New Thin Client Series with Universal Firmware Greatly Simplifies Purchase, Reduces Costs and Increases Flexibility

Reading, UK – January 28, 2009 – IGEL Technology, the world’s third largest thin client vendor (Q1-Q3 2008 revenue, IDC), today introduced its new Universal Desktop series that promises to redefine the device that organisations use to access their server-based applications and infrastructure. The goals of the new IGEL Universal Desktop series are to provide maximum flexibility through a choice of “Digital Service Packs” for accessing server-based and virtualised applications; reduce costs due to a very flexible pricing model through which customers only pay for the hardware or software they actually need; provide an experience indistinguishable from a PC; and offer a lower TCO through powerful, yet easy to use remote management.

The core innovations at the heart of the Universal Desktop are to have just one “Universal Image” per operating system that works with all hardware platforms. This Universal Image is comprised of three Digital Service Packs that offer different levels of sophistication for accessing server-based applications.  Hence a customer has just three decisions to make when buying a Universal Desktop: which operating system best suits their needs, which Digital Service Pack provides optimal access to their applications, and what hardware platform is required.

The three Digital Service Packs offered in the Universal Desktop range are:

ENTRY Package (available on Microsoft® Windows® Embedded CE 6, Windows Embedded Standard 2009 and IGEL Linux):
-   Microsoft RDP and Citrix® ICA(R) support
-   Entry level printing
-   Java Runtime Environment (IGEL Linux and Windows Embedded Standard 2009 only)

STANDARD Package (available on Microsoft® Windows® Embedded CE 6, Microsoft® Windows® Embedded Standard 2009 and IGEL Linux):
All Entry Package functions plus:
-   Virtualisation support for leading vendors
-   Web access
-   PDF viewer
-   Local media playback
-   Terminal emulation
-   VPN remote access
-   ThinPrint SBC optimised printing

ADVANCED Package (available on Windows® Embedded Standard 2009 and IGEL Linux):
All Standard Package functions plus:
-   Enhanced user experience using Digital Service Virtualisation (Windows Embedded Standard 2009 only)
-   SAP GUI
-   USB re-direction (Windows Embedded Standard 2009 only)
-   VoIP (Linux only)
-   Specialist server-based protocols such as No Machine NX

The Universal Desktop range is powered by five sleek and modern hardware designs:
-   The UD2 series is a small, affordable, energy efficient hardware platform that can be VESA mounted on the back of a monitor. The DVI-I port supports dual monitors with an optional Y cable and it can connect to common peripherals with its four USB ports. The UD2 series only supports the Entry and Standard Digital Service Packs.
-   The UD3 series is an affordable, compact, versatile midrange hardware platform that can power all digital service levels, from the Entry to the Advanced Digital Service Packs. Optionally, an integrated smartcard reader and a Connectivity Foot for Wi-Fi and/or a serial port can be added.
-   The UD5 series is a powerful and expandable hardware platform. Its high speed processor and graphics can support demanding applications or many applications running simultaneously. It also supports the broadest set of connectivity to peripherals. Optionally, an integrated smartcard reader and a Connectivity Foot for Wi-Fi and/or a parallel port can be added.
-   The UD7 series is based on the powerful UD5 hardware platform. It is custom designed for the most demanding quad-screen graphics environments. Using the same chassis as the UD5 it offers an optional smartcard reader, optional Connectivity Foot and a broad range of IO ports. This series is only available with the Advanced Digital Service Pack.
-   The UD9 series is an integrated 19” LCD platform with a broad range of I/O ports. Ideal for customers with space-constrained environments, this series is only available with the Advanced Digital Service Pack.

“Traditionally, thin clients have been dedicated to a few specific protocols, which were difficult to choose and forced customers to buy unnecessary hardware or software. That’s all changed with the revolutionary design of IGEL’s new Universal Desktop series,” said Stephen Yeo, worldwide strategic marketing director for IGEL Technology.  “We view the Universal Desktop as the Swiss Army knife of thin clients. It provides access to any server-based application or virtual desktop with the same user experience as a fat PC, while still providing the enhanced security and remote management benefits of a traditional thin client.   No matter which applications, operating systems, protocols or peripherals you have, the IGEL Universal Desktop will work seamlessly in your environment.”

The Universal Desktop is already generating positive feedback from partners, early customers, and industry experts:

-   After comparisons with other leading thin client brands, Generali Worldwide Insurance Ltd. bought the IGEL Universal Desktop 5 product because of its build quality, ease of set-up and management, cost and aesthetics.  “The build of the units is first class, as are the hardware options,” said Iain Davidson, IS operations manager of Generali Worldwide Insurance Ltd. “Having IGEL pre-configure the devices reduced installation time, and the ease with which they can be centrally managed was also a major factor in our decision. None of the other products we trialed had the ease, speed and options for central control that the IGEL solution offered. Cost was not the deciding factor but an important consideration. IGEL compares extremely favorably with its competitors, and when combined with the other factors, came out on top by a considerable margin. Lastly, aesthetics, whilst not something most people would consider, in a business where image is important, the look and feel of the devices was excellent.”

-   IGEL's Universal Desktop has been verified as Citrix Ready™, designating it as a trusted desktop appliance solution that enhances the Citrix Application Delivery Infrastructure.  “IGEL has added a new level of value to Citrix solutions with its Universal Desktop. It integrates out of the box with the Citrix XenDesktop(tm) desktop appliance mode, as well as many other features, and allows our mutual customers to take full advantage of the ‘high definition’ user experience delivered by XenDesktop,” said Calvin Hsu, director product marketing, Desktop Delivery Group at Citrix Systems.  “IGEL continues to develop complementary technology that allows Citrix customers to use a thin client to deploy even the toughest applications and graphical content in a thin environment, such as video-conferencing, all multimedia and VoIP.”

-   A VMware Technology Alliance Partner (TAP) program member, IGEL will continue to support VMware customers with the Universal Desktop.  "IGEL’s strength in thin clients is a great complement to VMware's leadership in virtual desktops, allowing our mutual customers to realise the full benefits of our desktop technology,” said Jerry Chen, senior director of enterprise desktop, VMware.  “Our end users want a universal client that allows them to access their desktops, applications and data from different locations and devices, and IGEL is helping us to expand their access options by introducing easy-to-use and easy-to-manage desktop devices.”

-   “As well as being a well-established vendor in the thin client market, IGEL must also be considered a thought leader on its future direction,” said Stephen Mann, senior research analyst at Butler Group. “In Butler Group’s opinion, IGEL has pre-empted the anticipated increased corporate demand for thin client devices, particularly that organisations now expect lower cost desktop devices, which are capable of handling the increasingly diverse array of tasks, digital services, and proprietary protocols.”

-   "Given the current economic climate and a growing corporate commitment to sustainability, it's critical for organisations to adopt technologies that help to reduce the environmental waste generated by desktop computers every day," said Jeffrey Hill, senior research analyst, Data Management and Storage Practice at  the  Aberdeen  Group and co-author of  the forthcoming Green IT for Dummies.  “Switching from traditional PCs to more energy-efficient thin clients with virtual desktops can help companies ‘go green’ while also reducing their hardware and utility bills.  IGEL’s flexible interoperability approach makes the Universal Desktop a smart companion for any desktop virtualisation solution.”

-   “The advantages of thin clients to PCs are clear – they use less power, are easier to manage and update, and much more secure,” said Doug Brown, CEO and founder of DABCC.com.  “Previous arguments against thin clients had a lot to do with users’ resistance to anything that didn’t look and feel like their traditional desktop.  IGEL is helping to usher in a new era of desktop devices, which negate the old arguments by including all of the digital services required to give those users a rich PC-like experience.  In many cases thin clients are even faster than PCs and they suffer from less downtime due to crashes, anti-virus updates and security breaches.   With more and more focus on cloud computing, managed services and desktop virtualisation, I believe technologies like the Universal Desktop are the future of client computing.”       

For more information on the new IGEL Universal Desktop please visit, www.igel.com.
For downloadable images of the new range please visit, http://www.igel.com/igel/,navigation_id,211,_psmand,2.html