Manchester, England - 11 March 2008 - The days of the corporate PC may be numbered, following the launch today of a £99 "thin client" computer by Manchester-based VXL Instruments. The company has released the Itona TC23, a desktop computer designed solely for use on a company network.

The new computer runs Linux or Windows CE and uses thin client technology, such as Citrix, to remove the need for an expensive PC with disk drives on each desk, instead utilising a company's central server to provide documents and software. Users still have access to all the standard office software, such as word processing, email, web browsing and spreadsheets.

"By slashing the cost of a thin client to £99, we are challenging the dominance of the PC," said Frank Noon, VP of Sales at VXL. "In the majority of cases, the company PC is a waste of money, and a security risk. Thin client technology pares the machine on each desk right down whilst still giving every user the software, data and performance they need."

The new Itona TC23 is not only the quarter of the cost of a typical PC to buy, it costs far less to operate, is much smaller and is totally silent, says VXL. The thin client computer can be managed centrally, does not require backup, is more reliable, more secure and consumes around £40 less electricity than a PC each year. The ultra-quiet computer is the size of a hardback book and consumes just 11w of electricity.

Secure and reliable
The TC23 is diskless, does not allow users to load their own software, does not store data, and is immune to regular Windows viruses. The machine is also far more reliable than a PC - there are no moving parts such as disk drives or fans. The company provides a 3-year unlimited warranty on its products.

VXL has been producing terminals and thin client computers for almost 30 years is aiming to sell over a quarter of a million of its computers in the coming year around the world. Prices have steadily decreased in the last decade but the new TC23 represents a 35%+ cost saving over any other model.

For mobile users, VXL has a laptop version of the thin client, which uses the latest mobile phone technology to stay in touch with the office server. The proliferation of low-cost, high speed 3G deals means the thin client laptop is set to increase in popularity as staying connected to the office network from anywhere in the world becomes commonplace.