Motorola Inc’s Data Solutions Division has launched the SitePad, a wireless Windows terminal, which it has licensed from wireless client specialist Cruise Technologies Inc. The product uses Cruise’s terminal hardware using a custom ASIC chip, along with the CruiseConnect windows terminal operating system, and Citrix Systems Inc’s Winframe sever software for multi user terminal access to a Windows NT server. The bundle put together by Cruise also uses local area 2.4GHz spread radio spectrum technology from wireless local area networking specialist Proxim Inc, which provides transmitters and receivers to connect the terminal to a standard Ethernet network. Arlington Heights, Illinois-based Cruise Technologies is a privately owned spin off of Zenith Data Systems Inc, founded in February 1997. It has previously licensed its CruiseConnect system to windows terminal manufacturer Wyse Technology Inc which is also launching a wireless terminal, the Winterm 2930, virtually the same as Motorola’s offering, except that it has a colour screen (CI No 3,178). Motorola reckons that the SitePad will be sold to existing customers in specialized markets requiring mobile computers, such as health care, warehousing, manufacturing and utilities. The SitePad is shipping now for between $2,000 and $3,000 per terminal. Motorola is not planning its own Wireless thin client and says this license fills a hole in its wireless product range.
