Recent IBM Corp and Sun Microsytems Inc X terminal announcements have started a feeding frenzy among the rest of the pack. X terminal pioneer Network Computing Devices Inc promises to overtake Hewlett-Packard with a new MIPS R4000-based line that will go to 250,000 Xstones and 5 Xmarks with from 24Mb RAM at around the same price next week. With hardware prices plummeting, Network Computing is also continuing its push into the software market, getting TriTeal Corp to put its TriTeal Enterprise Desktop Common Desktop Environment client on to its terminals from the third quarter. Network Computing will resell client and host-based TriTeal Enterprise Desktop plus the HP Visual User Environment implementation on which the Enterprise Desktop is based. TriTeal may also use Network Computing’s X software in TriTeal Enterprise Development. And Hewlett-Packard Co added four new ‘performance’ models to its Intel Corp 80960-based Envizex X terminal line aimed at technical and engineering users (CI No 2,606). They come with from 6Mb to 102Mb memory, one parallel, two serial and two PS/2 connections. Options are a 100VG-AnyLAN adaptor for the emerging network protocol, Token-Ring adaptor, $500, PCMCIA slot, Flash ROM support, SCSI adaptor kit, $250, floppy drive, $125, and a multimedia bundle with audio board, floppy drive and 10Mb RAM pre-installed, $500. An enhanced version 6.0 of Hewlett-Packard’s Enware software will include Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, version control and shared Motif libraries for local clients when it ships in May. Basic models at 1,280 by 1,024 resolution come with 6Mb RAM and perform at 220,000 Xstones and 5 Xmarks. The 19 monochrome 19Gp is $3,200, the 17 colour CpS costs from $4,300, the 19 colour 19Cp is $4,800 and the 20 colour 20CpS is priced at $5,300.
