[April 17, 2007] Boston's Seaport Hotel Uses IGEL Technology Wireless Touch-screen Thin Clients to Enhance Guest Experience Tweet FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. --(Business Wire)-- IGEL Technology, the world's fastest growing major thin client vendor, today announced that Seaport Hotel, a deluxe, Four Diamond hotel, meeting and exhibition center in Boston, has chosen the IGEL 9617 XP Elegance thin client as the foundation for its new Seaportal, an in-room interactive Web portal designed to enhance the guest experience by offering personalized services. Using IGEL's technology, Seaport Hotel is installing an all-in-one IGEL thin client device integrated into a flat-panel, touch-screen monitor with wireless access in its individual guest rooms and lobby areas to make it easier for guests to travel without their laptops. Guests benefit from amenities such as unrestricted Web usage for business, entertainment and travel information, Web-based email access and complimentary local and domestic long distance calling using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. "We are always looking for ways to differentiate ourselves through innovation, which is why we were the first hotel in Boston to offer complimentary Internet and wireless access," said John P. Burke, vice president of technology for Seaport Hotel. "The Seaportal is the natural evolution of how we can continue to enhance the guest experience through the use of innovative technology. When we decided to move forward with the concept, the two biggest factors in our decision for a thin client provider were security and manageability. IGEL Technology was the best fit to meet this challenge." With IGEL's market-leading Remote Management Suite, which comes bundled with its thin clients, the hotel is able to manage all of its devices from one location. This enables Seaport Hotel to erase the cache from each device and return it to a secure state after guest checkout to ensure privacy and an optimal customer experience. Additionally, IGEL's Remote Management Suite makes it easy to personalize the Seaportal for each guest. For example, through the Seaportal, guests are not only welcomed to the hotel by name, but also have the ability to send and receive personal emails and obtain current weather forecasts for Boston, as well as for their home or next destination. "The security features inherent in the IGEL product made IGEL the clear selection," said Burke. "Thin clients give us the capability to easily reset the device to a known good state making it immune to viruses and spyware that a PC doesn't offer without added software. The response we've received so far from guests has been extremely positive. In a recent survey we completed, 100 percent of guests surveyed said the service was a benefit, increasing overall customer satisfaction with the hotel." "Seaport Hotel is known for being cutting edge in the hospitality industry," said Stephen Yeo, worldwide strategic marketing director for IGEL Technology. "IGEL's technology allows the hotel to consolidate appliances and enhance the customer experience while adding little additional burden to its IT staff. We expect this to be the beginning of a significant trend for the hospitality industry." The hotel has already deployed 75 IGEL thin client devices in its guestrooms and plans to have 100 installed throughout the property by May. About Seaport Hotel Situated on the historic waterfront, just minutes from the city's finest shops, museums and attractions, guests will find a refreshing change in the Four Diamond Seaport. As Boston's most accommodating host, Seaport, comprised of the Seaport Hotel and Seaport World Trade Center, provides unparalleled service along with distinctive hospitality, technology, sophistication and flexibility, which combine to create fulfilling and productive experiences for each of its guests. For more information, please visit seaportboston.com About IGEL Technology IGEL Technology is the world's 4th largest thin client vendor (H1 2006 IDC) and the fastest growing vendor in worldwide top 9 (H1 2006 IDC). The company produces the industry's widest range of thin clients, based on Linux and Microsoft Windows, giving customers access to the richest set of digital services through the very powerful, IGEL designed, firmware. The hardware is supported by the IGEL Remote Management software, giving customers maximum remote control with the minimum cost and hassle. IGEL is a founding member of the European Thin Client Forum (ETCF). [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]