| HP thin clients run Windows XP Embedded |
Jan. 24, 2008
 [Updated Feb. 5] -- HP has announced the first laptop-style mobile thin client to be sold under its own name. The HP Compaq 6720t, and the also-new t5730 desktop-style thin client, run Windows XP Embedded, according to the company.
(Click here for a larger view of the HP Compaq 6720t)
HP says these own-brand devices derive some of their technology from Neoware, which it acquired last year. Neoware in 2006 claimed to offer the "first top-tier thin client notebook" in the form of the m100, based on a Via Eden processor. Prior to being acquired by HP, Neoware had pre-announced an Intel-based followup, the m2000, but that device apparently never shipped.
Regardless, the HP Compaq 6720t looks to be an effective successor to the m100. It uses a 1.06GHz Celeron M processor with 533MHz frontside bus and 1MB of second-level cache. Also featured is Intel's 945GM Express chipset, with integrated GMA900 graphics. While the GMA900 offers hardware 3D, MPEG, and WMV9 acceleration, the HP device does not support these features.
The device comes with 1GB of RAM, housed in its single DIMM slot. Storage is provided by a one gigabyte flash module, while more could potentially be added via the 6720t's Type I/II PC card slot.
In addition, the 6720t includes features that have come to be expected on notebook computers generally. These include a 15.4-inch display with WXGA (1366 x 768 pixel) resolution, integrated speakers, and what HP describes as integrated 16-bit Sound Blaster Pro compatible audio.
Designed for server-based computing, the 6720t presumably offers little functionality without network connectivity, although HP does not detail the device's offline capabilities. The notebook's network interfaces include a 10/100 or optional 10/100/1000 Ethernet port, a Broadcom-based 802.11a/b/g wireless LAN adapter, and a 56K modem for dialup access.
Features and specifications listed by HP for the 6720t include:- Processor -- 1.06GHz Celeron M, with 533MHz frontside bus and 1MB of second-level cache
- Memory -- 1GB RAM
- Storage -- 1GB flash
- Display -- 15.4-inch WXGA (1366 x 768) display
- Networking:
- 10/100 Ethernet with RJ45 connector
- 802.11a/b/g WLAN
- 56K modem for dialup networking
- Other I/O:
- 3 x USB
- microphone in
- headphone/line out
- docking connector
- VGA port for external monitor
- Power -- 6-cell (47 WHr) lithium-ion battery and external AC adapter
- Dimensions -- 14.1 x 10.2 x 1.2 in (357 x 260 x 30mm)
- Weight -- 5.4 lb (2.45kg)
HP Compaq t5730
The t5730 |
The 6720t is joined in HP's thin client line by the new t5730 desktop, which uses a 1GHz AMD Sempron 2100+ processor. HP touts the device's high-end graphics, provided by an ATI Radeon X1250 chipset. The chipset and thin client support resolutions up to 2048 x 1536.
With both VGA and DVI-D ports, the t5730 supports dual monitors. Other multimedia capabilities are the device's internal amplified speaker, plus 3.5mm jacks for microphone input and headphone output.
The t5730 includes 1GB of flash storage and 512MB or 1GB of DDR2 RAM. It apparently does not have any slots for SD or PC Card storage, which purchasers may well consider a security advantage. It does, however, offer a whopping total of eight USB ports, two in front, four in the rear, and two in a "secure USB compartment." Though unconfirmed by HP, it's likely some or all of these ports may be disabled by an administrator.
Finally, HP sells an optional expansion module that includes parallel and serial ports, plus a slot that accepts a PCI or PCIe expansion card. This presumably adds to the size of the t5730, whose dimensions were not specified, but which weighs 3.5 pounds.
Specifications provided by HP for the t5730 include:- Processor -- AMD Sempron 2100+ clocked at 1GHz
- Memory -- 512KB or 1GB of DDR2 RAM, 1GB flash
- Display -- ATI Radeon X1250, supporting dual monitors and resolution up to 2048 x 1536 pixels
- Networking -- 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet, optional modem
- Other I/O:
- 8 USB ports (2 front, 4 rear, and two in secure compartment)
- PS/2 mouse connector
- microphone input and headphone/speaker output
- PCI or PCIe expansion slot (on optional module)
- 1 x serial (on optional module)
- 1 x parallel (on optional module)
- Weight -- 3.5 pounds with stand
Further information
Software included with HP's thin clients includes the following, according to the company: Altiris Deployment Solution; Citrix ICA; terminal emulation software; Internet Explorer 6.0; Sygate Security Agent, Windows Media Player 9; and HP ThinState for image capture and redeployment.
The 6720t is available now, priced at $745. The t5730 costs approximately $500. Worthy of note is that HP also offers the t5735 (approximately $450), which has identical hardware specifications but uses Debian Linux 4.0 (Linux Kernel 2.6) as its operating system instead of Windows XP Embedded.
Related stories:
(Click here for further information)
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