February 2008 - Direct2Dell

Earlier today, we added the Inspiron 1525 notebook to our family of Ubuntu products.  And as with our other systems shipping Ubuntu 7.10, Dell is including built-in DVD playback capabilities so that you can get the most out of your new Dell.

Customers in the UK, France, Spain, and Germany may place orders today. Later this month, the US Ubuntu website will also be updated with Inspiron 1525. The growth in Linux sales has enabled us to expand Linux onto more platforms over the last year. Thanks again for your support.

Several new developments on the Linux front today.

We're introducing Ubuntu 7.10-based Dell systems in Canada and Latin America. Beyond that, we're introducing the Inspiron 1525n to customers in the United States. Like Daniel mentioned earlier this week, the 1525n is already available to customers in the U.K., Spain, France and Germany. All of these systems will include built-in DVD playback capability.

Lots of customers like Jimmy and Simon have asked for Ubuntu support in Canada. Now Dell Canada customers can order the Inspiron 1525n, XPS M1330n and the Inspiron 530 desktop. More information is here: http://www.dell.ca/open

In Latin America, initially we will offer the Inspiron 1525n and the Inspiron 530n desktop to customers in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Puerto Rico. Right now, customers can order systems via phone by clicking on that country and clicking the Sales Support, then Call Sales. Systems will be availble online to Latin American customers in the coming weeks. See this post in DellenDirecto for more details.

Update, February 22: These Ubuntu systems are available across Latin America, not just the countries I listed above.

Today we introduced the UltraSharp 2408WFP widescreen flat panel display. Following the 3008WFP, it is our second monitor that supports DisplayPort... while I was pulling together some details on this monitor, I was told that our 22" Crystal display does not have a DisplayPort connector. I updated that post. Now, on to the fun stuff.

We've talked about DisplayPort before, but to catch everyone up, it optimizes both panel performance and simplifies platform interoperability. Just like I said with our 30" display, the new 2408WFP is all about performance and connectivity.

The new display features HDMI, DVI, VGA, component, S-Video and composite video connections, and the 2408 also has a 9-in-2 media card reader and 4 high-speed USB ports.

Performance-wise, it features a quick 6ms response time, a 3000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 1920x1200 native resolution, and TrueColor technology with 110% color gamut. If you really want to dig into color gamut details, you can take a look at this color chromacity explanatory chart from Georgia State University. Thanks to AnnaAtDell for that information.

The 2408WFP is available to customers in the United States for $699, the same price as the previous model it replaces. Bottom line, if the 3008WFP was too expensive or you didn't quite have enough room on your desk, the 2408WFP might just be the monitor to go for. 

You've probably heard that President Bush submitted the fiscal 2009 budget. Putting politics, debates and commentary on the budget or campaigns aside, several folks here were glad to see it was the first paperless budget, and that the President used a Latitude XT  to unveil it. Thanks to Rob Bushway (and GottaBeMobile reader Brian T) for blogging it.

If you do the math on just the budget and its key supporting documents (there are many more you can download), you're talking more than 2,800 pages. At Dell we've adopted paperless processes and documentation. Here are just a few examples:

• Our Annual Report went paperless in April 2007
• We announced a shipping method called Multipack in May 2007, that combines the shipment of multiple servers saving up to 300 tons of paper in the US alone per year
• We have comprehensive, five-year aggressive paper usage policy that increases the use of recycled paper and products from Forrest Stewardship Council certified sources

Glad to see the US government take this step. Feel free to share your thoughts on how we as a company can make decisions that have a positive impact on the environment here on in the Environmental section of IdeaStorm.

Here's the picture from the Reuters story that ran earlier this morning.