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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 March 19, 2006 11:13 PM