lionbeast

Dell: join in! Offer a low-cost Linux PC!

Linux, Sales Strategies, Desktops and Laptops submitted by phubert Apr 2

It appears Dell remains afraid of Microsoft... and here is an answer we haven't heard from Dell on IdeaStorm:

"The top PC makers have so far treaded carefully. Dell's website sells Ubuntu computers in a separate section for open-source PCs, out of direct comparison with Windows machines. Dell spokeswoman Anne Camden said the placement reflects the fact that Linux is still not a mainstream consumer product."

From the USA Today article:

Burst of low-end PCs could boost Linux

"Business computing suppliers are finding open-source desktops especially gaining traction in cost-conscious developing markets. For example, IBM and Linux vendor Red Hat recently launched Microsoft-free desktops for Eastern Europe.

One buyer is Aleksandar Spagnut, a director of Moscow-based Rushotel, which needed new desktop PCs for a hotel-building project. Spagnut said his company saved 30 to 35% over comparable Windows machines. He added that Linux PCs are now common enough that a snowball effect is emerging, whereby technical support and "drivers" — which essentially tell programs how to interact with hardware — are much easier to find." ****

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/software/2008-04-01-cheap-pc-linux_N.ht... 19 Comments »

Have Ubuntu on Dell One

Linux, XPS products submitted by daniel117 Mar 12

After hearing a couple magazines and people say Vista has glitches, I think Dell's best computer ever (and best counterpart of Apple's Macs) this computer company should start looking into Linux more, especially Ubuntu. Oh sure, Dell didn't get enough people into Ubuntu, but that can be easily fixed by putting Linux into Dell One. Dell is missing out on more sales from Ubuntu fans and all you geeks out there. Not much of them, but popularity would spread and soon Vista is in the dust (not that I hate Vista, but I like Ubuntu better). 11 Comments »

Stop Spying on Your Customers

Printers and Ink submitted by signedupinjuly 07/15/07

Dell laser printers, along with many others, print a matrix of faint yellow dots that will let your documents be tracked! You might think that printing a document is your own damn business, but Dell is making sure that it can be traced back to YOUR printer. Reference: Is Your Printer Spying On You?


Close up of actual tracking dots, taken through a microscope

Dell, step up and a) Make this public. At the very least, OWN UP to spying on your paying customers, and b) Allow people to turn this intrusive bug off. Stop playing with Big Brother. 15 Comments »

Linux Printing Solutions

Linux, Printers and Ink, Service and Support submitted by jfelisky 02/21/07

I have a Dell 3100cn laser printer, which was a nice purchase until I dropped Windows XP and moved to OpenSuSE on my home computer.

I've tried a lot of different message boards looking for a way to keep that printer, but I'm so frustrated with Dell's lack of Linux support that I have to consider HP, since the LaserJet family is more broadly supported. 15 Comments »

Dell Ink and Printers - Sell them at Best Buy and other stores. ******Edited******

Printers and Ink, Sales Strategies submitted by stormrider451 Mar 1

Now that DELL computers AND printers are starting to be sold at Best Buy, I believe that selling Dell Ink and possibly more Dell Printers at Best Buy is a good step to take for DELL. Maybe selling more Dell printers would be a good thing when DELL ink is easier to get or at least its sold in the same plac e the printer is being sold.

The reality is that buying Dell ink is a total hassle for some people. My mother in law has spent hours waiting on the phone trying to order an ink only to get the wrong ink sent to her in the mail and sometimes even faulty ink that didnt work. You might say, order it online, its faster, but when she tried that they also sent her the wrong ink. This is not an efficient way of handeling the retail of a product that needs to be replaced every so often. This ineficiency pushes costumers just as her to go to the local Walgreen's store or Office Max to simply refill the cartriges (which is cheaper too), hanging dell to dry in this department.

The recent contract that allows dell to sell ink at Staples is a very good step forward, but I think its not enough. I mean, we dont even have a Staples here in Puerto Rico. But we do have Best Buy (as of yesterday actually :D). Lets get DELL ink into other major stores like Best Buy. The truth is that this kind of hassle of having to order your ink makes me shy away from buying any DELL printer. Why buy a DELL printer if I can buy an HP printer and get the ink anywhere I want? Older people prefer to get in their cars and drive to a store to buy things, instead of logging in and trying to buy it online. And trust me, with the amount of baby boomers around, you would benefit a lot from making this kind of changes.

EDIT: ****************************
Best buy has the product red printer. Seriously, if you are going to sell the printers at Best Buy, you need to sell ink there too. If someone is going to buy that printer, many will ask: "Ok what ink do I buy for it?" because many people when they buy a new printer take extra ink cartridges. The Best BUy person will then tell them that they will have to go online to order the ink. What do you think many people will do on that moment? Many will simply say, thats not pratical at all, I want my ink now and NOT buy the printer. Plus, the person doesnt even know how the dell ink service works online, so he will have to make a decission on a purchase he doesnt even know how its going to work out or doesnt even know how much the ink is worth because he cant see it infront of him. Many people will simply NOT buy the printer due to this uncertainty especially older people who find internet a scary business. The availability of Dell printers at Best Buy makes the availability of Dell Inks at Best Buy even more needed.

Thanks! 8 Comments »

There should be peripherals that are certified for Ubuntu line of PCs

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Linux, Printers and Ink submitted by jimasbille Feb 26

I just purchased an Inspiron with Ubuntu. While on the phone the sales guy convinced me to buy a printer or scanner. The problem was he could not tell me if any of them work with Linux. I had to turn him down so I could do some research. A lost sale. If there were certified printers and scanners I would have bought on the spot. 4 Comments »

Create OSX drivers for your printers

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Printers and Ink submitted by hoodamanny 02/27/07

I am not sure if Dell realises but not all families and more importantly offices are windows only. We have a mixed household and because of the lack of support for osx I have to get my printers from hp or canon. I would love the have the facility to at least print to my dell printers from my daughters laptop or then again allow my creative team to get dell printers.

Considering that the manufacturer of the printers supplies osx drivers... it woudl be awesome if you did too!! 6 Comments »

Offer Printers and drivers for ALL operating systems.

New Product Ideas submitted by pudgyone Mar 13

Dell should start offering Drivers, Utilities, firmware, patches and upgrades for their printer for ALL of the operating systems. There are many people out there that have different operating systems and need drivers for non-Windows Operating systems. Start having printers that are compatable for Windows and non-Windows operating systems. 4 Comments »

printer and laptop in one

Printers and Ink, Laptops submitted by buttafuco 06/26/07

it would be so cool if you could print something without having to carry a separate, bulky printer, just your laptop. or instead of having to find a kinkos or hotel business center where they will charge you $.50 a page or something crazy. i think the technology is small enough that it could be incorporated into the bottom of the laptop as an option for people on the go. Dell could either make it like a battery that you can pop out and put a paper thru and bluetooth send from your computer or where the printer is actually part of the laptop like a bottom layer.

if you demote - explain why please. bad idea? not feasible? wouldn't buy it? duplicate? 23 Comments »

Cool! Windows printer drivers on a Linux computer!

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Linux submitted by mistern 09/12/07

Yeah right, see the red spots (please ignore the weird language ;-) ):



OK. Now you want to sell me a nice all-in-one printer with Windows Vista drivers on a Linux machine.

I would prefer a Linux compatible printer (optimally without drivers) though.

Thank you for improving that. 6 Comments »

Provide Linux (Ubuntu) drivers for printer Dell photo aio 922.

Linux, Printers and Ink submitted by pierantonio 04/22/07

I have a Inspiron 9300 with printer Photo Aio 922 from DELL. Please, Mr. M. DELL develop Linux drivers (Ubuntu) for my hardware. Grazie!!! 16 Comments »

Mac Drivers

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Printers and Ink submitted by unix 06/25/07

Dell could create printer drivers for Mac. So like that every body could use dell printers. 2 Comments »

cartridgle free printers

Printers and Ink submitted by bringideas2market Jan 23

Today's printer market is dominated by a few large players such as Canon, Epson, Brother,Tektronix, HP, IBM, Lexmark and Dell. Each year every company comes up with multiple new printer models that require a new cartridge format. We all know that printer manufacturers make their money with printer cartridges and not printers.

I propose that Dell invent a new printer that does not require an ink cartridge, but simply water. The printer would come equipped with a long term supply of dry ink (3-10 yrs) where the user simply adds water as needed. This would save the environment by reducing the need for cartridges and users would save money. Dell would win market share by simply providing a product that everyone wants. It would make its profits by volume pricing to large corporations and governments.

Since the printer would not require a new cartridge design, Dell could then focus its energy in developing more innovative products. Eventually every manufacturer would have to follow suit because, customers are buying the products they want from Dell. 4 Comments »

SELL LINUX COMPATIBLE PRINTERS

Linux, Printers and Ink submitted by nycnikato 05/27/07

Right now DEll sells rebranded Lexmark printers. I bought and A920 later to find out that it is very very poorly supported on Linux, and also does not support Macintosh. Most Lexmark/DEll printers for home/soho use are not well supported under Linux. Here are some ideas to fix that, in order of preference

1) Sell Rebranded BROTHER printers, Virtually ALL of brother's printers and multifunctions support Linux (and Mac), they have open source binaries and source code that you could include with ubuntu or any other

http://solutions.brother.com/linux/sol/printer/linux/cups_drivers.html< there is no bad blood or competition between brother and DELL
Brother printers are very very inexpensive, so there is room for margin. Surely brother would manufacture custom cartridges for dell.

2) Compel Lexmark to make their printers Linux compatible. This is unlikely because Lexmark likes to be proprietary with drivers. For some reason it is difficult technologically for Lexmark to produce Linux drivers. There is no processor inside their printers. Brother, HP, Samsung, and others do not have this problem.

3) Sell Rebranded HP printers---- Not so good because HP makes all the money, and DELL directly fuels a competitor.

6 Comments »

Dell AIO print drivers for the Mac OS

Printers and Ink submitted by dd74 04/06/07

Hello: Dell should provide print drivers for computers using the Mac OS, specifically for the AIO printers, including the 962. Recently, I purchased a Macbook, but would like to use my Dell 962 printer with the Macbook, instead of investing in another printer. Are there any solutions in the works about this issue? Thank you. :> 1 Comment »

Release OSX and Linux drivers for your printers and other peripherals

Linux, Operating Systems, Printers and Ink submitted by hoodamanny 04/02/07

Most families and offices are mixed enviornents - not just windows. Would be awesome if you could give OSX and linux customers the options to purcahse your printers and other devices..

Considering that Lexmark release OSX drivers for thier printers which are then rebadged for dell.. this should be REALLY easy to implement!! 2 Comments »

PRINTERS

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Printers and Ink submitted by dhari 05/19/07

Even dell pcs donot have the printer drivers installed; it is not easy for a layman to install a dell printer . 2 Comments »

Provide Linux Drivers for all your Hardware

Linux submitted by gergnz 02/19/07 **IN PROGRESS**

I don't care whether the OS is pre-installed or not, I want all the hardware to be totally supported in the Linux kernel without in mucking around. I currently have a Dell M1210 and I wish the modem would work, just in case I need it. The web cam would work, just in case I need it. At least the Intel wireless card is totally supported. Thanks Intel!!
Drivers are available for Linux to make some but not all hardware work. We continue to work with our partners to provide for better hardware support. See more specifics from john_h.




184 Comments »

Standardize Power Cables for Laptops

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Laptops submitted by badblood 08/27/07 **UNDER REVIEW**

Nothing is more annoying than laptop power cables that are not interchangeable from one computer model to another or from one brand of computer to another. Power cables have been standardized on most electrical applicances, including desktop computers for decades.

Make an effort to promote and implement standard power cables for laptops.


Please see dawn_l's comments below.
93 Comments »

Get GNU/Linux Machines in Retail Stores

Linux submitted by dpic Feb 14

Imagine how successful Dell's Ubuntu offering could be if just one Dell Ubuntu machine was put in retail stores. If people knew of an alternative to Windows, they would go for it! So what do you say, Dell? Why don't you try to put at least one of your Ubuntu machines offered in retail stores? 734 Comments »