NComputing mulls device assembly unit

Expecting a growth in personal computer (PC) accessibility in India, California-based NComputing Inc is mulling setting up an assembly unit for its NComputing technology in the country.

Presently, the virtual PC solutions provider manufactures around 500,000 of the NComputing devices every year from its manufacturing units in China and Korea.

The device acts as an access terminal through which a desktop PC can be divided into something resembling a thin client server, allowing multiple users to share the CPU.

Speaking of the product and the company's plans for expansion, Raj Shah, Chief Marketing Officer, NComputing Inc. said, "NComputing is a perfect solution for schools, e-governance, and businesses that presently cannot afford the high cost of computing hardware. We are in talks with several OEMs in the country to set up an assembly unit for this device which will boost up our sales through better PC accessibility."

The company has been successfully running such an assembly unit in Brazil which Shah considers as the second largest market after USA.

Shah added that the company is expecting to sell around 150,000-200,000 devices by the end of December 2008. "We expect around 20 per cent of that sales from Gujarat which is a significant market for us. Within six months, we have already sold over 500 devices in the state," he said.

The product comes in two models viz. X300 series and L series and are priced at around $100 (Rs 4,000 approx.) and $140 (Rs 5,500 approx.).

While the L series is sold singularly for each user, the X300 series which is meant for schools and colleges, is sold in a kit of three for three users. Explaining the features of the product, Shah said the device replaces a CPU and is instead connected to the host desktop PC, allowing the user to just use monitor, keyboard and mouse independently.

Presently, NComputing runs on OSes like Windows and Linux, even as the company is working out ways to make the device compatible with other OSes too.

The company is also in talks with several state governments and NGOs for its product and is hopeful to fare well with its target market given that it helps save 95 per cent electricity. NComputing Inc. already has around 15,000 customers in 70 countries through 500,000 virtual PCs.