New Products

VMware on the iPad

If you need to convince the boss that an iPad 2 is a legitimate business tool, VMware is backing you up.

VMware is selling VMware View through the Apple App Store. Announced on March 9, the VMware View client allows users to work with their Windows-based VMs directly from the iPad http://www.thevarguy.com/2011/03/18/vmwares-vcenter-management-ipad-app-coming-soon/.

The release from VMware centered almost as much on the use of iPads in the enterprise as it did on the actual app.

VMware View delivers a Windows-based virtual desktop with the PC-over-IP display protocol, and it lets users interact with the Windows desktop using multi-touch support. The interface offers an on-screen trackpad for mousing and provides a secure connection to Windows PC over WiFi or 3G.

Text input from Bluetooth keyboards is supported, and VMware View works with iOS 4.2 and 4.3. Windows 7, XP, and Vista are all supported – although VMware only supports 32-bit Windows for Vista and XP.

Open-Xchange Introduces Full MAPI Support

Businesses looking to migrate away from Microsoft Exchange have a new tool in the toolbox: Open-Xchange has announced a new "OXtender" that brings full support for Microsoft's Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI).

OXtender 2 is a connector for Microsoft Outlook 2003, Outlook 2007, and Outlook 2010 (32-bit). With OXtender 2, MS Outlook will be fully compatible with Open-Xchange, and desktop users should notice no difference in functionality. Users will be able to sync their calendars, tasks, and contacts, as well as public and private address books in Outlook via Open-Xchange. Users will also be able to perform password updates, change email filter rules, and handle online/offline synchronization.

Open-Xchange is based in Nuremberg, Germany and provides several versions – ranging from a fully open source release (the Community Edition) to appliance-based Open-Xchange servers and hosted editions for ISPs and other service providers.

Open-Xchange is used by some of the world's largest hosting companies, including 1&1. See the Open-Xchange website for more info on Open-Xchange and OXtender 2 http://www.open-xchange.com/en/products/oxtender/outlook-oxtender.

Turn the Corporate Network into Take-Out

Working from home, you're living the dream: bunny slippers, comfy chair  – until you have to set up the VPN. Configuring separate home and work networking can be a pain for home workers, but Cisco is making it easier with a line of OfficeExtend Access Points.

The Cisco Aironet 600 Series OfficeExtend provides a dual-radio design and separate corporate and home SSIDs, so home users can segment their network between their work machine and home machine, plus plug in up to four Ethernet devices for VoIP, networked printer, or whatnot.

On the office side, the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Wireless Services Module can support up to 500 home workers. The OfficeExtend AP connects back to the corporate mothership, sets up a secure tunnel between any machines connected on the corporate SSID, and directs personal traffic to the Internet. It's painless for home users, which means your teleworkers will be happy and productive campers.

Cisco should be rolling these out by the end of May. Pricing starts at about US$ 420 for the APs, and controllers start at about US$ 1,200 and up to nearly US$ 30,000, depending on features.

Dude, You've Got Battery Life

If you're looking for a lightweight laptop, but netbooks are too low-powered and you're not ready to invest in a MacBook Air, you might be interested in Dell's ultra-portable laptops.

Dell announced the Vostro 3000 line in mid-March, with all the goodies you might want for life on the road. The Vostro line now features 12 hours of battery life, plus Dell's SRS Premium Voice Pro for virtual collaboration and a standard fingerprint reader. The line also sports an HD webcam and Skype installed by default. The Vostro 3000 laptops are based on Intel's second-generation Core series CPUs and feature DDR3 RAM, as well as BlueTooth 3.0 and USB 3.0 ports. The line is available in 13-, 14-, 15-, and 17-inch form factors and in silver, red, or bronze. Sorry, mauve is not an option.

Prices range from US$ 599 for the 14-inch 3450 and up. Some of the models are not yet available on the Dell site: the 13-inch model is notably missing at press time but should be available soon. For more, see the Dell website http://www.dell.com/.