Dell/Google may do $1 billion bundling deal

It's hardly news that Dell has been bundling Google software with PCs, or that the default home page for browsers shipped on some Dell PCs is a co-branded version of Google. Now, however, the two companies are reportedly about to get chummy in an even bigger way. According to reports, Google is hoping to get its software, including the Google Toolbar and Google Desktop Search, preinstalled on up to 100 million Dell PCs, and may be willing to pay as much as a billion dollars for the privilege. Given Google's previous denials about the possibility of rolling out a G-PC, this might be as close as you're going to get to that Google-branded box you've been dreaming about (and, yes, it'll be running Windows, rather than Goobuntu).

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[Steve Jobs is my lover for life, love him longtime @ Feb 7th 2006 4:19PM]

goobuntu sounds so much cooler than windows. Goobuntu for life bitches.

[Shane @ Feb 7th 2006 4:25PM]

I buy around 10 Dells a week, and I can say with absolute certainty they've already started doing this. I just uninstalled both of these programs from a new Dell Inspiron B130 last week.

[Perry @ Feb 7th 2006 4:29PM]

Hmmmmm....I'm kinda indifferent on this. I am huge Google fan, but isn't this where Microsoft went wrong? They should just keep all their stuff in beta!

[Geeks Are Sexy, The Blog @ Feb 7th 2006 4:32PM]

Yeah, I've got a friend who told me that also.. I agree with pre-installing google toolbar, but not their desktop search engine.

[Vik @ Feb 7th 2006 4:40PM]

Lenovo's also bundling some Google software with their new ThinkPads (T60/T60p, Z-series)

[TorontoGuy @ Feb 7th 2006 4:46PM]

Wow, a PC with built-in spyware...that's a selling point. It will watch everything you do on the web and report back so that the SPAM that you get is targeted directly to you! That's not a bug...that's a feature!

Do no Google!

[iomatic @ Feb 7th 2006 4:47PM]

Dell should just sell the company and give the money back to its shareholders.


(ducks)


:D

[Michael @ Feb 7th 2006 4:53PM]

We've always wiped the drives out of the box with any new systems I manage. This just reinforces our practice of doing this.
I like their toolbar, but not convinced of their desktop utility.

[James Panegasser @ Feb 7th 2006 4:56PM]

This is happening, I purchased a 9150, D510, and 4 1100's about 2 weeks ago and all of them came loaded with toolbar and desktop search

[Aaron @ Feb 7th 2006 5:08PM]

Just use firefox or seamonkey, then you don't need the toolbar. You can slim the software gunk. The power of Google is on their servers not your desktop.

[Alex K. @ Feb 7th 2006 5:10PM]

I hope this doesn't mean the Google Pack. I didn't really like that (although it'd be nice for Firefox to be preinstalled on some PCs)

[Javaflash @ Feb 7th 2006 5:34PM]

I find it strange that MICROSOFT has been bundling softwares for decades. Let me see: Media Player, Internet Browser, MSN, Instant Messaging Client, Email program, movie maker, CD authoring, Word Processor... oh let's not forget, an Operating System that hasn't changed much for a decade due to its monopoly grip.

Now that Google and other companies bundle a couple pieces as a defensive move, everyone wants to destroy them.

Help me out here.

[Josh Warner @ Feb 7th 2006 5:36PM]

Even Dell's business side is already doing this - my brand new D610 had Google Desktop and the IE Google Toolbar installed.

No other bloatware was included, which is a plus from the business side ... but I was surprised to see it there.

[Dan @ Feb 7th 2006 5:50PM]

Google desktop search? what are they thinking?

[Javaflash @ Feb 7th 2006 5:59PM]

Microsoft MSN Messenger? What are they thinking?


Microsoft Outlook Express? What are they thinking?


Microsoft Internet Explorer? What are they thinking?

[Gaurav @ Feb 7th 2006 6:05PM]

no i just got my brand new dell yesterday and it was loaded with all the junk that comes with it....it took me forever to clean it all out ahhhh

i think that google should just include like a google suite cd or somethin with the computers so they still get what they want and the users can put what they want...much better

[reyes @ Feb 7th 2006 6:12PM]

jajaja, javaflash has a point here.

[reyes @ Feb 7th 2006 6:14PM]

windows should just be an OS, and not come bundle with a media player, IM client, email client, etc.

[carolus holman @ Feb 7th 2006 6:53PM]

I was suprised to see that installed on a new DELL, they give you no choice to opt out. I wiped the drive and rebuilt the OS, which was a royal pain becuz I had to download the Drivers from Dells website...To speak to javaFlash, when I install Mac OS I expect to see Mac apps, same goes for Microsoft and it's app. Outlook Express, MSN,MS Messenger, and Windows Messenger are horrible, but they are expected since the OS is WinXP. I think MS should at least place the ability to uninstall these apps without hacking the .inf files though.

[Javaflash @ Feb 7th 2006 6:54PM]

Thanks, Reyes.

If they bundle, at least allow companies to COMPETE for those spaces. Consumers get better technology out of it.

I kept repeating this, but... I'm sick of purchasing patches from Microsoft, looking at the same screen for 10+ years is enough. Bring on the Firefox, Google Toolbar, Yahoo Messenger, Skype VOIP, Apple iTune... The big mama at Redmond are too lazy to move (after growing a habit to bury their enemies through exclusive bundling).

[TIMMAH! @ Feb 7th 2006 7:18PM]

Hey maybe Sony can strike up a deal with Dell and have their rootkits preinstalled with every machine sold as well...

[ScottE @ Feb 7th 2006 7:19PM]

"Firefox, Google Toolbar, Yahoo Messenger, Skype VOIP, Apple iTune"

Non of those things are anti-microsoft. The Firefox fanboys make me laugh. Firefox has become just as bad as IE.

[Javaflash @ Feb 7th 2006 7:35PM]

Trust me, Dell won't bundle anything at any amount of money if the software hurts sales. That's our filter number one. Filter number two, money. There is a stiff barrier of entry here. Companies will do cost benefit analysis to determine such investments will justify. If their investment gets uninstalled at the first hour of usage, companies will dump the deal in no time.

Scott, we don't want anti-anything. Look how Sun Microsystem is doing after years of Anti-Microsoft. We want competition to yield decent "FREE" softwares.

[Peter @ Feb 7th 2006 7:49PM]

I personally hate Microsoft for they monopolize and crush competition to become more powerful, so Google and open source software is a great thing in my eyes. I don't even care if a program is worse than the microsoft version, I just care it isn't Microsoft. I even bootleged Xandros and Mac OS X Tiger onto my IBM ThinkCentre. I hate Xandros, and there is NO compatibility, but it isn't Microsoft XP Professional, I'll tell you that.

[RazorElite @ Feb 7th 2006 7:52PM]

For those of you who say MS is no better, compare what MS bundles to what Google is bundling. No one really needs that Google crap. Imagine getting your computer with no Internet Explorer, Media Player, Outlook and as some people dare to say, an OS. How are you gonna download any alternatives if your comp doesn't come with a browser? Telnet? What if you just want your comp to watch videos immediately, but it has no media player? Now how important is Google's crap, especially considering there are like a million alternatives, especially for the toolbar. So this is a dumb move, and really can't be compared to what MS does. When Google can bundle something useful (like an OS) then it just may be nearly a good idea.

[Javaflash @ Feb 7th 2006 7:52PM]

Oh, I'm not a Firefox fanboy, but I'm indeed a Google fanboy. My comment is biased, of course. I know such statement encourages skirmish, but that's just who I am.

[homer @ Feb 7th 2006 8:05PM]

and from now apple-funboys started hate google...

[Sebhelyesfarku @ Feb 7th 2006 8:09PM]

I am a troll: [e-mail]

[Javaflash @ Feb 7th 2006 8:30PM]

Building a brand new OS is not a good idea, at this moment.

We're looking at a TRUE monopolized market here(over 90%, instead of 60% or 30%). Microsoft has serious pricing power. Billions will be wasted right there before any war is fought. We must come in at a different angle.

Companies can stop Microsoft from vertical integrating, which was what Microsoft has been doing for years + the center of our discussion here. Benefit 1, we won't end up with everything Microsoft... forever. Benefit 2, companies can indirectly diminish the role/importance of OS, which reduce the monopoly power. Benefit 3, the market could flourish healthy incentives for innovations.

[Cypheros @ Feb 8th 2006 12:17AM]

Hey Javaflash...you might be right, and honestly that stuff aggrevates me to no end, but the reason people are so up in arms about this is because this is MORE stuff pre-installed.

Personally, I say "GO LINUX!"

[Javaflash @ Feb 8th 2006 12:47AM]

Oh that... Cypheros. I didn't think of the issue from such angle, but you are right: there are indeed a ton of softwares preinstalled by OEM already.

My apology to all of you. I got too carried away on my crusade against Microsoft.

Best regards.

[Pdiddy @ Feb 8th 2006 1:27AM]

Interesting.

Lenovo and Dell. Those happen to be the two brands that Internal Google IT uses.

[Miguel @ Feb 8th 2006 2:15AM]

Our new Dell POS systems at work came with both the IE toolbar and Google Desktop pre-installed.

[desmume @ Feb 8th 2006 6:22AM]

Google has to be careful - with the expansion they are doing they might as well cause EU to bring monopoly charges against them like they did against MS.

[Garrett Mann @ Feb 10th 2006 7:49PM]

I just bought 10 dell optiplex GX620s and a server, all of the GX620s came pre-installed with google desktop in sidebar mode, and co-branded home page.

[Gdee @ Jun 23rd 2006 2:44PM]

Regarding software bundling, Dell has struck a deal with Skype to have Skype bundled on some of their XPS models. Does anyone their primary motive for doing this - I'd imagine Skype would not provide Dell with much OEM licensing/royalty revenues unlike Yahoo or Google.