Motorola revealed more details of its Windows-based terminal plans at PC Expo on Tuesday, following the announcement Monday that it had taken a minority stake in thin client company Neoware Systems Inc (CI No 3,432). At PC Expo in New York the company unveiled a terminal reference design for Windows based terminals called WinCept, with which it hopes to encourage manufacturers to opt for Motorola-based core technology for the terminals. Motorola chips haven’t figured significantly in the first batch of Windows terminals now out on the market, aside from Neoware, which launched its first PowerPC-based terminals last year (CI No 3,289). The WinCept 100/110 reference designs include all of the hardware, software drivers and a choice of client operating systems including Windows CE and NT, along with customizable product enclosures needed for assemblers to put together windows terminals or thin client devices, and are the first products in a planned range of WinCeption thin client products from Motorola. The bill of materials for a complete WinCept printed circuit board will have a suggested resale price of $110 in quantities of 10,000, and design files will be available on the web for a nominal fee within a month. The board uses a PowerPC-based MPC821 microprocessor, and includes support for VGA/TV outputs, LCD interface, Ethernet, dual serial ports and a parallel interface. Microsoft Terminal Server, Citrix Systems Inc’s WinFrame and MetaFrame and Neoware’s netOS operating system will also be supported. The package was put together with the help of its new partner Neoware. Back in March, Intel Corp took a 4% stake in Network Computing Devices Inc to seal a similar joint development deal (CI No 3,364).
