NCD Thinstar400
An ID Fashion Statement
 Last year Apple Computer unleashed their new line of multi-colored iMAC computers: a major industrial design fashion statement in a normally unfashionable PC industry. Consequently, Apple sold 800,000 units in the first 139 days of its release. This left many of their Silicon Valley competitors asking themselves, "Why didn't we think of that?" NCD, with designers IDE, have created a fashion statement of their own. The ThinStar 400, recently introduced into the Application Service Provider (ASP) market, sets a new industry standard for industrial design. Much like typically bland pre-iMAC PCs, thin client products have had crude straightlaced designs with minimal aesthetic character. Nevertheless, IDE's design for the ThinStar 400 was developed as a next generation icon, going beyond past industrial design languages for products of this kind. It asks the question, Why shouldn't integrated hardware be attractive?

IDE's association with NCD began with a crash design program for a product named Indigo. Its design solution, which IDE achieved in 7 days, proved to be an essential launching pad for the ThinStar 400, NCD's new flagship product. Like many clients, NCD's initial project with IDE proved to be a foundation for future endeavors between the two companies. When asked to take the ThinStar to its next level of evolution, IDE developed a concept that was capable of satisfying several major OEM customers as well as NCD's own market demands.

Flexibility In Color & Form

With minimal adjustments NCD can offer a full range of products based on the ThinStar, providing crucial ASP market adaptability. The ThinStar 400 can take on several varied appearances. The base and the front bezel are replaceable pieces, providing flexibility in both color and form. The ThinStar breaks new ground sculpturally by encompassing strong details and sensual elegance. The front bezel has flowing lines that progress throughout the design. IDE was able to achieve such a refined blending of forms through the utilization of advanced Rhino3D NURBS modeling.

A Windows CE-based network computing device, the ThinStar 400 is a desktop micro-tower that is combined with a back-room server, offering a practical business scenario for large companies. It creates a vital link between a company server, which typically provides a specific set of applications, and an entire office of ThinStar equipped data processing personnel. As a result of this combination, potential savings are created through lowered per-seat hardware costs and decreased software licensing fees.
IDE's design for the ThinStar is efficiently packaged and its appearance complements the décor of any office space.

A New Plateau

Whether it be in consumer or equipment based markets, IDE has extensive experience in all stages of product development. From general concepts to finalized tooling, IDE approached the industrial design of the ThinStar 400 with a goal of creating a new plateau for the industry. NCD's initial response to IDE's design concepts made certain factions within NCD hesitate, concerned that the design might be too advanced in its appearance. However, upon further research and debate NCD committed to the development of a product that would be the most dynamic of its market.

The ID of the NCD ThinStar 400 exhibits a graceful form that is in direct correlation with intelligent technology. At IDE our professionals, no matter the project, design with production, manufacturing, tooling, and engineering aspects in mind. This is a giant asset to IDE clients who profit in the long run because of intelligent decisions made in the present.