hexagrapher

Laptop Fans

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Laptops submitted by davew 02/18/07 **UNDER REVIEW**

Heat rises! Get the exhaust ports off the bottom of the laptops where it just blows back up into the machine. Put them out the side or the top and everything including processors, drives, batteries and the cooling systems themselves will run cooler and more efficiently. I already burned out one mother board, which thankfully was replaced under extended warrantee. I am so protective now that I never use my laptop without a supplemental cooling pad underneath, which blows the air out the sides. Unless this changes I would think twice about buying another or recommending a Dell laptop to anyone else without advising them of the problem.







64 Comments »

Simplify Customization Process

Dell Web Site, Service and Support submitted by delfmeek May 18

There are too many options when ordering a PC/Laptop. While choice is a good thing, I do not understand why Dell offers several memory configurations. The last time I ordered a desktop, I had 8 choices of memory configurations, for 1, 2, 3, or 4 gigabytes of a memory. I could get the 1,2,3, or 4 gigs of memory in 667 or 800 Mhz of memory. Why in the the world would I choose the 667 MHZ of memory, when less than $50 seperates me from the 800 MHZ option? eliminate the 667 MHZ memory module option, and just simplify it. I hate to say it, but Apple's website is super easy to configure---use that as a model. 4 Comments »

Power Cable

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Laptop Power submitted by mbhmirc May 19

Make both cables on laptop PSU's replaceable. It' costs around £90 to replace a power unit when the cable at the laptop end becomes damaged. Making both ends detachable will allow for the cable to be replaced instead of the whole unit. 3 Comments »

Something like Asus's "Splashtop" fast-booting secure web-surfing environment.

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Desktops and Laptops submitted by jmxz May 19

Asus is putting their
Splashtop environment in all their new motherboards.

Splashtop is described by DeviceVM as a "secure web-surfing environment", and is embedded on motherboards so that it can be booted within seconds, as an alternative to booting up a full operating system. ...

"In response to great user feedback, our plan is to proliferate Express Gate across our entire motherboard-product portfolio, ...

"Consumers want to turn their PCs on and off like any other appliance"

I'd very much like to simply turn my Dell's on and off like any other appliance, and be able to instantly launch a web browser without even having to wait for a hard disk to spin up. 2 Comments »

Provide a master network driver resource kit that can be loaded onto a USB drive

Simplify IT submitted by djtansey May 20

The number one headache I have with reinstalling windows on Dell machines is that almost 100% of the time I have no network access until I reinstall the network driver from the resource CD. Since I am often working on multiple machines, it's hard to keep the CDs straight.

if there could be a resource kit made available with the drivers (or with some default driver) for networking, it would make IT jobs much easier. Once the network is up, the rest of the drivers can be done easy. Comment »

Availability of LED LCD SCREENS in FRANCE and EUROPE

Monitors and Displays, Sales Strategies, XPS products submitted by mdevoucoux May 17

I've alrady posted this idea but it wasn't very explicit :

LED Screens are available in US on the XPS M1530, but they're not in Europe.

Here in Europe we'd like to order a Dell XPS M1530 with an LED screen, given the benefits it provides compared to CCFL screens. Thousands customers expect an LED display is available for this model to order the computer.

DELL: you lose customers beacause LED Screen isn't available on the XPS M1530. I find it unfortunate that in Europe we can not choose the same components as the USA.

I appeal to DELL: Please, make LED screens available in Europe for the XPS M1530, we expect that to order them.

Please DELL users, promote my idea because DELL do as if we, European customers doesn't exist and let Led creens available only in the USA : you, americans and others people, be helpful with us.

Thanks 48 Comments »

Cut the cost of a 9-cell battery upgrade

Sales Strategies, Laptop Power submitted by ccpljat May 6

Yes a 9-cell is more powerful and lasts longer, but $169? Come on. It can't be that much. Cut down the price to honestly reflect the difference. I mean good grief, you can buy a 9-cell replacement for an Inspiron 1720 for $154! An upgrade is always supposed to be less.

FIX IT, DELL!!!! 8 Comments »

No Extra Software Option

Software submitted by ootleman 02/16/07 **PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED**

Would love the ability to have a clean Vista install. No AOL software, no earthlink software, no google software - just a clean, original OS.


Check out jeremy_f's update on our current software options.


590 Comments »

switch to LED monitors

Monitors and Displays, Laptop Power submitted by yardsale Jan 16

I dont know why dell hasnt done this yet. switch all monitors on desktops and notebooks to LED. did you know that you can run an LED screen at full brightniess and it uses less power than a LCD monitor at the lowest brighting level?!? its cheaper, its energy efficent, and it needs to be done! promote this, if you demote i wanna know why! 46 Comments »

Backlit Keyboards

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Sales Strategies, Desktops and Laptops submitted by rarmasu 02/21/07 **PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED**

I find myself many, many times in dark or poorly lit environments having to guess the various keys - would be fantastic to have a backlit keyboard - with backlit individual keys as the best option.

I would actually pay extra for that convenience if the option was available.
This could be done for desktops or notebooks.


Check out the white LED backlights on the <ahref>XPS M1730.
296 Comments »

There should be an option of having no trialware on all computers

Software submitted by jervis961 08/23/07 **REVIEWED**

Here is a news article about trialware and how Dell feels that regular customers want it but small business ones do. Do they not look at the ideas here?

"Not interested in all of the trial software that clutters up new PCs? You're not alone: According to Dell's recent research in both focus groups and broader surveys, small-business users overwhelmingly view trialware as an irritant, not a benefit. That research has led Dell to axe the extras from its new Vostro line of small-business desktop PCs and laptops. Eliminating demo applications is a major step for Dell, which has caught flack for the quantity of trialware on its consumer PCs. (One frustrated customer went so far as to develop a "Decrapifier" utility. The company says that consumers who buy PCs for personal use do express interest in preloaded trial software, but that small-business users have different needs. By eliminating the trialware from Vostro machines, Dell says it has cut the system setup time in half. For now, Dell is the only major PC manufacturer to ship small-business systems without preinstalled trialware as a standard practice. (Some competitors, such as HP, allow customers to choose a no-trialware configuration.)"


Dell offers a broad amount of software choice and minimal software shipped. Read jeremy_f's post on the options we give our customers





131 Comments »

Solid State Drive as option in Notebooks

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Laptops submitted by tablet205 03/28/07 **IMPLEMENTED**

Definition

A solid state drive is primarily a data storage device, for use in computing applications that traditionally use a hard disk drive.

A solid state drive is based on non-volatile memory instead of the spinning platter and mechanical-magnetic head found in a conventional hard disk drive. With no moving parts, a solid state drive eliminates seek time, latency and other electro-mechanical delays and failures associated with a conventional hard disk drive.

Advantages

* Faster startup - Since no spin-up required.
* Faster read time – In some cases, twice or more than that of the fastest hard drives.
* Low read and write latency (seek) time, hundreds of times faster than a mechanical disk.
* Faster boot and application launch time - Result of the faster read and especially seek time. But only if application already resides in flash and is more dependent on read speed than other issues, eg. OS bootup that detects devices will not be significantly sped up even with faster seeks & reads.
* Lower power consumption and heat production - no mechanical parts results in less power consumption.
* No noise - Lack of mechanical parts makes the SSD completely silent.
* Better mechanical reliability - Lack of mechanical parts results in less wear and tear. High level of ability to endure extreme shock, vibration and temperatures, which apply to laptops and other mobile devices, or when transported.
* Security - allowing a very quick "wipe" of all data stored.
* Deterministic performance - unlike mechanical hard drives, performance of SSDs is constant and deterministic across the entire storage. "Seek" time is constant, and performance does not deteriorate as the media fills up (See: Fragmentation).
* Lower weight and (depending upon type) size
* Faster than conventional disks on random I/O
Check out the Idea in Action on the SSD enhancements Dell is making.




49 Comments »

Save money with ReactOS

Operating Systems, Sales Strategies submitted by kevintrooper 03/09/07

www.reactos.org

WARNING: This OS is also available! It will not illuminate Windows or Linux! But it will make things cheaper! This Operating System is still in ALPHA but will improve over time! Believe it or not but it is Windows XP Compatible! Plays allot of windows games/programs! (check out compatibility!) Check out the screenshots on the website above!

14 Comments »

Backlit LED

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Laptops submitted by rjrich 04/19/07

Please put backlit LED panels into laptops/notebooks. 1 Comment »

Laptop Touch Screens

Monitors and Displays, Laptops submitted by pablohs May 7

There should be an option to purchase any laptop with a touch screen. 6 Comments »

Laptops/mousepad

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Laptops submitted by radiohaze May 8

Why are mousepads on the left-hand side of laptops, when most of us are RIGHT-HANDED, using a mouse with our RIGHT hand and the keyboard with our LEFT ? I'm finding it incredibly frustrating, trying to find a laptop that doesn't force me to use it left-handed. 13 Comments »

Power Button On Outside Casing

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Laptops submitted by bosweto May 11

An external power-on button would be very handy for those of us (and I know there are many) who have their laptop attached to an external monitor for most of the time. Having to open it every time you need to boot up is quite annoying, especially if you keep the laptop on a storage shelf. I understand that a lock button of some sort may need to be implemented along with this, as when transporting the laptop the power button may accidently be pressed and powered on.
Thanks 4 Comments »

DVD-RW for 17 inch M series laptops

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Laptops submitted by bbrigg May 16

The M6300 comes with a choice of DVD ROM CD-RW or Blu Ray optical drives. Add an option for DVD-RW for those of us who don't want or need Blu Ray. Comment »

Reverse Video

Servers and Storage, Laptops submitted by r.pelzer 10/26/07

Hi,

As a techie i'm walking around with my notebook to all kinds of server. Sometimes you want to look at a server, but there is no monitor availible.
Would there be a way to connect a notebook to the vga connector of the server and view the output on the notebook screen?

I would buy a new notebook for that option !

Cheers.

Rogier 27 Comments »

Order linux on Dell from any part of world

Linux, Laptops submitted by zigcatus Apr 11

Dell Can Australia have a Ubuntu OS Laptop

Why not let any one in any part of the world order ubuntu operating system on a Dell laptop we in Australia seem to be out of luck with no listing on the Australian Dell website that give us a linux OS link. Orders are made online I think we would wait the little bit more time if a ubuntu Dell laptop has to come from US or UK just get the power supply right for Australia that all, not that hard you think. And go for the Apple power plug it just a great idea smart and simple.

Allan 6 Comments »