PCs become NCs with Sun's JavaPC Engine

NEWS Sun released a Java product yesterday that it hopes will draw enterprises with large numbers of older PCs into the network computing fold. The company's new release, JavaPC Engine 1.0, gives network and Web access to older PCs (486 and above). The software won't overwrite users' DOS and Windows applications, it will simply redeploy those PCs as network computers. Colin Taylor, Sun UK's business development manager for Java, said: "This is an alternative to migrating to faster hardware or to ever newer versions of Windows. Companies can keep their investment in less-powered PCs." No price listing is available for Europe, but the technology is selling for $99 (£62) per user in the US. Sun confirmed that JavaPC Engine is available in Europe.