Aton Turns On Mobile 'Green Screens'

Aton International has introduced two pieces of client software that turn Windows Mobile phones into "green screen"-like terminals for accessing mainframe and server data.

Aton Connect for Windows Mobile Professional and Aton Connect for Windows Mobile Standard v8.1 promise secure access to IBM System z and AS/400 systems, as well as Unix and Linux enterprise servers, using a 640-KB client and an enterprise's existing terminal-emulation infrastructure. No new middleware or services-oriented architecture is required, the company said Thursday, unlike Web-to-host applications, which require some sort of Web server to get data out to the mobile phone browser.

The mobile terminal emulator is intended for users in sales, customer service, system administration, transportation, retail, and manufacturing. Both versions are priced at $36 per device; enterprise licenses are also available.

Aton was also quick to emphasize the security aspects of its new software, offering both Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transparent Layer Security between a Windows Mobile device and a mainframe TN3270 session, midrange TN5250, or Unix/Linux server using VT220.

"All passwords and data transferred between your phone and your enterprise server are encrypted en route," Aton CTO Charles Wilde said in a statement. "This encryption is independent of and in addition to other encryption that may be provided by your wireless carrier."

Aton Connect also is compatible with IPsec and SSL VPN clients from Bluefire Security, Cisco, Juniper, SonicWall, and other vendors, Aton said.

The software enables full-screen mode and even a full terminal-emulation soft keyboard on touch-screen phones like the Palm Treo 700wx and Sprint Touch. Both Aton clients also offer keyboard shortcuts for non-touch screens and on-the-fly session switching, allowing users to access both host server and corporate intranet or the Internet without having to exit a program. An incoming phone call puts the user's data session in the background, where it can be retrieved after the call.