Dell Buying News

These new servers look like the dogs bollocks. I still think Core 2 Duos rock though

Dubai, UAE - Speaking during his first official visit to the Middle East, Michael Dell, chairman and CEO of Dell, told reporters at a conference held at the Emirates Towers Hotel in Dubai, “The world is witnessing the most exciting and promising period for technology ever seen. We call it the “Connected Era.” The second billion people coming online, many from the world’s fast growing and emerging economies expect a different technology experience to the first. The Internet has unleashed billions of new conversations and made it possible for people to connect in new ways. The emergence of this Connected Era is arguably the most influential single trend remodeling the world today.”

Mr. Dell said the Connected Era is transforming the way technology is used to drive conversations and communities online. It is also creating an urgent need to simplify IT infrastructures and address concerns about how this escalating demand might impact the planet.

At the same press conference, Mr. Abdulatif Almulla, CEO of TECOM Investments said, “I would like to extend a warm welcome to Michael Dell on his first visit to the Middle East. This visit clearly reflects Dell’s focus on the needs of the Middle Eastern market and its commitment to supporting this key region during the next phase of its growth.”

He continued, “With the overall IT spend in the Middle East and Africa expected to exceed $40 billion in 2008 and with the Gulf Cooperation Council accounting for nearly 23 percent of the total (according to IDC figures), the region’s IT sector has significantly evolved into one of the key players in the global IT industry. We will be working closely with Dell to find ways to bring the benefits of its best practice approaches to this region.”

In his remarks, Mr. Dell outlined what he described as the four key drivers of the Connected Era:

Simplify IT

While IT has made our lives simpler and more efficient, Mr. Dell said, “Somewhere along the way, all this efficiency got complicated. For many businesses, governments and consumers technology is too expensive, too complex and uses far too much power. We have made it our mission to simplify IT for customers.”

Reaching the Next Billion

More than one billion people are online today. By 2011, another billion are expected to join. Reaching these new users will require tailoring products to their needs and paying attention to how they prefer to learn about and purchase computers systems. “In the Middle East, for example, we’re bringing strengths from the direct model to our channel business by creating closer and deeper relationships through our partners to help us better understand customer needs.” Mr. Dell said. “Also we’re continuing to invest in local logistics and services capabilities to ensure we serve customers quickly.”

Technology has also lowered the barrier to entry for starting a small business, making it easier than ever for entrepreneurs in the Middle East and other fast-growing economies to successfully compete with businesses of all sizes, all over the world.

Listening

Mr. Dell said the Connected Era has forever redefined what it means to listen to customers. “Listening used to mean commissioning a customer survey. Now it means engaging directly with customers and critics and using those relationships to create a smarter business. Tapping into the ideas of our customers is like having an open source R&D lab. It’s incredibly exciting, both for Dell and for our customers.”

Since February 2007, Dell has invited its customers to share their ideas for improving its products and services on IdeaStorm.com. The site has attracted more than 8,900 ideas and features 45 Ideas in Action.

Environment and the ReGeneration

On World Environment Day 2007, Michael Dell committed to partnering with customers to become the “greenest” technology company on the planet. “The last 20 years has seen computers and servers getting faster, more powerful and more energy hungry. Our industry needs to design and build machines that combine the first two characteristics while reversing the third. And we are doing it at Dell.”

In doing so, he introduced the idea that we can all be part of the ReGeneration – a global community of people of all ages and backgrounds who care about the environment. “This is not just a matter of good environmental stewardship – though that concern is paramount,” Mr. Dell said. “Our customers want to identify with our commitment to the issues they care about – especially those issues that directly relate to our products.” To join with Dell and thousands of others in lending a voice and saving the planet, visit www.ReGeneration.org.

A step in the right direction I suppose. Still not convinced about gobal warming. More concerned about scarity of resources.

Green Power Supplied by Waste Management’s Landfill Gas-to-Energy Plant and TXU Energy Wind Power
Company Ahead of Schedule to Meet Carbon-Neutrality Commitment

Dell is now powering 100 percent of its 2.1 million square-foot global headquarters campus, home to more than 10,000 employees, with 100 percent green power, the latest step in meeting the company’s 2008 carbon neutral commitment.

“It’s time for our industry to take a lead role in creating a clean energy future,” said Paul Bell, president, Dell Americas. “Today, we are challenging every technology company to work with their suppliers and partners in integrating green power and energy-efficient strategies into their operations.”

“Powering an entire campus with green power, in partnership with these two leading companies, is an important step in becoming the greenest technology company on the planet and the right thing to do for our shared earth,” said Mr. Bell. “At the same time we’re using green technology to drive operating expense down.”

Dell is using all of the power generated from Waste Management’s Austin Community Landfill gas-to-energy plant, meeting 40 percent of Dell headquarters’ campus power needs. The remaining 60 percent comes from existing wind farms and is provided by TXU Energy.

Dell also announced today it is increasing green power use for its Austin Parmer Campus, provided by Austin Energy, from eight to 17 percent. The company is a leading participant in Austin Energy’s GreenChoice® power program. Dell also is powering its Twin Falls, Idaho, facility with 100 percent green power, 97 percent of which is wind power and three percent solar.

In September 2007, Dell announced it would make company owned and leased facilities “carbon neutral” in 2008 through a strategy of improving energy-efficiency in its operations and maximizing the purchase of renewable power. This commitment is part of the company’s climate strategy which also seeks to minimize carbon impact of supplier operations and customer product use.

Operational initiatives to increase efficiency and reduce electricity use already implemented on Dell’s central Texas campuses are expected to save the company nearly $2 million annually in operating costs and cutting CO2 equivalent emissions by nearly 12,000 tons per year. The purchase of green power gives Dell price certainty on its operational costs for power, and the company expects it may see cost benefits to using green power in the future.

Dell’s green technology solutions include the OptiPlex 755 and Inspiron 531 desktops, Latitude D630 laptop, PowerEdge M-Series blades and PowerEdge Energy Smart servers. The company’s desktop systems alone have helped customers save more than $2.2 billion and avoid approximately 22.4 million tons of CO2.

“We’re very pleased that our Austin Community Landfill’s gas to energy project will play a key role in Dell’s commitment to using renewable energy. This project is part of our company’s environmental initiative to increase the production of waste based energy. Today, we create enough energy for the equivalent of 1 million homes each year and by 2020 we expect to double that output, producing enough energy for the equivalent of more than 2 million homes,” said David Steiner, chief executive officer of Waste Management, Inc.

“This is yet another example of TXU Energy’s commitment to offering renewable power choices that are good for business and the environment,” said Jim Burke, chief executive officer for TXU Energy “TXU Energy is dedicated to improving our use of renewable power and encouraging greater energy efficiency, both of which help preserve our environment.”

“For Dell to partner with Waste Management and TXU to source renewable energy on this scale is great news,” said Steve Howard, CEO of The Climate Group. “Greening the company’s Texas operations not only underpins Dell’s bold carbon neutral commitment but helps drive clean energy investment and tackles climate change.”

Pretty cool for people who travel a lot on business.   

World travelers can stay connected globally with Dell’s next-generation laptops that will support mobile broadband on multiple cellular networks.

U.S.-based travelers who connect their laptops via EV-DO carrier networks (like Verizon Wireless or Sprint), will be able to connect via HSPA carrier networks (like Vodafone), a wireless standard commonly found in Europe. Today customers who wish to connect to both types of networks must use two different mobile broadband cards.

Dell’s next-generation laptops, available later this year, will support a single-card 3G network connection through Qualcomm’s Gobi™ solution. The software-configurable technology enables high-speed data connectivity on both UMTS and CDMA networks, and allows users to switch between network carriers. The built-in Gobi solution will be offered across Latitude, Dell Precision, and consumer laptops.

“Dell will continue to deliver on the promise of global computing with the addition of Qualcomm’s Gobi technology,” said Ken Bond, director of wireless product management at Dell. “Customers are demanding more freedom to compute the way they want, where they want, which is why Dell today offers such a wide selection of mobile-broadband ready laptops.”

“The Gobi solution enables enterprise users and consumers with the freedom of being untethered from Wi-Fi hotspots and connecting to the Internet using ‘almost anywhere’ cellular broadband connectivity,” said Greg Raleigh, vice president of product management for Qualcomm CDMA Technologies. “We are pleased that Dell will be leveraging the flexibility and efficiency Gobi provides to meet the growing needs of mobile data users.”

…As if they weren’t competative enough.  Their prices wipe the floor with everyone elses.  Good news for us though as it looks like their prices will fall even more. 

Dell today detailed additional actions in its previously announced program to restore the competitive advantage of the company’s operating model, rationalize its operations and improve profitability and cash flow.

“We believe we have a $3 billion opportunity to drive both productivity and efficiency,” said Michael Dell, Dell’s chairman and CEO. “We’ve analyzed the business and opportunity, so we know - without question - where our priorities should be. And as we’ve reignited growth in our business, we’re taking deliberate steps across the company to improve our competitive position.”

The actions Dell will take during Fiscal 2009 and beyond are expected to position the company to further accelerate growth in its five focus areas: global consumer, enterprise, notebooks, small and medium enterprise and emerging countries, while improving profitability and cash returns. As a part of a broader assessment of its global manufacturing and logistics network, the company will close its desktop manufacturing facility in Austin, Texas.

In addition, the company will take further actions to reduce total product costs across all areas, including design, manufacturing and logistics, materials and operating expenses. Dell expects that the initial benefits from these actions will begin to be realized in the second half of this fiscal year. Over the next three years, the company expects to achieve annualized savings of approximately $3 billion, and will use this benefit to strengthen its competitive position and improve profitability. The company also reaffirmed its previously announced plans to reduce global employee headcount by at least 8,800 and related operating expense. In the last nine months of the company’s fiscal 2008, it reduced headcount by 3,200, excluding acquisitions.

“We expect that these actions, along with the continuing rigor we’re applying to operating expense control throughout our operations, will result in an improved, world-class cost structure,” said Don Carty, Dell’s vice chairman and CFO.

The company also announced it is undertaking a strategic assessment of ownership alternatives for its Dell Financial Services financing activities. The assessment will primarily focus on the consumer and small/medium business revolving credit financing receivables and operations in the U.S., but may also include commercial leasing.

“We plan to look at alternatives that will strengthen the product offerings, enhance customer experience and improve DFS’ overall financial services capabilities in the most efficient way,” said Mr. Carty.

The outcome of the assessment will depend on the customer, capital and economic impact of alternative ownership structures. It is possible the assessment will result in no change to the ownership and/or operating structure. The company expects to complete the assessment in Q3 of the current fiscal year.

For more discussion of these actions, visit Dell’s Investor Relations Blog site, www.dell.com/dellshares. Additional details about these initiatives will be provided during the company’s Equity Analyst Meeting and Webcast on Wednesday, April 2 and Thursday, April 3, 2008. The meeting webcast may be viewed at www.Dell.com\investor.

I wonder how long before we get this for that price.  Looked on their site and they are lying.  http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/inspnnb_1525?c=uk&cs=ukdhs1&l=en&s=dhs  maybe it will be updated tomorrow. 

 The high-definition format wars are over - and you won: Dell customers can now get a Blu-ray laptop for under a $1,000. Available today on dell.com, movie buffs can pick up the InspironTM  1525 with optional Blu-ray disc playback starting at $879.

As retailers and video rental companies expand their high-definition offerings, Blu-ray is the new “must-have” technology to help get the most out of your viewing experience.

The award-winning Inspiron 1525 laptop features a 15.4-inch high definition wide aspect display with 720p resolution. It also includes an HDMI port for easy connectivity to high resolution displays and HDTVs.

The Blu-ray player disc drive is fully backwards compatible, and will play as well as burn traditional DVDs and CDs. Consumers can also chose a Blu-ray burner drive, which is great for backing up and storing important files like digital photos, videos, financial records, etc. A Blu-ray disc will hold up to 50 GB of data, vs. 8.5 GB available on the typical DVD disc.

The lightweight Inspiron 1525 is all about self expression, allowing customers to complement their individual style with a laptop that offers designs like Chill, Blossom and Commotion, or a spectrum of vibrant colors, like Sunshine Yellow, Midnight Blue and Ruby Red.

Dell Inspiron 1525 laptops with Blu-ray disc drives incorporate Broadcom Media PC technology that allows PCs with integrated graphics to play high definition video. The high-definition video playback is enabled through a built-in dedicated accelerator located in a mini-card slot.

Like all Dell consumer laptops, the Inspiron 1525 features Dell MediaDirect technology which provides one button instant access to media files, even if the system is powered off or in hibernate. Optional accessories for a great movie watching experience include a slim travel power adapter ($80), Dell travel remote control (IR) that slips into the ExpressCard slot ($22), and Creative noise-isolation earphones ($25). The Inspiron 1525 laptop with Blu-ray is available today in the U.S., Canada and Europe.

Dell is partnering with Egenera Inc. to deliver a fully integrated solution for employing dynamic data center environments. Together, the two companies intend to combine Dell’s award-winning PowerEdgeTM  server line, a full suite of Dell’s Infrastructure Consulting Services and Egenera’s PAN Manager infrastructure virtualization software. The solution is designed to enable customers to simplify operations by creating and managing a single resource pool for both physical and virtualized servers.

“Dell is listening to customers and providing solutions that make the virtual data center easier to deploy and manage, regardless of platform,” said Rick Becker, vice president, Dell Software & Solutions. “Dell and Egenera will help customers focus on company growth by delivering excellence in virtualized infrastructure from server performance, storage interoperability to dynamic data center management.”

“The Dell-Egenera relationship was driven by customer need for simple, agile and cost-effective solutions that virtualize and unify data center assets beyond a single server,” said Mike Thompson, president and CEO, Egenera. “We’re driving to provide customers with a powerful, integrated way to manage server, network and storage assets, with lower operational costs, increased resource utilization and uptime.”

*First online partner to join Dell in offering carbon-offset option
*One-hundred percent of contributions remitted to The Conservation Fund and Carbonfund.org for tree planting
 
ROUND ROCK, Texas, and BENTONVILLE, Ark. - Dell customers looking for an environmentally-responsible computing option at samsclub.com can now help offset the carbon impact of the electricity required to power their laptop or desktop, an extension of Dell’s “Plant a Tree for Me” program.

Customer contributions of $2 for a laptop and $6 for a desktop will go toward the planting of trees that absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Dell partners with The Conservation Fund and the Carbonfund.org, non-profit organizations that plant trees in sustainably managed reforestation projects.

“Our success in addressing climate change, energy depletion and other global challenges ultimately depends on our ability to empower and inspire the ReGeneration, people of all ages who care about the environment,” said Tod Arbogast, director of sustainable business at Dell. “Programs like ‘Plant a Tree for Me’ provide a simple and tangible way to make a difference.”

Dell launched “Plant a Tree for Me” for customers in January 2007. The company recently joined The Conservation Fund, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and other commercial partners in dedicating 158 acres of forestland in East Texas, one of five tree-planting projects funded through the program.

“Climate change and habitat loss are two of the greatest environmental challenges of our time,” said Larry Selzer, president and CEO of The Conservation Fund. “Thanks to industry-leading efforts of Dell and samsclub.com, and the generosity of their customers, we are making extraordinary strides to restore native forests that will clean the air we breathe, filter the water we drink, enhance habitat for wildlife and create new recreation areas that we can all enjoy.”
Environmental Leadership

Dell is committed to becoming the “greenest” technology company on the planet. Last year, the company announced that it would be the first major computer manufacturer to neutralize the carbon impact of its worldwide operations. The company’s carbon intensity (CO2 emissions/revenue) is among the lowest of the Fortune 50.

In September 2007, Dell announced “Plant a Forest for Me,” a program that enables organizations worldwide to share best practices and, as partners, facilitate the planting of trees in sustainably managed reforestation projects. Partners include AMD, ABN AMRO, Ask.com, CGI, Staples, Salesforce.com, Targus and WellPoint.

Dell also offers the industry’s only free recycling program for consumers. In 2006, the company recycled more than 78 million pounds of computer equipment worldwide, a 93 percent increase over 2005. This put Dell ahead of schedule in achieving a goal of recycling 275 million pounds of equipment by 2009.

For more information on “Plant a Tree for Me,” “Plant a Forest for Me,” and Dell’s commitment to become the “greenest” technology company on the planet, visit www.dell.com/earth. To join with the company and thousands of others in lending a voice and protecting the environment, visit www.regeneration.org.

*Service reduces cost and complexities associated with operating system migrations
*Automated process helps speed deployment while mitigating risk
 
Dell today announced the Dell Client Migration Solution, an integrated set of services and tools that can reduce migration costs by up to 62 percent and desk-side time and labor by up to an estimated 88 percent. Designed for organizations planning an operating system migration or hardware deployment of 2,500 systems or more, Dell’s Client Migration Solution can simplify the process by addressing pervasive challenges such as network utilization, application compatibility and end-user downtime, all while minimizing costs.

“Organizations are evaluating their Windows Vista migration policies and procedures, and as they do so, it will be imperative for them to address all stages of the migration process,” said Matt Healey, research manager, Hardware and Software Support Services, IDC. “Dell has recognized this need and has developed a suite of services to address these needs.”

Based on best practices gleaned from millions of deployments, Dell’s Client Migration Solution includes focused services to help customers determine hardware and application compatibility in their client environment, then seamlessly plan, deploy and manage migrated systems. The solution leverages new patent-pending Dell Automated Deployment technologies that can speed the deployment process, reduce post-migration issues, mitigate risk and eliminate network traffic normally associated with deployments by an estimated 70 percent. Additionally, Dell provides customers with the tools and expertise needed to help better manage ongoing technology refreshes and instruction to ensure support staff and end-users are properly trained.

“Customers are migrating to Windows Vista, and they’ve asked Dell to provide services to simplify the process for them,” said Steve Meyer, vice president, Global Services, Dell. “In response, Dell is delivering a new integrated solution that combines focused, upfront planning with industry-leading processes and tools to streamline setup, minimize onsite and manual intervention, and drive complexity out of the process, helping customers reclaim time and money.”

Dell’s Client Migration Solution is available immediately to customers in the United States, Europe and Canada and is priced according to customers’ unique needs and client environment. The portfolio is available on a limited basis in Latin America and will be made available to Asia-Pacific/Japan later this year. To learn more about Dell Client Migration, please visit www.dell.com/services/deployment.