| Thin client drives dual displays |
Sep. 12, 2007
 Fujitsu Siemens and Matrox Graphics have announced a Windows XP Embedded-powered thin client that supports dual displays. Said to be aimed at financial, commodities trading, and insurance markets, the device is a combination of the former's Futro S400 client and the latter's Matrox EpicA graphics card.
When introduced in 2004, the Futuro S series employed 800 MHz Transmeta Crusoe processors and boasted 25-watt power consumption. Today's version uses the same 9.7 x 1.9 x 7 inch form-factor but boosts performance by using an AMD Geode NX 1500. Clocked at 1 GHz, this processor increases power consumption by just a couple of watts.
Supplied with Windows XP Embedded, the Futro S400 is designed to access servers using either RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) or Citrix ICA. In either case, says Matrox, PowerDesk and PowerSpace EpicA sofware can be installed on the server, making it aware when a client has multiple monitors.
This, it's claimed, provides special features including:- User-defined virtual monitor partitions
- Maximization of any application to a single monitor or partition
- Control of where dialog boxes will appear
- Application auto start on login
- Automatic recall of application window positioning
Additionally, the EpicA graphics card, which occupies the Futoro S400's single PCI expansion slot, provides dedicated graphics memory and dual DVI outputs. Supported displays can range up to 1920 x 1200 pixels apiece.
Matrox says the screen real estate can be used not only to run multiple applications, but also to clone or stretch a single application over multiple displays. The system can also support monitors that pivot from landscape to portrait mode.
The Fujitsu Siemens Futro S400, shown in a single-monitor configuration
According to Mohamed Jivraj, product manager for Matrox Graphics, "Enabling multiple screens on thin clients without the proper desktop management tools would be counter-productive. Users are often frustrated by dialog boxes that appear between monitor bezels, and program windows that maximize across all displays."
Other touted specifications of the Futuro S400 include:- Processor -- AMD Geode NX1500 clocked at 1 GHz
- Memory -- 256 MB to 1 GB of DRAM; 256 MB to 1 GB of flash
- Storage -- external HDD possible via USB
- Video -- 2 x DVI output, supporting dual 1920 x 1200 monitors
- Audio -- AC 97 compatible
- Networking -- 1 x 10/100 Ethernet port
- Other I/O interfaces:
- 1 x serial port
- 1 x EPP/ECP parallel port
- 2 x PS/2 keyboard/mouse port
- mono microphone in, stereo line in, stereo headphone output
- 4 x USB 2.0
- Expansion:
- internal SmartCard reader (optional)
- 1 x PCI expansion slot, max. 6.1-inch length (occupied by EpicA card)
- Dimensions -- 9.7 x 7 x 1.9 inches (246 x 177 x 48 mm)
- Weight -- 3.4 pounds (1.55 kg)
In addition to the Windows XP Embedded configuration, the Futro S400 comes in a version running Fujitsu Siemens's embedded Linux OS (eLux NG), which the EpicA software is also said to support. The Futro S400 is available now, though pricing was not disclosed.
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