Sun Microsystems Inc’s Sun Microelectronics has defined a reference platform of technologies for customers with Network Computer designs, our sister publication Unigram.X, reports this week. Sun’s minimum set of technologies for building Network Computer Reference Profile-compliant devices puts the cost of a first-generation device using an embedded microSparc IIep at between $500 and $1,000, with no maintenance costs, against a $2,000 personal computer which it reckons costs $3,500 to maintain. What Sun refers to as the Zero Administration Client and Network Computer (it doesn’t like either name but can’t think of a better one) would have 4Mb to 8Mb memory, audio input-output, a network port and display, a browser and downloaded applets (plus a keyboard and mouse on a desktop device). A $2,000 personal computer would include CPU, floppy, CD-ROM, hard disk, 16Mb memory, audio input-output, network port, expansion bus, display, operating system and local applications. Sun believes Network Computer devices will ideally include Flash ROM for quick booting of a browser and Java Virtual Machine, also allowing for different or new versions of browsers to be downloaded. The platform roadmap it has defined takes the personal computer model and simplifies it using a $100 microSparc IIep as the JavaA1 model. A base JavaA1 platform would be priced at around $615. The 1997 JavaA2 platform would use $25-to-$50 microJava processors and come in at around $445 as Java-on-tin immediately reduces CPU power, Flash and RAM requirements, Sun says. That $445 would buy the $50 CPU, $70 CI video, $60 Ethernet, $10 super input-output, $50 for miscellaneous logic, $20 printed circuit board, $40 for 3Mb Flash RAM, $80 for 4Mb DRAM, $20 for the enclosure, $15 for power supply, $30 for audio. A microSparc IIep version requires the $100 CPU – which supposedly does 125 MIPS at 100MHz – 6Mb Flash RAM at $80 and 8Mb DRAM at $160. Sun observes that Java is just one way to get to the Network Computer and that the JavaStations its Sun Microsystems Computer Co cousin will describe within 30 days are just one implementation of its vision. Internally, Sun has been talking about Net Portals as generic Network Computer devices.
