NComputing: The Energy-Efficient $70 PC
Imagine a PC unit that costs only $70 and uses as little as 1 watt of power. Sound too good to be true? Not anymore, thanks to the innovation of a California-based company called NComputing. The company creates access devices that have no CPU, memory, or moving parts. Instead, the devices connect to a central shared computer that uses NComputing’s virtualization software to share its excess processing power.
According to NComputing’s Chairman and CEO Stephen Dukker, 30 users can share a single $500 PC and still run videos, the Internet, and a host of other programs. And since the access devices don’t have any moving parts, they use 95 to 99% less energy than a traditional PC—in most cases, just 1 to 4 watts per user. That same lack of moving parts means the devices have a service life of 10 years or longer.
NComputing’s solution has been quick to catch on—in only 20 months, the company has sold over 1 million units. Not surprisingly, many of the devices have been sold to developing countries like Macedonia, India, and Bangladesh.
So will you use an NComputing device in your home anytime soon? Probably not, but don’t be surprised if they pop up in schools and offices around the world— after all, almost any organization would jump at the chance to save thousands of dollars while looking environmentally responsible.
Photo Credit: NComputing
Very cool network computer.
We need more energy efficient
appliances. This is a good
example of what we will see
in the near future.
thanks from tony
Full success …
This is a good solution of what we will see
in the near future.
These devices are saving 90% in energy cost over powering up standard PCs. In fact because of the energy efficiency, energy companies are starting to give rebates that could eliminate the cost of the devices all together ! I would like to see others compete with NComputing when their product have a cost of $0 to the end user.
Chew on that for awhile.
This is not lethal to free software. This article is scanty on details, but I bet you could run GNU/Linux on the central box. No, it is not intended for a single user. It is intended for something more like a computing lab or a workplace full of cubicles. where you’d already have or be installing butt loads of cabling. It looks a lot like an X terminal or a Sun Ray, and we know what kind of market penetration they have now. Plus I doubt they’re gonna release specs. It’d take advantage of three things people are cheap bastards, you have more computing power in a new box than you would ever (productively) use and most computer cycle are wasted waiting for user input. stuffs
Great thin client. We have used it at our school district and it was sold as a PC replacement strategy. Nothing of the sort! It is a thin client that works well. The only problem is when it is sold as a PC like replacement. It won’t run applications that are designed for single users (unless “tweaked”), it uses a hack to Windows XP to let multiple users share one copy of Windows that has been been revealed as being “improper” by Microsoft. I am not a big Microsoft fan but we can’t afford to have M$ coming after us, even if it is “in the gray area” as our nComputing rep told us. They keep touting it as desktop virtualization. BS!! I hate vendors treating us as if we are idiots. It is no more of a virtualization product than remote desktop is. True virtualization is wasted upon single desktops. The only exception is Fiddlehead. It is a true desktop virtualization for 4 users on a single PC. It is fast, easy to install, doesn’t screw with M$ licensing and all applications run. It truly works as a desktop replacement strategy. Saves money up front, and money on electricity, but it saves a lot of money down the road when it is time to replace PC’s the second time.