bruceb news

Dell installs less crapware on new computers than any other manufacturer, but one of their latest money-making tactics is annoying. Dell and Google have partnered to install the Google Toolbar and Google Desktop on most new computers – along with some trickier under-the-hood stuff to present unexpected pages of ads during your Internet browsing.

Google Desktop indexes documents and e-mail for fast searches. It was already lagging behind Microsoft Windows Desktop Search and it’s wholly irrelevant on a Windows Vista computer, where search is deeply integrated with the operating system.

The Google toolbar is an old friend, but also increasingly unnecessary for most people. […] continued

What’s up with Dell lately? The last few computers I’ve ordered from Dell have been unusually slow to ship and slow to arrive. I had gotten used to seeing computers ship instantly, frequently the next day, and shipping was typically running 2-3 days. When I ordered a new system in September, it took three weeks for it to leave Dell and another full week to arrive. Several other recent orders have taken more than two weeks to ship. It might be a temporary glitch caused by shortages of the new Intel Core 2 Duo processors but I’m guessing – I haven’t seen any news suggesting those chips are in short supply. […] continued

Here’s a complimentary review of the new Dell Latitude D420 – a full-featured laptop with the sturdy feel of the other Dell Latitude models, but weighing less than four pounds. It’s got a 12.1 inch widescreen and a full-size keyboard, but the CD/DVD drive is left to an external device to keep the weight down.

There’s one interesting design choice. The default 9-cell battery offers generous battery life, but it extends out of the front of the laptop – in a sense, it’s a comfortable palm rest. But there is a 4-cell battery that disappears into the case and brings the weight down under three pounds, at the cost of some battery life. […] continued

Dell has announced a recall of 4.1 million notebook batteries because of a production flaw that can result in sudden fires. Six Dell notebooks have exploded or burst into flames, and I’ve seen reports claiming there are hundreds more. The defective batteries were supplied by Sony, which is paying for the recall.

If you have a Dell notebook computer, you should go to the Dell Battery Return Program web site and follow the instructions to see if your notebook battery should be replaced.

This FAQ answers some of the basic questions about the recall. If you want more background, this collection of CNet articles explains more about the Dell recall, the exploding laptops that made it necessary, and background on other battery recalls in the last few years. […] continued

Dell’s image has been slipping. Tech support has been rocky for more than a few of my clients (and abysmal for computers purchased from Dell’s Home division, which outsources support to India). Its sales division for parts and small items is a nightmare. Somehow it’s not comforting to know that Dell is still a step ahead of every other company out there – both by my experience and according to all the surveys.

Today’s announcement might be great news. Dell is offering remote support to every customer under warranty who has a broadband connection. Here’s an article with the details. […] continued

Dell will roll out new business notebooks today, the Latitude D620 and D820, with two interesting features. Here’s an article about the rollout.

First, they will have built-in support for Internet connections through Verizon or Cingular cellular networks. Up to now, a reference to “wireless” referred only to 802.11g networks – the 100 foot cloud created by a wireless access point somewhere on the ground. The cell phone networks cover the entire country (with the exception of a small area just west of Sebastopol), making it far easier to travel and count on a persistent connection.

Second, the displays are evidence that the industry is moving to the “widescreen” format for computers as well as for televisions. […] continued

Apple introduced a 30-inch flatscreen monitor a while ago, and now Dell has brought one to the PC world. Here’s the details on the Dell 3007WFP, in case you feel like giving yourself a late Xmas present. The monitor is $2,199, but it requires an expensive new video card, and that requires that your computer be pretty beefy to begin with. The reward is a native resolution of 2560×1600 and a massive viewing area. Gorgeous!

Dell’s 24″ widescreen monitor is possibly the most satisfying product I’ve ever purchased. The difference in crispness and readability between this and the old CRT is far greater than I expected. (Anybody want a 20″ CRT that weighs 80 pounds? I’m sitting by the phone waiting for offers . . .)

The Dell UltraSharp line continues to be a good choice for flat screen LCDs. A 17″ Dell Ultrasharp is usually about $300, and a 19″ is frequently on sale for about $400. Treat yourself to the bigger size! And don’t try to save a few dollars by buying a cheapie at Costco – even flat screen monitors can have a mediocre, fuzzy display. […] continued

Dell has turned the “XPS” name into a separate brand for upper-end PCs, notebooks, displays, and televisions. Here’s an article about Dell’s new push into the top of the market.

As of tonight, Dell’s Small Business division doesn’t yet list all the XPS models on its website. The Home Division includes three XPS desktop models, plus the other XPS peripherals.

Shopping will be more complex now that the next version of Windows is creeping into our sights. A year or so from now, Windows Vista will look like a tempting upgrade, but only on systems with the kind of high-end video cards in the Dell XPS models. […] continued

Dell has been on top of the computer retailing world for years. It has had a well-deserved reputation for providing better support than the other PC manufacturers.

There are signs that Dell’s crown may be slipping – although unfortunately there is no one else stepping up to do a better job.

My understanding is that Dell’s “Home Systems” and “Small Business” divisions are quite separate. The computers are identical or close to it, but pricing and configurations may be different. Support for purchases from the home division has been outsourced to India; support for the small business division was brought back to the United States. […] continued