Dell extends Latitude E series

Acer TimelineX Notebook PCs Deliver Style

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Acer America today elevates its highly-touted Acer Aspire TimelineX series notebooks with a new sleek and stylish, thin and light design complemented by long battery life and the latest technology and new entertainment features, including Dolby® Home Theater v4 Audio. Models are available now in the United States.

The Acer Aspire TimelineX Series is a best-in-breed notebook line that combines performance and portability in an incredibly beautiful and refined form factor. The notebook's upscale look and feel centers around its uncluttered, elegant design. The notebooks have a clean layout with a large touchpad and chiclet keyboard to promote both enjoyment and productivity. Available in three sizes -- the 13.3-inch 3830T, 14-inch 4830T and 15.6-inch 5830T -- the designs measure about an inch thin and are very lightweight.

Powered by the latest second-generation Intel® Core™ i5 and i3 processors with Turbo Boost technology, the Acer TimelineX notebooks deliver the performance that savvy consumers, students, small businesses and families have come to expect for running multiple websites, videos, email, games and more. In addition to providing superb performance, Acer PowerSmart Technology provides extra long battery such as Acer AS07A31 Battery, Acer AS07A51 Battery, Acer Aspire 4520 Battery, Acer AS07B72 Battery, Acer Aspire 5520 Battery, Acer BTP-43D1 Battery, Acer TravelMate 220 Battery, Acer BTP-58A1 Battery, acer BTP-60A1 Battery, Acer TravelMate 240 Battery uptime of up to nine hours on models with integrated graphics and up to eight hours for models with discrete graphics, as well as a long battery lifecycle of up to four years.

The new Aspire TimelineX notebook PCs are perfect for entertainment thanks to new High-Definition audio support with Dolby Home Theater v4 Audio that delivers crisp and clear sound through its two built-in 3DSonic Stereo speakers and when connected to a home theater system. The notebooks also have HDMI 1080p output, so customers can use a convenient single cable connection to deliver HD video and audio to an external source. In addition, the notebooks have a USB 3.0 port for fast transfers. Plus, the port can charge USB devices even when the notebook is turned off.

The new Acer Aspire TimelineX models feature an HD Widescreen CineCrystal™ LED-backlit display with 16:9 HD True Cinematic View and excellent 1366x768 resolution for stunning clarity and viewing at any angle. Several models in the new line come with integrated NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 540M or 520M graphics with NVIDIA® Optimus™ technology to deliver crystal-clear images, brilliant color and lifelike video while maximizing battery life. Additional models feature Intel® HD Graphics to provide superb visual performance with sharp images and rich color.

"From its inception, the Acer Aspire TimelineX Series has hit the mark in style, mobility, performance and battery life for ultimate PC productivity," said Eric Ackerson, senior product marketing manager, Acer America. "The new updated models build upon this proposition to provide even more value for our customers."

The thin and light TimelineX Series is ideal for staying in touch on the go. The HD webcam has a high 1280x1024 resolution and is placed in the center of the notebook for convenient video-chatting and capturing photos and video. The built-in digital microphone supports the webcam to convey excellent voice quality, while minimizing background noise and echoes. All of the new models have 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi for connecting to wireless networks as well as Gigabit Ethernet LAN for a reliable wired connection. Also, many configurations include Bluetooth.

A Range of Sizes to Meet Customers' Needs
The Acer Aspire TimelineX 3830T thin and light notebook has a 13.1-inch display, weighs only 4.12 pounds and measures only 0.87-1.15 inches thin.

The Acer Aspire TimelineX includes models for customers that want extra features along with portability, battery life and performance capabilities. Both the Acer TimelineX 4830T (14-inch screen, 4.88 pounds) and Acer Aspire Timeline X 5830T (15.6-inch screen, 5.6 pounds) come with integrated DVD drives and feature a dedicated numeric keypad for quick and easy number input.

Software, Pricing and Availability
The new Acer Aspire TimelineX 3830T, 4830T and 5830T models are ready to use right out of the box with Windows® Home 7 as well as useful extras including Nook for PC, Adobe Flash Player 10.1, Adobe Reader, WildTangent Demo Games, Skype, Norton Online Backup, and Microsoft® Office 2010 (preloaded for online purchase).

The new Acer Aspire TimelineX notebooks also come with Acer clear.fi, a cross-platform solution for media enjoyment and sharing with DLNA-compliant devices, so customers can easily access, store and enjoy digital media from almost anywhere in an office, home or from the cloud.

The Acer TimelineX Series notebooks are available at retailers now in the United States at Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Prices starting at $599.99.

Limited Warranty
The new Acer Aspire TimelineX models come with a standard one-year parts and labor warranty, which can be extended to three years with the Acer Advantage service. All Acer netbooks are backed by toll-free service and support.

TI introduces industry's

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DALLAS, Sept. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN) today introduced the industry's first auto focus voice coil driver with both pulse width modulation (PWM) and linear current regulation support. The DRV201 provides designers the flexibility to select the PWM or linear regulation for compact cameras, smartphones and mobile devices. PWM current regulation is up to 75-percent more power-efficient than traditional designs using linear mode. The DRV201 is housed in TI's PicoStar(TM) packaging, which is the industry's thinnest package at 0.15 mm, enabling low-profile camera modules. DRV201 also integrates advanced ringing compensation in the silicon, to allow faster lens stabilization and to work well with a wider selection of lens and voice coil motor actuator suppliers. For samples and evaluation modules, visit
The auto focus function is generally the most power-hungry and battery-draining aspect of using the camera in smartphones and other mobile devices. By designing in PWM mode, the DRV201 reduces the power consumption of the auto focus function by 75 percent, which helps extend the battery such as Panasonic CGA-S101A Battery, Olympus Li-10B Battery, Olympus BLM1 Battery, panasonic NV-GS10 battery, panasonic VHS-C Battery, canon EOS 400D Battery, panasonic VW-VBD1E Battery, panasonic VW-VBD1 Battery, Panasonic CGA-S002 Battery, HITACHI DZ-HS300E Battery, Olympus FE-230 Battery, canon MV930 Battery life of devices that include a compact camera module.

Key features and benefits of the DRV201

Flexible selection of operation mode with I2C configuration.
Advanced ringing compensation feature results in fast lens settling time for faster focus - 10-mS settling time compared to 150 mS without ringing compensation.
Robust on-chip protection (open and short-circuit detection/protection, thermal protection and under-voltage lockout).
0.15-mm package height.
TI combines a rich history in motor drive and control, a broad portfolio of analog and microcontroller products and a comprehensive offering of tools, software and support to deliver efficient, reliable, cost-effective motor solutions. Customers can get the right solutions at the right performance level to quickly spin any motor, including AC induction (ACIM), brushed DC, brushless DC (BLDC), PMSM and stepper.

Texas Instruments semiconductor innovations help 80,000 customers unlock the possibilities of the world as it could be - smarter, safer, greener, healthier and more fun. Our commitment to building a better future is ingrained in everything we do - from the responsible manufacturing of our semiconductors, to caring for our employees, to giving back inside our communities. This is just the beginning of our story. Learn more at www.ti.com.

PicoStar and TI E2E are trademarks of Texas Instruments. All other trademarks and registered trademarks belong to their respective owners.

SOURCE Texas Instruments Incorporated

KODAK PLAYTOUCH Video Camera Lets You See and Be Seen with

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ROCHESTER, N.Y., Aug. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Eastman Kodak Company today introduced the new KODAK PLAYTOUCH Video Camera, a sleek and stylish addition to its award-winning digital video camera portfolio. The pocket-size KODAK PLAYTOUCH Video Camera features a 3-inch capacitive touchscreen so consumers can easily glide through their HD videos with the swipe of a fingertip. With new on-camera editing and Kodak's exclusive Share Button, the PLAYTOUCH Video Camera makes it easy for consumers to share their favorite moments with friends and family in full 1080p HD.

Complementing its unique design, the KODAK PLAYTOUCH Video Camera boasts an array of features to help consumers capture their memories with clarity and precision, including built-in image stabilization, LCD glare shield, and an external microphone jack. To make sharing videos simpler, the PLAYTOUCH Video Camera has a built-in USB arm and Kodak's Share Button lets consumers tag videos and pictures directly with battery like sony NP-F550 battery, sony NP-FR1 battery, sony NP-FM50 battery, sony NP-FM51 battery, sony NP-F10 battery, sony NP-FE1 battery, Sharp VL-Z900W battery, Canon BP-512 battery, Canon BP-508 battery, sony DSC-T7 battery, Sony NP-68 battery, Sony NP-98 battery on the camera for automatic upload to popular social networking sites once they connect the camera to the computer.

"Kodak has firmly established itself as a leader in the digital pocket video camera space since introducing its line in 2008, and continues to be one of the most highly rated and recommended in this category," said Phil Scott, Vice President of Marketing, Digital Capture and Devices, Kodak. "We're committed to providing our consumers with innovative and intuitive products that satisfy their needs. Whether it's a night out on the town with friends or your child's school play, the KODAK PLAYTOUCH Video Camera makes capturing and sharing your favorite moments simple and fun."

KODAK PLAYTOUCH Video Camera Features:

Share Button for easy video upload to YOUTUBE and FACEBOOK sites, and email
3-inch capacitive touchscreen LCD optimized for reviewing in landscape mode for the ultimate 1080p HD video sharing experience
On-camera editing features to trim and extract still pictures from video
5 MP HD still pictures
Sharper videos and less blur with built-in digital image stabilization
Built-in USB arm for easy sharing, charging, and transferring
Smart face tracking technology
LCD glare shield feature
External stereo microphone jack to add high-quality sound to videos or to plug in headphones for discreet playback*
4 capture effects, including B&W, sepia, high saturation, and '70s film look
HDMI output (HDMI cable included)
Up to 10 hours of HD video** with expandable SD/SDHC card slot (up to 32 GB)
Li-Ion rechargeable battery with in-camera charging
PC and MAC iLIFE product compatibility

The KODAK PLAYTOUCH Video Camera will be available in Smoke Gaze (Black), Chrome, Wine Country (Magenta), Cabana (Orange) and Spa Blue (Teal) for US $229.95 MSRP this fall at major retailers and Kodak.com.***

KODAK Digital Video Camera Portfolio

Whether you have an appetite for adventure or want to be the paparazzi of your social circle, Kodak has a pocket video camera for everyone. In addition to the KODAK PLAYTOUCH Video Camera, Kodak's robust line of digital video cameras also includes the award-winning KODAK PLAYSPORT Video Camera - a rugged, waterproof HD pocket video camera designed for adventure seekers. The perfect travel companion, the KODAK PLAYSPORT Video Camera captures full 1080p HD video - even underwater up to 10 feet - with the touch of a button. Kodak is also now offering the KODAK Mini Video Camera, an ultra-thin and lightweight camera about the size of a credit card, available at leading retailers and Kodak.com.

Product Accessories

A range of accessories are available for Kodak's pocket video camera portfolio including:

New KODAK Floating Wrist Strap for the KODAK PLAYSPORT Video Camera
New KODAK Gripping Tripods available this fall
KODAK SDHC Memory Cards, available in 4, 8 and 16 GB customized for optimal video capture
KODAK Adventure Mount for helmet, handlebars and more
KODAK Cases, Bags and Neck Straps
Remote control
KODAK Li-Ion Rechargeable Digital Camera Battery KLIC-7004
Battery charger options including KODAK Li-Ion Universal Battery Charger K7700-C, KODAK Solar Charger KS100-C+2, KODAK Portable Charger KP100-C+2

KODAK PLAYTOUCH Video Camera Lets You See and Be Seen with

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of the Sony Digital Camera Battery

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Aug. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Eastman Kodak Company today introduced the new KODAK PLAYTOUCH Video Camera, a sleek and stylish addition to its award-winning digital video camera portfolio. The pocket-size KODAK PLAYTOUCH Video Camera features a 3-inch capacitive touchscreen so consumers can easily glide through their HD videos with the swipe of a fingertip. With new on-camera editing and Kodak's exclusive Share Button, the PLAYTOUCH Video Camera makes it easy for consumers to share their favorite moments with friends and family in full 1080p HD.

Complementing its unique design, the KODAK PLAYTOUCH Video Camera boasts an array of features to help consumers capture their memories with clarity and precision, including built-in image stabilization, LCD glare shield, and an external microphone jack. To make sharing videos simpler, the PLAYTOUCH Video Camera has a built-in USB arm and Kodak's Share Button lets consumers tag videos and pictures directly with battery like sony NP-F550 battery, sony NP-FR1 battery, sony NP-FM50 battery, sony NP-FM51 battery, sony NP-F10 battery, sony NP-FE1 battery, Sharp VL-Z900W battery, Canon BP-512 battery, Canon BP-508 battery, sony DSC-T7 battery, Sony NP-68 battery, Sony NP-98 battery on the camera for automatic upload to popular social networking sites once they connect the camera to the computer.

"Kodak has firmly established itself as a leader in the digital pocket video camera space since introducing its line in 2008, and continues to be one of the most highly rated and recommended in this category," said Phil Scott, Vice President of Marketing, Digital Capture and Devices, Kodak. "We're committed to providing our consumers with innovative and intuitive products that satisfy their needs. Whether it's a night out on the town with friends or your child's school play, the KODAK PLAYTOUCH Video Camera makes capturing and sharing your favorite moments simple and fun."

KODAK PLAYTOUCH Video Camera Features:

Share Button for easy video upload to YOUTUBE and FACEBOOK sites, and email
3-inch capacitive touchscreen LCD optimized for reviewing in landscape mode for the ultimate 1080p HD video sharing experience
On-camera editing features to trim and extract still pictures from video
5 MP HD still pictures
Sharper videos and less blur with built-in digital image stabilization
Built-in USB arm for easy sharing, charging, and transferring
Smart face tracking technology
LCD glare shield feature
External stereo microphone jack to add high-quality sound to videos or to plug in headphones for discreet playback*
4 capture effects, including B&W, sepia, high saturation, and '70s film look
HDMI output (HDMI cable included)
Up to 10 hours of HD video** with expandable SD/SDHC card slot (up to 32 GB)
Li-Ion rechargeable battery with in-camera charging
PC and MAC iLIFE product compatibility

The KODAK PLAYTOUCH Video Camera will be available in Smoke Gaze (Black), Chrome, Wine Country (Magenta), Cabana (Orange) and Spa Blue (Teal) for US $229.95 MSRP this fall at major retailers and Kodak.com.***

KODAK Digital Video Camera Portfolio

Whether you have an appetite for adventure or want to be the paparazzi of your social circle, Kodak has a pocket video camera for everyone. In addition to the KODAK PLAYTOUCH Video Camera, Kodak's robust line of digital video cameras also includes the award-winning KODAK PLAYSPORT Video Camera - a rugged, waterproof HD pocket video camera designed for adventure seekers. The perfect travel companion, the KODAK PLAYSPORT Video Camera captures full 1080p HD video - even underwater up to 10 feet - with the touch of a button. Kodak is also now offering the KODAK Mini Video Camera, an ultra-thin and lightweight camera about the size of a credit card, available at leading retailers and Kodak.com.

Product Accessories

A range of accessories are available for Kodak's pocket video camera portfolio including:

New KODAK Floating Wrist Strap for the KODAK PLAYSPORT Video Camera
New KODAK Gripping Tripods available this fall
KODAK SDHC Memory Cards, available in 4, 8 and 16 GB customized for optimal video capture
KODAK Adventure Mount for helmet, handlebars and more
KODAK Cases, Bags and Neck Straps
Remote control
KODAK Li-Ion Rechargeable Digital Camera Battery KLIC-7004
Battery charger options including KODAK Li-Ion Universal Battery Charger K7700-C, KODAK Solar Charger KS100-C+2, KODAK Portable Charger KP100-C+2

Super Battery Now Available for Dell Adamo Laptop

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QuickerTek, has just announced a new external battery for the new Dell Adamo laptop - the Dell Juicz. This battery adds 8 to 10 hours of additional battery power, beyond the battery power built into the Adamo. It's available from QuickerTek, Inc. for $249.95 USD.

Not only is this Dell Juicz Battery the only external battery available, but it's also the only means of extending the laptop's mobile power.

How is this unprecedented battery power possible? The battery inside the QuickerTek product is actually several batteries fused together. These lithium-ion batteries provide 124Wh capacity - the highest charge density per gram of weight available anywhere. The Dell Juicz also comes with a 120/240 volt AC battery charger for fast recharges.

The QuickerTek Dell Juicz is rated for 1,000 to 2,000 full recharges. And it also recharges in only three hours - far less than common batteries with comparatively limited power. A four-foot cable gives you flexibility when using the QuickerTek Adamo Battery like Dell BATDW00L Battery, Dell 1X793 Battery, Dell BAT1194 Battery, Dell Precision M20 Battery, dell F5635 battery, dell YF976 battery, dell C5974 battery, dell U4873 battery, Dell Inspiron XPS M170 Battery, Dell Inspiron XPS M1710 Battery, allowing placement where you need it.

This battery only weighs 1.2 pounds so it is easily transportable. Adamo users now have the freedom to take the laptop on longer airline flights, work outside of the home or office, or just spend additional time free of the power cord that ties laptop users down.

The QuickerTek Dell Juicz Adamo Battery comes in an Adamo-like black anodized, machined aluminum case of just 7 x 3.5 x 1 inches. You won't feel embarrassed when you pull this powerhouse battery out of your laptop bag and then sit back for an all-day computing experience.

QuickerTek backs the Dell Juicz with a one-year warranty on parts and labor. Additional product information is found at delljuicz#com.

QuickerTek is a trademark of QuickerTek, Inc.

Adamo is a trademark of Dell Inc.

Batteries Burn Benighted Dell

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Remember those pictures of that spontaneously self-immolating Dell laptop on TV a few weeks ago? The ones that have been playing on the Internet ever since - along with stories about the Arizona guy whose pick-up truck went up in flames while he was loading it because of the Dell laptop he put on the passenger seat. The fire ultimately set off the ammo stowed in the glove box and then the gas tank exploded while 62-year-old Thomas Forqueran ducked for cover.

Well, in what is said to be the largest recall in the history of computers, Dell is going to be taking back 4.1 million Dell-branded Sony-made lithium-ion batteries from a reported 18% of the notebooks it's sold since April 2004 until the middle of last month.

Dell, which is struggling to get back on track, claims the recall won't have any material impact. Yeah, right, well then, it must not be counting perceptions. And the news hit just as the back-to-school season is ramping up. Like parents aren't going to go shopping elsewhere just to play it safe.

Not that other people's batteries are inherently any safer but Dell seems to be alone in this and eventually somebody's going to remember that this is not Dell's first notebook crisis. As a matter of fact it dropped out of the notebook market for a couple of years a decade ago because of dicey designs.

A manufacturing defect that causes a short circuit in the fuel cells is supposedly the problem this time. Dell is blaming Sony and Sony reportedly changed its manufacturing process but it also claims the problem is specific to Dell's design. HP claims it doesn't have a problem because it's using custom-designed batteries such as dell 2941E battery, dell 9943E battery, dell Inspiron 7100 battery, dell Inspiron 7500 battery, dell Inspiron 7000 battery, dell 2M400 battery, dell 5208U battery, dell XPS M1210 battery, dell UD265 battery, dell Inspiron 3700 battery. Lenovo says the same thing. Fujitsu built its own batteries. Apple is checking.

This is also not Dell's first battery recall just its largest, and it's estimated it will cost somewhere between $200 million and $400 million, maybe more. It's unclear how much of the bill Sony is going to pick up.

It's also going to give authorities another reason to ban laptops, cell phones, MP3 players, camcorders and other battery-operated gadgets from airplanes. A UPS cargo plane carrying batteries in the hold was lost to fire back in February and there have been other incidents on passenger planes.

The government is now investigating all applications of Sony batteries.

In an example of market contrariness, Dell's stock went up Tuesday on news of the recall. The talking heads on CNBC called it a "relief rally," Dell scoring points for coming to terms with the mounting crisis of the last few week. If it can assemble and replace four million batteries, they said, it will look heroic, provided its service arm, which let it down before, holds up.

Dell claims to be acting because of a half-dozen reported incidents, but the New York Times says its reporter saw pictures of 100 "melted" notebooks supplied by a former Dell technician that were returned to Dell between 2002 and 2004. Dell told the Times most of the damage was not battery-related.

Dell identified the tainted notebooks as the Dell Latitude D410, D500, D505, D510, D520, D600, D610, D620, D800, D810; the Inspiron 6000, 8500, 8600, 9100, 9200, 9300, 500m, 510m, 600m, 6400, E1505, 700m, 710m, 9400, E1705; and the Precision M20, M60, M70 and M90 mobile workstations; and the XPS, XPS Gen2, XPS M170 and XPS M1710.

The batteries were also sold separately and are stamped "Dell" and "Made in Japan" or "Made in China" or "Battery Cell Made in Japan Assembled in China." The identification number for each battery appears on a white sticker. Customers are advised to have this number available when they contact Dell to determine if their battery is part of the recall.

The computers with these batteries sold for between $500 and $2,850 and the individual batteries sold for between $60 and $180.

Laptop lunacy adds new IS headache

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Quicker resolution is in fact the stated aim of many of Dell’s new customer satisfaction programs. Dell even has a name for this objective: Resolve in One. “It expresses our determination that every customer’s issue be resolved the first time,” said Dell president and CEO Kevin Rollins. “To that end we are moving towards multifunction call centres. The idea is to resolve customer calls as they come in, with no transfers.”

Rollins said the same philosophy is exemplified, at the enterprise level, by programs such as Platinum Plus Enterprise Support.

Platinum Plus customers, he said, can access a Web-based tool that brings the enterprise command centre to customers, allowing them to track the real-time position and status of every open incident they experience around the world, without picking up the phone. Likewise with battery such as Dell RD859 Battery, Dell PR002 Battery, Dell UD260 Battery, Dell PD942 Battery, Dell Latitude 131L Battery, Dell 8F871 Battery, Dell 2G218 Battery, Dell Winbook N4 Battery, Dell F0590A01 Battery, Dell 7T670 Battery, he said, an operations performance benchmarking tool offers these customers the ability to compare critical IT performance metrics to historical results, internal and external peers.

Apart from all the benefits to customers, Warren sees this as another revenue stream for Dell. “Today vendors make money by improving and widening their “services” portfolio.”

However, to make this money, companies may first have to spend quite a bit of it. According to Rollins, Dell has invested around US$150 million to enhance services.

Warren predicted Dell competitors, such as HP and Lenovo, would soon offer similar programs.

Some value-added services described by Dell executives at the event are enhancements to Dell Direct, the company’s direct sales model.

Dell’s focus on customer-factory integration falls into this category. Pentland cited an example of how such integration can work in pratice. “If the client has a proprietary application they want loaded on their desktops, notebooks, or servers, we can do it in the factory, instead of the customer having to do it after market. It saves the IT department a lot of time and energy.”

Warren believes this “preloading” option will have better reception among smaller and mid-sized businesses, rather than larger enterprises. “It’s another potential revenue stream for Dell.”

In addition to the emphasis on services, Dell execs announced some fairly decisive shifts in procurement management, as part of Dell 2.0. For instance, the company has reduced its approved vendor list for supplied components by more than 50 per cent.

Warren sees this as a radical – but possibly temporary - move by Dell to simplify and streamline its procurement process and operations, and reduce costs. “This is a ‘clean house’ operation. It wouldn’t surprise me if the trend changes in the next few years. As Dell broadens the scope of its operations it will require more supplier partners.”

One of the most decisive – but not unexpected - shifts is Dell’s increasingly cozy relationship with AMD.

This was further witnessed at the Tuesday event, when Dell announced an expanded Dell Dimension lineup allowing customers – for the first time – to opt for AMD Athlon 64x2 processors on select models of the Dimension E520, E521 and C521.

This builds on Dell’s decision, in May, to add AMD’s Opteron chip as an option for high-end, four-socket servers.

Pentland said the decisions were in direct response to customer feedback. “Benchmarks on our four-way and two-way servers revealed AMD was preferred by customers.” On the PC front, he said the option to select either AMD or Intel would be offered on specific models, wh

Revitalized Dell promises extraordinary customer experience

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New designs, new procurement strategies, new sales and marketing channels, new partners and a renewed emphasis on services – Dell Inc. unveiled all these and several new products to boot to herald the advent of what it dubs Dell 2.0.

The emphasis on novelty notwithstanding, company execs are quick to point out that Dell 2.0 does not constitute a full-scale reinvention but rather a revitalization.

“It’s all about evolving; it’s not about revolution,” said founder and chairman of the board, Michael Dell at Dell Technology Day held in New York City on Tuesday.

To him and other company top guns that’s not just semantics.

They took pains to clarify that Dell with battery like dell Inspiron E1705 battery, dell Inspiron 6000 battery(dell 6000 battery), dell Inspiron 9300 battery, dell Inspiron 9400 battery, dell 310-6321 battery, dell 310-6322 battery, dell D5318 battery, dell G5260 battery, dell G5266 battery, which sells more systems globally than any other computer company, is by no means abandoning ‘Dell Direct’ – its direct sales model to which it owes its historical success.

“But we are carefully re-examining what we do, focusing on every aspect of our business,” Michael Dell said.

This scrutiny has triggered some pretty dramatic shifts in the way company is doing business, a few of which were announced at yesterday’s event.

It appears many of these changes have to do with offsetting some inherent shortcomings of the Dell Direct model, though that’s not the official company line.

Analysts have pointed out that while this model has several advantages on the production side – such as cutting out the middleman, avoiding excess inventory, and operating an extraordinarily lean production system – it leads to quite a few challenges on the support side. These include: the difficulty in effectively fielding information requests before the sale, handling service requests, and responding to problems after the sale. (The responsibility and costs of these cannot be offloaded to distributors or reseller partners as there aren’t any such partners).

At least two of Dell’s programs – showcased on Tuesday – directly address these service/support challenges.

One is Dell Connect, a program that enables Dell support technicians in support centres across the world to access customer PCs (with the customer’s permission) and then directly troubleshoot and resolve problems. “The wonderful thing about this is that the technician sees exactly what the customer sees, can go in and solve the problem,” said Lawrence Pentland, vice-president and general manager of Dell Americas International (that includes Canada).

Kim Vogelman, a project manager for Dell Connect says the technology enhances everyone’s comfort level. “Our technicians and customers love it. A customer can observe or participate as the technician troubleshoots and resolves the issue. It’s also a more efficient and fun process.” See Vogelman’s Dell Connect demo video.
According to Pentland, 95 per cent of Dell’s customers have expressed satisfaction with Dell Connect, while 85 per cent said their issue had been resolved through the program.

At least one Canadian analyst believes Dell Connect will give Dell a leg up over competitors that do not have a similar program.

“Expect to see similar [support] programs from other key PC vendors as well,” said Michelle Warren, an IT analyst with Evans Research Corp. in Toronto. She said the benefits of the program are likely to spread by word of mouth. “There’s a certain ‘wow’ factor about a technician remotely getting into your PC, troubleshooting and resolving a problem. That will help create the buzz.”

While Dell’s messaging focuses on the benefits of this program to the customer, Warren believes it could also potentially save Dell a load of money by ensuring speedy problem resolution, and in many cases, doing away with the need to dispatch a technician on site. “It also builds customer confidence in Dell, and its support and issue-resolution competency.”

Dell ups offer for 3PAR to US$1.6B, tops HP

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The company's bidding war with HP continued to escalate on Thursday. Dell increased its bid to match HP's offer for the virtual storage vendor
The bidding war between Dell Corp. and Hewlett-Packard Co. for virtualized storage vendor 3PAR continued on Thursday, with Dell increasing its bid to US$24.30 per share, or about $1.6 billion.

The offer has been accepted by 3PAR, according to Dell with battery such as dell Latitude CPi battery, dell Inspiron 8200 battery, dell Inspiron 8000 battery, dell Inspiron 8100 battery, dell Inspiron 4000 battery, dell Inspiron 4100 battery, dell Inspiron 2500 battery, dell Latitude CPX battery, dell Latitude C600 battery, dell Latitude C610 battery. It tops a $24 per share offer made by HP earlier this week.

Dell had originally inked a deal to buy 3PAR for $18 per share, or roughly $1.15 billion, but the agreement had a provision for matching competitive offers, according to a statement.

Dell expects the deal to close before the end of this year.

However, Dell's amended offer does not necessarily end the bidding war, and HP has a window to come back with a higher bid.

According to an SEC filing on Thursday, 3PAR considered the bid as a "superior proposal" to HP's offer. 3PAR has said that the tender offer will expire on Sept. 20 at midnight Eastern Time, after which 3PAR would become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dell.

3PAR is known for its thin provisioning capabilities, which supply storage resources on demand. The approach is said to be more efficient than traditional "fat provisioning," a process that dedicates an excess amount of storage to an application in anticipation of future needs.

Spokesmen from both HP and 3PAR declined to comment.

It's hard to predict a response when two companies get into competitive bidding situation, especially in an environment where a lot of IT companies are consolidating, said Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT.

"The Dell bid is a sober testing of how interested HP is in 3PAR," King said. "It'll be interesting to see how this shakes up."

He couldn't predict whether HP would respond, but the company's original bid indicated they're interested in 3PAR, he said.

Dell to make a play for Brocade?

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A report from Oppenheimer & Co. predicts Dell Inc. might break into the storage area networking space by acquiring Brocade Communications Systems Inc., Compellent Technologies Inc. or CommVault Systems Inc. Find out about the speculation on some possible future storage mergers and acquisitions
After losing out to Hewlett Packard Development Co. LP on 3Par Inc., will Dell Inc. now make a play for Brocade Communications Systems Inc.?

That's a scenario presented this week from investment firm Oppenheimer & Co., which issued a report speculating on possible merger and acquisition activity in storage after HP's winning $2.4 billion bid for 3Par, a Fremont, Calif.-based data centre storage vendor. An Oppenheimer analyst believes Dell with battery like dell Latitude C640 battery, dell 1691P battery, dell 75UYF battery, dell 5081P battery, Dell 1K500 battery, Dell Inspiron 3700 battery, Dell Precision M40 battery, Dell Precision M50 battery, dell Inspiron 700m battery, dell Inspiron 710m battery might be the most aggressive vendor in the storage M&A scene.

"We expect Dell, which we view as weak overall within the enterprise, to continue to aggressively expand its storage presence and perhaps even venture into networking," states Oppenheimer analyst Ittai Kidron in his report. "HP is more well rounded, but could also add a few pieces to the puzzle. We believe IBM, EMC and NetApp could be active but are likely to be less aggressive given their position and relative portfolio completeness."

Oppenheimer sees the "most likely" M&A moves as Dell acquiring Brocade or Compellent Technologies Inc. or CommVault, and EMC Corp. acquiring Isilon Systems Inc. Brocade would provide a "strong" storage-area network switching business and "solid" Ethernet installed base to Dell, enabling the server company "to move upward in the enterprise and the data center," Kidron writes. Another potential storage option for Dell is Pillar Data Systems Inc., and possibly data warehousing players Teradata Corp. or Netezza Corp., Kidron states.

"We believe Dell is in the most pressing need for further M&A and we think it could expand into networking to become an end-to-end player," he writes.
Brocade has been rumored to be an acquisition target for the past year or so. Company CEO Mike Klayko has sought to deflect talk of Brocade being acquired.

Meanwhile, EMC lacks a "true scale out" network-attached storage platform, according to Kidron. As a result, EMC may be looking at Isilon.

"We think Isilon is the best fit for EMC with strong scalability and momentum in high-end virtualized environments," the Oppenheimer report states. EMC could also pursue private player Caringo for digital content storage, the firm posits.

IBM Corp. doesn't have an immediate need to extend its storage portfolio but it does lack an in-house iSCSI product, Oppenheimer notes. It may make a play for some of the smaller iSCSI vendors, such as BlueArc, DataCore, FalconStor and Nimbus Data Systems, as well as a data warehousing company like Netezza, the firm states.

NetApp is not expected to make much of any noise in M&A since it already offers "a fully baked unified storage platform," Oppenheimer states. But like with EMC, scale out NAS is "an area of concern" for the company, Kidron notes.

And after winning 3Par, no major near-term moves are expected by HP either. But Compellent could bulk up HP's mid-range storage offerings; and HP could target Teradata or Netezza if it sought to bolster its data warehousing portfolio, Oppenheimer states.