Devon IT Launches 'All In One' Thin Client, Complete with Monitor

Devon IT has rolled out two new thin client terminals that, when combined with its NTAVO server appliance, will provide users with a complete remote access terminal solution for server-based computing. The new All-In-One Terminal starts at $599 and includes an integrated 15-inch TFT monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse, in addition to a Windows-like GUI, an integrated Firefox browser, and support for Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) Xterm, and 5250 sessions. The second new thin client, called the Pre-boot Executive Environment (PXE) Terminal, starts at $229 and includes software that enables the thin client to be booted remotely, even though it does not possess an operating system. Both thin clients will work with the company's NTAVO 5.0 appliance (see "Devon Introduces New Appliance for Secure Remote Access"), which makes extensive use of Tarantella's Adaptive Internet Protocol (AIP) for secure session management. AIP is an alternative to the type of host-based computing offered by Citrix.

Infor Refreshes Automotive ERP Suites, Makes More Acquisitions

Infor Global Solutions, the Atlanta-based ERP software developer that changed its name from Agilisys last year, has been busy of late. Earlier this month, Infor launched TRANS4M 8.20, the latest release of one of its Automotive Essentials ERP packages for the automotive supply chain. In December, the company launched AutoRelease 12.1, another refresh of one of its automotive ERP suites designed specifically for OS/400. The company has also continued to make acquisitions, the latest being this month's purchase of Mercia Software, a wholly owned subsidiary of Finmatica that developed supply chain planning software. Last October, Infor acquired Lilly Software Associates, a privately held developer of the VISUAL ERP suite, which is used by 3,000 customers on a variety of computer platforms, including the iSeries. Earlier in 2004 (when it was still called Agilisys) the company bought Infor Business Solutions, a midmarket German ERP provider, and OS/400 ERP developer Daly.commerce. Its automotive ERP acquisitions included BRAIN in December 2002 and Future 3 in June 2003.

CommercialWare's MMS Certified by Amazon

CommercialWare customers will have an easier way to sell their wares from Amazon as a result of a new certification for CommercialWare's products that Amazon announced last week. CommercialWare, the Massachusetts developer of OS/400-based merchandise management software for multichannel retailers, has had its CW Direct and OrderMotion products certified by Amazon Services. With this certification, retailers selling on Amazon.com now have the option of adopting CommercialWare solutions to automate and easily mange their merchandising, pricing, fulfillment, inventory, and transaction information for their Amazon storefronts, CommercialWare says. "Multichannel retailers selling on the Amazon.com site want to focus on sales, not the technology involved," says Donny Askin, founder and CEO of CommercialWare. "With CommercialWare's solutions seamlessly supporting everything from order changes to inventory to delivery, these retailers can continue to apply their expertise to customers and sales."

MochaSoft Refreshes TN5250 for Windows

MochaSoft recently released a new version of its iSeries terminal emulation software for Windows PCs. Mocha W32 TN5250 Version 8.1 includes several new features and some bug fixes. In terms of new features, there's a new clipboard function that enables "cut" URL links to be used, and MochaSoft has also improved the way data is copied and pasted into Excel documents. In terms of fixes, the Danish software developers have made changes related to the clear unit command function and in preventing wrong hotspots. Mocha TN5250 W32 emulator runs on Windows 95/98/2000/NT/XP, is available in 10 languages, and costs $25 for a single user license or $250 for a site-wide license.

California Software Updates Suite for Migrating OS/400 Applications

California Software recently launched Infinite iSeries 4.0, a new release of its product suite for migrating RPG and COBOL applications from OS/400 to Unix, Linux, and Windows. New features in this release include an embedded SQL pre-compiler for RPG ILE, the capability to generate and manipulate modules and service programs as objects, and a new ODBC driver, as well as general updates to the CL, DDS, COBOL, and SQL modules. California Software, which recently teamed up with Microsoft and its Midrange Alliance program to lure iSeries users to the Windows platform, says its compilers fill a need for OS/400 shops looking for a path forward. "Other companies may provide some translation tools to assist in this process or provide a plan to rewrite in languages such as J2EE," says Bruce Acacio, the company's chief executive, "but California Software is the only organization that can completely migrate applications quickly and completely without redevelopment."