Solutions, Inc. (TCS), a leading developer of cross domain and cyber security solutions, announced today that the Joint Warfare Analysis Center (JWAC), a premier science and engineering institution tasked with solving complex challenges for the nation’s warfighter, has implemented a virtual configuration of the company’s SecureOffice® Trusted Thin Client® product.

In addition, the product has received an Authority to Operate (ATO) at the Top Secret/SCI and Below Interoperability (TSABI) level, which meets the needs of civilian, intelligence and defense agencies that require access to external and internal networks at different classification levels.

SecureOffice Trusted Thin Client is a cross domain solution that provides users with easy and secure simultaneous access to an unlimited number of networks at varying classification levels from a single thin client device on a desktop. With the virtual configuration, this same functionality is available to the desktop user with no need for additional thin client hardware, changes to existing desktop hardware, the native environment or applications that run in that environment. The user has access to networks at the same or lower classification levels through individual windows running within the thin client image. The multiple network connections are securely accessed through a Distribution Console, which acts as a trusted router and maintains network separation on the back end.

JWAC is the first to use SecureOffice Trusted Thin Client in this virtual configuration. JWAC’s analysts can now utilize existing high-performance workstations to access information at the same or lower level networks. SecureOffice Trusted Thin Client can run on a number of virtual machine platforms that include VMware® Player and Microsoft™ Virtual PC, as well as virtual environments such as, NetTop®, Janus and High Assurance Platform (HAP). The virtual implementation is ideal for “power users” that require access to resource intensive applications that are not designed to operate in a distributed environment.

“With this virtual implementation a user’s existing workstation, with high-side permissions, can access any number of networks at the same or lower classification level,” stated Ed Hammersla, Chief Operating Officer, Trusted Computer Solutions. “This provides many advantages including user flexibility, hardware reuse and a minimal learning curve. Additionally, there is no cut and paste capability between networks or between the virtual machine and the desktop; and no data accessed and displayed within the virtual machine is stored on the workstation’s hard drive.”

SecureOffice Trusted Thin Client is identified on the UCDMO list as an approved cross domain access solution.

About Trusted Computer Solutions, Inc.

Founded in 1994, Trusted Computer Solutions (TCS) is an industry leader in providing cross domain and cyber security solutions for both the private and public sectors. The Company’s portfolio of security products include the SecureOffice® Suite, a group of cross domain solutions that allow the secure transfer and sharing of information; Security Blanket™, an industry award-winning operating system lock down and security management tool; and CounterStorm™, a behavioral, statistical and content-based anomaly detection system that rapidly identifies targeted and zero day attacks. All TCS solutions are backed by the company’s Professional Services group, which consists of nationally recognized experts in security policy, architecture, planning, and implementation. TCS is headquartered in Herndon, Va., with offices in Champaign, Ill. and San Antonio, TX. For more information, visit www.TrustedCS.com

Contacts
Welz & Weisel Communications
Kristine Gager, 703-218-3555
[email protected]

Posted by Staff at 06:26 PM | Comments (0)

August 04, 2009

News - Boundless Technolgies

Boundless Technologies is now listed on Thinclient.org and here is some recent news regarding their products. Boundless is located in New York.

Boundless updates OS for Linux thin clients
Phelps, NY - July 23, 2009 - Boundless Technologies, a leading provider of thin clients and text terminals, has updated the operating system in its customizable Linux thin clients. The newest version enhances the user experience and further supports Boundless’ ability to customize thin clients to meet the needs of IT organizations in government, health care, education, manufacturing, retail, banking and finance.

Read more: http://www.boundless.com/press.html#linux7-09


VDC’s Boundless Technologies and Ericom Software extend agreement to bundle all Boundless thin clients with Ericom PowerTerm WebConnect client software

Closter, NJ, and Phelps, NY - May 7, 2009 - Boundless Technologies, a leading provider of thin clients and text terminals, and Ericom Software, a leading global provider of application access and virtualization solutions, have extended their agreement under which all Boundless Linux, CE and XPe thin clients ship pre-loaded with Ericom PowerTerm® WebConnect client software. The Boundless thin clients are ready to deploy in server-based computing environments that use Ericom’s PowerTerm WebConnect Server for administration and management.

Read more: http://www.boundless.com/press.html#ericom5-09

Posted by Staff at 09:02 PM | Comments (0)

July 31, 2009

Will 'Thin Clients' Replace Office PCs?

Article on BusinessWeek posing question on thinclients replacing PCs. This focuses on the Redfly. No CPU, or anything else. TCO 1/10th of laptop.Extends your smartphone into a the desktop with keyboard. $200. Blackberry and Android in the works. Pretty cool!

The stripped-down "thin client" devices, such as Celio's Redfly C8N, offer companies big savings on hardware costs and software support

By Cliff Edwards

As we head into the fourth decade of the personal-computer revolution, there's a growing class of technophiles who rarely hunker down in front of a PC. Millions of Internet-savvy users now manage a lot of their multimedia hobbies, social networking, and even business tasks on smartphones from Apple (AAPL), Samsung, and other companies.

For a long time, consumers were driving this trend, but corporations are now starting to think about trading PCs for smartphones or other kinds of hybrid wireless devices known as thin clients. These look like notebook computers, but some are designed to connect with a smartphone and share its operating system and software applications. As a result, the thin client doesn't require its own internal processing or storage capability.

Companies are attracted to this approach for two reasons: Thin clients are cheaper to purchase than full-service laptops, and the corporate buyer can exert much stricter control over the software they run. Unlike laptops, both smartphones and thin clients can be tightly controlled by companies, so they don't get cluttered up with thousands of programs and media files downloaded from the Net. That makes them less vulnerable to viruses, hackers, and other security threats—saving companies money on tech support.

For the past few weeks, I've been looking at one of the first entries in a new class of mobile thin clients. Celio's Redfly C8N has an 8-inch screen and is designed to pair wirelessly with a smartphone running the Windows Mobile operating system. That means you can use the C8N to work on Word and Excel documents, e-mail colleagues using Microsoft (MSFT) Exchange Server, and do most other things you do at the office. Measuring 6 in. by 9 in. and 1 in. thick, the device is too big to cram in a pocket—unlike an iPhone or most other handsets—but I found it a lot more comfortable for business uses.

The Redfly is lighter than most netbooks, and at $299 it is far cheaper than ultrathin laptops. When the Bluetooth connection is on, the battery lasts about nine hours, nearly double what you get on most energy-efficient laptops. And if you need data or programs that are only on your office network or your desktop, there's remote-access software that will let you log in safely.

All of this makes Redfly very appealing, but there are some trade-offs: not least, an extremely cramped keyboard. During my tests, my typing accuracy rate dropped below 50% as I surfed the Web and took notes using Microsoft Word. Asus, Acer, and other netbook makers offered similarly tiny keyboards in early products, and shoppers returned them in droves.

Rest of article on BusinessWeek

Posted by Staff at 08:00 PM | Comments (0)

July 16, 2009

Wyse Attacks Latency with proxies, new protocol

Wyse manages to speed up RDP and ICA by factor of 3. Ditches TCP layer for custom transport protocol. Writeup by Ars Technica and Jon Stokes.

source link

Last Wednesday, terminal vendor Wyse Technology unveiled its latest salvo in the "thin" vs. "fat" client wars, the Virtual Desktop Accelerator. While Wyse still makes terminals, it has also gotten into the virtualization-based thin client game, but of course the main weakness in the thin client model is the connection—specifically, connection latency. For real-time interactive applications, latency is a much bigger problem than throughput, because high latencies degrade the user experience.

Wyse's engineers have worked on a solution to the latency problem, which can be acute for a thin client where the datacenter is located across the country or across the ocean. They came up with a hybrid approach that involves proxies, tunneling, error correction, and ditching the TCP layer for a custom transport protocol that runs on top of IP. All of this goes into VDA, which accelerates Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) and Independent Computing Architecture (ICA) in order to speed up connections to Citrix XenApp, Citrix XenDesktop, VMware View, Microsoft Terminal Server, and Microsoft Hyper-V VDI.

We spent some time talking to some Wyse engineers this past Friday, and they were understandably reluctant to get too explicit about how VDA achieves what Wyse claims is up to a 3x speedup on RDP and ICA. But they did share the general outlines of what they're doing.

On the client side, ICA and RDP traffic is redirected to the VDA proxy, which then communicates directly with a server-side proxy. This use of proxies means that the software at each end of the connection doesn't know that anything different is going on with the connection itself.

The two VDA proxies then use a custom transport layer that's optimized for interactive communication by using error correction to minimize the number of packet resends. The Wyse folks told me that their transport can drop whole packets, but there's often enough error correction there to reconstruct the lost packet without requesting a resend.

Rest of article

Posted by Staff at 02:28 PM | Comments (0)

PR: 2X Software Named a CRN Emerging Technology Vendor

2X Software Named a CRN Emerging Technology Vendor -- Strong Virtual Computing Product Line and Clear-Cut Licensing Draws Praise from CRN Editorial Panel

Dallas, TX, July 8, 2009 – 2X Software, the global developer of server-based computing software, announced today it has been selected by Everything Channel as a CRN Emerging Technology Vendor. The company was added to the list due to its robust product line, which includes the 2X ApplicationServer for Windows Terminal Services, 2X LoadBalancer for Terminal Services/Citrix, 2X ThinClientServer and the 2X VirtualDesktopServer. 2X products drew praise for offering easily scalable, installable and manageable solutions with straightforward licensing, resulting in product prices far below those of their competitors. CRN's Emerging Technology Vendor list captures companies that are delivering high margins for solution providers with innovative and easy-to-use technology that undercuts industry giants.

Of special interest to the panel was 2X Software’s latest product, the 2X VirtualDesktopServer. The VirtualDesktopServer improves virtual desktop manageability, security and performance, helping companies experience the full benefit of desktop and application virtualization. The product is hosted on a variety of virtualization platforms, and helps to lower companies’ operating costs by delivering secure, centrally managed access to virtual desktops and applications. Specific features of the VirtualDesktopServer include the following:

Publishing of virtual desktops and applications, rather than local installation
Use of the same client to connect to virtual desktops and terminal server applications
Automatic suspension of inactive virtual desktops for maximum server efficiency
Publishing of Windows applications and virtual desktops to Linux and Mac
Publishing of applications to a terminal server farm
Universal printing
Supports a variety of virtualization platforms, including VMware, Sun VirtualBox, Microsoft Virtual Server, Microsoft Hyper-V, Virtual Iron and Parallels
Integration with 2X LoadBalancer
Windows 2008 and 64-bit ready
2X Software’s reseller program has grown significantly in recent months. 40% of 2X’s 1,200 resellers have joined within the past 12 months, highlighting the growing public attraction to the 2X brand. 2X plans to continue to grow its reseller ranks through significant discounts, the 2Xpert Certification Program, cooperative marketing opportunities and Tier-2 technical support. 2X is especially focused on growing its business with channel partners, particularly SMB and enterprise-focused solution providers.

"Solution Providers seek out innovative vendors that create new and innovative ideas to help them build revenue and customer loyalty. Our Emerging Tech list is where Solution Providers go to find these vendors. We congratulate all of the vendors for their innovation and creativity and their commitment to the technology sales channel," said Robert C. DeMarzo, senior vice president and editorial director, Everything Channel.

The vendors who make the CRN Emerging Technology Vendor list were founded in 2001 or later, have revenue under $1 billion and have an active U.S. channel strategy. Final selection to the Emerging Technology Vendor list was made by the CRN editorial team after a review of submitted information.

Nikolaos Makris, CEO of 2X Software, stated that "2X Software is pleased join the ranks of CRN’s Emerging Vendors for 2009, and we welcome the recognition the addition brings to our robust product line. We look forward to benefitting from future publicity opportunities to highlight the advantages of 2X products to CRN vendors and subscribers alike."

About 2X
2X Software Ltd - 2X - is a company developing software for the booming server-based computing market. Thin client computing controls spiraling PC management costs, centralizes application and desktop management, improves security and performance and allows users to work remotely. The company’s product line includes: 2X ThinClientServer, 2X LoadBalancer for Terminal Services/Citrix, 2X ApplicationServer for Windows Terminal Services and 2X VirtualDesktopServer. 2X is a privately held company with offices in the USA, Germany, UK, Cyprus and Malta. Its management team is backed by years of experience in developing and selling network infrastructure software. 2X is a Microsoft, IBM and VMware partner. For more information visit: http://www.2x.com/.

About Everything Channel
Everything Channel is the one-stop shop for accessing, enabling, managing and accelerating technology sales channels. From branding and recruiting to marketing and sales, Everything Channel offers technology marketers the unmatched breadth and depth of global brands and market intelligence combined with unparalleled audience loyalty and credibility serving all technology sales channels through an extensive database. Everything Channel provides innovative sales and marketing solutions to arm the sellers of technology with the resources they need to achieve measurable and significant results. For more information, visit: http://www.everythingchannel.com/.

About United Business Media Limited
UBM (UBM.L) focuses on two principal activities: worldwide information distribution, targeting and monitoring; and, the development and monetization of B2B communities and markets. UBM’s businesses inform markets and serve professional commercial communities - from doctors to game developers, from journalists to jewelry traders, from farmers to pharmacists – with integrated events, online, print and business information products. Our 6,500 staff in more than 30 countries are organized into specialist teams that serve these communities, bringing buyers and sellers together, helping them to do business and their markets to work effectively and efficiently. For more information, visit: http://www.unitedbusinessmedia.com/.

For more information:
Please email Ryan Pope on [email protected]
URL: http://www.2x.com

Posted by Staff at 02:17 PM | Comments (0)

July 14, 2009

Cisco Chooses Wyse Technology to Demonstrate Optimum User Experience

Wyse gets boost from Cisco as demo platform for Ciscos UCS (Unified Computing Solution) during conference July 1.

SAN FRANCISCO, July 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Wyse Technology, the global leader in thin computing and client virtualization, today announced that Padmasree Warrior, Chief Technology Officer of Cisco Systems, chose the Wyse V10L thin client to demonstrate Cisco's unified computing solution (UCS) during her keynote at the Cisco Live conference in San Francisco on July 1.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090713/SF45108)

In front of thousands of Cisco customers and partners, Warrior demonstrated how to provision and access a virtual desktop through a Wyse thin client. The demonstration used Cisco technology and the most secure operating system, Wyse ThinOS, found in the Wyse V10L, providing a flawless experience - without using any PCs.

As Chief Technology Officer, Warrior helps drive Cisco's technological innovations and strategy, and leads its cross-company initiatives on Cloud Computing, Desktop Virtualization, and cross-functional team that helps drive the company's growth priorities.

"Choosing Wyse to help Cisco demonstrate their technology vision during Cisco Live definitely communicates Wyse's leadership in the thin computing market," said Ricardo Antuna, Senior Vice President of Product Management and Business Development and Alliances for Wyse Technology. "This is the second time in about two months that a major keynote speaker has used our solutions to deliver their technology announcement, the first being Citrix CEO Mark Templeton at Citrix Synergy in May."

The versatile and high-performing Wyse V10L thin client is unique in the industry. Its powerful energy saving design uses only 10% of the energy used by a PC, its ultra-thin operating system boots in seconds, automatically updates itself, and delivers the administrative simplicity IT needs. The Wyse V10L delivers rich voice, data, and video better than competing devices, and is truly virus and malware proof.

The Wyse V10L is available now and can be found at: http://www.wyse.com/products/hardware/thinclients/V10L/index.asp

See the Wyse V10L in action during Warrior's keynote:

http://www.cisco-live.com/attendees/keynotes#warrior

Posted by staff at 02:15 PM | Comments (0)

June 18, 2009

New In-Wall Controllers from Borg Displays

May 8, 2009 Denver, CO. Borg Displays, Inc, an innovator in affordable embedded touch controllers, announced today the introduction of the Protege8™ and Protégé15™ touchscreens.

This duo of professional grade in-wall touchscreens offer:

• 
  All the flexibility of Windows XPe or a custom XPe image or Linux-based builds
  
  
• All the reliability of an embedded OS and a solid state, fanless, HDD-less design
  
  
• All the robustness of fast processors and steel in-wall backbox
  
  
• And the elegance of an Apple-like acrylic bezel with soft-touch capacitive buttons.
  

Borg’s suite of Protégé touchscreens use a small fraction of the energy of a PC while offering convenient, always-on in-wall touch access to control applications like from HAI and others, DVRs, energy
management solutions like FatSpaniel or solar inverters, and a plethora of other web-based devices like Escient media servers or just Microsoft Winbased browsing the web, media player, IM or other
options. The suite of in-wall touchscreens also are environmentally RoHS compliant.

Borg Displays develops embedded solutions for a variety of professional integration industries. Protégé is a suite of touchscreens interfaces specifically designed to run quiet, cool and fast, engaging users with networked content, control and entertainment or energy management on centrally located always-on sentinels.
www.borgdisplays.com

Posted by Staff at 10:17 PM | Comments (0)

LG Electronics and Ncomputing Join Forces

SEOUL, South Korea, and REDWOOD CITY, Calif., June 18, 2009 – Global electronics innovator LG Electronics and NComputing, the world leader in virtual desktops, today announced a strategic partnership to produce a new category of LCD monitors that integrates NComputing’s virtual desktop technology.

Analysis:

This does several things:
-- Enables LG to get into the computing business without having to build low-margin PCs
-- Gives LG an edge as a cloud computing takes off and users access computing resources from a range of devices (e.g., smartphones)
-- Gives NComputing a powerful, global partner to sell its virtual desktop technology to businesses worldwide (LG shipped over 15 million monitors last year)
-- Marks the first OEM deal in NComputing's bid to be the technology powering cloud computing

Content:

LG Electronics, which shipped more than 15 million monitors last year, will bring its high-volume scale and global distribution network to the alliance, while NComputing will contribute its award-winning hardware and vSpace™ virtualization software. The sub-$200 computing solution will further drive the acceleration towards desktop virtualization and “cloud computing” in which computing is centralized and done over the Web.

“The NComputing-LG partnership will significantly cut the high cost of computing for businesses, schools and government,” said Stephen Dukker, chairman and CEO of NComputing. “We are delighted to work with one of the largest and most respected electronics companies in the world to bring our computing solutions to everyone.”

Customers are increasingly turning to desktop virtualization, Software as a Service (SaaS), and Web-hosted applications to lower their IT costs. NComputing estimates that customers for LG SmartVine N-series monitors with embedded NComputing desktop virtualization technology can lower their computer hardware costs by 60 percent, maintenance costs by 70 percent, and electricity costs by 90 percent. The LG monitors work with both Windows and Linux computers.
“Our customers are taking into account not just the purchase price of computing, but also long-term costs connected to IT support, maintenance and electricity,” said Ron Snaidauf, vice president of commercial products, LG Electronics USA Business Solutions. “Combining NComputing technology with our market-leading monitors creates the optimal solution for today’s cost-conscious businesses.”

In the United States, the LG SmartVine N-series line will include 17 and 19-inch* class monitors (models N1742L-BF and N1941W-PF) covering both standard and widescreen resolutions. A 16-inch* class model will also be available in other countries. All LG SmartVine N-series monitors can also be used as traditional monitors that connect through VGA for ultimate flexibility. These monitors will be marketed worldwide by LG beginning this month.

NComputing is the fastest growing provider of virtual desktops in the world and its technology is based on a simple fact: today’s computers are so powerful that the vast majority of applications use only a small fraction of the computer’s capacity. NComputing technology enables a single PC or server to be virtualized so that many users can tap the unused capacity and share it as if each person had their own computer.

LG Electronics is embedding NComputing virtualization circuitry inside the new SmartVine N-series monitors. Users connect their keyboards and mice directly to the monitor, which then connects to the host PC via a standard cable. An NComputing X550 PCI Card Kit with vSpace software enables the host PC to connect to 5 additional monitors. With two kits, a total of 11 users can share one PC.

“Demand for low cost high value computing is expanding quickly, especially in light of recessionary pressures on IT budgets. The LG-NComputing partnership will help accelerate virtual desktop computing as a low cost high value offering because it dramatically improves the economics and simplicity of end-user computing,” said leading computer technologist Rob Enderle, Principal, Enderle Group. “In the coming years, as cloud computing becomes more mainstream, workers may simply link network enabled devices like this into the cloud without the need, or desire, for any local computing resources.”
Since introducing the award-winning virtual desktop technology two years ago, NComputing has emerged as the market leader with over 40,000 customers and millions of people using their virtual desktops and vSpace software in over 140 countries. NComputing won the Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation award, the Gartner Cool Vendor Award, the Frost and Sullivan Green Computing award, as well as numerous awards from CES, Deloitte, CeBit, and ExpoComm.
For more information on the LG Network Monitors, go to www.ncomputing.com/LGNetworkMonitor or www.LGcommercial.com

About NComputing, Inc.
NComputing, Inc. is the fastest growing desktop virtualization company in the world. The company's award-winning, patented technology lowers desktop computing costs, improves manageability, and reduces both energy consumption and e-waste. It is the perfect solution for leveraging the power and potential of PCs and cloud computing. For more information, visit www.ncomputing.com.

LG Electronics, Inc.
LG Electronics Inc. (KSE: 066570.KS) is a global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, mobile communications and home appliances, employing more than 84,000 people working in 115 operations including 84 subsidiaries around the world. With 2008 global sales of $44.7 billion, LG is comprised of five business units – Home Entertainment, Mobile Communications, Home Appliance, Air Conditioning and Business Solutions. LG is one of the world’s leading producers of flat panel TVs, audio and video products, mobile handsets, air conditioners and washing machines. LG has signed a long-term agreement to become both A Global Partner of Formula 1™ and A Technology Partner of Formula 1™. As part of this top-level association, LG acquires exclusive designations and marketing rights as the official consumer electronics, mobile phone and data processor of this global sporting event.

LG Electronics Business Solutions
The LG Electronics Business Solutions Company is a leading business-to-business (B2B) infotainment company, developing a broad range of top-class digital devices and solutions including LCD monitors, commercial displays, automotive infotainment and security systems. LG anticipates future business trends and provides unique devices and services that offer smart and reliable solutions to meet the needs of business partners and customers. With 2008 global sales of $4.3 billion, LG Electronics Business Solutions is poised for continuing rapid growth.

LG Electronics USA
LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the $13 billion North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a global force and technology leader in home appliances, consumer electronics and mobile communications. The LG Electronics Business Solutions division of LG Electronics USA, serves customers in the digital signage, systems integration, lodging and hospitality, healthcare, education, government and industrial markets. Based in Lincolnshire, Ill., with its dedicated engineering and customer support team, LG Electronics USA Business Solutions delivers B2B technology solutions tailored to the particular needs of business environments. For more information, please visit www.LGcommercial.com.

Media Contacts:
Renee Deger
GlobalFluency
(650) 433-4153
[email protected]

John Taylor
LG Electronics
847-941-8181
[email protected]

David Rand
NComputing, Inc.
(650) 517-5806

* N1742L-BF 17-inch class/17-inch diagonal
* N1941W-PF 19-inch class/ 18.5-inch diagonal
*16-inch class model/15.6 inch diagonal

Posted by Staff at 09:49 PM | Comments (0)

June 09, 2009

Thin Desktop® 2.3.2 Available for General Release

(St. Paul, MN) ThinLaunch Software, LLC (www.thinlaunch.com) announces the immediate availability of Thin Desktop 2.3.2, Thin Desktop 2.3.2 enhances the award winning Thin Desktop application announced in August, 2008. Thin Desktop 2.3.2 simplifies deployment and adoption of Virtual Desktop Strategies by overcoming common barriers associated with the implementation of these strategies.

Thin Desktop enhances the overall value of virtualization by simplifying the deployment and implementation of virtual desktops at the user device. Thin Desktop replaces the local user interface, then locks down and monitors the user / client device. This allows the administrator to gain complete control over the client end point and the user experience. When compared to group policy methods, “registry hacks” and other similar approaches, Thin Desktop is far easier to implement, deploy and maintain. Unlike the implementation of a traditional Thin Client model, Thin Desktop requires no changes to the enterprise infrastructure and has no server footprint or management server.

When a PC or Thin Client is locked down using Thin Desktop, the typical shell / user interface is hidden from the user and replaced by the designated connection or application. At the same time, underlying capabilities allowed by the administrator can remain intact. No changes to the enterprise infrastructure are required and no additional tools or management functionality is needed.

The release of version 2.3.2 enhances deployment of Thin Desktop using industry standard methods, tools and architectures. An administrator can now deploy and implement Thin Desktop on any PC or Thin Client via standard unattended silent install capability and existing software distribution and imaging methods.

“Thin Desktop 2.3.2 is the result of feedback form a wide variety of customers with very diverse use cases and requirements. A common thread is the desire to adopt virtual desktop technologies while preserving investments in current hardware, infrastructure and skill sets - with a clear path for future hardware and virtualization options.”, said ThinLaunch Software General Manager, Mike Cardinal. “Customer environments with both PC and Thin Client devices will coexist for the foreseeable future. Most users don’t care about the box connected to the monitor, keyboard and mouse – and administrators don’t want them to care.”

For additional information and an Evaluation Download of Thin Desktop, visit the website at www.thinlaunch.com

About ThinLaunch Software, LLC

ThinLaunch Software, LLC has developed Thin Desktop to enhance the value of client device assets. Established in May of 2007, ThinLaunch software is privately held and based in Eagan, MN, a suburb of St. Paul, MN.

ThinLaunch Software and Thin Desktop are registered trademark of ThinLaunch Software, LLC. Additional trademarks and Patents Pending. Please visit the website at: www.thinlaunch.com

Posted by staff at 02:35 AM | Comments (0)

June 01, 2009

UN buys into Ncomputing's Linux thin-client PCs

A UNITED NATIONS initiative has signed up thin-client vendor Ncomputing to deliver 1,000 Linux based desktops to pilot programmes at schools in underdeveloped countries.

Source Link

Ncomputing will not only provide its One-Watt thin-client devices but will also provide logistical and operational support for deployment in primary and secondary schools through 2012. A pilot project has already been completed in Burkina Faso, with more projects scheduled for Rwanda, Senegal and Tanzania in 2009.

The firm's technology connects from six to 30 thin-client desktops to a fully configured PC through PCI cards, providing each user with a 'virtual desktop' work space in the PC that drives a small networked device to run a video monitor, mouse and keyboard. Each thin-client desktop costs far less than a PC and uses but a small fraction of the energy of a PC.

"The NComputing virtual desktops give us an important opportunity to significantly expand computing access and simplify deployment," said UN project organiser Dr. Paul Jhin. "This maximizes the use of donated and refurbished computers and simplifies deployment and power requirements, which are key issues in many parts of the developing world."

Ncomputing claims to have shipped over a million 'virtual desktops' to more than 140 countries during the last 24 months, and says that more than 20,000 schools and millions of students are using its technology.
The company also says that its thin-client PC sharing technology has qualified for energy conservation rebates and rate discounts from electric utilities in a dozen US states and two Canadian provinces.

Posted by Staff at 05:14 PM | Comments (0)

May 22, 2009

Thin Client Benchmarking of Asus eeePC and Ncomputing X300

In-depth look at platforms designed for lowest cost and how they stack up. The eeePC comes out on top though Ncomputing does well. Definitely worth a read.

Source link

A few weeks ago when I published my benchmarking results I made a number of points, one of which was that we really need to be careful with what equipment we are sending to less developed countries including Africa. A few quick Google searches will return a handful of charities who will accept the very dregs of the computing world for shipping out to these countries. Equally, a few more searches will reveal countless articles damning this practice for the environmental damage it does. Well, in the spirit of transparency I want to highlight the work of a charity called Computer Aid today, and in particularly praise them for their approach to recycling machines.

You see, Computer Aid are obviously came to the same sort of conclusions I did which is why they now will not accept donations of machines slower than Pentium 4 class hardware. A bold move, but one that ensures the equipment they send out is fit for purpose. However, the praise does not stop here. I actually stumbled on to their site while tripping over an email from last October my professor had sent me (Cheers Colin). What I actually came across was the brief testing ZDNet had done in conjunction with the company to look at more specialised low-cost and low-power platforms that could be used when modern desktop hardware simply didn’t seem appropriate. A quick hop over to the Computer Aid site informed me that since the date of that email back in October the charity had published their full report and it really is worth a read. It’s a brief yet concise nine page affair but what I find really brilliant are the quantitative results that they were able to attain due to their inherent connections to the regions being discussed. Not only does the paper have a close correlation to the benchmarking we did, but it also is looking at much the same hardware level questions I did during the x86 <15W platform research (Note you can skip to the last pages of those articles for the full PDF reports).

To summarise their report, the Asus eeePC was chosen as the lowest power and most feature rich platform:

“The Asus Eee PC is the overall ‘winner’ of the tests. It is the preferred solution by all partners. Despite the small size of the screen, it offers the best compromise between power consumption, performance and portability in both Linux and Windows-equipped versions. “

Also, the Ncomputing X300 Windows based thin client system was highlighted as being especially suited towards lab deployments:

“The Ncomputing X300 is the preferred solution when setting up computer labs. Despite higher power consumption per each user and limited Linux compatibility, it was appreciated especially by African Universities in the case of installations not requiring portability. Desktop virtualisation can be a viable option to reduce hardware costs, power consumption and required maintenance compared to the use of traditional desktop PCs.”

Now, these results excite me greatly because I wholeheartedly believe we can do EVEN BETTER by reflecting on the developments in the hardware market and combining this with our own research into the type of software deployment we favour.

Let’s take on the hardware first. According to ZDNet the eeePC used was an early 701 model which incorporated a rushed Celeron ULV processor running at 900MHz. This design was quickly phased out in favour of the 1.6GHz Atom N270 + 945GSE chipset combo designed to compete in this ‘netbook’ space. Despite the simpler in-order design, the increased clock speed, hyperthreading capabilities, and lower TDP caused the Atom solution to become the de-facto standard in the sector - and this of course is why we see several hundred designs based around these specifications. Now, these designs have been round a good long while and the market economics of the situation are very interesting if a bit long-winded (Intel being able to produce the chipset very easily and cheaply using existing R&D, old fab facilities et al). Needless to say that if you’re placed in the correct sector of the industry and have the buying power you can do even better than this woeful implementation.

You see, all Atoms are not created equally, and more to the point their chipset pairings vary dramatically. I’m not going to go into great detail (please see our research) but using a 1.6GHz Atom chip with something other than the stunted 9.3W 945GSE chipset and you’re onto a winner. A case in point: The Dell Mini 12 (now discontinued in blighty, but seemingly not in America - go figure) and now the Mini 10. Due (allegedly) to the rumours flying around that Intel did not want vendors to use the Atom Diamondville platform in anything other than <12″ lappies in order to avoid cannibalisation of their Core2 CULV market, Dell just went right on and used the Silverthorne platform intended for MIDs, which is essentially the pairing of a smaller, slightly more efficient albeit architecturally identical Atom with a chipset built from the ground up to be suitable for it - Poulsbo. It also helps them jump ahead of the competition by squeezing more run-time out of a 3 cell Li-ion battery and offers product subdivision in the case of the Mini 10 by pitching a cut-down “V” variant sporting the standard Diamondville kit. The result of Poulsbo is a complete platform drawing a mere 4.3W as opposed to the 11.8W that 99% of netbooks utilise, or the 29.5W one nettops are lumped with. Interesting stuff, especially when you consider the PowerVR influence over the GMA500 GPU in theory allows it decode 1080p H.264 in hardware.

The disadvantages to this platform? Silverthorne is damn expensive although we can’t get official figures from the Intel ARK, and the graphics drivers under Linux are a complete shambles apart from the custom 8.04 Ubuntu Builds Dell liaised with Canonical to develop. When I say expensive by the way I mean that it’s basically impossible for you and I to locate our local friendly consumer-embedded reseller and find anything using it. These boards are reserved for the target form factor (MIDs) and those organisations big enough to be able to go ahead and purchase huge volumes to make them financially viable like Dell. I did have one quote with an industrial embedded manufacturer who estimated a $500 cost per board which is frankly insanity when you consider the 1.6GHz Mini 10 is just £349. The maths don’t stack up in the cold light of day and this is hugely frustrating for consumers or people like me who like to keep an eye on the market. It’s also why we came to the conclusion that the trusty old 945GSE chipset, despite it’s failings was the best of the bunch, especially as mITX boards using it have recently reached you and I for ~£100.

This is where another company come into play - FitPC. FitPC have a single product at the moment, a low power self-titled PC running on the frankly antiquated Geode CPU (think cobwebs instead of thermal paste). Whilst this is fine for cost effective thin clients or other extremely undemanding applications it becomes a sticking point when you look into the kind of rich FOSS software implementations we have been discussing. Last week in the far east a sequel appeared to have tipped up powered by the 2W 1.6GHz Atom Z530 CPU and the 2.3W US15W chipset (Poulsbo). Sure enough, the company themselves are now advertising the device and I must say it looks like an absolute winner.

And so, to software. The proposition here is simple. The Ncomputing X300s are thin client machines which rely on proprietary Microsoft software, and are limited as all thin clients are when faced with any serious computational tasks such as the playback or rich media sources. In addition, the machines have severe range limitations (10M from the host PC according to their docs) and although fairly cheap (IRO £149) don’t scale particularly well in larger deployments. That said, the study still conveyed that technical staff were more than willing to work with such devices which really does bode well in terms of expected user experience.

Instead, my proposition is to build off the research done by enterprising coders like David Van Assche, and use the new generation of low powered hardware outlined above to perform all processing locally in the model we term CCL - Client Centric Processing. Jjust like thin clients the central kernel used is delivered using PXE and can be maintained just once but in this case it’s a much larger image designed to perform almost all tasks locally. Using this inverted approach a machine can utilise all its onboard resources whilst putting minimal pressure on a central server, whose only job is basically to send data using the NBD protocol. The huge bonus is also that the machines all benefit from having no local storage to support, and share a central point of authentication and management.

The dream therefore is a classroom (mobile or otherwise) supporting ten students and a teacher. Each student is equipped with a Poulsbo cored Atom machine which draws well under 15W including the VDU (which ironically becomes the biggest drain), and the teacher utilises the server, whose only other job is to deliver content quickly over a Gigabit Ethernet. The server itself could use the same equipment as the students, but ideally at this point we would utilise a richer set of core-logic to push data from a RAID1 array, as read speeds are really the defining burden. The result of all this is a fully functional, low maintenance, rugged, low power classroom that achieves all its aims for the very minimum outlay possible. In addition, the seemingly positive intentions from Intel in supporting Linux and third-party IP blocks is the cherry on the top of ideas like this for research teams like ourselves.

All this and more is possible with the equipment today, and with more developments in the fertile netbook space such as the upcoming Pineview platform which places the GPU onto the CPU die, the equipment we use to accomplish our goals can only become faster, cheaper, and lower in terms of electrical footprint.

I’ll cover Pineview (and Pinetrail - don’t ask) in the coming weeks for those interested. At the moment we’re simply working with conjecture as far as those platforms are concerned so it’s for the best if we wait for more solid details to leak. Till then there’s always l’inq, and good old Anand.

Download file

Computer Aid report

Fit PC

Posted by Staff at 02:45 PM | Comments (0)

May 15, 2009

Press Release: 10ZiG Technology Voted By Customers As One Of The Top Technology Vendors For Customer Satisfaction

Phoenix, AZ – May 15, 2009 — 10ZiG Technology (formerly BOSaNOVA, Inc.), the emerging market leader in development of Thin Clients, Security Solutions, and Network Appliances, today announced that they have been ranked one of the top rated IT vendors for customer satisfaction in the 2009 VendorRate report recently issued.

10ZiG (www.10zig.com) was voted by customers as the #1 thin client vendor and the highest rated vendor by enterprise organizations.

VendorRate users rate vendors confidentially on ten specific performance criteria that include customer service, reliability, integrity, budget and effectiveness. 10ZiG rated highest in 9 out of the 10 categories in the report. The VendorRate quarterly report summarizes customer satisfaction ratings entered by technology professionals at the VendorRate website, trade shows, professional conferences, and virtual events. VendorRate is vendor neutral and accepts neither vendor sponsorship nor advertising.

“Customer satisfaction is extremely important to us. We take extra steps to ensure our customers are happy. For example, we send a survey to every customer after they have called into tech support to make sure that they received the answers that they were looking for. I personally review every survey that is submitted and we follow up promptly if someone requires additional attention,” comments Martin Pladgeman, President, 10ZiG Technology. “I am pleased to see that our customers are happy with the service we provide.”

“VendorRate scores help IT departments make better vendor selections based on feedback from existing customers,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of VendorRate. “10ZiG’s outstanding scores demonstrate how the playing field among vendors is leveled because the experiences of many customers provide a more reliable source of information than vendor brand positioning.”

10ZiG Technology is the new name for BOSaNOVA, Inc. which was renamed this month. 10ZiG offers a wide-range of award winning thin clients that help customers cut costs and increase security. Security solutions include encryption appliances for protecting backup tapes and the new PPQ product (which will be announced this month), a print management solution that secures printouts and eliminates waste.

10ZiG products are available for sale worldwide from 10ZiG Authorized resellers. For sales information contact 10ZiG Technology toll-free at (866) 865-5250, or send e-mail to [email protected]. For European inquiries contact +44 1509 276252 or email [email protected].

About 10ZiG Technology
10ZiG Technology (www.10zig.com), formerly BOSaNOVA, Inc., is a privately held company headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. The company is principally engaged in the design and development of thin clients, security solutions and network appliances. The company’s solutions include a highly refined user interface, remote management software, and performance optimization. The company’s products are sold through a worldwide network of IBM and CITRIX Business Partners. Industry affiliations include membership in VMware Technology Alliance Program, IBM's PartnerWorld for Developers, Citrix Ready Partner Program, and the Microsoft Partner Program. For more information, visit www.10zig.com.

# # #

Posted by Staff at 08:37 PM | Comments (0)

May 13, 2009

Thin Client Case Study - Virtual desktops cut costs at Denver transportation agency

May 12, 2009 (Network World) When your IT staff numbers only five people, an opportunity to reduce costs and make it easier to manage your desktop infrastructure is nothing to scoff at.

That's the conclusion Trent Ratcliff of the Regional Transportation District (RTD) in the Denver area came to when reviewing the potential of thin clients and desktop virtualization. Since the summer of 2007, Ratcliff and his team have been replacing desktops with Wyse thin clients, and using VMware virtualization technology to deliver standardized desktop images.

When the RTD used traditional PCs only, each one would be replaced after three years as part of an upgrade cycle that was expensive and time-consuming. Ratcliff, the IT infrastructure manager, says he has just five people in his group including his supervisor, and the regular replacement of desktops monopolized the time of two employees for months at a stretch.

Slideshow: 10 must-have virtualization tools

"That was where I started – I can't get any more head count, so what can I do to work smarter?" Ratcliff says.

The RTD is a public transportation system that serves seven counties in Colorado. Before starting the virtualization rollout, the agency had 1,200 or so desktops, plus 200 laptops and 150 high-end workstations. So far, RTD has replaced 400 of the desktops with thin clients, and is hoping to get that number up to 800 by year-end. The remaining desktops are relatively new and won't be replaced until 2010 or 2011, while several considerations are preventing virtualization of laptops and high-end workstations.

RTD is using Wyse V10L thin clients, with a Wyse thin operating system and the VMware View virtual desktop infrastructure software. Using VMware was a natural decision since Ratcliff was already using the vendor's ESX hypervisor to virtualize more than 90% of his servers.

RTD is delivering Windows desktop images from four storage-area network-connected IBM System x3850 servers, with 10 1 Gigabit Ethernet network interface cards in each machine. VMware View lets Ratcliff deliver hundreds of desktops from the servers by cloning a few base images. Each image is about 15GB, but storage needs are minimized because RTD just needs to save the base image one time, with extra storage needed only for the incremental changes applied to each desktop.

While virtualization can provide multiple operating systems and images for each machine, RTD is so far sending one image to each user. Common applications include Microsoft Office, Oracle ERP and Adobe Photoshop.

Ratcliff convinced his agency to undertake the project based on cost and environmental benefits. Instead of paying $950 for a PC that would last three years, RTD could acquire a Wyse thin client that would last eight or 10 years, at a cost of $800 ($300 for the Wyse thin client itself plus another $500 in Windows, VMware and other software fees). Including $53,000 in predicted energy savings each year, Ratcliff anticipates a $619,000 ROI after eight years.

Management time was also cut down dramatically for deploying new desktops, and fixing problematic ones. But that's not to say there were no challenges. Several nagging problems were unresolved until VMware released the third version of VMware View in December 2008, according to Ratcliff.

"2007 and early 2008 was a very rough period," he says. "The technology was bleeding edge in my opinion, at that time, and really only became leading edge when View 3 came out."

Two years ago, building an RTD user a new virtual desktop could take six hours, whereas now it takes about 60 minutes. Before the VMware View upgrades, Ratcliff says users were constantly reporting that their computers stopped working, requiring hours of IT time to identify and fix a problem. Today, Ratcliff is dealing with one persistent issue that has users getting locked out of their own computers, but it is infrequent and affecting only a few employees.

Until View 3, "we were working with VMware and Wyse on a consistent basis, finding issues. They seemed to be one step ahead of us because they always had a patch."

Despite long-term savings, Ratcliff says budget constraints have prevented him from rolling out virtual desktops as fast as he'd like. With 400 deployed already, Ratcliff says he "would do the next 400 immediately" if budget concerns weren't preventing him from hiring contractors. "The hope is by the end of 2009 we'll have 800 thin clients in the district, and that is 65% of our desktop infrastructure," he says.

Ratcliff hasn't applied virtualization to RTD's laptops, partly because so many resources are being poured into the desktop project, and because many laptop users need to maintain their current level of mobility. Ratcliff talks about virtualizing his agency's 200 high-end workstations as well, but he says current virtualization technology isn't ready to handle the graphics and processing needs on those computers.

But the cost and management benefits of replacing traditional PCs with virtualized thin clients have made the project more than worth it, he says. In addition to reducing the time it takes to deploy new computers or replace failed ones, "we have eliminated the costly expense of replacing PC's every three years … and eliminated that end user disruption," Ratcliff says.

Posted by Staff at 04:12 PM | Comments (0)

May 05, 2009

Wyse Technology Announces New Cloud Friendly Versions of SUSE Linux Enterprise and Windows Embedded CE Thin Clients

SAN JOSE, Calif., May 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Wyse Technology, the global leader in thin computing and client virtualization, today announced updates to two operating systems used in the company's thin clients -- Wyse Enhanced SUSE Linux Enterprise and Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R2 for Virtual client and Cloud environments.

"Our updated Linux and Windows Embedded CE versions take the performance of our virtual client devices to new levels, and demonstrate our commitment to the enterprise market," said Jeff McNaught, Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer at Wyse. "We have taken the key benefits of our existing devices, and added new performance features and a seamless transition path to quickly meet market demand in cloud and virtualized environments."

Developed in partnership with Novell, this new version of Wyse Enhanced SUSE Linux Enterprise improves the virtual desktop experience for the corporate workforce by offering enhanced support for users across the enterprise. Mobile workers can take advantage of the expanded VPN support to safely connect to corporate networks running on Cisco, Jupiter, Nortel and others. At the desktop level, Wyse's enhanced USB peripheral virtualization support enables use of "real-time" devices such as webcams and USB headsets.

"As thin client adoption expands, we look forward to continuing our work with Wyse to provide a true enterprise Linux operating system that meets the security, stability, and flexibility requirements enterprises demand." said Guy Lunardi, Director of Client Preloads at Novell.

Powerful security features in Wyse's new Linux protect the transfer of files and software over the network, during interaction with the cloud, or while being managed. In conjunction with Wyse Device Manager software, sensitive firmware updates and files can be securely transferred between thin clients without concern for unauthorized access. This robust central management system enables IT departments to simplify company-wide deployment of new software by enabling controlled distribution to all thin clients on the network.

Wyse has also released updates to Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R2, Microsoft's componentized, 32-bit native hard, real-time operating system for small-footprint embedded solutions. Windows Embedded CE provides an accessible and familiar user experience; updated connectivity components; support for ICA/HDX and RDP clients to enhance the desktop experience; Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R2 also improves security through support for Secure Socket Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocols making the corporate infrastructure more secure.

"Microsoft is proud to be working with Wyse to further innovate thin clients within the embedded market," said Ashwin Kulkarni, senior product manager for Windows Embedded at Microsoft Corp. "Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R2 allows for the rapid development of devices with increased functionality and a rich set of user experiences. By incorporating support for the latest version of the Windows Embedded CE product line, Wyse can continue bringing smart, connected, service-oriented devices to the virtual desktop."

Availability

Wyse will integrate the updated Linux on its virtual desktops in May. Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R2 will be available on Wyse devices in June.

About Wyse Technology

Wyse Technology is the global leader in thin computing and client virtualization. Wyse and its partners, Citrix, IBM, Microsoft, Novell, VMware and others deliver the hardware, infrastructure software, and services that formulate the benefits of cloud computing, virtualization and Green IT. These thin computing solutions allow individuals and enterprises to access the application information they need, but with better security, manageability, and at a much lower total cost of ownership than a PC. Wyse is headquartered in San Jose, California, with offices worldwide.

For more information, visit the Wyse website at http://www.wyse.com or call 1-800-GET-WYSE.

* All brands and names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective holders.

Website: http://www.wyse.com/

Posted by Staff at 09:26 PM | Comments (0)

May 04, 2009

BOSaNOVA Announces Name Change To 10ZiG Technology

Phoenix, AZ - April 29, 2009 - BOSaNOVA, Inc., the emerging market leader in development of Thin Clients, Security Solutions, and Network Appliances, today announced their name change to 10ZiG Technology. 10ZiG will continue to offer the same products, which includes a wide-range of award-winning thin clients, Q3 security encryption products, and System i Connectivity Solutions. No change in ownership, management, or staff has occurred.

“Over the years the BOSaNOVA name has been synonymous with reliability, outstanding support, and quality products,” says Martin Pladgeman, 10ZiG Technology (formerly BOSaNOVA) President. “We’re doing everything possible to make sure the name change is seamless to the end user. They will continue to get the same quality products and top notch support that they have come to expect from us.”

“As we expand in the server based computing, desktop virtualization and security markets we wanted to create a fresh brand identity reflective of our company’s core strategy,” comments Jennifer Phillips, Marketing Director, 10ZiG Technology. “Our name now focuses on what we stand for – going above and beyond for our customers. The name 10ZiG comes from Tenzig (also translated Tenzing) Norgay who was the knowledgeable guide who directed Edmund Hillary on the voyage to become the first two people to climb Mt. Everest. We like to think of ourselves as guides within our own market who do everything we can to educate customers. We focus on what we do best, offering quality solutions, personalized attention and great customer support.”

10ZiG (formerly BOSaNOVA) was recently voted by their customers as the #1 vendor in the thin client and workstation market and one of the top three vendors overall on Vendorrate.com. Vendorrate.com is an independent website where customers vote on their favorite technology vendors. 10ZiG rated highest in many categories including reliability, usability, integrity and customer service.

BOSaNOVA’s new website is http://www.10zig.com. The Q3 site – www.theq3.com will not be affected.

For questions or more information on the name change please contact 10ZiG Technology toll-free at (866) 865-5250, or send e-mail to: [email protected].

About 10ZiG Technology
10ZiG Technology (www.10zig.com), formerly BOSaNOVA, is a privately held company headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. The company is principally engaged in the design and development of thin clients, security solutions and network appliances. The company’s solutions include a highly refined user interface, remote management software, and performance optimization. The company’s products are sold through a worldwide network of IBM and CITRIX Business Partners. Industry affiliations include membership in VMware Technology Alliance Program, IBM's PartnerWorld for Developers, Citrix Ready Partner Program, and the Microsoft Partner Program. For more information, visit www.10zig.com.

Contact us at 866-865-5250 or [email protected] for a free 30-day trial or for more information.

Posted by Staff at 11:14 PM | Comments (0)

April 29, 2009

4 Million U.S. Students to Use $70 NComputing Virtual Desktops

Key items here: 1. New York City going to virtual desktops as one of only three approved technologies for use in its 1,400 schools and
2. NComputing virtual desktop sales are doubling as schools opt for cheaper computing alternatives in the recession.

Editor Notes: New York City -- the nation's largest -- strictly controls what tech the schools use and it has formally approved NComputing virtual desktops for use districtwide alongside only two other options -- an Apple laptop and a Dell desktop.

This underscores how schools are embracing virtual desktops to slash the cost of providing access to computing and increase the student to PC ratio even in a downturn. It's also further evidence that virtual desktops appear to be counter-cyclical.

NY is perhaps the most visible school district to join the growing nationwide trend toward cheaper computing alternative. NComputing alone is in more than 1,500 US school districts, including seven of the 10 largest. Based on current activity, NComputing is set to double its market share in education this year and by fall, 4 million kids will be learning on their solution.

NComputing set to double market share as seven of the 10 largest school districts join over 1,500 U.S. districts in adopting NComputing

REDWOOD CITY, CALIF., April 29, 2009 – Facing mounting budget pressures and funding shortfalls, school districts around the country are embracing NComputing virtual desktops to slash computing costs and improve computer-to-student ratios. The NComputing virtual desktops allow multiple students to share a single PC for as little as $70 per seat. And now, seven of the nation’s 10 largest districts have joined more than 1,500 other school districts in implementing NComputing in their schools. This rapid growth means that by the end of the year, NComputing’s U.S. education market share will double and four million students will be using the company’s ultra low-cost virtual desktops.

In New York City, the nation’s largest school district with more than 1,400 schools, the Department of Education recently added NComputing to its short list of approved student-computing solutions. NComputing joins Dell and Apple as one of only three desktop options authorized under the FAMIS contract that governs purchasing by all of the district’s schools. In addition to New York City, schools in Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Hillsborough County, Fla., Hawaii, and Philadelphia have installed NComputing systems.

“Our funding is so tight right now that I had to find other ways to keep our technology programs growing to meet student requirements. NComputing was it. We could afford to add computing seats for the kids by spending even less money than our budget allowed,” said Henry Rubio, Principal of A. Philip Randolph Campus High School in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. “NComputing will help us down the road too. Even if we get stimulus money, that’s a one-shot deal. What do we do in three years? We’ll have a pile of obsolete computers. With NComputing, we just have to replace one computer every few years for each 11 stations. That’s the sort of long-term sustainability we need.”

The NComputing solution is based on a simple fact: today’s PCs are so powerful that the vast majority of applications use only a small fraction of the computer’s capacity. NComputing vSpace virtualization software taps the unused capacity in a PC and shares it among multiple users as if each person had their own computer. Each person enjoys a full PC experience by connecting their own monitor, keyboard and mouse to an NComputing access device, which is then connected to the shared PC. The access devices snap into place in seconds, are almost impossible to break, and save on maintenance costs because only the shared PC requires ongoing service or upgrade. The devices use just 1 watt of electricity which also reduces the need for air conditioning and qualifies many schools for substantial energy-efficiency rebates.

“It’s hard to say no to $70 computing that also slashes maintenance and electricity costs,” said Stephen Dukker, CEO and Chairman of NComputing. “Our early adopters were small and mid-size school districts and now the momentum is building in larger districts as well.”

With the economic downturn sharply curtailing school technology budgets, administrators are looking to upgrade and expand computing access on a shoestring. And while federal stimulus money is expected to bring some budgetary relief, IT professionals are keen on spending one-time funds on sustainable computing projects. “The NComputing solution is sustainable because when you upgrade the PCs in a few years you only have to upgrade one PC for each group of 11 stations. The NComputing devices stay right where they are and plug into the new PC. And when the schools subscribe to software through cloud-computing models, NComputing will remain the best-performing and most cost-competitive client,” said Mr. Dukker.

NComputing continues to invest heavily in escalating the performance and cost-effectiveness of its solution. In 2006, the popular X300 kit supported seven users on an entry-level PC. A few months ago, NComputing introduced the X550 kit, which enables 11 students to share a single PC – a 57% improvement in just two years. And as faster multi-core processors become available on mainstream PCs, even higher ratios will be supported. For example, NComputing’s L-series already enables up to 30 users to share a mid-range PC. Les Barnett, Educational Technology Coordinator with the Dougherty County School System, which adopted the L-series last winter, said, “NComputing has completely changed the game. We have made more workstations available to our students and improved their user experience, while lowering our costs and cutting our energy use. We are committed to the NComputing solution, and will eventually equip all of our labs and classrooms this way.” When Dougherty County completes its expansion plan, it will have installed 10,000 NComputing seats.

The world leader in virtual desktop computing, NComputing’s ultra low-cost computing solution is used by more than 40,000 organizations in 140 countries. In addition to the United States, NComputing has been selected for major educational deployments in Africa, India, Europe, and Latin America. Its ease-of-use and low-maintenance operation contributed to the record-fast completion of one of the largest educational computing installations ever: the state of Andhra Pradesh in India deployed 50,000 seats in just four months.


About NComputing, Inc.
NComputing, Inc. was founded with the goal of making desktop computing affordable for everyone. The company's award-winning patented technology lowers desktop computing costs, improves manageability, and reduces both energy consumption and e-waste. For more information, visit http://www.ncomputing.com.

Media Contacts:
Renee Deger
GlobalFluency
(650) 433-4153
[email protected]

David Rand
NComputing, Inc.
(650) 517-5806

Posted by Staff at 10:22 PM | Comments (0)

April 24, 2009

PR: Study Ranks NComputing Best Desktop Solution for the Developing World

REDWOOD CITY, CALIF., April 22, 2009 – NComputing, the world’s leading provider of ultra low-cost computing, today announced that its X300 virtual desktop kit was named the best solution for desktop learning environments by an independent study conducted by Computer Aid International.

Computer Aid International study calls the $70 NComputing solution a ‘magic machine’

REDWOOD CITY, CALIF., April 22, 2009 – NComputing, the world’s leading provider of ultra low-cost computing, today announced that its X300 virtual desktop kit was named the best solution for desktop learning environments by an independent study conducted by Computer Aid International. CAI is a UK-based non-profit organization that distributes refurbished computers to developing nations. They conducted the study to help IT buyers in poor and under-served world economies find the best low-cost, low-power computing solutions.

The NComputing X300 desktop virtualization kit enables up to seven students to share a single PC simultaneously for $70 per seat, each drawing just 1 watt of power, compared to 110 watts for an average PC. The field tests were conducted at three African universities in Kenya (Kenyatta University), Nigeria (University of Jos), and Zimbabwe (National University of Science and Technology). The universities were chosen based on their expertise in the fields of computer science and ICT.

The NComputing solution is based on a simple fact: today’s PCs are so powerful that the vast majority of applications use only a small fraction of the computer’s capacity. NComputing vSpace virtualization software taps the unused capacity in a PC and shares it among multiple users as if each person had their own computer.

“The NComputing X300 series particularly surprised us for the negligible power drawn by an increased number of users. We are likely to use this magic machine in the near future,” said Zuzul Nampak, Technical Expert at University of Jos in Nigeria, in the study.

The study also quoted Henry Kamau, Technical Expert, Kenyatta University in Kenya, who said, “NComputing is the most fit and viable in learning institutions.”

Building on the global success of the X300, NComputing recently released its next-generation of products. The X350 kit supports seven users on one PC, but it is much faster (with enhanced multimedia performance and full-screen video) than the older X300. The new X550 also has improved performance, plus it supports even more users per PC (eleven). Had the tests been conducted using newer computers, or with the new X350 or X550, the energy savings and cost performance lead over other products would have been even more significant.

The world leader in virtual desktop computing, NComputing’s ultra low-cost computing solution is used by millions of people in more than 40,000 organizations in 140 countries. In Africa, 29 countries including Angola, Algeria, Botswana, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe have deployed NComputing solutions in schools, businesses, and government offices.

About NComputing, Inc.

NComputing, Inc. was founded with the goal of making desktop computing affordable for everyone. The company's award-winning patented technology lowers desktop computing costs, improves manageability, and reduces both energy consumption and e-waste. For more information, visit http://www.ncomputing.com.

Media Contacts:
Renee Deger
GlobalFluency
(650) 433-4153
[email protected]

David Rand
NComputing, Inc.
(650) 517-5806

Posted by staff at 04:44 PM | Comments (0)

April 21, 2009

PR: HP Thin Clients Recognized in “Innovations Review 2009”

PALO ALTO, Calif., April 21, 2009 – HP today announced the inclusion of HP Thin Clients in Environmental Defense Fund’s “Innovations Review 2009: Green Advances for a New Economy.”

Unveiled at the Fortune Brainstorm Green Conference in Laguna Niguel, Calif., the review highlights innovations that are helping companies cut costs, create business opportunities and carve out a competitive advantage in a challenging economy.

“HP has been a leader in environmental responsibility for decades and we are honored to be recognized by EDF for our environmental innovations for the second year in a row,” said Jeff Groudan, vice president, Thin Clients and Virtualization Solutions, HP. “HP Thin Clients are one of many products that demonstrate HP’s longstanding commitment to designing products with the environment in mind.”

With no hard drive, fan or other moving parts, HP Thin Clients have a longer lifespan than standard computers and use significantly less power – offering up to 80 percent power savings and one-fourth the failure rate over traditional desktop PCs with similar capabilities.

HP Thin Clients have also qualified for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay ground transportation shipping logo, with recycled packaging that is one-third the weight of equivalent desktop packaging, improving transportation fuel efficiency and helping to reduce a company’s carbon footprint. The new power supplies for HP Thin Clients have also met all the requirements of the ENERGY STAR® program.

HP Thin Clients not only help customers reduce their carbon footprint, but also dramatically improve data security and ease of management, all of which can result in significant cost savings. In a thin client computing model, data is stored and managed from a central, secure data center location instead of dispersed among individual desktop and notebook PCs across an organization.

“Environmental innovation is a powerful way to create business value,” said Gwen Ruta, vice president, Corporate Partnerships, EDF. “These innovations tackle today’s environmental and economic challenges head on – improving the planet and the bottom line at the same time. We hope that they serve as useful models, inspire further innovation and continue to redefine business as usual. ”

The environmental features recognized in The Innovations Review were vetted by EDF and a distinguished panel of experts from the fields of environmental science, law and finance. The final selection includes 15 innovations from around the country. Each feature was evaluated for environmental benefits, business benefits, replicability and innovativeness.

The Innovations Review also highlights two innovations by EDF and its corporate partners: a Green Portfolio project developed by EDF and private equity firm KKR, and Climate Corps, a program that uses interns to develop energy-efficiency investment plans for major corporations.

The review is part of EDF’s broader effort to foster collaboration on corporate environmental innovation through its recently launched Innovation Exchange. Details on all the innovations, as well as multimedia clips, are available at www.innovation.edf.org.

More information about HP Thin Clients is available at http://www.hp.com/sbso/busproducts_thinclient.html.

About HP

HP, the world’s largest technology company, simplifies the technology experience for consumers and businesses with a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com/.

Posted by Staff at 03:18 PM | Comments (0)

April 16, 2009

HP Bolsters Thin Client Portfolio to Enhance Client Virtualization Experience

PALO ALTO, Calif., April 16, 2009 – HP today expanded its thin client portfolio with new offerings that help customers extend client virtualization across the enterprise, benefiting businesses by providing a more secure, reliable and superior user experience.

The offerings include:

· HP gt7720 Performance Series and HP t5730w and HP t5630w Flexible Series Thin Clients, which enhance the core features of Microsoft Windows® Embedded Standard, the next generation of Windows XP Embedded, by providing additional rich multimedia, deployment and management functionality to businesses running Windows-based remote computing architectures.

· Availability of HP Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) Enhancements software to provide easy, out-of-the-box multimedia and USB device redirection.

· Collaboration between HP and VMware to allow HP Remote Graphics Software (RGS) to deliver a rich multimedia and collaborative VMware virtual desktop experience.

· HP Client Automation support for HP thin clients, an enterprise-wide client management solution that helps administrators set alerts to identify potential issues before they happen or to automatically update administrative requirements, which keeps devices up to date without additional labor.

“The combination of HP software and thin client hardware ensures the enhanced productivity and superior user experience needed to deploy remote client virtualization to all levels of users across the entire enterprise,” said Jeff Groudan, vice president, Thin Clients and Virtualization Solutions, HP. “As the client virtualization market evolves, HP continues to provide innovative solutions, offering even more options to its customers to provide a robust personalized desktop experience.”

Robust performance and flexible integration

HP Thin Clients with Windows Embedded Standard are powerful access devices for any remote client virtualization infrastructure. Featuring Microsoft Internet Explorer 7, Windows Media Player 11 and the ability to run applications locally, they also include Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol 6.1, which enables devices to connect and take advantage of the latest security and enterprise management technologies from Windows Server 2008.

“Microsoft is proud to be working with HP to help drive the next generation of smart, connected, service-oriented thin client devices,” said Irena Andonova, director, Product Management, Embedded Windows and Enterprise Devices, Microsoft. “Combining HP’s innovative technology with the power, familiarity and reliability of Windows Embedded Standard offers an unparalleled user experience and a secure, easy-to-manage environment for sophisticated devices with visually compelling user experiences.”

To avoid frame skipping and audio or video synchronization issues, HP has incorporated HP RDP Enhancements multimedia and USB redirection into its Windows Embedded thin clients to enable users to easily run web applications, videos and other files within a virtual desktop environment. HP RDP Enhancements downloads the processing directly to the thin client, creating an enhanced multimedia experience while lowering the load on the server, which results in increased server scalability.

HP RDP Enhancements now available on HP Thin Clients with Windows XP Embedded create a near-desktop experience for VMware View environments, including support for the latest VMware View Manager 3 broker. The software works seamlessly with any VMware View environment, with no need for additional employee training. Users simply log in on the thin client to take advantage of its multimedia features, such as training videos, and USB device support.

HP and VMware also are working together to enable VMware View Manager’s universal access feature to leverage HP RGS for remote desktop sessions. HP RGS will deliver a rich multimedia and collaborative VMware virtual desktop experience.

HP RGS is designed for customers requiring secure, high-performance, collaborative remote desktop access to advanced multimedia streaming and workstation-class applications. The software includes expanded, real-time collaboration features to allow multiple professionals working from remote locations to see and share content-rich visualizations, including 2-D design, 3-D solid modeling, rendering, simulation, full-motion video, heavy flash animation and intense Web 2.0 pages.

“We are working with HP to provide customers with a more robust virtual desktop experience through the seamless integration and use of HP’s Remote Graphics Software,” said Jerry Chen, senior director, Desktop Virtualization, VMware. “As virtual desktop technology continues to mature, we strive to continually deliver the best user experience to our customers to fulfill our vision of the universal desktop – desktops that follow users to any end point while providing a personalized experience that is secure, cost-effective and easy for IT to manage.”

Simple yet powerful thin client management

HP has strengthened its broad portfolio of client management options to include HP Client Automation, now preloaded on new Windows Embedded Standard-based thin clients. This enterprise-wide client management solution – now including thin clients as well as PCs and client virtualization infrastructure – allows customers to manage both physical and virtual clients with a single solution and a common methodology, reducing management complexities that can complicate thin client-based solutions.

HP Client Automation is one of four choices in HP’s industry-leading portfolio of thin client management options, which also includes HP ThinState tools and HP Device Manager for homogeneous thin client environments, as well as the option of Altiris Deployment Manager for mixed enterprise environments.

Pricing and availability(1)

Expected to be available in early May, the new HP Thin Clients with Windows Embedded Standard will be priced starting at:

· HP gt7720 Performance Series Thin Client: $799

· HP t5630w Flexible Series Thin Client: $499

· HP t5730w Flexible Series Thin Clients: $550

More information on HP Remote Graphics Software, HP Image Manager or any of HP’s client management solutions is available through HP or authorized resellers. Additional information about HP client virtualization is available at www.hp.com/go/virtualization.

About HP

HP, the world’s largest technology company, simplifies the technology experience for consumers and businesses with a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com/.

Note to editors: More news from HP, including links to RSS feeds, is available at http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/.

(1) Estimated U.S. street prices. Actual prices may vary.

Microsoft and Windows are U.S. registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

Posted by Staff at 03:03 PM | Comments (0)

April 15, 2009

Interview: HP Exec Talks Netbooks, Touch, Windows 7, and Cloud Computing

Laptopmag interview of HP's Ted Clark. Interesting reading for what he doesn't talk about as well but then it does have a laptop focus.

HP Exec Talks Netbooks, Touch, Windows 7, and Cloud Computing
April 14th, 2009 by Dana Wollman

ClarkJust a week after sitting down with Acer CEO Gianfranco Lanci, Mark Spoonauer and I got to spend an hour picking Ted Clark’s brain.

He’s the SVP and general manager of HP’s notebook global business unit, which means he’s at the helm of the number one laptop business in the world. He’s also the man behind everything from HP’s design concepts to its netbook strategy to its business laptops.

Among the highlights:

* He hinted that future TouchSmart notebooks will have the full MediaSmart software.
* He hinted at thin clients for consumers.
* He’s not sure mobile broadband makes sense for consumers in mature markets because they already have an abundance of free Wi-Fi.
* He thinks, more or less, that Intel CULV is old technology, re-branded for consumers.
* He doesn’t know the name of ASUS’ netbook line (or so he jokes).

After the jump, Clark explains what you can expect from HP in the future.

Q: When you spoke with Dana last year, you said you didn’t think netbooks would cannibalize much of the market, and that they were second and third PCs. Do you still believe that or have the economy and the popularity of netbooks changed the landscape ?

A: The landscape has changed somewhat. The global economic situation does tend to drive people to purchase lower-priced products. That’s not just a netbook phenomenon; that’s an average selling price phenomenon across all of the product categories. But at the same time I think there’s a difference in value from netbooks with say 10-inch screens to larger screens, what I would call more full-functioned notebooks.

We do believe that there’s not a huge amount of cannibalization. There is some, maybe a little more than we expected. But overall, we see people buying these products as the second or third PC in the home that they may not have bought prior to having this category to choose from. How many will be satisfied if they do buy these as their primary PC? Will they end up saying, “I would do that again” or will they move back up to a more, let’s say, human-engineered product?

Q: Intel has been rating its own processors to clarify for consumers what processor is good for what tasks. What kinds of things could HP be doing to educate consumers about the differences between full PCs and netbooks?

A: A smaller screen, smaller keyboard product is not a great way of creating information. But this is part of the evolution to more of a cloud-computing model where I don’t need everything, and at some point I don’t need anything on my client device. I need fast, available access, high security, and the ability to have a great screen and even, perhaps, a natural user interface that makes it simple and easy for me to get to my information, manipulate it, and allow my friends, family, or company to share or use that information.

Over time, people will buy these, but I think they’ll be a little disappointed [with them] as their primary PC. More and more of the notebooks will be thin and light and less of a fat client, if you will, less of a full client, but more of a thin client or a virtualized client type device. The netbooks mean something in that broader context.

Q: Where does the dv2 fit on the line between secondary and primary PCs?

A: The dv2, we think, meets the threshold of full-function PC: a full-sized keyboard, a large enough screen, decent resolution, good performance. It really signals what customers are going to want as the minimum threshold for their primary notebook. They will tend, I think, to spend the extra couple hundred dollars and get a primary PC more like the dv2.

Q: If there’s one area where the dv2 fell down it was battery life. Do you feel like consumers in that price category deserve more endurance, or do you think their priorities are different from customers buying other machines?

A: [With] mobile computing it’s really three vectors: one axis is mobility, meaning size and weight and battery life. One axis is performance. And one axis is affordability. The evolution of this will mean more battery life in more affordable systems. It’s a question of paying for the technology that gets you there, all the way up to solid-state disks and the highest end Intel LV or ULV processors. Customers want all that. The question is what’s the price? That’s where the dv2 hits a nice compromise among all those vectors.

Q: Where do you think CULV falls in the three vectors you talked about? Is it safe to assume it’ll offer better battery life than Neo?

A: CULV is Intel’s acknowledgment that thinner, lighter, longer battery life is becoming more of a consumer care-about. In reality, most of that roadmap is not new technology. They’re adding a processor or two over time into a more affordable part of the market.

I think it fits in as that same profile as the AMD Neo; certainly it’s a step above the Atom processor. And it will have a place, there’s no question about it. It’s a consumer adoption of technology that Intel has had for a long time. It’s the evolution of consumers following business customers over many years. Realizing, “Maybe I do want to carry this out to the pool or to grandma’s house or use it in a classroom. And that battery life is important and I might make a little bit of a compromise with performance.”

Q: So, Is CULV just a re-branding of a processor they already had?

A: To some degree. Again, I think they’ve announced they’re bringing in one new processor at a little bit lower price point. That’s not to take anything away from CULV or their technology. They’re clearly the leaders in battery life in terms of what you get for performance and battery life. But affordability has always been the question and I think that’s the real message with CULV: mobile computing that’s affordable for mainstream consumers.

Q: Where would you say HP is concentrating most of its efforts? Are you placing more of an effort into mainstream thin-and-light computers as opposed to the netbooks?

A: HP worldwide ships more than one notebook every second. And our job is to provide the broadest product line in the industry all the way from high-fashion, high-design, high-end, to mainstream workhorse to the corporate customer, to the latest and greatest thin-and-light consumer notebooks. We will continue to attack the market in essentially every channel and every country in every segment with the broadest product line in the industry.

Q: Although HP is the overall leader in mobility, ASUS and Acer dominate the netbook market, while everyone else has market share in the single digits. Where does HP need to be in the netbook market to stay number one in mobility overall?

A: We are number one, as you said, and we’re proud of that. But that’s really not the objective; that’s the reward for doing things the right way. Part of, if not our only real, role in this is to deliver the business results that our shareholders expect. Go look at revenue share and see how HP is doing versus Acer or ASUS, and I think the numbers will look quite a bit different. From our perspective, yes, unit share is important, but unit share is not the ultimate test; it can you drive profitable growth in your business in a way that is additive and is positive as opposed to “let’s go only for share”?

Q: What are your thoughts on Nvidia Ion in the netbook space?

A: It’s very interesting technology. The whole notion of graphics performance and application processing is a broader thing than just Ion. Especially as almost everything you do these days, especially for the younger generation, is about streaming video and photos and movies and Internet TV and all of these things that are highly graphics-intensive. As an industry, we can do better and Nvidia’s out front.

Q: Would HP embrace Ion?

A: We continue to look at lots and lots of technologies, hardware and software, and our job is to be out front. Kind of like we did with the dv2 and the Neo processor. If we see something that is exciting for customers and allows us to make a bit of a breakthrough in those three vectors I described, maybe good performance, good mobility, and a lot more affordable, we’re going to be all over it.
Q: What do you think of subsidized netbooks with mobile broadband?

A: Long-term this is probably more of a small-to-medium business play. “I’ve got to be connected all the time. I want some computing power that’s highly mobile, that helps me run my business.” But when it comes to the consumers in mature markets where broadband and Wi-Fi are broadly available it’ll be interesting to see the penetration of monthly service relative to what you can get in terms of free access. I think the jury’s still out on that.

We’re interested, [and] we’re working with a number of operators. The greater test will be in the emerging markets where broadband is not so prevalent and this becomes your only high-speed connection to the Internet. That’s where the penetration rates may be very, very high. It’s a natural migration to go after consumers and I think it’s great; we’ll see if the value proposition holds up. HP will be right there to take advantage of that.

Q: What are your thoughts so far on Windows 7?

A: Windows 7, from everything we’ve seen, looks very, very solid. I think the hardest thing about Vista for the ecosystem was that it was this new driver model. And as mundane as that sounds, almost everything had to change. Almost everything had to be rewritten or recompiled or rethought, from the smallest attached piece of hardware to the thousands and thousands of printer drivers. That was such a huge change for the ecosystem, whereas that’s the baseline for Windows 7.

Now, we can go innovate on top of that driver model and thank goodness, most of that work is behind us. That in and of itself will catapult Windows 7 as much more stable, much more compatible than Vista. One example is HP has been out there with a leadership position in touch for a year and a half. And bringing some of the touch capabilities from Windows 7 into the mix will help that natural user interface be even better and even more exciting and something that customers and consumers can really latch onto.

Q: We were disappointed that tx2z didn’t have the full MediaSmart software. Do you feel you’ll be able to do more with touch now that you’re building on Windows 7?

A: Absolutely. Windows 7 is a great platform to build better capabilities and more robust capabilities for touch on notebook PCs. We are committed to bringing the full desktop experience to our touch mobile products in the future.

Q: People talk about Android as touch-friendly. We even ran a column suggesting Palm’s Web OS might work on netbooks. Then there’s Intel’s Moblin. Can you say what platforms you’re looking at and what your thoughts are?
A: We’re investigating Android along with lots of other mobile software for all kinds of form factors. And obviously, some take more heavy lifting than others and we certainly believe we have the capability to do the heavy lifting if we think it’s of value. And we’re going to continue to push forward in those areas and have something to deliver when it’s ready. But right now, we’re not there yet.

Q: Windows 7 Starter Edition, of course, will have a three-app-at-a-time limit. What are your thoughts on that limit?

A: We’re still investigating the right operating system strategy for our Mini category. We do believe that Windows 7 has got some compelling things for us. But there are a lot of choices out there and we’re going to continue to evaluate all of our choices, especially for that category where you want pretty good performance at an affordable price.

Q: Would you say there’s a blurring going on between the smart phone, notebook, and netbook space, especially with the rise of MIDs?

A: There’s no doubt there’s blurring going on. This goes back to this notion of cloud computing and thin client computing. We’ve always had form factors that go from a feature phone all the way to a mobile workstation. There’s been this gap in there. This no man’s land. Tweener land. Most of the reason for that is you can’t tackle the compute power that you need for a full function PC into a smaller form factor to make it interesting.

But when you can offload some of that compute power and storage into the cloud, now you’ve got the potential for thin, sleek, larger-screen products that give you a full computing experience but aren’t burdened with a high performance processor and lots of heat and memory. That blurring is going to be driven by the broader trend of cloud computing or thin client computing.

Q: How aggressive is HP getting with cloud computing when it comes to making it more palatable to consumers? Will HP get involved in the infrastructure and services side, or are you already?

A: Notebooks started with the business need to travel. Then [with] tablet computing you could probably say the same thing. And 3G or wireless broadband. All those things started on the business side, and I think thin client computing is the same way. HP is the leader in thin client computing for business and we will take that knowledge and that understanding and the technologies and put them into the consumer side when the infrastructure and services are ready, and we’ll do that by partnering with the right companies who are experts in that field.

Q: Do you think Apple is a notable exception to the rule that a lot of the innovation comes from the business side and migrates to consumers? Take the iPhone and App store, for example. Now, Windows Mobile has an app store, too.

A: I’m not suggesting that we’re not aggressive on the consumer side. I think it’s more a question of where does the trend start and where is the value for the customers, and how we migrate that value into something that’s meaningful for the broad consumer base. I would match our notebook roadmap versus Apple’s anytime, anywhere.

Q: In Microsoft’s latest ad campaign some of the so-called laptop hunters wind up getting an HP. What’s your reaction to that campaign? How do you think HP is being portrayed?

A: I would give Microsoft some real credit for, for the first time, showing the complete picture. HP wouldn’t just go out and talk about this as a piece of hardware without the software as part of it. Microsoft, in this campaign, has shown that customers want affordable and cool hardware with Windows and what the Windows ecosystem brings. I think it’s what makes the campaign work. They’re not just talking about Windows.

Certainly, we’re pleased that some of those customers shopping picked HP. We know that they had a choice and they’re not always going to pick HP, but having the first two out of the box is pretty good.

Q: Do you feel like you’re not only the best Windows PC, but that you have the best PCs overall?

A: I can tell you without question in terms of value for the money and design and capability, hands down, HP is the leader.

Q: We’ve heard that Office Depot sometimes turns away customers who don’t buy extended service plans. And Best Buy was accused of not honoring price matching. How do stories like that make HP feel as a notebook-maker?

A: We have this very strong extended team of people all the way from the supply chain group to our region retail teams to our marketing guys, and I’m sure that they’re working hand in hand with our retail partners to provide the very best experience possible. HP is interested in raising the bar in terms of the experience that customers have in a retail shopping environment. If there have been missteps along the way I’m sure those will get corrected and we’ll do everything possible to improve with our retail partners.

To your point, five years ago we would’ve been with some people who were talking about, “It’s game over and everything ‘s going direct to the Web.” What people missed was this desire to go and see and look and touch and experience the product. Not only are you putting your life on this thing; it’s something that’s part of your personality. We watch customers shop. We carefully observe what gets them excited. It’s whether or not you have rounded corners versus square, it’s whether you have a metallic finish or matte. And all of those things lend themselves to a retail buying experience.

Read rest of interview on laptopmag

Posted by Staff at 04:22 PM | Comments (0)

April 14, 2009

Recycled Desktops - Card Turns Aging PCs Into Thin Clients

Igel Technology is offering businesses an updated version of a card that converts aging desktop PCs into thin clients, thereby extending the operating life of old equipment.

The PC to TC (thin client) Conversion Card also gives businesses a cost-effective way to migrate to a virtual desktop or server-based computing environment, said the Bremen, Germany-based company. The company has also directly marketed thin client systems, implementing one in a Boston hotel.

The host PC needs to have a Pentium II CPU (500MHz or higher), plus a minimum 128MB of RAM. It also requires a 8MB (16MB is recommended) graphic card, and a network chipset that is NE 2000 compatible.

The card itself measures 3 by 4 inches, and doesn't clip into the motherboard like a traditional graphics card, but instead is installed in one of the spare slots of the chassis. The user simply disconnects the computer's IDE cable from the hard disk and then attaches it to the TC card so the computer boots from the Linux-based firmware installed on the Compact Flash card. A SATA version of the card is expected around June or July.

Because the TC card replaces the hard disk, the PC is no longer prone to data loss or viruses, Igel says. It should also boot much quicker, although it didn't offer exact times.

The TC card has full Citrix and VMware virtualisation support with the Igel one click' virtual PC appliance mode. The card also contains embedded software such as Citrix ICA, RDP, X11R6, VDI support, NoMachine NX, Ericom PowerTerm LTC, ThinPrint, VoIP (SIP client), VPN and Cisco VPN, 802.11b/g drivers, as well as the Firefox browser.

Also included is Igel's Universal Management Suite (UMS), which allows customers to remotely manage Igel thin clients, so that support costs are kept to a minimum. Future firmware upgrades are provided free-of-charge.

Igel feels the TC card provides a "price sensitive" option for companies dealing with a lot of legacy PCs, that are considering moving towards to a server-based computing architecture.

According to marketing director Frank Lampe, Igel got the idea after customers, impressed with the UMS product, asked for something that would allow them to make use of their old desktop machines.

"That is how we can up with the idea to replace the hard disk and solve the problem of legacy equipment," he told Techworld.

Lampe said that the card works for around 90 to 95 percent of desktop computers. "If you have special graphics card on board, or unusual hardware, we probably wouldn't be able to support it," he said. "However, we do offer a cost free evaluation unit, so customers can try the card first free of charge to see if it works."

Lampe said there is no similar device for laptops, due to the fact that most laptops have specialist features built in the BIOS, such as power management. He did however suggest that Igel would be able to offer something for laptop users later in the year. "We are still working on it," he said.

"Customers often have old PCs lying about, that they have usually written off, but don't want to throw away," Lampe said. "This card allows them to have Vista for example installed on a server, so that organisations can run a virtual version of that operating system on these old PCs. Customers can therefore run a new operating system, without investing in new hardware."

Igel's sells via the reseller market, but the recommend retail price for the card is 89 ($130.80) excluding VAT.

Earlier this year, Igel introduced a family of thin clients called Universal Desktop, which it claimed was the first to have single standard system images across the range. Users choose the hardware model they want, which operating system, and then which client protocols and capabilities they want enabled.

Posted by Staff at 02:32 PM | Comments (0)

PR: Wyse Technology Announces its Triple Play - The Most Powerful Voice, Data, and Video Thin Computing Bundle in Virtualization

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Wyse Technology, the global leader in thin computing and client virtualization, today announced new Wyse Triple Play - The Most Powerful Voice, Data, and Video Thin Computing Bundle. Wyse is offering a thin computing bundle enabling customers to experience the most powerful thin client on the market.

The New Wyse R Class, along with its full virtualization software suite, gives customers the best experience a thin client can offer, and support Citrix, VMware and Microsoft virtualization architectures.

Delivering maximum performance for advanced applications, Wyse integrates voice for Unified Communications, video for HD Video playback, great Adobe(R) Flash performance and data for high resolution imaging - up to 2560 x 1600 resolution - to deliver the most complex business data applications.

For a limited time, get the powerful Wyse R Class, along with the breakthrough Wyse TCX virtualization software suite, delivering the best experience a thin client can offer, at a special price. Software bundle includes:

Wyse R90L or R90LE thin client with Windows XP embedded
Wyse TCX USB Virtualizer
Wyse TCX Multi-display
Wyse TCX Multimedia
Wyse TCX Rich Sound
Ask for the Wyse Triple Play bundle and save $40 off estimated customer price. Offer valid in North America only through June 22, 2009. For information, contact your reseller, 800 GET-WYSE or [email protected].

About Wyse Technology

Wyse Technology is the global leader in thin computing and client virtualization. Wyse and its partners, Citrix, IBM, Microsoft, VMware and others deliver the hardware, infrastructure software, and services that formulate the benefits of cloud computing, virtualization and Green IT. These thin computing solutions allow individuals and enterprises to access the application information they need, but with better security, manageability, and at a much lower total cost of ownership than a PC. Wyse is headquartered in San Jose, California, with offices worldwide.

For more information, visit the Wyse website at http://www.wyse.com or call 1-800-GET-WYSE.

All brands and names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective holders.

Website: http://www.wyse.com//

Posted by Staff at 02:31 PM | Comments (0)

April 06, 2009

Alliance Partners - Wyse and IBM GTS

More information regarding the new partnership between Wyse and IBM GTS has become available.

Wyse and IBM Global Technology Services (GTS) have established a global alliance whereby GTS will deliver services-led virtualization solutions, which include Wyse hardware and software products. Wyse will be one of IBM GTS’ global partners for Virtual Infrastructure Access and Virtual Client Solutions. IBM will deliver services-led solutions based on Wyse’s thin client product line, including software for Wyse virtualization, provisioning, and management, as well as desktop and mobile thin client solutions.

IBM will provide all of our products and software solutions within their services-led solutions, revolving around: virtual clients, shared services and streaming services. IBM's has introduced a new service offering called FSC, based on Wyse's WSM provisioning software.

IBM and Wyse will jointly sell the virtual client solutions, starting with the Full Stream Client (FSC) which resides within IBM's Virtual Infrastructure Access (VIA) services product portfolio. Full Stream Client (FSC) represents the combination of Wyse's hardware and software offerings along with IBM's Global Technology Services.

Posted by Staff at 11:44 PM | Comments (0)

Promotions - Free Mac Thin Client Giveaway

LOS ANGELES & PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aqua Connect, Inc. (www.aquaconnect.net), provider of the only enterprise grade Mac terminal server, and BOSaNOVA, Inc. (www.bosanova.net), the market leader in development of Thin Clients and Network Appliances, today announced that together they are donating a Mac Terminal Services Thin Client Lab to an educational institution. The giveaway will include over $17,000 of green technology including licenses and maintenance for the Aqua Connect Terminal Server and BOSaNOVA Thin Clients

Aqua Connect and BOSaNOVA’s partnership delivers green desktops to Mac Users. The donation includes 20 energy efficient BOSaNOVA RBT-466 Thin Clients, 20 concurrent connections of the Aqua Connect Terminal Server and a year of maintenance and support. Universities, colleges, technical schools and school districts are all eligible to enter. Entries can be submitted at www.edugogreen.com until May 31, 2009.

“Achieving energy efficiency and green computing methods in schools is essential to the continued progressive development of our educational system,” comments Renee Mehrian, President, Aqua Connect. “With the ongoing budget cuts in education, it is important to not lose sight of the goal of creating energy efficient computer labs in our schools. This campaign with BOSaNOVA achieves this goal by bringing the Mac platform to education while also reducing energy costs.”

The inclusion of sound capabilities and local printing in the Aqua Connect Terminal Server, along with the compact size of the energy efficient RBT line of BOSaNOVA thin clients, makes this the ideal solution in education.

“During these tough economic times schools are being hit hard by cut backs. By joining forces with Aqua Connect, we’re able to give back by providing some much needed technology,” comments Martin Pladgeman, President, BOSaNOVA. “The educational institution that is chosen will not only benefit from the free hardware and software, but will be able to realize the long term benefits of thin clients including energy savings, low total cost of ownership, easy management, enhanced security and more.”

For more information regarding this giveaway visit www.edugogreen.com.

About Aqua Connect, Inc.

Aqua Connect, Inc. is the world’s leading Mac terminal server enterprise software company. Aqua Connect is devoted to evolving access virtualization on the Mac platform. With Aqua Connect Terminal Server, organizations can reduce energy consumption while increasing security.

About BOSaNOVA, Inc.

BOSaNOVA, Inc. is a privately held company headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. The company is principally engaged in the design and development of thin clients, security solutions, and network appliances. The company’s solutions include a highly refined user interface, remote management software, and performance optimization.

Contacts
Aqua Connect
Ronnie Exley, Marketing Manager, 310-694-5043 x513
[email protected]
or
BOSaNOVA, Inc.
Jennifer Phillips, Marketing Director, 866-865-5250 x350
[email protected]

Posted by Staff at 11:41 PM | Comments (0)

Press Release - Argus Systems Matches PitBull with Symbio Technologies Hardware

NEW ROCHELLE, NY, March 31, 2009--Argus Systems Group, an international vendor of high-end security software solutions for networked computers, has become Symbio Technologies' most recent value added reseller.

Argus joins other VARs such as UK-based Pristine Systems, Xperteks Computer Consultancy, and Superior Computer Services who have created alliances with Symbio Technologies (www.symbio-technologies.com) since the beginning of 2009.

Purchased in 2003 by Innovative Security Systems, Inc., Argus (www.argus-systems.com) is best known for its PitBull line of products that provide a comprehensive approach to enterprise security by adding security attributes to the underlying operating system at the kernel level. Its customers include companies such as Credit Suisse Direct Net Internet Banking Service that have a strong need to secure confidential information.

"When Argus discovered that Symbio had the security expertise to make their thin client solution work perfectly with PitBull right out of the box, they decided immediately to become a VAR," said Lew Tischler, Symbio's CFO and Director of Reseller Activities.

Andrew Jones, President of Argus Systems Group, said, "Argus will be demonstrating its products on Symbio's stateless hardware at the Argus booth at the 2009 Department of Defense Intelligence Information System (DoDIIS) Worldwide Conference in Orlando in May. An alliance between Argus, which is known for providing iron-clad security for Solaris systems and Symbio Technologies, which offers ultra-secure stateless hardware solutions, seems like a natural partnership."

While 2009 has presented many companies with challenges, the outlook for spending on security products should be stronger than for other areas of technology, in part because of compliance issues and the need to secure data. Looking forward to 2013, Brian Burke, program director of IDC's Security Products Program, says, "Our survey research continues to point to very robust customer investment in emerging areas such as security hosted services and virtualization."

Tischler concluded, "We believe this continuing need to secure data, coupled with the desire for hardware that works with a wide range of current and legacy systems, will be a driving force in bringing new partners and customers to our doors.?

About Symbio Technologies

Symbio Technologies is a leading developer and marketer of security-centric, stateless computing which reduces the complexity and cost of deploying and maintaining networks. Symbio?s products are available worldwide through a network of distributors, value-added resellers and integrators in Australia, Canada, Chile, Egypt, Mexico, Pakistan, South Africa, and the U.K., as well as throughout the U.S.

About Argus Systems Group

For more information about Argus, contact Mac MacGregor at [email protected]

###

Posted by Staff at 11:40 PM | Comments (0)

March 26, 2009

Nice article - Gone but not forgotten - operating systems

AmigaOS, CP/M, OS/2, DOS -- which OS do you miss the most?...I think the more fun & interesting that I ran were NeXTStep and my old SGI Indy. Always wanted to run Amiga but never did. BeOS was kind of cool as was the EO Commincator (Go). Remember the Newton?

Read it here

Posted by Staff at 06:05 PM | Comments (0)

March 06, 2009

Microsoft Downplays Desktop Virtualization

Tech Analysis: In a touring workshop to promote Windows 7, Microsoft is calling VDI, or virtual desktop infrastructure, a costly venture inappropriate for larger enterprises.

Source article on eWeek

That's not surprising, given Microsoft's vested interest in having fat clients continue to run on PCs, and IT administrators should not let that deter them from investigating VDI. As eWEEK Labs analyst Cameron Sturdevant points out, there are positives and negatives to VDI environments, and virtualization of desktops is very different from server virtualization.

Microsoft has been taking a "Windows and the Enterprise" workshop on tour to promote the future Windows 7 operating system. One of the key messages from the workshop: Virtual desktop infrastructure is an expensive proposition unsuited to large implementations.

Microsoft has a vested interest in the continued use of fat clients running on PCs, and thus is an unreliable source when it comes to this topic. During a recent presentation in San Francisco, company officials said Microsoft VDI might be suitable for implementations of up to 100 seats, but no more. Microsoft does partner with Citrix Systems for large-scale implementations that also include VDI.

Now, there are some valid reasons to say no to VDI today. As I pointed out in January, the computing back end needed to support VDI is considerable. Local resources, including storage and the CPU, must now be provided in the data center. Reliable network connectivity and capacity take on a whole new level of importance when dishing up entire desktops along with the accompanying applications.

There are important characteristics of VDI that make it substantially different from server virtualization—the current golden child of IT cost savings. Desktop workloads involve far more applications than are typically found on virtualized servers. These applications are also combined in much greater variety on desktops than on servers. Finally, humans interact with desktop workloads in a way that is unheard of with data center servers. Users elicit all sorts of erroneous behavior from desktops, often in the name of, "Just trying to get my work done."

The variety of workloads and this large amount of human interaction combine to pose a huge challenge that will not easily be overcome. However, there are technological choices and advances being made today that make the challenge significantly smaller. I am suspicious of one of them—the thin client—because its arrival on the threshold of large-scale adoption has been heralded more than a few times. The other is of a more practical nature: changes to the RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) that make it more suited to handling bidirectional audio and video, which add telephone services to thin clients.

I've seen several demonstrations—including at the Windows and the Enterprise workshop—of audio and video capabilities that take a big step in the direction of enhancing virtual desktop technology. Some of the advances made in bidirectional audio and video are likely the precursors for supporting CAD/CAM applications in a virtual desktop environment, something VDI is entirely unsuited for today.

There are some valid points in favor of saying yes to VDI, or—more likely at this point—contemplating a virtual desktop offering. Centralized control over the desktop is among the top features that draw me to this technology. Putting control of desktop features and applications in the hands of business managers—please note that I did not say "end users" or "IT staff"—is made possible in a cost-effective way with VDI. Business managers with the able assistance of IT staff can decide what tools to make available to end users with which to accomplish their work.

These tools—let's call them applications and services—can then be deployed, all properly configured and in good working order at the start of work. VDI provides a strategic platform for massive deduplication of data. It also provides a much more secure work environment by preventing users from making desktop changes that allow malware to strike, such as installing rogue software.

The thing that seems to impede Microsoft's ability to see VDI as a wide-scale solution is that it questions the need for Windows on the end-user system. This shouldn't stand in the way of IT managers and business leaders interested in VDI. The possible benefits in terms of better regulatory compliance through strong enforcement of desktop and application configuration, tighter security through frequent desktop refreshes, and tighter lockdown are compelling reason to question whether the days of the fat client are numbered.

By Cameron Sturdevant
2009-03-05

Posted by Staff at 01:49 PM | Comments (0)

March 04, 2009

HP Strengthens Thin Client Software Features to Improve Efficiency, Reduce Costs in Virtual Client Environments

PALO ALTO, Calif., March 3, 2009 – HP today announced it has improved the user experience and simplified management of its industry-leading HP thin client portfolio with enhanced software choices included on every HP thin client.

HP Device Manager 4.0 delivers simple, yet sophisticated centralized administration capabilities. HP TeemTalk terminal emulation software provides easier basic mainframe connectivity and communications with applications in the data center.

“Our technology leadership in thin client software and hardware has made HP the customer’s first choice in thin computing,” said Jeff Groudan, vice president, Desktop Solutions Organization, HP. “The reliable performance, affordable security and simple manageability of HP thin clients make them the ideal access devices to complete any client virtualization solution.”

Thin client management gets even easier

The enhanced HP Device Manager 4.0 is just one of four choices in HP’s broad portfolio of thin client management options, which also includes HP ThinState tools, HP Client Automation and the Altiris Deployment solution. Available on every HP thin client at no additional charge, HP Device Manager delivers simple deployment, flexible integration, enhanced automation, network scalability and Microsoft® Active Directory support for quick and easy integration into IT environments.

Key new features and enhancements of HP Device Manager include:

· Quick installation in less than five minutes, which enables administrators to easily manage thin clients with the simple and intuitive interface.

· IT administrators can use the additional settings wizard to automatically apply settings to a thin client when a specific trigger is achieved – upon boot, on schedule or on demand. For example, automatic scheduling of device shut down/start up can conserve energy and manage company costs.

· Enhanced operating system imaging capabilities that support a utility operating system to facilitate imaging. Pre-boot eXecution Environment (PXE) imaging will continue to be supported for “bare metal” provisioning of thin clients.

· Virtual Network Computing (VNC) works in network address translated (NAT) environments, allowing remote workers to communicate with a gateway – or system that controls access to another computer – to initiate shadow requests and ensure the strongest security and access authentications. Gateways are also scalable to maximize local area network (LAN) bandwidth.

· Allows administrative access and remote login through an Active Directory/LDAP structure for more flexibility. This increases the security offered by HP Device Manager and simplifies administrator management.

HP TeemTalk terminal emulator software, which is included on most HP thin clients,(1) provides access to host systems in the data center, enabling access to applications running on those systems. HP TeemTalk offers a consistent look and feel, making it easy for customers to standardize on one terminal emulation product regardless of which operating system is used.

HP Device Manager 4.0 and HP TeemTalk are now available for download at no additional cost to HP thin client customers. Additional information about HP software solution thin clients and client virtualization is available at www.hp.com/go/vce.

About HP

HP, the world’s largest technology company, simplifies the technology experience for consumers and businesses with a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com/.

Note to editors: More news from HP, including links to RSS feeds, is available at http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/.

(1) HP TeemTalk is included on every HP thin client except ThinConnect.

Posted by Staff at 07:41 PM | Comments (0)

BOSaNOVA Thin Clients Are Now VMware Ready Certified for VMware View

Phoenix, AZ – March 3, 2009 — BOSaNOVA, Inc. (www.bosanova.net), the emerging market leader in development of Thin Clients and Network Appliances, today announced that BOSaNOVA Thin Clients are now VMware Ready Certified.

This designation indicates that BOSaNOVA Thin Clients have completed the VMware Hardware Certification Program testing criteria for use with VMware View and are now listed on the VMware Hardware Compatibility Guide. The VMware Hardware Certification Program enables VMware Technology Alliance Partner (TAP) program members to provide mutual customers with jointly supported hardware solutions.

Passing the extensive certification testing helps ensure that BOSaNOVA Thin Clients are compatible with VMware technology and ready for deployment in customer environments.

“By combining BOSaNOVA Thin Clients with VMware View enterprises can realize the true benefits of desktop virtualization with units that are specifically designed and optimized to work with VMware virtual desktops,” said Bernie Mills, senior director, alliance programs, VMware. “We are pleased that BOSaNOVA Thin Clients qualify for the VMware Ready Certified logo, signifying to customers that they have passed specific VMware integration and interoperability criteria and is ready to run their mission-critical business applications and operations.”

“Thin clients and virtualization work hand-in-hand to provide many benefits including low energy consumption, easy management, improved total cost of ownership, and increased security,” comments Martin Pladgeman, President, BOSaNOVA, Inc. “We’re excited to be working closely with VMware and to be recognized as a thin client provider whose units work seamlessly with VMware View. Our focus is on establishing partnerships and developing our products to provide the best in class thin clients optimized for desktop virtualization.”

The VMware Ready program is a VMware co-branding program for qualified partner products and is a benefit of the VMware TAP program. With more than 900 members worldwide, the VMware TAP program works with best-of-breed technology partners to provide them a comprehensive set of VMware technical and marketing services, support, tools and expertise to deliver enhanced value to joint customers.

BOSaNOVA Thin Clients can be found within the online VMware Hardware Compatibility List at http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.

BOSaNOVA’s wide-range of thin clients certified for VMware View are available now starting at $185. For sales information contact BOSaNOVA, Inc. toll-free at (866) 865-5250, or send e-mail to: [email protected].

About BOSaNOVA, Inc.
BOSaNOVA, Inc. (www.bosanova.net) is a privately held company headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. The company is principally engaged in the design and development of thin clients, security solutions and network appliances. The company’s solutions include a highly refined user interface, remote management software, and performance optimization. The company’s products are sold through a worldwide network of IBM and CITRIX Business Partners. Industry affiliations include membership in VMware Technology Alliance Program, IBM's PartnerWorld for Developers, Citrix Ready Partner Program, and the Microsoft Partner Program. For more information, visit www.bosanova.net.

# # #

Contact:

Jennifer Phillips
Marketing Director
BOSaNOVA, Inc.
Phone: 866-865-5250 x350
Email: [email protected]

Posted by Staff at 07:37 PM | Comments (0)

February 24, 2009

IBM beginning to develop thin client portfolio

Devon IT announced that they have partnered with IBM on thin client solutions. Devon has three main tiers of clients (entry level, mid level and performance)and supports PC-over-IP technology when connected to IBM HC10 workstation blade (sounds a bit like IBM has decided to chase HP).

Devon claims their TC10 is the highest performance desktop available but the Wyse R90Ls have more powerful video I think + memory + CPU so not sure on that claim. Nice units for sure though.

King of Prussia, PA- February 23, 2009 - Devon IT today announced its new line of thin client solutions orderable with IBM part numbers. Devon has worked directly with IBM to launch this complete line of thin client solutions that complements IBM's Virtual Client Solutions (VCS) infrastructure.

"We are committed to providing industry-leading and cost-effective thin client technology for users," explained Joe Makoid, President, Devon IT. "When a market and technology leader like IBM is progressing thin client/hosted client architecture and collaborate with leaders such as Citrix and VMware it is obvious that the current approach to desktop computing is shifting. We have always been proponents of server-centric computing and centralized management as a way for IT managers to reduce costs dramatically. Devon Thin Clients provide IBM customers an easy and cost-effective way to order complete hosted desktop solutions from one source."

"These economic times require new ideas to solve old problems. The benefits of server-based desktops are compelling and will address problems like security and operating costs," said Alex Yost, Vice President and Business Line Executive, IBM Systems Technology Group. "This alternative to the traditional desktop PC provides increased security, centralized management, and adds operational flexibility to desktop computing. The variety of virtual client solutions, coupled with Devon IT's thin client, is a potent combination that makes it easy for IT managers to evaluate, assess, and ultimately implement their own virtualized desktop environments."

The IBM Virtual Client Solutions bring important benefits to the information technology (IT) department. In addition to delivering security and control, the Virtualized Hosted Client Infrastructure will enable companies to support more users with fewer resources, while offering the best possible desktop experience from virtually anywhere and on virtually any device.

Devon's Line of Thin Clients with IBM part numbers provide a complete set of desktop, mobile and specialized thin client solutions that will meet any end user requirement.

TC2

The ultra-small and inexpensive TC2 is an ideal desktop replacement for businesses looking to downsize their infrastructure and reduce management and power costs. The small form factor unit consumes only 8 watts and is completely silent. Despite its size, it is fully-functioned and allows users to connect to a variety of servers and virtual desktops. The TC2 is exclusively a Devon IT product and is orderable through IBM using an IBM part number.

TC5

The TC5 is a next-generation thin client from Devon IT for users who need high performance from a small footprint client. The TC5 gives users the capability to use multiple displays with one stateless unit. This ultra-advanced desktop appliance supports dual DVI video, internal wireless (Optional) and comes with either the DeTOS Operating System or Windows® XP Embedded. The TC5 is exclusively a Devon IT product and will be orderable through IBM using an IBM part number.

TC10

The TC10 is the highest performance desktop access device in the world. It is the first desktop access device that gives the end user a true PC experience with instant screen updates, full multimedia support, and full USB compatibility. It connects to IBM's HC10 Workstation Blade using PC-over-IP(tm), a technology that changes the desktop computing model by enabling desktop consolidation benefits to be realized across the enterprise. Unlike a traditional RDP thin client, the TC10 is for demanding users that require real time PC-like capability such as financial traders and power users such as CAD engineers. The TC10 is equivalent to the IBM CP20.

SafeBook® LVO

The SafeBook® LVO is the next-generation mobile thin client notebook. Built on the Lenovo ThinkPad platform the SafeBook® LVO is available with Windows® XP embedded software and is compatible with Lenovo ThinkPad docking stations and accessories. The SafeBook® LVO is a mobile thin client laptop with no hard drive, so all sensitive data is protected against loss or theft. With its low purchase price, low operating and maintenance costs, and reinforced security functions, the SafeBook® LVO offers the latest thin client technology in a lightweight, mobile notebook. The SafeBook® LVO is exclusively a Devon IT product, and is orderable through IBM using an IBM part number.

Devon Thin Client Software

Devon's software, which includes its DeTOS operating system and its Thin Manage management suite allows IT managers to easily create, deploy and manage their virtual desktop infrastructure. VDI is complex and therefore requires a holistic management framework to orchestrate the many components required for successful virtual desktop delivery and management. Devon's suite of software streamlines and simplifies desktop virtualization deployments, enabling IT organizations to gain greater management and control, ensure data and asset security, deliver a superior end-user experience, and provide enterprise business continuity and cost reductions.

"We are partnering with IBM to accelerate hosted client solutions like the VCS," concluded Makoid. "Our thin clients that are orderable from IBM can help customers immediately access any application without changing the architecture, touching the infrastructure or rewriting code and that is exactly what they are looking for in a secure access hosted client solution."

Pricing and Availability

For more information about Devon's products orderable with IBM part numbers, or to arrange for a proof-of-concept, email [email protected], or call 610-757-4220 or toll-free 888-524-9382. Information is also available at www.devonit.com.

About Devon IT

Devon IT is an information technology company that focuses on offering thin client hardware and software for alternative desktop solutions that provide enterprise customers with greater security, enhanced manageability, improved reliability, and lower costs. Devon IT's products are orderable from IBM and Devon develops products that support IBM's Virtual Client Solutions. More information is available at www.devonit.com.

All company, brand, or product names are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective holders. Devon products sold through IBM’s Third Party Options, Vendor Logo Hardware, & Vendor Logo Software programs are not IBM products and are licensed, serviced and supported exclusively by Devon in accordance with Devon’s terms and conditions.

Darren M. Behuniak
Director of Marketing & Communications
1100 First Avenue, Suite 100
King of Prussia, PA 19406
(p) 610.755.4958
[email protected]

Posted by Staff at 02:17 PM | Comments (0)

February 18, 2009

Intel® AtomTM based Thin Clients – The 1500 Series

Disklessworkstations announces new ATOM based thin client.

Press Contact:
Alex Colcernian
[email protected]

DisklessWorkstations.com

Intel® AtomTM based Thin Clients – The 1500 Series

TROY, MICHIGAN – Wednesday, February 18th, 2009. DisklessWorkstations.com announces a new model of Thin Clients based on the Intel® AtomTM chipset, the 1500 Series. The 1500 Series Thin Clients from DisklessWorkstations.com utilize the Intel® AtomTM 945GSE chipset.

This new chipset enables 1500 Series thin clients to operate using low power while displaying stunning graphics thanks to Intel's 32-bit 3D Integrated Graphics Core. The 1500 Series Thin Clients are also among few, as they are manufactured with a compact, fanless design, for silent operation.

Packaged with 1 GB of DDRII memory, a 1.6GHz AtomTM N270 processor, and 10/100/1000 network interface, the 1500 series hardware is ideal for any thin client computing platform operating in a Linux® or Microsoft® environment. 6 USB 2.0 ports, as well as PCI-Express and smart card expansion options position the 1500 Series as the ultimate choice for low total cost of ownership thin clients.

The 1500 Series is comprised of 4 models:

LTSP® Ready
Linux® Embedded
Windows® CE 6.0
Windows® XP Embedded.

For more information please visit:
http://www.DisklessWorkstations.com or E-mail: [email protected]

About DisklessWorkstations.com
DisklessWorkstations.com is the global leader in LTSP based, thin-client hardware, strategy and deployment.

DisklessWorkstations.com provides cost-effective, powerful and reliable solutions for business, education,
government, manufacturing and resellers based on LTSP’s advanced thin-client technology. Headquartered in
southeastern Michigan, DisklessWorkstations.com combines unparalleled expertise with superior, reliable and
easy to use thin client products. More information on DisklessWorkstations.com is available at
www.DisklessWorkstations.com.

Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds

LTSP is a registered trademark of DisklessWorkstations.com, LLC
Intel and Atom are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries

Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and other countries

Download flyer

Posted by Staff at 04:15 PM | Comments (0)

February 11, 2009

HP Strengthens Client Virtualization Portfolio with Bundled Blade PC and Citrix XenDesktop Offering

PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 11, 2009 – Building on its extensive client virtualization portfolio, HP today announced with Citrix a simplified solution that integrates affordable, high-performance HP Blade PCs and Citrix® XenDesktop™ 3 to help businesses reduce costs and enjoy better manageability, scalability and security than with traditional PCs.

At the core of the solution are the new HP BladeSystem bc2800 Blade PC and HP BladeSystem bc2200 Blade PC, which offer advanced infrastructure control and scalability. These products are combined with Citrix XenDesktop 3 to provide a high-definition user experience and centralized desktop management. The combined offering leverages the power of both the data center and endpoint devices to significantly reduce desktop total cost of ownership.

“By combining HP blade PCs with XenDesktop, we’ve created a simple, low-cost virtualization solution that helps companies efficiently manage and scale their computing environments while delivering the high-performance experience knowledge and power users demand,” said Roberto Moctezuma, vice president and general manager, Desktop Solutions Organization, HP. “Particularly in this challenging economic environment, we see client virtualization as a cost-efficient alternative for companies needing to economically update and better manage their personal computing infrastructures.”

“This joint offering with HP demonstrates our continued commitment to deliver products and solutions that provide customers best-in-class desktop virtualization solutions, delivering a high-definition user experience and streamlined architecture for quick, easy and cost-effective deployments,” said Raj Dhingra, group vice president and general manager, Desktop Delivery Group, Citrix Systems.

Simplified and highly secure management

Built for professionals who interact with confidential and business-critical data, centralized client virtualization solutions from HP keep data protected within the data center, ensuring the highest levels of security while helping businesses meet regulatory standards.

To help simplify IT management and allow better infrastructure control and scalability, HP blade PCs with XenDesktop 3 offer advanced administrator tools, including remote access, control of hardware and software configuration and quick setup, as well as user allocation tools.

Customers get a streamlined client architecture that delivers an enhanced, high-definition user experience for graphics and multimedia content from any device on any network. All HP blade PCs with Citrix XenDesktop 3 can be seamlessly deployed with a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure environment to build a comprehensive, integrated client virtualization solution.

Dedicated performance for a consistent user experience

At 25 watts per blade, the HP BladeSystem bc2200 offers the highest rack density and lowest power usage of any blade client solution in the market today. With capacity for 280 blades per rack and using only 7.4 kilowatts, the HP BladeSystem bc2200 helps businesses maximize available rack space and implement larger deployments without having to build additional and costly power and cooling systems.

The highly efficient HP BladeSystem bc2200 and HP BladeSystem bc2800 reduce individual employee power usage while maintaining the full functionality of a desktop PC. HP blade PCs also include 90 percent-efficient, redundant power supplies to reduce power consumption and increase system reliability. Combined with energy-efficient HP thin clients, the new blade PCs create a complete client virtualization solution that uses significantly less energy than a traditional desktop PC.

HP blade PCs provide a desktop experience with a fully dedicated CPU plus graphics, up to 8 gigabytes(1) (GB) of memory and an 80 GB(2) hard drive for a consistent, uninterrupted user experience. This helps ensure workers can maintain full productivity despite varying workloads or the range of desktop applications in use. In addition, the HP BladeSystem bc2800 is available with HP Remote Graphic Software, which provides a highly secure, collaborative remote desktop access to rich multimedia applications.

The HP BladeSystem bc2200 blade PC features a single-core AMD Athlon™ 64 processor,(3) 520 MHz memory speed and integrated ATI graphics. The HP BladeSystem bc2800 high-performance blade PC features an AMD Turion™ X2(4) TL-66(5) dual-core processor, 767 MHz memory speed and integrated ATI graphics.

Both HP Blade PCs come preinstalled with Microsoft Windows Vista® Business edition and support a range of operating systems, including Windows Vista Enterprise 32-bit, Windows Vista Business 64-bit, Windows XP Professional SP 3 and Linux. The HP BladeSystem PCs plug vertically into the HP BladeSystem PC Blade Enclosure and include two Broadcom 5906M 10/100 Integrated Network Controllers.(6)

Availability

The HP BladeSystem bc2800 Blade PC and HP BladeSystem bc2200 Blade PC are expected to be available in March.

Availability of the HP BladeSystem and Citrix XenDesktop bundle, configuration and pricing is to be announced. These bundles are expected to be available direct from HP, HP resellers and joint HP-authorized Citrix resellers.

About HP

HP, the world’s largest technology company, simplifies the technology experience for consumers and businesses with a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com/.

Note to editors: More news from HP, including links to RSS feeds, is available at http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/.

(1) For hard drives, 1 GB = 1 billion bytes. Actual formatted capacity is less. Up to 8 GB (for XP) and up to 12 GB (for Vista) is reserved for system recovery software.

(2) Maximum memory capacities assume 64-bit operating systems. Windows XP (32-bit) supports 4 GB (with Microsoft 32-bit), the amount of usable memory will be dependent upon system configuration. It may be less than 4 GB; 32-bit Linux can support up to 8 GB.

(3) This system requires a separately purchased 64-bit operating system and 64-bit software products to take advantage of the 64-bit processing capabilities of the AMD 64 processor. Given the wide range of software applications available, performance of a system including a 64-bit operating system will vary.

(4) This system requires a separately purchased 64-bit operating system and 64-bit software products to take advantage of the 64-bit processing capabilities of AMD technology. Dual-core processing available with AMD technology is designed to improve performance of this system. Given the wide range of software applications available, performance of a system including a 64-bit operating system and a dual-core processor will vary.

(5) AMD’s numbering is not a measurement of clock speed.

(6) NIC A is compliant with PXE.

AMD Turion and Athlon are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. VMware is a registered trademark or trademark of VMware, Inc. Microsoft, Windows and Vista are U.S. registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

Posted by Staff at 03:14 PM | Comments (0)

Deployment - NComputing, Microsoft and Georgia

REDWOOD CITY, CALIF., February 4, 2009 – NComputing, the leading provider of ultra low-cost computing, today announced that Dougherty County School System (DCSS) in Georgia has launched an aggressive program to expand computer access for its 16,000 students. DCSS is using NComputing virtual desktops connected to low-cost PCs running the Microsoft Windows Server operating system.

Dougherty County School System, in rural southwestern Georgia, suffers from the same economic conditions as the rest of the country. However, the district recognized the need to upgrade and expand computing access for its students and faculty. It faced a difficult purchasing decision as budgets were tightened even further. The IT team and administrators sought out low-cost computing alternatives to stretch the budget and lower ongoing support costs. The combination of NComputing virtual desktops installed on PCs with the Windows Server OS and terminal services licenses delivered the absolute lowest acquisition and operating costs.

“NComputing saved us tens of thousands of dollars just on our initial hardware and software investment,” said Les Barnett, Educational Technology Coordinator with DCSS. “With the affordable educational pricing on Windows Server, we had a very cost-effective solution. But that’s just the beginning. We’ve noticed that the number of IT-related problems we’re called upon to fix have fallen off dramatically. We haven’t had a single instance of NComputing hardware failure or overall PC breakdowns.”

“NComputing is simple to deploy and it’s also easy to maintain,” said Barnett. “We thought a server OS deployment would be complicated, but we discovered that the NComputing solution using Windows Server was easy. All of our applications are running smoothly in the Server environment. The system is so stable that our teachers can keep their computers running with very little support from our IT staff. We also found that NComputing and Windows Server improved our overall system management.”

“Combining Microsoft Windows Server with NComputing brings the cost of computer access lower than any laptop or desktop solution. I applaud communities like Dougherty County who value technology in education and seek out creative ways to expand computer access in these tough economic times,” said Stephen Dukker, CEO and chairman of NComputing.

The NComputing solution is based on a simple fact: today’s PCs are so powerful that the vast majority of applications use only a small fraction of the computer’s capacity. NComputing enables a single PC to be virtualized so that many users can tap the unused capacity and share it as if each person had their own computer. More than one million NComputing seats have been deployed by 25,000 organizations in more than 100 countries.

The NComputing devices mount on the back of monitors, so DCSS was able to purchase sturdy, inexpensive utility tables for its computing needs instead of costlier computer desks. This saved thousands more while students enjoyed more desktop space for books and papers.

NComputing’s solution also solves another significant problem for many districts. The heat generated by PCs can make classrooms and computer labs too hot for students to work and study comfortably. NComputing access devices use just 1 to 5 Watts of electricity and generate almost no heat. Now rooms are much cooler, reducing the need for air conditioning, which can be a huge expense for schools. Lowering energy consumption can also qualify school districts for utility company incentives.

“NComputing has completely changed the game. We have made more workstations available to our students and improved their user experience, while lowering our costs and cutting our energy use. We are committed to the NComputing solution, and will eventually equip all of our labs and classrooms this way,” concluded Mr. Barnett.

About NComputing, Inc.
NComputing, Inc. was founded with the goal of making desktop computing affordable for everyone. Headquartered in Redwood City, CA, NComputing is a privately held virtualization software and hardware company. The company's award-winning patented technology lowers desktop computing costs, improves manageability, and reduces both energy consumption and e-waste. For more information, visit ncomputing.com.

Media Contacts:
Renee Deger
GlobalFluency
(650) 433-4153
[email protected]

David Rand
NComputing, Inc.
(650) 517-5806
drand at ncomputing dot com

Posted by staff at 02:28 AM | Comments (0)

February 03, 2009

Domino's Pizza Thin Clients?

Not often you see the name Microsoft and thin client in the news but here we go. Plus -- how often do you see pizza companies talk about thin clients for that matter...:-)

Microsoft Delivers Next-Generation Store Systems Platform to World's Leading Pizza Delivery Chain

Domino's Pizza uses Microsoft software to serve up best-in-class standardization across its 8,700-store global network.
February 02, 2009: 09:00 AM ET

REDMOND, Wash., Feb. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In an effort to maximize its investments in technology and ultimately improve customer service, Domino’s Pizza (NYSE: DPZ) has teamed with Microsoft Corp. to roll out a new store systems solution based on a standardized Windows platform across its global network of sites, Microsoft announced today.

The recognized world leader in pizza delivery is launching its new Microsoft-based store systems solution to the majority of the 8,200 franchised and 500 company-owned stores in the United States and more than 60 international markets. To date, more than 2,500 Domino’s stores are taking advantage of the new solution’s value-added capabilities to support a thin-client store platform that drives customer satisfaction and performance while also boosting cost savings and security.

By moving to a thin-client software architecture using the Microsoft Windows Server operating system, Domino’s has been able to lower the investment cost for franchisees by several thousand dollars. In addition, by moving to the thin-client environment, Domino’s has reduced the amount of information stored at each of its workstations to help achieve compliance with Payment Card Industry (PCI) data security standards.

"We strive to make every customer a loyal customer and needed the right tools with the lowest possible startup and maintenance costs to back our efforts," said Chris McGlothlin, executive vice president and chief information officer at Domino’s. "After a thorough investigation of competitive offerings, Microsoft’s complete solution and superior cost of ownership proved to be the best choice for our business model. By reducing the technology cost of ownership for our stores, our franchisees have been able to invest in other areas of the business, most notably in our menu expansion of oven-baked sandwiches."

"Studies show that as much as 70 percent of information technology resources are typically devoted to sustaining and running existing capabilities, leaving few resources for exploring and implementing new functionality," said Sandra Andrews, hospitality industry director at Microsoft. "Our goal is to help Domino’s concentrate on what it does best: sell great pizza. By using a high-value solution that is easy to integrate and manage within their existing infrastructure and runs consistently across all sites, Domino’s employees can allocate more time for the activities that will increase customer satisfaction and drive brand loyalty."

Lower Total Cost, PCI Compliance Among Domino’s Key Benefits

Domino’s expects that fully deploying the Microsoft-based store systems solution -- using technologies such as Microsoft Windows Server System, Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2007, Microsoft Forefront, the 2007 Microsoft Office system and Windows Server Terminal Services -- will support the company’s plans to drive growth and customer traffic. Key capabilities of the platform include these:

-- Total cost of ownership. To support Domino’s franchise business model, Microsoft offered aggressive pricing and convincing functional capabilities. The solution is designed to lower the total cost of ownership by delivering superior price performance and reducing administration costs.

-- PCI compliance. Ensuring its ability to satisfy the PCI data security standards was a contributing factor in Domino’s selection process. Microsoft is proving its ability by implementing technologies that help address industry mandates and avoid unnecessary risks and related costs.

-- Security. With hundreds of corporate-owned stores and more than a thousand franchises, Domino’s required a more sophisticated store system, which could cause security concerns. To minimize risks, Microsoft is optimizing and better securing Domino’s core infrastructure with integrated management and security solutions that reduce complexity while still supporting rigorous service levels. The solution also monitors fraudulent activity.

About Microsoft in Foodservice

Microsoft provides software that helps foodservice organizations thrive in today’s competitive global marketplace by making better decisions in all areas of their business. Microsoft software helps empower restaurant employees to strengthen guest relationships, generate new revenue streams and improve operations -- addressing key solution areas such as point-of-service and restaurant systems, business intelligence and insight, and the guest experience. Through the combination of Microsoft- and partner-provided solutions, foodservice companies can stay on top of the escalating demands of today’s digital consumer by empowering their employees to turn data into insight, transform ideas into action and turn change into opportunity. More information about Microsoft’s work in the foodservice industry can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/foodservice.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

SOURCE Microsoft Corp.

Posted by Staff at 04:59 PM | Comments (0)

February 02, 2009

Novell and Dell Partner on Thin Client Solution

Novell gets Dell to preload SUSE Enterprise Thin Client on the new Dell FX160s. Remains to be seen the staying power/commitment of Dell to this market.

source article

Dell Offers Enterprise Linux Operating System from Novell to Address Growing Market for Thin Clients
WEBWIRE – Monday, February 02, 2009

SUSE Linux Enterprise Thin Client to be preloaded on new Dell OptiPlex thin client devices

Novell today announced that Dell will preload SUSE Linux Enterprise Thin Client, the market’s leading enterprise-quality Linux thin client operating system, onto Dell’s new OptiPlex FX160 thin client device. The OptiPlex FX160 is part of Dell’s diverse portfolio of Flexible Computing Solutions, which was introduced in October 2008. SUSE Linux Enterprise Thin Client from Novell in conjunction with Dell’s Optiplex FX160 will help customers dramatically lower costs, while simplifying IT from the desktop to the data center.

According to a 2008 IDC report (1), the Linux thin client market will grow from nearly 1 million units in 2008 to 1.8 million units in 2011. Linux will reach a 30.5 percent share of all operating system shipments on thin client devices by 2011.

As the market’s only enterprise-quality Linux computing solution, SUSE Linux Enterprise Thin Client provides Novell partners with a powerful image creation toolkit to easily and rapidly generate thin-client images tailored to customer needs, roles, and responsibilities. This new thin client solution gives customers centralized data and image control for tighter security, easier image management, and better reliability — all without compromising the end-user experience.

SUSE Linux Enterprise Thin Client inherits the strengths of the SUSE Linux Enterprise platform. The next-generation platform for the open enterprise, SUSE Linux Enterprise is the best-engineered and most interoperable platform for mission-critical computing, from the desktop to the data center. For more information on SUSE Linux Enterprise offerings from Novell, visit www.novell.com/linux. For more information about SUSE Linux Enterprise Thin Client, visit www.novell.com/products/thinclient.

To learn more about Dell Flexible Computing Solutions, visit www.dell.com/flexiblecomputing.

1 IDC, Worldwide Enterprise Thin Client 2008-2012 Forecast and Analysis: QView, Doc # 212588, June 2008

Real source link

Novell thin clients

Posted by Staff at 06:43 PM | Comments (0)

January 28, 2009

Ncomputing and Microsoft VLA

One of the questions we get asked is how multi-user clients such as Ncomputing are licensed (or unsanctioned) under Microsoft XP Pro. For the longest time MS would not comment and forced people to make assumpotions. Last year in March the definitive sanction was finally issued by Microsoft.

Download file

Brief

Licensing Windows Client Operating Systems in Multiuser Scenarios March 2008

Corporate Academic • Open License• Open License Value • Select License • Academic Select • Enterprise Agreement

Summary
This licensing brief can help clarify Microsoft’s licensing policies for the Windows Vista® operating system when there is potential for multiuser scenarios. The Windows client operating system (OS) license terms do not permit multiple users to access or otherwise use one licensed copy of the software simultaneously. Windows Server operating systems are both designed and licensed for multiuse scenarios and should be used for all multiuser scenarios.

Under existing licensing policies, multiple users violate licensing terms when accessing programs hosted on a single PC, however no such violation exits when accessing programs hosted on a single server. Programs such as the Microsoft® Office System suite and/or individual Microsoft Office suite components require individual licenses for each device they operate on whether on a local device or a shared server OS.

What’s New in this Brief
• This brief replaces a previous version published in January 2008.
• Significant changes in this brief include:
• New section on the use of Windows Server
• Updated and expanded “Enabling Multiuser Scenarios” section and “Requirements for multiuse scenarios and clarifications of application licensing a Terminal Services Client Access License” section

Details
Windows desktop PC operating systems license terms do not permit multiple users to access or otherwise use one licensed copy of the software simultaneously. The following use models of multiple users simultaneously accessing a single licensed copy of the Windows XP or Windows Vista operating system are examples of mislicensed use of the product.

• There are no current migration paths based on these illustrated scenarios. Under current licensing terms each PC or access device must have one full license for Windows Vista or Windows XP purchased through the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) channel, the retail/full packaged product (FPP) channel or through Volume Licensing (upgrade). Currently no licensing terms exist that allow shared use of the OS. Each PC or device must have a unique license for an operating system using Windows Vista or Windows XP.
• The Microsoft Product Use Rights (PUR) indicates that Windows client operating systems can be licensed under the following terms:
o One license per device
o One user access at a time
o No use of the runtime for programs not installed in the device
o A device can access the OS and is appropriately licensed to run the software
o Or has an appropriate remote desktop PC license (RDL)

Multiuser systems with Windows Server
While it is not possible to provide a multiuser solution with the Windows client operating system, the Windows Server operating systems are designed to provide a multiuser solution using Terminal Services and / or other technologies.

Multiple users may access one license of Windows Server 2008 as long as every accessing user or device has a Terminal Services CAL.

The Windows Server End User License Agreement (EULA) and Product Use Rights (PUR) specify that a Terminal Services CAL (TS CAL) is required whenever a user is remotely connecting to a Windows Server for the purposes of displaying, accessing or using a graphical user interface (i.e. a desktop or application).

The TS CAL is required irrespective of the technology used to access the server remotely. This includes (but is not limited to) the use of Microsoft Terminal Services or other third party software that enables multiuser scenarios on Windows Server.

Both device and user variants of the TS CAL are available to allow customers to optimize their CAL purchase decisions based on their individual needs

NOTE: In addition to the TS CAL, every user or device that accesses a Windows Server needs to have an appropriate Windows Server CAL in addition to any other applicable software and server licenses that may be required.

Microsoft Desktop Application Licensing in a multiuser environment:
Enabling Multiuser Scenarios

Use of Microsoft desktop PC programs in a shared use environment requires that the license is acquired for every endpoint (desktop PC, thin client, etc.) that remotely accesses the desktop PC program installed on the multiuser system. This license must match the suite/edition, components, language, and version of the copy of the program being accessed.

For example:

• Product (or suite): Microsoft Office Standard 2007 and Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007 are different products (or suites). A desktop PC licensed for Office Standard 2007 may not remotely access and use Office Professional Plus 2007.

• Components: A license for a suite (e.g. a Microsoft Office system suite) for the accessing endpoint (desktop PC, thin client, etc.) must have exactly the same components as the copy of the Microsoft Office suite being remotely accessed.

• Language: The English/multi-language version of the Microsoft Office suite may not be accessed remotely from a desktop PC, which is licensed for a single language version of the Microsoft Office suite. Likewise, remote access to a licensed copy of Microsoft Office Multi-Language Pack 2007 requires that the accessing desktop PC be licensed for the Office Multi-Language Pack 2007.

• Version: Microsoft Office System 2003 and the 2007 Microsoft Office system are different versions. You may not remotely access the 2007 Microsoft Office system from a desktop PC that is licensed for Microsoft Office System 2003.

Requirements for a Terminal Services Client Access License (TS CAL)
Microsoft licenses its desktop applications on a per-device basis. Per-device licensing means a customer must obtain a license for each desktop on or from which the product is used or accessed. For example, when a desktop application is accessed remotely across an organization using Windows Server Terminal Services, a separate desktop application license is required for each desktop from which the application is accessed.

Use of Microsoft desktop applications in a Terminal Services environment requires that the license acquired for the desktops from which the desktop application is remotely accessed matches the suite/edition, components, language, and version of the copy of the application being accessed.
For example, with the release of the 2007 Microsoft Office system, generally only licenses obtained through the Microsoft Volume Licensing Program can be deployed to a network server for remote access. Most retail (full packaged product) and OEM licenses for products released in the 2007 release timeframe do not permit network use.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if a Volume Licensing customer purchases new devices that do not have an operating system preinstalled (“naked” PCs)?
Customers’ options for acquiring full licenses for the Windows operating system are through the OEM channel, the retail/FPP channel or through Volume Licensing (upgrade). If a customer purchases PCs without software, the customer needs to license the Windows operating system as FPP. Because of the cost of FPP, customers might prefer to request that their new devices come with a licensed desktop PC operating system preinstalled (e.g., the Windows Vista Business operating system, the Windows XP Professional operating system, etc.). Microsoft’s Volume Licensing programs are not a source for full licenses for the Windows operating system. These programs offer only upgrade licenses for the Windows desktop PC license. A customer using the Volume Licensing Windows desktop PC operating system media to install a full operating system is not legally licensed for desktop PC operating system software if they acquire a PC that does not have a licensed copy of the software preinstalled. The customer is also not legally licensed for the OS software if they acquire the Volume Licensing upgrade license without having a licensed copy of a qualifying desktop PC operating system installed on their device.

The Microsoft Volume Licensing Product Usage Rights (PUR) document says I can use desktop PC program software on a network device. What does this mean?
Under the network use provision, you may run the software on a network server for access and use on your licensed desktop PCs using Terminal Services (or similar functionality).

How can I provide my customers / users with a multiuser environment?
The appropriate solution to use is the Windows Server 2008 operating system which is designed for a multiuser environment.

Where can I learn more?
Additional information is available from the following:

Enabling Multiuser Scenarios: Presentation Virtualization Using Terminal Services
Download from: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/presentation-terminal.aspx

Licensing of Microsoft Desktop Application Software for Use with Windows Server Terminal Services Download from: http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/resources/volbrief.mspx

Operating System License Requirements: Initial Operating System and Transfer of License
Download from: http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/resources/volbrief.mspx

2007 Microsoft Office System Components/Migrations/Step-Up License/Multilanguage/OEM Enrollment Download from: http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/resources/volbrief.mspx

Microsoft Product Use Rights: http://www.microsoftvolumelicensing.com/userights/PUR.aspx

Posted by Staff at 03:32 PM | Comments (0)

January 25, 2009

Ultra Thin Client from Ndiyo

Other companies have experimented with the thin client approach but the Ndiyo takes things a step further in terms of miniaturisation and streamlined, single purpose design, hence the use of the term 'ultra thin'.

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The Nivo is a new 'ultra thin' client device under development by British, not-for-profit organization Ndiyo. Its principle intended market is developing nations and the project is based upon a non-profit model. The aim of the project is to create hardware and software that can lower both financial and technical skill cost of computer service provision.

Other companies have experimented with the thin client approach but the Ndiyo takes things a step further in terms of miniaturisation and streamlined, single purpose design, hence the use of the term 'ultra thin'.

At the current stage, the project consists of Linux based software and prototype hardware. In this article I'm going to explore some of the issues surrounding thin clients in order to paint a picture of where a device such as the Nivo sits.

The thin client concept

For those of unfamiliar with what a thin client actually is, the basic idea is this:

In order to operate, a typical desktop PC requires only a source of power. It can be connected to network such as the Internet or an office network but it does not require a network of other computers in order to work. The independent operation of a single PC is made possible by the fact that it has a complete set of component parts needed to support its basic functions; these components include a logical and computation facility (the CPU), short term storage (the RAM), and long term storage (the hard disk).

The thin client takes a different approach. In a thin client, as many of the software and hardware components as possible are moved out of the client computer and onto a server. Simplifying the client machine in this way reduces its size, power consumption, cost, and maintenance requirements.

So, to shift the balance of components from desktop machine to the server is to move closer to the thin client ideal.

You've probably had a taste of the 'thinning out' of a client system if you have ever worked in a large office: Often, in such an environment, it is considered inefficient to give each computer its own printer. In such cases, a single, shared printer may be located in a common area of the office. To consider the idea of thin client adoption is to pose a question as to whether this idea can be taken a step further: How much can you remove before the computer cannot be used for typical office tasks? In most cases, removing the display and the input device probably exceeds a sensible upper limit of how far you can go along the thin client route. Computers without input methods or without a display do exist and are used but they cannot replace the functionality of a desktop PC to any meaningful degree.

Thin client adoption

Some of the computer industry heavyweights such as Sun and Oracle have experimented with the approach in the past but without great success. As a result, in most people's mind, the thin client concept will always be associated with a series of early 90's network based computers that never really took off.

In fact, the story of the thin client goes back far further than this. The earliest thin clients were the dumb terminals used to access early mainframe computers. Such early computers were both enormous and hugely expensive. In order to extract the greatest utility from each mainframe, dumb terminals - computers with limited processing power and no local storage - were created so that a group of people could all share the resources of a single mainframe computer.

The thin client existed before the desktop PC; the desktop PC killed off the thin client.

I would argue that some of the difficulties that have frustrated previous creators of thin client solutions have been of a psychological rather than purely technical nature. The desktop PC is the dominant model and consumers need a considerable shove before they are willing to shift over to a new paradigm. It's possible to draw a parallel between thin-client adoption and public transportation adoption. In the case of the latter, there are cases where switching to public transport is a sensible idea, but the bottom line is that it would take a lot to get some people out of their car. Boundaries, of pride of ownership, individualistic appeal of independence, and feelings of security, have to be crossed before people will give mind-share to something that opposes the entrenched model of usage.

Of course, there are developing nations that don't have much of an established IT tradition, and in these environments, thin client evangelism might actually face less resistance. In a case in which IT provision is being introduced to an an institution for the first time, there are no desktop PCs to pry from the clutches from crying, pleading office workers.

Advantages of thin clients

The main advantages of a thin client solution are:

* reduced cost per unit
* reduced power consumption
* improved reliability due to simplified hardware
* single point of maintenance (the server)
* greater admin control

The single point of maintenance of a thin client is an advantage that is easily overlooked. Typically, in the case of an office full of standard PCs, the skills cost of each workstation might be a considerable fraction of the total cost of each workstation. In the case of a technical failure, time spent maintaining a single machine can range from a few minutes right up to an hour or more. Evaluating the monetary cost of a single workstation while ignoring the admin-time cost of a solution is an easy, and very common, mistake.

The main shortcomings of thin clients are:

* Single point of vulnerability (if the server goes down, all of the clients go down)
* Performance: The maximum capability of each client machine can never exceed the total capability of the server divided by the demands being made by the other clients. So, if five clients are making maximum demands upon the server at the same moment, the capability of each client is 1/5 of the total capacity of that server.
* Capability: Some applications are not viable over a thin client network. For example, if I were tasked with specifying the hardware for a video editing suite, my thoughts wouldn't, given the current state of the technology, turn immediately to thin client solutions.

The Nivo: an ultra-thin client

Those who have read my other articles will know that I am a sucker for ideas that challenge the conventions of desktop computer use, and so I was intrigued when I heard about Ndiyo, a British organization who are developing a series of thin clients. In fact, they refer to their system as 'ultra-thin' because they take the streamlining concept further than most previous attempts by other companies.

The Ndiyo Nivo (network in, video out) client contains no local storage capacity, minimal connectivity and minimal on board processing power. The unit itself takes the form of a sturdy looking, metal box with connector ports distributed on either end. VGA on one end and keyboard, mouse, Ethernet, and power on the other end. Internally, there are no moving parts.

A prototype in a clear plastic case. Working models use a metal case.

Because the Nivo is truly a thin client, it cannot be operated in isolation; a server is required. The server is a desktop PC with the Nivo software loaded. The software works under Linux or Windows. Ndiyo even provide a bootable CDROM image to make possible a zero install setup. This image is based on the latest Ubuntu.

Software-wise, each user is given access a set of default application programs that one would expect from an Ubuntu-powered desktop such as: web browsing (Firefox), office productivity (Open Office), Email and PIM (Evolution). Remember, you're not restricted to any particular software; you can add anything that you could add to any other Linux system. Obviously there will be limitations in terms of what the system can manage to run over a network; it wouldn't be reasonable to expect a system such as this to be able to handle a graphically intensive, high-end game, for example.

So, to recap, once the server is up and running, the setup procedure for a new Nivo workstation would be simply to connect keyboard, mouse, and monitor to the Nivo and then connect the Nivo to the Ethernet network.

Stateless operation

Each individual Nivo is stateless in operation; that is, it contains no local storage. This means that you could, in theory, disconnect a machine while it is in use, move it into another room, reconnect to the network, and recommence work at exactly the point at which you left things: all of the applications and windows would be in exactly the state in which you left them because their state exists on the server. This feature is useful in countries with a poor energy infrastructure because it means that if the server is connected to a UPS, a temporary power cut need not be a disaster for the client users.

Future options

A home version?

The provision of basic web and office application services to a network of client machines in developing nations is a logical application of the thin client concept. However, I wonder if Ndiyo are failing to exploit the potential of their device in the consumer market of first world countries? I doubt that I'm the only person who would be interested in a home version of the Nivo; as soon as I started poking around the website I started thinking of things that I could use a Nivo for around the house.

Let's dream a little...

Such a home version could feature, in addition to standard layout, composite video out and sound output. USB might better be a better fit than PS/2 keyboard and mouse. Such a device would make an ideal living room or kitchen computer. There are lots of such environments where one might prefer a terminal that gives access to some standard tools in a robust, low-maintenance package instead of a full desktop or laptop PC. It would be great for light use such as looking things up on the web, a bit of IRC chat while cooking, and checking the progress of downloads, etc. Using it as a music and video jukebox is also within the realms of possibility.

Regardless of how 'easy' it is to, for example, setup a computer in the guest room when people are coming over to stay, it's still seems like hassle compared the simplicity that a Nivo could offer. In addition, I could imagine that many a geek might enjoy a few points of access, dotted around his or her geek lair, and all with a single point of maintenance.

The office version?

I wonder if the offices of first world nations could benefit from what the Nivo could offer? The truth is that, for 90% of 'typical office use', a complete PC is overkill. Most office workers use only a small number of very standard office applications. Theoretically, a 'perfect thin client' is just what offices need.

Having just been asked to, temporarily, add an extra Internet ready PC to the conference room, I bet many an admin has wished that he had access to something a bit like the Nivo.

Conclusion

Within the business world, the thin client faces many of the same adoption problems that are common to other non standard solutions, such as open source software alternatives, that are battling to break through into the mainstream. The famous IT maxim that 'No one ever got fired for buying an IBM' could be expanded and recast as 'No one ever has the guts to bet the IT part of their business on something new and untried.'

Find out more at about the Nivo and other projects by visiting the Ndiyo website.

About the author: Michael Reed is so geeky that he can use phrases such as 'kitchen computer' and 'amusing assembly language anecdote' without even a hint of irony. Read more about his geekyness on his website.

Posted by staff at 11:47 PM | Comments (0)

January 16, 2009

Complete HP Thin Client Portfolio Now Certified for VMware View

PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 16, 2009 – HP today announced that its entire line of thin clients is now certified for VMware ViewTM, making the products even easier for customers to deploy in VMware environments.

The certification, which covers the Microsoft Windows® CE, Windows XP Embedded and Linux operating systems, includes rigorous testing and quality assurance with VMware View for enhanced reliability and ease of deployment.

HP is among the first in the industry to offer customers Linux thin clients certified for VMware View Manager, an enterprise desktop management server that enables IT administrators to quickly provision and tightly control user access. Additionally, HP is currently the only vendor to receive View Manager certification for Windows CE.

“HP’s thin client innovation and long-standing relationship with VMware has allowed us to meet growing customer demand by delivering a Linux option for VMware View Manager several months earlier than originally planned,” said Jeff Groudan, vice president, Marketing, Desktop Solutions Organization, HP. “As businesses look to reduce costs in these challenging economic times, established, trusted vendors like HP and VMware are helping them significantly improve IT cost-efficiency with client virtualization.”

“We’ve worked closely with HP to help ensure that HP thin clients are VMware Ready, meaning they are optimized for VMware View environments,” said Jocelyn Goldfein, vice president and general manager, Desktop Business Unit, VMware. “Together, VMware and HP are providing customers with easy and cost-effective desktop solutions that offer rapid deployment, centralized management, high levels of security, and superior flexibility. VMware View is an ideal environment for delivering rich, personalized virtual desktops to HP thin clients.”

HP offers an extensive lineup of Windows and Linux-based thin clients that are ideally suited for VMware View deployments and deliver a range of performance and features to support a wide variety of user needs – from basic data entry to advanced 3-D imaging and remote collaboration. The HP t5135 and t5145 Thin Clients with simple HP ThinConnect operating system are HP’s first Linux-based thin clients to be certified for View Manager.

Pricing(1) and availability

Windows-based HP thin clients certified for VMware View Manager, as well as HP ThinPro Linux products are available now at a starting price of $299.

HP ThinConnect Linux-based thin clients certified for VMware View Manager are expected to be available Jan. 26, starting at $249.

Additional information about HP’s thin client portfolio is available at hp.com/thinclient.

About HP

HP, the world’s largest technology company, simplifies the technology experience for consumers and businesses with a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com/.

Note to editors: More news from HP, including links to RSS feeds, is available at HP's newsroom.

(1) Estimated U.S. street prices. Actual prices may vary.

VMware is a registered trademark or trademark of VMware, Inc. Microsoft and Windows are U.S. registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

Posted by Staff at 06:50 PM | Comments (0)

Press Release - Symbio Technologies Introduces Two New Stateless Thin Clients

Symbio announces some new stateless thin client models & configurations for customers. These have been proven in high security environments such as DoE.

Symbio Technologies Introduces Two New Stateless Thin Clients

NEW ROCHELLE, NY -- Symbio Technologies (www.symbio-technologies.com), an award-winning innovator in secure stateless computing for government, business, call centers and schools, greeted the New Year by adding two new stateless thin clients to its product line.

The new SYM5100 and SYM5500 have built-in features requested by Symbio users worldwide including DVI and VGA output, gigabit network interface, dual monitor support, PS/2 ports for keyboards and mice, and multiple front and rear USB ports. They are optimized for use with Version 5 of The Symbiont Boot Appliance and support Smart Card readers. The SYM5500 also includes a gigabit fiber card.

The new diskless thin clients continue Symbio's product line of desktop devices that are highly secure, energy efficient workstations with no embedded software, no internal moving parts, and no internal storage.

"All Symbiont-certified stateless thin clients are optimized to work perfectly right out of the box with The Symbiont Boot Appliance and The Symbiont Boot Stick," said Gideon Romm, co-founder and CTO of Symbio. "With these two new stateless thin clients, we've provided our growing worldwide customer base with even more features and exceptional performance."

Symbio's thin clients are in use in highly classified networks developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). They work with the Symbiont Boot Appliance, which boots up to 250 desktop units, directing them to the appropriate application server, and the Symbiont Boot Stick, a USB pen drive which boots any USB-bootable device, even old PCs and laptops.

Symbio Technologies products are available from authorized resellers worldwide.

About Symbio Technologies

Symbio Technologies is a leading developer and marketer of secure, environmentally friendly, server-centric stateless computing products that reduce the complexity and cost of deploying and maintaining networks. Symbio?s products are available worldwide through a network of distributors, value-added resellers and integrators in Australia, Canada, Chile, Egypt, Mexico, Pakistan, South Africa, and the U.K., as well as throughout the U.S.

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Posted by Staff at 03:40 PM | Comments (0)

January 13, 2009

Another Ontario Healthcare company implements ThinDesk ‘s Thin Computing Managed Service

Closing the Gap Healthcare Group (CTG) is made up of more than 600 health care professionals and is an award-winning Canadian business providing healthcare services. CTG recently entered a long term contract with ThinDesk Inc to provide operational improvements and efficiencies while converting it‘s IT infrastructure to the fully managed Thin Computing model centrally hosted in a TELUS data center.

To facilitate growth CTG’s technology must be agile, scalable and cost effective. To become the leader in homecare, patient record security and trust, CTG must ensure that all its data is accessible when it is needed wherever one maybe. At the same time the highest of security and control over the data is fundamental to CTG being a leader in Healthcare. ThinDesk Thin Computing is a fully managed central computing model that allows real time collaboration while securing all the Data in a SAS 70 world class TELUS data center. ThinDesk provides an Always On Guaranteeã to ensure your business is running 7/24. Sustainability of a publicly funded health care system will require driving costs out of all activities. ThinDesk Inc will provide CTG a reliable, secure thin computing managed services meeting the companies objectives while driving down by more than 40%, IT costs, compared to managing IT on their own.

Connie Clerici, Closing the Gap president and CEO said, “Closing the Gap Healthcare Group is committed to building and supporting a high-quality, publicly-funded healthcare system that is sustainable for Canadians, both now and in the future.”
Rob Myhill, president of ThinDesk Inc, upon the installation of yet another Health Care company to the Thin Computing solution offered by his company, stated, “ It is with pride that our company and its employees can play an important role in providing to the health care community in Canada a collaborative, secure, fully managed information technology environment while driving costs out of this essential service of health care.”
About Closing the Gap
Closing the Gap Healthcare Group is an award-winning Canadian business that provides community-based rehabilitation therapy, nursing, and personal support services of an exceptionally high quality. www.closingthegap.ca.

About ThinDesk

ThinDesk Inc is a private Canadian company that delivers a totally managed thin computing service for Health Care. ThinDesk supports entire IT environments, from the desktop to the back office, across wide area networks and the Internet – for all company locations, and mobile workers. ThinDesk’s thin computing platform is hosted by TELUS delivering enterprise-class reliability, security and support with an Always On Guarantee 24/7. www.thindesk.com

Click here to download the ThinDesk & HP brochure

Posted by Staff at 02:21 PM | Comments (0)

December 30, 2008

Predictions for 2009: Desktop Shifts to Cloud

Rob Enderle on direction of desktop in 2009 and 2010. Points to cost factor driver. Microsoft, IBM, Apple and Google are his players. Also notes juxtaposition of IBM and Microsoft compared to late 80s/90s.

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Posted by Rob Enderle on December 29, 2008 at 5:05 pm

Cost is the big driver for change in 2009 and 2010. Microsoft, as the dominant vendor, has this turf today but according to Laura DiDio’s recent survey, it is vulnerable, with only 10 percent reporting any significant Vista deployment. What is interesting is that, of those that deployed, 78 percent indicated that it was satisfactory or better, with 27 percent rating it excellent or very good in performance, reliability and security. This would indicate a serious image rather than a product problem with the product, while the deployment numbers – no surprise here – indicate that perception rules deployment decisions.

This has created an interesting environment, one that is actually very similar to the late 80s/early 90s, when Microsoft took the desktop from IBM and terminals. In this case, however, it is Microsoft that is exposed, and this exposure was created by a number of things. Increasing sales of Windows XP on netbooks, the general rejection of Windows Vista in business, and a massive need to contain costs in all parts of the market have created an environment where change could happen very quickly. The viable challengers are Google, Apple and IBM. Let’s look at each in turn.

IBM: Virtual Desktop Designed to “Freeze” out Microsoft

Well timed, this effort promises to shift much of the cost from the desktop to back-end, IT-managed resources, and this reduces dramatically the cost of desktop management. Based on Ubuntu Linux, the most successful desktop Linux to date, the offering also bundles Lotus Notes and a rebranded version of OpenOffice called Lotus Symphony to complete what is a very reasonable $49 per desktop software offering.

IBM claims 90 percent savings on PC support and a 75 percent savings on security and user administration, both of which are likely achievable short term. All very compelling in a time when funds are in short supply.

While IBM has accurately taken advantage of Microsoft’s weakness and pointed to the cloud, which is the eventual destination, the offering has three critical weaknesses. The OS and the Productivity Suite are not fully under IBM’s control and both are likely facing severe funding and staffing problems going into 2009. OpenOffice is effectively stalled due to lack of support. Second, the deployment would require a substantial hardware investment to install and faces similar single-vendor issues that have stalled thin client and blade PC efforts previously in getting approval for the capital expense and ensuring IT isn’t too dependent on one vendor long term. Third, it doesn’t embrace the user, and since the emergence of DOS, the user has been the primary driver for new desktop technology, not IT.

IBM is helping set the trend, but may not benefit from it unless it can address the offering’s shortcomings.

Apple: Enterprise Ready?

According to the DiDio survey, 68 percent of the companies polled said they were allowing users to deploy Macs in their shops. This is a trend I brought up back in November and speaks to the power of the line manager with regard to desktop deployments in today’s enterprise. Over the last two decades, line managers have increasingly been given responsibility for the cost and selection of the technology they use. Where it is server-based and shared, IT still gets much of the final vote, but when it exists in the organization itself like printers, PCs, monitors and peripherals, IT’s wishes can be easily overridden because IT doesn’t own the budget — the line manager does.

Apple PCs are generally supported in enterprises by a peer-to-peer support structure, effectively eliminating the PC support costs, which can account for about 50 percent of the overall cost of the device. As a result, the user and the line manager see this as a win/win. The user gets an attractive device to use that they believe to be more reliable than either an aging Windows XP-based professional platform or a perceived unreliable Vista product, and the line manager can deploy about twice the number of new PCs for the same cost. Migration pain is contained with the user and the internal Mac user community.

While productivity may initially suffer, eventually the group stabilizes on the new platform. However, desktop compatibility problems spike and this Mac move is generally supported by a move to the cloud so that they can be accessed from the browser. This move to allow Macs into the enterprise may prove to be the biggest driver towards completing what has been a long-term effort to host desktop applications.

Apple’s long-term problem is that it is premium priced, hardware bound (both in line depth and breadth), and not really set up to have large companies as clients. These should prevent Apple from growing fast enough to take the market from Microsoft. But it will accelerate the move to the cloud significantly.

Google: The Wild Card

Google’s desktop platform, believed to be based on Linux and using the Android model, is rumored to be in internal test in the company. Google seems to get that the best chance to eclipse Microsoft is a blend of Apple and Microsoft strategies. On the Apple side, it is containing complexity and assuring product quality. On the Microsoft side, it is to work through OEM partners to gain economies of scale very quickly.

Google is a cloud-based company and much of the value it will provide will come from the back end. This should allow it to argue similar savings to the IBM program with benefits to the user that could rival Apple. Because it can scale, it represents the strongest threat to Microsoft. However, its greatest impact may be as an accelerator to the cloud as that end of its offering will need to advance very quickly. Currently, Google Apps hasn’t turned out to be much of a threat to Microsoft Office and that would need to change markedly.

Google’s strategy appears strong, but here execution may be the problem. You can’t sell what you don’t have in the market and this product hasn’t entered it yet. Google’s compensation model is still largely supported by underwater options, making it incredibly hard to keep employees focused on the job and not their tanking net worth, a problem that had Microsoft switch from options to stock grants a few years ago. Still, its efforts will drive more and more development into the cloud because it too signifies a future where much of what is custom is hosted there.

Wrapping Up

Microsoft is rushing Windows 7 to market and early reviews have been good. However, the move to the cloud is what creates the foundation for much of the savings the competing platforms will report and this move will benefit PC alternatives like netbooks and smartphones as well. So, regardless of what happens on the PC, 2009 will be the year of the cloud for the desktop and we’ll probably never look back. In a few years, we may no longer care that much what runs on our devices but only care about the services to which they connect.

Posted by Staff at 02:18 PM | Comments (0)

December 19, 2008

Predictions for 2009 in Virtualization & Thin Client

Tarkan Maner, Wyse CEO talks about the prospects for the desktop virtualization market in 2009. What do virtualization executives think about 2009? A VMBlog.com Series Exclusive.

Source link from VMBlog

Virtualization and the Greenlight Effect

For anyone that's ever met me, you know that I tend to be enthusiastic -- about business, about life, about just about everything. So please don't hold that against me as I talk about how excited I am about the prospects for the desktop virtualization market in 2009.

There's no question that the global economy is in serious trouble. And yes, businesses and financial institutions are facing cutbacks, layoffs and an uncertain future. The faltering U.S. economy is reverberating throughout global markets in ways we've never seen before. All the while, credit markets are trying to return to some semblance of normalcy while under intense scrutiny and oversight.

So why the rosy outlook? Two reasons: saving money is a survival imperative and saving the environment is good business. In fact, in the past year I've seen these two business drivers go hand in hand in so many deployments that I've come to refer to this as "the Greenlight Effect."

The Greenlight Effect is simple. It's the proposition that technology purchases that might not otherwise be approved in one business climate (an economic downturn such as this, for example), will be 'greenlighted' when the cost of energy becomes prohibitive or the motivation to reduce carbon emissions becomes more pronounced.

Regardless of the daily fluctuations of the price of oil, the cost of energy is increasing and will continue to increase. As it does, more and more businesses will look to be more prudent and more efficient in their energy consumption. They will turn down the lights, they will use more discretion with heating and cooling of offices, and they will look to their IT departments to find ways to reduce energy consumption. In 2009, the Greenlight Effect will benefit those technology companies that can help businesses save money and cut energy costs. Desktop virtualization meets both of these objectives and for this reason, I feel strongly that desktop virtualization is poised to have a very big year.

In the State of Louisiana, for example, Governor Bobby Jindal released an executive order called "Green Government" that is designed to make state government more environmentally friendly. When the Louisiana Department of Revenue needed to upgrade their technology infrastructure, a 75% reduction in energy savings associated with virtual desktops was the primary driver in their deployment of Wyse virtual desktops. Streamlined support costs and the fact that the department was extending the lifecycle of their desktop devices from today's range of 4 years to upwards of 9 or 10 years was important, but the economic decision was driven by energy savings. This is the Greenlight Effect.

Thin clients and virtual clients (clients = desktop and mobile) have always made sense from the perspective of IT time savings, lower TCO, less administration, better security and more. As companies such as Wyse and others continue to innovate in the areas of virtualization software and hardware, the desktop virtualization market makes too much sense not to grow. In any other economic market, the Greenlight Effect wouldn't be necessary. Because of the climate crisis and resultant high energy costs, however, and precisely because the economic situation has forced businesses to cut costs anywhere and everywhere, the Greenlight Effect may be the only way some businesses are able to justify IT capital expenditures.

I've recently met with companies who are facing some extraordinarily difficult decisions. And yes, severe cost-cutting mandates are going to lead to layoffs. It is our hope, however, that virtual desktops can mitigate these layoffs by effectively laying off a PC. I would not want to be in the PC business in this day and age. PCs are turning into the SUVs of the computing infrastructure; bulky, unwieldy, high maintenance energy hogs. A PC requires a healthcare plan because PCs call in sick and their lifecycle isn't very long. A PC requires HR because PCs require tremendous amounts of maintenance. The 'salary' of a PC is significantly higher than its capital cost, and far higher than that associated with a virtual desktop device. What if the countless administration costs associated with PCs went away, and some of that savings helps a business keep its valuable employees?

Wyse launched our Green initiative in 2007, called EarthSmart Computing. We did so because IT was coming to grips with the fact that energy costs -- once a general company overhead cost -- was moving over to the IT budget. These departments needed new categories of information, and new tools to measure computing energy consumption. As IT departments around the world began to look closely at their energy usage, some very troubling trends revealed themselves. Not the least of which is the fact that costs and demand were both increasing.

Now fast forward to December 2008. Factor in rising energy costs, greater clarity around the impact of carbon emissions, and an economic climate where every business is looking closely at every expenditure and we now have an environment where CIOs are only approving expenditures that save money and save energy. This is the essence of the Greenlight Effect, and why I am so bullish on desktop virtualization in 2009.

About Tarkan Maner

Mr. Maner was named President and CEO of Wyse Technology in February, 2007. He joined Wyse in May, 2005, as Chief Marketing Officer. He was most recently President, Worldwide Field Operations for Wyse, and led Wyse’s global sales, marketing, channels, business development and customer service organizations and programs. Prior to joining Wyse, Mr. Maner led marketing, product management, business development, and strategic business alliance initiatives at Computer Associates, where he was instrumental in developing the company's corporate vision, strategy, and brand. Earlier, at IBM, Mr. Maner led global product marketing initiatives for the company's Internet Security, Network Computing, and eCommerce divisions. Before this, he held senior product management and marketing roles in the eCommerce Software Group at Sterling Software and later, Sterling Commerce.

Mr. Maner graduated from Istanbul Technical University with a B.S. degree in Engineering Management, received his MBA degree from Midwestern State University, and attended the invitation-only Executive Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School. Mr. Maner is a sought-after speaker and commentator on current IT and business issues worldwide.

Visit Wyse for product info

Posted by Staff at 06:21 PM | Comments (0)

HP: Upping The Ante in the Protocol Wars

Nice article on Virtualization Review which details HP's strategy to put RDP on steroids when it comes to VDI graphic experience.

Source Link

Virtualization Review
HP: Upping The Ante in the Protocol Wars

RDP lags behind ICA in terms of the VDI user experience. But HP intends to narrow the gap for its client virtualization offerings.
18 December 18, 2008 · by Tom Valovic

Hewlett-Packard Co. has not sent shockwaves around the industry with its gradual approach to assimilating and adopting virtualization technology. But the world's largest computer company can ill afford to ignore virtualization just as other companies as well as IT customers can ill afford to ignore HP.
HP has virtualization efforts underway across many of its product lines. As one of the top four IT management companies, it will eventually need to integrate powerful capabilities for managing both virtual and physical machines into its portfolio and has already started this process with products such as HP Insight Dynamics VSE.

The company also has many other efforts underway in virtualization and solid partnerships in place with key hypervisor heavyweights including VMware Inc, Microsoft and Citrix Systems, Inc. But a lot of activity lately seems to be centered on the company's thin client portfolio which organizationally falls under Roberto Moctezuma, vice president and general manager of HP's Desktop Solutions Organization. This business unit also has HP Blade Workstation, HP Blade PC and partner-based VDI solutions from VMware and Citrix under its purview.

Thin Clients: Going mobile
HP's thin client business was built both internally and by the acquisition of a company called Neoware in October 2007, which added Linux-based products to the mix. Product rationalization and integration of the two lines is still going on but the company has been busy making announcements. Back in May, HP unveiled the 2533t Mobile Thin Client. At the same time, it also announced that thin clients would be integrated into VDI partner solutions including Citrix XenDesktop and VMware Virtual Desktop Infrastructure.

Mobile thin clients are still ahead of their time but the availability of more robust wireless network technologies such as 3G may speed adoption. In the meantime, HP, being the engineering-driven company it is, concentrated on building a best-in-class offering. 2533t designers, for example, drew upon aircraft engineering to give the product a strong outer casing that protects it in harsh environments. The device weighs three pounds and has integrated Wi-Fi and 3G capability.

In September of this year, HP made yet another push into the segment and unveiled the t5630, t5545, t5540 and t5145 devices. It also announced expanded support for Citrix XenDesktop, blade PC solutions and a new high-end blade workstation intended for use in the financial trading, public sector and oil and gas markets.

Display Protocols: Technology Battle Brewing
HP thin clients, when deployed with VDI solutions from either VMware or Citrix, use display protocols to ferry information from the back-end server to the user's desktop. To do this, VMware uses a protocol called RDP whereas Citrix uses ICA, generally considered to be the gold standard in terms of desktop responsiveness.

But as VDI becomes more mainstream, companies will increasingly compete to develop faster, sleeker and more multimedia-friendly versions of those protocols, potentially an important technology battle in the making. Over time, it's one that may eventually tilt the market advantage that some vendors now have in a different direction.

Display protocols are critical to VDI because they affect the user experience -- what he or she sees and hears on the screen -- and are something that can make or break VDI's acceptance. VDI vendors such as VMware and Citrix and thin client suppliers such as HP, IGEL and Wyse know that they have to ensure that early implementations don't frustrate knowledge workers who are used to the speedy performance that today's laptops and PCs can provide, given their ever-increasing multicore-based power. There are a number of ways that VDI can be improved today but display protocols remain among the most critical.

More recently, in December, HP announced its intention to take on this challenge and address some of the issues that has cause RDP to lag behind ICA in performance. "When you start to do graphics or rich content with RDP, it starts to get [erratic] and in some cases just simply not adequate", says Denis Bournival, a product manager at HP. "That's one of the complaints from end users … that when they want to do video training or broadcasting, the rendition of the image is subpar."

To tackle this challenge, HP plans to build extensions to RDP to improve performance for graphics and real-time applications such as videoconferencing and VoIP. Some improvements have already been incarnated into a new software suite called HP Virtual Client Essentials which also includes multimedia, brokering and streaming solutions.

The suite includes a session broker called HP Session Allocation Manager (SAM) and HP Image Manager for OS and applications streaming. "It provides better performance, improves latency, and delivers a richer multimedia experience to the end user", notes Bournival. "It also improves USB protocol redirection."

For applications such as videoconferencing, the enhancements to RDP will offload processing from the host server and onto the thin client itself (making it slightly fatter). Bournival says the improvements will also help HP maintain improve its profile in areas such as VOIP where competitors like IGEL have made strides.

About the Author
Tom Valovic is Executive Editor of Virtualization Review.

Posted by Staff at 02:13 PM | Comments (0)

December 12, 2008

Classmate PC Architect Ditches Intel For NComputing

Thin-client desktop vendor NComputing has landed another top executive from a big-name competitor in emerging markets, tapping Mark Bedford of Intel (NSDQ:INTC)'s Classmate netbook initiative to lead its worldwide marketing efforts.

Source Link

By Damon Poeter, ChannelWeb

5:33 PM EST Thu. Dec. 11, 2008 Thin-client desktop vendor NComputing has landed another top executive from a big-name competitor in emerging markets, tapping Mark Bedford of Intel (NSDQ:INTC)'s Classmate netbook initiative to lead its worldwide marketing efforts.
Beckford, an 11-year employee of Intel who most recently spearheaded the Santa Clara, Calif.-based chip giant's "World Ahead" program that spawned the Classmate PC, was on Thursday named vice president of global business development at Redwood City, Calif.-based NComputing. He joins former One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) international affairs liaison Lindsay Petrillose at NComputing, as well as Will Poole, formerly a top marketing executive at Microsoft.

"Obviously, I wouldn't have left [Intel] if I didn't think that this was a better solution," Beckford told ChannelWeb, arguing that the Classmate PC and OLPC initiatives were not as capable of providing affordable computing to underserved markets as NComputing's thin-client model.

Intel and Nicholas Negroponte's OLPC team offer low-cost, bare-bones notebooks, while NComputing provides multiple desktop display stations powered by a single cheap PC running the company's desktop virtualization software. NComputing advertises its thin-client desktops as starting for as low as $70-per-seat, while Negroponte's famous effort to produce a $100 notebook has yet to be accomplished by the OLPC initiative.

"They are a bit apples-and-oranges," said Beckford, who also served as Intel's director of global channel marketing from 2000 to 2003. "The Classmate is all about one-on-one computing. But the challenge in developing nations is that people there are not necessarily ready to leapfrog into one-on-one computing.

"At the end of the day, Intel wants to sell as many chips and PCs on people's desks as possible. That's great, that's their revenue model. But I believe there is more potential for the NComputing model."

While the company serves more than just the education market, NComputing solutions have been at the heart of winning bids in such major projects as supplying millions of students in the country of Macedonia and the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh with computer access.

Describing NComputing's X-Series and L-Series virtualized desktop products as a "disruptive technology" for supplying computing power to poorer countries at the lowest prices, Beckford said he believes the current economic crisis will accelerate the growth of the thin-client desktop model against the no-frills notebooks championed by Intel and OLPC.

He also cited the practical concerns he had with the Classmate initiative, saying it was too easy for thieves to steal individual notebooks. Beckford said security was a serious issue in the countries best served by cheap computing initiatives, describing one Intel reseller partner who bolted down computers in a South African school only to have burglars saw the legs off the desks and carry away the PCs.

Posted by Staff at 07:25 PM | Comments (0)

December 09, 2008

Thin Client Case Study - Hilton has employees at home

Another spin on employees -- Reservation and Customer Care employees are staying at home while working for Hilton Hotels Corporation, and the company wouldn’t have it any other way.

Source Link on Hotel Interactive

Friday, December 05, 2008
Glenn Haussman

Hilton Hotels Corporation

Hotel companies are always looking for creative ways to reduce expenses. It’s a mantra that most industry experts are espousing now that the lodging business is backing off several years of record high profits.

But cutting expenses for the sake of cutting expenses is not a good thing when it comes at the expense of service. Russ Olivier, SVP of Reservations and Customer Care with Hilton Hotels Corporation, believes he’s figured out a way to significantly reduce expenses in his department by encouraging his employees to stay at home. It’s a win-win for Hilton.

That’s right. By getting reservation agents to work from home, employee productivity is up, sales have increased and Olivier is looking to expand the 18-month-old program. Dubbed Hilton@Home, the program enables those who desire the flexibility to work at home the ability to choose their own hours from an available pool of hours, working from the comfort of their own surroundings. Employees are happier, turnover is down and Olivier is seeing great results.

His department handles all reservations and customer care inquiries for all nine Hilton Family brands and employs 3,000 team members located in nine centers - spread throughout the world in places such as Texas, Pennsylvania, Glasgow, Mexico City, Singapore, Cairo and Tokyo - that answer 36 million phone calls annually. Currently, 900 of those agents are working from home. The program has been so successful that Olivier expects that number to top 1,900 by the end of 2009.

“We recognized several years ago that hiring talent for these types of jobs was going to get harder and harder,” Olivier said. “We knew we had to tap new and different labor pools to keep our team growing because of Hilton-brand expansion globally.”

Olivier also knows the cold hard reality of the true expense of hiring a new employee. Not only do they need to be paid, but they need to work in an office. And building new facilities can prove to be quite a costly endeavor. Enter the concept of working from home.

Other travel-related companies are doing it too, and also to great success. The poster child for this way of handling customer calls is Jet Blue, the low-cost carrier that has seen wild success since its inception back in 2000. According to former Jet Blue CEO David Neeleman, once the program was in place, productivity shot up 25 percent, turnover plummeted and customer service call satisfaction rose. Now, all of its reservation agents are working at home.

Hilton started their program in Tampa, where a reservation facility was based but space was scare. As an experiment, they gave the program a shot to see how it would work out.

“We couldn’t believe the response. There was a huge line outside the door the first time we advertised. And it was a whole different labor force of people that wanted flexible hours but didn’t want to have to come into an office,” said Olivier.

Soon Olivier amassed a workforce of stay-at-home moms, retired professionals and those looking for a second job. “Hilton@Home workers tend to be a higher quality labor force than those just starting with us. We see higher customer satisfaction call scores for agents working from home. There is a correlation here.”

That first group of 100 led to more Hilton@Home hires, and now the company is hardly doing any hiring for on-site staff at all.

“It’s really become a cornerstone of growth for us with the idea we won’t necessarily need these large facilities anymore,” said Olivier.

The 900 employees currently in the program are about the equivalent to 500 full-time employees. If they were located on site, they’d require about 25,000 square feet of office space, not to mention the costs involved with keeping the lights on and other office-related expenses.

They’ve each been issued a thin client device from which to work. They plug it into a high-speed internet connection and voila!...all the technology is present as if they were in an office surrounded by colleagues.

Employees can essentially select the hours they want to work in half-hour increments. They pick their schedule weekly, and it never has to be the same. That means mom or dad can sneak out to see their kid’s soccer game. Or if they have an hour or so in the middle of the day to fill, they can earn some extra income. Workers also don’t need to spend time commuting or on gas. And of course they work in their pajamas if they’re so inclined.

“This is the wave of the future for a lot of these types of jobs that are currently strapped to allocation when they don’t need to be,” said Olivier.

Posted by Staff at 03:04 PM | Comments (0)

VDI - HP ratchets up the ante

The desktop virtualization also offers enhanced video/graphics support + new support for thin-client PCs running Linux and added support for USB peripherals. A modified version of RDP included.

Source link

Hewlett-Packard is expanding the capabilities of its virtual desktop infrastructure software suite to include improved multimedia support for virtual clients as well as the ability to use Linux and Microsoft Windows with HP’s own broker software.

On Dec. 8, HP released the new software suite, which the company now calls the HP Virtual Client Essentials suite, which expands the company’s ability to offer a range of products and services for those enterprises looking to invest in a virtual client infrastructure or VDI.

There are several benefits to creating a virtual desktop infrastructure within an enterprise, including the ability to keep a company’s critical data in a centralized location in the data center. This type of infrastructure offers a better way to secure the data, while allowing the IT department to manage all the physical assets from one location.

At the same time, many businesses have been hesitant to invest in this type of centralized infrastructure due to the overall cost of creating a VDI as well as lingering concerns about delivering rich multimedia capabilities to desktops or thin-client PCs from the data center.

However, many companies are looking to eliminate those concerns. Earlier this month, VMware released its new DVI suite, which offers better management capabilities at a lower cost. At the same time, IBM has teamed with Virtual Bridges and Canonical to offer what the company calls a “Microsoft-free” virtual desktop infrastructure that uses Ubuntu Linux as the main operating system.

Of all the companies that offer a VDI suite, HP is in a unique position. The company offers not only traditional desktop and laptop PCs, but also blade workstations, thin clients, server systems and other physical assets needed to create the infrastructure. At the same time, HP has relationships with the major virtualization vendors—VMware, Citrix and Microsoft—as well as the ability to develop its own software.

With the Virtual Client Essentials, HP is looking to solve some of the problems with delivering rich multimedia content, such as video, to desktops that are part of a company’s VDI. In addition to HP’s own RGS (Remote Graphics Software) protocol, the company is working with Microsoft to improve the capabilities of its RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol), which is the software that transfers data between the virtualized servers and the client sitting on the user’s desk.

In the past, when a number of users attempted to log on to a company’s virtual desktop infrastructure, the centralized protocol software could not support the multimedia technologies that users needed, according to Manoj Malhotra, a product marketing manager for HP’s Client Virtualization group.

To solve this problem, Malhotra said, HP will begin shipping its version of the Microsoft RDP with its thin-client PCs. This shifts the burden away from the virtual server and moves it to the client itself. For example, video is now decoded on the client itself, and it also allows the end user to use USB devices with his or her own client.

“The minute the server encounters a multimedia screen, instead of using its own CPU, it will identify that multimedia screen without decoding it and send that multimedia screen to the thin client and let the thin client decode it for the end user,” said Malhotra.

While RDS will handle what the majority of employees need in terms of multimedia, the HP RGS will help handle the types of multimedia and three-dimensional technology needed for CAD (computer-aided design) workers who use hardware such as blade workstations and multiple displays

At the same time, HP has expanded its HP SAM (Session Allocation Manager)—the software that works as the session broker for remote clients—to support both Microsoft Windows and Linux. HP also enhanced its SAM software to include session timers that tell IT when a client is no longer using resources and can automatically shut down those compute resources.

HP will start shipping its RDP and enhanced SAM software for Windows-based clients in January and then ship the suite for Linux-based clients in the first quarter of 2009. HP will also allow for customers using older HP thin clients to download the RDP software for free.

While the upgraded RDP software is free, HP is charging $35 for a floating license for its RGS software. The price jumps to $199 for the RGS license for an HP blade workstation.

Posted by Staff at 02:36 PM | Comments (0)

November 27, 2008

Enhanced RDP client from Ncomputing

NComputing X550 enables 11 simultaneous users to share a single PC for under $100 per user; Wins CES innovation award. We've tested these units and the PC-hosted clients are extremely quick and also can be locked down at terminal server level.

REDWOOD CITY, CALIF., November 12, 2008 – NComputing, the leading provider of ultra-low-cost computing appliances—with over 1 million seats already sold—today announced that it has further driven down the cost of computing with its new X550 desktop virtualization kit. Each X550 kit delivers a rich multimedia computing experience to an additional five users on one PC for a list price of only $449. With a second X550 kit, a total of eleven users can all share a single PC. Recognizing NComputing’s revolutionary technology, the Consumer Electronics Show organization (CES) named the X550 an Innovations 2009 Design and Engineering Award honoree. The CES merit is the latest industry accolade NComputing has received, joining a list of awards from the Wall Street Journal, The Tech Museum of Innovation, Gartner, Frost & Sullivan, and Deloitte.

“Our mission has always been to slash the cost of computing. With the global economic crisis, the need has never been greater,” said Stephen Dukker, CEO and chairman of NComputing. “Businesses, schools, factories, and governments worldwide are facing severe budget constraints and the X550 is the perfect solution because it delivers computing access to employees and students at a fraction of the cost of standalone PCs—and with the same performance. The X550 joins the highly successful X300, which supports up to seven users on one PC.”

The NComputing solution is based on a simple fact: today’s PCs are so powerful that the vast majority of applications only use a small fraction of the computer’s capacity. NComputing technology creates multiple virtual desktops on a single PC so that many users can tap the unused capacity and share it as if each person had their own computer. Each X550 kit includes five NComputing XD2 access devices, a PCI plug-in card, and the award-winning vSpace™ virtualization software. Unlike other desktop virtualization solutions, the patented and highly-efficient X550 delivers rich multimedia and full-screen video.

“Our IT budget couldn’t keep up with our need for PCs,” said Joe Jenkins, IT Director for Natomas Unified School District. “With NComputing, the choice was easy—we saved on our upfront costs and saved even more on ongoing support and maintenance. We’ve been using the X300 and now we look forward to deploying the X550 for even better savings and performance.”

In less than two years, NComputing has shipped more than one million seats, making it the largest provider of ultra-low-cost computing solutions. NComputing’s simplicity and ease of use have contributed to rapid worldwide acceptance: anyone with basic PC skills can install an NComputing solution and the savings are immediate. Over 25,000 organizations in 100 countries have deployed NComputing to slash their computing costs and electric consumption. Each access device uses just one watt of electricity, compared to 110 for a standalone PC, making NComputing the greenest computing solution on earth.

About NComputing, Inc.
NComputing, Inc. was founded with the goal of making desktop computing affordable for everyone. Headquartered in Redwood City, CA, NComputing is a privately held virtualization software and hardware company. The company's award-winning patented technology drastically lowers desktop computing costs, improves manageability, and reduces both energy consumption and e-waste. For more information, visit www.ncomputing.com.

Media Contacts:
Renee Deger
GlobalFluency
(650) 433-4153
[email protected]

David Rand
NComputing, Inc.
(650) 517-5806
drand at ncomputing dot com

Posted by staff at 04:55 PM | Comments (0)

November 09, 2008

Inmate hacked prison network, broke into employee database

Using a thin client that was connected to a prison server, the prisoner was able to access an employee database by exploiting a bug in legal research software made available to inmates.

By Dan Goodin in San Francisco • Get more from this author
source link

Posted in Crime, 8th November 2008 00:09 GMT
Free whitepaper: Software Life-Cycle Modeling
A former prison inmate has been arrested and charged with hacking the facility's computer network, stealing personal details of more than 1,100 prison employees and making them available to fellow inmates.

Francis G. Janosko, 42, gained access to the names, addresses, dates of birth, social security numbers and telephone numbers of employees working for the Plymouth County Correctional Facility in Massachusetts, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday in US District Court in Boston. Using a thin client that was connected to a prison server, the prisoner was able to access an employee database by exploiting a bug in legal research software made available to inmates.

Once he obtained the personal information of the employees, he made it accessible to other inmates. Janosko also managed to obtain the username and password to a prison management program, and to access the internet to download videos and digital photographs of prison employees, inmates and aerial shots of the prison. The accused hacking took place between October 2006 and February 2007.

"Although the legal research computer server was connected through the prison's network to the internet solely so that it could obtain updates to its Windows operating system, the legal research server was configured to disallow access to the worldwide web," the indictment stated. Computer use was limited to legal research only; use of the internet was forbidden.

Janosko is charged with one count each of aggravated identity theft and intentional damage to a protected computer. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. He could also be forced to pay unspecified restitution.

According to The Boston Globe, Janosko was arrested in 2005 on child pornography charges after investigators discovered nude photos of children on his cellphone. It was the third time he faced such charges, The Globe reported. He was listed as a Level 3, or high-risk, sex offender in Massachusetts in 2005. ®

Posted by staff at 07:49 PM | Comments (0)

October 29, 2008

Dell Moves Into the Thin Client Market

Dell makes surprise move into the thin client market announcing new FX160 system. Base unit retails for $399. It's based off the ATOM 230 Single Core and comes with SUSE Linux Embedded, SIS Mirage Graphics, Disk or Diskless and licensed for Citrix provisioning server.

Link on Information Week

link on Dell for configuring-pricing systems

Dell Unveils First Thin-Client Computer

The OptiPlex FX160 is a fanless system that supports embedded or streamed operating systems for virtual desktop implementations.

By Antone Gonsalves
InformationWeek
October 28, 2008 03:19 PM

Dell's Latest High-Performance Desktop

Dell (Dell)'s Latest High-Performance Desktop

Dell on Tuesday introduced a new line of OptiPlex business desktops, including the company's first thin-client computer.

The FX160, which starts at $399, supports embedded or streamed operating systems for virtual desktop implementations. The fanless system features an Atom processor and is available with up to 2 GB of NVRAM flash storage and up to 4 GB of system memory. The machine has up to a 36-month lifecycle and is designed to meet EPEAT and Energy Star environmental standards.

Along with the introduction of the FX160, Dell also expanded its services to include helping customers deploy on-demand desktop streaming or a virtual remote desktop. The former applies to having data hosted on a partitioned server in the data center with processing happening on the desktop, and the latter refers to data center processing and hosted virtual client desktops accessed remotely from a thin client.

Another new member of the OptiPlex family is the 960, a higher-performing system than the existing OptiPlex 755 line. The 960 features Intel latest vPro PC management technology and is available with full-disk encryption hard drives. In addition, the system has a redesigned chassis that's smaller than previous generations of OptiPlex machines, and consumes up to 43% less power. The latest desktop is also available with an optional kit for a 60% reduction in noise.

The system is available with either Intel Core 2 quad-core or duo-core processors and the Q45 chipset, and features an 88% efficient power supply. The 960 also meets EPEAT and EPA environmental standards and is available in three form factors: a mini tower, desktop, or "super slim" design. The system has a 24-month ordering life cycle. Prices starts at $892.

The remaining systems include the OptiPlex 760 mainstream business computer, which starts at $593; and the 360 for companies that have a smaller budget and can make do with less performance. Prices for the 360 start at $476.

Posted by Staff at 01:20 PM | Comments (0)

October 23, 2008

HP Offers Customers New Level of Performance with Thin Client and Blade Workstation

HP announces new "performance category" thin client with the GT7725 and Blade Work Station. Intended for financial floor or an area dear to my heart, oil and gas exploration, these units can handle 2560x1600 times 2 and have a 2.3 Ghz Turion from AMD. 4 display support. HP Worldwide manager for Thin Clients Eric Crosswhite was nice enough to call and go over the new units with us. Thanks!

HP Offers Customers New Level of Performance with Thin Client and Blade Workstation

PALO ALTO, Calif., October 23, 2008 – HP today introduced a high-performance thin client and blade workstation that provide virtualization customers a true workstation experience combined with the security, ease of management and lowered total cost of ownership of thin client computing.

Download datasheet

Offering significantly more processing and graphics performance, the new HP gt7725 Thin Client and HP ProLiant xw2x220c Blade Workstation deliver a leading remote experience for 3D mechanical computer-aided (MCAD) applications, rich media, flexibility and performance.

“The maturation of virtualization technologies, in combination with the reality of today’s business environment, have made the security, manageability and flexibility benefits of adopting client virtualization increasingly attractive to business customers,” said Roberto Moctezuma, vice president and general manager, Desktop Solutions Organization, HP. “This latest technology from HP removes one of the last remaining barriers to transitioning to a virtual client infrastructure for customers who require the highest levels of processing power or high-quality multimedia capabilities.”

HP offers customers the most comprehensive portfolio of remote client solutions – from entry level to high end – so they can build out their IT infrastructure to quickly adapt to changing business needs. The company’s portfolio of client virtualization solutions includes thin clients, blade PCs, blade workstations and Virtual Desktop Infrastructure solutions. The portfolio helps business customers dramatically reduce security risks and management and support costs by centralizing computing hardware and sensitive data within the data center.

Powerful remote computing with enhanced graphics

The most powerful in the HP thin client portfolio, the high-performance HP gt7725 Thin Client improves worker productivity with enhanced graphics support and faster application run times, while also helping to ensure greater security, reliability and ease of management and lower total cost of ownership compared to traditional desktops.

Customers in financial service organizations or on trading floors can benefit from the thin client’s support of up to four monitors – standard, widescreen or touchscreen – allowing real-time visibility to critical market data applications across multiple displays.

Additionally, the gt7725 can be used for viewing multidisplay two- and three-dimensional MCAD designs, engineering simulation results for computational fluid dynamics and rendering images for oil and gas exploration. The thin client’s space-saving design and enhanced graphic capabilities are ideal for control and dispatch centers, and also a cost-effective means for multiple output of digital information, media-rich content and streaming video.

Based on the AMD Turion™ Dual Core1 2.3GHz processor, the gt7725 provides users the horsepower to deliver the full blade workstation experience with the footprint of a thin client at the desktop. With AMD RS780G integrated graphics (ATI Radeon™ HD 3200 Graphics) and multi-display support, users can view their work on as many as four displays –standard, wide-screen or touch-screen – to maximize desktop space and collaborate more effectively. The multi-display rotation allows for portrait or landscape orientations on 24- or 30-inch diagonal monitors. The thin client’s advanced resolution supports 2,560 x 1,600 pixels per display with two monitors, or 1,920 x 1,200 pixels per display with four monitors.

Advanced system performance is also achieved through configured dual channel memory with optimized data throughput. Initially available with HP ThinPro based on the Linux operating system, the gt7725 is also expected to support the latest Microsoft® thin client operating systems in the coming year, including Windows® Embedded Standard 2009.
“HP’s new gt7725 is an impressive example of how endpoint devices can integrate with client virtualization to offer a high-performance graphics experience to demanding power users, while simultaneously offering the cost benefits of thin clients,” said Raj Dhingra, group vice president and general manager, Desktop Delivery Group, Citrix. “Together with Citrix XenDesktop and our advanced graphics rendering technologies, the gt7725 enables IT to centrally deliver desktops and applications to more types of workers, even those that need a ‘high-definition’ user experience with cutting-edge graphics and Web 2.0 technologies.”

Data center workstation computing without boundaries
The HP ProLiant xw2x220c Blade Workstation advances data center workstation computing by combining two workstation platforms into a single half-height blade package with mission-critical security and business continuity.

The xw2x220c, which executes user applications and resides in the data center, is designed to deliver maximum performance at a more affordable price for customers in such fields as financial services and MCAD. The blade can be configured with one or two high-speed Intel® Xeon® processors2 and a dedicated NVIDIA FX 770M hardware graphics card that computes and renders the interactive desktop image.
Customers using the gt7725 or xw2x220c can also use preinstalled HP Remote Graphics software, a network utility designed to take full advantage of the compute and graphics resources of the HP thin client and blade workstation. The software enables professional artists, financial analysts, engineers and designers to work closely with remote teams in a more secure, collaborative environment and eliminates the need to upgrade to an expensive 3D graphics card on each user's machine.

HP Remote Graphics software works seamlessly over a standard computer network, with complex applications including 2D design, 3D solid modeling, rendering, simulation full motion video, heavy flash animation, intense Web 2.0 pages and USB peripheral support.
Pricing and availability3

The HP gt7725 Thin Client is expected to be available worldwide in January at a starting U.S. list price of $749, while the HP ProLiant xw2x220c Blade Workstation is expected to be available worldwide on Nov. 17 at a starting U.S. list price of $2,850 per user blade.
More information about HP client virtualization offerings is available at www.hp.com/go/clientvirtualization.

About HP
HP, the world’s largest technology company, provides printing and personal computing products and IT services, software and solutions that simplify the technology experience for consumers and businesses. HP completed its acquisition of EDS on Aug. 26, 2008. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com/.
Note to editors: More news from HP, including links to RSS feeds, is available at http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/

AMD, AMD Turion, AMD Radeon, and combinations thereof are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Microsoft and Windows are U.S. registered trademarks of Microsoft Corp. Intel and Intel Xeon are trademarks of Intel Corp. in the United States and other countries.

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, the results of HP and its consolidated subsidiaries could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including but not limited to statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations; any statements concerning expected development, performance or market share relating to products and services; anticipated operational and financial results; any statements of expectation or belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include the execution and performance of contracts by HP and its customers, suppliers and partners; the achievement of expected results; and other risks that are described in HP’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2008 and HP’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to HP’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2007. HP assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

1 This system requires a separately purchased 64-bit operating system and 64-bit software products to take advantage of the 64-bit processing capabilities of AMD technology. Dual-core processing available with AMD technology is designed to improve performance of this system. Given the wide range of software applications available, performance of a system including a 64-bit operating system and a dual-core processor will vary.
2 64-bit computing on Intel architecture requires a computer system with a processor, chipset, BIOS, operating system, device drivers and applications enabled for Intel® 64 architecture. Processors will not operate (including 32-bit operation) without an Intel 64 architecture-enabled BIOS. Performance will vary depending on your hardware and software configurations. See www.intel.com/info/em64t for more information.”
3 Estimated U.S. list prices. Actual prices may vary.

© 2008 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.

Posted by Staff at 03:27 PM | Comments (0)

October 20, 2008

Aqua Connect and BOSaNOVA Team Up to Deliver Green Desktops to Mac Users

Phoenix, AZ – October 15, 2008 – BOSaNOVA, Inc., the market leader in development of Thin Clients and Network Appliances announces today they have teamed with Aqua Connect Inc., the provider of the only enterprise grade Mac terminal server, to deliver energy-efficient desktops to Mac users.

BOSaNOVA Thin Clients now allow the ability to deploy Mac applications via a terminal server with Aqua Connect. Administrators can install Aqua Connect on a Mac OS X Server machine, load the applications they want to access, and then make them available over the network accessible via energy efficient BOSaNOVA thin clients.

“Aqua Connect is pleased to be working with BOSaNOVA to deliver an end-to-end solution via a wide range of energy efficient thin clients,” says Renee Mehrian, Chief Executive Officer, Aqua Connect Inc. “With Aqua Connect Terminal Server 3.0 thin clients can connect to a Mac Leopard server via Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Protocol while centrally managing and deploying Mac applications. We have made significant efforts in assisting our customers to reduce their energy consumption and costs while providing the OS X experience.”

Martin Pladgeman, President of BOSaNOVA, comments, “We’re pleased to team up with Aqua Connect to provide their leading-edge technology on our wide-range of thin clients. Our partnership offers more choices to users who need access to Mac applications, but would like the benefits of centralized management, enhanced security, reduced energy consumption and lower total cost of ownership that comes with thin client computing.”

BOSaNOVA Thin Clients are available for purchase through BOSaNOVA’s resellers. For sales information contact BOSaNOVA, Inc. toll-free at (866) 865-5250, or e-mail: [email protected].

Aqua Connect’s “Save Some Green by Going Green” campaign offers promotional discounts for a limited time. For more information contact Aqua Connect Inc. toll-free at (866) 543-AQUA (2782) or by email at [email protected].

About Aqua Connect Inc.
Aqua Connect Inc., is the world’s leading Mac terminal server enterprise software company. Aqua Connect is committed to evolving its products on the Mac platform. Aqua Connect Terminal Server is available for purchase. For more information, visit us at www.AquaConnect.net

About BOSaNOVA, Inc.
BOSaNOVA, Inc. is a privately held company headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. The company is principally engaged in the design and development of security solutions, thin clients and network appliances. The company’s solutions include a highly refined user interface, remote management software, and performance optimization. The company’s products are sold through a worldwide network of IBM and CITRIX Business Partners. Industry affiliations include membership in IBM's PartnerWorld for Developers, VMware Technology Alliance Partner Program, Citrix Ready Partner Program, Ericom Partner Program, and the Microsoft Partner Program. For more information, visit www.bosanova.net

Posted by Staff at 02:47 PM | Comments (0)

October 08, 2008

Thin Clients supporting Dual Monitors under LTSP 5.

TROY, MICHIGAN – October 1, 2008. DisklessWorkstations.com releases Thin Clients supporting Dual Monitors under LTSP 5. Using Ubuntu Hardy Heron 8.04.1 and the VIA X drivers, users can take advantage of a total screen resolutions measuring 3360 x 1080.

“Dual monitors are vital to workplace productivity and efficiency!”
Erick Tyack
Chief Technology Officer, DisklessWorkstations.com

“Deployed in 2003, with high customization, no licensing cost, and long server up-times, LTSP has proven to be the superior thin client software package for our highly demanding school environment.”
John Hansknecht
Director of Technology, University of Detroit Jesuit High School & Academy

DisklessWorkstations.com supports dual monitors on their 1400 Series Thin Clients. The 1400 Series clients boast GIGAbit Network Interface Cards, DDR2 Memory, and a 1.2 GHz processor which complement their dual monitor capability. 1400 Series Thin Clients are available with no operating system (LTSP enabled), an embedded version of Linux, or two versions of embedded Microsoft Windows. DisklessWorkstations 1400 Series Thin Clients are priced as low as $312.95 for the LTSP Term 1420 PXE.

For more information about configuring dual monitors, visit www.DisklessWorkstations.com. Click on “Documentation” under the Support category on the left-hand navigation bar. DisklessWorkstations.com is committed to contributing to the open-source community providing enabling technologies, and fueling growth in the Linux and Thin Client Computing markets.

About DisklessWorkstations.com

DisklessWorkstations.com is the global leader in LTSP based, thin-client hardware, strategy and deployment. DisklessWorkstations.com provides cost-effective, powerful and reliable solutions for business, education, government, manufacturing and resellers based on LTSP’s advanced thin-client technology. Headquartered in southeastern Michigan, DisklessWorkstations.com combines unparalleled expertise with superior, reliable and easy to use thin client products. More information on DisklessWorkstations.com is available at www.DisklessWorkstations.com.

Posted by Staff at 09:21 PM | Comments (0)

September 22, 2008

MiniFrame UK wins Environmental Award

Attached is press release which may be interesting given the debate raging over IT being the black sheep of carbon emissions. The SoftExpand solution presents a way to overcome increasing energy costs, and tightened IT budgets too. The solution is similar to NComputing L, but no need for access devices and no problems with the screen resolution and graphics, with load balancing thrown in.

DERBYSHIRE COMPANY TO REPRESENT UK IN EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENT AWARDS

Derbyshire based reseller Kira Supplies Ltd is on track to represent the UK in the European Business Awards for the Environment.

The company has just been notified that it is among the major winners in the Green Apple Environment Awards for their Ultimate Green Desktop solution powered by SoftXpand from MiniFrameUK. This award is one of the few accredited feeder schemes into the international campaign.

They will be presented with their Green Apple Award at the House of Commons later this year, when top winners have the chance to represent their country in the Brussels event.

They will also be invited to join the National Green Heroes, an elite group of environmental achievers who use their experience to help thousands of others – and the environment – around the world. These plaques are presented on board The Royal Yacht Britannia.

The Green Apple Awards are now in their 15th year and attracted more than 500 nominations this year.

They are organised by The Green Organisation, an independent, non-political, non-activist, non-profit environment group dedicated to recognising, rewarding, and promoting environmental best practice around the world.

How does SoftXpand work?

SoftXpand is based on a simple fact: today’s PCs are so powerful that the vast majority of applications use only a small fraction of the computer’s capacity. MiniFrameUK’s Multiseat computing software SoftXpand taps this unused capacity so that it can be simultaneously
shared by multiple users, spreading out the cost of the PC, and providing double the number of seats for the same money.

Note to News Desk:
For more information and photo opportunities, please contact Sue Anscombe by email or phone on [email protected] , 01629 534934

http://www.miniframeuk.com

Posted by staff at 02:20 PM | Comments (0)

September 05, 2008

BOSaNOVA Partners with 2X Software to Provide New Line of Thin Clients

Phoenix, AZ – September 4, 2008 – BOSaNOVA, Inc., the market leader in development of Thin Clients and Network Appliances announces today they have teamed with 2X Software LTD, the international developer of thin client computing software, to provide a new line of thin clients.

BOSaNOVA’s new Thin Clients, 732X and 762X models, are available in multiple hardware options and are complete with 2X ThinClientServer featuring simple remote management, published applications, reporting and diagnostic tools, PXE boot, load balancing and more.

“BOSaNOVA’s Thin Clients together with 2X ThinClientServer protect companies from exploding administration, maintenance, hardware and energy costs. We’re excited about the opportunities that our partnership with BOSaNOVA will provide for our partners and customers. Now more than ever a centrally managed thin client system is the right way forward for every company," states Nikolaos Makris, CEO 2X.

“We’re excited about the new partnership. Teaming up with 2X has allowed us to add value to their already existing dealer network, by providing the quality and service BOSaNOVA is famous for,” says Martin Pladgeman, President, BOSaNOVA.

BOSaNOVA’s 732X and 762X are available for purchase through BOSaNOVA’s resellers. For sales information contact BOSaNOVA, Inc. toll-free at (866) 865-5250, or send e-mail to: [email protected].

About 2X
2X Software Ltd - 2X - is a company developing software for the booming server-based computing market. Thin client computing controls spiraling PC management costs, centralizes application and desktop management, improves security and performance and allows users to work remotely. The company’s product line includes, 2X LoadBalancer for Terminal Services/Citrix, 2X ApplicationServer for Windows Terminal Services, and

2X VitualDesktopServer. 2X is a privately held company with offices in the US, Germany, Cyprus, UK and Malta. Its management team is backed by years of experience in developing and selling network infrastructure software. 2X is a Microsoft, IBM and RedHat Partner. For more information visit: www.2x.com.

About BOSaNOVA, Inc.
BOSaNOVA, Inc. is a privately held company headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. The company is principally engaged in the design and development of security solutions, thin clients and network appliances. The company’s solutions include a highly refined user interface, remote management software, and performance optimization. The company’s products are sold through a worldwide network of IBM and CITRIX Business Partners. Industry affiliations include membership in IBM's PartnerWorld for Developers, Citrix Ready Partner Program, Ericom Partner Program, and the Microsoft Partner Program. For more information, visit www.bosanova.net.

Posted by staff at 02:45 PM | Comments (0)

August 29, 2008

Thin Desktop® 2.2 Turns a Business PC into a Thin Client Device

Press Release: ThinLaunch Software® Announces the Immediate Availability of Thin Desktop® 2.2

Thin Desktop Enhances Virtual Desktop deployment at the business PC and is easier to manage and deploy than traditional registry or policy changes.

(St. Paul, MN) ThinLaunch Software, LLC (www.thinlaunch.com) announces the immediate availability of Thin Desktop 2.2., based on the original Thin Desktop 1.1 product. Thin Desktop 2.2 enhances deployment capability within existing Enterprise Infrastructure.

Thin Desktop enhances the overall value of virtualization by simplifying the deployment of virtual desktops. Thin Desktop turns an existing business PC running a MS OS into a PC based Thin Client device. The Thin Desktop application / utility locks down a PC to a single use or executable. Compared to registry hacks or group policy methods, the application is far easier to implement, deploy and maintain. In addition, unlike the implementation of a Thin Clint infrastructure, the existing enterprise infrastructure requires no changes and no server footprint is required.

When a PC is locked down using Thin Desktop, the typical user interface is hidden from the user, while the underlying PC capabilities remain intact. No changes to the enterprise infrastructure are required and no additional tools or management functionality are needed.

The release of version 2.2 enhances the deployment of Thin Desktop using industry standard methods and architectures. An administrator can now deploy and implement Thin Desktop on any PC in the Enterprise via standard unattended silent install capability or existing enterprise software distribution methods.

“Thin Desktop 2.2 knocks down the barriers to adoption of the virtual desktop. By quickly and easily re-deploying existing PC assets - with no changes to the existing infrastructure. Thin Desktop gives administrators a simple yet efficient way to adopt any of the virtual desktop technologies.”, said ThinLaunch Software General Manager, Mike Cardinal. Cardinal went on to point out that “The PC remains the most prevalent client device in use by businesses worldwide. Thin Desktop helps alleviate the most frustrating problems associated with putting the functionality of a PC in the hands of users.”

For additional information and a 30 day Evaluation of Thin Desktop, visit the website at www.thinlaunch.com

About ThinLaunch Software, LLC

ThinLaunch Software, LLC has developed Thin Desktop to enhance the value of existing Business PC assets. Established in May of 2007, ThinLaunch software is privately held and based in Eagan, MN, a suburb of St. Paul, MN.

ThinLaunch Software and Thin Desktop are registered trademark of Thin Launch Software, LLC. Additional trademarks and Patents Pending. Please visit the website at: www.thinlaunch.com

Posted by staff at 03:12 PM | Comments (0)

Chip PC information

From Chip PC: Chip PC is aimed at solving the complex problem of combining intelligent thin-client technology with high profile management and control for thin client and virtualization customers.

Chip PC’s unique solution constructs a ground-up thin-client network consisting of revolutionary infra-structure Jack PC's that fit into a niche the size of a wall-mains, through the Xtreme PC NG Series state-of-the art, powerful, desktop units. These server-centric computing thin-clients are orchestrated by Chip PC Xcalibur Global management software. Xcalibur Global offers an MMC-based Interface; it provides fault tolerance, speed, scalability and ease of management. IT managers can quickly and easily expand end user connectivity with the workstations fully and remotely configured. Xcalibur Global offers management by Logical as well as Physical organizational models.

* On the logical level Xcalibur Global is capable of mapping the logical organizational structure, represented by the Active Directory.
* Combines logical (Active Directory based) and physical (Xcalibur Farm based) management models.
* Uses existing Active Directory Tree structure to perform management tasks.

Why Chip PC? 10 Good Reasons

* Real end-to-end thin-client solution: Complete, PC-like centralized management through Chip PC Xcalibur Global management software.
* Patented Jack PC technology: The smallest and only thin-client embedded in a network jack and powered by 802.3af Power-over-Ethernet.
* Green Technology: Chip PC thin-clients are the world’s lowest power desktop devices consuming 3.5W at full work mode.
* High Performance: Patented RISC-based thin-clients offering advanced features and high performance.
* In-House Hardware and Software R&D Capabilities: Dedicated to Server Centric and thin-client technologies.
* Richest Specifications: The industry’s widest range of features in thin-clients, such as Integrated PC/SC smart card solutions, VDI support, Multi Display support, 1900x1200 resolutions, Fiber Optic network support, and more.
* Modular Local Software and Plug-Ins: Firmware integrating software plug-ins, including updated versions of ICA, RDP, IE and Media Player.
* Data Security and Integrity: Digitally-signed local software providing complete immunity from viruses and Trojans.
* Highest Reliability and Long Life Cycle: Reliable hardware architecture providing high reliability and long service life for products.
* Smallest-Size and Light Weight: Easy to ship, store and install, device weight is only 180gr/6 oz.

Posted by staff at 03:08 PM | Comments (0)

August 11, 2008

Wyse Technology Expands Support for Windows Embedded Standard Operating System

SAN JOSE, Calif., June 13 /PRNewswire/ — Wyse Technology, the global leader in thin computing, today announced its support for Windows Embedded Standard 2009(TM) across all Wyse product lines.

source link

Windows Embedded Standard 2009(TM) is the highly anticipated next generation of Windows XP Embedded(TM) that delivers the power, familiarity, and reliability of the Windows OS in componentized form. A technology preview is available from Microsoft, with general availability of Windows Embedded Standard scheduled for Q4 of this year.

Wyse’s entire line of clients will support the Windows Embedded Standard upon general availability, providing organizations with the ideal means to capitalize on the benefits of thin computing atop a microsoft platform. The platforms which will support the Windows Embedded Standard 2009 include the compact S90, the versatile V90L/LE, the flexible G90 and the newly-released mobile thin clients the X90(e) and X90L(e). These products will allow the flexibility for customers to choose the ideal form factor that meets their end user needs while taking advantage of this next generation Windows Embedded Standard operating system.

“Microsoft is excited to have the support of Wyse, a global leader in thin client technology, for its Windows Embedded Standard 2009 technology,” said Irena Andonova, Marketing Group Product Manager for the Windows Embedded Business. “Embedded devices are increasingly becoming smarter, and by pairing Wyse’s expertise in thin computing with Microsoft’s command of the embedded OS, we will be able to provide the most advanced solution experience for end-users.”

Wyse’s support of Windows Embedded Standard 2009 will help IT administrators rapidly deploy devices that provide rich applications and end-user experiences and services, while easily connecting to common industry standards and microsoft technologies. With the latest features and security updates included in Windows Embedded Standard 2009 paired with the innovative Wyse thin computing software (Wyse TCX), all Wyse Windows Embedded Standard 2009 products will provide a rich user experience with the capability to seamlessly connect and take advantage of new features in Windows Server 2008 while connecting to application delivery technologies like microsoft Terminal services and Citrix XenApp, or virtual desktop environments running under virtualization technologies from microsoft Citrix or VMware.
“With the benefits of reduced IT administration, combined with energy reduction, lower carbon emissions, and longer life-span, thin clients continue to provide attractive alternatives in flexible computing in the enterprise,” said Jeff McNaught, Chief Marketing Office at Wyse. “We are excited that Windows Embedded Standard 2009 provides the leading platform for a new generation of thin clients for our customers.”

About Wyse Technology
Wyse Technology is the global leader in thin computing. Wyse and its partners deliver the hardware, infrastructure software, and services that comprise thin computing, allowing people to access the information they need using the applications they want, but with better security, manageability, and at a much lower total cost of ownership than a PC. Thin computing allows CIOs and senior IT professionals to reduce costs, manage risk, and deliver access to information. Wyse partners closely with industry leaders Microsoft, Citrix, VMware, and others to achieve this objective. Wyse is headquartered in San Jose, California, with offices worldwide.

For more information, visit the Wyse Web site at or call 1-800-GET-WYSE.

* All brands and names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective holders.
Wyse Technology

Posted by staff at 03:19 PM | Comments (0)

June 04, 2008

Bank Technology Offered in Thin Client

CEDAR PARK, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Integrated Bank Technology (IBT), a company that specializes in engineering robust software applications and provides 24/7 support services to community financial institutions, announced that it will offer its Integrated Image Teller product in a thin client environment.

Integrated Bank Technology To Operate Integrated Image Teller Product in Thin Client Environment

This will give current and future customers the opportunity to reap the benefits of changing the transaction process model and increasing branch services to their customers, while still operating in their existing thin client environment. Financial institutions can save thousands of dollars in reduced courier costs and data processing fees while substantially reducing new hardware investment.

“We recognized the need to be able to offer our Integrated Image Teller Product in a thin client environment so that our customers that have sizable investments in this type of architecture are able to take advantage of the benefits our system offers without reengineering their networks,” said Mike Golebiowski, president of IBT.

Integrated Image Teller eliminates paper by producing “virtual tickets” replacing all internal documents and the cumbersome management of this inventory. Furthermore, back office personnel needs are reduced due to the virtual elimination of encoding read failures. One of the key fraud features is that every item that is scanned goes through 15 different algorithms and sent to a review process based on confidence levels defined by the bank. This review is divided among several employees at the bank, providing rapid and thorough electronic analysis, thus significantly reducing the risk of every transaction.

When operating in a thin client environment, banks experience additional benefits such as lower information technology administrative costs, enhanced data security, lower hardware costs, less energy consumption and the more efficient use of computing resources. Overall, this announcement is a significant value-add to IBT’s proven technology and, coupled with the change in business process and virtual infrastructure, it is a green conscious solution for the market as well.

“Ozona National Bank will be our first customer to use Integrated Image Teller in a thin client environment and we look forward to the continued growth of that customer list,” Golebiowski added. “Innovation is critical in the banking technology industry and IBT always seeks to remain in the forefront with offerings that bring the most value to banks and their customers.”

About Integrated Bank Technology

Cedar Park, Texas-based Integrated Bank Technology (IBT) provides software applications and support services to community financial institutions across the country. The company’s flagship product, Integrated Bank Environment, is a robust software application that is designed to enhance a financial institution’s overall customer experience while making the cost of ownership affordable.

For more information, visit www.iBankTech.net.

Posted by staff at 03:34 PM | Comments (0)

June 03, 2008

Press Release - Symbiont Boot Appliance Upgrade

The Symbiont Boot Appliance (SBA) is a rack-mount appliance that boots stateless devices with no internal operating system, embedded software, file systems, or network addresses. The new SBAv5 also allows creation of multiple virtual subnets, improving the network architect's ability to separate the activities of up to 250 individual users from one another.

For Immediate Release

Press Contacts: Lew Tischler David A. Kaminer
Symbio Technologies, Inc. The Kaminer Group
(914) 576-1205 (914) 684-1934
[email protected] [email protected]

Stateless Computing Comes to Life with Upgrade of Symbiont Boot Appliance

NEW ROCHELLE, NY, June 3, 2008 -- Symbio Technologies -- whose innovative approach to server-centric, stateless computing using stateless thin clients and a unique boot appliance has won certifications, awards and contracts in the private and public sectors -- has introduced an upgrade to its popular Symbiont Boot Appliance.

Pioneered and developed by Symbio Technologies (www.symbio-technologies), The Symbiont Boot Appliance (SBA) is a rack-mount appliance that boots stateless devices with no internal operating system, embedded software, file systems, or network addresses. The new SBAv5 also allows creation of multiple virtual subnets, improving the network architect's ability to separate the activities of up to 250 individual users from one another.

The Symbiont Boot Appliance boots and directs stateless thin clients to multiple application servers which run a wide variety of terminal services protocols. The new SBAv5 now supports LDM (X over SSH) and VNC, and adds a Java-enabled web browser to its capabilities which already supports Windows Terminal Services (RDP), Citrix (ICA), Linux/Unix (X), IBM 5250 and 3270, NoMachine, and virtually all midrange, mainframe and other legacy systems.

Other new features available for the first time on the SBAv5 include:

--improved auto-detection of drivers
--PTP camera support
--support for unpartitioned removable media, including the ability to disable removable media devices or USB-only devices, and the ability to adjust mounts
--support for widescreen monitors on many thin clients
--local printer queues
--encrypted thin client OS
--additional firewall control
--ability to perform firmware upgrades from a local file

'Tailored to Meet the Needs of Users'

Gideon Romm, co-founder and CTO of Symbio Technologies, said his company worked in conjunction with customers, including the U.S. Department of Energy and other government agencies, "to tailor our stateless solution to the particular needs of the federal government while keeping in mind the needs of businesses and other organizations as well.

"We asked dozens of senior IT staff what features would make their lives easier while maintaining the highest levels of security," he said, "so that we could build-in those features in version 5.

"The federal government has a strict focus on security," said Romm. "Symbio met the most stringent security requirements, earned certification and accreditation, won awards, and gained business by meeting our customers' needs. Our desktop solution eliminates the most troublesome part of the network--the PC: eliminate the PC and you eliminate the weakest link in the security chain. Our stateless thin clients coupled with the improved features of The Symbiont Boot Appliance do that very effectively and efficiently without over-complicating the deployment. When an IT administrator can set up and configure 250 ultra-secure stateless desktops in five minutes, that's something special!"

About Symbio Technologies

Symbio Technologies is a leading developer and marketer of security-centric "stateless" computing. Symbio's innovative hardware, software and services reduce the time, complexity and cost of deploying and maintaining computer networks. Symbio's secure, simple and environmentally friendly solution consists of Symbiont Certified Network Terminals -- also called "diskless thin clients" -- that connect to a network in place of expensive PCs. Symbio products are available worldwide through a network of distributors, value-added resellers and integrators in Australia, Canada, Chile, Israel, Mexico, Pakistan, South Africa, and the U.K., as well as throughout the U.S.

All trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

###

Posted by staff at 02:32 PM | Comments (0)

May 28, 2008

BOSaNOVA Introduces New Line of Thin Clients Designed for Citrix XenDesktop™

Phoenix, AZ – May 28, 2008 – BOSaNOVA, Inc., the market leader in development of Thin Clients and Network Appliances announces today the addition of the new X-Series line of thin clients designed specifically for Citrix XenDesktop™.

XenDesktop is a comprehensive desktop delivery system that offers an unparalleled end-user experience, dramatically simplifies desktop management and reduces the cost of traditional desktop computing by up to 40 percent. Support for XenDesktop is available on BOSaNOVA’s new line of XPe thin client devices and on BOSaNOVA’s CE.Net and Linux units.

In addition to providing support for XenDesktop, the new X-Series XPe thin client devices are complete with ReadyOn™ technology for a faster boot time, less than 10 seconds. These new units designed for a virtual environment boast greater performance with faster storage. Hardware options include our high performance model (7916X) powered by the high speed 1.5GHz C7 VIA processor CPU, the full featured 7616X, and our compact unit, 7816X, allowing for exceptional performance, flexible mounting options and low power consumption.

"What Citrix and BOSaNOVA can now give customers is a complete, user-centric desktop delivery solution that couples Citrix’s next-generation desktop virtualization technology with BOSaNOVA’s proven thin client architecture,” said Sumit Dhawan, senior director of product marketing, Desktop Delivery Group, Citrix Systems. “Citrix’s partnership with BOSaNOVA will allow organizations to realize the full potential of a desktop delivery system designed to simplify desktop management while ensuring a personalized user experience that doesn’t degrade over time.”

“The combination of our new X-Series thin clients and Citrix’s XenDesktop provide customers with greater performance, a better end user experience, faster boot time, and lower total cost of ownership,” says Martin Pladgeman, president, BOSaNOVA. “Add to that our ability to customize these new XPe units to match our customer’s exact requirements and we’re able offer a complete and unique solution.”

BOSaNOVA Thin Clients available for purchase through BOSaNOVA’s resellers. For sales information contact BOSaNOVA, Inc. toll-free at (866) 865-5250, or send e-mail to: [email protected].

About BOSaNOVA, Inc.
BOSaNOVA, Inc is a privately held company headquartered in Phoenix Arizona. The company is principally engaged in the design and development of software solutions based on XP, CE, and LINUX. The company’s solutions include a highly refined user interface, remote management software, and performance optimization, packaged to maximize the functionality of thin clients and network appliances. The company’s products are sold through a worldwide network of IBM and CITRIX Business Partners. Industry affiliations include membership in IBM's PartnerWorld for Developers, Citrix Ready Partner Program, and the Microsoft Partner Program. For more information, visit www.bosanova.net.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Jennifer Phillips
Marketing Director
BOSaNOVA, Inc.
Phone: 866-865-5250 x350
Email: [email protected]

Posted by staff at 11:19 PM | Comments (0)

May 20, 2008

Devon IT Unveils Mobile Thin Client Identical to Lenovo R61 ThinkPad

King of Prussia, PA, May 20, 2007 – Devon IT, Inc., an alternative desktop solution company and the fastest growing provider of thin client terminals, today announced the availability of the new SafeBook LVO, a mobile thin client laptop built on the Lenovo R61 ThinkPad platform.

The SafeBook LVO notebook will carry the Lenovo part number 8930-A93 and is identical to the Lenovo R61 ThinkPad but has no hard drive. Starting at $839 USD, it runs seamlessly on the entire Lenovo R61 ThinkPad platform, and is compatible with everything from docking stations to accessories. The SafeBook LVO features an Intel Celeron 550 2.0GHZ processor, runs Windows XP Embedded, and supports all major server environments, including Microsoft Windows Terminal Servers 2000/2003/2008, Citrix XenAPP, XenDesktop and XenServer, VMware Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), Unix/Linux servers, and Legacy Servers.

“The Lenovo ThinkPad has long been the preferred notebook for corporate and other mobile users due to its durability and advanced technology, and by blending with it our thin technologies we expect the SafeBook LVO to be the preferred thin client laptop for users across all verticals,” says Joe Makoid, president, Devon IT. “This paramount, forward-thinking decision by Lenovo will allow companies and organizations to make a smooth transition from PCs and laptops to server-centric computing environments with thin clients. We have received tremendous feedback from our customers, and expect to be very successful with Lenovo and the SafeBook LVO.”

“It is exciting to see companies like Devon IT aggressively building solutions for enterprise customers,” says Fran O’Sullivan, senior vice president, Lenovo Product Group. “We look forward to working with Devon IT to offer customers new ThinkPad-based solutions.”

The original SafeBook model was launched in October 2006. It was most popular among corporate, healthcare, and education clients.

“As an early adopter of Devon IT’s SafeBook, we realized tremendous benefits from its mobility and security features,” says Nate McAlmond, Director of Information Technology , from Lifeworks Northwest (http://www.lifeworksnw.org) . “In our fast-paced healthcare environment, we need reliable, rugged, and secure computing products. The Lenovo ThinkPad has a reputation for durability and flexibility, and combined with Devon IT’s technology we see the SafeBook LVO model as a logical step in the product’s advancement.”

For more information about the SafeBook LVO, server-based computing, or thin client technologies, or to arrange for a proof-of-concept, email [email protected], or call 610-757-4220 or toll-free 888-524-9382. Information is also available at www.devonit.com.

About Devon IT

Devon IT is an information technology company that focuses on offering thin client terminals and alternative desktop solutions that provide enterprise customers with greater security, enhanced manageability, improved reliability, and lower costs. Devon IT is a founding member of Blade.org and develops products that support IBM's Hosted Client Infrastructure and Blade Computing ecosystem. More information is available at www.devonit.com.

Posted by staff at 08:53 PM | Comments (0)

April 23, 2008

Hardware - $80 US Thin Client terminal

DMP in Taiwain announces new $80 US box for thin client terminal. It's one of the new mini-PCs beginning to flourish running preloaded linux with browser and RDP/ICA built-in. Specs and website follow. For $80 it conjurs visions of no risk.

Wu Gu Industrial Park, Taiwan, Oct. 2007 – DMP Electronics Inc., is thrilled to introduce the eBox-2300SX-LS, an easy online and affordable Mini PC. The eBox-2300SX-LS not only provides user’s an unprecedented pleasant way to access internet but also reflects DMP’s strong commitment to the eBox brand and channel.

The eBox-2300SX-LS is a new stylish Mini PC designed to those who have craving for ease-of-use, small footprint and environmental conscious. It integrates OPERA local browser and supports RDP / ICA / VNC / XDMCP for connection to Windows, Citrix, and Linux servers. It is also compatible with Microsoft Windows Terminal Server or Citrix server WinFrame/MetaFrame and UNIX / Linux Server.

Flexibility
The eBox-2300SX-LS is a flexible mini computer / Thin Client that offers many hardware and software configuration choices to meet customer requirements. The eBox-2300SX-LS deliver server-based Linux and Microsoft Windows applications.

Security
The eBox-2300SX-LS is highly secure because with everything residing on the server no applications or data can be saved in other storage devices. If necessary, you can even make "locked down” sealed box with no local access to media protecting valuable applications and data from accidental corruption, loss, theft, or viruses.

Capability
The eBox-2300SX-LS includes the following features that other computers not able to provide:

Embedded Linux preloaded, supports RDP / ICA / VNC / XDMCP. It also has the ability remote the actual console session of the server.

External power adapter and low power consumption (only 15 watts), convenience and power bill savings

No hard drive or other moving parts, significantly reducing maintenance and downtime, resulting in longer life and totally silent operation

An innovative design that allows the eBox-2300SX-LS can also be mounted to the back of any LCD monitor creating a mobile presentation system or simply to save space in a work environment.

MODEL NO eBox-2300SX-LS
CPU MSTI PSX-300MHz (SoC: System-on-Chip)
(FANLESS)
BIOS AMI BIOS
Memory 128 MB DDR2 onboard
Graphics XGI Z9S with 32MB DDR2
I/O
Type I/II Compact Flash Slot x 1
USB Port x 3 (2 in the front)
RJ-45 Ethernet Connector
External 6-pin Mini DIN for PS2 Keyboard & Mouse
Protocol
Citrix ICA 7.0 Client
RDP 5.1
VNC Viewer Client
XDMCP Client
Power Adapter Worldwide auto-sensing 100-240 VA
Dimensions 115 x 115 x 35 mm
Weight 510g
Environment
Temperature 0 ~ +60°C
Certification CE, FCC
Warranty one-year limited hardware warranty
Note : the specification are subject to change without prior notice
Ordering Information:
The eBox-2300SX-LS: Standard Version with 128MB CF card preload Embedded Linux O/S
DMP Electronics Inc.
8F No 12 Wu-Quan 7 Rd. Wu-Gu Industrial Park
Wu Gu Xiang, Taipei #248 Taiwan, R.O.C.
TEL: 886-2-2298-0770/ FAX:886-2-2290-2335
[email protected]
http://www.compactpc.com.tw

Posted by staff at 02:47 PM | Comments (0)

Software solution from SoThin

From SoThin -- we would like to introduce you and your readers to our Thin Client solution, SoThin Thin Client. We offer a software based Thin Client solution to sit on Windows Platforms and provide connections to multiple platforms (citrix for example). SoThin Thin Client is used in many different sectors throughout the world and is enjoyed because of its powerful, yet easy to use features.

Please do visit our Thin Client product page for further info at:
http://www.sothin.net/prod_thin.html
If you have any queries, please do let us know

Many thanks,
Kind Regards,
Graham Owens
Operations Manager
SoThin Logo

[email protected]
Tel: +44 (0)870 199 5 199
Fax: +44 (0)870 199 2 022
http://www.sothin.co.uk/

Posted by staff at 02:41 PM | Comments (0)

April 22, 2008

New high end thin client from VXL

VXL Instruments has introduced a "high end" thin client that runs Windows XP Embedded. The TC 7321-XP operates fanlessly, uses a 1GHz Via C7 processor, supports up to 1900 x 1200 resolution, expands to 4GB of flash storage, and uses 11 Watts of power, says VXL.

source link

The TC 7321-XP's client software includes Microsoft's RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) version 6.0, Citrix's ICA (Independent Computing Architecture) client version 10, "Unix connectivity" software, and terminal emulation software from Ericom. Thus, it can connect to Windows, Citrix, and Unix servers, as well as to legacy mainframes and minicomputers, according to the company.

Remote management, configuration, and complete image upgrades are possible via the included XLmanage software, VXL says. The device can be activated remotely via a wake-on-LAN feature, and can boot from its own flash memory, or over the network via PXE (preboot execution environment). Another included management feature is VNC server software, allowing the system to be controlled from a remote desktop when necessary.

The convection-cooled, 9 x 8.9 x 2 inch TC 7321-XP uses a 1GHz Via C7 processor, with 512MB of DDR2 DRAM, upgradable to 1GB, and 512MB of flash that's upgradable to 4GB. It has a gigabit Ethernet port, four USB 2.0 ports (two front, two rear), two serial ports, a parallel port, plus PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports.

Also equipped with VGA and DVI video outputs, the TC 7321-XP supports screen resolutions up to 1920 x 1200 pixels. Optional equipment includes USB-interfaced wireless LAN adapters and smart card readers.

Features and specifications listed by VXL for the TC 7321-XP include:

* Processor -- 1GHz Via C7
* Memory -- 512MB of RAM, expandable to 1GB
Storage -- 512MB of flash, expandable to 4GB
* Display -- supports resolutions up to 1900 x 1200 pixels
* Networking -- gigabit Ethernet port, optional USB-based wireless adaptor
* Other I/O:
o 4 x USB 2.0 (2 front, 2 rear)
o 1 x VGA
o 1 x DVI
o 2 x serial
o 1 x parallel
o PS/2 keyboard and mouse
o Audio -- mic, line in, line out
* Dimensions -- 9 x 8.9 x 2 inches
* Weight -- 5.5 pounds (2.5 kg)
* Operating temperature range -- 0 to 40 deg. C
* Power requirements:
o 100-240VAC
o 11W average usage

VXL has also announced three other thin clients with near-identical hardware, but different OS (operating system) choices. The TC 7342-CE is as listed above, but with 256MB of RAM, 64MB of flash, maximum resolution of 1600 x 1200, and Windows CE 5.0 as the OS. The TC 7334-LI features 256MB of RAM, 128MB of flash, 1900 x 1200 resolution, and uses VXL's Gio Linux distribution instead of Windows CE. Finally, the TC 7335-LI also runs Linux, but bumps memory to 512MB of RAM and 512MB of flash.

Pricing for the devices was not listed, but all appear to be available now.

Posted by staff at 03:58 AM | Comments (0)

Desktone, Verizon Announce Desktop Virtualization As A Service

Desktone plans to sell "desktops as a service" through service providers like Verizon Businesss and European and Asian carriers; IBM is a partner.

source link

By J. Nicholas Hoover
InformationWeek
April 21, 2008 11:00 AM

Virtualization and software-as-a-service are two of the hottest trends in business technology. Why not marry the two? That's just whatCitrix (NSDQ: CTXS)-backed start-up Desktone is doing.

Desktone plans to sell "desktops as a service" through service providers with Desktone's Virtual-D Platform, starting with business customers. Already, Desktone has signed upVerizon (NYSE: VZ) Businesss and European and Asian carriers as hosters, and IBM (NYSE: IBM) as a partner. Desktone streams just the graphical interface of an entire operating system -- Windows XP only for now -- and all of its applications to a PC or thin client from a service provider's data center, where all the computation takes place.

The service was designed mainly with business customers in mind. The premise is this: Even though virtualizing a company's desktops can save money, it can be still be labor intensive and expensive to implement virtual desktop infrastructures because such a strategy requires investment in storage and new servers as well as on-site management expertise via new staff or training. However, businesses could potentially outsource desktops to service providers on the cheap. Verizon hasn't set prices, but estimates it could cost roughly $75 per month per user, or about half of the cost of on-premise desktop virtualization according to Verizon's calculations.

In the Desktone model, all of a company's server-based apps like Active Directory and line-of-business software remain on-premise and communicate directly with the service providers' infrastructure via a secure Internet connection if needed to be accessed by an employee or referenced by another app. IT managers also get a Web-based console to manage virtual image libraries, monitor performance, and gain remote access into virtual machines for troubleshooting. And the connection broker technology that manages how client devices link up with virtual machines was built with the help of Merrill Lynch, which is using the connection broker for internal use but isn't testing the service.

Desktone and its early partners are still ironing out the wrinkles, and partners like Verizon won't likely be broadly selling desktops as a service until at least the end of this year. In interviews, Desktone and Verizon both promise high service levels, but since downtime means no access to computing resources, applications could be limited to non-mobile PCs.

Also, since the desktops as a service will be streamed over the Internet, some latency sensitive apps, like those heavy on video, may underperform. In order to make the V-Desktop Platform perform well as a service, Desktone CEO Harry Ruda says the company cobbled together some of the best pieces of SaaS architectures that deliver latency-sensitive data like streaming multimedia, and has done some tweaking of the Remote Desktop Protocol that's used to stream Windows, but says some work remains.

Ruda sees the use of re-purposed laptops as a stepping stone to a thin client architecture. Thin clients have been touted as desktop replacements for more than a decade, but have so far generally only caught on in niches. Until recently, they didn't support removable media like USB keys. And if thin clients aren't configured to behave like thick clients, users can become upset.

Verizon hopes that it can eventually sell Desktone's desktop virtualization in enterprise-wide deployments, but is starting small, so the successor to the old thin client model may remain in niche deployments for now. "The most obvious place to start is to focus on the rudimentary worker who's doing primarily Web browsing or who is working in the call center where three people use one computer over a 24-hour shift and there's not the use of extensive computing resources," says Verizon Business strategic director Kenny McBride.

Desktone will only offer Windows XP for now, but Vista is likely to come soon and the platform is architected in such a way that Linux or Mac OS could be offered down the line. However, Desktone is "hypervisor agnostic," so it could potentially use technology fromMicrosoft (NSDQ: MSFT), VMWare or Citrix on the server side.

Verizon sees Microsoft is a potential competitor, and VMware has begun to work with Cincinnati Bell on virtual desktops. However, to maintain and guarantee quality of service, McBride says network providers will be the vendors of choice if desktops-as-a-service take off. "I see applications as a car," he says. "Everyone has a car, but who has the road you can drive on?"

Posted by staff at 03:55 AM | Comments (0)

March 25, 2008

Wyse V10L Wins European Award

LONDON, March 24 /PRNewswire/ --Wyse Technology, the global leader in thin computing, today announced that its V10L thin client has been awarded Best New Green IT Product Award by an Established Vendor at the European Green IT Summit.

source

Wyse's New Ultra Thin Client Named Best New Green IT Product

March 24, 2008 7:30 PM EDT

The award recognises the product's design in minimising environmental impact through reduced energy consumption, demonstrable consideration of the environment in the product's design, and its cost effectiveness. Wyse was one of five finalists, which included Fujitsu Siemens, Active Power, Extreme Networks, and Juniper Networks, who were judged on credible green claims, environmental advantages over competitors, and the incorporation of environmental considerations in the design process.

"Wyse Technology's V10L thin client reverses the misconception that IT is a liability in terms of its impact on the environment," said Jonathan Steele, one of the judges and CEO of Analyst house the Bathwick Group. "The award win last night is testament to Wyse Technology's dedication to greener, more environmentally-friendly computing."

The New Green IT Product category acknowledges solutions that are designed to move Green technology forward. The Wyse V10L thin client was recognised as a powerful alternative to the traditional, energy-hungry PC. While a PC consumes between 70-150 watts of power, the V10L uses only 14.1 watts. Wyse also offers desktop and mobile thin computers that use as little as 6.6 watts in full operation, near that of the energy used by a single Christmas tree light bulb. Additionally, with a lifespan is 5-7 years, the V10L's product lifespan is 2-3 times longer than that of a PC, and guards against technological obsolescence and e-waste.

In addition, a recent Forrester Research report stated that, "firms have found that using thin clients in low-intensity, standard desktop hardware environments generates savings. Many factors contribute to this increased cost-effectiveness: extended hardware life cycles, lower power consumption, and the lower ratio of staff needed to manage, secure, and service a thin client environment."*

Tarkan Maner, CEO and President of Wyse Technology, comments, "The competition was extremely tough, so it is rewarding to see Wyse continue to maintain its position at the forefront of developments in green computing. With our partners Citrix, Microsoft, and VMware, Wyse thin computing delivers the productivity people need at a lower cost to the environment than traditional methods, without compromising security or manageability."

About Wyse Technology

Wyse Technology is the global leader in thin computing. Wyse and its partners deliver the hardware, infrastructure software, and services that comprise thin computing, allowing people to access the information they need using the applications they want, but with better security, manageability, and at a much lower total cost of ownership than a PC. Thin computing allows CIOs and senior IT professionals to reduce costs, manage risk, and deliver access to information. Wyse partners closely with industry leaders Microsoft, Citrix, VMware, and others to achieve this objective. Wyse is headquartered in San Jose, California, with offices worldwide.

For more information, visit the Wyse website at http://www.wyse.com or call 1-800-GET-WYSE.

*Reference taken from Forrester Research report entitled, "Green Benefits

Put Thin-Client Computing Back On The Desktop Hardware Agenda".

SOURCE Wyse Technology

Posted by staff at 03:02 PM | Comments (0)

February 29, 2008

Virtual Desktops and Wyse

Announcements by Wyse in regards to VMware Virtual Desktop Manager, XenSource and others. ie cetified to work out of the box and automatically locate server.

"This type of collaboration makes Wyse unique in the market," said Tarkan Maner, CEO of Wyse Technology.

Wyse also announced two new mobile thin clients, the X90L and X90Le, at VMworld. The mobile clients look like thin laptops and are capable of connecting directly to wired, 1 Gigabit Ethernet corporate networks or to 802.11b/g/n wireless Ethernet LAN. The device could move with an employee who leaves his desk and moves into a conference room or into another building on a corporate campus. The X90L is priced at $729 and X90Le at $799.

The X90e model can also invoke Bluetooth as a wireless connection when users are on the road.

In a third announcement, the San Jose firm said it has produced software that supports USB devices on its own thin clients running Windows XP Embedded. The software makes the USB device manageable via the virtual desktop in the same manner that it would be manage if plugged directly into a Windows PC, McNaught said. It is priced at $25 per seat.

Posted by staff at 02:40 PM | Comments (0)

February 26, 2008

IBM Goes WEPOS

Microsoft said their Windows Embedded for Point of Service operating system will come pre-loaded on IBM point-of-sale, self- checkout and self-service kiosks offerings and thereby provide retailers and hospitality operators with a simple, easy-to-manage point-of- service platform.

Interesting the growth figures reported by IHL for Embedded (rising rapidly).

Microsoft Joins Hands With IBM On Windows Pre Installed Service Solution [MSFT]

2/26/2008 3:35:45 PM Tuesday, Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), a software products provider, announced its joint venture with IBM Corp. for delivering a powerful Windows Embedded-based plug-and-play solution in order to make the delivery of information and services easier for consumers.

Microsoft Windows Embedded for Point of Service is a point-of-service operating system platform based on Microsoft Windows technologies intended for the retail industry. It will provide plug-and-play functionality for retail device peripherals as a pre-installed option to its client.

The service is offered pre-installed on IBM AnyPlace Kiosk, Self Checkout and SurePOS 700, 500 and 300 point-of-sale systems, IBM's premier open system hardware platforms for the retail and hospitality industries. The operating system fully supports standard retail applications and device peripherals, and will provide an easy upgrade path to Windows XP for Embedded Systems or Windows Vista for Embedded Systems. The operating system includes support for 33 dialects, while equipped to support various industry standards such as biometrics, electronic journal, bill acceptor, SmartCard and ClearInput.

Today, Microsoft reported an update to the growth of Windows Embedded in the retail market based on a recent report published by IHL Group Inc., a retail industry research firm. The report revealed a 250% growth in the number of Windows Embedded Point of Service users in North America. Further, the company said IHL found 63 percent of retailers were seriously considering a Microsoft Windows Embedded operating system for their next POS purchase based on a second study conducted with RIS news.

MSFT is currently trading at $28.50, up $0.66 or 2.37% on a volume of 81,236,514 shares on the Nasdaq.

Posted by staff at 10:17 PM | Comments (0)

IGEL Announces Dictation, Speech Recognition for Linux, XP Embedded

IGEL Technology, one of the world's leading thin client vendors, announced that they have partnered with Philips Speech Recognition Systems to bring advanced digital dictation and speech recognition solutions to its Linux firmware.

This solution is expected to offer substantial savings and optimization potential in the healthcare sector because it enables attaching digitally captured findings directly to patient files where additional information can be added and stored. IGEL Technology will present the comprehensive dictation and speech recognition capabilities on Linux and XP embedded thin clients at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society's annual meeting in Orlando, Florida.

"IGEL users will now have seamless access to modern dictation devices, such as the Philips SpeechMike and industrial grade dictation and speech recognition technology. This will enable doctors to dictate their reports as audio files and record them on the server via an IGEL thin client which reduces the time spent on administrative activities, leaving the doctors more time to focus on patient care," said Erhard Behnke, president, IGEL Inc. "Immediately after their rounds, doctors can record their findings via the thin client and assign them to the appropriate patient files. This process can now be optimized even further using IGEL's ProScribe mobile thin client tablet, which supports dictation at the patient's bedside."

Industry experts estimate that digital dictation and speech recognition systems are capable of achieving time savings in medical reporting of up to 50 percent, particularly in large hospitals. The faster availability of medical information can improve treatment results and help reduce medical errors, as it provides better decision support to healthcare professionals.

"Medical errors occur in all areas of the treatment process and typically involve the wrong medication, improper treatment, or incorrect or delayed test results. Together with IGEL we created a solution for users of thin-clients that leads to higher accuracy, convenience and efficiency in clinical documentation and can help provide physicians with better patient insight – because knowledge is safety; in healthcare even more so than in any other field," said Marcel Wassink, managing director of Philips Speech Recognition Systems.

Attendees of the annual meeting of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) in Orlando, Florida can experience IGEL thin clients powered by SpeechMagic(tm) live at booth 6443, February 24-28 in Orlando, FL.

About IGEL Technology
IGEL Technology is the world's number four thin client vendor and is market leader in its home country of Germany (Q3 2007 IDC). The company produces the industry's widest range of thin clients, based on Linux and Microsoft Windows, giving customers access to the richest set of digital services through the very powerful, IGEL designed, firmware. Form factors include traditional desktops, mobile tablets, integrated LCD units, quad screens and PC to thin client conversion cards. All IGEL thin clients come with the bundled, easy to use, IGEL Remote Management software, giving you maximum remote control with the minimum cost and hassle. IGEL supports the broadest set of digital services including terminal emulation, web, ICA, RDP, Virtual Desktops (VDI), Java and native SAP. All devices support smart cards for maximum security and this includes integration with Citrix Password Manager's Hot Desktop allowing sub 10 second boot times for roaming workers.

Posted by staff at 02:16 PM | Comments (0)

February 16, 2008

Desktop Computing 3.0: Will Virtualization Steal the Show?

Nice article on CIO regarding "dead heat" that Intel see's in thin client + more background on emerging OS streaming and its growth rate. All of these articles still bring up the situation of no-network-now-no-apps linchpin but remote agents (rss updated) will come to the eventual rescue there...

source on CIO

For the next wave of desktop client computing, how thin will be in?

MORE ON Desktop Virtualization
Survey: Virtualization in the Enterprise
Citrix Seals XenSource Deal, Pressures VMware
Is Citrix the Real Rival to VMWare?

That's the question enterprise IT leaders struggle with right now, as VMware and a slew of rivals talk up desktop virtualization and a host of other "thin client" options as smart replacements for today's desktop PCs—which still cost too much to manage, secure and maintain.

Today, Intel launched a fresh salvo in the debate, releasing results of a fourth quarter 2007 survey of 705 IT decision makers at medium and large U.S. businesses, declaring a "dead heat" in the race among emerging models for desktop computing.

Those models start with desktop PC virtualization, "VDI" as VMware calls it, or "virtual hosted desktop," as Intel calls it. In this model, a user's whole desktop PC image lives not on the local PC, but in the backroom on a server.

The main drivers for IT to want to move to this or other "thin" client models include greater centralization of IT administrative chores in a time of lean staffing, disaster recovery, security and compliance concerns, and lower cost of ownership. Nobody's saying mobile devices are going away. But make no mistake, desktop computing will morph, analysts say.

"The enterprise client device is up for grabs," says Forrester Research senior analyst Natalie Lambert.

What are the other main options, in addition to VMware's vision? Traditional "terminal services" computing (as in Wyse terminals;) application streaming (where the client PC has a host OS but streams applications from a server); OS streaming (where the whole client environment streams on demand from a server); and blade computing (where identical clients plug into racks.)
Virtualization's Reach Now

Intel's survey took a picture of where IT opinion stands on these flavors of desktop computing, at the moment. The lowdown: "There's no clear winner," says Mike Ferron-Jones, Manager of Intel's Emerging Model program, who presented the survey to reporters today.

According to Intel's survey, 39 percent of the enterprises have a current deployment of desktop virtualization; 84 percent are using terminal services; 30 percent have currently deployed application streaming, 26 percent are using blade PCs and 15 percent are using OS streaming. But enterprises doing "broad deployments" of all those options are in the single digits (other than terminal services, which is an old technology).

What should IT leaders make of these figures? First, a bit of context: If you're thinking this discussion sounds somewhat like "back to the future," you're right. Thin clients, which put the computing burden on servers not clients, have been around for decades. But today's virtualization technology is helping VMware offer a new take on thin desktop computing, one that could pose more of a threat to Intel and Microsoft than Wyse ever did. Understandably, Intel can't like a future picture of desktop computing that doesn’t require much CPU power at most user desktops. VMware has no such problem.

Second, compare these Intel survey numbers to CIO's survey on virtualization: In the CIO survey, 25 percent of enterprises said they were currently using desktop virtualization and another 13% said they planned to do so within a year. But 21 percent said it would be one to three years before you deployed, and 37 percent said they were not interested. (CIO's survey did not break out any questions on application streaming or OS streaming.)
ROI Confusion

That reaction to desktop virtualization looks quite different than the bear hug that enterprise IT has given server virtualization. Why? Desktop virtualization is harder to plan, and harder to calculate TCO figures for, says Burton Group senior analyst Chris Wolf.

"Desktop virtualization's greatest obstacle is the clarity of the business case, which is much more clear-cut with server virtualization," Wolf says. "Until the technology matures, you're not going to see the 12-18 month ROI that's common with server virtualization today. That's why I've seen enterprises willing to dip their toe in the water, but not quite ready to jump in feet first."

Moreover, says IDC research manager Stephen Elliot, many IT managers do not even yet fully understand the differences between the various flavors of desktop virtualization, application streaming and the like.

Elliot's reaction to the Intel survey: "It's great for causing more confusion in an already confused desktop virtualization marketplace," he says.

"Most enterprises are still figuring desktop virtualization out; architecture, model, technology, process impact, and security," Elliot says. "The net is that it's growing and appropriate for certain segments; but most users are still working through what is the 'model' that fits their business and technology needs, and most importantly how much will it cost and save."

So if your enterprise is working with desktop virtualization in a sandbox mode, say in a department or two, you certainly have plenty of company.

"Many of the large enterprises I have worked with that have virtual desktop deployments are usually only leveraging virtual desktops within a small department," says Burton Group's Wolf. "The majority of enterprises have been waiting for the technology to mature prior to committing to a hardware vendor, virtualization vendor, and virtual desktop management platform. So while an enterprise may have a virtual desktop solution in place, it is probably far from being a large scale solution at this time."
Streaming's Advantages

In presenting the survey, Intel's Ferron-Jones argued that application streaming and OS streaming offer advantages compared to VMware's vision of desktop virtualization, since these options can deliver streaming media such as video to clients more smoothly. (Citrix, which recently merged with virtualization pioneer Xen, is known in the application streaming market for its presentation server product.)

Intel raises a valid point, says Burton Group's Wolf. While Intel and VMware both have their own agendas, it's important for IT leaders to understand that all of these client computing options will not only survive but also improve in the next few years, Wolf says.

"All methods of application delivery will be deployed, as each has its advantages," Wolf says. "Vendors are actively working toward making application delivery transparent to end users. So eventually users will 'get' their applications and not necessarily know how they are delivered," Wolf says. That delivery will depend partly on the user's physical location and available bandwidth, he adds.

It's too early to judge how this battle for the next wave of client computing will ultimately play out in terms of Intel's market share.

"Ultimately, I believe that the desktop is getting sucked back into the datacenter and onto servers," says Forrester's Lambert. "This hosted model simply provides a better environment for IT to manage and secure."

"With that said, mobility is increasing and there will always be a need for laptops and other mobile devices," Lambert says. "In addition, consumers will always have their PCs that are not server-based. So, this is a mixed bag for Intel."

For enterprise IT, three realities seem clear for now. Vendors are keen to win your affection for the next round of client devices. They'll continue to cook up confusing terminology and jargon around client computing. And you'll have to do much more homework on desktop virtualization than you did on server virtualization.

Posted by staff at 04:09 PM | Comments (0)

Intel Study: Thin Client Competition Is Wide Open

Intel Study: Interestingly, the study found that the Terminal Services model isn't being newly adopted by companies at nearly the clip that other, newer models are. While 64 percent of respondents said their companies have deployed Terminal Services in some capacity, just an additional 2 percent reported plans to deploy within the next two years. That 3 percent growth rate is dwarfed by a 27 percent anticipated growth rate for the OS Streaming (15 percent current deployment to 19 percent within two years) and Blade PC (26 percent to 33 percent) models; 21 percent growth for Desktop Virtualization (39 percent to 47 percent); and 20 percent for Application Streaming (30 percent to 36 percent).

Source link on IT Channel News

Businesses are excited about client virtualization but no one model for getting there has a significant market lead over any other, according to a recent study conducted by Intel (NSDQ:INTC). That means there are plenty of opportunities for solution providers to advise companies exploring new compute models, says the manager of the chip giant's Emerging Model Program.

"The thin client story has been around for a long time, but there seems to be a resurgence of that story line in the industry. Yet when you look at the data, it's not playing out in terms of broad deployment," said Mike Ferron-Jones, discussing findings from Intel's "Emerging Compute Models & Their Status in the Market" study with ChannelWeb Thursday.

The study breaks out four "emerging compute models" and one older thick-client alternative, each of which has certain advantages and disadvantages, Ferron-Jones said. The "granddaddy" of thin-client (or more accurately, thin-terminal) technology is Terminal Services, represented by products like Citrix Presentation Server and Microsoft (NSDQ:MSFT) Terminal Server. The four emerging compute models studied by Intel are Virtual Hosted Desktop, Blade PC, OS + Application Streaming and Application Streaming.

While "virtualization" is often used in the popular press as a blanket term covering all thin-client models, the study separates the Virtual Hosted Desktop model from other, fundamentally different technologies. Intel is interested in those distinctions, Ferron-Jones said, "Because whatever model might be breaking away in the market will have profound impact on products we need to design for that market."

Among 705 "IT decision-makers" interviewed for the study, the most established alternative to thick-client systems, Terminal Services, scored highest in awareness of the compute model (96 percent); familiarity with the technology (84 percent); deployment in any capacity, including test installations (64 percent); and high-volume production installations (31 percent).

Interestingly, though, the study found that the Terminal Services model isn't being newly adopted by companies at nearly the clip that other, newer models are. While 64 percent of respondents said their companies have deployed Terminal Services in some capacity, just an additional 2 percent reported plans to deploy within the next two years. That 3 percent growth rate is dwarfed by a 27 percent anticipated growth rate for the OS Streaming (15 percent current deployment to 19 percent within two years) and Blade PC (26 percent to 33 percent) models; 21 percent growth for Desktop Virtualization (39 percent to 47 percent); and 20 percent for Application Streaming (30 percent to 36 percent).

"Everyone who wants it, already has it," said Ferron-Jones of Terminal Services, adding that while the data suggests that the newer models offer far more growth potential, "there's no breakaway winner in the market yet."

"If I had to pick a leader out of all of them, I'd say streaming as a whole is it, but that's a very tentative suggestion," he said, referring to the OS Streaming and Application Streaming models as technological "cousins" that could arguably be grouped in one bucket. Streaming solutions available now includeCitrix (NSDQ: CTXS) Provisioning Server and Dell (NSDQ:Dell) On-Demand Streaming Solution (OS Streaming) and Microsoft SoftGrid, Citrix Presentation Server, Altiris SVS, AppStream, LANDesk and Thinstall (Application Streaming).

While no single alternative compute technology is running away from the others, one company has far and away the most diverse presence in each of the emerging models. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-basedCitrix (NSDQ: CTXS) has leading products in all the models examined by Intel (NSDQ:INTC), including Terminal Services where it competes with Microsoft (NSDQ:MSFT) for leadership in the space.

Citrix also challenges VMware's Virtual Desktop Infrastructure with its own XenDesktop Server in the Virtual Hosted Desktop model, where Microsoft is becoming a player as well. That's important, because according to Ferron-Jones the different emerging compute models each have their pluses and minuses, and are tailored for different IT environments. Citrix is a leading vendor in four out of the five categories studied by Intel, the exception being Blade PCs, where HP and ClearCube are named as the top OEMs.

All five of the models offer the advantage of centralized data security and management of applications, or entire images in the case of OS Streaming and Virtual Hosted Desktop, Ferron-Jones said, a top reason cited by respondents for their interest in alternative compute models. Total cost of ownership (TCO) relative to "typically managed rich desktops" is another plus, with significant, roughly equal annual TCO savings for Terminal Services, Virtual Hosted Desktop and the streaming models. Blade PCs, with their high acquisition and conversion costs, don't fare so well on TCO.

Going the Blade PC route also requires vendor lock-in for hardware and tools that might diminish its appeal for some, said Ferron-Jones. On the other hand, the model provides the benefit of a single hardware stack for validation.

Other areas of concern for adopters include user customization capabilities, where Terminal Services breaks down in comparison to the newer models, the compute-intensive nature of Virtual Hosted Desktop, and some reported inefficiencies with sequencing OS and application streams to clients in the streaming models.

But the biggest downside to all of the emerging compute models is mobility, or a lack thereof, said Ferron-Jones. Application Streaming is the only alternative that offers anything approaching the mobility many end-users require, and that's limited at best, say some critics.

"The downside is that you're tethered to the network. Sure, you can be wired or wireless, so there's some level of portability, but as soon as the terminal goes off the network, you can't work with the applications," said Ferron-Jones.

Because mobility is "the the other big trend that's rocking the world," he believes rumors of the thick client's death have been greatly exaggerated, at least for the foreseeable future.

"Sure, I think that wireless broadband connectivity is going to grow. And perhaps someday in the future, we'll all be walking around in a universal cloud of broadband coverage. But we're not there today. And we're a long way from there. In the immediate future, there's still a lot of opportunity to build up people's ability to be productive in low bandwidth or out of band," Ferron-Jones said.

Posted by staff at 03:59 PM | Comments (0)

February 13, 2008

News release from Thruput

News from Thruput on graphics accelerator for Sun Ray 2FS that has the units driving 28 and 30 inch displays up to 2560 x 1600 (60 hz refresh). Exhibiting at ATC 08 in Amsterdam (March 11 -13)

Over the last year, SUN and UK partner THRUPUT integrated the Sun Ray 2FS with 28" (2048 x 2048) and 30" (2560 x 1600) displays, enabling the Sun Ray to be used for high resolution graphics applications.

Thruput Truepixeltm Technology enables the Sun Ray 2FS to drive:

* 28" 2048 x 2048 resolution GF VT 03.
* 30" 2560 x 1600 resolution GF VT 08.

In each case the Sun Ray 2FS is driving the monitors at their full native resolution and with screen refresh rates of 60 Hz.

Sun Ray 2FS thin client technology provides high levels of operational safety, integrity and resilience, and by the addition of the Thruput Truepixeltm monitors it may be used for high resolution graphics and imagery display applications.

Sun Ray 2FS uses a LAN (Copper or fibre) to interface with a remote host server, and includes a smart card facility for the user's access, settings and fall back modes. The monitor interface is DVI.

All Thruput Monitors support At-The-Glass video recording, dual external power supplies and toughened anti-reflective over-glass.

Sun Ray 2FS drives a 28" 2048 x 2048 resolution, GF VT 03 monitor, at full resolution and a screen refresh rate of 60 Hz. The image shows the Solaris 10 / Star Office desktop.

Sun Ray 2FS drives a 30" 2560 x 1600 resolution, GF VT 08 monitor, at full resolution and a screen refresh rate of 60 Hz. The image shows the Solaris 10 / Star Office desktop.

Thruput Limited have also been working with Sun to develop a graphics accelerator, that enables the Sun Ray 2FS to drive any high resolution screens (mostly 30 inch 2560 x 1600 and 28 inch 2048 x 2048, as shown in the attached diagram).

The unit simply plugs in line between the graphics port and the high resolution monitor. We are exhibiting the technology at ATC 08 in Amsterdam (March 11 -13).

Thruput Limited
14-15 Londonderry Farm, Keynsham Road, Willsbridge,
Bristol, BS30 6EL, UK

Web: http://www.thruput.co.uk/
Office: +44 117 932 85 85
Email: mailto:[email protected]
Fax: +44 117 932 93 39

Posted by staff at 03:34 AM | Comments (0)

February 02, 2008

New X90 mobile thin clients from Wyse

New X90 mobiles from Wyse with 1.2Ghz Via C7, 15.4 widescreen, and Gigiabit ethernet. Weigh less than 4 lbs. Dual video output. Nice additions to x90 line. The G90 of course desktop version and it's crossing the line into rich local client.

Wyse Extends Market Leadership with Addition of Two New Mobile Thin Clients for Virtualized Desktops

Wyse announced that it is extending its leadership position in the mobile thin client market by showing two new models -- Wyse X90L and X90Le. These new models will be added to the company's current mobile thin client product line making it the leading mobile thin client portfolio in the industry in terms of choice, functionality and performance.

These new models add to Wyse's current ultraportable mobile thin clients, the X90 and X90e, which feature 12.1-inch screens and sub-4 lb weight. Like the current units, the new models are based on Microsoft Windows(R) XP embedded, and address desktop replacement and display oriented applications with a large, bright 15.4-inch widescreen WXGA TFT display.

The X90L and X90Le deliver the benefits of being totally solid-state, by eliminating fans and spinning parts, and more secure by eliminating a local HDD. Wyse now provides the richest set of capabilities in the industry with its unmatched portfolio of mobile thin clients:

* Rich, multimedia support in virtualized environments
* Gigabit Ethernet
* VGA and DVI display outputs
* SD card slot for additional storage
* Bluetooth(TM) 2.0 for True mobility
* Integrated Smart card reader and Citrix Password Manager Client for 2 factor security

With a high-performance energy conserving Via C7M ULV 1.2 GHz processor, the Wyse X90L/X90Le mobile thin client gives the best power and flexibility for a mobile user. Like all Wyse mobile thin clients, users can easily leverage desktop virtualization solutions such as Citrix Presentation Server and Citrix XenDesktop, VMware Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) and Microsoft Windows Terminal Server environments as well as get access to existing back-end infrastructure using the Ericom - PowerTerm Terminal Emulation.

"Wyse continues to be a key partner of ours for desktop delivery solutions," said Scott Herren, Group Vice President and General Manager, Application Virtualization Group, for Citrix Systems. "Wyse's new desktop appliances deliver a strong value proposition to office workers. Combined with Citrix XenDesktop as a complete VDI solution, Citrix and Wyse can deliver virtual desktops at a low total cost of ownership and best user experience."

Both the Wyse X90L and X90Le offer mobile professionals advanced functionality such as multimedia video playback, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, and USB 2.0 support. These are also the first mobile thin clients to offer Gigabit network connectivity for access to the fastest LAN connections. Insurance adjusters can access customer files from the office or field, taking pictures and sending them to the office via the integrated SD card reader.

Mobility away from the office or Wi-Fi is accomplished by selecting an Express Card from local wireless network providers, or through the X90Le, which adds integrated Bluetooth 2.0 for true mobility, enabling access to networked servers via mobile phone data connections, saving the need for additional hardware and data plan.

The X90Le model also includes a built-in smart card reader with Citrix Password Manager pre-installed for convenient and effective two factor security. And because these Wyse mobile thin clients are designed for access to applications that are fully managed in the data center, they are inherently more secure from theft, viruses and other malicious software attacks.

"These mobile thin clients were designed from the ground up to deliver all the benefits of thin computing without compromising performance, features or flexibility," said Jeff McNaught, Chief Marketing Officer for Wyse Technology. "These are not traditional PC laptops that have been gutted or retro-fitted to work in the thin computing environment. With the Wyse X90L and X90Le, users get the flexibility of a mobile form factor, while being able to take advantage of the hallmarks of thin computing -- a secure, reliable and easy to manage operating environment."

"Given the shift and preference users have towards notebooks, it's critical for thin client vendors to come up with a solid mobile product offering," said Bob O'Donnell, Vice President at IDC. "Mobile thin client shipments are poised for strong growth and represent 2.5 percent of the market. Over time we expect that percentage will increase."

Ideal for road warriors, both models are easy to carry at just over 5 Lbs with battery and include external VGA and DVI outputs for connecting to projectors or external monitors. The Wyse X90L and X90LE mobile thin clients will ship in volume this quarter. For more information on Wyse mobile thin clients solutions visit http://www.wyse.com/products/hardware/thinclients

Posted by staff at 03:56 PM | Comments (0)

News from Wyse - new O/S enahncements

Latest version of Wyse O/S. The USB virtualization is going to be pretty handy and 802.1x security protocol support. Wyse is also certified with Cisco and LEAP we think.

Source Link

Wyse announced at Citrix World that it has enhanced its flagship operating system, Wyse Thin OS, including new features and functionality for popular desktop virtualization environments from Citrix Systems, Microsoft and VMware. Wyse Thin OS is the industry's most popular "purpose built" thin client operating system, which now offers users IEEE 802.1X security protocol support, and USB virtualization capabilities for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) solutions provided by Citrix and VMware.

Wyse Thin OS 6.1 maintains its status as the smallest, fastest and most secure purpose-built operating system for thin computing. This ultra-thin operating system boots in seconds, automatically updates itself, and allows users to easily leverage their investments in Citrix Presentation Server(TM) and Citrix XenDesktop(TM), as well as VMware(R) VDI/VDM solutions.

"We have millions of users, across all industries, who rely heavily on Wyse Thin OS to deliver mission critical information everyday," said Jeff McNaught, Chief Marketing Officer for Wyse Technology, Inc. "Our latest version of Wyse Thin OS is targeted at the knowledge worker who wants the richest experience, including multimedia, multi-display, and USB peripheral capabilities on a thin client. This breakthrough broadens the appeal of thin computing, allowing users to leverage existing IT investments while extending performance and security capabilities beyond what's previously been possible."

Wyse listened to the thin computing community and added more robust desktop virtualization features to Wyse Thin OS while maintaining its rock solid security. Key new features on Wyse Thin OS include USB virtualization which eliminates the need to have device drivers installed locally on the client, making network administration a breeze. By virtualizing USB peripherals, hundreds of USB 1.1/2.0 devices are now supported and compatible with Wyse Thin OS including printers, scanners, storage devices, Palm(R), BlackBerry(TM), and Microsoft(R) Pocket PC hand helds.

"Our partnership with Wyse continues to drive key innovations that will help enable the emerging desktop virtualization market," said Mick Hollison, VP of Product Management for the Desktop Delivery Group at Citrix Systems. "This will enable our joint customers to easily adopt desktop virtualization and leverage the increasing power and manageability of desktop appliances for providing customers the best possible user experience at the lowest cost."

Other enhancements to Wyse Thin OS include tighter integration with the Citrix ICA(R) client allowing all configurations for Citrix application delivery infrastructure to be made centrally from Wyse end-point devices. Also, Wyse Thin OS includes IEEE 802.1X security protocol support which enhances network authentication. As a result, Wyse Thin OS provides thin- client users with a simple solution that delivers big on performance, management and security.

"We use Wyse Thin OS to help automate and streamline our patient care workflow procedures throughout the hospital," said Lenny Goodman, Director, Desktop Management Group for Baptist Memorial Health Care in Memphis, Tennessee. "We designed our IT systems from the patient's bedside back to the data center so healthcare professionals have real-time access to vital information resulting in quicker access to patient data at the point-of-care. The latest software offering from Wyse helps us achieve this by delivering a fast, secure, manageable and robust operating system for our thin computing needs."

"We've been using Wyse Thin OS for years," said Rod Lefever, CTO for Susquehanna Bancshares, Inc. "The latest version incorporates key features that will allow us to leverage our existing investment in Citrix technology while augmenting and improving network security. We expect this new product offering from Wyse to deliver an even faster, more robust and versatile operating system for thin computing that meets the demanding IT needs of our users across multiple departments and offices."

Wyse Thin OS 6.1 is available today and requires only 32MB of RAM and has an unpublished API, making it one of the smallest, most secure operating systems on the market. It delivers twice the typical screen drawing performance per CPU cycle as other options, and utilizes a "zero-management" model that provides for self-management, reducing the need for additional management software. For more information visit http://www.wyse.com/products/software/os/.

Posted by staff at 03:48 PM | Comments (0)

January 26, 2008

BOSaNOVA raises performance bar

Units from BOSaNOVA now come with 1.5Ghz VIA cpu, built-in WiFi, Dual Video with widescreen support and PCI & PCMCIA slots. Graphics is 8X AGP processor. Also LX800 cpu now offered. XPe, Linux or CE...Nice!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:

Jennifer Phillips
Marketing Director
BOSaNOVA, Inc.
Phone: 866-865-5250 x350
Email: [email protected]

BOSaNOVA Announces Performance Upgrades on Their Thin Client Line

Phoenix, AZ – January 21, 2008 – BOSaNOVA, Inc., the market leader in development of Thin Clients and Network Appliances announces today an increase in performance on a number of their thin client devices.

The BOSaNOVA 1300 Series has received a power boost. The updated 1300 Series is powered by one of the fastest processors available, the high speed 1.5 GHz VIA processor CPU. Two versions are available - Linux (LTC-1300) and XPe (XTC-1300).

The new versions of the LTC-1300 and XTC-1300 are available with an 802.11 b/g internal wireless option, Dual Video with Wide Screen support, and built in PCI and PCMCIA slots for additional flexibility. Additionally, both units boast the 8X AGP Graphics Accelerator, one of the fastest graphics processor available in a thin client.

BOSaNOVA's lower end (73xx) RBT units are now shipping with the LX800 processor offering exceptional performance and low power consumption within a small form factor. Weighing in at less than 1 lb, these units allow for flexible mounting options and lower shipping costs. The feature rich RBT thin clients are available in XPe, Linux and CE.Net.

"Over the years BOSaNOVA has delivered a wide-range of high performance, reliable thin clients. We stay on top of the latest technology and continually look for ways to improve our units," says BOSaNOVA President, Martin Pladgeman. "In the ever changing thin client market, BOSaNOVA is committed to offering the newest, most feature-rich devices available."

Despite the increased performance, pricing remains the same on both the 1300 and RBT Series. The updated RBT and 1300 Series thin clients are available for purchase through BOSaNOVA's resellers. For sales information contact BOSaNOVA, Inc. toll-free at (866) 865-5250, or send e-mail to: [email protected]. For more details on the products, visit BOSaNOVA online at www.bosanova.net.

About BOSaNOVA, Inc.
BOSaNOVA, Inc is a privately held company headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. The company is principally engaged in the design and development of security solutions, thin clients and network appliances. The company's solutions include a highly refined user interface, remote management software, and performance optimization. The company's products are sold through a worldwide network of IBM and CITRIX Business Partners. Industry affiliations include membership in IBM's PartnerWorld for Developers, Citrix Global Alliance Partner Program, and the Microsoft Partner Program. For more information, visit www.bosanova.net.

Posted by staff at 05:38 PM | Comments (0)

HP Release New Thin Clients

From NY Times: three new thin clients from HP including new laptop with no local storage, 3G and Windows XP ($725 retail). Also the 573x with either XP or Debian. HP is forging ahead on thin clients it appears.

Source link

H.P. Unveils Mobile Thin Client
By JON BRODKIN, Network World, IDG

HP unveiled its first mobile thin client and two additional desktop thin client products Thursday, as the vendor continues to ramp up its desktop virtualization technology following the acquisition of former competitor Neoware.

HP has more than doubled research and development investments in thin client technology over the past 18 months, while adding development centers in Pennsylvania, France and Shanghai to house engineers working on new thin clients and related technology, says Tad Bodeman, director of the blade PC and thin clients group at HP.

Thin client technology has been around for years, but HP officials say it's ready to grow in popularity because of increased concerns about security and energy usage.

HP's moves come four months after rival Wyse unveiled two mobile thin clients with integrated smart card and Bluetooth support.

Mobile thin clients could solve the problem of missing laptops that expose sensitive information, says Thai Nguyen, an HP marketing manager. HP's mobile thin client accesses data remotely but doesn't store data itself, she says.

"A lot of people are concerned about data security on desktops and notebooks," says Klaus Besier, Neoware's former CEO, who is now vice president for thin clients in the HP personal systems group. "That drives a lot of the interest in thin client technology to really replace the traditional PC or notebook where appropriate."

Eighteen months ago, HP had only one thin client development center, in Houston, before adding a new one in France, Bodeman says. The acquisition of Neoware, completed two months ago, allowed HP to take over the smaller company's technology and facilities in Shanghai and Pennsylvania.

Including the acquisition of Neoware, HP officials say they have quadrupled their headcount in thin client engineering. With the combined expertise of HP and Neoware, Bodeman says HP has focused on better delivery of processing and graphics capabilities to remote clients, and improving wireless capabilities of the mobile thin clients.

"We're combining the most powerful processing and graphics capability with HP's remote graphics software, so we're able to deliver a stellar rich media experience, which has been one of the challenges for desktop replacement alternatives," Bodeman says. "HP's also integrated the same wireless technology we ship today in mobile notebooks into these thin clients."

Depending on the workloads, dozens of users can be supported by one server, while between four and six users can be supported by one console or "master thin client," HP officials say. HP partners with Microsoft, Citrix and VMware to provide virtualization software.

The mobile thin client HP is announcing today is called the HP Compaq 6720t Mobile Thin Client. Running Microsoft Windows XP, this mobile thin client has no hard drive, fan or other moving parts, but does support Wi-Fi-powered wireless LAN, and 3G broadband wireless capabilities, HP says. The client, which has a 15.4-inch screen, will be available in late January starting at US$725.

"Data files and software applications are saved remotely on a secure server [to] help reduce the risk of data loss, viruses and product theft," HP states. "Client management is simplified, as IT administrators are able to remotely install, manage, update and execute application software."

The two new desktop thin clients are the HP Compaq t5730 (running Windows XP) and HP Compaq t5735 (running Debian Linux). These thin clients provide controlled user access and support two-factor user authentication, HP says. HP promises "desktop-like features, high-end graphics, [and] the HP Secure USB Compartment," which can be hidden and locked.

The Windows version starts at $499 and the Linux client starts at $450.

Posted by staff at 05:34 PM | Comments (0)

January 03, 2008

CLI special offer

CLI running "Bakers Dozen" special for their MT1500.

BAKER’S DOZEN" SPECIAL PROMOTION
Buy 12, get 1 "on the house"*

Great features at a great price:

The MT1500** thin client - CLI’s most popular model. Click here to find out why!!
specs

RDP and Citrix ICA to access Windows applications running on Microsoft Terminal Services, VDI infrastructure on VMWARE and other virtualization platforms.

Only uses 5 watts of energy which can save hundreds of dollars over the life of the product verses a PC. Be sure to check out all of our Green thin clients.

Zero footprint, including VESA-compliant monitor / wall mounting system, to conserve space and ease installation and use.
Centralized management with bundled CLI SNMP Administrator software.

To request a Risk-Free Evaluation Unit, click here, call 1-800-727-5250 x312, email us, or visit our web site http://www.computerlab.com.

The table below shows the power draw for the following CLI thin clients:

Product OFF ON Option

ET2000 0w 6w 

MT1200g 1.2w 4.8w 

MT1500g 2.4w 4.8w 

MT1560g 2.4w 6.9w [wireless]

MT3500x 2.4w 7.2w 

MT3560x 2.4w 8.4w [wireless]

ET4500g 3.6w 20.4w 

2. The power readings were real world readings taken with an AMP meter when the terminal was being used under normal business conditions. Higher processor load resulting from streaming video or other processor intensive applications may result in slightly higher power consumption.

3. The readings were taken on current product models. Future hardware revisions or older designs may result in different readings.

Posted by staff at 01:59 PM | Comments (0)

December 28, 2007

A Linux thin client for every child

Story/Interview of Stephen Dukker of Ncomputing by ZDnet.co.uk in which he talks about Macedonia project which was 7 users per $350. Sounds like the X300 and it does run Ubuntu fine (just takes some tweaks).

Source Link

The One Laptop per Child scheme sounds like a smart way to solve the digital divide, but NComputing boss Stephen Dukker thinks he has a better idea

In September this year, the Macedonian government announced one of the most ambitious educational technology projects ever proposed: to provide 180,000 of its school-age children with computer access.

The former Yugoslav republic has latched onto the potential of IT to drag it ahead of its Balkan neighbours and committed to transforming a largely agricultural and industrial economy into a knowledge-based one.

According to Ivo Ivanovsky, Macedonia's minister for information society: "The Computer for Every Child initiative is the largest and most important education project undertaken in the 15-year history of the Republic of Macedonia... Our goal is to build a knowledge-based economy in which our entire workforce is educated using information and communication technology within the next five years."

Aside from the logistics of rolling out new infrastructure on this scale, the obvious question is, how can a country that hardly ranks as one of the world's financial powerhouses afford a project that would stretch the resources of the richest economy? Step forward thin-client specialist NComputing and its cut-down, bloat-free approach to personal computing. The company's X-300 solid state devices allow a standard PC to act as a mini server, powering up to seven thin-client terminals.

ZDNet.co.uk caught up with NComputing's chief executive Stephen A Dukker to find out why Macedonia is betting its children's future on his company's technology, and why thin client is a better answer to bridging the digital divide than a green laptop.

What do you want to achieve with NComputing that other IT manufacturers haven't done already?
We are focused on dramatically increasing the base [of computer users] by reducing the cost. The user market has been stuck for nearly 10 years at 850 million users, which is generally seen as excluding the developing world. Gartner and IDC claim the developing world represents anything from 755 million to 855 million new users, but there are also large numbers in the so-called under-served markets in our own home communities.

In the US, the most crying need for computing suites is in education — as in the UK — where educational institutions are trying to achieve the goal of one computer station per student. In the US we are at the miserable level of one computer station per six or seven students.

If we find a solution to enable this next major wave of users, the implications on existing usage patterns and users are quite profound as well. If we find ways to open up these very large markets — that is primarily economic — we could revolutionise efficiency and usage of computing in the developed world too, as there is nothing in the solution that is unique to the developing world.

The project you are currently engaged with in Macedonia sounds like a massive undertaking, and possibly a record in terms of a thin-client deployment.
As far as we know this is the first country-wide, full education deployment where they made the commitment to equip every single student seat in every single school in Macedonia with a computer workstation, and achieve a one-to-one student-to-computer rating, which is the best in the world.

They will be rolling out 180,000 student seats, of which 100,000 are being done right now over a five-month period. They are going into high schools because those students are the closest to entering the workplace and they want them to be computer-literate. Next year 80,000 additional seats are being rolled out into primary schools.

These 180,000 seats make up 50 percent of the students in the country because they don't have enough classrooms for all the students, so in essence half of the students go to school in the morning from 6am till noon, and the other half go from noon to 6pm. This way, 180,000 seats service nearly 40,000 students.

What's the background to this deal? How can a relatively poor country such as Macedonia justify spending this much money and effort on computing?
With the election of the new prime minister [Nikola Gruevski in August 2006], his particular agenda that got him elected was a major commitment to upgrading the educational infrastructure of the country. If they were to join the ranks of the developed world, they had to be a knowledge- and information-based society.

This is the single largest commitment for funds in the history of the country. They committed €30m (£22m) out of a total country budget of €1.8bn (£1.3bn) for education. They said that their usual education budget is about €800,000 (£580,000) — so that's a huge step forward. The people in the country agreed to a special tax assessment to help pay for this as they recognised that this was going to be the most important investment they could make.

Most of the former Yugoslavian countries, Bosnia, Croatia, and so on, are going out for education restructuring in 2008, and we hope this is going to be...

...the template for these deployments. It is also interesting to note the Chinese government has also been very active in this area; in fact the company that won this deployment was the Haier Company, which is one of the largest industrial concerns in China.

We are not entirely certain, but we believe there has been some grant allocation by China to help some of these economies pay for this technology.

How much was the Macedonian government able to save by opting for the thin-client route compared to buying regular PCs?
The next lowest bid was twice the cost and was based around thin-client technology from Wyse. The specific metrics are that we have seven users per $350 (£170) PC — which shows how powerful the devices are. [Each PC acts a server powering seven thin NComputing terminals]. Our client devices run the Edge Ubuntu version of the Ubuntu operating system with OpenOffice.

Some developing countries can be resistant to open source as they want to use the software they associate with developed countries — that is, Windows and Office. Was this a problem in Macedonia?
Our product will work just fine under Microsoft Windows as well, but this was purely the decision made by the Macedonian government in terms of wanting to use open-source tools. Microsoft was involved in the programme, proposing using Windows XP Home Edition, but the government decided it wanted to stay with open-source. This was a decision the government made associated with wanting very low-cost infrastructure. [The decision was made] not just for the students to learn technology but, as they transition to the business community, having a very low-cost technology for businesses [is beneficial] as well.

They are looking to jump-start a whole ecosystem in the country around open source, according to their minister for information. Over a five-year period, they want to become an information- and knowledge-based society. This will allow their kids to be competitive with kids from Western Europe, the minister believes.

What percentage saving do you think there might have been with the open-source approach, as opposed to the government opting for Microsoft Windows and Office?
I am guessing in this deployment it is about $600,000 (£290,000) total deployment difference, because I believe Microsoft was offering their per user unlimited potential programme. That is actually quite small considering the entire deployment was about €30m.

The cost of maintenance is quite low, however, and actually relates to the 20,000 PCs that were deployed, rather than the 180,000 thin-client workstations, because the workstations themselves are maintenance-free. They have basically one chip in them, no moving parts — [and] consume one watt, compared to 120W for a PC.

Also, the Macedonian government acknowledged that any technology deployment they made would be obsolete in five years and the costs of upgrading the infrastructure in five years means they would never be able to afford to upgrade PCs every five years. But they can afford to upgrade the 20,000 shared PCs because they don't have to upgrade the attached terminal devices as they will behave like any PC they are attached to.

How does that work with licensing? Does a user organisation of your technology pay per server PC, per thin-client workstation, or another metric?
With our infrastructure, there is no additional charge for the software. When you purchase our terminal devices, it includes our software that includes the multi-user environment. With regards the operating system and the applications, that is unique to the integrator but with Microsoft you would pay per seat. For education they have numerous discounts. In the UK, for example, they have the open education discount programme which can reduce the cost per seat down to about £1 for the operating system and £20 for Office.

So a seat in this example is one user using Office through one of your terminals?
That is correct. This technology was not developed as an educational technology but it just turns out because it is very low cost and does not require certified network engineers to install the software — it's self-configuring. It is extremely easy to deploy, as evidenced by rolling out 100,000 of these devices in five months.

How does the terminal management compare to managing a traditional local area network of PCs? Does it lend itself to the teaching environment in that a teacher can control what appears on a pupil's terminal?
We have a complete set of tools so that if a teacher is sitting in front of a screen, or two screens or three screens or however many, the teacher can observe up to 128 thumbnails of screens, and they don't need any knowledge of the architecture to do this. The teacher just enters the name of the students, and can be observing...

...the students in the physical local classroom. Or, if there was a classroom in London and another one in Liverpool, as long as there was IP connectivity between the server devices, you can manage remote classrooms as well as local ones.

All the tech support can be done remotely, as long as there is an IP connection. This applies to call centres too. If this was being used in a commercial situation, a call-centre supervisor could do the same thing with call-centre staff in terms of monitoring their systems.

Certain teaching skills are very rare in Macedonia — particularly science skills — so this technology allows one teacher in one location to teach multiple classes through real-time, online learning. It is really extremely cool.

Does your thin-client system require high-spec PCs to act as servers, or will it work with older machines?
[In terms of] what class of machine will support our solution, we recommend anything that contains hyperthreading technology or beyond — so a Pentium IV with hyperthreading is a very reasonable machine for this kind of technology.

PCs that are in the neighbourhood of three years to four years old are very adaptable to using the technology.

Which other countries' educational systems have you deployed this technology into?
In June, the Vietnamese education board announced that they had chosen our technology as the standard computing architecture for every school in the country and they intend to deploy it in the next three years. They haven't started deploying it yet because they are waiting on funding.

But it's also being taken up in the US. In North Carolina we actually sold two school districts in that state. Strictly by word of mouth, in six months 17 other districts decided to acquire this technology and deploy 13,000 seats over that period. That has to be one of the biggest viral deployments of technology ever recorded.

Given that this is such a powerful model and so many countries are deploying it, what has held it back until now? We have been told for years that thin client is the future.
If you take a look at how thin-client computing has been deployed up to this point, everything has been focused around enterprise users.

If we look at the components that make this possible — on the software side, to be able to deploy multi-user computing, only three companies can do this. Citrix, a billion dollar company focusing completely on the enterprise; Microsoft itself through Windows Terminal Service — again focused on the enterprise; and, thirdly, VMware. These companies price this technology from $200 (£97) to $400 (£194) per seat just for the multi-user software.

Also, thin clients have traditionally been stripped-down PCs. However, our software infrastructure, which we call the desktop virtualisation infrastructure, has been a 12-year development effort with over 1,000 man years of development time. Compare that to machine virtualisation with VMware, where every user runs their own virtual computer with their own copy of the operating system and their own copy of the applications. Our technology takes a single copy of the application and the operating systems and allows multiple user desktops to be created sharing the same OS and the same physical copies of the applications, which results in incredibly optimised memory performance. VMware's guidelines are 1GB per user. We support seven users per gigabyte.

What we have said is that we are going to take this enterprise technology into an enabling technology, and it has been truly remarkable in terms of the uptake in education and other applications.

It is a very different model to that pushed by Nicholas Negroponte and the OLPC project. He claims that children will only really engage with computers if they have some sense of ownership of the device.
There is about 4,000 to 5,000 years of history and learning associated with teaching children in classrooms. Whether one-to-one usage of PCs versus investing in more teachers and classrooms makes sense — I don't know. There are often very limited economic resources available, and our approach has been to fundamentally reduce to the minimum the cost of the infrastructure. We would rather leave it to the educators and the politicians to decide how best to deploy the technology.

Also, we are a relatively unknown company. We have not had the PR impact that OLPC has, but in the past year we have sold half a million seats — and have two countries basing their whole computing infrastructure on our devices.

The last point I would make about introducing technology where there is not a substantial amount of technology existing is: who does the maintenance, who does the repair, who does the training? There are no IT ecosystems, there are no PC companies in these communities and in the OLPC model it requires the government to take those responsibilities. [It's different from] our model that allows a local IT environment to grow up around it. All our distributions have been done using local partners.

Posted by staff at 08:57 PM | Comments (0)

December 13, 2007

New 7-inch touch pc from Kontron

New 7-inch micro-client from Kontron. Has touchscreen and supports Linux, CE and XPe. 330 nits. Comes with Celeron so not sure what power dissipation is. Front panel is IP65 sealed.

Source Link

Kontron has added a smaller, "cost conscious" LCD option to its line of thin-client HMI (human-machine interface) subsystems. The M@C70 Micro Client is based on the company's ETX-format SBCs (single-board computers), has a touchscreen LCD, and supports Linux.

The M@C70 Micro Client targets a wide variety of thin client, web client, user terminal, and control-oriented applications, according to the company. Except for its 7-inch WVGA (800x480) display and smaller overall size, the device is technically similar to the 15-inch M@C150 that occupies the top of the Micro Client range.

The device is offered with processors up to a 600MHz Celeron M, and with up to 1GB of SDRAM. Standard communication ports include 10/100 Ethernet, two USB, and one RS232 (RS422/485 optional). Other optional features include CAN bus, battery backed SRAM, and function keys.

Thanks to a passive cooling design, the unit's installation depth is just under 2 inches, or about 50 mm, according to Kontron. The front panel is sealed to IP65 and, unlike the larger devices in the Micro Client series, the M@C70 is VESA-mountable.

Features and specifications cited by Kontron include:

* Processor -- up to 600GHz Celeron
* Memory -- up to 1GB
* Display:
o 7-inch TFT touchscreen
o 800 x 480 resolution
o 330-nit brightness
* Networking -- 2 x 10/100 Ethernet
* Other I/O:
o 2 x USB 2.0
o 1 x RS232 (RS422/485 optional)
o CAN bus (optional)
* Expansion -- CompactFlash
* Operating temperature -- 0 to 50 deg. C
* Dimensions -- 9.25 x 6.6 x 1.9 inches (235 x 168 x 49 mm)

In addition to Linux, Kontron also provides support for Windows CE and Windows XP Embedded. The selected embedded OS is available pre-installed on a CompactFlash card, Kontron says.

The M@C150 appears to be immediately available, but the company has not disclosed pricing information.

Posted by Staff at 01:51 PM | Comments (0)

Lenovo Offers Thin Clients from Wyse

Said Maryam Alexandrian, senior vice president of worldwide sales and channels, Wyse. “Together Wyse and Lenovo are making it easier for customers to have the most complete, reliable and secure solutions for today’s demanding computing requirements.”

Source Link

Lenovo and Wyse Technology announced a new agreement today that extends Lenovo’s PC portfolio with Wyse thin client computing technology. The agreement offers Lenovo customers around the world access to a wide selection of thin clients, including management and multimedia software that complements Lenovo’s notebooks and desktop PCs.

Customers can now purchase Wyse solutions directly from Lenovo, choosing from Wyse’s recently expanded, comprehensive product line that includes desktop thin clients, mobile thin client notebooks and advanced multimedia acceleration software that integrates with Citrix, Microsoft and VMware desktop virtualization solutions. Key software components such as Wyse Thin OS, Wyse Device Manager, a device and asset management tool for networked resources and Wyse WSM, thin client provisioning software, will also be available to Lenovo customers worldwide.

“Adding solutions from Wyse Technology to our ThinkPad notebook and ThinkCentre desktop portfolio will give our customers a complete, industry-leading technology solution all in one place” said Steve Petracca, senior vice president, Software and Peripherals, Lenovo. “With customers in all industries, especially healthcare and finance utilizing thin client technology, this partnership helps integrate a customer’s thin client and other PC requirements.”

Complementing an organization’s overall PC environment, thin clients can help provide a secure, reliable and cost-effective solution with central storage of applications and data along with low power consumption and reduced hardware and IT maintenance costs. Combined with Lenovo’s Think-branded portfolio of PCs, customers can benefit from a solution providing the highest levels of performance while helping to lower the total cost of technology ownership.

“As the global leader in thin computing, Wyse provides the technologies customers trust to help run their business,” said Maryam Alexandrian, senior vice president of worldwide sales and channels, Wyse. “Together Wyse and Lenovo are making it easier for customers to have the most complete, reliable and secure solutions for today’s demanding computing requirements.”

Published Wednesday, December 12, 2007 5:40 AM by David Marshall

Posted by Staff at 01:43 PM | Comments (0)

November 17, 2007

Europe's Largest Thin Client Tender Goes to Chip PC

Twenty-thousand terminals for RZF in Germany (80% by end of 2007). Chip PC has the world's smallest Power-Over-Ethernet (PoE) thin clients (known as Jack) and also the Xtreme PC. Units offer Vmware VDI and can connect the usual RDP or Citrix. Remote monitoring by Xcalibur Global Management software.

Press Release

Chip PC Wins Europe's Largest Thin Client Tender to Supply 20,000 Thin Clients and Management Software to German RZF - Financial Administration of North Rhine-Westphalia County
Notizia pubblicata in rete il 13/11/2007 09.00, tempo medio di lettura previsto 2 minuti e 58 secondi

ESSEN, Germany, November 13 /PRNewswire/ --
- 80% of the Devices are Deployed by the End of 2007 and the Rest by Q1 2008. Chip PC Devices are Managed by Xcalibur Global Policies, Active Directory Tasks and Permissions Allocation and User-Level Management.

Chip PC industry-leading thin client solutions were chosen to fulfill demanding requirements of German RZF - Financial Administration of North Rhine-Westphalia County to supply 20,000 thin clients and management software; Chip PC devices will be centrally and remotely managed by Xcalibur Global Management Suite, including intelligent usage of policies, Active Directory tasks and permissions allocation and User-level management in addition to device configuration and control.

Chip PC was chosen to supply at a short time frame Europe's largest single thin client deployment to German Financial Administration of North Rhine-Westphalia County (RZF North-Rhine/Westphalia). Chip PC devices were chosen after a careful selective process highlighting manageability and security aspects of the Chip PC solution.
RZF is a modern public sector services enterprise employing more than 30,000 employees and serving approximately 18 Million citizens of North Rhine Westphalia County. Data security and integrity are a crucial factor for RZF.

"I am excited about the deployment of Chip PC solutions at RZF. Xcalibur Global strong management software will enable a quick, smooth roll-out of thousands of devices. The customer has wisely chosen the Domain Authenticator software extension to enable User-level control in addition to device-level management. Xcalibur Global intelligent usage of Active Directory policies, tasks and permissions allocation will contribute to a very short learning cycle for RZF IT experts. Chip PC's products and service have raised the bar in providing well thought out solution sets for the computing marketplace," says Mr Stephan Herkert, VP Sales Europe, Chip PC.

About Chip PC
Chip PC is a global technology leader in the area of Server Centric solutions, featuring:
- Control - policy-based Management Software fit for large scale environments
- Performance - micro form-factor, powerful thin clients
- Security -highly-secured solutions including Fiber Optic network interface, PKI Smart Card solutions, Users authentication and much more.

Chip PC solutions cover the complete spectrum from user smart desktop access point to Active-Directory-based management software.
Chip PC offers a wide range of thin-client hardware platforms featuring patented technologies and is the first and only vendor to offer thin-client small enough to fit inside an existing LAN jack - Jack-PC.

The Xcalibur Global platform, developed and patented by Chip PC, is the only thin-client management platform that offers full integration with Active Directory and scalability to the hundred of thousands clients scale.

http://www.chippc.com
2007 Chip PC (Israel) Ltd, Chip PC GmBH, Chip PC (UK) Ltd., Chip PC Inc. All rights reserved. Xcalibur Global, Chip PC and the Chip PC logo are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Chip PC. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Contact: Ms. Ronit Pasternak, Tel: +972-4-8501-121, [email protected]

Contact: Ms. Ronit Pasternak, Tel: +972-4-8501-121, [email protected].

Posted by Staff at 04:02 PM | Comments (0)

October 21, 2007

Norhtec unveils $85 linux thin client

Bangkok-based Norhtec has unveiled a sub-$85 mini-PC claimed to be the most affordable Linux thin client system to date. The "ultra-low-power" MicroClient JrSX is based on a 300MHz x86-compatible SoC (system-on-chip) and includes both CompactFlash and 2.5-inch hard drive storage options, along with 10/100Mbps Ethernet networking.

SOURCE LINK - Full story

Like all of Norhtec's MicroClients, the JrSX is passively cooled and designed to handle high temperatures and humidity. Intended as a low-cost 32-bit embedded x86 platform for linking peripherals to the Internet, the system is ideal, according to Norhtec, for integrating security, access control, and other sensor systems. It can run any Linux distribution compiled to support floating point emulation, the company claims.

Norhtec's sub-$85 Linux box targets embedded and thin client applications

The JrSX ships with 128MB of DDR RAM, three USB 2.0 slots, one Type I/II CompactFlash slot, and a 10/100Mbps Ethernet LAN port. Options include dual RS232 ports, mini-PCI, WiFi, 24-bit GPIO (general purpose I/O lines), a 2.5-inch hard drive, and battery backup.

Measuring just 4.5 x 4.5 x 1.4 inches (115 x 115 x 35 mm), the JrSX weighs in at a light 18 ounces (505 gm). For convenience in pairing it up with a flat-panel monitor, the system provides VESA-compliant mounting holes, enabling it to be attached directly to the rear of VESA flat panels.

Posted by Staff at 02:30 PM | Comments (0)

October 16, 2007

Neoware YouTube Campaign

Interesting new marketing tactic by Neoware. Email comes with message "Ever wondered what would happen if a 10-year-old took an Industrial Strength Thin Client Computer to school? The Neoware e900 has been mounted to forklifts and stood up to freezing temperatures and inclimate weather, but can it stand up to the challenge of being a boy’s primary computing option? Take a look and see for yourself. Enjoy!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noHSQm3stog

Posted by Staff at 07:21 PM | Comments (0)

October 15, 2007

Micro-sized RDP client from NEC

NEC announces a tiny PC dubbed US110. The NEC US110 supports virtual PC screen transfer and high-speed video rendering for video conferencing.

NEC US110 Palm-Sized Thin Client PC

Posted on Mon, 15 Oct 2007 04:39:15 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr
Source Link
More Notebooks and PCs News
NEC US110 Palm-Sized Thin Client PC

NEC announces a tiny PC dubbed US110. The NEC US110 supports virtual PC screen transfer and high-speed video rendering for video conferencing.

The thin-client PC measures only 150x94x30.4mm and weighs 350g.
5 USB 2.0 ports, VGA, microphone input, line-out terminals (stereo mini-jack), keyboard, and Gigabit LAN adaptor are the available interfaces of the US110.

The US110 thin client supports RDP5.5 (Microsoft Windows Server 2003 TerminalService / Microsoft Windows XP RemoteDesktop connection and ICA10.0 (Citrix Presentation Server 4.5).

The price of the NEC US110 is 49,000 yen (~$416) in Japan. NEC is also releasing the US110 outside of Japan.

NEC also announced a thin-client notebook dubbed US60. The US60 has a Celeron CPU, 512MB RAM and a 12.1 inch screen.
Via this NEC press-release (Japanese).
http://www.nec.co.jp/press/ja/0710/1503.html

Posted by Staff at 08:58 PM | Comments (0)

Hardware thin-client turns XP Home, Linux into 10-user terminal server

From show in Argentina, new device/server from MUPtech "turn any PC into 2, 10, up to 30 PCs!". Much more persuasive then using techspeak as they say. VNC in a box apparently. The host PC needs a minium of a single-core P4 3.2GHz with 1GB RAM for up to seven users and 2GB RAM for 10 users. To go up to 30 users you need to use Windows 2000 or 2003 Server.

Expo Comm 2007 Argentina MUP-PC looks like an Nstation in disguise

By Fernando Cassia: Monday, 15 October 2007, 1:06 PM

LOCAL FIRM MUPtech showcased its proprietary thin-client hardware to turn an Win XP Home and XP Pro system into a multi-user server, running up to 10 remote clients per machine using ultra-thin set-top-boxes as clients instead of full PCs.

The firm sells these thin black boxes which the company calls "MUP-PC" which are connected to the main "server" - actually any PC capable of running XP Home or XP Pro - over Ethernet. Each box features connectors for Audio, VGA video, and PS2 keyboard and mouse. The hardware also supports Linux.

The host PC runs a proprietary software "server" which turns a standard XP Home or XP Pro into a multi-user server. It would be like Citrix or Terminal Services but without a PC on the client side, replaced instead with this black box. Where have I heard of this before? Oh yes, Sun Ray thin clients. Basically this is like having a VNC client in a set-top box, to which you can hook a PS2 keyboard, mouse and speakers. Their technology is proprietary, though.

The company claims this gives a up to 60per cent savings in the acquisition costs, and saves on software licences, although the company's web page then tells users to "check the end user's license" of individual software applications. I'm not sure if the Vole will be pleased about the prospect of someone running 10 terminals off a single XP Home and Office licence, but apparently they tolerate it.

The host PC needs a minium of a single-core P4 3.2GHz with 1GB RAM for up to seven users and 2GB RAM for 10 users. To go up to 30 users you need to use Windows 2000 or 2003 Server.

Amazing: the best way to sell the "thin client" approach is not mentioning it.

The MUPtech booth attracted quite a crowd with this concept, as it was explained in terms anybody could understand - no techspeak about "thin client" anywhere, the banners read "turn any PC into 2, 10, up to 30 PCs!" Sun Microsystems, take notice. The Sun Ray think clients you had at the SolutionBox booth could have probably attracted the same crowd if the concept was explained in the same terms. People do not care about buzzwords like "thin client".

MUP-PC flier

The guys at the booth kept referring to, "our proprietary technology". Yet I had in my mind the idea that I had seen these boxes before. When I got back home I remembered where I saw the concept: Ncomputing's "Ultra-Thin Client". Yet, the case looked different from the ones at MUPtech.

So after careful looking I found Ncomputing's L110 thin client which looks exactly the same as MUPtech's "MUP-PC". So, is this a case of some local distributor rebranding Ncomputing's kit appealing to the " trust us, we're local experts" approach, or Ncomputing's decision to go to the South American market with a different brand, or is the firm letting distributors rebrand its stuff? We asked both companies about what relationship - if any - they have, and we haven't heard yet from either of them.

In any case, this is interesting technology, and it supports Linux as well, which is kind of an irony because the X protocol was created to do just that, display GUIs -local or remote- over TCP/IP. µ

Comments
Shared storage may make more sense
Thin clients are a neat trick to pull off, especially on an OS largely designed to be single-user. But since they still require a moderately expensive display, inexpensive keyboard, mouse, and speakers, plus an ancillary box of some kind to convert the back-panel connectors for them into Ethernet linkage and back again the question is whether there's any significant cost-saving over using somewhat fatter clients that include everything save the disk storage.

Mid-range processing power and RAM are dirt-cheap these days, and not having to share them (and a single back-end disk interface too, for that matter) with 9 - 29 other users has real value (in fact, the same value that users perceived a couple of decades ago when their personal computers liberated them from time-sharing). Gigabit Ethernet provides better bandwidth to a back-end storage array than a local disk can offer (even if you're piping data in both directions simultaneously), with minimal added latency (since your caching is still mostly local). And centralizing the back-end storage hardware and management while using a standard-configuration middle-weight client provides all the advantages that using a thin client can, without the drawbacks.

At least that's how I see it, but I'd be happy to be educated if I'm missing something.

Related links:
http://www.ncomputing.com/ncomputing/products/typel100.php
http://www.muptech.com.ar/

Posted by Staff at 06:44 PM | Comments (0)

October 11, 2007

Dell Moves Into Thin Client Space

Not on the website yet for ordering but Dell announced Wednesday that the Optiplex 745 and 755 desktops will now be offered in a thin client option. That means diskless and with Citrix.

Dell Launches Thin Client Alternative To Traditional Desktops

Dell says its On-Demand Desktop Streaming technology can reduce IT labor costs by 56%.

By Antone Gonsalves
InformationWeek
October 10, 2007 04:09 PM

Dell (Dell) on Wednesday introduced a thin-client offering for large and midsize organizations looking to switch from traditional desktops to machines that run off a central server delivering the operating system, applications, and data.

Dell unveiled its On-Demand Desktop Streaming technology at the Gartner IT Expo in Orlando, Fla. The computer maker claims its new alternative to conventional desktops can reduce IT labor costs by 56%. The new product is targeted at large and midsize commercial and institutional organizations, such as call centers and education computer labs.

The Dell package includes OptiPlex 745 and 755 desktops, both without hard disk drives and scheduled for release in November; a PowerEdge 2950 server, a PowerConnect Gigabit switch, Citrix Provisioning Sever for Desktops software, and a PowerEdge 2900 storage server. Dell is the single supplier for all the components, and also offers deployment services and ongoing support.

The average cost of the complete system is $1,100 per user, and each PowerEdge 2950 server can handle as many as 100 OptiPlex machines.

Dell claims the total cost of ownership for the new system is less than a conventional PC, a so-called fat client that's loaded with applications and hard disk drives. The thin-client alternative is easier and less expensive to secure, and only the software on the shared server needs to be patched or upgraded, the computer maker said.

But some experts aren't so sure that the new system would save much money, given the upfront cost of replacing a company's current infrastructure. Also making thin clients less attractive is the low-cost of business PCs, which Dell sells for less than $400. "This kind of solution still requires an initial investment and change in infrastructure that I don't think will appeal to a large number of corporations," Toni Duboise, analyst for Current Analysis West, told InformationWeek.

Dell is not the only computer maker to recently come out with thin-client systems. NEC in April introduced its Virtual PC Center, which is a combination of proprietary hardware and software that NEC says can run PC applications, including audio, graphics, and video, on a thin-client without any latency problems. Dell also claims its system of dumb terminals can deliver applications and data as quickly as a traditional desktop system.

Duboise agreed that thin-client technology is far better than in years past, when delays in running applications made the systems undesirable. "What's different today is that streaming applications are better supported by the technological advancements," she said.

Nevertheless, Dell's latest product is likely to be limited to companies looking for new desktop infrastructure or to replace their current systems, Duboise said. Other potential customers are likely to wait until Dell can offer as references companies that have been successful with large-scale deployments. "It's going to take a couple of (customer) wins," she said.

As to the services and support Dell is offering, the company over the last couple of years has been criticized for failing to maintain the quality of its customer support. The company, however, appears to be solving those problems. "They have definitely shown improvements on their service scorecard," Duboise said.

Posted by Staff at 02:21 PM | Comments (0)

September 12, 2007

Thin is In from the New York Times

Nice article from NY Times on momentum for thin client.

source

September 12, 2007
For Networks, Thin Is In
By STEVE LOHR

IN the world of information technology, the future often arrives as predicted but rarely on time. The big things that ignite new markets and change people’s behavior, like the personal computer and the Internet, are actually collections of related technologies rather than single breakthroughs — symphonies rather than solo performances.

The PC revolution was the crest of a long wave of advances in chip design and software. The Internet, through decades of incubation, exploded only after millions of people began using newly affordable PCs with faster communication links and souped-up browsers.

The Internet shook the business world, but about a decade later than forecast. A similarly late though potentially revolutionary trend may finally be getting its day.

A decade ago, the network computer — also called the thin-client computer — was promoted as a replacement for personal computers and desktop software. Thin clients have no hard drives to store desktop applications, like Microsoft’s Word or Excel, permanently. The leading supporters of the inexpensive, terminal-style machines were Microsoft’s archrivals at Oracle and Sun Microsystems.

The market never took off in the 1990s. But the vision of a decade ago now seems within reach. Years of progress in hardware, software and networking have enabled thin computers to mimic the user experience of PCs for most tasks. Evidence that thin computing may really be catching on came in July, when Hewlett-Packard announced it would buy Neoware, a thin-client maker. The $214 million deal sent a message: thin-client computing was a market that could not be ignored.

Several forces are rekindling the interest in thin clients, money being the most obvious. An estimated three-fourths of the annual cost of a corporate PC is attributable to technical support, software upgrades, security patches and other maintenance. Thin computing now offers an alternative. Maintenance and software fixes can be handled more efficiently on central server computers.

Without a hard drive and less need for local processing, thin computers use far less power than PCs. The yearly savings in electric bills can be $150 or more for each desktop.

Thin computers are also far less susceptible to viruses and spyware than PCs, which store the programs that are subject to attacks by malicious codes.

“All these pieces are falling into place, and all the big guys are looking at this, both vendors and corporate customers,” said Bob O’Donnell, a vice president at IDC, a technology research firm. Thin-client shipments, IDC estimates, will more than double over the next five years to 7.2 million worldwide.

The business strategy behind the thin-client push is different than it was a decade ago. Today, thin computing is not part of an anti-Microsoft crusade. The technology has “matured, by and large, around delivering the Microsoft desktop experience remotely,” said Tad Bodeman, the global director of Hewlett-Packard’s thin-client business.

Virtual software versions of Windows desktops, including audio and video, can be streamed to thin clients.

No one expects PCs to go away: more than 200 million are sold worldwide each year. But thin clients have strong support. Telecommunications companies in India, China and elsewhere are considering supplying households with inexpensive thin computers and selling computing as a service. And Google, Salesforce.com and others that want to deliver software applications over the Internet are also allies.

People like graphic designers, engineers and financial analysts who need lots of computing horsepower at their fingertips are not candidates for thin computers. But these devices, industry executives and analysts say, will work well for many. Over the next decade, thin computers could replace as many as 30 percent of all business PCs, Mr. Bodeman of Hewlett-Packard predicted.

In some places, the potential is even greater. To curb costs and improve patients’ care by computerizing operations and records, Kaiser Permanente, the health-maintenance organization, has tripled the number of PCs it uses in its offices, clinics and hospitals to 210,000. A recent internal study concluded that half of those PCs could be replaced with thin computers, said David Watson, a consultant who was Kaiser’s chief technology officer until this summer. Even two years ago, Mr. Watson said, thin-client machines did not have the graphics processing power to display X-ray and M.R.I. images.

“Now, with the latest generation of thin clients, you can do it,” he said. “To be able to deliver a good clinical computing experience in the exam room could be a real cost-saving milestone.”

Thin-client machines start around $200 and can go up to $1,000, not much lower than inexpensive PCs. Thin-computing converts speak of the lower maintenance costs of the machines, as well as greater security and flexibility.

Jenny Craig, the weight-loss company, is upgrading the computerized record-keeping and analysis tools that are available to its consultants at 500 centers around the country. It chose a thin-client approach to replace PCs.

Since November, it has put the thin computers in 380 centers. Alessandra Nicoletti, the company’s director of technology, said the company was pleased with “the speed we can do things and the simplicity of managing our computer systems.”

There are even notebook thin computers. In Marysville, Calif., the police force has been using them in patrol cars for more than a year. Officers can write reports, send and receive messages and tap into law enforcement Web sites.

The 32 notebooks the police bought, from Neoware, cost far less than the PCs they replaced, and the department is saving about $1,000 a month in technical support and repair costs, estimated Lt. Mike Kostas, support division commander.

No sensitive information, like criminal records, is stored on a notebook, which could be lost or stolen. “From a security standpoint, it’s wonderful,” Lieutenant Kostas said.

Posted by Staff at 05:40 PM | Comments (0)

September 06, 2007

Thin Client Case Study - Police Take For a Ride

California Police Department Replaces PCs in Cruisers With Neoware Mobile Thin Client Laptop. Marysville Police Department Lauds Benefits of Neoware's m100 Mobile Thin Client Laptop; Demonstrates Growing Trend of Thin Clients as PC Alternatives

September 05, 2007: 09:24 AM EST

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., Sept. 5, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Neoware, Inc. (Nasdaq:NWRE), a leading provider of thin client computing solutions, today announced that Marysville Police Department (MPD) has joined its growing customer base. Seeking a more cost-effective and efficient computing solution, MPD is using the mobility of the Neoware m100 by outfitting all officers with Neoware m100's to be used in patrol cars and other environments such as the station.

"Standard laptops were no longer feasible due to the high price point and the liability of data being compromised from a lost or stolen laptop," said Lieutenant Mike Kostas of MPD. "We could not have implemented a more perfect solution with Neoware m100's. MPD has been able to reduce costs, lessen the need of tech support and reach our ultimate goal of issuing a laptop as standard equipment."

In working with Neoware MPD sought to deploy a more robust mobile computing solution that could easily expand to accommodate the growing force and unique needs of a police department. Compared to standard laptops, the Neoware m100 uses a centralized server for hosting applications and processing data, storing no data on the local device -- an important benefit for government, healthcare and financial industries.

"We have seen more companies from all industries turn to thin client technology, as it has become a cost-effective solution," said Klaus Besier, president and CEO of Neoware. "Our Neoware m100 thin client laptop offers customers like Marysville Police Department, a reliable, secure solution that helps to lower IT maintenance costs, while providing mobile flexibility. We continue to work closely with our customers as we improve and expand the features and capabilities of our thin client products."

The first and only leading provider of thin client devices to offer a mobile laptop, the m100 offers several business benefits. In addition to superior security, with no hard drive or fan, the Neoware m100 has no moving parts, allowing it to operate with fewer points of failure than a traditional laptop, lowering IT maintenance and energy costs. Additionally, unlike traditional PCs, upgrades, patches, backup and security can be centrally administered from the datacenter.

About Neoware

Neoware, Inc. (Nasdaq:NWRE) is a global provider of thin client computing solutions that allow organizations to reduce costs by centralizing desktop management, alleviating threats of security breaches and reducing energy consumption. Forward thinking companies enable their desktop virtualization strategies with Neoware's desktop, laptop and software offerings.

Headquartered in King of Prussia, PA, U.S.A., Neoware has offices in Europe and Asia. Its products are available worldwide from select resellers and partners, and it has technology partnerships with leading companies including Microsoft, IBM and Lenovo.

Neoware is a trademark of Neoware, Inc. All other names, products and services are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

CONTACT: Racepoint Group
Palmer Reuther
781-487-4606
[email protected]

Posted by Staff at 11:03 PM | Comments (0)

August 29, 2007

Wyse making deal with Vmware?

Interesting ntoes from frontline site -- While the acquisition of an OEM seems unlikely, a thin client provider like Wyse may fit VMware strategy, mostly now that Citrix is a direct competitor with XenSource acquisition...

Read at source

This just in from Alessandro, but of particular note and possibly concern for me is the following:

* Inclusion of Wyse multimedia redirection engine
ESX Server 3.5 VMware Tools will include a DLL provided by Wyse to simplify delivery of multimedia contents when VMware Infrastructure 3.5 is used as Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) in conjunction with Wyse thin clients.

The last feature is particularly important: VMware is preparing to release its own connection broker after silent Propero acquisition, and this addition clearly states what is VMware preferred companion for its solution.

While the acquisition of an OEM seems unlikely, a thin client provider like Wyse may fit VMware strategy, mostly now that Citrix is a direct competitor with XenSource acquisition.

It does cause me to wonder if VMware and Citrix are now direct compeitors would VMware want to start chasing after other acquisitions to help "build/own the stack" as Citrix are doing? Would VMware buy Wyse? And what about the cosy relationship that has so far existed between HP and VMware?

No doubt things are getting very interesting in the IT Vendor space?
VMware Infrastructure 3.1 renamed 3.5, hits beta 2 - Updated with full details
Friday, August 24, 2007 | 0 Comments

Initially planning to release it as ESX Server 3.1 and VirtualCenter 2.1, VMware changed its mind and relabeled it as ESX Server 3.5 and VirtualCenter 2.5, aka Virtual Infrastructure 3.5.

The change is well justified by impressive amount of features it sports, which virtualization.info exposed two weeks ago.

New numbering comes along with highly expected beta 2, which launched last week.

The new build exposes serveral features detailed in beta 1 release notes, but not really available inside the product, and few important minor ones, like:

* Swapfiles-less VMotion
With VirtualCenter 2.5 virtual machines' swapfiles are no more required for VMotion operations, so they can be saved locally instead of inside a shared volume
* Provisioning across datacenters objects
With VirtualCenter 2.5 a virtual machine or template stored in a datacenter can be cloned and deployed in another.
* Support for Intel I/O Acceleration Technology (IOAT)
ESX Server 3.5 supports new Intel chipset improving memory copies through TCP/IP.
* Support for Jumbo Frames
ESX Server 3.5 supports 9Kb frames for Windows 2003, RHEL 5.0 and SUSE Enterprise Linux Server 10 guests.
* Support for Open Virtual Machine Format (OVF)
VMware introduces a new virtual hard drive format, aimed at simplifying virtual machines portability through different virtualization platforms.
It implies a conversion of existing virtual machines files (.vmdk, .vmx) with a specific tool.
Once traditional files are compressed, all informations to decompress them are stored inside the new .ovf file along with other details such as compatible platforms, licensing details, etc.
* Inclusion of Wyse multimedia redirection engine
ESX Server 3.5 VMware Tools will include a DLL provided by Wyse to simplify delivery of multimedia contents when VMware Infrastructure 3.5 is used as Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) in conjunction with Wyse thin clients.

The last feature is particularly important: VMware is preparing to release its own connection broker after silent Propero acquisition, and this addition clearly states what is VMware preferred companion for its solution.

While the acquisition of an OEM seems unlikely, a thin client provider like Wyse may fit VMware strategy, mostly now that Citrix is a direct competitor with XenSource acquisition.

A further confirmation of this comes from integration of another 3rd party component: the virtual printer produced by ThinPrint, .print, already integrated in ACE 2.0, and ready to appear in ESX Server 3.5 as well.

Posted by Staff at 01:57 PM | Comments (0)

August 22, 2007

Ultra-Thin Client from Brits

Cool unit...The Ndiyo Nivo (network in, video out) client contains no local storage capacity, minimal connectivity and minimal on board processing power. The unit itself takes the form of a sturdy looking, metal box with connector ports distributed on either end. VGA on one end and keyboard, mouse, Ethernet, and power on the other end. Internally, there are no moving parts.

Source Link

The Nivo is a new 'ultra thin' client device under development by British, not-for-profit organization Ndiyo. Its principle intended market is developing nations and the project is based upon a non-profit model. The aim of the project is to create hardware and software that can lower both financial and technical skill cost of computer service provision.

Other companies have experimented with the thin client approach but the Ndiyo takes things a step further in terms of miniaturisation and streamlined, single purpose design, hence the use of the term 'ultra thin'.

At the current stage, the project consists of Linux based software and prototype hardware. In this article I'm going to explore some of the issues surrounding thin clients in order to paint a picture of where a device such as the Nivo sits.

The thin client concept

For those of unfamiliar with what a thin client actually is, the basic idea is this:

In order to operate, a typical desktop PC requires only a source of power. It can be connected to network such as the Internet or an office network but it does not require a network of other computers in order to work. The independent operation of a single PC is made possible by the fact that it has a complete set of component parts needed to support its basic functions; these components include a logical and computation facility (the CPU), short term storage (the RAM), and long term storage (the hard disk).

The thin client takes a different approach. In a thin client, as many of the software and hardware components as possible are moved out of the client computer and onto a server. Simplifying the client machine in this way reduces its size, power consumption, cost, and maintenance requirements.

So, to shift the balance of components from desktop machine to the server is to move closer to the thin client ideal.

You've probably had a taste of the 'thinning out' of a client system if you have ever worked in a large office: Often, in such an environment, it is considered inefficient to give each computer its own printer. In such cases, a single, shared printer may be located in a common area of the office. To consider the idea of thin client adoption is to pose a question as to whether this idea can be taken a step further: How much can you remove before the computer cannot be used for typical office tasks? In most cases, removing the display and the input device probably exceeds a sensible upper limit of how far you can go along the thin client route. Computers without input methods or without a display do exist and are used but they cannot replace the functionality of a desktop PC to any meaningful degree.

Thin client adoption

Some of the computer industry heavyweights such as Sun and Oracle have experimented with the approach in the past but without great success. As a result, in most people's mind, the thin client concept will always be associated with a series of early 90's network based computers that never really took off.

In fact, the story of the thin client goes back far further than this. The earliest thin clients were the dumb terminals used to access early mainframe computers. Such early computers were both enormous and hugely expensive. In order to extract the greatest utility from each mainframe, dumb terminals - computers with limited processing power and no local storage - were created so that a group of people could all share the resources of a single mainframe computer.

The thin client existed before the desktop PC; the desktop PC killed off the thin client.

I would argue that some of the difficulties that have frustrated previous creators of thin client solutions have been of a psychological rather than purely technical nature. The desktop PC is the dominant model and consumers need a considerable shove before they are willing to shift over to a new paradigm. It's possible to draw a parallel between thin-client adoption and public transportation adoption. In the case of the latter, there are cases where switching to public transport is a sensible idea, but the bottom line is that it would take a lot to get some people out of their car. Boundaries, of pride of ownership, individualistic appeal of independence, and feelings of security, have to be crossed before people will give mind-share to something that opposes the entrenched model of usage.

Of course, there are developing nations that don't have much of an established IT tradition, and in these environments, thin client evangelism might actually face less resistance. In a case in which IT provision is being introduced to an an institution for the first time, there are no desktop PCs to pry from the clutches from crying, pleading office workers.

Advantages of thin clients

The main advantages of a thin client solution are:

* reduced cost per unit
* reduced power consumption
* improved reliability due to simplified hardware
* single point of maintenance (the server)
* greater admin control

The single point of maintenance of a thin client is an advantage that is easily overlooked. Typically, in the case of an office full of standard PCs, the skills cost of each workstation might be a considerable fraction of the total cost of each workstation. In the case of a technical failure, time spent maintaining a single machine can range from a few minutes right up to an hour or more. Evaluating the monetary cost of a single workstation while ignoring the admin-time cost of a solution is an easy, and very common, mistake.

The main shortcomings of thin clients are:

* Single point of vulnerability (if the server goes down, all of the clients go down)
* Performance: The maximum capability of each client machine can never exceed the total capability of the server divided by the demands being made by the other clients. So, if five clients are making maximum demands upon the server at the same moment, the capability of each client is 1/5 of the total capacity of that server.
* Capability: Some applications are not viable over a thin client network. For example, if I were tasked with specifying the hardware for a video editing suite, my thoughts wouldn't, given the current state of the technology, turn immediately to thin client solutions.

The Nivo: an ultra-thin client

Those who have read my other articles will know that I am a sucker for ideas that challenge the conventions of desktop computer use, and so I was intrigued when I heard about Ndiyo, a British organization who are developing a series of thin clients. In fact, they refer to their system as 'ultra-thin' because they take the streamlining concept further than most previous attempts by other companies.

The Ndiyo Nivo (network in, video out) client contains no local storage capacity, minimal connectivity and minimal on board processing power. The unit itself takes the form of a sturdy looking, metal box with connector ports distributed on either end. VGA on one end and keyboard, mouse, Ethernet, and power on the other end. Internally, there are no moving parts.

A prototype in a clear plastic case. Working models use a metal case.

Because the Nivo is truly a thin client, it cannot be operated in isolation; a server is required. The server is a desktop PC with the Nivo software loaded. The software works under Linux or Windows. Ndiyo even provide a bootable CDROM image to make possible a zero install setup. This image is based on the latest Ubuntu.

Software-wise, each user is given access a set of default application programs that one would expect from an Ubuntu-powered desktop such as: web browsing (Firefox), office productivity (Open Office), Email and PIM (Evolution). Remember, you're not restricted to any particular software; you can add anything that you could add to any other Linux system. Obviously there will be limitations in terms of what the system can manage to run over a network; it wouldn't be reasonable to expect a system such as this to be able to handle a graphically intensive, high-end game, for example.

So, to recap, once the server is up and running, the setup procedure for a new Nivo workstation would be simply to connect keyboard, mouse, and monitor to the Nivo and then connect the Nivo to the Ethernet network.

Stateless operation

Each individual Nivo is stateless in operation; that is, it contains no local storage. This means that you could, in theory, disconnect a machine while it is in use, move it into another room, reconnect to the network, and recommence work at exactly the point at which you left things: all of the applications and windows would be in exactly the state in which you left them because their state exists on the server. This feature is useful in countries with a poor energy infrastructure because it means that if the server is connected to a UPS, a temporary power cut need not be a disaster for the client users.

Future options

A home version?

The provision of basic web and office application services to a network of client machines in developing nations is a logical application of the thin client concept. However, I wonder if Ndiyo are failing to exploit the potential of their device in the consumer market of first world countries? I doubt that I'm the only person who would be interested in a home version of the Nivo; as soon as I started poking around the website I started thinking of things that I could use a Nivo for around the house.

Let's dream a little...

Such a home version could feature, in addition to standard layout, composite video out and sound output. USB might better be a better fit than PS/2 keyboard and mouse. Such a device would make an ideal living room or kitchen computer. There are lots of such environments where one might prefer a terminal that gives access to some standard tools in a robust, low-maintenance package instead of a full desktop or laptop PC. It would be great for light use such as looking things up on the web, a bit of IRC chat while cooking, and checking the progress of downloads, etc. Using it as a music and video jukebox is also within the realms of possibility.

Regardless of how 'easy' it is to, for example, setup a computer in the guest room when people are coming over to stay, it's still seems like hassle compared the simplicity that a Nivo could offer. In addition, I could imagine that many a geek might enjoy a few points of access, dotted around his or her geek lair, and all with a single point of maintenance.

The office version?

I wonder if the offices of first world nations could benefit from what the Nivo could offer? The truth is that, for 90% of 'typical office use', a complete PC is overkill. Most office workers use only a small number of very standard office applications. Theoretically, a 'perfect thin client' is just what offices need.

Having just been asked to, temporarily, add an extra Internet ready PC to the conference room, I bet many an admin has wished that he had access to something a bit like the Nivo.

Conclusion

Within the business world, the thin client faces many of the same adoption problems that are common to other non standard solutions, such as open source software alternatives, that are battling to break through into the mainstream. The famous IT maxim that 'No one ever got fired for buying an IBM' could be expanded and recast as 'No one ever has the guts to bet the IT part of their business on something new and untried.'

Find out more at about the Nivo and other projects by visiting the Ndiyo website.

About the author:
Michael Reed is so geeky that he can use phrases such as 'kitchen computer' and 'amusing assembly language anecdote' without even a hint of irony. Read more about his geekyness on his website.

Posted by Staff at 08:22 PM | Comments (0)

August 02, 2007

HPs Green Commitment

Trendwatcher says HP's deal to get Neoware represents major addition of green products. He notes that thinclients use around 90% less energy than traditional desktop pc.

Trend Watching
by James Murray, BusinessGreen
August 2007

A True Test of HP's Green Commitment
Perhaps HP is going to lead the shift towards thin client computing after all.

Barely 72 hours after I posted suggesting HP's claims that it was hugely committed to promoting green, energy efficient thin client computing looked a bit over-blown the company has gone and splashed out $214m to acquire thin client vendor Neoware. Perhaps the HP exec I had been talking to knew something I didn't.

Either way the deal represents a major addition to HP's growing portfolio of green products. Thin clients have no moving parts and work by simply providing users with a connection to applications hosted on a server -- as such they can use around 90 percent less energy than traditional desktop PCs, require far fewer resources during the production process and pose less of an eWaste problem.

It is no exaggeration to claim that when combined with a well managed datacentre to host end user applications thin clients are greener in every way when compared with traditional PCs.

read more

Posted by Staff at 04:31 PM | Comments (0)

August 01, 2007

Middle East Market Progress

GraphOn has set its sights on grabbing a share of the Middle East thin client market after inking a distribution alliance with Sedicom Europe. Will be providing thin-client software solutions in Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt.

Server-based application deployment and web-enabling software vendor GraphOn has set its sights on grabbing a share of the Middle East thin client market after inking a distribution alliance with Sedicom Europe.

The pair have an established relationship covering multiple territories of the European market, but have decided to extend their agreement to incorporate large parts of the Middle East. Sedicom is authorised to sell the vendor's flagship GO-Global family of thin-client software solutions in Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt.

"We have a long and successful business relationship with Sedicom throughout Europe, and we are pleased to announce this distribution agreement covering the Middle East," stated Tom Castanzo, GraphOn's business development director for the EMEA region.

GraphOn markets GO-Global as an application delivery solution that provides instant access to centrally-running Windows, UNIX and Linux applications from any platform and operating system. The company claims that with GO-Global, there is no need to rewrite applications for web-based access or deploy "complex" infrastructure such as Microsoft Windows Terminal Services or Citrix Presentation Server.

"The GO-Global thin-client solution is becoming more and more popular in the EMEA market where it is viewed as a cost-effective alternative to WTS and Citrix," said Mazin Sahli, CEO of Sedicom Europe. "In the Middle East, we are in the market penetration stage right now with server-based computing solutions, so we are working on increasing the awareness of GO-Global while prospecting for potential customers."

US-based GraphOn has a decade of experience providing server-based computing solutions that help customers access applications from remote locations and recently launched version 3.2 of its GO-Global for Windows software. The company also hit the headlines last month after filing a lawsuit against Juniper alleging the networking outfit infringed three patents that protect its network security and firewall technologies.

Sedicom Europe, which has its Middle East office in Kuwait, specialises in the distribution of thin clients, server-based computing software and smartcard solutions. In addition to GraphOn, the company also carries products from vendors such as Neoware, Fujitsu Siemens and VXL Instruments.

Posted by Staff at 02:31 PM | Comments (0)

What is a Thin Client Anyway?

Fellow on ZDNet takes the perennial stab at defining a thin client from the more conventional application point of view.

What the heck is a thin client? by ZDNet's Christopher Dawson -- My mom is neither an educator, nor a technologist, but she has taken to reading my blogs anyway (group, “Ahhhh”, please). She actually runs a gourmet tea and spice company based just a few miles from Microsoft corporate headquarters (weird, huh?). She’ll occasionally send me an email asking for clarification on some point [...]

On the same note, a few of the staff we had in training last week walked into our computer lab (all thin clients) and asked about the little tiny computers. So I figured it was time for a quick thin client primer, as I firmly believe that there is a lot of value in server-centric computing if it is used in the correct context and delivers the correct applications to users.

In their simplest form, thin clients are very much like the old green-screened terminals that you or your users may have seen years ago in a variety of settings. Banks, universities, and other institutions used them to access big, expensive computers running specialized applications. They are just very simple machines, often with little power or use on their own that access much bigger more powerful computers. Nowadays, they often look and feel just like Windows or Linux computers, however, since they have a much prettier interface. They are still accessing big, powerful computers (aka servers), but these computers send images (or “screen refreshes”) to the thin clients to make the users feel like they are sitting at a full-blown Windows/Linux machine. In fact, the thin clients allow users to access “sessions” on the server as if the server had several keyboards, mice, and monitors attached directly to it, with every user looking only at their own data.

They have several advantages:

* They are cheap (in and of themselves - there are other associated costs, though)
* They let people like me administer just 1 computer (the server) instead of all of the computers that users access (the thin
clients); software installation, virus protection, etc., only happen in one place
* They have little value on their own, so people don’t tend to steal them
* They are easy to roll out and, if done right, operate very much like a “real computer” for users
* If you have any interest in Linux, free software like Edubuntu and LTSP make implementing thin clients fairly easy and free (from a software perspective, at least).

They do have several disadvantages that must be evaluated:

* Graphics/processor-intensive applications, like CAD, Photoshop, or Maple tend to run very poorly in a thin client setting; they are best limited to basic productivity applications or web surfing (or the specialty applications that Marc Wagner mentioned). As it turns out, my mom actually had thin clients in her office accessing accounting and order-processing software.
* They require a high-end server (or servers) to run effectively (very small implementations of two or three machines in a classroom can use a fast desktop computer, but a full lab requires some serious backend hardware)
* They tend to eat up bandwidth on your network; if you don’t already have a solid infrastructure in place or aren’t planning to install a well-planned network, thin clients are not for you (this doesn’t apply for the small classroom setting, where users essentially share one speedy machine with a couple extra terminals).

So there are thin clients in a nutshell. They can have a great deal of utility and value in a K-12 setting and new tools are maturing rapidly to reduce costs and simplify rollout. The Edubuntu website has some great introductory resources as well.
https://wiki.edubuntu.org/HowToCookEdubuntu/Chapters

Posted by Staff at 02:26 PM | Comments (0)

Microsoft Releases Universal Remote Desktop

Now we have RDC for Mac (as long as remote computer running Vista?). Beta released by MS and available at Mactopia

As promised earlier , Microsoft's Mac Business Unit (Mac BU) released the Universal Application beta version of its Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) client for Mac OS X, version 2.0.

"Built from the ground up, the RDC for Mac 2.0 beta allows users to remotely connect to computers running Microsoft Windows Vista. It features a redesigned UI, fully customizable preferences, and multiple sessions support," according to Microsoft.

The Mac BU simultaneously announced an update to its standalone Open XML File Format Converter that includes improvements for converting Word (.docx) files and new support for converting PowerPoint (.pptx) files.

Both products, which are free, are available at Microsoft's Macintosh site, Mactopia

Posted by Staff at 02:10 PM | Comments (0)

July 27, 2007

Perspective - Thin-Client Boom, Finally?

Okay here they come...Momentum watchers are beginning to come out of the bushes with the "Ok, maybe its time has come" projection. We personally believe that the best thing to ever happen to the thin-client market is Vista. Feb2008 will be one of the first demarcation lines in the battle (ie I can't buy XP Pro OEM anymore...).

Anyway, nice article on NY Times blog (Wyse also believes Vista is major catalyst...).

July 26, 2007, 4:17 pm
Thin-Client Boom, Finally?

By Steve Lohr

Tags: Dell, energy savings, Hewlett Packard, Larry Ellison, Microsoft, Oracle, Thin client computers

Thin-client computers — inexpensive terminal-style machines — were promoted a decade ago as replacements for personal computers and desktop software mainly by Microsoft’s rivals, like Oracle’s Larry Ellison and Sun’s Scott McNealy. But the thin-client market never took off, as the networked devices couldn’t really substitute for PC’s.

But Hewlett-Packard’s $214-million purchase of Neoware, a thin-client maker, on Monday points to a second act for the thin-client market. The acquisition is a consolidation move by HP, the No. 2 thin-client maker, taking out No. 3, Neoware. In short, the world’s largest PC company is acknowledging this an emerging market it cannot ignore. No. 1 is Wyse.

What’s different this time? The software, networking and user experience for server-based computing delivered to individuals has improved considerably. Virtual software versions of Windows desktops can be streamed to thin clients, including audio and video. There are even notebook thin-client machines these days.

PC’s are power-hungry, so they increase energy costs and may contribute to global warming. Server-based computing has big security edge over PC’s.

“All these pieces are falling into place, and all the big guys are looking at this, both vendors and corporate customers,” said Bob O’Donnell, an analyst at IDC. Thin-client shipments, estimates IDC, will increase 20 percent annually to reach 7.4 million worldwide by 2011.

Tarkan Maner, chief executive of Wyse, the No. 1 thin-client company, thinks the growth could well be much faster. Another force fueling the market this year, he says, is Microsoft’s Vista — as corporate customers begin looking at another costly upgrade in PC hardware to accommodate the new operating system. “Vista is a major catalyst,” Mr. Maner said in an interview today. “It’s made corporate CIO’s rethink their desktop strategies.”

Google, Salesforce.com and other companies who want to deliver software applications over the Internet are also allies, says Mr. Maner. “I cannot think of a better platform for the software-as-a-service companies.”

Posted by Staff at 09:24 PM | Comments (0)

Investment -- VMware picks up more

A few weeks ago Intel invested $200M in VMware and bought themselves a seat on the board. Now today Cisco joins in and adds another $150M (with seat). Deal comes as VMware is preparing for a closely watched initial public offering. EMC, of Hopkinton, Mass., the world's largest maker of corporate data-storage equipment, plans to spin off 10% of VMware, in an IPO.

Cisco Investing $150 Million in VMware
By Scott Ferguson
July 27, 2007

VMware, on the eve of its highly anticipated initial public offering, finds itself with a new partner and investor—Cisco Systems.
ADVERTISEMENT

On July 27, the two companies announced that Cisco will invest $150 million in VMware and receive about 1.6 percent of the virtualization vendor's common stock. The investment also means that VMware will appoint a Cisco executive to its board of directors after the IPO is formally announced later this year.

The Cisco investment follows a similar move by Intel, which announced on July 9 that it would invest $200 million in the company and also have an representative sit on VMware's board.

The latest investment in VMware comes as the company's IPO draws closer to becoming reality, although no formal date for the announcement has been set. When it does happen, EMC, which now wholly owns VMware as a subsidiary, will sell off about 10 percent of the company.

Even after the IPO is announced, EMC will still control about 90 percent of the Palo Alto, Calif., company's stock, making it the company's largest investor. In addition to the stock that is sold with the IPO and investment by companies such as Cisco and Intel, a portion of VMware's shares will be set aside for its employees.

Rest of story

Posted by Staff at 05:40 PM | Comments (0)

July 17, 2007

Healthcare Professionals Utilize Wyse Thin Clients to Improve Patient Care

The quantity 1500 Wyse thin clients will integrate into an RFIdeas authentication solution, a client-side sonar device that recognizes a badge swipe and seamlessly re-authenticates the user as they move to different workstations without compromising mission critical security policies.

HIPAA News
Healthcare Professionals Utilize Wyse Thin Clients to Improve Patient Care

(July 16, 2007)-- St. Joseph Health System (SJHS), an integrated healthcare service provider based in Orange County,California, announced that it will deploy more than 1,500 energy efficient Wyse thin clients to automate and streamline patient care procedures throughout its hospitals and clinics. The Wyse thin clients will
dramatically reduce energy costs and provide doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals with real-time access to vital patient information resulting in a quicker diagnosis and improved patient care.

This thin client solution provides access to a secure Single Sign On (SSO) environment that works in conjunction with SJHS's back-end Citrix IT architecture. The Wyse thin clients will integrate into an RFIdeas authentication solution, a client-side sonar device that recognizes a badge swipe and seamlessly re-authenticates the user as they move to different workstations without compromising mission critical security policies.

In addition, the Wyse S10 thin clients being installed consume 95 percent less power than conventional PCs. In fact, Wyse S10 thin clients use only 4.4 watts of electricity -- the equivalent of a single light bulb on a Christmas tree. The end result is more energy efficient hospitals and clinics.

"We went with Wyse because their thin clients could handle the rigors and dynamic demands of working in a hospital and clinic environment," said Bill Lazarus, AVP of IT Architecture and Security at SJHS. "Using Wyse thin clients, we're able to safeguard shared workstations from security risks while streamlining access to information. These thin clients not only automate key procedures but enhance collaboration between our healthcare professionals in different areas, which ultimately contributes to improving overall patient care. The fact, that we will reduce power consumption makes selecting thin clients even that more appealing."

The Wyse S10 thin clients were also selected because they are suited to meet the demands of the healthcare industry while making it easier to implement the access security protocols necessary to meet HIPAA (Health
Industry Portability and Accountability Act) standards. This solution will automate patient care for thousands of healthcare professionals at SJHS, from reception desks, examination rooms, nurses' stations to doctors'
offices.

Powered by Wyse Thin OS, the world's smallest, fastest and most secure purpose-built operating system, these thin clients will be able to take advantage of leading security options including smart card integration, peripheral connectivity and sufficient processing power to run applications
locally.

SJHS will also be leveraging Wyse Device Manager (WDM), which provides IT administrators with a simple-to-use central console for asset tracking and remote diagnostic. The end result is a thin client solution that dramatically simplifies network administration and management because data back-up, security, and application version control are handled at the server level, not at each individual desktop.

Posted by Staff at 08:55 PM | Comments (0)

Multiple LCDs driven by new Matrox graphics in thin clients

BOSaNOVA integrattes Matrox Epic multi-display hardware into thei XPe Thin Clients. Basically you can display much more information across the multiple displays (ie larger virtual desktop).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Jennifer Phillips
Marketing Director
BOSaNOVA, Inc.
Phone: 866-865-5250 x350
Email: [email protected]

BOSaNOVA Partners with Matrox to Provide Multi-Display Thin Clients

Phoenix, AZ – July 10, 2007 – BOSaNOVA, Inc., the market leader in development of Thin Clients, Security Solutions and Network Appliances today announces the integration of Matrox EpicA multi-display hardware and software suite into BOSaNOVA XPe Thin Clients.

The integration allows BOSaNOVA users the ability to connect to up to 4 monitors simultaneously to a single BOSaNOVA Thin Client. The use of multi-display units is valuable for viewing large amounts of information with a limited amount of space particularly in financial and healthcare industries.

“Integrating Matrox EpicA with our most powerful thin client to date, the XTC-1300, allows thin-client users to display large amounts of information at higher resolutions across multiple monitors,” says Martin Pladgeman, BOSaNOVA President. “Matrox’s reputation, expertise in multi-display products, and commitment to quality make this partnership an obvious fit.”

“Matrox is pleased that BOSaNOVA has chosen to integrate EpicA into their product line-up," says Mohamed Jivraj, product manager, Matrox Graphics. "EpicA’s multi-display video capabilities and remote desktop management controls will be invaluable to BOSaNOVA users seeking a multi-display thin-computing environment that feels similar to working locally with multiple displays.”

XTC-1300 Thin Clients are available with 1.3 GHz processor, an 802.11 b/g internal wireless option and built in PCI and PCMCIA slots for additional flexibility. Additionally, the XTC-1300 boasts the 8X AGP Graphics Accelerator, one of the fastest graphics processor available in a thin client.

Matrox EpicA hardware includes dual (EpicA TC2 and EpicA TC2-Lite) and quad (EpicA TC4) multi-display graphics cards, which feature low power consumption, passive cooling, support for high-resolution digital or analogue displays and support for Pivot mode (TC2 and TC4). The EpicA software suite, installed on the server side, includes Matrox PowerDesk EpicA and Matrox PowerSpace EpicA, which respectively enable desktop management and the layering of virtual workspaces within remote desktops.

BOSaNOVA Thin Clients are available for purchase through BOSaNOVA’s resellers. For sales information contact BOSaNOVA, Inc. toll-free at (866) 865-5250, or send e-mail to: [email protected].

About BOSaNOVA, Inc.
BOSaNOVA, Inc is a privately held company headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. The company is principally engaged in the design and development of security solutions, thin clients and network appliances. The company’s solutions include a highly refined user interface, remote management software, and performance optimization. The company’s products are sold through a worldwide network of IBM and CITRIX Business Partners. Industry affiliations include membership in IBM's PartnerWorld for Developers, Citrix Global Alliance Partner Program, and the Microsoft Partner Program. For more information, visit www.bosanova.net.

About Matrox Graphics Inc.
Matrox Graphics Inc. is the leading manufacturer of graphics solutions for professionals and has been delivering high-quality, innovative 2D/3D and video graphics accelerators for more than a quarter century. Creator of the multi-display phenomenon, Matrox combines its proven graphics chip designs, reliable software development and dependable card manufacturing expertise to produce products that are reputed worldwide for their superior image quality, practical ingenuity and unwavering stability. Matrox Graphics designs and supports graphics solutions optimized for utility, empowering professionals to see more and do more. A privately held company headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Matrox has international offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Italy and Hong Kong. For more information, visit www.matrox.com/graphics.

Posted by Staff at 06:05 PM | Comments (0)

Wireless thinclient announced by BOSaNOVA

BOSaNOVA, Inc. announced a new 10" Wireless Thin Client Tablet. AMD 800 processor and 1024x768.

Press Release

CONTACT:
Jennifer Phillips
Marketing Director
BOSaNOVA, Inc.
Phone: 866-865-5250 x350
Email: [email protected]

BOSaNOVA Announces New 10” Wireless Tablet Thin Clients

Phoenix, AZ – June 25, 2007 – BOSaNOVA, Inc., the market leader in development of Thin Clients, Security Solutions and Network Appliances announced today the addition of their new 10” Wireless Thin Client Tablet.

The new 310XP BOStablet boasts an AMD 800 MHz processor and is available with a 10.4” TFT Touch Screen allowing for superior image quality with 1024 x 768 resolution. The BOStablet is perfectly suited for healthcare, manufacturing, distribution, and retail industries where mobility and data security is essential. The 310XP offers a number of features including full screen 5250/3270, Office Viewers, RDP and ICA. Hardware features include ruggedized industrial strength case, built-in authentec biometric sensor, Hot swap batteries, two USB ports, VGA port, PCMCIA slot and more. Like all BOSaNOVA Thin Clients, the 310XP Wireless Thin Client can be centrally managed with BOSaNOVA’s advanced management software.

“Weighing just over 2lbs, the new 310XP Wireless Thin Client features a 10.4” Touch Screen allowing for outstanding image quality,” says Martin Pladgeman, BOSaNOVA President. “There’s a void in the market for a Tablet Thin Client that can support 1024x768 resolution. We’re happy that we can fill this void with the 310XP.”

BOStablets are available for purchase through BOSaNOVA’s resellers. For sales information contact BOSaNOVA, Inc. toll-free at (866) 865-5250, or send e-mail to: [email protected].

About BOSaNOVA, Inc.
BOSaNOVA, Inc is a privately held company headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. The company is principally engaged in the design and development of security solutions, thin clients and network appliances. The company’s solutions include a highly refined user interface, remote management software, and performance optimization. The company’s products are sold through a worldwide network of IBM and CITRIX Business Partners. Industry affiliations include membership in IBM's PartnerWorld for Developers, Citrix Global Alliance Partner Program, and the Microsoft Partner Program. For more information, visit www.bosanova.net.

Posted by Staff at 05:58 PM | Comments (0)

July 13, 2007

Intel Makes Peace with One Laptop Per Child

Appears Intel has had a change of heart and will now join the board of OLPC and contribute funding. That's a good thing and definitely nicer than the prior stance it had which seemed to put corporate profit ahead of public good. The OLPC machine is a technological miracle in how it manages power and all it takes is one visit to backcountry of Nigeria to understand significance of power (or absence of).

ntel Joins '$100 Laptop' Project
Associated Press
July 13, 2007 12:14 p.m.

BOSTON -- The nonprofit that aims to seed the developing world with inexpensive laptop computers for schoolchildren has made peace with Intel Corp., the project's most powerful rival.

The One Laptop Per Child program and Intel said Friday that the chip maker would join the board of the nonprofit and contribute funding.

The nonprofit effort -- known as the "$100 laptop" because of the low price it hopes to reach with mass production -- has been trying to line up governments in several countries to buy the machines, which for now cost $175.

But Intel has been an obstacle. Its chairman, Craig Barrett, derided the "XO" machine from One Laptop Per Child as a mere "gadget." And Intel recently began selling its own child-focused Classmate PC, which is a more conventional machine than the radically rethought XO computers.

The Classmate costs around $225, and Intel expects that to fall near $200 this year. Intel has deals in Pakistan, Brazil, Mexico and Nigeria, spokeswoman Agnes Kwan said.

Under their new partnership, Intel and One Laptop Per Child might seek ways to package their computers together for overseas governments. For example, Intel's Classmate, which has to be plugged in, might be an option for urban settings, while the XO laptops, which use very little power and can be mechanically recharged by hand, could go into rural districts.

rest of story

Posted by Staff at 06:35 PM

Thin-client Notebook

Low-cost network computing specialist Devon IT has added a PCMCIA slot and "3G aircard" support to its thin client notebook. Available with the company's own Linux-based "DeTOS" embedded operating system, the SafeBook runs applications from remote servers, via Citrix ICA, Microsoft RDP, or VNC. Priced from $600

Jul. 02, 2007

Low-cost network computing specialist Devon IT has added a PCMCIA slot and "3G aircard" support to its thin client notebook. Available with the company's own Linux-based "DeTOS" embedded operating system, the SafeBook runs applications from remote servers, via Citrix ICA, Microsoft RDP, or VNC.

The SafeBook is based on a Via C7-M processor clocked at 1.5GHz. It has 512MB of RAM, and boots its thin-client OS from 512MB of flash. The lack of a hard drive increases data security and device life expectancy, while the lack of local applications decreases operating expenses, according to the vendor.

Additional SafeBook features and specs include:

* Graphics:
o 12.1-inch XGA (1024x768) TFT LCD display
o VGA port for external monitor
* Networking:
o built-in 802.11 a/b/g WiFi (internal mini-PCI slot)
o 3G aircards supported via PCMCIA
o 10/100 Ethernet port
* 3 x USB 2.0 ports
* Audio line out/mic in
* Expansion -- PCMCIA Type II slot
* PXE boot capability
* Size -- 11.1 x 9.7 x 1.1 inches (283 x 245 x 32.7 mm)
* Weight -- 4 lbs., with 6-cell battery
* Power -- 20-Volt, 3-amp power supply

The SafeBook appears to be available now, with a choice of Linux or Windows XP Embedded. The system is priced at $600 and up with the Linux-based DeTOS ("Devon Terminal Operationg System"), whereas pricing with Windows XP Embedded appears to start at $800. Further details are available from Devon IT's website.

A Linux-based thin client notebook may also be available from Neoware.

Posted by Staff at 05:51 PM

July 11, 2007

Forrester: VMware Will Continue to Dominate the x86 Market

In the coming years, VMware will continue to dominate the market for x86 server virtualization, but it face new challenges from Microsoft's Windows Server 2008 and XenSource, according to a new report from Forrester Research.

Source Link

The July 9 report finds that while Microsoft's soon-to-be-released server product and XenSource's XenEnterprise suite match some of the features found in VMware's products, it will take years for them to dislodge VMware from its spot as the premier provider of virtualization technology.

Virtualization, which allows for multiple operating systems to run on the same piece of hardware, is now being used in about 51 percent of North American enterprises, although only a minority have wide-scale deployment, according to Frank Gillett, the author of the Forrester report.

Since the company was founded in 1998, VMware has dominated the x86 server market with products such as its ESX Server hypervisor and, more recently, its Virtual Infrastructure suite.

Now, the Palo Alto, Calif., company is looking to move away from being a mere provider of hypervisor technology to a "virtual infrastructure vendor," backed by its years of experience, Gillett wrote. Forrester analysts believe that VMware is also looking for OEMs to start building its hypervisor into the hardware itself, which will greatly increase it presence within IT.

These ambitions come as VMware and its parent company, EMC, look to offer an IPO (initial public offering) for approximately 10 percent of the company's stock. The IPO is expected to happen this summer. On July 9, Intel announced that it will invest more than $200 million in VMware and own about 2.5 percent of its common stock.

While VMware will likely continue its domination of the virtualization market, the company can also expect increased competition, especially from Microsoft's Windows Server 2008 and its own "Viridian" hypervisor.

However, Microsoft's hypervisor will not likely ship until mid-2008, and with various delays and updates, a newer version will not appear until at least 2009. This, Gillett writes, means that Microsoft will not be able to impact the market until at least 2010.

As for XenSource—the company that grew out of the open-source Xen project—it remains a much smaller company than VMware, which means that it too will not be able to offer a serious challenge until 2010. However, its deal with Microsoft that allows compatibility and interoperability with Windows products does provide a base to challenge VMware in the coming years.

The XenSource and VMware technology are very similar, although XenSource remains an affordable alternative, according to Forrester.

Another challenge is the growing amount of virtualization technology that Intel and Advanced Micro Devices have begun building into their microprocessor architecture. While both Intel VT and AMD-V offer advantages to VMware's software, it also means that other companies can take advantage of these chip technologies to build better virtualization products.

One way that VMware may counter virtualization products from Microsoft and others is to offer its ESX Server hypervisor for free.

The Forrester reported concluded that it will take at least two to three years for other vendors to match VMware's products, and during that time VMware will continue to expand its presence within the market.

"With thousands of customers and more than $1 billion in revenue, VMware has crossed over from startup to mainstream company," Gillett wrote in the report. "It will get further visibility as a byproduct of EMC's IPO of 10 [percent] of VMware later this year. … Microsoft's software ecosystem is much larger, but VMware's partner channel has hit critical mass on server virtualization."

Posted by Staff at 03:26 PM

July 09, 2007

First mini-ITX from Intel ever -- only $80

First ever mini-ITX direct from Intel comes with 1.33 Mhz Celeron in 17cm x 17cm form factor. Uses power about like a VIA and cost is $80. Now that's a thin client...

Intel D201GLY Little Valley Mini-ITX Mainboard
Price: $79.95
Availability: In Stock
Model: D201GLY
With 1.33 GHz Celeron 2xx processor; has PCI, VGA, Parallel port, and 6 USB 2.0 support. First Mini-ITX mainboard produced by Intel. Bulk Packaging.

Features
The D201GLY is an economical mainboard backed by the Intel brand of quality and performance. The first Mini-ITX form factor offered direct from Intel, the
D201GLY is energy-efficient (requiring less than 27W of power) and has improved thermal/acoustic characteristics over standard desktop mainboards. This
mainboard comes in bulk packaging.
D201GLY SPECIFICATIONS
Processor Intel Celeron 215
533 MHz FSB
Chipset SiS SiS662 northbridge
SiS SiS964L southbridge
System Memory 1 DDR2 400/533/667 SDRAM slot
Up to 1GB of memory
Intel D201GLY Desktop Mainboard http://www.logicsupply.com/products/d201gly
2 of 3 7/9/2007 10:52 AM
VGA Integrated SiS Mirage 1 graphic engine
Expansion Slots PCI
Onboard IDE 1 ATA 100 40-pin
Onboard Serial ATA None
Onboard USB 6 USB 2.0
Onboard LAN Broadcom 10/100
Onboard Audio ADI AD1888 audio codec
Back Panel I/O
1 Parallel port
2 USB 2.0 ports
1 VGA port
1 LAN port
1 RS-232 COM port
1 PS2 keyboard port
1 PS2 mouse port
3 Audio jacks: line-out, line-in, mic-in
Onboard I/O
Connectors
4 USB 2.0 via 2 pin headers
1 P4 connector
Front audio connector
ATX connector
BIOS Intel BIOS 4Mb flash memory
System Monitoring &
Management
Power Management, Wake on USB, Wake on PCI,
Wake on keyboard, Wake on mouse, Wake on LAN
Operating
Temperature
0 ~ 50ºC
Form Factor Mini-ITX (17 cm x 17 cm)

Includes
ATA 133 (40-pin, 80 conductor, 3 connectors)
Installation CD
Backplate
Quick reference guide
DOWNLOADS
Product Guide Download PDF (3.5 MB)
Product Brief Download PDF (990 KB)
Note: This mainboard is only compatible with the Morex 5677 and Venus 668 cases due to the location of the ATX connector and the height of the heatsink.

Posted by Staff at 05:58 PM

May 22, 2007

Pico-ITX Mainboard from VIA

aipei, Taiwan, 22 May 2007 - VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator and developer of silicon chip technologies and PC platform solutions, today announced the VIA EPIA PX mainboard, the first commercial mainboard based on VIA’s recently unveiled Pico-ITX form factor measuring just 10cm x 7.2cm.

Powered by the 1GHz VIA C7 processor and supporting up to 1GB of DDR2 533 SO-DIMM system memory, the tiny 10-layer VIA EPIA PX mainboard is based around the single-chip VIA VX700 system media processor, which features the VIA UniChrome Pro II IGP 3D/2D graphics core, MPEG-2/-4 and WMV9 hardware decoding acceleration and display flexibility, including support for higher display resolutions of up to HDTV for HD DVD playback.

Onboard connectors and I/O enable developers to harness the full power of the mainboard, though the VIA PX-O, a dedicated daughterboard with multiple digital media I/O ports, is available on request to assist project developers in early system testing.

Power efficiency is integral to the platform, with the maximum power (TDP) of the processor and chipset at 9W and 3.5W respectively combined with low power DDR2 memory enabling the VIA EPIA PX to run standard productivity and multimedia applications at under 13W.

“The VIA EPIA PX mainboard sets a new world standard for ultra compact embedded system platforms, providing a full complement of multimedia and connectivity options on a platform smaller than any standard PC mainboard or x86 system-on-module,” said Daniel Wu, Assistant Vice President, VIA Platform Solutions Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. “We are very excited about our new ‘baby’ mainboard, and are working closely with chassis and other infrastructure partners to expedite adoption of the form factor.”

This scale of platform miniaturization has been made possible only by the reduction in size of the core silicon; the 21mm square nanoBGA2 package of the VIA C7 processor and 35mm square VIA VX700 system media processor have a combined area of just 16.7cm2, a board real estate saving of over 50% from previous generation EBGA processors plus twin-chip core logic solutions, and more than that over competing solutions.

VIA EPIA PX Pico-ITX Mainboard Availability

The VIA EPIA PX mainboard is available now for developers, and will be available in limited quantities through authorized distributors in late May. For pricing and availability, please contact your local VIA sales representative or send an email to: [email protected] .

About the Pico-ITX Mainboard Form Factor

The Pico-ITX is the latest miniature full-featured x86 form factor defined by VIA for a new generation of smaller, lighter and quieter embedded PCs, systems and appliances. Further information can be found in the “VIA Pico-ITX Form Factor” white paper available for download from the VIA website at: www.via.com.tw/en/initiatives/spearhead/pico-itx/

VIA EPIA PX Mainboard Principal Specifications

# Processor: 1GHz VIA C7 processor
# Chipset: VIA VX700 system media processor
# Memory: 1 socket, up to 1GB of DDR2 533 SODIMM system memory
# VGA: Integrated VIA UniChrome Pro IGP 3D/2D graphics core, with hardware decoding acceleration for MPEG-2/-4 and WMV9; 1 VGA port
# Audio: VIA VT1708A HD Audio codec
# Storage: 1 SATA connector and 1 UltraDMA 133 connector
# Networking: VIA VT6106S Fast Ethernet controller + 1 RJ-45 LAN port

Onboard options include: 4 USB connectors for 4 ports, 1 COM port connector, 1 PS2 mouse/keyboard connector, 1 LVDS/DVI connector, 1 multimedia connector to support external TV-out, video capture port interface & LPC interface (add-on card required), 1 audio connector for line-out, line-in, mic-in, S/PDIF in & 7.1 channel audio output, 1 CPU fan connector and 1 Pico-ITX power connector.

More information about the VIA EPIA PX mainboard may be found on the VIA website at:

www.via.com.tw/en/products/mainboards/motherboards.jsp?motherboard_id=472

About VIA Technologies, Inc.

VIA Technologies, Inc. (TSE 2388) is the foremost fabless supplier of market-leading core logic chipsets, low power x86 processors, advanced connectivity, multimedia and networking silicon, and complete platform solutions that are driving system innovation in the PC and embedded markets. Headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, VIA’s global network links the high tech centers of the US, Europe and Asia, and its customer base includes the world’s top OEMs, motherboard vendors and system integrators. www.via.com.tw

VIA PR Contact

International: Richard Brown
Phone: (886)-2-2218-5452 #6201
Fax: (886)-2-2218-5453
Email: [email protected]

Posted by keefner at 05:32 PM

May 15, 2007

Is Microsoft Losing Its Grip?

With the surging popularity of software as a service, coupled with Google's ascendance, Microsoft is looking vulnerable. Will the world's most powerful software corporation finally lose its grip? Nice article from Baselinemag.com

Is Microsoft Losing Its Grip?
May 14, 2007
By Paul A. Strassmann
Link

Keep in mind: Microsoft is an awesome company. In 2006, its revenue represented 41% of the total revenue of 407 other software firms, and its profit was 116% of the total profits of those same firms (see chart).

After Microsoft, Oracle and Google recorded the largest profits among software companies in 2006. But Oracle's profit of $3.38 billion, and Google's $3.08 billion, are still no match for Microsoft's $12.6 billion. With a cash flow of $14.4 billion a year, Microsoft has an enormous war chest that can be matched only by Google, which has more cash on hand, with $11.2 billion in the till.

Microsoft's position, however, is vulnerable to attack by software firms that bypass its stranglehold on client devices. For instance, offering a software-as-a-service substitute for Microsoft's Office Suite or SharePoint, instead of a shrink-wrapped product, promises huge cost advantages for customers.

It all boils down to the question of whether a thin client, with only a browser, can compete with a fat client with more than 50 million lines of Microsoft code. I have priced out the hardware and support costs for installing thin clients. The payback is less than one year, and the expected life of a thin client will exceed the useful life of a Vista installation.

Another major benefit of a thin-client solution is enhanced security. Without removable media and in the absence of USB ports, most security problems disappear. Access control and the protection against viruses shift to central servers, where these threats can be handled with greater efficiency.

Whether users can be weaned from the fat client is not only a matter of economics, but also one that involves deeply rooted habits that will make the transfer of applications to centrally managed servers hard to carry out. With dozens of applications and hundreds of files cluttering everybody's disk drives, the prospects of proceeding with a migration and then with a conversion into a new environment are not enticing.

Some businesses will encounter the compulsion to upgrade to Vista, no matter how much pain that means. Why? They will be ultimately driven to do so by the promise of greater security, as well as the upgrade of other Microsoft products that are only compatible with Vista. Moving to Vista, though, requires the owner of a desktop or a laptop to upgrade the hardware on which it runs. It calls for the installation of a special chip to ensure security. According to a BusinessWeek reviewer, it "drives me nuts." I ordered Vista Premium two weeks ago, and discovered that it could not run two of my most important applications, including Adobe Acrobat Professional.

Still, Microsoft counts that businesses and consumers will go ahead and upgrade, and it has based its revenue projections on Vista acceptance.

Yet another scenario: Other businesses will keep their existing XP or Windows 2000 operating systems, and avoid an upgrade to Vista. Instead, these businesses will use browsers to shift their e-mail, chat, instant messaging, virtual conferencing, encryption, audio, calendar, document management, backup storage, disaster recovery and security services into a service-based environment. The advantage of this approach is that it allows for piecemeal migration out of the Microsoft fold. It involves minimal risks because the migration can always be reversed.

Many of the elements of this approach are already shaping up. For instance, Google Apps, for an annual fee of $50, makes available e-mail, calendar, spreadsheets, document management, a Web-page creator, blogs, instant messaging and audio. It is likely that additional features will become available.

So, will Microsoft lose its grip in the software marketplace? I do not think that Microsoft will disappear; there will be ample demand for its broad range of existing and future offerings. However, the company's commitment to Vista is the last gasp of a technology that is nearing the end of its dominance.

Posted by keefner at 08:03 PM

May 07, 2007

Verizon switch to thin client

With about 5,000 Sun Ray terminals installed at three Western call centers, and a fourth in progress, Verizon has seen a 60% to 70% drop in desktop problems and a 30% decline in electrical use at each center. The carrier plans to keep rolling out Sun Rays in new and existing call centers

Thin clients in, PCs out at Verizon Wireless

The deployment is Verizon’s first for a large-scale thin client architecture, part of a growing enterprise trend to virtualize the desktop. NEC just introduced a virtual desktop offering, called the Virtual PC Center, with traditional Wyse thin clients, integrated VMware virtualization software and client support for Citrix.

The carrier’s new approach emerged in fall 2005, when Carl Eberling, vice president of information technology for Verizon’s West Area, asked his team for ideas to cut IT costs at existing and new call centers. The conclusion was that thin clients on desktops, with the applications running on servers, would have to be replaced much less often than PCs, and would cut capital costs but, more importantly, also cut management and support costs.
The thinnest of thin clients

Sun’s Sun Ray is unique among thin clients, many of which still use some kind of embedded Windows or Linux operating system, even though the applications are shifted to servers. In such architectures, the video display is redirected over the network to the desktop thin client box for processing and display.

“There’s nothing on the Sun Rays,” says Michael McGuinness, senior member of technical staff, who co-designed Verizon’s architecture and helped oversee the deployments. “Not even a light OS. That’s where the cost savings come in.”

The desktop box contains only some firmware that puts the display video onscreen and talks to the Sun Ray server software, which tracks everything about the user and the user’s session.

Call center reps now have an arm-mounted 19-inch flat panel display, with the compact Sun Ray box on a desktop perch. Users power up the Sun Ray by inserting a personal smart card for two-factor authentication, type in their Windows username and ID, and within seconds can begin working with the server-based applications. In the near future, this same smart card will be used as the employee ID entry card to enter the call center.

Rest of story

Posted by keefner at 05:47 PM

May 01, 2007

Thinclients going into hotel rooms

Seaport hotel has installed thin clients made by Igel Technology Inc. in 85 of its 426 rooms, with plans calling for the devices to be added to the rest of the rooms over the next 12 months. The thin clients are integrated into 17-in. flat-panel monitors with touch-screen capabilities. There are no moving parts in the Web portals, which run an embedded version of Windows XP, support applications such as Adobe Acrobat and include a wireless keyboard.

Flat panel monitors, touchscreen capabilities and full internet access mean you can leave your laptop behind.

FRAMINGHAM (04/30/2007) - John Burke, vice president of technology at the Seaport Hotel in Boston, is betting that he is at the forefront of an emerging trend in hospitality services: giving guests a reason to leave their laptops at home.

Internet access now is as expected in hotel rooms as soap and shampoo. So to try to set itself apart from its rivals, the Seaport has decided to up the ante and outfit rooms with thin-client systems that have full Internet access.

Burke said the hotel has installed thin clients made by Igel Technology Inc. in 85 of its 426 rooms, with plans calling for the devices to be added to the rest of the rooms over the next 12 months. The thin clients are integrated into 17-in. flat-panel monitors with touch-screen capabilities. There are no moving parts in the Web portals, which run an embedded version of Windows XP, support applications such as Adobe Acrobat and include a wireless keyboard.

Hotel officials see the thin-client system, which they're calling the Seaportal, "as a way to leapfrog the competition" on guest services, Burke said. The Seaport also already offers Wi-Fi connectivity throughout its waterfront property on Boston Harbor.

Burke isn't the first to try the thin-client approach. LodgeNet StayOnline Inc., an Atlanta-based company that offers interactive TV and broadband services in hotels, installed thin-client systems in one national hotel chain's facilities back in 2002. But Mark Henderson, the company's vice president of marketing, said the technology didn't hold up well when used in rooms and wasn't continued.

Henderson thinks hotel guests will continue to rely on their own laptops and, increasingly, cell phones and other handheld devices for Internet connectivity. In addition, he said that IPTV -- television delivered over an IP network -- could serve multiple uses for guests, such as providing them with a larger monitor for their laptops. He sees that as the coming trend, not thin clients.

Bob O'Donnell, an analyst at IDC in Framingham, Mass., said the use of thin clients is an interesting way for a hotel to distinguish itself. But he believes that it will be a niche market, at least for a while, and that the devices will primarily be confined to higher-end hotels such as the Seaport.

Although some hotels offer Web browsing via a standard TV set, the experience isn't very good because of relatively low screen resolution, said O'Donnell. He added, though, that as hotels adopt high-definition televisions and IPTV, the devices may have multiple uses, including Web browsing.

Burke also sees an eventual convergence of devices, with a single entertainment system providing television, computer and phone services. But he said that until those offerings mature, there are immediate benefits to deploying thin clients in guest rooms.

According to Igel, which is headquartered in Germany with U.S. headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., the thin clients that the Seaport is installing cost US$959 each.

Burke said Seaport officials haven't fully calculated a potential return on investment. But, he said, one benefit is the ability to use the thin clients to provide voice-over-IP service via the hotel's existing PBX system. That capability is supported via software developed by BlueNote Networks Inc. in Tewksbury, Mass.

Burke said a guest can make a telephone call by dialing the number via the thin client's touch-screen monitor, which prompts the phone in the room to ring. Once the guest picks up the handset, the call is completed. Burke said that the Seaport may switch over entirely to less-costly VoIP technology in the future if he becomes convinced of its reliability.

There may be other ROI opportunities as well, he said. For example, the hotel will use the thin clients in lieu of publishing a guest services book, and it may also use the devices to offer exhibitors at its convention center a way to keep conference attendees updated.

Burke said he thinks the systems will have low support costs, with his staff handling most services remotely, such as clearing a device's memory once a guest checks out.

Posted by keefner at 08:33 PM

April 23, 2007

HP Planning Portable Thin Client and Current Market Share

Hewlett-Packard's Personal Systems Group is developing a portable thin client for launch later this year. Target markets will include the financial sector, government agencies, education, and healthcare. According to statistics from IDC, HP edged Wyse out of the top spot in the 1.1 million-unit EMEA market in the fourth quarter last year with a 26.2% share against Wyse's 26%. More in article

HP Plans Portable Thin Client

Hewlett-Packard's Personal Systems Group is developing a portable thin client for launch later this year. Target markets will include the financial sector, government agencies, education, and healthcare.

"Basically it's any vertical where security is key but they still want their users to be mobile," said Alex Ebeid, business desktop category manager for HP in the UK and Ireland.

Richard Berridge, HP's remote desktop channel manager for the same geographies, said: "We're working on projects to give pupils remote access to their school infrastructure, so that they could interact with their peers, do homework and catch up on missed lessons from home, but also from their grandparents' house."

Another example he cited was in hospitals. "A patient would be able to go to any doctor or any A&E and they could pull up his or her full history, or you could have a mobile device on a ward from which a doctor could access patient information and view it without it leaving the premises, because the device would reside locally," he said. "With RFID, you could even specify that records would only be shown if both the patient and doctor were present."

HP appears to be looking at both wired and wireless connectivity. Broadband DSL are becoming more prevalent in the home, while sectors such as healthcare are deploying WiFi for the reduced capex and for mobility of access. "This device will be like a laptop, but without any data residing locally," said Berridge.

The Palo Alto, California-based vendor has refreshed its entire thin client line over the last six months, and now offers a range from the low-end t5125, a Linux box running the VIA Eden 400MHz processor and offering access to Citrix or Windows Terminal Services, but only limited peripheral support, up to the high-end t5720 (running Embedded XP) and t5725 (Debian Linux), both of which are on the AMD Geode NX 1500 1.0GHz processor.

The high-end boxes are full OSes and customizable, said Berridge. "Basically anything you can do on a desktop machine, you can do on these, except of course they have no local storage," he said. "You can run Adobe Acrobat, load OpenOffice and have a full browser with Java Virtual Machine capabilities, the only limitation being the capacity of the Flash on board, which is typically 512MB, though we also have a 1GB unit."

According to statistics from IDC, HP edged Wyse out of the top spot in the 1.1 million-unit EMEA market in the fourth quarter last year with a 26.2% share against Wyse's 26%. Wyse is more dominant in the 1.2 million-unit North American market where it holds over 40% share, with Neoware in second place with 20%, and HP with 17%. North America and EMEA are the lion's share of the market, with APAC representing an additional 300,000 units a year.

Source: Datamonitor

Posted by keefner at 06:50 PM

April 02, 2007

Microsoft lets Vista go diskless

Microsoft is loosening the reins on Vista licensing in an effort to let businesses try out some new computing possibilities, including "diskless" PCs. Also, while Microsoft is making diskless PCs commercially possible, enterprises will still needed additional third-party software to actually make such systems boot up. Interview QA with Woodgate follows.

Q&A: New options to license desktop virtualization and diskless PCs give Windows Vista Enterprise customers more choices, says the director of Microsoft's Windows Business Group.

For many IT professionals within large organizations, maintaining control over their desktop environments is becoming an increasingly tall order. The cost of deploying and administering PCs – sometimes tens of thousands of PCs – across an enterprise can be significant, especially without the proper infrastructure in place to aid in the automation of these tasks. Add to that the growing complexity created by more mobile and temporary workers as well as new data security and compliance requirements – such as Sarbanes-Oxley and HIPAA in the United States – in regulated industries, and it is little wonder that some large enterprises are exploring alternative approaches to traditional desktop management.

With the combination of Window Vista Enterprise Edition and the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack, customers can secure PCs, centralize applications and increase productivity while decreasing deployment costs. In addition, the advent of fast networking and virtualization has opened the door for large enterprises examining new architectures that centralize Windows. Last week, at the Microsoft Management Summit 2007 (MMS 2007), Microsoft detailed the upcoming availability of licensing for two new centralized architectures based on Windows Vista Enterprise Edition. For details on the new offerings and what they mean to customers, PressPass spoke with Microsoft’s Scott Woodgate, director in the Windows Business Group.

Scott Woodgate, Director, Microsoft Windows Business Group
Scott Woodgate, Director, Microsoft Windows Business Group

PressPass: At MMS 2007, you disclosed additional deployment options for Windows Vista. What are these changes designed to address?

Woodgate: Some of our larger, more highly managed and heavily regulated customers have been asking us for more new Windows Vista deployment models and licensing so they can see how well nascent architectures based on virtualization and fast networking function within their environments. We are responding by adding two more options to the numerous ways customers can deploy and manage Windows Vista Enterprise. These two new options will enable our customers to begin testing centralized desktops and diskless PCs in their production environments alongside their existing deployment model and determine which combination provides the right mix of centralized IT control and end-user flexibility for their respective businesses.

PressPass: What exactly are the changes you announced?

Woodgate: For Software Assurance customers using Windows Vista Enterprise, we’re adding two new ways to license and deploy the operating system. They are:

1) The license right to use Windows Vista on diskless PCs

2) The availability of a subscription license called Windows Vista Enterprise Centralized Desktops (VECD) which allows customers to use Windows in virtual machines centralized on server hardware.

PressPass: What are diskless PCs? How do customers benefit from running Windows on a diskless PC, and how does it work?

Woodgate: We think of a diskless PC as simply a PC that runs Windows but does not store Windows or data locally because it does not have a hard drive. The customers that have been requesting diskless PCs tell us they want the ability to move their Windows data and applications to centralized storage hardware such as a Storage Area Network (SAN), while still maintaining the local computing characteristics and experience of a PC.

We are working with our partners so they can provide the software to enable diskless PCs and they will likely enable two different scenarios for customers. In the first scenario, each employee’s hard drive is stored individually on centralized storage hardware. In the second scenario, shared images are used by a group of users. Our licensing enables both of these scenarios so that customers can work with our partners to determine if these are valuable architectures within their desktop environment.

PressPass: What about Windows Vista Enterprise Centralized Desktop? What is it, how does it help customers, and how does it work?

Woodgate: VECD enables customers to deploy and run Windows Vista Enterprise in virtual machines on server hardware. It provides a Windows experience that is centrally executed in the datacenter and delivered out to either PCs or thin clients.

Using VECD with PCs provides a flexible combination of local and remote computing including mobility and off-line usage. Using VECD with thin clients lets customers who are always connected use minimum footprint devices. Both options provide a complete Windows experience for end users connected to the corporate network, typically delivered over Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) – a multi-channel protocol that allows a user to connect to a computer running Microsoft Terminal Services. It also allows IT administrators to centrally manage, provision and store Windows images. Of the two options, we think using VECD with PCs is often a better choice for most customers because it still allows local and offline use of productivity applications, such as Microsoft Office, while providing centralization for line of business applications.

PressPass: How much do these new offerings cost?

Woodgate: The license to use diskless PCs is available at no charge for Windows Vista Enterprise customers – it’s essentially a change to the existing Software Assurance license, providing customers more flexibility. VECD is available to Software Assurance customers for an annual, per-device subscription fee. The fee varies based on whether your business is licensing PCs or thin client.

PressPass: How will customers benefit from these centralized desktop options?

Woodgate: Most customers who ask for these options have sizable IT departments and highly regulated, highly managed IT environments. They’re looking to centralize their Windows experience using for certain segments of their user base that are always connected in the hopes of benefiting from centralized management.

However, these are still nascent technologies and new architectures, and we think that only a select few customers are planning to broadly implement these centralized desktop models today. The customers that are exploring these new deployment scenarios are early adopters, and they will help prove out the usefulness of centralization over the next few years. The changes we’re making enable them to do that and to see whether their expected benefits pan out in production.

PressPass: How do customers acquire the needed technology for these options?

Woodgate: The technology in this space is evolving, so customers deploying with diskless PCs or VECD in the short term are likely to develop in-house solutions or cobble together the supporting technology that exist today. Our hope in making these options available is that the market will continue to innovate on technical solutions in this space and we are working with our partner community to make that happen.

PressPass: Does Microsoft provide software solutions for VECD?

Woodgate: For VECD, Microsoft has a growing portfolio of virtualization technology. Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 is a cost-effective server virtualization solution available today. Microsoft SoftGrid provides application virtualization, enabling IT pros to more easily deploy and update applications within the existing desktop environment. In addition, SoftGrid’s dynamic application provisioning combined with policy-based management reduces the number of OS images needed for VECD and diskless PC deployment, since applications can be installed in real time into images without needing to be pre-configured for individual users.

PressPass: Doesn’t Terminal Services already offer centralized storage and execution of Windows today?

Woodgate: Yes, several customers will find that Windows Terminal Services meets the same set of needs that VECD aims to address, and for most businesses, the most cost-effective option for centrally managing their desktop environments continues to be Terminal Services. Terminal Services is available today in Windows Server 2003 and in Windows Server “Longhorn” and it offers customers a server-based ability to provide either whole remote desktops or individual remote applications to users and machines. Terminal Services has a mature management infrastructure for centralized desktops across hardware and software in the industry today, and coupled with SoftGrid for Terminal Services, application compatibility issues are substantially reduced.

Functionally, Terminal Services is really a superset of VECD. Terminal Services is a mature, proven and highly scalable technology for centralizing desktops and applications. In comparison, VECD is new and we consider it an early-adopter model. VECD likely has a lower price-performance ratio than Terminal Services - due to the hardware requirements of virtual machines - but it does have the benefit of the same application compatibility and isolation boundaries as Windows Vista.

PressPass: What partner opportunity do diskless PCs and VECD represent, if any?

Woodgate: For partners who serve our large enterprise customers, these new options represent new opportunities to innovate and sell software and hardware. There is a lot of innovation required to build complete software solutions for virtualized and centralized desktop scenarios and diskless PCs. Diskless PCs, SANs and servers are all potential hardware opportunities.

PressPass: Looking ahead, what is on the horizon for Microsoft in this space?

Woodgate: Now that we’ve licensed Windows Vista Enterprise in these new ways, we’re interested in getting feedback from the Software Assurance customers that will take on the role of early adopters and start trialing diskless PC or VECD in production over the next few years. And of course, we will continue to examine new and flexible ways to provide Windows solutions to our customers based on their needs.

Later this year, we will release System Center Virtual Machine Manager to increase physical server utilization, centralize management of virtual machine infrastructure and rapidly provision new virtual machines. Looking ahead to Windows Server "Longhorn," codename for the next version of Windows Server, we will introduce a new hypervisor-based virtualization architecture that will provide customers better reliability, greater scalability and dynamic capabilities to virtualize most workloads in their infrastructure. Windows Server “Longhorn” also will include Terminal Services Gateway - a feature that will enable customers to access both their TS and VECD desktops remotely.

Beyond that, Microsoft will be making broad investments to offer customers a set of virtualization products that will be more dynamic. These investments will span multiple disciplines, ranging from the desktop to the datacenter, and will fuel our overall virtualization strategy

Posted by keefner at 06:34 PM

March 10, 2007

Foldable PCs now available

Mini-ITX out of Italy allows itself to folded into a cube or halves and still be connected. Core Duo processor. What will people think of next.

Do you know that feeling when you look at something but can't believe what you're seeing? Or when you read a text but your brain reports "Does not compute"? Well, that's what happened to me earlier today when I saw The FLeX 4.2 Foldable Mini-ITX HTPC. This enclosure designed by P. Guerra srl from Italy has an outstanding design, comes with a very potent Core (2) Duo Mini-ITX setup, all the other hardware components you need for a full-blown HTPC and even includes two audio amplifiers. However this is what really sets the FLex 4.2 apart from every other HTPC enclosure:

"Most strikingly - the two halves of the flexible chassis are connected, allowing the FLeX 4.2 to be folded and repositioned without reconnecting any cables, transforming in shape from pizza box to cube format to suit your mood and impress your friends. The size of the system is 43 x 9.5 x 30cm when "flat" or 21.5 x 17.5 x 30cm when "folded". Another even smaller version (the FLeX 0) is available without the amplifier but with all the Media Center features."

I don't know about you but in my opinion the FLeX 4.2 deserves some kind of design award. Plus I officially declare this the coolest Mini-ITX system I've ever seen!

You can read the complete news-article (which includes some beautiful photos) here and purchase the setup via the FLeX 4.2 online-configurator.

Posted by staff at 04:00 PM

Big performance in little package

Mini-ITX flexes its muscles by integrating Radeon graphics, HDMI, SATA2 and 2G of DDR2. Full range of AMD processors are supported.

Albatron Technology has recently unveiled the first Mini-ITX Mainboard based on AMD’s powerful AM2 socket technology. This small wonder-board goes all out with all of the latest technologies matching AM2 power with versatility and flexibility, making it a top choice as the most powerful Mini-ITX board on the market.

Superior AM2 Socket Technology with Dual Channel DDR II

It’s no secret that AMD CPUs enjoy a unique advantage of having on-chip integrated memory controllers, significantly boosting CPU-to-Memory access. AM2 socket technology is AMD’s latest socket supporting DDR II, improving on its predecessor 754 socket design supporting the standard DDR technology. In short, AM2 has doubled memory bandwidth.

But it doesn’t end there. In addition to DDR II, the KI690-AM2 raises the bar with Dual Channel memory technology, again doubling the memory bandwidth. Along with the two SO-DIMM slots capable of holding a whopping 2 GBs, you’ve just packed in a lot of memory power into a very small board.

The AM2 socket supports a full range of AMD CPUs including the Athlon™ 64 FX, Athlon 64 X2, Athlon 64 and Sempron™.

Small Form Factor for Tight Fits

The KI690-AM2 is a Mini-ITX board no larger than your outstretched hand. More precisely, it is only 17x17cm and is perfect for small compartments such as for Car PCs, Industrial PCs, POS systems, DIY systems or for a small inconspicuous living room HTPCs (Home Theatre PC).

ATI Radeon Graphics, Gaming and Video

The KI690-AM2 employs the ATI RS690 and SB600 chipsets boasting the most powerful integrated graphics engine on the market according to industry pundits. This means that you can get great small-board gaming performance. The graphics engine is also perfect for the imminent release of Windows® Vista, the first operating system to take advantage of graphics subsystems.

Full Multimedia with HDMI, SPDIF and 8 Channel Audio

The KI690-AM2 also boasts full multimedia connectivity and audio facilities. You can surf and download like mad with Gigabit LAN and hook up directly to High Definition devices with the HDMI connector. This board also comes with the HDTV composite, DSub and DVI connectors.

You needn’t worry about connectivity. You can attach all of your multimedia devices using up to two IEEE 1394 ports or using up to eight USB 2.0 ports. This board is fully equipped for rich, high quality audio featuring 7.1 HD Audio Effects (8 channels). In addition, the KI690-AM2 supports audio devices requiring SPDIF connectors.

Download Power

The KI690-AM2 is stocked with 4 SATA II connectors with RAID 0, 1 & 0+1 ensuring speedy 3 Gbit/s disk performance for downloading, uploading, gaming etc. It also has one IDE connector supporting ATA hard disks and CD drives.

KI690-AM2: Fully equipped for Windows Vista and HTPC

The KI690-AM2 is built around AM2 performance and is a perfect fit for HTPC and Windows Vista, featuring full featured audio and graphics facilities. This board is now at the top of the heap of Mini-ITX options and Albatron, is again, out to showcase its expertise in small form factor boards.

Posted by staff at 03:57 PM

Google Watch -- is the google phone on the way

Now that the Apple iPhone has made the transition from rumor to promise, talk has turned to the possibility of a Google phone.

Blogger and VC Simeon Simeonov provided the latest installment of "Google's Next Super-Secret Project" with news from a "inside source" detailing a future Google phone.

Previous episodes have explored Google's plans to: buy up dark fiber to route around hostile cable and telephone companies; collaborate with Wyse Technology to make a thin-client PC; place data centers in shipping containers around the country; and fabricate its own processors.

Simeonov identifies Andy Rubin, founder of Danger, Inc. and Android, a 2005 Google acquisition, as the leader of a 100-person team working on a Google phone. He describes it has a "Blackberry-like, slick device" with "many services, including VoIP" that runs a C++ core in conjunction with Java and possibly
Linux and includes vector-based presentation similar to what Google acquired when it bought Skia.

"Apparently, Google is planning to build distribution relationships with multiple carriers by allowing them to minimize subscription and marketing costs," says Simeonov in a blog post. "In other words, Google will market the phone online and carriers will fulfill."

That begs the question: Why bother? Google has already struck a deal with Samsung to get software like Google Search, Google Maps, and Gmail on Samsung handsets. It's a player in the phone software market. Having its own phone hardware makes no sense absent the sort of device competency Apple has demonstrated.

It might make sense, however, if Google is making a multi-function portable device that happens to handle voice communications. On the IP Democracy blog, Cynthia Brumfield, president of media consultancy Emerging Media Dynamics, Inc., makes this very point, wondering whether the rumored Google device should really be called a phone. "My phone stinks and can't do much that's interesting, while these gadgets support everything from video viewing to Internet access to word processing to easy information sharing," she laments.

Her dissatisfaction is a common theme among mobile phone users. Mobile phone services drew 31,671 Better Business Bureau complaints in 2005, more than any other industry. When Apple announced its iPhone, one common disappointment cited by bloggers, pundits, and journalists was that Apple had re-invented the phone but not the mobile phone industry, which restricts the portability and functioning of its hardware far more than the computer industry. Columbia law school professor Tim Wu last month published a paper calling for wireless industry reform, hoping to end the network discrimination and product and feature crippling practiced by mobile carriers.

If there really is a Google phone, pray that voice communication is the least of its capabilities.

Posted by staff at 03:56 PM

Vista gets cool reception from US FAA

The US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) is considering ditching Microsoft Vista and Office in favour of Linux running Google’s Apps Premier Edition, an official has said.

Speaking to Information Week, FAA CIO David Bowen cited technical reasons for the possible shift. "It takes the desktop out of the way so you're running a very thin client. From a security and management standpoint that would have some advantages," he was quoted as saying.

Compatibility was also an issue. According to Bowen, the FAA’s IBM Lotus Notes clients did not work properly on current versions of Vista.

He confirmed that the organisation was in discussions with hardware supplier Dell to see if the company could supply Linux for use with Google Apps, and what effect moving from Microsoft would have on future procurement.

If Vista is ignored in favour of an open source OS, it would mark another example of public sector organisations turning their backs on Microsoft’s expensively-developed new operating system and application suite. Only last week, the US department of Transportation (DOT), the FAA’s parent organisation, halted Vista upgrades for the foreseeable future, citing a number of concerns, though there is no suggestion that this means that DOT has plans to embrace any Vista rivals yet.

Microsoft is to be given a last chance to convince the FAA to stay with Windows during meetings scheduled for the near future, so this is not a done deal. But even the fact that it is being mooted shows the dangers that can jump out at a dominant player such as Microsoft whenever it brings in a new piece of software.

Google Apps is a new host-based application suite aimed at taking on Microsoft using a different thin client-like approach to software provision. Prices for the software-as-a-service system have been quoted in the range of $50 per client, per annum, which includes all maintenance and data storage. The suite has been shown off as a free trial since last summer.

Opinions have been mixed as to the likely success of the model, but there is no doubt that Microsoft’s software model is set to come under pressure. The savings from not having to hire in-house staff for applications support are bound to see it gain some traction. What will be key is whether Google Apps can stack up against the maturity of Microsoft’s equivalents.

Microsoft has its own hosted application development in the making, though it is some way behind Google in terms of turning it into a mature product.

Posted by staff at 03:54 PM

New Tablet Terminal from CLI

A New Tablet Terminal - TT3280x Joins the Computer Lab International (CLI) Specialty Thin Client Family. Flexible, Higher-Performance Windows XP Embedded Tablet Thin Client With PCMCIA Expansion And Built-In Wireless

PLACENTIA, CA - January 2007 - Computer Lab International, Inc. (CLI), a leading provider of thin clients and text terminal products, announced today that it will be adding a new product, the TT3280x, to its TT3200 tablet thin client series.

The TT3280x Tablet Thin Client is a higher performance Windows XP Embedded tablet terminal that provides simple, reliable and secure access to Microsoft Windows Terminal Services, Citrix Application Delivery Infrastructure, and VMware Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), as well as midrange, mainframe UNIX and other “legacy” applications, plus Java, multimedia and the Web.

The TT3280x provides flexibility with built-in 802.11a/b/g wireless, and a PCMCIA expansion slot, ideal for 3G, broadband, and more. Its lightweight and compact design make it a perfect solution for any application where portability and mobility are paramount. Such applications include patient monitoring, inventory management, point of sale, point of service and kiosks.

Other product features of the TT3280x include:

• Fast AMD Geode LX 800 CPU
• Bright 8.4” Color LCD
• 1GB Flash / 512MB DRAM
• Biometric fingerprint reader
• Bluetooth

“The TT3280x meets the needs of those looking for a lightweight, powerful, wireless, tablet device for rugged environments,” states Michael Oliva, CLI’s Director of Marketing. “By adding features such as Bluetooth and a Biometric fingerprint reader, we have been able to address even those solutions that need optimal security and connectivity.”

About Computer Lab International, Inc. (CLI)
Since 1984, CLI has been specializing in application modernization through the use of CLI thin client devices, midrange terminals and management software. The benefits of using CLI products include delivery of new features and capabilities to users, reduced risk of upgrading legacy systems, shortened time-to-market for system enhancements, and increased ROI for IT investments. CLI is based in Placentia, California, has sales and support offices throughout the world and an extensive VAR partner network.

For more information or to obtain an evaluation unit, visit the CLI web site at www.computerlab.com, or call 1.800.727.5250 in the US, 1.714.572.8000 elsewhere.

Computer Lab International is a trademark of CLI, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Posted by staff at 03:52 PM

Desktop on a Stick - The new VM

More commonly known as ACE, version 2 of the Enterprise edition is now in public beta. ACE, in many respects, alters the definition of the desktop. Unlike its workstation and thin-client kin, which were basically blank terminals that served as a conduit to get to the data on the server, with ACE, an entire system can sit on a USB stick or Apple iPod.

Just the other day rumors started flying that Apple was going pure flash.

March 9, 2007
Virtually Speaking: Desktop on a Stick
By Dan Muse

Amy Newman

It was only a matter of time before x86 virtualization came to the desktop. In some ways, it all started with the desktop when VMware made its inaugural offering, GSX Server, back in 1998.

At that time, a virtual desktop was similar to a virtual server. It could be partitioned into multiple systems, each running its own operating system. In those days, the offerings were aimed at the developer community, where it was cheaper to have someone run Linux and Windows on the same box rather than give them an extra system.

On Monday, VMware announced a new version of its Assured Computing Environment for the Enterprise virtual desktop, which it hopes will bring the technology into the mainstream.

More commonly known as ACE, version 2 of the Enterprise edition is now in public beta. ACE, in many respects, alters the definition of the desktop. Unlike its workstation and thin-client kin, which were basically blank terminals that served as a conduit to get to the data on the server, with ACE, an entire system can sit on a USB stick or Apple iPod.

Discuss this article in the ServerWatch discussion forum

Using ACE, an admin can create an IT-managed PC within a secured virtual machine and deploy it to an unmanaged physical PC, thus creating an IT-compliant PC endpoint that can be easily accessed and transported. VMware ACE is designed to ensure complete control of the hardware configuration and networking capabilities of the system.

VMware ACE 2 Enterprise Edition is, in fact, a collection of tools for the virtual desktop that includes VMware ACE Management Server, which allows IT administrators to centrally manage thousands of VMware ACE desktops from a single console. It also supports a VMware "single virtual client platform," which enables VMware Workstation 6 users to create and securely package VMware ACE virtual machines and enable VMware Player or VMware Workstation users to run an ACE virtual machine from any PC, laptop or portable media device.

At the heart of the suite is a desktop mobility feature that enables the virtual desktop's deployment — complete with operating system, data and applications to a portable media device.

All you need is "access to a computer flash drive," Jerry Chen, director of Enterprise Desktop Platforms VMware, told ServerWatch.

This makes for a truly mobile desktop. It can be set up so that an end user simply loads his or her secure desktops onto portable media devices, such as USB flash drives or an Apple iPod, enabling access from anywhere.

ACE, Chen said, is ideal for independent contractors and others who switch between office and personal computers. Using ACE, employees who travel would be able to drop the laptop in favor of something they can slip into a pocket or purse.

Policy control and encryption are designed to to keep it secure and set it apart from VMware's workstation offering, Chen said.

VMware ACE 2 Enterprise Edition also promises streamlined desktop management and simplified desktop control, isolated sandbox environments and the capability to capture and move desktop images.

VMware is certainly not the first vendor to offer a portable desktop. Sun Microsystems has been selling Sun Ray systems since 1999. Sun Ray cards, however, are restricted to Sun Ray systems, so portability is limited.

While the appeal for a system as versatile as the ACE, or Sun Ray, is strong, security issues abound. Encryption mitigates many risks, as does the policy-setting capabilities that come with the new ACE bundle. It goes without saying that policy management will be critical to a successful ACE deployment, as will judicious choice of what an enterprise decides to deploy virtually.

For example, VMware ACE Virtual Rights Management (VRM) centralizes management of security policies and access rights applied to VMware virtual machines, but that doesn't necessarily mitigate data lost because an iPod is left on the subway and never seen again — unless data is backed up somewhere.

Ultimately, common sense and sound policies are key to getting the most from this technology.

ACE 2 Enterprise Edition is currently in public beta and available for immediate download. It is expected to be generally available in the second quarter, Chen said.

Posted by staff at 03:49 PM

January 26, 2007

New T5135 from HP

Hewlett Packard launches Compaq t5135 Thin Client and t5530 Thin Client

US based personal computer maker Hewlett Packard has launched two new thin-client computers. HP claims that these new products are power-efficient, low-maintenance alternatives to desktop PCs.

Hewlett Packard plans to market these new products to large enterprises, governments, and educational institutions.

These two new products are entry-level Compaq t5135 Thin Client and business-class t5530 Thin Client. These computers are the size of a paperback book.

HP said that the t5135 model is now replacing their model 5125. It comes loaded with the Debian Linux OS. The other model t5530 replaces HP’s model 5520 and comes powered with the Windows CE OS.

These two products are powered with 64MB of flash storage, 128MB of RAM and a Via Technologies Eden processor, running at 400MHz for the 5135 or 800MHz for the 5530.

These new products would be sold in the US market for $199 and $299 respectively.

Posted by Staff at 07:56 PM

January 16, 2007

New Dual Video Thin Client

The new V-Class Dual-Video family addresses the requirements of
customers asking for higher display resolutions (up to WUXGA 1920 x 1080 pixels), superior image quality, and support for analog and digital displays through the new DVI-I interface

SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Wyse Technology, the global
leader in Thin Computing, today announced the availability of the new Wyse
V-Class Dual-Video family of thin computers with advanced display
capabilities.
Thin computing is being selected for increasingly demanding
applications, creating demand for a desktop with advanced display handling
capabilities, yet retaining the small size and power consumption attributes
of thin computers. Responding to this need, Wyse introduces the V-Class
Dual-Video family, which supports high-resolution displays and the option
to connect two displays simultaneously. This extends the work productivity,
security, reliability, and affordability of thin computing to
data-intensive environments such as document management, financial
services, medical care, and research industries. Designed for use with
Microsoft Terminal Services, Citrix Presentation Server, VMware, web-based,
and full-function streaming environments, the V-Class Dual-Video includes
dual-monitor window management allowing the user to take full advantage of
two monitors in a remote-computing environment.
"The new V-Class Dual-Video family addresses the requirements of
customers asking for higher display resolutions (up to WUXGA 1920 x 1080
pixels), superior image quality, and support for analog and digital
displays through the new DVI-I interface," said Bill Platt, Executive Vice
President of Products, Wyse Technology. "This solution also rounds out our
offering with our Wyse V-Class product family, now giving us options for
dual-video. This further extends the security and reliability of Wyse thin
computers to demanding, multi-display environments."
The new family is based on the VIA Eden C7 processor, and uses only 12
watts of power making it one of the most economical units available. The
family is four times faster than the models it replaces*, at the same or
lower prices.
"Dual-video support was once a nice-to-have but is becoming more of a
need-to-have," said Mike Strohl, President of Entisys, a Wyse Premier
Reseller in Northern California. "The Wyse 3150 thin client was a great
product, however the V30 Dual-Video gives you Microsoft Windows CE in a
much faster box, with the ability to use two displays if you desire, all at
the same price point as the 3150. We think this is going to be a homerun."
The new product line includes models based on Windows CE 5.0, Linux,
and Windows XP embedded. Models are available immediately starting at
$399**. Dual video capability requires optional DVI-I to dual display
cable, available from Wyse.
About Wyse Technology
Wyse Technology is the global leader in thin computing. Wyse and its
partners deliver the hardware, infrastructure software, and services that
comprise thin computing, allowing people to access the information they
need using the applications they want, but with better security,
manageability, and at a much lower total cost of ownership than a PC. Thin
computing allows CIOs and senior IT professionals to reduce costs, manage
risk, and deliver access to information. Wyse partners closely with
industry leaders Microsoft, Citrix, VMware, and others to achieve this
objective. Wyse is headquartered in San Jose, California, with offices
worldwide.
For product photo and information, visit the Wyse website at
http://www.wyse.com/pr/vdualvideo or call 1-800-GET-WYSE.
* The V-Class Dual-Video family models replace the popular Winterm
3150, 5150 and 9150 models
** Estimated customer price
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the
trademarks of their respective owners.

Posted by Staff at 04:32 PM

November 11, 2006

Sun's CEO: Google Is No Thin Client

CRN's Ed Moltzen writes up Sun comments on Google "thin client" and what is and isn't a thin client in the thin client computing world.

Source Link

Sun Microsystems CEO Jonathan Schwartz, whose company is generating much attention as it nears creating a General Public License for Java, is trying to re-define the term, "thin client." And that definition, he writes on his blog, doesn't describe a number services Google is now offering:

Industry convention says that apps written to browsers are defined to be "thin." But by that definition, thin really equates to "using someone else's runtime environment" -- in that the browser itself has to be present for the service to be rendered. And last I checked, browsers require operating systems and windowing environments. Not exactly thin. So in my book, it's inaccurate to say Google or YouTube are "thin clients" -- they're services that leverage someone else's thick client. A browser.

(It would be interesting to hear a response from Schwartz' old Sun colleague, Eric Schmidt, who is now Google's chairman and CEO.)

Schwartz wrote about thin clients as he heralded the release of Java Standard Edition 6. That, he believes, will help fuel the creation of more applications for "network clients."

Redefining technology comes with some risks, however. One risk is the risk of confusing the customer.

Wrote a commenter named "Mika" on Schwartz's blog:

"Where are the sunray thin clients in this picture? Are they counted as ultrathin clients, because they have no local computing power? Are they counted as thick clients, because they provide a full blown desktop? It is not that I dislike them, au contrair. . . But now I need some arguments, why I should buy more of them."

Posted by staff at 03:08 PM

New Thin Clients from NEC with VMware

NEC has come out with some new thin clients which offer an interesting twist to the paradigm. Using it's own NetClient system-on-a-chip solution one of the interesting features it can offer is IP Telephony.
The solution uses VMware's virtualisation software to create a virtual Windows PC environment for each user on the server, rather than more traditional shared user space found in other thin client solutions.

source link

As usual, the processing is done on the server with only the screen handled at the client end. The virtualisation technology gives the user a full Windows environment feel to their client, says the company.

Apart from offering a high level of video processing quality at the client end, the new systems offer IP telephone in a comparatively small footprint. The server load for VoIP is not carried by the computing server but is off-load to a dedicated telephony server which even allows voice and video to be transmitted directly between clients.

NEC has had to ensure a higher level of audio and voice quality to get this to work, but is pretty up front about its expectations for the new system. It's planning on selling the equivalent of US$1.25B worth of the thin client solutions over the next three years.

Using the US100 clients instead of a regular desktop should also yield a significant reduction in power usage with a 20 user system expected to use less than 40% of the power an equivalent client/server system would.

The clients are just palm-sized devices (15.5x10.4x3.4cm) which can even be mounted behind the LCD.

A version of the thin client hardware, to be made available only in Japan (at this stage) is in a notebook form factor.

NEC release

Another writeup from CIO
source link

NEC Hails Next Generation of Thin Clients

NOV 08, 2006 10:24:56 AM | Add Comment (0) | Permalink

NEC has produced what it claims is the next generation of thin clients.

The US100 comes with advanced IP telephony and video processing, thanks to the company’s NetClient system-on-a-chip. It comes with VMware’s Virtual Desktop preinstalled.

The idea is that users will get a complete Windows XP environment unlike conventional thin client products, which provide a restricted view. NEC claims its VirtualPC Center (VPC) provides much better graphics and IP telephony than conventional thin clients at 40 percent of the price.

NEC has worked with VMware and uses its virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) to host up to 20 complete Windows XP sessions in virtual machines on its SV5800 server. The client comprises a standard screen, keyboard and mouse plugged into the US100 box, which is about the size of a video cassette. It contains NEC-developed graphics and sound decompression chips.

Conventional thin client products, such as Citrix, receive uncompressed video and sound. Video playback can also be interrupted because the network and hosting server aren’t powerful enough. By offloading the server CPU with thin client accelerator chips, NEC claims it can provide uninterrupted video playback.

Conventional thin client products also provide a restricted emulation of Windows, and not all applications run. Provision of a full Windows XP session per thin client, through VDI, means that a user can be switched from a PC desktop to a US100-based thin client and perceive no difference at all, applications running exactly as before.

The US100 has no hard drive or fan; it runs silently and uses a fraction of the energy of a desktop PC. NEC has integrated its own management suite into VMware providing a management console for thin client administration. It has also integrated voice over IP (VoIP) so calls between clients are of high audio quality. A Phillips SV7000 server is an option for VoIP calls outside the local thin client network.

NEC is also providing the first diskless, wireless-connected TM160 mobile thin client. But if it loses connectivity, it cannot work. This product is for "corridor warriors," according to Jean-Claude Tagger, head of NEC Europe. He said the VPC product line is intended for call centers and health care, among others.

NEC claims to have a nine-to-12-month lead on other thin clients. IBM has a VMware-based thin client system, but it does not have the multimedia acceleration features of the NEC product, nor does it have the cost advantages, according to NEC staff. Wyse also has a thin client product integrated into VDI, again without graphics acceleration and VoIP. There are many other companies in VMware’s VDI alliance development program.

-Chris Mellor, Techworld.com (London)

Posted by staff at 03:03 PM

October 28, 2006

New mini-pc from Fujitsu-Siemens

Last week Fujitsu-Siemens, "the leading European IT provider", announced their ESPRIMO Q Mini PC aimed at "enterprises ... and high-profile office premises". Ever since Apple released its Mac mini line of computer products other PC makers have been coming up with (very) similar designs. AOpen and their MiniPC lineup have probably been the most successful in grabbing a bite of the market. And now Fujitsu-Siemens also seems to be interested in moving into that market-segment:

source

"The latest accessory for stylish desktops weighs two kilograms, measures 5 x 16.5 x 16.5 centimeters and offers full computing power. With its new ESPRIMO Q5000 Mini PC, Fujitsu Siemens Computers is striking out on completely new paths in the field of professional desktop PCs. Here, development focused on design; the result was a desktop PC that combines cool elegance and intelligent technology. The ESPRIMO Q5000 Mini PC offers the full range of computer performance of a standard office PC and was developed with a particular eye to image-conscious companies for which elegant and stylish offices play an important role. It will be available as of 1 October 2006 at prices starting at €849 (e.g. in Germany, incl. VAT)."

Incidently the ESPRIMO Q5000's specifications are basically a carbon-copy of AOpen's miniPC Duo (MP945-X), apart from the design of the enclosure that is. Interestingly the data-sheet (available from the ESPRIMO Q5000 product page) contains quite a lot of information about the system. The peak power-consumption is said to be 45W with the system consuming about 26W during Idle mode. One other thing that I found to be of particular interest is that system is rated at a sound power level of 25dbA in Idle, while during operation with the HDD being in seek it's rated at 35dbA. So I'm not sure whether I would call that "outstandingly quiet"...

Anyway, you can read the complete press-release here and you can several photos of the ESPRIMO Q Mini PC by clicking here...

Posted by keefner at 07:29 PM

October 04, 2006

Thin Client with WiFi Included

Wyse Launches Thin Client Family With Wi-Fi Included

Source link
By W. David Gardner, TechWeb Technology News

Wyse Technology on Wednesday introduced a series of Wi-Fi enabled thin clients, including models based on the embedded operating systems including Microsoft Windows CE5, Windows XP embedded, and Linux.

The line is compatible with Microsoft Terminal Services, Citrix Presentation Server, VMware VDI and Wyse Device Manager, Wyse said.

The new family is likely to restart discussions over the so-called Google Appliance PC. Earlier this year, Wyse was the subject of industry rumors concerning the possibility that it would supply a Google-branded PC. http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6016960-2.html Google discounted the chatter, but wouldn't entirely rule out the possibility that there would be a Google PC someday.

The new Wyse machines provide interoperability and support for WPA and WPA2 for use the 802.1x, Wyse said, noting that those protocols support WEP, EAP, RC4 and TKIP.

Posted by keefner at 09:00 PM

September 28, 2006

Thin Client at ESC Boston 2006

Photo of HP thin clients running VIA processor in VIA booth at ESC in Boston. Other cool stuff at VIA booth for that matter.

Obviously one of the most interesting companies at ESC Boston 2006 was VIA Technologies even though they weren't showing any new motherboards over the EPIA EX and EPIA NX first demo'ed at Computex in June. There were a number of interesting systems built around the EPIA platform, ranging from Thin Clients over rugged computers for harsh environments to more exotics machines like the ImageNail. This selection cleary shows how versatile VIA's platform is!

You can see all of the photos by clicking on read more

Posted by keefner at 02:25 PM

Wyse Works with VMware

Announcement by Wyse that its terminals work fine with VMware.

The Wyse Thin OS allows users with a Wyse S10 desktop terminal to operate on any of several virtual machines residing on a remote server

Thin-client company Wyse is riding the virtualisation trend with a desktop client developed in collaboration with VMware.

source link

The Wyse Thin OS is optimised for VMware’s Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) and allows users with a Wyse S10 desktop terminal to operate on any of several virtual machines residing on a remote server.

The client software with a particular user’s settings is also maintained at the server and can be downloaded to any physical location, allowing the user to have his or her own desktop anywhere.

Wyse’s vice president of operations for Asia-Pacific, Rick Ferguson, who visited New Zealand last week, says the virtualisation set-up has already been taken up by a major multinational company and will be rolled out to its New Zealand office.

Posted by keefner at 02:22 PM

New Form Factors from Igel

Thin client hardware vendor Igel Technology GmbH has unveiled three new form factors in its portfolio as it prepares to compete more aggressively in the US and UK markets.

source link

IDC puts the total thin client hardware market at about $820m a year, with 2.85 millions shipped last year. Igel ranks fourth worldwide in its listing by units, behind Wyse, HP, and Neoware. The Bremen, Germany-based company is number one in its home market, and with the backing of its parent, the toys-to-oil and gas conglomerate C Melchers GmbH & Co KG, it has opened offices in the US and UK to build its businesses in those countries.

“The US, UK, and Germany collectively represent about 54% of the world market,” said Stephen Yeo, worldwide strategic marketing director for Igel. “Meanwhile. the UK, Germany, France, and the Netherlands make up 60% of the European market, so we have signed up French and Dutch distributors.”

Igel, whose name is an abbreviation of Innovative German Electronics and also means hedgehog in German (see its logo), is clearly coming from behind the big three, all of which are from the US and so are more entrenched in the world’s largest market. To make up for that, Yeo said it seeks to counter in three ways. “First, we have a richer firmware offering, in that we burn software clients for multiple digital services into the Flash on our devices, which means customers don’t have to go buy another piece of hardware if, beyond the standard requirements such as ICA [Citrix], RDP [Microsoft], terminal and emulation and web browser they want to add IPTV or VoIP. The devices ship with a SIP client in the Flash, for instance.”

He said the second differentiator is the fact that Igel enables central console management of “every aspect of the digital services offered, including VoIP settings and Cisco VPN.” He said this differentiates it from its competitors “because with them you have to re-image the Flash on one local device, take a snapshot and then squirt it out to all the others, which at 256GB per device means an overload on the available bandwidth for a lot of networks.”

Finally, there is the breadth of Igel’s portfolio, which it is increasing with the current announcement. Yeo said the company already offers its Smart series of low-end thin clients, the Compact and Winestra series with more processor power and a degree of expandability, and the Premium series with full expandability. Igel had already begun to differentiate itself, however, with conversion card for legacy PCs, with which “you unplug the HDD and put in the IDE cable, then the machine boots from Flash and becomes a thin client,” said Yeo.

Now it has added three more devices, at least two of which Yeo said are unique in the market. First is an integrated 17-inch LCD unit which runs Linux and is called Elegance, with a list price of $959 plus tax, or 829 euros plus tax in Europe.

Next is a ruggedized, portable tablet device called the ProScribe, developed in collaboration with Dutch electronics firm Philips and running XP Embedded, with a list price of $1,649 plus tax in the US and 1,349 euros before tax in Europe. It has a dedicated smart card slot built in it because of the greater prevalence of that technology in Europe, and there is a separate PCMCIA slot into which a cellular data card can be inserted to use that connectivity as an alternative to 802.11 WiFi, which is also in the device.

Finally, there is a multi-screen, fanless box called the PanaVeo, available in Linux and XPE versions, with an integrated Metrox Graphics video card that can output to four displays, with the potential for the same or different windows on each display. This device is available in a two-screen version for $979 plus tax US and 849 euros before tax Europe, as well as the full quad-screen version for $1,549 plus tax US, 1,349 euros before tax in Europe. "This is aimed at places such as trading floors in the financial sector or the accident and emergency rooms in hospitals," said Yeo.

Posted by keefner at 02:19 PM

Intel touts vPro as thin client killer

Intel is positioning its vPro enterprise client computing platform as a way to fend off the threat from thin client computers.

source link

In a keynote presentation at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco, Pat Gelsinger, senior vice president of Intel's Digital Enterprise Group, touted the platform's ability to merge the advantages of thin and thick clients.

"The future for vPro is in enabling it to be the best 'software as a service' client possible, balancing the computing overhead between the data centre and the client," he told delegates.

Gelsinger argued that the platform would be able to deliver attributes from a thick client such as mobility, a rich user interface and support for features like video and voice communications, while embracing the key benefits of a thin client through enhanced security and lower maintenance.

"This drives a breakthrough in data security as well as in the total cost of ownership," he said.

A thin client is a computer that stores all data and applications on a central server. They promise cost savings in management and offer better security than a client computer because IT staff can perform all maintenance and apply patches from a central location.

On the flip side, applications tend to show poor performance due to network latency. There is also a limited selection of applications that can be delivered over a network.

However, the advent of hosted applications, also known as 'software as a service', has given the thin client a major boost.

Because applications like Salesforce.com or Google's Writely are accessed through a browser, they could warm up enterprises to thin client computers.

Analyst firm IDC said earlier this week that shipments of thin client computers in Europe are outgrowing regular desktop systems.

The largest vendors are Wyse Technology, HP and Neoware, but the systems make up only six per cent of the overall PC market.

* Web seminar: Solving the PC Management Dilemma

Intel launched its vPro platform last April and started shipping the first systems this month.

It offers IT managers remote access to desktop systems to perform maintenance tasks, and a virtual compartment that monitors a client's security settings allowing it to disable network access if the antivirus software is disabled.

Gelsinger said that Intel is indifferent to either platform since both use Intel chips. Thin clients, however, are typically powered by processors from Intel competitors such as Via or AMD.

Rob Enderle, principal analyst with the Enderle Group, believes that thin clients could pose a threat to Intel.

But thin clients are suffering from a lack of industry standards, forcing enterprises to purchase all their client systems, servers and management software from a single vendor. Enterprises typically try to avoid such vendor lock-ins.

The Sarbanes Oxley legislation puts stringent documentation requirements on these sole-source deals to prevent bribing or under-the-table contract terms.

Given the thin client's shortcomings, Enderle predicted that thin clients will take at least until the end of the decade to catch on.

"For the broad market, vPro's capabilities are sufficient to compete with thin clients," he told vnunet.com.

Posted by keefner at 02:17 PM

August 14, 2006

Debian Gains Support from HP and IBM

The company said it would support Debian Linux on its ProLiant and HP BladeSystem servers, and what it said would be the industry's first Debian Linux customisable thin client from a major vendor - the new HP t5725 Thin Client server.

source link

HP is supporting Debian because it has been shipping Debian Linux servers to customers in the fields of telecommunications and high-performance technical computing, said Jeffrey Wade, open source and Linux marketing manager at HP.

The company's involvement with the Debian dates back to 1995, he said.

Support will be provided direct from HP rather than through a third party service provider as part of the warranty coverage for its Debian Linux servers, better support than customers can expect from other OEMs said Wade.

If you look for Debian Linux support on the websites of other OEMs, "you might see a link to some discussion groups or a download of a research paper on Debian," he said. "But HP takes real phone calls from real customers who need to get their problems solved."

Some enterprises are turning to Debian to avoid the subscription fees required of major commercial Linux distributions such as Red Hat, Novell SuSE and others, Wade said.

Debian is a free operating system that was created by a group of about 1,000 global volunteers who collaborated via the Internet on its development. In July, the Debian Project announced that its next major update, Debian GNU/Linux 4.0, is scheduled for release in December.

Although Debian was not widely embraced at first, and users experienced interoperability problems with application software, Debian "has matured as Linux has matured," said Gordon Haff, principal IT advisor at research firm Illuminata.

"This really is something new where there is a tier-one vendor essentially providing a tier-one level of support for Debian," said Haff.

Although specific market share numbers are hard to come by for noncommercial Linux distributions, "Debian has been quite popular [and] the leading noncommercial distribution," he said, although only in servers, not desktop computers.

HP's direct support for Debian may give HP a competitive advantage, Haff said, but there are third party service providers who can support Debian Linux servers from Dell, IBM or other PC makers.

IBM said it takes care of its Debian Linux customers. "IBM works well with Debian in the Linux community and will, and does, support the Debian distribution for our customers," the company said.

"It's not a standard offering, but we do it under special bid."

HP also announced Monday that unit sales of 1.5 million Linux servers generated revenue of close to $6.2 billion for the 12 months ending in May, 50 percent more revenue than its nearest competitor.

Posted by keefner at 02:09 PM

July 13, 2006

Lifeline extended for older PCs by Microsoft

Microsoft on Wednesday revealed software that turns older PCs into more modern and secure systems, but in the process also makes them less than full-fledged computers.

The software, known as Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs, is designed as a stopgap measure for companies with a significant number of older Windows PCs that they aren't ready to replace and that can't be easily upgraded to Windows XP.

Formerly known by its Eiger code name, Windows Fundamentals gives those PCs some of the security benefits of XP but essentially turns the machines into thin clients, able to run only a few programs locally, with most software needing to run remotely from a server.

As Microsoft announced in September, Windows Fundamentals is being made available as part of Microsoft's Software Assurance licensing program. It's one of several changes the company is making to the program.

"Software Assurance is certainly more than upgrades," said Mike Oldham, a general manager in Microsoft's licensing group. "We see it as a full offering that we are incoprorating more value into all the time."

Oldham said that Microsoft developed Windows Fundamentals because corporate customers were looking for a way to get more years out of their PCs. "This gave them a key tool for expanding those life spans."

Turning PCs into thin clients is something new, Oldham said. "Typically we have not delved into that area."

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-6093274.html

Posted by keefner at 02:44 PM

July 06, 2006

Windows on Linux Thin Terminals

New Generation PXES Converts PCs to Thin Clients, Centrally Manages Connection Settings and Runs Windows Applications Seamlessly

Press Release Source: 2X Ltd

2X Releases New Version of Free PXES Linux Thin Client: 2X ThinClientServer PXES Edition
Thursday July 6, 6:42 am ET

New Generation PXES Converts PCs to Thin Clients, Centrally Manages Connection Settings and Runs Windows Applications Seamlessly

FRANKFURT, GERMANY--(MARKET WIRE)--Jul 6, 2006 -- 2X today announced an innovative upgrade and new name for its popular PXES Linux thin client: 2X ThinClientServer PXES edition 3.0. This edition boasts a completely new architecture, which includes a server component allowing for central management of the connection settings and the thin client OS. The new architecture makes migrating PCs to thin clients and subsequently managing them, much easier and enables desktop virtualization.

"Existing PXES users can upgrade at no charge to 2X ThinClientServer PXES edition and get central connection management, support for new hardware and integrated support for running Windows applications on the thin client desktop," said Niko Makris. "With 2X ThinClientServer PXES edition, any company can experience the advantages of server based computing and desktop virtualization without investing in hardware or software."

Integrated support for running Windows applications

Integrated into 2X ThinClientServer PXES edition is the Linux client of 2X ApplicationServer, which allows any Windows application to be tunneled onto the Linux thin client desktop. Administrators can centrally control the Windows applications a user, or group of users, can run -- on the Linux desktop!

2X ThinClientserver PXES edition is completely free and supports connections to Linux or Windows terminal servers. A commercial version of 2X ThinClientServer remains available and allows for connections to Citrix terminal servers.

Administrators save precious time with 2X ThinClientServer

The combination of a Linux desktop with Windows applications allows for tremendous time savings for administrators:

-- No more patching of desktops
-- No need to deploy new or updated software on desktops
-- No more need to update to VISTA or re-install XP
-- No need to back up data on desktop machines
-- No Anti Virus / Anti Spyware needed on the desktop
-- No desktop management & backup software needed

For more information about 2X ThinClientServer PXES edition visit: http://www.2x.com/pxes/. The product is available for download at: http://www.2x.com/pxes/download.htm. User to user support is available via the 2X forums at http://forums.2x.com. Commercial grade support is available with the enterprise version of 2X ThinClientServer

About 2X

2X Software Ltd -- 2X -- is a company developing software for the booming server-based computing market. Thin client computing controls spiraling PC management costs, centralizes application and desktop management, improves security and performance and allows users to work remotely. The company's product line includes: 2X ThinClientServer for Windows/Linux, 2X LoadBalancer for Terminal Services/Citrix, 2X ApplicationServer for Windows Terminal Services and 2X SecureRDP for Windows Terminal Services. 2X is a privately held company with offices in Frankfurt, Cyprus, UK and Malta. Its management team is backed by years of experience in developing and selling network infrastructure software. 2X is a Microsoft and RedHat partner. For more information visit: www.2x.com, www.2xsoftware.de (German), www.2xsoftware.it (Italian), www.2xsoftware.fr (French), www.2xsoftware.es (Spanish).

All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Contact:

For more information:
Please email Tamara Borg
Email Contact
2X Software Ltd:
Tel: (+49) 69 710456-424
Fax: (+49) 69 710456-450
URL: http://www.2x.com

Source: 2X Ltd

Posted by keefner at 03:27 PM

June 08, 2006

Up next -- the wall socket PC

The Jack PC thin client fits into a wall socket and is so energy-efficient it can get its power over Ethernet

UK firm to unveil wall-socket PC
Colin Barker
ZDNet UK
May 31, 2006, 13:45 BST

The Jack PC thin client fits into a wall socket and is so energy-efficient it can get its power over Ethernet

Newcastle-based Jade Integration will launch one of the smallest thin-client computers available in the UK to date, the Jack PC, next month.

Containing all the electronics needed to run as a low- to medium-power PC, the Jack PC, as its name suggests, will fit into a standard size wall socket. The entire PC sits on two layered circuitboards. It contains an AMD RISC processor to help reduce power consumption and heat output.

According to Jade Integration's managing director, Andy MacLellan, low power was one of the big breakthroughs achieved with the Jack PC. "A regular PC will use 80 Watts or more of power, and this only uses 5 Watts. That makes a big difference to the cost of running it, as well as other things."

The device was developed by Chip PC Technologies, a company that specialises in what it calls "post-PC technologies". According to MacLellan, Chip PC Technologies created the first Jack PC over a year ago and has been working on perfecting it since then. The University of Northumbria was one of the first organisations to take delivery of the device.

"This can be used as a standard PC on standard power," MacLellan told ZDNet UK, "or it can be used with power-over-Ethernet, and that really makes it efficient."

A basic Jack PC costs £209 without monitor or keyboard. At a low price and using low power, MacLellan believes the device is "one of the biggest developments in PCs that we have seen" and is one of the "ever-growing range of thin clients, which are rapidly replacing PCs as a more effective desktop computing solution for modern businesses".

The Jack PC runs Windows CE, is designed to connect to "any terminal server-based environment" and has Citrix ICA and Microsoft RDP clients built in.

It runs Internet Explorer 6.0 to connect to Web-driven applications, and runs an "up to 500MHz" AMD RISC processor, which the company says is equivalent to a 1.2GHz x86. It can come with up to 64MB of flash memory and 128MB RAM.
Jack PC pic
The power of a PC shrunk to a wall socket: the Jack PC

Analogue or digital monitors are supported, and the system can include support for dual-screen and 16:9 screens. It has four USB 2.0-compatible ports, 16-bit audio in/out and support for 24-bit (true colour), 1280x1024 graphics. The Jack PC will also support wireless connectivity.

While the device itself consumes less power than a standard PC, users who want to run a range of applications will need to connect it to a server. This will raise the total power consumption.

The Jack PC will be getting its official launch next month when it is being shown at the IT Works show which will run on the 14th and 15th of June in Newcastle.

Posted by keefner at 03:16 PM

Devon Announces $149 Thin Client

Devon IT, a leading provider of thin client terminals and secure access appliances and solutions, today announced the availability of the NTA 6020 line of thin client terminals, priced starting at $US149. Thin clients are showing up more and more in self-service terminals and kiosks.

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 8, 2006--Devon IT, a leading provider of thin client terminals and secure access appliances and solutions, today announced the availability of the NTA 6020 line of thin client terminals, priced starting at $US149.

"With the most advanced and affordable terminals on the market today, customers can easily implement a secure thin-client solution with access to a broad range of applications and data," explained Joe Makoid, President, Devon IT. "The NTA 6020 line of thin client terminals helps increase the enterprise-wide benefits of thin client implementations by enabling reliable server-based computing solutions to a wide range of applications."

Starting at US$149, the NTA thin client terminal is designed to be a cost-effective alternative to standard PCs. Using the "Server Centric Computing" approach to enterprise information access, the NTA thin client terminals minimize support costs centralizing management.

"There is no question we offer the best prices in the market across our complete line of terminals," commented Makoid. "Our prices are half of our competitors advertised prices. We want to ensure that our customers are getting what we feel is the best product on the market along with the best offer on thin client terminals available today."

The NTA 6020 line of thin client terminals - available with the Devon Terminal Operating System (DeTOS), Windows XP Embedded (XPe), or PXE boot - delivers reliability, security, and performance features. The operating system software also provides the latest multimedia and web browsing capabilities and contains extensive device support. Features of the NTA 6020 line of thin client terminals include:

-- Easy-to-use Graphical User Interface (GUI)

-- Displays Windows desktops, web browsers, and applications from multi-user Windows NT, Windows 2000, and Microsoft Server 2003

-- Available with Devon Terminal Operating System (DeTOS), Windows XP Embedded (XPe) or PXE boot

-- RDP, ICA and PXE capable

-- Available with Ericom PowerTerm LTC, No Machine NX, VNC, Tarantella and SSH clients

-- Displays UNIX and Linux X Windows applications

-- Full multimedia support with 4 USB, 2 Serial, 2 PS/2, 1 VGA, and 1 Parallel ports

-- Integrated Web Browser

-- Up to 512 MB Memory, up to 512 MB Flash Memory, VIA C3 800 MHz processor

-- No moving parts (i.e. hard drive) to fail

-- Priced starting at US$149

To Contact Devon IT to receive more information about the NTA thin client terminals solution or to arrange for a demonstration, email [email protected] or call: 610-757-4110 or Toll-free Phone: 888-524-9382. Information is also available at www.ntavo.com.

About Devon IT

Devon IT is an information technology company that focuses on offering thin client terminals and ultra-secure remote access solutions that provide enterprise customers with greater security, enhanced manageability, improved reliability, and lower costs. Devon IT offers these secure server-based remote access and thin client solutions through its NTA Virtual Office (NTAVO) products. Devon IT also develops products that support IBM's Hosted Client Infrastructure and Blade Computing ecosystem. More information is available at www.devonit.com

All company, brand, or product names are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective holders.

Posted by keefner at 03:11 PM

May 30, 2006

HP launches thin client based on AMD Geode CPU

Hewlett Packard (HP) on May 29 introduced the Compaq t5720, a thin client PC series powered by the AMD Geode NX 1500 processor. According to HP's existing thin client offering, its high-end products feature AMD's embedded solution, whereas the entry-level segment is mainly based on the Eden embedded platform from VIA Technologies.

Posted by keefner at 02:28 PM

April 16, 2006

Thin Client and Power Over Ethernet (POE

New motherboards such as the EPIA EN are drawing, during playback, 14.3 watts of power. New transformers for POE are providing up to 25W.

source link

Some people might have noticed that I updated our PowerSimulator a couple of weeks ago to include the latest power-consumption figures for the EPIA EN motherboards. As always I took the figures from VIA's Operating Guidelines which can now be found in our download section right here. When I first looked at the OG for the EPIA EN I couldn't believe my eyes, those numbers had to be wrong. The EPIA EN15000 (with the 1.5GHz C7 CPU) can't be just using 16.8W during DVD playback, right? And the EN12000E has a maximum power consumption of just 14.3W - impressive! So compared to the EPIA SP motherboards that gives the EN series up to a 50% improvement in max. power draw under load. With the expected 20% performance increase over the C3 processors these new boards certainly look like a winner to me! Comparing the C7 platform to the Luke CoreFusion technology on the Nano-ITX motherboards reveals that they're roughly equal, of course with the earlier mentioned performance (and clock) improvements that come with the newer technology. So, it seems like all we need now is a C7 based Nano-ITX motherboard... *hint*hint*

But let me take this a step further. Two weeks ago National Semiconductor introduced a Power over Ethernet [wikipedia] chip capable of handling up to 25W. Can you see where I'm going?

You can read the complete mini-editorial by clicking on "read more"...

Just think about this. How great would it be if you were able to power and use a Mini-ITX / Nano-ITX / Pico-ITX / SBC setup with a single cable? Today we can basically go wireless with most of our peripherals except for the monitor. Or every other device that needs more power than what 2 AA-batteries can provide. But with PoE and the LM5072's minimum voltage of 9V it should be very easy to have a realiable 12V power-source all around the office or house. Just hook that baby up to a system which uses iTuner's PicoPSU and you've got a very small (and neat) power-solution for all your <25W computing needs. While internal power-supplies in Mini-ITX systems and other products like the Apple Mac mini have significantly decreased in size in the past years, the external AC-DC adapters have becoming bigger and more annoying than ever before. With PoE and agreements between different manufacturers it suddenly wouldn't matter anymore whether you're using an EPIA TC, a Commell LV-677DC, an industrial 12V SBC or a VoomPC, all you'd need is a power-outlet in your wall and you'd be ready to go. While onboard power-supplies have always been a controversial topic I'm convinced that the advantages of PoE could help to integrate this technology into a broader range of products. As an article by the BCC put it:

"Power-Over-Ethernet could end up being a universal power supply for much computer hardware as the cables and connectors for it are the same all over the world. By contrast power sockets and plugs differ by country."

http://www.epiacenter.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=18
http://www.national.com/news/item/0,1735,1142,00.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4494899.stm

Posted by keefner at 02:34 PM

March 19, 2006

Low cost thin client from CLI

Computer Lab International (CLI) has added a mid-range model to its line of thin clients based on Mandrake Linux. The MT1500t supports attachment to VESA-compliant monitors, and works with mainframes, midrange systems, and servers running Linux, Windows, or Citrix. It also sports a local Firefox browser and Java virtual machine.

From LinuDevices

According to CLI, the MT1500t's small size (5.4 x 7.8 x 2.0 inches) allows for mounting on the back of a VESA-compliant monitor, as shown at right. The device weighs 1.4 pounds.

The MT1500t supports screen resolutions up to 1280 x 1024, with 256 colors and "flicker-free" refresh rates of 85Hz, CLI says.

The MT1500t is based on a power-efficient AMD Geode GX@466 processor, and consumes only 5 Watts under normal operation, CLI says.

The MT1500 comes standard with 128MB of Flash storage, expandable to 1GB, and 128MB of RAM, expandable to 512MB. A 10/100 Ethernet interface on an RJ-45 port supports wake-on-lan.

Additional I/O includes PS/2 mouse and keyboard ports, along with four "Type A" USB ports, two RS-232C ports on DB-9 connectors, and a PC-compatible parallel port on a DB-25 Centronics connector. The audio system includes 16-bit stereo FM synthesis, stereo line-out, and an 8-bit microphone input.

Software specs

Supported terminal emulations include:

* IBM TN5250e, TN3270e, 3151
* DEC VT-100, VT-220, VT-320, VT-420
* ANSI BBS, SCO Console
* Wyse WY-50, WY-60
* X11R6 server

The MT1500t also supports Citrix ICA 8 and Microsoft RDP 5, as well as XDMCP, VNC, ThinPrint, and other features available via download. The device additionally includes sophisticated printing software that supports both local and network printers, and comes bundled with an "SNMP Administrator" software package.

Availability

The MT1500 is available now, priced at at about $230 with a keyboard, mouse, and a three-year warranty. A related MT1550g model adds a smart-card reader, while an MT1560g adds a wireless network interface. An MT1500x model that runs a Windows XP Embedded operating system is also available

CLI also offers a slightly higher-end ET4500 range of thin clients based on Mandrake Linux.

Posted by keefner at 11:13 PM

March 11, 2006

Google Office Thin Client

It plans to deliver office-productivity applications online, through a Web browser -- what's known in the industry as a "thin client."

news source

Google Office in the offing
The search engine wants you to write and store documents online for a simple reason: more room for advertisements.
Business 2.0 Magazine
By Om Malik, Business 2.0 Magazine senior writer
March 10, 2006: 11:03 AM EST

SAN FRANCISCO (Business 2.0 Magazine) - Google's acquisition of Upstartle, the Silicon Valley-based provider of Writely, a Web-based word processor, is the surest sign yet that the company plans to take on Microsoft in the market for office-productivity software.
Assembling an office

But that competition may be less of a grand plan to challenge Microsoft (Research) than a byproduct of Google's relentless need to expand its core business of selling online advertising.

Writely, featured in Business 2.0's recent list of 25 hot Internet startups reinventing the Web, lets users write documents with an interface similar to that of Microsoft Word, taking advantage of the Internet by letting users store and share documents online. Writely would take its place alongside Google's Gmail and CL2, an online calendar application that's in the works, forming the backbone of an office-productivity suite that would compete with Microsoft's Word and Outlook applications.

While Google (Research) supports OpenOffice, a Sun Microsystems (Research)-sponsored open-source project, and has hired engineers who volunteer for the project, it has denied interest in making and distributing such software itself.

But documents accidentally posted online by Google last week show that the search engine does, in fact, have such ambitions. The difference is that it plans to deliver office-productivity applications online, through a Web browser -- what's known in the industry as a "thin client." Google plans to keep most of its software code on its vast array of servers, unlike Microsoft, which develops complex applications that reside primarily on a PC's hard drive.

The leaked documents stated that the online-application strategy "will help us make the client less important...which suits our strength vis-a-vis Microsoft and is also of great value to the user....Gmail started to do this for webmail, but that's just a small first step. Infinite bandwidth will make this a reality for all applications."

The presentation focused on Gdrive, an online storage vault where Google users can keep documents, spreadsheets, bookmarks, and other data. Gdrive has not yet been officially announced.
Finally, broadband abounds

"It could not be clearer that Google is going back to the concept of network computer, doing an end run around Microsoft," says Ben Schachter, an Internet analyst at investment bank UBS.

The "network computer" was a concept popularized by Oracle (Research) CEO Larry Ellison in the 1990s, in which stripped-down computers would run software over a network rather than off a local hard drive. Such devices failed to gain traction in the marketplace because of a dearth of broadband connections.

Since then, says Schachter, broadband has spread and technology has evolved enough for Google to revive the idea. "They might have learnt from the mistakes of the past," he says.

Network speed and reliability have made users more confident in Web-based software. And technologies like Ajax -- the programming techniques which allow Google Maps users to scroll smoothly through an online map -- have made browser-based applications more responsive and user-friendly. These developments have been key in making Web applications competitive with the kind of desktop software Microsoft makes.
Spurring growth

But competing with Microsoft is more of an afterthought for Google, which is contending with Wall Street's high expectations for continued growth. Browser-based applications like Writely could feature Google's contextual advertisements, a business which is projected to grow to $9.5 billion this year.

"It is the cheapest way to generate pages on which you can stick ads," points out Chris Winfield, president of global search engine marketing firm 10e20, and a longtime Google watcher.

For Google, which prizes the math Ph.D.'s it has on staff, the calculation is alarmingly simple. Google makes around $16 per user per year in advertising. There are more than 300 million Microsoft Word users today. If Google persuades some of those users to use its Web-based software instead of Word, and they spend more time using other Google tools as a result, Google could boost its per-user advertising sales. Even a $1 boost per user translates to $400 million in additional revenue.

And if that happens to hurt Microsoft's sales of Office? An unfortunate accident of business.

Posted by keefner at 09:35 PM

March 07, 2006

IGEL to show off new Windows XPe clients

Company also plans to announce software for managing a network of its thin clients

Source

By Elizabeth Montalbano, IDG News Service

March 06, 2006

With an eye toward the U.S. and U.K., IGEL Technology will show off a new line of Windows XP-based thin clients this week at the Cebit conference in Hanover, Germany.

IGEL, based in Bremen, Germany, last December opened a U.K. subsidiary and hopes the new hardware will allow the company to expand outside its continental Europe home base, said Frank Lampe, marketing manager for IGEL.

IGEL has been offering Unix-based terminals since the 1980s, but today is better known for offering Linux and Windows CE 5.0 thin-client technology, he said.

The company saw an opportunity to reach more customers by expanding its thin-client offerings to include systems running Microsoft's XP Embedded (XPe) OS, Lampe said. XPe is a version of Windows XP Professional that is available in different components, designed to let developers decide which features of the OS to embed in a system. "Componentized" OSes are often used in vertical-industry hardware.

"In Germany many people are content with Linux, but in the U.K. and the U.S. many customers are afraid of Linux -- they want standard technology, which to them means Microsoft [software]," he said.

Like IGEL's Linux-based thin clients, the XP offerings will come in Compact, Smart, Winestra, and Premium editions. The IGEL-5512 XP Premium edition shipped in December 2005, and the Compact series of XP clients will be available for customer evaluation at Cebit, Lampe said.

The other editions of XP clients will follow, with the Smart series making its debut by the end of March, he added.

Sales of thin clients rose 46 percent in 2005, according to research firm IDC. That was more than double IDC's projections in 2003 that the market would grow at a rate of 22.8 percent from 2003 until 2007.

IDC currently ranks IGEL fifth in market share among thin-client vendors worldwide, Lampe said. He said the company hopes to gain more market share, particularly in the U.S. and U.K., with the release of the Windows XP thin clients.

Other companies that offer thin clients are Wyse Technology, Hewlett-Packard, Sun Microsystems, Dell, and Neoware.

In addition to highlighting its new XP thin clients, IGEL also at Cebit plans to announce a new version of its Remote Management Suite, the company's software for managing a network of its thin clients.

Posted by keefner at 02:28 PM

February 22, 2006

Microsoft Business Apps Unit Readies New Web 2.0 Mashups

Microsoft and its partners are developing new add-ons to Microsoft CRM and ERP products and licensing them under Shared Source. CRM Live and ERP Live, anyone?

Microsoft Business Solutions unit and its partners are testing new Web-service add-ons to Microsoft's ERP and CRM applications by making code available under various Microsoft's Shared Source licenses.

Microsoft quietly has been posting these add-ons to workspaces on its GotDotNet source-code hosting site since last fall. Like the MSN business unit, Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS) is testing out potential new products and code samples by sharing them via "Sandbox" test sites, company officials said.

The most recent Sandbox project, which MBS unveiled officially on February 20, is a family of "Snap Dynamics" tools that are designed to bridge Microsoft Office 2003 with Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 and Dynamics/AX (formerly Axapta) ERP products. Microsoft is making the Snap code for these first Snap tools available under the Shared Source Permissive license. And more Shared Source Snap tools are in the pipeline, officials said.

The Permissive License, known as Ms-PL, is considered the least restrictive of Microsoft's Shared Source licenses, allowing individuals to "view, modify and redistribute the source code for either commercial or non-commercial purposes," according to the company.

"MBS has been leading the charge internally in using these licenses," said David Dennis, group manager of Microsoft's Dynamics/SL product line.

But there are other MBS projects incubating in the GotDotNet Sandboxes, too.

In December 2005, Microsoft posted to GotDotNet a mashup of Dynamics 3.0 and MapPoint, its online mapping service. Such a mashup could allow customers to customize the Dynamics CRM contact form to show a MapPoint map displaying a contact's address.

A month before that, MBS made available on GotDotNet for download the Dynamics/SL (formerly Solomon) Portal Lite. Business Portal Lite enables multiple browsers – Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox, Mozilla and others -- to be used as a thin-client interface connecting the Microsoft Business Solutions Business Portal and the Solomon ERP system. The portal provides users with time, expense approval, alerts and project profitability tracking and reviewing functionality.

There has been a "surprising adoption rate" since Microsoft launched these GotDotNet projects, Dennis said. More than 750 individuals have registered to view code and information in the member-only CRM Sandbox.And more than 110 have registered for the Dynamics/SL Sandbox.

"Mashing up Web services with on-premise applications is something we're evangelizing today," said James Utzschneider, general manager of Microsoft Dynamics marketing.

Utzschneider said this kind of mixing is how Microsoft will likely extend its CRM and ERP applications to make them part of the company's overall "Live" strategy. Just as Windows Live is a set of services extensions to Windows, and Office Live a set of services extensions to Office, Microsoft will be doing the same with its MBS applications, he said.

"Customizing the user interface so it's relevant to me" – with RSS feeds, alerts, MapPoint, and various mobile extensions is the name of the game, Utzschneider said. "Role-based composite applications are the moral equivalent of Web 2.0 for business applications."

Microsoft isn't expecting all of its MBS mashups and/or Live extensions to come from inside the company, however. In the Navision ERP world, many of Microsoft's partners had grown accustomed to sharing bits of code via public and partner newsgroups, noted Dennis.

"What we're doing now are natural extensions of what our partners had been doing all along," Dennis said.

Microsoft will be elaborating on its MBS Live/mashup strategy at the upcoming Microsoft Convergence conference for MBS customers and partners in Dallas in mid-March, company officials confirmed.

Source

Posted by keefner at 03:19 PM

1 PC Driving Multiple Touchscreens

RedRadio have just announced their "100% QUIET TOUCH COMPUTER". The RelayTouch-UTMA is an in-wall 12.1" LCD touch monitor and hardware client that utilises one remote PC to drive multiple screens...

"RelayTouch-UTMA is the world's first wall-mount touch screen ultra-thin client that does not require a CPU, hard-drive, or CD-ROM, yet executes with all the power of a desktop PC. Using NComputing's exclusive UTMA (Ultra Thin Multi-Access) technology, RelayTouch allows you to leverage an existing home automation server to power up to 10 touch-screens around the house, or up to 30 with Windows Server 2003 or 2000 Server...

How does it work?
Each RelayTouch-UTMA is programmed to access the host PC's excess computing power. By utilizing Windows XP/2000/2003's multi-user feature with UTMA technology from NComputing, each RelayTouch-UTMA touch-screen can operate like a separate PC without decreasing the overall performance of either the host PC or each RelayTouch-UTMA. Therefore, each RelayTouch-UTMA unit can run any application from the host PC independently.

Each RelayTouch-UTMA connects to a common server running Windows XP/2000/2003 through the home's Ethernet network (Network Switches are required). UTMA software running on the host establishes a Windows desktop session for each touch screen. The touch screen has full access to the applications on the host.

Each RelayTouch-UTMA only requires power from a low-voltage UL listed power supply and an Ethernet (CAT5) connection to the network. Optionally, small in-wall speakers can be mounted above or around RelayTouch-UTMA for local stereo audio from the UTMA session. Benefits

* 100% quiet operation
* Powerful and affordable
* No maintenance required, ever
* Requires only CAT5 and power
* Runs any Windows application
* Secure and fast "

The RelayTouch 12.1" touch monitor with UTMA will be available in March, 2006 for around $1100.

Posted by keefner at 03:13 PM

Devon IT Announces Availability of New All-In-One Thin Client Terminal

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 21, 2006--Devon IT, the information technology products subsidiary of the Devon Group, today announced the availability of a new integrated All-In-One model that integrates a thin client terminal with built-in flat panel display, keyboard and mouse.

"We have worked carefully to build the most advanced and affordable terminals that enable our customers to easily implement a secure thin-client solution," explained Joe Makoid, President, Devon IT. "Based on our customers' expanding needs, we have now extended the NTA thin client terminal offerings to include more options at lower costs than competing products."

The NTA All-In-One Terminal (NTA-6027L) is powerful multiple-usage terminal that integrates a 17-inch LCD display. When connected to a network environment, the All-In-One Terminal provides user experience is similar to a desktop PC. Using the "Server Centric Computing" approach to enterprise information access, the NTA Terminal minimizes the cost of support by centralizing management.

Features of the NTA All-In-One Terminal (NTA-6027L) include:

-- Designed specifically for Server Centric Computing, No software installation required - Simplifies deployment

-- Easy-to-use Graphical User Interface (GUI) based on Windows XP theme

-- Displays Windows desktops, web browsers, and applications from multi-user Windows NT, Windows 2000, and Microsoft Server 2003

-- Supports RDP, Xterm, and 5250 clients

-- Support for 802.11B wireless connections

-- Displays IBM 3270 session from NTAVO appliance

-- Displays Unix and Linux XWindows applications

-- Integrated 17 inch TFT LCD Panel with resolution up to 1280 x 1024 pixels

-- Full multimedia support, 2 USB, 1 Serial, 2 PS/2, 1 Parallel ports, built in speakers and 2 audio ports

-- Integrated Firefox Web Browser

-- 256 MB Memory, 128 MB Flash Memory

-- No moving parts (i.e. hard drive) to fail

-- Priced starting at US$899

"NTA thin client terminals are excellent solutions for anyone looking to improve the security and reliability of their computer systems," explained Makoid. "NTA thin client terminals is used by many of the world's largest financial, manufacturing and retail companies. It enables enterprise customers to access the capability of today's most powerful personal computers at much lower up-front and total costs. Because NTA thin client terminals are more secure, more reliable and more manageable than PCs, they can provide significant improvements in cost savings and security to organizations around the world."

To Contact Devon IT to receive more information about the NTA Virtual Office solution or to arrange for a demonstration, email [email protected] or call: 610-757-4110 or Toll-free Phone: 888-524-9382. Information is also available at www.ntavo.com

About Devon IT

NTA thin client terminals are available from Devon IT, a leading provider of server-centric computing products and services. Devon IT focuses on offering thin client terminals and ultra-secure remote access solutions that provide enterprise customers with greater security, enhanced manageability, improved reliability, and lower costs. Devon IT is headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. For more information, please visit www.devonit.com
Contacts
Devon IT
Paul Mancini, 610-757-4108
[email protected]

Posted by keefner at 03:11 PM

January 30, 2006

Latest Low Cost mini-iTX Pentium

BVM in the UK announced new low-cost mini-ITX. About 135 pounds.

Jan 25, 2006

BVM Limited now offers a new Pentium M-based embedded motherboard in the Mini-ITX form factor, delivering high performance at low cost for gaming machine, kiosk, media centre, industrial, and even NAS, POS and ATM applications.

Supporting the Pentium M/Celeron M processors running at FSB 400/533MHz, the exciting LV-675 features a high-performance chipset with built-in Intel Extreme Graphics technology, 1GB DDR SRAM and up to 64MB shared graphics memory, two Mini-PCI and one PCI expansion slots, and optional high-performance display functions for multimedia applications including DVI or LVDS.

The latest in high-bandwidth connectivity is supported, with IEEE 1394, S-Video and RCA TV-Out (NTSC and PAL). AC97 5.1 channel audio is also integrated. Networking options include support for up to four USB 2.0 connections, two COM ports, and an Intel 1GB Ethernet port. UltraATA/100 IDE/IrDA and DiskOnModule interfaces enable high data transfer speeds.

Additional features include ACPI 2.0 compliant power management supporting power saving mode, watchdog timer, and built-in real time clock with onboard lithium battery.

For further information visit www.bvmltd.co.uk

Posted by keefner at 03:16 AM

January 18, 2006

1 Million Free Thin Clients

FRANKFURT, GERMANY -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 01/18/2006 -- 2X today announced that it will give away 1 million thin clients, in a bid to demonstrate the advantages of thin client computing, allowing any organization to solve the management and security issues of fat clients.

"Thin client computing is the only solution for effective management of desktops. The free thin client offer allows companies to familiarize themselves with the technology and to prepare for the deployment of thin clients," said Nikolaos Makris, 2X President.

Obtaining the free thin clients

The offer is available from http://www.2x.com/thinclientserver/free-thin-clients.htm. The first 200,000 visitors are entitled to a free 5 thin client license of 2X ThinClientServer. With 2X ThinClientServer organisations can convert up to 5 PCs (these can be outdated PCs with as little as 32 MB of RAM and 200 Mhz processing power) to thin clients and manage them from a single web-based management interface.

How 2X ThinClientServer works

2X ThinClientServer deploys a small footprint Linux-based OS to old PCs, new low cost PCs and to popular thin client devices (HP, Neoware, Wyse, Maxspeed and more). Thin clients always boot the latest version of the OS from the ThinClientServer. The thin client OS is write protected for maximum security.

Hardware & users' connection settings are managed centrally

Hardware & connection settings such as Terminal Server name, type (RDP, Citrix ICA or NX), screen resolution and more, can be managed centrally via the web-based management interface. There is no need to push out these connection settings to the thin client devices, because they are retrieved when the user logs on. In addition, connection settings can be linked to Active Directory/LDAP usernames, groups or OU's (organizational units) or to a thin client device, further reducing the administration involved with managing users & thin client devices. More information about 2X ThinClientServer can be found at http://www.2x.com/thinclientserver/.

About 2X

2X Software Ltd -- 2X -- is a company developing software for the booming server-based computing market. Thin client computing controls spiraling PC management costs, centralizes application and desktop management, improves security and performance and allows users to work remotely. The company's product line includes: 2X ThinClientServer for Windows/Linux, 2X LoadBalancer for Terminal Services/Citrix, 2X ApplicationServer for Windows Terminal Services and 2X SecureRDP for Windows Terminal Services. 2X is a privately held company with offices in Frankfurt, Cyprus, UK and Malta. Its management team is backed by years of experience in developing and selling network infrastructure software. 2X is a Microsoft, Novell, RedHat and IBM partner.

All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

For more information:
Please email Tamara Borg on Email Contact
2X Software Ltd
Tel: (+49) 69 710456-424
Fax: (+49) 69 710456-450
URL: http://www.2x.com.

SOURCE: 2X

Posted by keefner at 03:19 PM

December 24, 2005

New AOPEN MiniPC

It's finally arrived - the first Mac Mini clone. Our review system was supplied by Evesham, but the barebone chassis is manufactured by AOpen and has been known as the 'Pandora'. Sadly this catchy name is gone - AOpen has re-named it the Mini PC, which is just plain boring. Anyhow, name aside, this is a really cool-looking little machine - it arguably looks even better than the Mac Mini, mainly due to its aluminium case.

The Mini PC's solid cast-aluminium casing oozes quality and it's hard not to fall in love with it at first sight. The slot-load DVD writer adds to the quality feel. The power button has a blue back light and a further two blue LEDs light up when the hard drive is being accessed. Even the Evesham logo looks stylish as it's a proper raised logo, not just a cheap sticker.

Aopen Evesham Mini PC
Click Here

But enough about looks, let's get down to the technical bits. The Mini PC retains the Mac Mini's minimalist approach, so the selection of ports is limited. From left to right, across the backplane, is the power connector for the external PSU, a DVI connector - a DVI to D-SUB dongle is in the box - and an S-Video output to which a Component video dongle can be connected. Next up is an Ethernet port for the onboard Gigabit Ethernet controller, two USB 2.0 ports, a six-pin FireWire connector, and finally headphone and microphone jacks. What's missing in an option for multi-channel audio output, such as S/PDIF which could easily have been built in to one of the 3.5mm audio jacks. The downside to this is that you won't get multi-channel sound if you would like to use the Mini PC as a home theatre PC.

And that's about it. As this is a miniature PC you can't expect to get much more inside. A couple of more USB ports wouldn't have gone amiss, though.

Internally, there isn't much to fiddle around with either, as there's not a lot of space for anything apart from the bits that are already in place. Evesham has yet to take advantage of the mini-PCI slot, but it can be populated with a Wi-Fi card which is available as an upgrade option. Processor-wise the model on review came fitted with a 2GHz Pentium M 760, which is powerful enough for every day tasks, but it does have some limitations. The CPU cooler can get quite noisy when the machine gets hot, which was something I didn't expect and this is an issue I hope that AOpen will look into. Considering that there is no PSU fan noise due to the Mini PC using an external PSU, having a noisy CPU cooler is more disappointing than in a desktop machine.

Register Review

Posted by keefner at 03:37 AM

October 24, 2005

Linux public web stations

Linux developer sets up public webstations for hurricane victims. The software installs in five minutes on a Pentium 2 (old PC)with 128MB of RAM. Article out on Desktop Linux and the link to the download software and instructions is here at www.publicwebstations.com.

[Updated Sept. 5, 2005, 12:20 PM] -- A Linux developer is organizing volunteers for a public "web station" project to assist Hurricane Katrina victims. Steve Hargadon's plan is to create numerous Linux-based public kiosks that boot directly into the Firefox browser and display a special home page with links to various services. In addition to offering disaster relief information and news, the kiosks will provide basic email capabilities via Yahoo!, Gmail, Earthlink, MS Hotmail, and other web-mail services.

A typical public kiosk installation
(Photo courtesy Steve Hargadon)

Hargadon has already launched www.publicwebstations.com, which explains the simple process of setting up a public web station. Through DIYparts.org, Hargadon plans to coordinate the aggregation and distribution of computer equipment needed to create ad hoc thin client networks and other communication centers that will assist and support the public webstations project.

What is needed

"Some of us on ... have computer equipment we want to get rid of. Some of us have media access. Some of us have programming skills. Some of us have bandwidth. Some of us contacts in the business community. Some of us are active in LUGs (Linux User Groups). Some of us know fundraisers or are in the position to be financial donors. This is an opportunity to show the power of open source code and community," volunteer Christian Einfeldt said in an email.

"Older computers, Pentium 2 level or above, can run as a Firefox web station (or kiosk), requiring only 128MB of RAM, a CD-ROM drive, a network card, and access to an Internet-connected network," Hargadon explained. "Schools, libraries, agencies, and businesses could easily and quickly provide free public web stations to assist those displaced by the hurricane."

"The computers needed are available in abundance for free or minimal cost, and many organizations have an excess of these older computers with no use for them," he added. "The technology needed to turn them into web stations is both free and effective, being based on the Linux operating system and the Firefox web browser. A single file is downloaded and burned to a CD-ROM, placed in the CD-ROM drive of the computer, and then the computer is booted from the CD-ROM. The computer boots up directly to a Firefox web browser window in less than a minute, not requiring any keystrokes or skills to get there."

"A working web station would take no more than 5 minutes to set up, and requires no ongoing maintenance except in the case of hardware failure," Hargadon continued. "In case of any difficulties, the machine is just rebooted."

Hargadon said that "today (September 2nd) will be devoted to getting the best possible [bootable Linux LiveCD] .iso prepared, and getting a core team of volunteers to manage the larger project."

LiveCD iso progress -- it's done!

Hargadon reports as of 5:00 PM on Friday that the required LiveCD iso is now ready and version 1.0 is available for download.

It's "based on DSL (Damn Small Linux), which is from Knoppix," Hargadon says. "My buddy Jason did the final touches, but it comes from a sourceforge project called Boothbox.

"We've tracked five or six "LiveKiosk"-type CD's for many moons, wondering how this technology could actually get used, Hargadon adds. "I am really hoping people pick up on what this can do, as I'd like it to be a grass-roots initiative, but I wondering if it may take a larger entity subsidizing a broader implementation to really make a difference."

The LiveCD image, currently pws-1.0.iso, is now available for download on several mirrors, indexed here. The iso image is currently 57.3MB in size.

First installation up and running (Sept. 9, 2005)

"Our first Dallas site is now live! We're stationed at the old McKinney, Texas WalMart just inside the old vision center. We have roughly 25 machines up and running on the internet. We worked all night on getting the local T1 up and running with no avail. We still have a chance on that line. We're currently running a bridged wireless setup from the old WalMart to the new WalMart. WalMart had some interesting high gain wifi gear laying around. So here's the scoup. The old WalMart (previously scheduled for demolition) has been retrofit with showers, cleaning facilities, living partitions, food preparation areas and a small datacenter! Thanks to WalMart for providing much of the nitpick gear and patience to make this thing possible. Thanks to Hotels.Com for providing ALL the PC's and the vast majority of the networking gear. Thanks to all the random volunteers for providing their time and fingers for making cable ! :) "

Photos from the McKinney installation are here.

Initial requests

1. Volunteers to set up the web stations. This involves someone with the ability to download a small (60MB) version of a "LiveCD" -- that is, Linux that runs from the CD-Rom drive and doesn't require the hard drive -- burn it to a CD-ROM, connect a monitor, mouse, and keyboard to the computer, and then connect the computer to an Internet-capable network. Sign up here to volunteer to help.

2. Organizations who will donate the computers, monitors, keyboards, mice, and network cables. DIY Parts is acting as a clearinghouse for the used equipment. As well, CompuMentor in San Francisco keeps a list of non-profit computer refurbishment organizations that could assist in locating used equipment.

3. Organizations to provide mirror sites for downloading the .iso image(s).

4. Web page help:
* Someone who can build a quick database of volunteers -- name, phone, cell, email, city, and state -- and a few simple php pages for others to locate local volunteers.
* Someone to keep a Katrina portal page updated
* Someone to write up easy instructions for setting up a public web station

5. Someone to create a graphic file for a standardized banner/sign that can be printed at Kinkos which easily identifies a public web station.

6. Someone who can monitor the LiveCD and LiveKiosk projects and make sure we continue to provide the most effective versions.

7. Grass-roots publicity volunteers: anyone willing to post a note about project to mail-lists, news organizations, friends and family, etc.

Posted by editor at 02:38 PM

September 02, 2005

Low-Cost Terminals from $149

Devon IT Inc. has embedded an "optimized" version of Red Hat Linux in a line of low-cost thin-client terminals ranging from the entry-level Ntavo NTA 6010A priced at $149, to the $599 NTA 6015L that boasts an integrated 15-inch, 1024x668 TFT LCD screen. The company has avoided the common practice of maximizing features and charging high prices, in favor of offering the most "cost-effective thin-client alternative to desktop PCs," it says.

The no frills -- and no-moving-parts -- low-end 6010A is powered by a Via Eden 4000 433 MHz processor. It comes equipped with 64MB of socketed DIMM DRAM and 64MB of CompactFlash memory, and a display controller that supports CRT and LCD monitors at up to 1280x1024 pixels in 24-bit color. Expansion ports include: three USB ports; serial, parallel, and PS/2 keyboard/mouse "legacy" ports; audio in/out ports; and a 10/100 Mbps Ethernet interface.

The NTA 6010A offers an "easy-to-use graphical user interface (GUI) based on [a] Windows XP theme," according to Devon, and it comes with built-in support for RDP (remote desktop protocol), ICA, and X client protocols, enabling its use as a terminal running remotely served Windows, Linux, or UNIX software applications, whether on a LAN or over the Internet.

The device's embedded software also includes QVW Windows Manager and the Mozilla Firefox Web browser, as well as a client-side version of the company's ThinManage configuration software. Thanks to the presence of Firefox, the device can be used out-of-the-box as a Web appliance, according to Devon vice president of marketing Paul Mancini.

As noted, the NTA 6010A and its higher-priced siblings include USB ports as well as a single internal PCI slot, which can be used for system expansion. The internal PCI slot is typically used to add a WiFi wireless card, Mancini says.

Users can also add external hard drives and CD-ROMs by means of the USB ports. Additionally, the device's DRAM consists of a socketed DIMM module, and its Flash memory is implemented with a CompactFlash card, so it should be easy to upgrade the unit's DRAM memory and Flash storage. It also seems likely that the CompactFlash memory card can be replaced with a CompactFlash "Microdrive" hard drive, or even a 2.5-inch, laptop-style hard drive.

To date, all of Devon's products have been based on Linux, Mancini says. However, "we will be announcing a Windows XPe thin client terminal soon, based on customer demand," he adds.

At $149, the NTA 6010A appears to be one of the lowest priced Linux thin clients currently on the market. "We are not aware of any terminals at this price point," says Mancini. "The specs on our 6010A terminals at $149 compare to Wyse and Neoware terminals that are nearly $400 (list price)," he adds.

The NTA 6010A is currently available from Devon IT.

Posted by editor at 02:15 PM

Rugged Thin Client From Neoware

This is one rugged unit. The e900 can operate from -22 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit (-30 degrees to 50 degrees Celsius), and its enclosure was awarded 4x and IP56 ratings for corrosion and water resistance from NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturer's Association). It can operate in 95 percent non-condensing humidity, Neoware claims, and supports 2G of vibration or 24G of shock tolerance, when installed on a mounting bracket.

Neoware is shipping a ruggedized thin client designed to support industrial applications such as retail distribution centers, transportation hubs, and manufacturing shop floors. The e900 comes stock with a Neoware's custom embedded Linux OS, but can be modified to run other OSes, the company says.

The e900 is Neoware's first rugged thin-client design, and the company calls the product "ground-breaking." Neoware says the e900 is suitable for use in freezers, open warehouses, tractor-trailers, and dusty outdoor lots. A variety of mounting options, including VESA 100 x 100mm, allow it to be mounted on forklifts or warehouse poles, it says. The device was "designed to sustain falls and be exposed to moisture without being damaged," according to the company, and will not die if "left out in the rain or dropped from a platform."

Additional e900 features include:

* Disk-less architecture, for greater reliability and security
* 12-inch, SVGA (800 x 600) TFT active LCD analog-resistive touchscreen supporting 8-bit color
o A physical brightness adjustment on the front bezel can be adjusted for visibility in bright sunlight, Neoware says.
* 802.11b wireless network interface
o Dual-diversity RF antenna supports operation in "remote warehouse corners," Neoware says
* Support for handheld barcode scanners
* 104dB audible beeper

Neoware says the e900 is compatible with its other thin client products, and can be centrally managed using standard Neoware management software, such as the Image Manager product released last month. A copy of Neoware's EzRemote Manager comes bundled with the e900; EzRemote Manager is based on open standards, and can interoperate with IBM Tivoli, Microsoft SMS, and Altiris Deployment Solution systems, Neoware says.

What's under the hood?

The e900 is based on an AMD GX1, a low-power, embedded-oriented, x86-compatible processor available at 200 and 333MHz. The GX1 is part of a two-chip chipset design that also includes AMD's CS5530A. The chipset provides a full range of PC interfaces, including PCI, ISA, USB, audio, and a display controller.

The e900 comes stock with 64MB of Flash, and 128MB of RAM.

I/O ports include one USB port, PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports, RJ45 Ethernet port, two serial ports, and one parallel port.

A wide-range onboard DC-DC converter supports input voltages from 9- to 60-Volts. Typical power draw is 20 Watts, or 35 Watts with internal heater in use, Neoware says.

The device measures 12.7 x 12 x 4.2 inches, and weighs 15.5 pounds, or 30 pounds with the keyboard (!).

On the software side, the e900 comes with Neoware's customizable Linux-based thin-client OS, which the company says can be built to support protocols required by the customer. Options include:

* Citrix ICA
o NFuse web interface
o Program Neighborhood
o PN Agent
o Secure Gateway
* RDP (Microsoft "remote desktop protocol")
* Host access
o Teem Talk host access
* Web browser
* Java/JVM
* VNC shadowing
* EZConnect connection manager
* PPP/dial-up
* X11R6/XDM
* Thinprint

Availability

The Neoware e900 is shipping now, with prices starting at $3,999, depending on configuration.

Source: Linux Devices

Posted by editor at 02:07 PM

August 10, 2005

Kiosk Mode and Windows CE

Mike Hall, a product manager in Microsoft's Windows Embedded group, has recently posted several entries to his weblog explaining how to build a Windows CE 5.0 image to support "kiosk mode", which restricts the system to a limited set -- possibly one -- of applications.

Hall points out that Windows CE 5.0 ships with a number of OS templates, including ones for gateways (headless), Internet appliances (Windows shell), and thin clients (RDP client shell), but nothing that can easily be modified to provide a kiosk mode.

Hall's solution is to begin with the existing thin client template, remove the RDP shell, and replace it with the kiosk application(s). This non-trivial exercise currently spans five sometimes lengthy (and interestingly numbered) posts on Hall's blog:

* Part 1 -- Introduction
* Part 10 -- Removing the WBT/RDP Shell
* Part 11 -- Creating \Startup folder and launching app
* Part 100 -- Thoughts on managed code
* Part 101 -- Full screen Compact Framework application

In a related blog post, Marcus Perryman takes up the issue of trying to run Windows Mobile in kiosk mode. Perryman says that many enterprises are tempted to save money by using Windows Mobile Pocket PCs instead of Windows CE based industrial handhelds for kiosk-type applications.

Perryman points out that, by design, Pocket PCs are "very, very difficult" to lock down "so that only one app runs and the user can't get to any other applications or reset the device to a state where you can get to other apps." He suggests that in many cases, full kiosk mode isn't really necessary, but if it is, Windows CE is probably the more cost effective solution in the end. Read Perryman's
blog post here.

source: windowsfordevices

Posted by keefner at 04:13 AM

July 25, 2005

Thin Client on a USB stick

The Computer-On-a-Stick (COS) is a USB Flash Drive featuring its own Onboard Operating System together with a full suite of Microsoft Office-compatible applications.

The combination of low cost and a powerful Onboard Operating System opens up a whole new paradigm of computing. Users get all the benefits of a thin client solution without changing their existing PC hardware or software.

read more

Posted by editor at 03:11 PM

July 12, 2005

Lenovo thinks thin with ClearCube's PC blades

PC blade maker ClearCube has picked up a major partner with Lenovo - aka Big Red - agreeing to sell the company's products.

Source: The Register

ClearCube leads the rather tiny market for PC-less PCs. It basically removes the need for a desktop by filling server racks full of blade systems. It then runs cabling for mice, monitors and keyboards back into the office. This frees the end user from having a noisy clunker by their feet and lets administrators fiddle with the systems in the server room instead of dealing with individual desktops. The idea isn't too far from thin-client computing that companies such as Sun Microsystems and Oracle have flogged for ages in their so far fruitless quest to humble Microsoft.

Lenovo - the Chinese hardware maker based in North Carolina that recently acquired IBM's PC division - will market and resell ClearCube-branded systems. This deal includes both the blade hardware and management software.

"The addition of PC blades from ClearCube into our Think product portfolio expands our solutions from the end-user' desk to the data center," said Bob Galush, a vice president at Lenovo. "This announcement demonstrates our ongoing dedication to supply our business customers with the strongest, most innovative PC solutions on the market."

It also demonstrates Lenovo's willingness to go after customers Dell has shunned.

Thin clients and PC blades require a serious sales organization. It's pretty easy for customers to buy the same PCs they've been buying for years and look to Dell, HP and others to compete on cost and technology. The new guys must explain why this approach is wrong, why PCs should be ripped out and why some start-up should be your trusted technology supplier instead of, say, Dell.

Having Lenovo/IBM behind it could make this an easier sell for ClearCube. But, heck, a great brand and trusted support hasn't done much for Sun.

Related stories

Dirty PCs fuel hospital super bugs
Sun shows pleb-ready thin client
NCD to 'cease operations'
ClearCube puts bells and whistles on blade PC

Posted by editor at 03:19 PM

Wyse Technology Dominates Thin-Client Market

SAN JOSE, Calif., July 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Wyse Technology, the global leader in thin-client computing, today announced the company has extended its number one position in the thin-client market in the first quarter of 2005, according to a recent report from International Data Corporation (IDC).

Source: RedNOVA

According to Framingham, Massachusetts-based IDC, Wyse Technology secured 38.15 percent of the overall worldwide enterprise thin-client market, growing product shipments at an aggressive 14.7 percent over the prior quarter. The IDC report on the thin client market is based on shipment records and information from the major vendors and their channel partners.

"Wyse started 2005 with greater unit growth than any other major vendor in our survey, outgrowing the market as a whole," noted Bob O'Donnell, Research VP, Clients and Displays with IDC. "We predict the thin client market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 20.7% from 2005 to 2009, significantly outpacing the overall growth rate of the PC market."

The report showed Wyse's nearly 15 percent product shipment growth was more than double that of competitors HP and Neoware.

"We stand alone with these remarkable growth rates because of our commitment to investment in a world-class management team, global R&D operations and industry leading software, hardware and service solutions," commented John Kish, CEO of Wyse Technology. "We are driven by our customers and the overall market, to continually invest more in the development of our devices and infrastructure management software than anybody else in the industry. With this report, we are seeing the results of our customer-driven and aggressive efforts in the domestic and global marketplace."

About Wyse Technology

Wyse is the #1 vendor the world's largest businesses and institutions trust for scalable thin-client computing solutions. Wyse provides the hardware, software, and services that shift computing complexity to the network, reducing cost, liberating IT departments from unnecessary support and maintenance functions, empowering users to be more productive in their jobs, and protecting and improving access to critical information and business applications. Headquartered in San Jose, California with offices worldwide, Wyse has been #1 in thin-client market share for the last eight years, enjoys a close partnership with Citrix Systems, and has been named Microsoft "Embedded Partner of the Year" for three years. Wyse customers include FedEx, Best Buy (Canada), Quaker Foods, Gold's Gym, and CON-WAY Transportation.

For more information, visit the Wyse website at http://www.wyse.com/ or call 1-800-GET-WYSE.

Wyse Technology

CONTACT: Skye Pillsbury of OutCast Communications, +1-415-392-8282, [email protected], for Wyse Technology

Web site: http://www.wyse.com/

Posted by editor at 03:16 PM

June 18, 2005

Notebook - the thorn in the side of Thin Clients

Notebook - the thorn in the thin client's side by ZDNet's David Berlind -- Not a year goes by where Sun and others don't extol the virtues of thin clients -- devices of limited intelligence that provide access to enterprise applications. [Sun Ray 1g Ultra-Thin Client, at right.] To be a really good thin client these days, a device must support the primary protocols of terminal-based access to certain applications. [...]

Posted by keefner at 08:08 PM | TrackBack

Thin client kiosk terminals for India

ICICI Bank to deliver kiosk-based e-banking to rural India using thin client terminals.

Source: Finextra

ICICI Bank is teaming with Californian computer services firm Wyse Technology and Bangalore IT consultancy Comat Technologies to deliver electronic banking services to remote and isolated communities in India.

The three firms will manage a project which is being introduced by an international consortium of banks - including the World Bank - technology firms, and local government departments.

The consortium initially plan to establish Internet centres in around 5000 villages in Karnataka that will provide the local population with electronic access to financial services along with education, health care and legal services.

Each centre will house five to ten maintenance-free thin client terminals and will be connected to the Internet by either land lines or satellite links. The consortium plans to introduce Web centres to other rural areas across the country following the pilot project in Karnataka.

Sriram Raghavan, president, Comat Technologies, says: "This is the first time these communities will be able to access and interact with leading private enterprises, such as ICICI Bank, and other service providers in the insurance and education sector."

Nachiket Mor, executive director, ICICI Bank, adds: "Internet based channels are key to the delivery of financial services in rural India. ICICI Bank has over 2000 rural Internet kiosks across India and we plan to increase this number significantly to cater to people at all levels of economic development."

John Kish, president and CEO, Wyse Technology, comments: "We see this as the 'rural services' blueprint for populations in developing nations everywhere."

Posted by keefner at 01:35 AM

June 17, 2005

Tiny Thin Client Running CE 5.0

A German PC shop is shipping a tiny Geode-based thin client running Windows CE 5.0. Concept Distribution's "miniTC" measures 5.5 x 5.1 x 1.4 inches (13 x 14 x 3.5cm), and is also available as a "miniPC with a 40 or 80 GB hard drive.

Concept Distribution suggests that the MiniTC can be easily attached to the back of a flat screen monitor and can save up to 100 Euros per year in power costs over more conventional thin clients.

Features include:

* AMD Geode GX2-533 (400 MHz)
* 128MB RAM (256MB available on the miniPC version)
* 64MB Flash, can be configured for network-boot
* 40 or 80 GB hard drive on miniPC version
* Two front- and two rear-mounted USB 1.1 ports
* 100Mbps Ethernet
* VGA port supporting UXGA (1600 x 1200) video at 85 Hz

Availability

The miniTC is available direct from Concept Distribution, with prices starting at 265.64 Euros. The miniPC version starts at 346.84 Euros without an operating system license. No word on when or whether the miniTC will be available in the U.S.

http://www.windowsfordevices.com/news/NS8263314545.html

Posted by editor at 12:18 AM

June 08, 2005

HP Thin Clients Powered by VIA

VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator and developer of silicon chip technologies and PC platform solutions, today announced that the high-performance, energy-efficient VIA Eden Platform will be integrated into the new HP Compaq t5125, t5520 and t5525 thin clients.

Providing businesses with greater manageability, scalability, security and flexibility, thin clients offer a holistic cost-effective approach to corporate productivity with a network-based computing model. The new HP Compaq t5125, t5520 and t5525 fine-tune the concept with a range of smart, small footprint designs, capable of meeting the demands of the corporate environment with the high-performance, ultra-low power of VIA Eden processors.

"We are delighted that HP has adopted the VIA Eden Platform for their new range of thin client products, strengthening our presence in this rapidly growing market," commented Richard Brown, Vice President of Marketing, VIA Technologies, Inc. "These new thin clients leverage our unique combination of power efficiency, performance and security."

The new range of HP Compaq thin clients feature the highly energy-efficient VIA Eden ESP processor with ultra-low thermal profile, enabling higher performance in a small form factor and fanless design, and feature 128MB RAM and up to 256MB Compact Flash that offers enough storage memory for most current firmware and future updates and upgrades.

"By using the VIA Eden Platform, our thin clients are using lower power for key components which will provide our customers with the lifecycles and return on investment they expect from HP," said Greg Schmidt, Product Marketing Manager, Thin Client Marketing, Imaging and Personal Systems Group, HP. "Additionally, VIA's high-performance, low-power design allows for a smaller footprint. This is a big bonus to a traditional desktop customer wishing to capitalize on the security and manageability of thin client computing in a small, reliable, and cost efficient client."

The new thin clients are expected to be available mid-June 2005.

About the VIA Eden Platform

The VIA Eden Platform is based on the ultra-low power native x86 VIA Eden ESP processor and a choice of highly integrated and power efficient VIA chipsets and companion chips. Available at speeds ranging from 300MHz to 1GHz and featuring the lead-free EBGA package that helps reduce thermal density, VIA Eden ESP processors measure a mere 35mm x 35mm x 1.5mm, making them suitable for consumer electronics, industrial and commercial devices that require compatibility with PC hardware and software. With Thermal Design Power (TDP) values ranging from 2.5W to a maximum of 7W when running at 1GHz, the VIA Eden ESP processor boasts industry-leading low power consumption from a fanless native x86 processor.

For more information on the VIA Eden ESP processor, please visit the VIA Eden ESP processor website at: www.via.com.tw/en/products/processors/eden-esp/

About VIA Technologies, Inc.

VIA Technologies, Inc. (TSE 2388) is the foremost fabless supplier of market-leading core logic chipsets, low power x86 processors, advanced connectivity, multimedia, networking and storage silicon, and complete platform solutions that are driving system innovation in the PC and embedded markets. Headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, VIA's global network links the high tech centers of the US, Europe and Asia, and its customer base includes the world's top OEMs, motherboard vendors and system integrators. www.via.com.tw

story link

Posted by editor at 11:21 PM

May 24, 2005

LCD Thin Client

Netvoyager PLC has embedded a thin client running Windows CE on a 1GHz Via Eden processor directly into a 17-inch LCD monitor. The company says that the Neterm CE-1040 offers video and application performance

Netvoyager claims that its integration of a 17-inch LCD with a 1GHz CPU is unique and represents "the largest format and the fastest processing power to date" for an LCD thin client. The device runs Windows applications from servers running Terminal Services and/or Citrix.

Netvoyager lists the following key features and specifications for the Neterm CE-1040:

* Processor -- 1GHz Via Eden with MMX and 3DNow
* Memory -- 128MB RAM, 16MB Flash
* Display:
o AGPx4 2D/3D graphics card
o Resolution to 1280 x 1024
o Color depth to 32-bits
o Brightness -- 260 cd/m2
o Contrast ration -- 450:1
* I/O ports:
o 10/100 Ethernet port
o 2 USB 1.1 ports
o Full 16-bit stereo audio with built-in speaker and stereo-out jack
* Expansion -- External storage, Wi-Fi, and modems are supported via USB
* Server compatibility and support:
o .Net Server ready
o Windows 2000
o Windows NT4 Server Terminal Server
o Citrix Winframe, Metaframe, XP and Presentation Server
o Tarantella Server
* Configuration and management:
o Remote device shadowing
o Kiosk or desktop mode
o Remote management with Netvoyager InFocus
o Multi-language keyboard support
o Configurable session auto-login
o Multi-session, Multi-protocol, Multi-window support

The CE-1040 is available now from NetVoyager's online store, priced at US$999.

Posted by editor at 08:25 PM

SafeDesk Launches 30 User Free School Program

SafeDesk launches their Quick Start which allows schools to implement in less than an hour a 30-user standard configuration. They offer thin client hardware with no moving parts, also bootable NIC configurations to leverage legacy computers. Pretty nice.
Company Link

Posted by editor at 01:58 PM

May 12, 2005

Thin Client Computer for $100

Aimed at India residents with no PC experience, Novatium is developing the Nova NetPC, a thin client expected to cost just $100. The PC is now in beta-stage development and will reportedly be maintenance-free and appliance-like.

read the full story

Posted by editor at 02:27 PM

May 09, 2005

Thin-Client Sellers Expand Market

John Kish of Wyse says he see's the writing on the wall for thin-client hardware and is shifting into software. Also is expanding the "thin-client" application into cell/mobile/handhelds where it is only logical to do so. With hw sales forecast at less then 600M this year and $850M by 2008, I think he is right on the mark.

"Thin clients follow a fairly standard commoditization curve," he said, referring to ever-declining hardware prices. "One can fairly accurately predict where the margins are going to get fatal."
Investors.com Story Link

Posted by editor at 02:46 PM

May 03, 2005

Citrix and Linux Together

(PRWEB) May 3, 2005 -- While primarily focused on providing end-to-end Linux thin-client solutions, SafeDesk has integrated Citrix connectivity in an effort to further bridge the gap between an organization's existing infrastructure and Linux. This bridge is becoming increasingly important for larger technology deployments within the federal government, insurance, and financial services industries.

While thin-client solutions based upon the Linux Terminal Services Project (LTSP) have historically been seen as competitive to Citrix, SafeDesk is now providing a complementary product that enables customers to leverage their Citrix assets in new and unique ways while also benefitting from the integration of Linux.

The latest version of SafeDesk Enterprise with Citrix ICA access allows organizations to:

- Seamlessly deploy Linux thin-clients in existing Citrix environments
- Securely integrate the majority of legacy DOS and Unix-based terminal applications
- Successfully scale a mixed environment of Linux and Microsoft-based applications
- Reduce management of individual destop PC's
- Increase functionality to traditional terminals.

link

Posted by editor at 05:15 PM

Microsoft To Launch Windows XP Thin Clients

Microsoft is set to debut two Windows XP thin clients, one for low-end PCs for task-oriented workers, and another for mobile workers, according to sources.

The vendor is developing the Windows XP-based thin clients, code-named Eiger and Monch, to make it easier for system builders and partners to deploy pre-packaged thin-client solutions instead of customizing software on their own or using ISVs, sources said.

Microsoft declined to comment on the upcoming thin clients. But sources said the thin clients are not low-end versions of Windows but rather alternative operating systems for customers that choose to use thin clients and a server-centric computing model rather than full PCs. Thin clients offer several benefits, including reduced management costs and enhanced security.

story link

Posted by editor at 05:14 PM

Ultra-thin client to close digital divide

A group of not-for-profit developers, called Ndiyo (Swahili for "yes"), has announced an ultra-thin-client system which, it says, could make computing available to billions more people across the planet.

The Nivo (network in, video out) box is a sub-£100, ultra-ultra-thin client that can be networked along with several others to a central PC/server. It is cheaper, more accessible and more environmentally friendly than a PC, Ndiyo argues, needing much less in the way of raw materials to build, and consuming far less power. It is also based on non-proprietary standards and open source software.

read more

Posted by editor at 05:12 PM

April 26, 2005

Thin-Client Vendors Bulk Up With Software

Although hardware is still a key part of their businesses, top thin-client vendors are working to expand their software expertise.

New Wyse Technology Inc. President and CEO John Kish came to the San Jose, Calif., company about six months ago after more than 15 years at Oracle Corp. and several years with startups. Most of the new executives Kish has brought in have software backgrounds.

"Wyse is a company looking to extend the architecture," Kish said. "What is a thin client really? What they are is software and hardware, not just hardware."

For its part, Neoware Systems Inc. since the beginning of the year has bought four businesses, including two European-based software companies.

Thin clients are designed to offer businesses better management and security than traditional PCs can and at a lower cost. Desktop devices are linked to back-end servers, which hold key components such as hard drives and processors.

Market research company IDC, of Framingham, Mass., expects the thin-client industry to continue to grow from about 1.78 million units shipped last year to 3.4 million by 2007. While thin clients represent about 2 percent of the overall PC market, that share could grow to as much as 10 percent, said Michael Kantrowitz, chairman and CEO of Neoware, in King of Prussia, Pa.

Software will be key to that growth, Wyse and Neoware officials say.

rest of story

Posted by editor at 02:10 PM

April 21, 2005

The return of the thin client

In the mid-1990s Sun and Oracle hailed thin client devices as the successors to business PCs. Today it looks as though technology has caught up with the vision. Jessica Twentyman reviews the pros and cons of replacing traditional PCs with simpler units which are cheap, versatile and easy to manage

Posted by editor at 03:53 PM

New Thin Client Initiative at Microsoft

Microsoft is developing 2 new "Server Centric Computing Clients" these clients are based on windows XP, so these will be "thin" clients for Terminal server purposes.

From Bink.nu
Microsoft wants to make Windows the platform of choice for server centric computing by offering new feature rich Windows SKUs for our enterprise and academic customers by providing management and servicing features parity with Windows XP Pro. These clients will offer innovative alternative to the traditional desktop for legacy PCs, low-end PCs, thin client devices and task workers.

Customers complain that Windows XP Pro too expensive for Structured Task Workers. Other request are:
- Need of one set of security, manageability & serviceability technologies across all clients
- Disparity of HW requires broad driver support
- Remote Bootable (network / diskless)
- 3rd Party Anti-Virus & Management support
- Easy Shell Lock DownSmart App Install BlockingCodename

"Eiger" is the thin-ist of the two and has less features then "Mönch" client. See tables below for details:

Windows XP "Eiger"
Minimum System Requirements
64MB RAM (128MB Recommended)
Pentium class processor
500 MB HD (1GB recommended)
800x600 graphics or higher
Network Interface Card
Hardware Support
Standard & ACPI Chipsets
ISA, PCI, AGP, USB, ATA/IDE, SCSI, AC’97, Smartcards
Support for most standard components in legacy PCs
Deployment Methods
Setup wizard
Unattended setup
Remote Installation Server (PXE/RIS)
Systems Management Server
Boot Methods
Hard Disk, Flash
PXE/RIS
User Feature Set
Remote desktop connection client
Shutdown, restart, standby
Accessibility features
Internet Explorer
Local & Network Printing
Basic Control Panel
Office Viewers
Servicing
Windows Update Services
Systems Management Server
Management
Standard Microsoft management technologies (WMI, MMC …)
Not supported
Windows image acquisition (WIA)
Telephony, VPN & Dial-up
Wireless networking (802.11)

Windows XP "Mönch"
Minimum System Requirements
64MB RAM (128MB Recommended)
Pentium class processor
500 MB HD (1GB recommended)
800x600 graphics or higher
Network Interface Card
Hardware Support
Standard & ACPI Chipsets
ISA, PCI, AGP, USB, ATA/IDE, SCSI, AC’97, Smartcards
Support for most standard components in legacy PCs
Deployment Methods
Setup wizard
Unattended setup
Remote Installation Server (PXE/RIS)
Systems Management Server
Boot Methods
Hard Disk, UFD, Flash
PXE/RIS
Multicast Remote Boot (over PGM)

User Feature Set
All Windows “Eiger” Features plus…
Windows Devices (PDA, Smartphone, …)
Windows image acquisition (WIA)
Wireless networking auth (802.1X)
VPN Support
Advanced IP Security
Servicing
Windows Update Services
Systems Management Server
Management
Standard Microsoft management technologies (WMI, MMC …)
Not supported
Telephony, Dial-up

Funny fact: just like previous Microsoft Windows codenames, Whistler and Blackcomb, Eiger and Mönch are mountains. Whistler and Blackcomb are in British Columbia, Eiger and Mönch in Switzerland: http://www.about.ch/cantons/bern/eiger_moench_jungfrau.html

And there is a third mountain: Jungfrau, so maybe another Windows project?

Posted by editor at 03:26 PM

April 12, 2005

Wincor Nixdorf and Linux

Novell ships new POS tweaked version of Linux and Wincor-Nixdorf is going to use it (that also means IBM would somewhat as well since they resell Wincor to degree)

link

Apr. 11, 2005

Novell will ship a new version of its Linux-based POS (point-of-sales/service) software in Q2, 2005. Novell Point of Service 9 (POS9) encompasses both central server and client software, and will be resold by POS giant IBM, as well as bank and retailer POS specialist Wincor-Nixdorf.

Novell calls POS9 "the only Linux distribution designed specifically for retail point of service." It comprises images for a variety of POS client and server systems. The smallest image has a 30MB footprint and requires only 64MB of RAM, Novell says, while the largest offers a comprehensive back-office platform, including desktop software, a browser, and productivity software.

POS9 is based on SuSE Linux, which Novell acquired in November, 2003. Novell was rumored to be looking to acquire an embedded Linux vendor a year ago. However, Novell also acquired substantial embedded experience and expertise when it bought SuSE.

Longtime SuSE user and recent Novell investor IBM will base the next version of its IBM Retail Environment for SuSE Linux on POS9, Novell says. According to Novell, IBM is the world's largest vendor of POS systems.

Additionally, Novell has partnered with Wincor-Nixdorf, one of the first POS device vendors to embrace Linux. Wincor-Nixdorf partnered with Red Hat in October of 2000 on Linux firmware for its BEETLE POS device. The BEETLE boasted 600,000 installations within two years, Wincor-Nixdorf said, and was deployed by high-profile customers such as Home Depot and Papa John's, among others.

Wincor-Nixdorf says the deal with Novell around POS9 will enable it to extend its offerings to include Linux servers that can centrally manage a network of POS clients.

Michael Prince, CIO of Novell POS software user Burlington Coat Factory, said, "Linux gives us a level of reliability that retailers never could have afforded before. The systems in our retail stores are so stable they can run for six months or more without being rebooted, and we have yet to see a virus attack."

Linux is the fastest growing OS in retail POS systems, according to a 2003 study by IHL Consulting Group. However, Microsoft has shown increasing interest in what it calls the "point-of-service" market, announcing in October a version of Windows XP Embedded aimed at the retail and hospitality industries. Embedded Linux distributor LynuxWorks, meanwhile, began shipping a Linux-based POS environment in January.

Posted by editor at 02:26 PM

April 11, 2005

Debian thin-client version

Ubuntu - The latest version of the Debian offshoot includes software for creating customised CDs you can run the OS from. Mark Shuttleworth, the founder of Ubuntu, told ZDNet UK on Monday that the next release will include a version tailored for the thin client environment. This will allow the Linux distribution to be used on low specification PCs that don't have a hard drive. http://uk.news.yahoo.com/050411/152/fg3el.html

Posted by editor at 06:38 PM

Acquisition of Wyse Finalized

Garnett & Helfrich Capital, a private equity firm specializing in Venture Buyouts (VBO), announced it has acquired a controlling equity stake in the market leading thin-client vendor, San Jose, Calif.-based Wyse Technology, for $35 million. Wyse operates in all major enterprise markets around the world and sells over $175 million of software and hardware systems each year.

Garnett & Helfrich Capital purchased a controlling stake in Wyse from the Koos Group located in Taiwan, who will retain an ownership position in the company. Garnett & Helfrich Capital and the Koos Group will work together to bolster Wyse's software business and support the company's movement into underserved Asian markets.

This acquisition represents Garnett & Helfrich Capital's first venture buyout transaction since the firm's inception, an approach that employs the entrepreneurial background and operational experience of its founders, Terry Garnett and David Helfrich, to reposition portfolio companies for substantial growth based on new management, product and market strategies.

"In line with our venture buyout approach, we look forward to playing an active role in shaping Wyse's corporate and product strategy," said David Helfrich, managing director, Garnett & Helfrich Capital. "With 35 percent market share in the fastest growing segment of the PC market, an impressive roster of customers that includes FedEx, Best Buy Canada, Circuit City and Quaker Foods, and longstanding partnerships with Citrix, Microsoft and Dell, Wyse is well-positioned to expand its global leadership."

Wyse Technology, founded in 1981, introduced the industry's first Windows-based terminal in 1995. Today, Wyse counts over 40 percent of the Fortune 100 as customers and is the worldwide leader in thin-clients with 35 percent market share according to analyst firm IDC.

"The enterprise market is moving to a centralized blade server model with secure, easy-to-maintain thin-client desktops and Wyse is the leader in delivering this solution," said Terry Garnett, managing director, Garnett & Helfrich Capital. "This will develop into a multi-billion dollar market over the next three to five years and Wyse is poised to capture a large share of this fast growing segment."

John Kish, previously a CEO-in-residence at Garnett & Helfrich Capital has assumed the CEO position at Wyse Technology and has recruited a world-class team of executives to join him at the Company. Kish is credited with establishing Oracle's Desktop Division and growing the division to $400 million in revenue during his 8 year career at the Company. John was one of the leading spokespeople in the industry for thin-client computing during the 1990s in his role at Oracle.

A team of attorneys from O'Melveny & Myers LLP, led by David Makarechian represented Garnett & Helfrich Capital on the transaction.

About Garnett & Helfrich Capital

Garnett & Helfrich Capital is the first fund to focus exclusively on the emerging venture buyout segment for mid-sized technology spinouts. Formed in March 2004 with $250,250,000 in capital from Harvard, Stanford, Grove Street and Harbourvest, the firm will invest in spinout partnerships with large global technology companies in the enterprise software, communications and networking, semiconductors, and Internet content/infrastructure segments of the technology industry. The principals, Terry Garnett and David Helfrich, have over 30 years of collective operating experience in senior roles at Oracle, Ascend Communications, 3COM, Tandem and Newbridge Networks as well as 15 years of venture capital investment experience at Venrock and ComVentures prior to founding Garnett Helfrich Capital. Their prior venture capital investments have included Checkpoint Software, Siebel, Niku, CoSine and P-Cube. More information is available at www.garnetthelfrich.com.

About Koos Group

As far back as the 1950s, Koos Group has been an integral part of Taiwan's economy, apparent at every stage of its development. To date, the Group is involved in a vast range of industries, some of which include petro-chemicals, electronics, cement, manufacturing, financial services and banking. In all, Koos Group encompasses over 80 companies, with more than 20,000 employees worldwide. Total assets of the Group amount to over $25 billion. It has financial interest in more publicly-traded companies than any other single business concern, and has by far the most expansive global reach among its competitors.

About Wyse Technology

Wyse is the #1 vendor that the world's largest businesses and institutions trust for scalable network-centric computing solutions. Wyse provides the hardware, software, and services that shift computing complexity to the network, liberating IT departments from unnecessary support and maintenance functions, empowering users to be more productive in their jobs, and protecting and improving access to critical information and business applications. Headquartered in San Jose, California with offices worldwide, Wyse has been #1 in thin-client market share for the last seven years, and has been named Microsoft "Embedded Partner of the Year" for three years. Wyse customers include FedEx, Best Buy (Canada), Quaker Foods, Gold's Gym, and CON-WAY Transportation.

Source: Garnett & Helfrich Capital

Posted by editor at 06:35 PM

March 18, 2005

Wireless Thin Clients

Cutting the cord on thin clients

John Cox, Network World

23/02/2005 10:32:15

Thin clients were once as chained to the corporate desktop as full-blown PCs. But that's changing now as wireless LANs and 3G cellular networks become more common.

Using both types of wireless networks, end users can have a relatively simple, diskless notebook-style or handheld device that connects securely, often via a Web interface, to their full suite of enterprise applications running on centrally managed server farms.

The benefits are extensive:

Minimal or no application development for mobile computing.
Data remains on servers, not on clients that can be lost or stolen.
Software updates are made on a few servers, not on many clients.
Real-time access to enterprise data for mobile workers.
A number of recent developments, besides better wireless connections, are fueling interest in wireless thin clients. One is the growing use of operating systems tailored for thin-client devices, especially Windows XP Embedded (XPE ). But lightweight Linux variants also are cropping up.
Other developments include: the growing sophistication of display technology; the ease with which a growing number of peripherals can be used by thin clients, via USB and other high-performance interfaces; a new breed of thin clients designed for wireless deployments, including products from HP, Maxspeed, Neoware, Wyse Technologies and, most recently, Motion Computing.

Motion executives discovered that some of the healthcare customers for the company's line of tablet PCs, running Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, were configuring the devices as thin clients - with no local data storage - linking to Citrix servers.

"The evolution of wireless nets was now allowing the bandwidth for thin-client sessions to work efficiently," says Peter Hunt, vice president of the value-added products division for the Austin, Texas company. "So we thought of using the existing hardware platform but using Windows XP Embedded as the operating system, freezing the software image of the device into a much smaller footprint and using a flash RAM drive instead of a spinning hard drive."

Motion released the M1400TC Table Client in January, priced at about $1,650. The tablet boasts handwriting support, a wide viewing-angle display screen and a built-in fingerprint reader. It has a 10/100M bit/sec Ethernet interface, a PC Card slot, two USB ports and an 802.11g/b WLAN adapter.

Familiar middleware
If much of the client technology is new, the core middleware components of a wireless thin-client deployment are not. They're the same as those used in conventional thin-client desktops. Citrix Systems is the leader in this area, with its suite of software built around its MetaFrame server Independent Computing Architecture (ICA) protocol for client-to-server communications. The most recent, and renamed, release is Citrix MetaFrame Presentation Server 3.0 . Rivals include Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Terminal Services, Tarantella's Secure Global Desktop, Jetro Platforms' CockpIT and BoostIT, and HOB's HOBlink JWT Java software.

Microsoft Terminal Services runs server-based Windows applications, sharing them with multiple users. Microsoft offers a less-developed rival to ICA called Remote Data Protocol.

Lexington Medical Center, a 292-bed complex in West Columbia, S.C., has rolled about 60 of an eventual 100-plus thin clients that link over a Cisco 802.11g/b WLAN to a suite of nursing, clinical and physician applications. These run on a group of 15 Citrix servers, based on HP ProLiant servers with Windows 2000 and Service Pack 4.

The initial focus for the thin clients is to let nurses access a Web-based server application via Citrix for administering and monitoring medications given to patients, usually at bedside.

Sixty Wyse Winterm 945XL thin clients are mounted on mobile carts from Flo Healthcare. The carts, designed for bedside computing, look like pillars mounted on a stable platform of rotating wheels. They are fitted with a flat shelf, with a sealed slotted mount beneath it for the thin-client box, a hidden connection to the WLAN antenna mounted on the rear of the shelf, a slide-out full keyboard, and a 17-inch flat panel display. Lexington Medical chose a sealed lead-acid battery as an alternative to the more expensive nickel metal hydride battery option.

The hospital staff also added to the cart a pistol-like bar-code scanner. Nurses scan their own IDs, the patient IDs and the medications being administered. The application software checks for the "five rights," as they're known: the right patient, medication, time of day, dose and route - the way the drug is given to the patient.

"The nursing staff is really enjoying the system," says Cindy Malphrus, the project manager for the system. "It's preventing errors. We get [application] reports to see how many errors have been prevented. And they think they can actually give meds faster now, although that wasn't a reason for doing this."

By a stroke of good luck, the thin clients were being deployed just as the rest of the IT group completed the hospital-wide WLAN deployment. One goal for the new WLAN is to support wireless VoIP, using Cisco handsets. "You need to have good WLAN coverage for that," says Jeff Jones, Lexington's network administrator. "By designing the WLAN for optimal phone coverage, it gave us good coverage also for our thin clients."

The rollout went off without a hitch. Training sessions showed nurses how to maneuver and adjust the carts, and cautioned them that the stubby black rod was not a handle but the WLAN antenna.

3G is key
One big change in 2004 was the spread of 3G cellular networks that can support data services in the 300K to 500K bit/sec range. Finally catching up were XPE software drivers that would support cellular cards for networks such as Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO).

Zumasys is a Lake Forest, Calif., Citrix value-added reseller with more than 70 customers using thin clients on 3G cellular data networks, says Company President Paul Giobbi. He's seeing adoption of diskless, laptop-like thin clients such as Maxspeed's MaxBook married to EV-DO offerings from carriers such as Verizon. "All you need is wireless access to the Internet," he says.

"Think about that: a whole series of thin-client devices accessing not just [personal information manager] and e-mails like today's BlackBerry, but all of your corporate applications," Giobbi says.

One client is Continental Lab Products, a San Diego supplier of laboratory products to life science organizations. The company last year extended its Citrix thin-client deployment by using Panasonic Toughbook laptops and a choice of Sierra Wireless cellular interface cards so sales representatives can access intranet, CRM and ERP applications over Verizon's EV-DO network, BroadbandAccess. Sales representatives can access orders, inventory and other data on the road or at a customer's site. The deployment won best in class recognition in Qualcomm's 2004 3G cdmA-List awards.

Posted by editor at 04:57 PM

Most Powerful 17" LCD Thinclient

Netvoyager Debuts World's Most Powerful LCD-Integrated Thin Client

By LinuxWorld News Desk
Page 1 of 1
Netvoyager, the leading thin client manufacturer and solution provider in the UK, has released the most powerful thin client integrated in a 17" LCD monitor. The Netvoyager Neterm LX-1040 features 1Ghz Intel class VIA Eden processor along with a 17" LCD monitor offering video and application performance comparable to PCs. The Neterm LX-1040 is powered by a Linux core operating system.
Netvoyager's managing director, Jamil Aboulzelof, said, "The Neterm LX-1040 takes thin client functionality and integration to the next level. Its power and simplicity makes it an ideal computing 'appliance', simply plug-n-go, and all the corporate applications are instantly available to the user. As more companies, large and small, are turning to server-centric computing, we intend to continue to invest in new advancements in thin-client technology to address this growing market."

Users of Neterm LX-1040 can run Windows and Unix/Linux applications from a server, plus connect to mainframes, UNIX/Linux servers and the Internet with the local Firefox web browser. With its integrated 17" LCD and 1Ghz CPU, the LX-1040 is the largest format and the fastest processing power to date. Netvoyager's OS includes support for over 8 server protocol technologies including Citrix MetaFrame, Microsoft Terminal Server, Tarantella and X-Windows.

Applications run on standard Windows and Unix/Linux servers, and display on thin client appliances across a network with all the performance of a traditional personal computer, but with significantly enhanced security, reliability, and manageability, and at lower cost of ownership and a better return on investment. Netvoyager thin client desktop appliances completely eliminate virus and the constant software updates. Netvoyager offers a diverse range of thin client appliances and software, including thin clients that run Windows CE .Net, Windows XP Embedded, and Linux.

Linux World

Posted by editor at 04:54 PM

February 23, 2005

Sun Price Drop on Sun Ray

Sun Microsystems Announces Lower Pricing Model, New Features for Sun Ray(TM) Ultra-Thin Client Environment for Education and Research Market

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 16 -- Worldwide Education and Research Conference -- Feb. 16 -- Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ:SUNW) today announced that it plans to offer a new, lower pricing model and enhanced features for the Sun Ray(TM) Server Software 3 and the Sun Ray 170 ultra-thin client for education and research institutions.

Interest in the Sun Ray ultra-thin client computing environment for the education and research market has been growing significantly, and the user group (Sun Ray Users' Group at www.sun-rays.org) has grown to more than 500 members. The site, built by users, for users, is hosted on Sun technology at the Santa Clara, California County Office of Education.

The Sun Ray's low cost of computing and ease of deployment make it an ideal solution for budget-conscious institutions who want to deploy a secure, flexible network without the hefty price tag for professional services.

Sun Ray Server Software 3 Highlights:

The Sun Ray Server Software now provides cross-platform support for both the Solaris(TM) and Linux Operating Systems, so customers seeking to expand their Linux environments onto the desktop will be able to use the Sun Ray ultra-thin client. The software and client will support Sun Java(TM) Desktop System, release 2, Red Hat Advanced Server 3 (32-bit) and SuSe SLES 8 (32-bit).

The product also helps enables more-secure computing, adding a privacy mode function that encrypts traffic between the Sun Ray Server software and the Sun Ray ultra-thin client. This can block casual hacking attempts that use packet sniffing or snooping software to view sessions or pick out keystroke data for a replay attack.

Other enhancements include expanded peripheral support on the Solaris(TM) Operating System, Sun Ray ultra-thin client LAN deployment capability that helps customers mix client devices on the same network and improved performance capabilities that can reduce the minimum bandwidth requirement for a single client session by 50 percent.

In line with its mission to help education and research institutions reduce the cost and complexity of their networks, Sun is now offering the Sun Server Software for just $99 per twenty seat license or $2400 per site license.

Sun Ray 170 Ultra-Thin Client Highlights:

Sun Ray ultra-thin clients provide education and research customers with an interoperable desktop computing solution that reduces the maintenance, upgrading and operational costs associated with most "fat" PC clients. The stateless nature of Sun Ray ultra-thin clients allows for complete session mobility, improves workflow and helps ensure the protection of data.

Increasingly, universities and research facilities are becoming a unified global network where students, administrators, teachers and researchers share information and best practices. As the network grows, the need for secure flexible access will become critical. The Sun Ray ultra-thin client leverages the smart card reader to offer badged users this level of access and support.

"As we build out the global digital campus, the Sun Ray environment is becoming key to helping institutions maintain the integrity of their networks, and at the same time, have secure access to the network of things and information at the drop of a hat," said Kim Jones, vice president of Global Education and Research at Sun.

For a limited time, Sun is offering special promotional pricing on a select configuration of the Sun Ray 170 ultra-thin client for the education and research market. The Sun Ray 170 ultra-thin client is just $750 (USD) per system. (This discount will vary outside of the United States).

About Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision -- "The Network Is The Computer(TM)" -- has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc. to its position as a leading provider of industrial-strength hardware, software and services that make the Net work. Sun can be found in more than 100 countries and on the World Wide Web at http://sun.com/ .

NOTE: Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun Logo, Java, Solaris, Sun Ray and The Network Is The Computer are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries.

The hardware promotion on the Sun Ray 170 is for a limited time period -- ending March 31, 2005 for Sun Global Education and Research customers. All prices are U.S. list price. All prices quoted are in U.S. Dollars.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Karen Kahn

Sun Microsystems, Inc.

415-297-5035

[email protected]

Jennifer Farrior

Alexander Ogilvy PR for Sun Microsystems, Inc.

415-677-2719

[email protected]

Posted by editor at 03:24 PM

February 22, 2005

High Availability Features for Embedded

General Software out of Germany introduced new high availibility software for embedded devices. It looks pretty nice.

General Software Announces High Availability Monitor(TM) Firmware Application to Increase Uptime of Embedded x86 Devices
Tuesday February 22, 1:02 pm ET

NUREMBERG, GERMANY--(MARKET WIRE)--Feb 22, 2005 -- General Software, Inc., the leading supplier of embedded x86 firmware solutions, today introduced at Embedded World 2005 a new firmware application for increasing the reliability, uptime, and availability of embedded x86 devices. As the first member of a new Firmware Application Suite(TM) specifically developed to enhance embedded x86 devices, the High Availability Monitor(TM) provides an ideal way of ensuring maximum up-time for products ranging from set-top boxes, thin client form factors and information appliances, industrial controllers and telecommunications equipment.

ADVERTISEMENT
"High Availability is becoming increasingly important in the design and deployment of today's interconnected systems. The High Availability Monitor from General Software is a superior solution which provides services at all times, even when the operating system fails to boot, crashes, or locks up; unlike traditional middleware solutions, " said Steve Dearden, General Software's vice president of sales and marketing. "Customers will now be able to offer much higher levels of assurance to their end users for the continuous availability of their products."

High Availability Monitor (HA Monitor) is a firmware application written utilizing Firmbase® Technology that continuously monitors the foreground operating system and application, verifying that it has not crashed. When crashes such as blue screens, black screens, or panics occur, the HA Monitor detects an OS System Death and generates an HA event. The event can be configured by the ODM/OEM to perform specific functions including; logging the failure to a system event log, sending an alert or email over the network, triggering a reload of known-working software and firmware, and rebooting the target. The HA Monitor can be remotely managed over the local network or Internet with any web browser or Telnet connection. Standard Firmbase® Technology TCB user-level security is provided on remote administration. Common applications include limiting down time to quantifiable levels and ensuring users never witness an internal OS failure on visible monitors.

About Embedded BIOS® 2000

Embedded BIOS® 2000 is the leading BIOS SDK for embedded x86 designs, with over 800 OEM-customizable configuration parameters, support for multiple embedded operating systems, and support for major OS and hardware initiatives. Embedded BIOS 2000 addresses the entire lifecycle of embedded products, from board bring-up, configuration prototyping, testing with system diagnostics, and product manufacturing to in-field diagnostics and software reload. Features include an integrated debugger; console redirection; highly configurable POST; manufacturing mode; ROM, RAM, and Flash file systems; support for a host of industry initiatives; and much more. Embedded BIOS 2000 supports industry-standard operating systems that run on PC-compatible hardware, including the full spectrum of Windows, Linux, and real-time operating systems.

About Firmbase® Technology

Firmbase Technology is General Software's patented 32-bit firmware infrastructure that contributes the surety and trust expected from firmware applications. A non-stop SMM envelope is provided which keeps firmware applications running, even when the OS and user application have failed, or are missing. Firmbase Technology is ROM-resident and provides a chain of trust from power-on to OS boot. It supplies the user-level security for the BIOS and for firmware applications which do not run under OS control.

About General Software

General Software provides superior embedded x86 firmware solutions and world-class support for OEM manufacturers of telecommunications, data communications, consumer electronics, dedicated servers, and other specialized computing devices. General Software's well-architected and reliable firmware products reduce risk, speed development, and address embedded OEM product lifecycle needs. For more information about General Software and its embedded firmware, visit http://www.gensw.com, e-mail [email protected], or contact David Tobar at 800-850-5755 or 425-576-8300.

Contact:

CONTACT:
Kate Johnsen
General Software, Inc.
425.576.8300 x229
[email protected]

Source: General Software, Inc.

Posted by editor at 10:26 PM

February 21, 2005

Diskless Workstations

Hitachi to Ship Diskless Notebook PCs

Reports coming out of Japan suggest that Hitachi Ltd is planning to launch a line of thin client, diskless notebook computers. A first batch of 10,000 units of the new computer will start shipping in April and pricing will start at around $2,500, it has been reported.

Running diskless will greatly improve battery life and reduce the weight of the machine, although the main objective of producing a notebook with no hard disk drive appears to be improved security. The best way of protecting business data is to avoid storing it on machines like notebooks that are frequently lost or stolen.

Samsung used to sell a diskless Windows CE subnotebook product. The IZZI-Pro S300 range was introduced in August 1999 but was removed from the market in January 2002.

link

Posted by editor at 04:10 PM

January 21, 2005

Thinner Clients Coming From Wyse

Wyse released the Winterm 5150SE thin client in January and said it will ship the Winterm S50 model in February.

Thursday January 20, 07:01 PM

Wyse plans thinner clients

By Daniel Robinson

Thin client specialist Wyse Technology has announced new Linux-based terminal devices and outlined plans to make its thin clients even simpler to deploy and operate, to help firms provision terminals appropriate to the tasks for which they will be used. This is part of Wyse's ongoing strategy to make thin clients a more cost-effective alternative to PC desktops.

Wyse released the Winterm 5150SE thin client in January and said it will ship the Winterm S50 model in February. Both are based on Wyse Linux version 6. The new models are customisable and offer increased flexibility for mixed environments that include both Linux and Windows host application servers, according to the firm.

David Angwin, senior marketing manager for Wyse in Northern Europe, said the 5150SE will be attractive to companies that need a more capable terminal than Wyse's entry-level models, and noted that at £239 +VAT it is cheaper than high-end devices running Windows XP Embedded. "It also benefits from good driver support because of Linux on the PC," Angwin said.

The S50 is a Linux version of the S30, which also began shipping this month. Both models are based on faster processors than earlier Winterm models yet are much simpler and more compact.

Wyse plans to ship these models with no built-in operating system in the near future, allowing large organisations to provision the devices as they see fit. This will also enable firms to switch their terminals between Linux, Windows CE, Windows XP Embedded, and Wyse's own Blazer platform, depending on which apps they use.

"It allows firms to manage thin clients as assets that can be re-usable," said Curt Schwebke, vice-president of Wyse. This will be enabled by a new version of the firm's Rapport management suite, set to ship in the third quarter of 2005. Under the control of Rapport, a terminal will install its operating code from a server when first connected to the network, and an administrator can use Rapport to re-boot it with a different software image whenever necessary.

Schwebke said the moves will make Wyse a more network-centric supplier. "Rapport is being re-architected as a service concept within the network infrastructure, which is necessary to expand the number of concurrent nodes it can manage."

The barriers discouraging firms from adopting thin clients are gradually disappearing as corporate network infrastructure is upgraded and applications are inc- reasingly hosted on servers instead of the desktop, Schwebke said.

Posted by editor at 02:22 PM

January 11, 2005

Tiny New Wyse Client

Wyse Technology has added a new model to its S class family of tiny, low power Windows CE based thin client devices. The Winterm S30, about the size of a paperback book, is based on Windows CE 5.0 and is "three times faster" than previous models, Wyse says.

Full story

Like Wyse's other current S-class thin clients, the S30 is powered by an AMD Geode processor outfitted with 64MB of RAM and 32MB of Flash memory. The integrated video chipset delivers excellent video performance, which reduces eyestrain and meets stringent European resolution and clinical healthcare requirements, according to Wyse.

Wyse lists the following key features and specifications for the Winterm S30:

• Processor -- 333MHz AMD Geode
  
• Memory -- 64MB RAM; 32MB Flash
  
• Display:
  • Up to 1280x1024 resolution at 16.7M colors, or 1600x1200 at 64K colors.
    
  • VESA monitor support; includes Display Data Control (DDC) for automatic setting of resolution and refresh rate
    
  • VGA-type video output (DB-15)
• Keyboard -- enhanced USB 104-key keyboard (included)
  
• Mouse -- PS/2 wheel mouse (included)
  
• Input/output ports:
  • Ethernet -- 10/100-BaseT
    
  • Four USB 2.0 ports (two front, two rear)
    
  • One serial port
• Dimensions -- 6.94 x 4.75 x 1.38 inches

• "Sleek, compact" thin clients run Windows CE
  
• Device Profile: Wyse Winterm 3150SE thin client
  
• Quick reference guide: Windows-powered thin client devices
  
• Microsoft whitepaper on Thin Client markets, architecture, technology
  
• "Affordable" thin client terminal runs Windows CE
  
• "Highly secure" thin client terminal runs XP Embedded
  
• Maxspeed adds modes to CE .NET 4.2 thin client terminal
  
• First notebook-style thin client with XP Embedded
  
• Thin client runs Windows XP Embedded, hosts local apps
  
• Thin clients pinch watts with Transmeta processors
  
• Crusoe-powered thin client computer runs XP Embedded
  
• Thin client reference design kit for Geode processors

Posted by editor at 03:02 PM

January 04, 2005

New Tools for Building Applications

Macromedia Inc. and Nexaweb Technologies Inc. have brought out upgraded XML development offerings with updates for building thinclient applications with rich features native to the desktop.

article

Excerpt:

The Nexaweb tools can run in any J2EE application server, allowing developers to use JavaBeans, JSP and other coding structures to build XML user interfaces for Internet applications that need rich features like drag and drop.

Best Western International Inc. in Phoenix used Nexaweb's tool set to replace an HTML-based reservation, room rate and inventory application. An XML-bascd user interface reduced the time the system takes to respond to changes made at the company's 4,000-plus properties from 15 seconds to two seconds, said Harold Dibler, managing director of application development at Best Western. The interface also reduced network traffic by more than 90%, he said.

Macromedia Flex 1.5 allows developers to use a text editor or IDE to build rich-client applications, said Jeff Whatcott, Macromedia's vice president of product marketing.

Posted by editor at 02:52 PM

Network Alternatives Deployment

Network Alternatives Deploys Thin-Client Solution for Lavin Law, Boosting the Firm's Bottom Line

Tuesday January 4, 8:03 am ET

LANGHORNE, Pa., Jan. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Network Alternatives, Inc. (NAI), a nationally recognized provider of full-service technology solutions to small- and medium-sized enterprises in the legal and professional services markets, announced today that it has implemented a thin-client computing environment for Lavin, O'Neill, Ricci, Cedrone & DiSipio, a nationally recognized law firm specializing in the defense of product liability actions.

"Our technology system was behind the times and we needed to make enhancements in order to provide our large corporate client base with better service," said Bill Murphy, administrator at Lavin. "We were already comfortable with Network Alternatives from previous projects. The new system they implemented puts us in synch with all of our clients, eliminating the document conversion challenges that we often faced with our old system. Our new thin-client solution has enhanced our internal and external communications, improved our access to information and significantly decreased our downtime. Network Alternatives stayed on schedule and helped us to make it a smooth transition for our employees."

"The thin-client environment was an ideal solution for Lavin," explained Steve Hatch, vice president of operations at NAI. "With the power in the servers, not the PCs, the firm's technical staff are able to eliminate their ongoing PC replacement cycle and no longer have to perform software upgrades on every employee's desktop. The thin-client computing environment has improved the firm's productivity and has positively affected its bottom line."

The Lavin law firm was moving all three of its offices (Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey) to new locations in 2004. This was an excellent time to also make the switch to a more technologically advanced computing solution. Network Alternatives reformatted the firm's files for the new environment before the actual moves took place, enabling employees to be more productive during the transition. The new system, which included changing to Microsoft Office and Exchange, was first deployed to a pilot group. After some adjustments to the system, it was then deployed to all the offices.

About Network Alternatives, Inc.

Network Alternatives, Inc. (NAI) is a nationally recognized provider of full-service technology solutions to small- and medium-sized enterprises in the legal and professional services markets.

NAI offers a range of cost-effective services and solutions, including hosted application services, consulting and network integration and customer support. OASIS®, NAI's flagship solution, is a completely outsourced desktop service that delivers high performance, reliability and security at an affordable cost. The Company was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Langhorne, Pa. For more information, please visit http://www.network-alternatives.com .

Network Alternatives, the Network Alternatives' logo and OASIS are registered trademarks of Network Alternatives, Inc. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

Contact:
Karen Higgins
Sagefrog Marketing Group for NAI
(610) 831-5723
[email protected]

Posted by editor at 02:44 PM

December 13, 2004

Oldtime player Bows Out

One of the older thin client vendors appears to be closing shop, The Register has learned. Network Computing Devices (NCD) will stop all operations by year end, according to a company memo. Calls to NCD's CEO and CFO were not returned, and a spokeswoman said the company has no comment at this time.

"NCD is currently in the process of ceasing operations," the company said in a memo to workers obtained by The Register. "The company will close operations on December 31, 2004."

Posted by editor at 04:48 PM

December 10, 2004

Sun Ray Thinclient Over Broadband

Sun Microsystems' thin-client desktop strategy will get a boost with the release of a new version of its Sun Ray platform that will allow users to connect with a Sun Ray client over a broadband Internet connection.

Sun Ray Server Software 3.0 also will allow Sun Rays to be supported for the first time by Linux servers, and to run the JDS (Java Desktop System) graphical interface. ADVERTISEMENT

The broadband capability, which has been deployed within Sun during the past year as part of its internal "Sun Ray@Home" program, is at the center of the upcoming monthly Sun Ray service announced by Scott McNealy at last month's Solaris 10 launch event.
link

Posted by editor at 02:19 PM

December 09, 2004

New RDP thinclient

Tarantella unveils Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) Client for Linux. The remote control client, which has begun shipping to thin client OEMs, is designed to provide Linux thin client terminal vendors with standard RDP-based access to Windows applications via Windows Server 2003 Terminal Services.

The OEM version of the Tarantella RDP conforms to RDP version 5.1, and ships with full 24-bit colour support to improve remote access usability.

article

Posted by editor at 05:54 PM