canadaboy

use your eyes to quickly move the mouse

Laptops submitted by ninjagecko Jul 2

Summary:
Add eye-tracking hardware to laptops which lets users move their mouse with their eyes.
This is an extra feature, you can still use the mouse/trackpad/mousestick.

--- Cool features: ---

- "Did your computer just do something because you winked at it?!"
- have the cursor "locks" upon things like buttons or Firefox tabs or text fields or links or menus and such
- winking could simulate a click (but I personally would prefer to use the mouse buttons, since I'd be afraid of straining my eye -- even though I usually look at what I click on like most people, one's eyes do not always fixate on that point in the center of one's visual field)
- very important: cross-platform (for Linux and Mac too)

Eye-mice would also be a plus for disabled users.

One could use this eye-track as a means to move the mouse a long distance and then use a mousestick to home in on a button or something.

--- Implementation: ---

One way to do this is to use a very high-resolution camera with high zoom, and machine learning techniques (open-source software already exists to do this, but very poorly... e.g. does not track head movement or different distances or biological saccades).

Often, imperceptible infrared light is shone upon the user's face to enhance the image.

--- Open development / license: ---

The software should be LGPL or similar license to foster other vendors to adopt similar technology; while this may seem counter-intuitive from a business perspective, if users demand more and more a feature and Dell is one of the only 2-3 manufacturers, that's a good thing. The proper license will also force other vendors to push back the improvements they make to Dell. An appropriately open platform will allow many computer scientists to contribute knowing that it can be used in their Linux laptops and other manufacturer laptops, improving the whole experience. This seems like something which would require a coalition / alliance / open initiative (like the Google phone did) in order to ensure that the right architecture was developed. 15 Comments »

Sell a laptop, sell a shirt for a contest with increased sales for Dell

Advertising and Marketing, Sales Strategies, Laptops submitted by sugarbear May 28

Natalie has a post on digital life: your blog about online social interaction through fashion. She shows a laptop and a T-Shirt that matches it closely. Her thought is about hidden messages in the T-shirt pattern. Dell could sell these T-Shirts for a nominal fee over the actual cost to go with a laptop. One shirt could have the hidden message embedded in it to win a laptop from Dell. Other shirts could have percentages off or free products. Buy a laptop and a shirt together to see what you get. 4 Comments »

Boycott Windows 7

Operating Systems submitted by aikiwolfie May 29

Windows 7 is apparently going to come with quite a sting in the wallet for consumers. A while back Microsoft floated the idea of a subscription software service you pay for every time you use it. And most of these "services" are already offered pre-installed or for free like Office or Hotmail.

If the rumors are true it's going to hit home with the release of Windows 7.

Microsoft Wants You to Pay Monthly Subscription for Office and Services You Won't Use

Windows 7 and Windows Live to Have Even More Forced Integration

Oh! And Windows 7 as i expected will basically be Vista. It will use essentially the same kernel instead of the expected cut down, bloat free MinWin and the same driver model. So Microsoft still hasn't learned the lesson not to cut corners with OS development.
Windows 7 Will Have Same Foundation as Vista, Be Mostly Secret Until Launch

How could Dell possibly justify offering this ridiculous monstrosity to it's customers? Surely we deserve better treatment than this?

At the very least give us a real choice of OS should Microsofts plans come to fruition. 41 Comments »

Growing Gaming Community; Smaller Gaming Laptops wanted!

Gaming, Laptops submitted by djdenny123 Jun 5

With technology improving each day to shrink laptop sizes, the demand for a smaller gaming powerhouse grows exponentially. With a good majority of gamers enjoying intense, crisp LARGE image gaming on their 17" behemoths, there are still those who'd love to take gaming to the ultraportable level. Systems nowadays offer decent gaming at 14" levels, or with the Dell XPS 1330, at the 13" level. But, some of us would still love to see a smaller laptop. Take the Sony VAIO TZ model for instance: right now it doesn't offer a whole lot of multimedia-based freedom, but the design is inarguably a sexy machine. I can put money down that gamers would love to be able to game on this ultraportable 11" screen.

So the topic is: will we be seeing a similar sexy model (ideally 11") ultraportable decent gaming powerhouse sometime in the near future? Or can Dell at least answer to such a call and consider possibly making the market's first ultraportable gaming rig? I'm sure with the introduction of Solid State drives and nVidia vigourously shrinking graphic card sizes, it can be possible in the near future.

Any comments one can elaborate on? Because in my honest opinion, gamers will love the ultraportability of their gaming, not so much how amazing the quality of video is (unless you're a hardcore, desktop-replacement psycho ;] haha) 4 Comments »

New Dell-Mini Keyboard Arrangement

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.) submitted by aikiwolfie Jun 8

There has bee a lot of decission around IdeaStorm about the new Dell Mini. Some of that discussion has turned to the keyboard. This is my solution for making the best use of the available space on the Dell Mini for the keyboard and touch pad.



As you can see the left and right mouse buttons are on either side of the touch pad. The space bar has been split in two and all other keys are more or less where you'd expect to find them. The cluster of keys at the top of the touch pad are the 12 function keys. Many people have expressed disappointment that these have not been included with the Mini.

I believe this would be a perfectly usable layout and better than what is currently on offer. None of the keys would be any smaller than what might be found on a mobile phone and all of the major and regularly used keys are a decent size.



This keyboard arrangement could also be used in conjunction with the XPS One as a smaller alternative to the full size model. Much better for relaxing on the sofa with. Dell could even role this design out across their entire line.

I would ask Dell to at least built a prototype of this design for further testing. 27 Comments »

Supply a 'free'good quality bag/sleeve with new Laptops

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.) submitted by missdiva Jun 8

Dell should supply a FREE good quality bag and sleeve with all new Laptops, bearing in mind that customers have spent a considerable amount of money on their product.

Customers wouldn't then have to rush out to buy a bag/sleeve to protect their purchase. 9 Comments »

create notebooks with integrated microphone

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Laptops submitted by siger May 22 **IMPLEMENTED**

as there are integrated webcams on notebooks, whyn not creating integrated microphones, for Skype Use, or podcasts creation, msn chat, ...?


Please see chris_b's comment
12 Comments »

Optical mice only please

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.) submitted by falbert May 22

How come we can still get in 2008 mechanical mice. Come on guys, in 2008 there should be only optical mice available. Also please make it clear on the web site what people are purchasing. 26 Comments »

avoid the use of plastic for computers

Environment, Desktops and Laptops submitted by siger May 22

could you avoid the use of plastic , as its price is inscreasing , in your computers. It would be a great innovation and a real green action. 9 Comments »

Re-install of purchased software on purchased system

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Service and Support submitted by turtleandhare May 16

From time to time, it does becomes necessary for a customer to get back to the software configuration delivered on their computer. The current process of supplying several disks to accomplish this fails for the following reasons.
The installation process expects users to pick out various drivers, etc. about which they know NOTHING. In fact the current process, for the average user, fails to live up to its expectations.
Proposal:
Deliver one or more CDs/DVDs/floppy disks/flash drive from which a boot process can occur that would initialize hard disk drives and then copy essentially a backup of the entire system as the system was first delivered to the purchaser. The boot up instructions could be externally printed on these disks. No longer would a user be expected to figure out what drivers are needed, etc. If Dell does not want to do this, then maybe this could be an extra cost option for mininal cost. 5 Comments »

Offer Killer Gaming Network Cards on the XPS line-up for US and Canada

Desktops, Gaming, XPS products submitted by junior May 17

Dell, Start offering the Killer Gaming Network cards like the K1 or M1. Better than Gigabit Ethernet, I think anyway. These cards should be an option for all XPS Desktops in the US and Canada.

Killer M1:
$279.99 US

Killer K1:
$199.99 US 1 Comment »

Integrated WebCams on all UltraSharp Monitors

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Monitors and Displays submitted by junior May 17

Dell should integrate webcams on the Ultra-Sharp monitors, sure the Ultra-Sharp monitors are used mostly for Business use but are desirable for gamers. Everybody likes these monitors because they can Tilt, Swivel and Pivot. If Dell cannot integrate a webcam into these Ultra-Sharp monitors, at least get the SP2008WFP and SP2208WFP 20" and 22" monitors to Tilt, Swivel, and Pivot. 6 Comments »

Private ideas

IdeaStorm submitted by regarciac May 14

I think first of all, the ideas included in this portal should be private, and only answered by Dell, cause you are opening the information of some very good ideas to everyone in the web. I think it's a really good idea this page and its content, but making it public reduces its competitive advantage. 9 Comments »

Simplify Offerings

Dell Web Site, Sales Strategies submitted by j87b May 11

There are so many offerings on the first page for either laptops or desktops that I don't even know where to start. Look at Apple-- three main laptop lines, with three flavors for each, three main desktop offerings with three base configurations. I just don't even know where to start when picking a PC since there are too many paths to go through. I end up wasting tons of time comparing the 1000s of ways to end up at the same product. 5 Comments »

Keep the XPS Product Line

XPS products submitted by dabrace1984 May 12

According to Engadget (http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/12/dell-dropping-xps-focusing-on-alienware) Dell is going to be dropping the XPS product line and focusing on the Alienware brand for gaming and high performance computing. Promote this Idea to let Dell know that we need to keep the XPS desktop and laptop product line. 31 Comments »

Shipping Options - Local Pick Up

Sales Strategies submitted by pablohs May 13

I have seen several ideas and comments about how long it takes for items to get shipped, and I agree sometimes 20 days is just too long to wait for a new PC / laptop, specially if the date keeps changing.

I am a big Dell fan, and I try to purchase all my equipment from Dell, however sometimes I just go to the local store for some small stuff.

Here is an idea; now that you have these Dell kiosk at malls, and you are selling Dell PCs in retailers, what about giving customers the option to pick their purchase up at the closest retailer (if available).

For example I may want to buy a Midnight Blue XPS M1330 with 4GB of RAM – In the checkout section of dell.com it may say something like this…

The preliminary ship date for your system is 05/30/08 or you have the following options…

1) You can pick up a Tuxedo Black XPS M1130 with 4GB of RAM at the Dell Kiosk in Mall Z
2) You can pick up a Midnight Blue XPS M1130 with 2GB of RAM at your local Store X on Y Avenue.
3) You can pick up a Midnight Blue XPS M1150 with 4GB of RAM at your local Store A on B Avenue.

Here the customer has a choice to make – what is more important? He/She can wait to get exactly what they want, or they can get something similar right now.

I should be able to pay my purchase at Dell.com and receive a Receipt/Boucher to pick my laptop at the location of my choice.

Warning!!! - This will require you to have good inventory integration with your retailers – You do not want somebody to pick choice X to find out the that the computer described in the website is on back order. That will give DELL a bad PR. 8 Comments »

Offer Slipstreamed up-to-date Windows

Operating Systems, Sales Strategies submitted by goldschool May 8

When doing clean re-installs of Windows, it is time consuming to have to first install the original Windows CD, then Dell software and drivers, and then download and install all the Windows service packs and patches from Microsoft. Allow customers to download a fully up-to-date slipstreamed version of Windows (like SP3 for Windows XP) from the Dell website for burning their own CDs, and offer same for sale on Dell manufactured CDs for, say, $10 plus shipping (since the patches and service packs are free, $10 would allow Dell an excellent profit on manufacturing the CD and still offer a great convenience to customers). Customers have already paid for the Windows license and are entitled to the service packs and patches so I don't see a legal problem. Comment »

HDMI/DVI input on HD laptops.

Monitors and Displays, Laptops submitted by impulse May 10

It's great that Dell offers HDMI and DVI-D outputs on their XPS laptops, but is it possible to add HDMI and DVI inputs as well?

For those that already have a Blu-ray player or Playstation 3, it kind of stinks that we can't take advantage of the 1080p capable screens that Dell offers on the M1530 and M1730.

I think being able to use the HD screen available on at least the M1730 as a monitor for consoles or Blu-ray players would be a great idea, as it would save people such as myself from having to buy an external monitor or new TV. 6 Comments »

Sell AC adapters at retail stores

Advertising and Marketing, Laptop Power submitted by undead999 May 7

Since Dell is selling computers at retail outlets offer ac adapters for laptops at best buy, staples and anywhere you sell laptops. Also offer ac adapters at your kiosks.

AC adapter usually fail without warning, waiting days or weeks for a replacement AC adapter is not always an option for many users. Generic adapters dont always work on Dells, in addition many are underpowered espicially for 17 inch models Comment »

NEW LAPTOP

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Laptops submitted by kariotis May 2

I want a laptop with a 15-inch screen, plus Red Ruby color, plus an Nvidia card.
You do NOT offer such a combination. 9 Comments »