Toshiba's Mobile Moves

The Magnia SG20 provides everything a workgroup or small business would need to set up a wireless network, said Rod Keller, executive vice president of Toshiba's Computer Systems Group, based here. The device, which integrates a Wi-Fi access point with a Celeron-based computer running Red Hat Linux, in-

cludes software to provide Internet access, file sharing, e-mail services and security to a group of mobile workers, he said.

The device is roughly the size of a set-top box and weighs about 10 pounds. Pricing starts at $1,545 for a 566MHz Celeron, 128 Mbytes of SDRAM, one 15-Gbyte hard drive, seven LAN ports, a 56-Kbps modem and the wireless access point.

The device is suitable for small businesses with remote offices or home workers as well as educational institutions, said Bruce Rueger, director of business development at solution provider Pacific Information Systems, Portland, Ore. His company is recommending the product to one client in particular who commutes frequently between a home office, satellite office and corporate headquarters, he said.

For educational customers, Pacific Information Systems is offering a package called "classroom in a box," Rueger said. "It is a case with wheels that holds about 14 to 15 notebook computers," he said. "You put the wireless server on top, hook it to a network connection, and you have a wireless classroom."

Keller said Toshiba, which began transitioning back to a mobile focus in October, will continue to push wireless products. It plans to demonstrate at PC Expo this month seamless roaming capabilities between Wi-Fi and other wireless WAN technologies, he said. "Today there is a significant shortage of 802.11 hot spots in public spaces, and we are doing some things to help proliferate that technology."