class2008

Make clear what Windows Vista costs

Operating Systems submitted by rvw 02/21/07

We all know the retail prices of Windows Vista for the different versions, OEM, etc. I would like to see the price difference if I don't want a Vista license. This should be a discount of course, not something you have to pay for (what has happened in the past). This should be the normal OEM price, but probably Dell has a special discount from Microsoft, so the true costs for Dell could be less. I wouldn't mind if Dell used the OEM price.

This way it becomes clear and transparant what the true costs are for using Windows. Of course it would mean that the customer can choose not to buy a Windows license. This should be offered for any notebook or desktop. 5 Comments »

NICE New Dell montor! Keep making great designs like this.

Monitors and Displays submitted by jmxz 05/18/07

http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/18/dells-ultra-thin-concept-lcd-with-displayp...

Dell's ultra-thin LCD concept with DisplayPort going retail?
...
Remember that super swanky Dell monitor concept we went ga ga over back at January's CES? Yeah, we still find it hard to believe it's a Dell design. Well, it'll apparently be up for sale later in the year.

Beautiful - we want more great designs like this. 41 Comments »

Silent / Quiet Computers: Sound levels in decibels

Desktops and Laptops submitted by pchris 02/17/07 **REVIEWED**

I'd like Dell to provide the sound level in decibels for each of their desktops, under max load as well as at idle.

How a manufacturer can produce an expensive computer, and then have the user acoustic experience of that computer dominated by the noise generated by a cheap fan worth just pennies, for the entire lifetime of that computer, is incomprehensible. Computers are noisy when brand new, but those cheap fans begin to rub and oscillate and make additional annoying noises, frequently within a short period of time of purchase.

Personally, the peace and quiet of my personal workspace is very important to me, it's my sanctuary from the world where I can focus and be creative. To have that experience disrupted by cheap fans is sad, especially when slightly more expensive fans and some reasonable design would solve the issue. Another reason why I consider buying an Apple.

If the cost of a better sound design and fans is significant, it could be an extra cost option.
In general, Dell provides noise data of its products in the Environmental Datasheets. Tests are conducted according to ISO standards in a NVLAP accredited acoustics facility. Click here for more details




152 Comments »

Stop making excuses, and start paying attention. WE WANT LINUX!!!

Linux submitted by homer 02/28/07

Dear Michael Dell,

By now, many people will have started reading Blogs and articles about how you have back-peddled on your commitment to listen to your customers' wishes. Here's just one:

http://blog.lobby4linux.com/archives/104-So,-How-Does-It-Feel-To-Have-Been-Ha...

[Edit] Here's a more "high profile" article, from The Inquirer:

Dell backs down from Linux promise

That makes this site (DellIdeaStorm) nothing but a farce.

First you ask us what we want, then you just blatantly ignore us. What exactly was the point in asking us what we want? Is this some kind of sick joke?

Maybe you were taken off guard, and hadn't anticipated the vast demand for Linux that happened, but it did happen, so deal with it ... or be perceived as a liar and a charlatan.

If you amalgamate all the various Linux "idea" posts on this site, and tally up the total votes, you're looking at something like TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND VOTES FOR LINUX. Are you just going to ignore that, and pretend it never happened?

Here's your response to this amazing phenomenon so far, and my comments:

We are listening, and as a result, we are working with Novell to certify our corporate client products for Linux, including our OptiPlex desktops, Latitude notebooks and Dell Precision workstations.

Well you are obviously not listening. The vast majority of the Linux requests on this site are not from "corporate" customers, they are from end users seeking home computing Linux solutions. Are you listening yet?

This is another step towards ensuring that our customers have a good experience with Linux on our systems.

It's not a step forward, it's a sidestep shuffle. What exactly are you afraid of ... that people might actually prefer Linux to Windows? I could build and "certify" a Linux workstation in 20 minutes, without the assistance of production facilities and a team of engineers, why is this such a problem for the world's biggest OEM?

Are you suggesting that Linux somehow represents a "problem" with regards to hardware, and that it's going to take a team of rocket scientists months to discover Linux compatible components?

Right now, Linux works with virtually the same hardware that WIndows XP does, and considerably more hardware than Vista ... but that doesn't seem to have prevented you "certifying" Vista (a.k.a. Windows ME2). What a joke!

As this community knows, there is no single customer preference for a distribution of Linux. In the last week, the IdeaStorm community suggested more than half a dozen distributions. We don't want to pick one distribution and alienate users with a preference for another.

No, no, no, no. That's not how it works. This is just more excuses.

At the end of the day, Linux is Linux is Linux. The distro is not that significant (other than the distinction between a commercial or community distro).

Surely the CEO of one of the world's biggest companies can make a decision.

Pick a Linux distro and run with it. And stop making excuses.

My personal preference is for Fedora Core, but if you offered an Ubuntu desktop machine, I'd buy it, because (like I said) at the end of the day it is Linux that is important, not the distro. My primary motivation is to keep my money out of Microsoft's pockets and have an OS ... any OS ... that is not Windows. I can, and probably will, switch between half a dozen distros during the lifespan of that hardware.

However, it is extremely important that you offer pre-installed Linux workstations to end-users, rather than just "OS-free" systems, because without this option, you will be helping to perpetuate the misconception that Linux is not popular. Well congratulations, you have just discovered exactly how much of a misconception this really is. Maybe you should have considered DellIdeaStorm years ago, rather than sit around waiting for point-of-sale figures that could not ever accurately reflect the popularity of something that is a free download.

Trust me ... you will not alienate anyone by making a firm choice of distro support. I'm sure the tens of thousands of home users, who are demanding Linux from Dell, will be overjoyed just to have a choice of any Linux distro.

We want users to have the opportunity to help define the market for Linux on desktop and notebook systems.

This is just nonsensical marketing gobbledegook. Say what you mean, and stop obfuscating the truth with gibberish.

You can "define" the market right now ... by selling us what we want, rather than what Microsoft dictates you sell to us. The 200000+ vote for Linux should be a clear enough "definition" for anyone ... who's prepared to listen ... and not bury his head in the sand.

In addition to working with Novell,

Bad move. By all means offer Microvell to any corporate user gullible enough to swallow Steve Ballmer's baseless FUD about Microsoft's intellectual property, but I think you'll find home users rather less than receptive to any distro offerings from any company that sleeps with the enemy.

we are also working with other distributors and evaluating the possibility of additional certifications across our product line.

This is the only promising statement in the whole response, but it sounds like a lot of hot air to me.

Actions, not words.

GIVE US LINUX!

Are you trying to rejuvenate sales or not? Give the customers what they want.

We are continuing to investigate your other Linux-related ideas, so please continue to check here for updates.

Oh I'll be sure to, but I'm not holding my breath. Microsoft has you far too firmly under their thumb for me to seriously expect any positive changes at Dell.

Thanks for giving us all a glimmer of (false) hope, though. 68 Comments »

Goal: Dell FREEDOM Box - A Fully Open System for Home Users by 2010

Dell, Linux, Desktops and Laptops submitted by dpic 11/29/07

Set a goal of having at least one fully open system for home users by the end of 2010! This would be Dell's greatest endeavor yet!

The Dell FREEDOM Box | From the software, all the way down to the hardware, a completely open system

Software:
* A fully open source operating system with no restricted software like Gobuntu.

Hardware:
* All hardware must follow these rules--
1. The interface to the hardware must be explicitly made public, so the hardware can be used freely.
2. The design of the hardware must be made public, so that others can implement it and learn from it.
3. The tools used to create the design should be free, so that others can develop and improve the design.

This movement is already making headway and progress will continue to increase. Dell is already getting involved--

It has been stated that Dell has a goal to have open Linux drivers for all Dell products. Dell, keep the pressure on your vendors to open up!

Support OpenBIOS and Open Firmware!
"Among its features, Open Firmware provides an instruction set independent device interface. This can be used to boot the operating system from expansion cards without native initialization code.

It is Open Firmware's goal to work on all common platforms, like x86, AMD64, PowerPC, ARM and Mips. With its flexible and modular design, Open Firmware targets servers, workstations and embedded systems, where a sane and unified firmware is a crucial design goal and reduces porting efforts noticeably."
- http://www.openbios.org/

Already, there is huge support for replacing proprietary BIOS
- http://www.ideastorm.com/article/show/62549/LinuxBIOS_instead_of_proprietary_...
- http://www.ideastorm.com/article/show/74358/Dell_Support_Open_BIOSes_for_Linux
And there is the Open Graphics Project
- http://www.ideastorm.com/article/show/72320/Help_The_Open_Graphics_Project<

This project would put Dell at the heart of the movement bringing Freedom, Reliability, and Innovation to the world of technology! Does one really need to ask why this would be better than proprietary technology?

20 Comments »

THE ONE

XPS products submitted by mike2912 11/13/07

The new XPS The One as it is advertised looks pretty nice. But i hear it is not going to have a WUXGA screen. If it is going to compete with the imac it needs to offer full HD. 10 Comments »

Dell: Dude! You're getting Dell Instant On OS!

Operating Systems submitted by jorge 11/06/07

This is the next step Dell, get on the bandwagon now!

Elaboration: Dell use or create your own Instant-On-OS, much like or just like Phoenix Technology's HyperSpace or SplashTop! You can make the decision but get one of those on board now!

More Elaboration: its for any OS so no matter which fence you sit on you'll get faster boot times! How can you beat that!

End Elaboration----Instant On OS

This is not only the fastest to boot OS but will also make you green, environmentally and financially! On top of that you can also include the bloated Microsoft OS on a hard drive (soon to be phased out, the hard drive that is, before you MS fans get tweeked).

So add this to all your motherboards as an option when configuring a system to order, also leave the hooks in there so anyone who's shortsighted now can still add it later, at a cost of course.



More stuff! Make the Instant OS to allow writing to a hard drive, usb flash memory or usb/firewire attached drive! Also, with the ability to update it and customize it to the users apps. Without these two add-ons its just a waste of resources. So this idea will only apply if its allows for writing to media (all) and being able to update it. 37 Comments »

backlit keyboards

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.) submitted by maltman 11/01/07

An affordable, mainstream backlit keyboard would be a very nice addition to Dell systems and available accessories. Ideally, this would be a wireless device (Bluetooth) with the option of recharging via USB. Additional models could incorporate special media keys or trackpads, but a basic, sub $40 backlit, wireless keyboard would be excellent. Half-height keys are great, while you're at it. 1 Comment »

XP should be made available in all computers

Operating Systems, Desktops and Laptops submitted by rickk1 11/18/07

Since Microsoft will continue to support XP until 2014 and since Microsoft is coming out with XP Service Pack 3 around Spring 2008, XP should still be made available for all computers both desktop and laptop. 4 Comments »

Focus on Your Products - Computers

submitted by dwayne 11/17/07

The Precision T3400 was available for purchase on your website in October 2007. The Precision T5400 and T7400 are listed on the Windows Hardware Compatibility List ( http://whql.microsoft.com/HCL/ ) The XPS One does not appear on the list yet and has missed the Direct 2 Dell even though it is coming out November 19.

It’s too bad that I can’t find these products announced on the Direct 2 Dell site. Planting trees is a great but when is Dell going to start selling computers? 5 Comments »

Include cleaning and screen protection cloth with laptops

Monitors and Displays, Laptops submitted by jkeating 11/02/07

A nice dell branded cleaning cloth should be included with new laptops. This cloth would be used to clean the laptop sceens as well as lay on top of the keyboard when the laptop is closed to protect the screen from keyboard imprints. If a cloth is included it is far more likely that this cloth would be used to clean rather than some other cleaning device which may damage a user's screen. 10 Comments »

PCIe Flash Drive for OS

New Product Ideas, Laptops submitted by coachcg 11/14/07

This would be great to get in new Dell laptops:

SanDisk revealed Vaulter, a 8GB or 16GB flash drive that can hold your entire OS, designed to sit on the PCIe port inside a laptop. In Windows, this creates a separate letter drive, which speeds the heck out of your computer, without taking the place of your 2.5" SATA-connected HDD. It's not a Santa Rosa "Robson" thing either—it's a real drive, not some caching assistant. (In case you're wondering, Mac support is coming.) Performance acceleration comes from "pre-controlling the distribution of storage data between itself and the hard drive." The fact that it's on the PCIe port means that both storage devices can work in parallel. Now, the bad news: SanDisk is only offering it to OEM partners at first. We won't be able to buy them a la carte for a little while.

Even better if we can get them for upgrades to current laptop models. 14 Comments »

Dell and Windows Mellinum

Operating Systems, Sales Strategies, Desktops and Laptops submitted by windowsgenius 11/13/07

You know what sucks, dell only lets you get laptops and desktops with windows xp and vista. i mean come on! We as the consumer should be able to get our computers with windows 98 and ME if we want. Who cares if it is out dated or just plain dumb. We should get what we want without having to pay somewhere else for windows 98. Remember those old games like flight simular 95 and space simulator? they are to slow on our modern computers. but what if we want to play them? huh? think about it. alright? 7 Comments »

Built in mouse instead of touchpad

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), New Product Ideas, Laptops submitted by martijnbruil 11/14/07

While working with my laptop I cannot get used with working with the touchpad. I still and always will prefer using a (small) mouse. The problem with the current external mouse is either the wire or the batterycharge. Not to mention the posibility to forget to pack it.

I would like to see Dell to replace the standard toutchpad solution on a laptop with a built-in detachable wireless optical mouse. The mouse charges when docked en is easy detachable by click-and-release. The mouse could be integrated in one of the four sides of the laptop.

Better and more versitile to work with than a touchpad and very usefull during presentations because of wireless use.

It would make a unique selling point for me. 5 Comments »

Dell for Soldiers

Dell Community, Service and Support submitted by haler 11/12/07 **UNDER REVIEW**

My step-son is leaving for Iraq in January. His mom can't afford a laptop for him and neither can I, but I thought it could be done if everyone in the family could contribute via a site, then when there was enough, you could ship him a laptop!

This could be a great "community" PR thing for Dell -- Set up a website, soldiers could register -- somehow they are qualified, then anyone could go and give $5 to a few people. When the solider gets their laptop, they could receive a list of email addresses of the contributors if the contributors cared to share it -- then they could be pen pals too.











27 Comments »

No OS Preloaded

Linux, Operating Systems, Sales Strategies submitted by agreer 02/17/07 **PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED**

I have a XP Pro retail copy, will soon buy retail vista, I also like Linux: Make WINDOWS-FREE, and OS-Free an option for more than just expensive business lines.


Dell has systems available that do not have an OS pre-loaded called N-Series line. You can check them out at www.dell.com/nseries.

449 Comments »

Stop Calling Me During Business Hours

Sales Strategies submitted by aikiwolfie 11/10/07

There are two thing i want to ask for in this idea.

1) Stop calling me during business hours. Every single time I need to contact Dell you always call during business hours when I can't take the call. I could be sacked for taking calls on my mobile while I'm at work. It's not allowed!

2)Make the process of extending a warranty less painful. It should be an on-line process with no telephone call required. Nobody called when I bought the PC?

Recently I tried to extend the warranty on my Dell XPS 700. For some bizarre reason this can't be done on-line. It has to be done by a sales person over the phone. It could be because i refuse to use IE or it could be I was using Firefox + Ubuntu.

From the sales agents accent I'm guessing he was calling from India. I personally found him very difficult to understand and he found my accent similarly difficult to understand. I do speak fluent English as my first language. But I happen to be Scottish and even the English don't understand us.

When the sales agent called I had just left work. It was 3:15pm. I was on a crowded commuter train and had to ask for a call back.

I'm still waiting for the call back.

The sales agent also started waffling something about a photo printer. I don't need a Dell photo printer. I just need an extended warranty! 5 Comments »

New holiday commercials with the Dell dude!! (forgiveness and second chances)

Dell submitted by jervis961 11/08/07

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen: Ben Curtis, famous just a few years ago as "Steven the Dell Dude," is now a waiter / bartender at Tortilla Flats in New York. Although the Steven ads were hugely popular and generated tons of buzz (and revenue) for Dell, the company eventually dropped the campaign after Ben got arrested for buying pot in 2003 -- shocking no one who actually watched the commercials, but apparently not the message Dell wanted to send the parents fronting the cash for all those

http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/08/dude-youre-getting-a-drink-dell-dude-now-a...

Here's the idea.

A new commercial series staring our older Dell dude but not the conventional type that Dell usually does. Have him at home explaining to a friend that he needs a new computer. His buddy can say something like "you aren't thinking about buying from THEM are you?". Then just end the commercial without even mentioning Dell.

Not actually mentioning Dell will get more people to talk about it out of speculation. Is it a Dell commercial? Is the Dell Dude working for HP?

A new commercial could come out a few weeks later to continue the story of him reconnecting with Dell. It would be a good holiday thing about forgiveness for past mistakes and getting a second chance. Not only does this apply to the Dell Dude but to Dell itself. 20 Comments »

Dell: When you finally offer the No-OS option on all your computers leave out the BloatWare, Thanks!

Operating Systems - Multiboot, Software submitted by jorge 10/26/07

So you don't get it wrong, when you finally offer the highly touted No-OS on all your computers on the Dell.com website and new 3rd party distribution stores and refurbished sites, leave out (don't include) the BloatWare you painstakingly include on your other bloat filled OS's. This included the FreeDOS CD by the way, the DellDiag CD/DVD is a welcomed option though. 8 Comments »

Make all Notebook power adapters the same

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Laptops submitted by monseycomputers 11/01/07

Make all adapters the same, even if it’s a 65w or 90w but at least I should have the option to buy a 90w and power on every Dell laptop. Comment »