Igel Technology has overhauled its Universal Desktop series of thin clients to give customers a greater choice in terms of services and the hardware to run them. The move completely changes the way that thin clients are sold, according to the firm.

Available immediately, the new Universal Desktop line-up consists of five models with just three image builds across the entire range, one each for Windows CE, Linux or Windows Embedded Standard (based on XP).

This makes it easier for customers to choose a combination that meets their needs, and also makes it easier for administrators to manage any updates to the images, according to Stephen Yeo, worldwide marketing director at Igel.

"With the new Universal Desktops, the customer just decides which operating system they want, and which services they need, and then selects their level of hardware," he said.

Customers can select from three Digital Service packs, which start with basics such as Remote Desktop Protocol and Independent Computing Architecture support in the Entry pack, through Xen and VMware virtual desktop clients in the Standard pack, to functions such as voice-over-IP and Microsoft's .Net Runtime for web services in the Advanced pack.

Each image build contains all three packs, enabling customers to upgrade by unlocking more functionality at a later date, according to Igel.

"Traditionally, thin client vendors have priced according to the functionality in each model, but with our new architecture you can select cheap hardware and still have lots of functionality," said Yeo.

For example, the Entry pack contains the Java Runtime Environment so that even the lowest cost Universal Desktop supports Java applications. Yeo said that Igel is the only vendor to offer Java at this price point.

Because image builds are common across the line-up, customers can choose to deploy models with a higher specification to users needing more power. Alternatively, a firm might choose to standardise on a mid-range terminal for the entire workforce, giving users access to different services depending on their role.

"The whole concept is very modular, so that customers only have to pay for what they need," said Yeo.

Igel also plans to allow customers to unlock access to extra services themselves, using the company's Universal Management Suite, a feature it hopes to deliver later in 2009, according to Yeo.

The new Universal Desktop models consist of the UD2, UD3, UD5, UD7 and UD9, with prices starting at £161 for a UD2 model with the Entry pack and Windows CE or Linux.

Configurations vary from 512MB to 2GB of Flash and 512Mb to 2Gb of RAM, with processors ranging from a 400MHz VIA Eden in the UD2 to a 1GHz AMD Sempron in the UD9.

Notable features are the ability for the UD3 and UD5 to be upgraded with a plug-in Wi-Fi module, while the UD7 is claimed by Igel as the first thin client to support dual DVI video outputs as standard, and the UD9 is integrated into a 19in monitor.

Last year, Igel added Digital Service Virtualisation to its thin client line-up, enabling the terminals to give a better multimedia experience in virtual desktop environments by handling sound, video and other content such as Flash animations on the thin client. This facility is now supported only with the Advanced pack in the new Universal Desktops.

Igel is the third largest thin client vendor globally after HP and Wyse Technology.