Thin clients gain speed

Thin client maker VXL Instruments last week introduced new terminal models with 1GHz processors and stated its intention to grab a larger share of the global thin client market.

VXL's Itona TC36xx and TC37xx series terminals, available now, are based on VIA's 1GHz C3 processor and ship in versions running Linux, Windows CE and Windows XP Embedded (XPE).

With prices starting at £143 + VAT, the new models should attract interest from businesses wanting to deploy thin clients in place of PCs for some employees.

The move to a 1GHz processor achieves approximately a 20 percent performance boost compared with the previous Itona models, according to VXL vice-president of sales, Frank Noon.

"We believe we are the first thin client vendor to market with a 1GHz model," Noon said. The entry-level TC3631-LI model runs Linux and has 64MB of memory, while the TC3633-LI has 128MB of memory, an embedded version of Mozilla's Firefox browser and Java support.

Of the thin clients based on Windows, the TC3641-CE runs Windows CE.Net and has 64MB memory, while the top-end TC3621-XP runs XPE with 256MB memory and costs £283 + VAT. All models support Citrix ICA and Microsoft RDP client protocols.

VXL's TC37xx series parallels the TC36xx, but each model has a wider case to take an optional wireless LAN adapter and smartcard reader. "Some organisations, the NHS for example, now specify that each client has to have a smartcard reader for access control," said Noon.

VXL aims to gain a quarter of the thin client market by offering a simple product line-up differentiated largely by operating system, Noon said. The firm also plans to ship later this year an all-in-one model, where the terminal circuitry is integrated into a 17in TFT screen, for about £320.