Toshiba unveils smaller, quieter desktop

Federal agencies looking for an affordable desktop ideal for cramped, "cubed"

environments have a new easy-care option with the release of the Equium

8000S from Toshiba.

The Computer Systems Group of Toshiba America Information Systems Inc. unveiled

the Equium this week, which has a "works-in-a-drawer" chassis that enables

users to slide out the PC's interior. Each major component can be accessed

or replaced in 30 seconds or less without any tools, said Mike Wagner, vice

president of marketing for desktop systems.

The Equium 8000S includes "Intelligent Cooling," which has a low-speed fan

pointed directly at the heat source and vents through a special air duct.

It also has a heat-resistant, antistatic foam that cradles the hard drive

and protects it against vibration and shock and dampens noise.

"In a very crowded office, the quieter the machines, the nicer the overall

environment is," Wagner said, adding that the Equium offers the "quietest

operation on the market," following a trend toward quieter PCs that was

started in Europe.

More than 50,000 Toshiba units are in use throughout many federal agencies,

including the Census Bureau and the military services. Wagner said that

quiet operation was mentioned by Toshiba's federal customers as something

nice to have, following initial discussions that stressed "things like serviceability,

manageability and affordability."

The Equium 8000S is available on the General Services Administration schedule

and will begin shipping Sept. 11.

GSA pricing ranges from $948 to $1,372 depending on the user specifications.