Dell hates those little stickers on their PCs, too

With margins so thin on their computers you could split split-hairs, and a whole PC's manufacturing time down to less than four minutes, it would seem that Dell's got the right to be getting a little fed up with all those stickers they have to slap on there before shipping ("other people's advertising," as some Dell managers have called it). Then again, it's not like their competition doesn't have to spend the same time putting the same stickers on; either way we have a feeling those getting their products advertised wouldn't be too happy about Dell refusing the stickers outright (or charging the big names a little something extra for the additional 30 seconds it takes a set of Malaysian or Chinese hands to apply them). We just know we sure as hell wouldn't mind not having to de-badge our new boxes in the future.

[Via The Raw Feed]

[RICEboy @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

But stickers make them faster!!

[Ramesh @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

Well they can also remove the DELL Logo etc. etc...

In short why cant they be just another white box (err... black box) company..

Well here is another Idea.. They can send the stickers to the buyers and have them fix it...
Hmmm... coming to think of it they wouldnt do that either as you will have people calling into tech support for help (more cost increase..)

Shucks...

Any ideas friends that we can pass on to Kevin Collins (CEO)

[cDub @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

This story made me take off my casebadges just now.

[waif69 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

I know the stickers make the computer faster, they certainly made my '71 Chevy Nova faster.

[Kirtan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

I HATE going into Starbucks and seeing 5-10 people with laptops covered in stickers. I mean WTF? TAKE THEM OFF! Do you think they improve performance? or make the laptop look better? or Void the warrenty?

And its not even the little intel stickers I'm talking about. Its the great BIG ones that sit accross the front of the keyboard or the ones attached to the 15.4 screens. TAKE THEM OFF!

TAKE THEM OFF - FOR THE LOVE OF GAWD!

[Jon Granada @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

Hmm.. I've always been a fan of casebadges, at least on the hand-built scene. I like to look at someones custom computer and be able to tell the Mobo manufacturer, CPU, etc, from the badges. Personal preference I guess.

[foof @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

1. Dell does their assembly in Round Rock, TX (unlike a few other major manufacturers who drop-ship straight from Asia).

2. I think Dell may get paid (or receive a sizeable discount a la Intel Inside advertising program) for those stickers, so it's not like they're giving away free advertising and labor.

[Matters @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

Last time I checked most of Dells systems were built in the US not over seas. Hold on let me call my younger brother to see if he's still in the US...... Yup he is. There are Dell factories in other countries, but I'm pretty sure they don't ship those systems back to the US.

[Illtron @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

I HATE those things. Apple had better not have them on their new machines, but I have a feeling that even though Jobs would probably never allow them, they might actually be good for business. As lame as it is, I think people actually recognize those lame stickers and that even lamer Intel jingle.

[Illtron @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

I almost forgot...the only thing worse than those is the big stupid things that come on DVD players and TVs in the stores. You don't need a big gaudy sticker on the front of your DVD player to remind you that it can play WMA files. That's just for idiots in the stores who might actually care. Your're free to remove them.

[Chris @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

I get a kick when I see someone's machine running Windows XP yet the sticker says "Made for Windows 98".

[sr20de @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

I've been picking "It's a Sony" stickers off people's Sony products for years. The thing is, most users don't realize these things are stickers and can be removed.

[ARRGGHH @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

The GLUE they use should be available for commercial sale somewhere - it's just terribly sticky & hard to remove.

>> ANYONE WITH GOOD SUGGESTIONS FOR HOW TO REMOVE THE STICKY #%*#�?

[Alone2Gether @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

That's why I love the Mac.

[Mike Cohen @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

I hope the new Intel-based Mac won't have an Intel Inside sticker and Apple won't use the Intel chimes at the end of their commercials.

[Steve @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

Well, I wouldn't mind it very much if it was laser-etched on the back of my PowerBook. There are "other" ways to mark on the case, you know....

[Tom Boucher @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

How else do you think the Intel inside programs work? Not sure why they're whining they get Marketing $$ every time one of those sticker shows up on the box. That's why you see them everywhere and on everyones. I'm sure Apple will have them too

[Austinite @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

Number 12:
Find a product called "Undo" it's available at craft stores, it removes that crap easily.

Being a Austin resident, and knowing tons of people who used to work at Dell (they have high turn-over) I am supprised they haven't figured out a faster way to apply the stickers. (Machine, reel-and-tape with a gun?)

[jjd @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

Once my wife took my Powerbook Duo 230 (motorola 68k-based) on a business trip to Intel. When she brought the laptop in, they required that they put a sticker on it to show that she could leave with the laptop (and that it wasn't intel property). The sticker said "Intel" and I always left it on my Powerbook because I thought it was funny. However, I always thought the sticker should read "Inside Intel".

[OddManOut @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

I think Dell is just upset because they are likely contracturally obligated to put those things on there at this point.

Back when a genuine intel processor was a status symbol it probably seemed like a good idea. But now that AMD has surpassed Intel in a number of areas (before this degenerates into a processor debate I'll aknowledge that intel is catching up in what it lacks and still leading in a few areas as well) it has the potential to become embarassing...

Just a thought...

[Thom @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

I can tell you firsthand that the Co-Op Marketing Program through which Intel compensates Dell is worth Million$ a year to Dell, and every other manufacturer who uses those stickers.

Intel contributes anywhere from a few cents to $$ to a co-op marketing fund for every box shipped with a sticker. Manufacturers like Dell are then free to "spend" money from that fund (with Intel's permission) on marketing expenses, advertising, etc.

If Apple chooses not to use the stickers (please!), you can rest assured that their machines will still be a *little* more expensive than the competitions equivalent box, since they wouldn't be enjoying the offset of expenses through such a program.

[Gullop @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

Personally i like the stickers :/

[j @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

Taking a hairdryer to them will make them easier to remove as well.

[Daniel @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

Yeah, I like stickers too...my Athlon 64 box has an original metal "Intel Inside Pentium with MMX" case badge on it. Now that's bling.

[Will @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

All this has reminded me of an anecdote from my A-Level days (back in the early 90s). Our computing teacher had a bunch of new PCs delivered for our computing lab and for our 'lesson' asked us to unpack them all. Whilst unpacking the machines (begrudgingly) we noticed that each machine came with: 1. a big 6" x 6" 'Intel Inside' sticker and 2. a set of keys for each PC. Being the industrious practical jokers we were we kept one key for ourselves and plastered the Intel stickers all round the lab in different places. So for the rest of the year our teacher would continually spot Intel stickers (under his chair, on the wall speaker, in his desk, inside other non-Intel computers) plus we never needed to reserve machines because we could all just lock the ones we needed. Never 'diss the Intel :)

[Dave B @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

I always thought that "Intel inside" thing was a warning sticker.

[xVariable @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

I just realized that my XPS Gen4 didn't come with an Intel sticker. Interesting...

[Kreamy @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

Sure, apple doesn't give you intel stickers with your stuff, but it does give you two bigass apple stickers to show your love.

Better yet are some products that actually engrave a feature onto them, such as LG's marvellous cell phones which proudly state "COLOR SCREEN" under the... you guessed it, color screen.

[xVariable @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

... oh, and, ironically, it *did* have a Windows certfication sticker on it. You know, that ugly printed paper one? It was a real hassel to remove, too...

[Arrrgghh no longer @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

No 17 : Thanks ! Two of the stickers are now history on my Acer 8104 - one to go.

Arggh No More

[JT Mill @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

I once asked my librarian at school why they never took the 5 stickers on the system, specificly mentioning the "Designed for windows XP" sticker and she said, "That makes windows run better on it." Funny thing was, the computers were running windows 98.

[bostondann @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

I never really noticed them or wondered why they were there - I assumed it was simply advertising. I have taken many PIII's at work with "Designed for Win2K" stickers on them and wiped them clean then installed XP with much success. Those PIII's are quite the workhorses!

[ken @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

Yes, dells desktops and servers are made locally, US that is. Laptops overseas, yep. Does it really matter about the stickers? Come on, complain about something else, like how hot the laptops get or that they look like an IBM computer in the early 90's. They are ugly as sin. But I love me dell! It is a workhorse and that is exactly why I bought it. lalala

[JoeFox @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

Those stickers are like the V8, "Electronic Fuel Injection" badges you see on cars...or "4X4" on SUVs...duh!

Is my car a four-banger or V8, hey let's look on the back of the car to make sure.

[Rotor @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

screw intel... i have my AMD sticker framed next to a smashed intel chip

[Harry @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

I stuck my P4 sticker on the back of my motorola T190 cellphone.

Bling blong. Its really funny cos all the animationed icons run at half the frame rate now. I'm not kidding. *eerie music*

[sr @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

i'm living in malaysia right now. i'll see if i can scam myself a job at one of the dell assembly plants. but you engadget readers gotta pony up some cash for moi as a reward if i can pull off some pranks like stick Apple stickers on the dell boxes or some wild shit like that. that would be so awesome if it made it to like the usa or somethin and you open up your dell box and voila.... it has an Apple sticker.

[Peeping Tom @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

To remove the glue, put some zippo fluid on a rag and rub.

[Wes Garner @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

I just wanted to make a note that Dell does not do the majority of its Laptop manufacturing. A proud company named Quanta is what you really get. Just one bit from 2001: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/06/22/dell_signs_quanta_to_make/

[Jacob Thomason @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

you must be crazy to think that apple will have intel stickers on their boxes. Jobs would probably pay more not to have them.

[tunin @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

I hate Stickers on my boxes!

[Ragman @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

Not only do people leave the factory stickers on, but I hear a fair number of laptops at college boot up and play that annoying windows start theme.

Put your own stickers on your box. Hell, paint the damn thing. If somebody doesn't like the idea, they probably won't like you customizing your wallpaper, desktop, and screensaver. F'em if they can't take a joke.