NComputing has added another offering to its X-series product line. The new X350 is designed specifically for organizations that want to economically and efficiently add users for the lowest cost and best performance.
Built to accommodate popular slim-line PCs, the X350 kit, with a list price of $249, turns one PC into four virtual desktops – each delivering rich multimedia performance and full-screen video. With a second X350 kit, a total of seven users can share a single PC. The X350 is a lower-cost, low-profile version of the highly successful NComputing X550, which supports up to 11 users on a full-sized PC. And like all NComputing solutions, the X350 features the award-winning NComputing vSpace desktop virtualization software.
The NComputing solution is based on a simple fact: today’s PCs are so powerful that the vast majority of applications use only a small fraction of the computer’s capacity. NComputing enables a single PC to be virtualized so that many users can tap the unused capacity and share it as if each person had their own computer. Each user enjoys a full PC experience by connecting their own monitor, keyboard and mouse to an NComputing device, which is then connected to the shared PC. Each X350 kit contains three NComputing XD2 devices and a low-profile PCI card that fits inside space-saving computers. Unlike other desktop virtualization solutions, the patented and highly-efficient X350 delivers rich multimedia and full-screen video.
The X350 is available now from thousands of resellers around the globe. In less than two years, NComputing has sold more than one million seats, making it the largest provider of ultra-low-cost computing solutions. NComputing’s simplicity and ease of use have contributed to rapid worldwide acceptance: anyone with basic PC skills can install an NComputing solution and the savings are immediate. Over 40,000 organizations in 140 countries have deployed NComputing to slash their computing costs and electric consumption. Each access device uses just one watt of electricity, compared to 110 for a standalone PC, making NComputing the greenest computing solution on earth.
I’d like to dispute the final statement of this press release; “Each access device uses just one watt of electricity, compared to 110 for a standalone PC, making NComputing the greenest computing solution on earth.”
We here at MiniFrameUK using SoftXpand have the Ultimate Green PC as badged officially by the Green Organisation. Our solution uses less than 1 watt per user. Not only this but SoftXpand is the only Multiseat Computer (MC as opposed to a PC) capable of running multimedia applciations.
If only that was accurate. The SoftExpand software-only solution requires several additional 3rd-party hardware components to complete the solution, all of which take varying but considerable power. For example, an nVidia card similar to the one SoftExpand recommends consumes a whopping 24 watts in 2D mode. USB keyboards, mice, and audio adapters add more. Add up the whole system and the per-user wattage is sure to exceed 1 watt by a long stretch. FURTHERMORE, the NComputing X-series has incredible multimedia capabilities (that are even better and scale further with the new X350 and X550, which supports 11 users per PC). Check out the case studies on the NComputing web site–MILLIONS of school kids use them every day.
Multiseat computing using a fast user Windows hack doesn’t really work when you need to follow Microsft licensing rules. We have to be really careful about that and the only way we can make it work in schools is to use MS Terminal Services on the nComputing products. We found the same to be true with softXpand. A Fast User Switch hack kind of is a dead end. The only true multiseat computer that really worked that we found here at our district was Fiddlehead. It truly is desktop virtualization and keeps us legal with Microsoft. I don’t mean to cut down any of the other solutions, but Fiddlehead is absolutely just like a real PC. They don’t claim 8 users or 11 users or anything like that.
I have to agree with JimD. While I believe sharing is practical 11 users per PC has got to give a negative hit to performance. Has anyone done a direct comparison between nComputing (www.ncomputing.com) and Fiddlehead (www.myfiddlehead.com)?
We have Fiddlehead in our classes down here in Texas and it seems to be spreading like wildfire. We tried nComputing, and although slightly easier to set up (or so we thought) than Fiddlehead, it didn’t allow us to run several important educational applications. It turned out we had enough applications that wouldn’t allow multiple users to “share” the same application that it wasn’t really usable. The Fiddlehead system doesn’t have any of those problems. It’s kind of like a BIOS update, and once you’re done with that, just load Windows like normal on one “seat” and then clone to the others. You can then clone to any other Fiddlehead enabled system in the district QUICKLY! …and it doesn’t make any difference what kind of hardware, the image is agnostic. And Fiddlehead can be loaded on 4 heads, or 2 heads or a single PC! We used to have dozens of images per school, because of our disparite PC’s, but now we have only one!
I agree with JimD also. How about future compatability? When we checked nComputing out, we couldn’t upgrade to Vista let alone Windows 7. They have been talking about that upgradability for years now. I think it is BS…
Hi Guys,
We have no problems with Microsoft Operating System licensing. You need 1 copy of the OS per physical PC since there are no access devices. Microsoft themselves throught their multipoint solutions and dual head monitor routines prove that neither a keyboard, mouse or monitor is an access device. Dave Rand is correct, SoftXpand relies on the hardware. You need a motherboard with enough spare PCI-E slots to accomodate say 3 dual head graphics cards. Partners like Go-Green-PC in the UK have now assembled a small form factor PC that uses 80 watts under full load which is 13 watts per user. That’s phenomenal. What’s even better is the load balancing algorithms of SoftXpand that absolutely guarantee that performance is improved rather than restricted, and the fact that it works with most software packages. We love myfiddlehead but from what we’ve seen of NComputings Xtenders, only the host PC performs normally, all access device connected terminals experience skipping, jumping etc, and this is feedback from end users and VARs. NComputing and Myfiddlehead are perfect for clients who want to reuse PCs but when you can build a 6 user SoftXpand PC for £750 that offers the performance of a £500 PC without any of the additional cost then that’s something that needs evaluating. We’re still waiting to release a Windows 7 version too Bob, we need Microsoft to iron out immediate user problems so we won’t have a version ready until end of Q4 (March). Fiddlehead isn’t available in the UK yet, which is a shame as I’d love to compare.
We agree with Colin. We tried nComputing – problems with licensing, problems with many school applications not being able to run when more than one user tried to access. Examples are Moviemaker, CCC, Compass, and many Pearson titles. Same thing with multiCD access. Fiddlehead solved all of those problems. They don’t have the problem of the host PC having all of the power when the extra users are attached. In fact we have one cluster that has Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Linux loaded and running at the same time. Windos 7 works just fine.
It’s nice to know about ncomputing, where can I order it and how much is the cost to include postage & delivery? I am from Digos City, Davao del Sur, Philippines. Thanks and more power.
Respectfully,
Nanding
You can just google nComputing and find it. Most people on the post are not talking about nComputing except to say that it doesn’t follow licensing and won’t run all the applications schools need. I’d check out http://www.myfiddlhead.com
Scenario:
Several associates are working on the same document simultaneously.
Will nComputing be able to append each associates contribution in the order received and create a combined document OR NOT.
I have just such an application for implementation.
Love to find out.
Sir I want to know price of model x550 of n computing.
pls conform to me what price /
Thanks
Regards
vijay kumar