Improve your internal case designs (Improve airflow + Reduce wire clutter)
Environment submitted by bbr
07/10/07
I've had my Desktop for a couple of years now, and i still shudder having to open it.
It's a horrible maze of tangled wires, connectors and above all "dust" in there.
Sort of like : http://www.zdnet.de/graphics/reviews/pc/200207/dell4500-inside.jpg
or : http://images.digitalmedianet.com/2004/Week_39/z1yf5axb/story/dell_inside.jpg
Wires everywhere, making it very hard to reach any components you wish to replace or clean. It's crazy.
Now, compare that to this: http://www.macrumors.com/downloads/inside25g5.jpg
Yes it's an Apple, a G5 Dual processor model to be a bit more exact.
It looks so clean because Apple designs its own hardware.
Now, i'll leave out the obvious temptation of starting a Vista vs OSX comparison,
and stick to the hardware.
Here's a comparison shot mac-vs-pc : http://www.apple.bg/bul/Docs/apple/hardware/powermac/1102/clutter.jpg
As with others of apple's designs they've always been very clean cut :
http://www.zisman.ca/Articles/2004/g5imac_inside.jpg
Just look at it, perfect air flow : http://www.apple.bg/bul/Docs/apple/hardware/powermac/1102/cooling.jpg
Because of the airflow design it produces much less sound than a normal PC does..
With the fans placed inside the machine to reduce noise output even further.
(From personal experience, i'm able to say that i can barelly hear my mac at work)
Compare that to the front-bottom(dust intake) point intake design (whirlwind) with randomly placed fans inside the case (disrupt airflow) that most normal PCs use. PC Airflow is flawed.
Example : http://www.pcleek.be/Fotoshardware/pc%20case%20open.jpg
Standard PC airflow is inefficient, ignores most major components, and requires extra fans rotating at speeds which produce a "lot" of sound, require a lot of energy to operate, and suck in a lot of dust particles which will reduce the nominal efficiency of your hardware over time.
Because of this design you'll also notice that the edges around your CD/DVD drive will usually have clearly showing edges of dust, because the normal airflow is not aligned to the internal fans. (dust and CD drives does not mix, and can cause faillure of your CD drive)
Now, back to Mac:
Front metallic cover and sideplates : http://www.tweakers.net/ext/i.dsp/1056403028.jpg
Detailed side view G5 : http://www.wap.org/journal/powermacg5v2/powermacg5v2.jpg
Detailed side view Mac Pro : http://www.professional-pr.info/Apple/Bilder/06/macpro/macpro_inside.jpg
Notice the heatsinks on the right, and the 4 Hard disk panels in the center.
The CD/DVD drive(topleft) can be removed in 1 motion, just like the side panel for the CPUs
Easy to access all components,
Easy to switch hard disks, (single button eject)
Easy to plug in extra memory, (no wires blocking access)
Instant access to the processor (1 button panel remove)
And so much more.
In my opinion it'd be a great revolution if Dell stepped away from the "standard" PC design and improved their hardware in this manner. Easy access, Good air flow, Easy to clean. Less wires needed. (better for the environment as well)
The problem however, is that dell machines are limited to "standard" mainboards.
Because of this it's almost impossible to allow much creativity with the hardware placement inside each case.
Perhaps dell can sit around a table with Intel or another popular mainboard designer and come up with a more customized version for the improved desktop layouts.
Improving the case hardware layout to fix the airflow will make a cleaner look, yield better performance, reduce energy consumption, improve harware lifespan, and in the end you end up with a much more enviromentally friendly computer.
860
Release the Axim hardware specifications
Broadband and Mobility, Linux, Service and Support submitted by jtzapp
05/09/07
Now that Dell has gotten out of the handheld market, why not release the specifications for the chips et al, for the Axims? I would love to be able to run linux on my Axim X50v, and I'm sure I'm not the only one -- but that's not really going to happen unless developers can tailor the kernel to the hardware. Michael Dell and the rest of the company have recently made a public promise to further linux on Dell hardware, and this would go a long way towards engendering brand loyalty. I don't see how this can harm Dell in any way, and as I said, would certainly help to assure me that Dell doesn't want to leave its customers out in the cold even if they no longer sell the product. We're not asking for any sort of support whatsoever, just the ability to exercise our freedoms with respect to the products we purchase.
520
DON'T KILL THE AXIM PDA's platform
Broadband and Mobility submitted by optical10
02/23/07
The world leading x51v WM5 device is only now being bettered by HTC's future "Advantage” PDA / Smartphone matching the Axim 624 MHz power etc 2 years after the party started by Dell's forward thinking product!
Yes it may need to have GPS, EDGE, 3G etc to survive as a Smartphone in this mobile obsessed times but it can be done & the current Axim users will appreciate your efforts into the WM6 platform by buying your products if you reward their loyalty.
Obviously this may be previous if you’re not killing the Axim but most forums think you are so hence this post.
Ron Garriques ex - Motorola were counting on you.
Cheers
ps. For those who require other combi options like say PDA only I request the modarator to open a poll on this topic.
1. PDA only
2. Smartphone
3. PDA + GPS inc
4. Smartphone + GPS
I'm presuming it's a given on the two slots [CF/SD] staying in any of it's incarnations above as we have grown attached to their functionality as is also the case with BT & WiFi. Does much have to change for the Axim x51v to change to bring in inline with the soon to be released crop of WM6 units, I think not if the HTC WM6 units are any thing to go by. Heck the iPhone would also have some way to go to beat my current Axim x51v + Audiovox RTM 8000p voice & data CF card for phone usage. Plus don't get me started on all the add-on projects we at sites like aximsite.com have shared like afarre's X51V & Aximizer as Carputer: http://afarreAximCarputer.notlong.com & the Ratoc.com USB host controller CF card that allows me to use a 169 GB Seagate 2.5" HD portable battery caddy for ALL my media needs at home & on the go & soon a Logitech webcam!
1410
Show performance charts to compare options during shopping
Dell Web Site, Sales Strategies submitted by dankster
05/11/07
I think the shopping experience doesn't provide enough data or info to let the consumer know if its worth the upgrade. If you could show performance data for options A, B, C using typical benchmarking software and another table with the cost to performance ratio for that % gain or loss. I think that would help consumers make a better choice to decide if they get enough bang for the buck for each decision they make while configuring their computer.
For example, for processor selection for an E1405 notebook:
Processor / Cost / How much faster is it on avg.? / Cost Per Percentage Gain
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7200 (2.00GHz, 4MB L2 Cache, 667 MHz FSB) [add $210 or $7/month1] / $210 / 23% / $9.13
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T5500 (1.66GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 667 MHz FSB) [add $85 or $3/month1] / $85 / 10% / $8.50
Intel® Core™ DUO T2350 (1.86GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 533MHz FSB) [Included in Price] / $0 / 0% / $0
Benchmarks should be available for onboard video chipsets, video cards, memory, HDD etc....
390
Advertise Graphics RAM correctly
Advertising and Marketing submitted by joffe100
04/20/07 **UNDER REVIEW**
When we say we want to buy a 512Mb graphics card we really do want a 512Mb graphics card - not 512Mb with 256mb physical memory with 256mb shared! This is really BAD and misleading advertising - you do not see other RAM memory being sold 1Gb (512Mb physical, 512Mb shared!)
Should read: 512Mb physical memory and it actually be 512Mb physical memory
NOT: 512Mb** and then some tiny asterixed disclaimer on a linked page that points out that the 512Mb is some funky combination of 3Mb physical and the rest being pulled from virtual memory - this kills many graphic intense apps and games...
suprised no-one has sued over this? Not sure many buyers are even aware....
4060
Video editing
Software submitted by 93jam
05/11/07
There should be more than Windows Movie Maker to edit videos on. Comparing iMovie to Windows Movie Maker, iMovie wins by a long shot.
40
PUT MANUFACTURER NAME BROADCOM ON WIRELESS CARDS
Advertising and Marketing submitted by robertobiggio
05/12/07
why dell names its wirelss cards dell 1390/1490/1500N
but actually they r all made by broadcom.
i prefer broadcom over intel wireless and
really trusting the quality of broadcom products.
SO PLS DELL PUT THE NAME OF <broadcom>
ON UR WIRELESS CARDS instead of dell.
so i dont have to check if cards are by athros or somebody else.
120
Sue Microsoft for antitrust - they settled with your competitors for top dollars (billions)
Dell submitted by jmxz
05/12/07
Need free cash?
Note that Microsoft paid your competitors top dollars when sued for anti-trust claims. Some examples: | Lawsuit | Who paid | Payout |
|---|
| Apple: | Microsoft settled paying | $250,000,000 | | Gateway: | Microsoft settled paying | $150,000,000 | | IBM: | Microsoft settled paying | $850,000,000 | | Sun: | Microsoft settled paying | $1,950,000,000 |
Overall, Microsoft paid at least $9 billion dollars in lawsuit settlements; mostly anti-trust ones; and many to Dell competitors. This article http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=24621 has a bigger list, and that doesn't even cover many of the more recent settlements http://www.google.com/search?q=microsoft+settle+antitrust+lawsuit< seems there's a fair amount of press suggesting that Dell was also a victim of Microsoft monopoly abuse ( http://www.ideastorm.com/article/show/65979) Why don't you join in the action and get the big easy payout like your competitors did.? (thanks to a comment from IdeaStorm user spm for this idea)
110
No OS Installed (at a lower cost!)
Dell, Operating Systems submitted by fuscob
05/06/07
We understand that there is already an option to have no OS preloaded on the machine, but it doesn't save any money. A copy of XP Pro OEM costs $139 - the consumer should get that money back if they choose not to have Windows preloaded.
2950
Do not hire nontechnical people for techsupport
Service and Support submitted by jbrogers
02/17/07
This is the main problem with the India call centers - they have no idea what they are doing. They are obviously reading a scripted diagnosing tool and have no personal knowledge of computing issues.
I have both home and business accounts with Dell. When I call in for support on my Business account, I get a good old-fashioned American geek, who instantly understands that I am fairly technical, and doesn't treat me like an idiot.
The Indian call centers, not having knowledge themselves, do not recognize that I know anything, and treat me like an idiot as they read from the diagnosis tool. Yeah, I know the computer is plugged in. Yeah I know that I have internet connectivity. Sheesh.
8926
No McAfee
Software submitted by doomlord52
02/19/07
I think everyone agrees here. No McAfee. i cant unistall my copy because it will take all my settings for the Microsoft firewall with it. That includes my outlook settings, internet, and just about every program. Why cant i say "no McAfee please"??? is it really that hard? use Norton....
15024
IdeaStorm should check to see if your post is similar to existing posts
IdeaStorm submitted by hjwasson
04/26/07 **PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED**
One of the greatest failings with IdeaStorm's otherwise wonderful concept is that many similar posts are created - and although they all get votes, no one post gets enough votes to rise to Dell's attention.
When you submit a post, I would like to see IdeaStorm search for similar posts, and if it finds any, prompt you:
Your post seems similar to this/these post(s):
1. Yes, it is. Please make my post a comment to the existing post instead (& I will vote on that post).
2. No, they are different - but related. Please associate my post to the existing post.
3. No, my post is not related - continue posting.
#2 is related to my suggestion to be able to be able to associate similar posts:
http://www.ideastorm.com/article/show/66450/Provide_a_way_to_associate_simila...
For all of this to work, Dell would have to vastly improve it's search ability within IdeaStorm (perhaps collaborate with Google?)! Use Google's advanced search features, with www.ideastorm.com as the domain to search, if you want to see for yourself the differences in how well the search features function.
Duplicate ideas suggestion feature has been added.
5640
Extend offers like Linux pre-installation to the UK & Europe
Dell, Linux submitted by leftcase
05/03/07 **PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED**
First of all - well done Dell for listening to the people and making some brave decisions about the operating systems you provide your computers with.
Supplying pre-installed Linux (and XP instead of Vista for that matter) goes a good way towards giving customers what they want.
One thing that is slightly irritating however is that none of these offers are available outside of the US. Browsing through peoples comments, blogs and the Dell forums reveals that many people from the UK (for example), want the opportunity to get pre-installed Linux on their new Dell PCs.
The UK and Europe marketplace is not insignificant, and many people feel that you should extend your offer to this market too.
Please see Ideas In Action for additional information. Ubuntu Linux in other countries is coming soon.
7950
TV Commercial for New Ubuntu PCs
Advertising and Marketing, Linux submitted by josmar52789
05/03/07
Dell should produce a new commercial for the Ubuntu PCs. It could tell the consumers of America why Dell has chosen to pre-install Linux on mainstream computers and hopefully promote the advantages of this new endeavor. Plus, it's likely that Dell's Linux initiative would be much more successful.
19550
 track my votes
|
|
jackie_c
kara_k
dawn_l