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Dell responds to latest capacitor-related fallout, ignores the whole lying to consumers part
The "capacitor plague" issue of the early 2000's has started to resurface, not thanks to another batch of bogus orange-hued electrolytes popping free, but this time thanks to the release of documents relating to a three year-old Dell lawsuit. As we reported earlier this week, those docs show that Dell asked customer service reps to deny there was any problem with their motherboards, telling them to pretend they'd never heard about the issue and to "emphasize uncertainty." Now, Dell is responding to the latest flare up -- sort of. A post on the Direct2Dell blog reiterates that this was an industry-wide issue, which it was, but more or less ignores the crux of this latest report: those internal memos telling CSRs to play stupid while corporate IT departments panicked as OptiPlex desktops died left and right. (Boxes manufactured during those troublesome years would ultimately achieve an amazing 97 percent failure rate.) Dell also points out that AIT, the company that raised this particular lawsuit, was improperly using its OptiPlex machines as servers and not as mere desktops. That sounds an awful lot like sour grapes to us -- or should we say sour electrolytes?
Chrome OS hacked for Dell's Mini 10v, WiFi and all
If you've got a Dell Mini 10v and you've been hankering to take Chrome OS for a spin in its proper environment -- a netbook, that is -- today just got a lot more interesting. One helpful tinkerer over at Dell has hacked up a USB-bootable version of the as-yet unfinished (and still quite rough) Chromium iteration of Google's OS with a working WiFi component. As you'll recall, in our tests wireless wasn't happening, but that's all changed now... for 10v owners at the very least. It looks like there are still some kinks to be worked out, and you'll be cruising into the OS on a Dell Gmail account, but at least you'll be able to walk around your house while screaming "I'm using Chrome OS!" unburdened by pesky wires or meddlesome sanity. Check out all the info at the source, and prepare for a crazy Friday night of netbooking.
Dell brags about sneaking into HP conference to pester HP partners
When Dell started blogging in earnest a year or so ago, we figured we'd be hearing some PR fluff, and perhaps some damage control now and then. What we didn't expect was self-damning posts about sneaking into the competion's conferences to try and swipe customers. According to Direct2Dell, Dell gave HP partners a "sneak peek" at a new ad campaign by squirming its way into a HP Americas Partner Conference in Las Vegas last week. Dell ninjas managed to hit up approximately 800 HP customers with the ad before they got shut down be security. Classy, Dell, real classy.
Dell explains XPS m1330 delays, discontinues Pearl White models
Dell looked to have a sure winner on its hands with the sexy XPS m1330 laptop, but customers have been complaining of shipping delays ever since the machines were made available to order. A new post on the official Direct2Dell blog tries to explain some of the issues causing the delays and provide some insight into why some orders have shipped and others have been severely postponed -- although no time frame was given for clearing out the queue and getting back on track. While supply of those oh-so-hot LED backlit displays is definitely affecting production, the major problem appears to be the m1330's colors -- Dell says that painting these lids is much more difficult than anticipated, and that only Tuxedo Black units are coming off the line with acceptable results. As a result of these difficulties, the company is discontinuing Pearl White as an available choice -- customers who've already ordered Pearl White units will still receive them, but that'll be it. While we're not certain how an issue like that slipped through during development, we're definitely wondering why no one at Dell has just called up Colorware and asked them how they do it.
