Wyse, Transmeta in computer pact

Wyse Technology on Wednesday announced plans to collaborate on product development with chipmaker Transmeta. Wyse said in a statement that the two companies plan to collaborate on the design of thin-client desktops for businesses. Unlike a typical desktop PC, which houses all of its own processing power and data storage internally, a thin client provides a terminal for data entry but relies on a central server to store data and run applications.

While stand-alone desktops have been more popular among businesses in recent years, some companies still prefer thin clients for their ability to be centrally managed. Wyse might also use Transmeta chips in other non-PC devices, a company spokesman said. He could not offer specifics on the potential products or when they might be released, however.