“Dell Inc.’s Chief Executive Kevin Rollins said on Thursday that he is open to selling computers that run on microprocessors from Advanced Micro Devices Inc.,” Reuters reports. “Dell, the world’s biggest manufacturer of personal computers, currently uses microprocessors from No. 1 chipmaker Intel Corp. as the brains of its machines and Dell is Intel’s biggest customer. ‘We’re always open’ to making changes, Rollins said. ‘We want the very best technology for our customers.'”
MacDailyNews Take: Then why do you pre-install Windows?
Reuters continues, “Such a move might allow Dell to offer less expensive computers without hurting its financial results. Dell had slower-than-forecast revenue growth in 2005 as it lowered prices on entry-level computers. ‘If ever there was a time when Dell needed AMD, this is probably it,’ said Nathan Brookwood, head of market research firm Insight 64. Dell Chairman Michael Dell last week added fuel to recent speculation that his company might start using AMD chips during an appearance at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. CNET news said Michael Dell told reporters adding AMD processors to the product line ‘is a distinct possibility.’ …Many of Dell’s rivals, including Hewlett-Packard Co. and Gateway Inc. have models that use microprocessors from AMD and Intel in their product lines. Apple Computer Inc. this week announced its first computer models that use chips from Intel.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Dell CEO Kevin Rollins has always been the king of all orifice workers (see related articles below). He must feel that he needs something other than ugly case designs and a dull, inferior operating system to differentiate his boxes from Apple’s Macintosh personal computers. Keep cutting costs, boys. AMD, by all accounts, makes very good processors; currently competitive with, if not superior to, Intel. But, Dell’s new willingness to consider AMD to cut costs signals a problem at Dell. Dell dudes, where are you going to cut costs next? Even worse phone support, if that’s possible? You’ll never be able to out-cheap Lenovo, but at least when you go out, you can go out with a whimper, selling the worst junk you can possibly assemble. And when you do go to the great Windows box assembler’s ash heap to join the hundreds of other defunct Windows box assemblers, nobody will care; because just like all of the rest, you offered no innovation and nothing of lasting meaning to the world.
Macintosh. Because you’re too smart and life’s too short.
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Related MacDailyNews articles:
Apple primed to pass Dell in market value – January 12, 2006
Corporate IT buyers fuming that Apple has Intel Core Duo Macs shipping while Dell and HP wait – January 12, 2006
Financial Times: Dell and Microsoft can never hope to attain Apple’s Mac aura – January 10, 2006
Struggling Dell has lost its mojo while Apple shows rapid growth – November 07, 2005
Apple growing faster with more innovative products, better support than ‘one-trick pony’ Dell – November 01, 2005
IDC: Apple shows rapid growth, holds 4.3% U.S. market share on 48% growth – October 17, 2005
Michael Dell say’s he’d be happy to sell Apple’s Mac OS X if Steve Jobs decides to license – June 16, 2005
Why buy a Dell when Apple ‘Macintel’ computers will run both Mac OS X and Windows? – June 08, 2005
Apple Macs are less expensive than Dell PCs – April 25, 2005
Dell CEO: Apple can’t just have one product and then say they’re the innovative leader of the world – February 22, 2005
BusinessWeek: Rather than dismissing Apple products as fads, Dell should try starting a few – January 31, 2005
Dismissive Dell CEO not impressed with Apple Mac mini, calls iPod a ‘one-product wonder’ and a ‘fad’ – January 17, 2005
Michael Dell owes Apple an apology; Apple up 176 percent vs. Dell’s 13 percent in past 12 months – January 15, 2005
somebody call a waaahmbulance! poor little mikey’s got his feelings hurt! waah!
Welcome folks to the yearly Dell “we might consider using AMD chips” annoucement. Every year they say this, presumably in an attempt to cut a better deal with Intel, and every year it never happens and they stick with Intel.
And when you do go to the great Windows box assembler’s ash heap, nobody will care.
I care. Anything that is bad for the American economy we should all care about. It’s ours. Dell fulfills a need, somebody has to make that stuff.
Dave
OK MDN, what do you propose they install if not Windows?
dell are finished
good riddance
Djenurm,
Apple is an American company. It’s time for the fscking world to finally wake the fsck up. Get Macs, you idiots or China will be the country you rely upon for your tech hardware needs, U.S.A. Do you really want that?
First of all: MDN take is hysterical. You guys are dicks! but you’re OUR dicks… which makes it funny. As for “bad for the American economy” … fuck Dell. If it weren’t for Dell, Microsoft wouldn’t have this insanely ridiculous revolving door of crappy ass machines needing to be replaced at a breakneck pace, which in turn perpetuates the Windows penetration, which allows the virii in which takes the national economy to its knees every few months … vicious cycle. Dell isn’t yet in trouble … but they are diversifying as fast as they can. remember that Gateway sold big TVs as their computer business was… well…
Jeff,
Apple makes their own OS. It is vastly superior to Microsoft’s. Why didn’t Dell do that? Windows is not the only choice, unless you’re lazy and mediocre at heart.
Dell has made a boatload of money. If he had a clue, he’d have been working on his own operating system all these years. Instead, like all the rest, he chose to pocket the money. Now China will “Dell” him to death.
No innovation means Dell must die. Hopefully, painfully and with much humiliation.
MDN, your takes on the subject are just plain childish, and your tone is simply mean-spirited.
Dell pre-installs Windows because that’s what their customers want. Dell isn’t in the business of bringing “lasting meaning to the world”, and it is absurd to criticize them for that. And Dell isn’t going out of business any time soon.
You want to criticize Dell or its management or its products, fine go ahead. But those criticisms should be fair, and comments such as yours are more akin to a malevolent fantasy than anything resembling fair criticism.
Please refrain from spreading bile and vitriol in your comments. You’re grownups, and you should have long ago stopped throwing your toys out of the pram.
Something is certianly up. There is a quote from Michael Dell a few years ago where he actually said that “hell would freeze over before Dell was selling AMD chips in their computers.”
But, by all accounts, my Dell 20 in widescreen LCD monitors are nice. I don’t see how they make any money off of them for how cheap they sell them.
“MacDailyNews Take: Then why do you pre-install Windows?”
In all fairness, Dell did want to put OS X in Dell boxes, but of course, Apple would never allow it.
It could also be that they are considering AMD because they like AMD’s “roadmap” and can see that AMD is working on chips would be better than the Intel chips.
The MDN take sometimes has some useful comments or information, but it’s usually just a bunch biased judgments. Of course, I don’t know why I should expect anything else from a Mac site.
Jeff has made the comment of the HOUR!
Dell has exactly two real choices for reselling an OS – Windows and Linux – oh and what do you know, they sell both Windows and Red Hat linux!
What _should_ Dell be installing? MDN is great at the Apple superiority thing – and if MDN’s take was that Dell needed to pre-install iTunes and resell iPods again I’d be cheering, but Dell has built the worlds largest PC business by selling Windows because it is the best thing available to them.
If it’s OS X on a Dell you want bitch at Steve, not Michael.
“Uncalled for”: The dumb fanboy comments that MDN make on each story are the main reason why this site is so fun to read. Personally I find their comments to be mostly hilarious, and massively over the top, but I keep coming back for more!
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And so the great Dell punishment of intel begins because of their enthusiastic support for Apple.
MW: normal
Made in the U.S.A.:
You are an idiot. Everything Apple makes is made in Asia, and the vast majority of that is now made in China. I don’t like that one bit, but what I like even less are xenophopic ‘Rah,Rah’s’ like you who don’t even know what your talking about.
Now shut up.
As for the story – Agreed, Dell is in a snit. However, AMD desktop chips are superior to anything Intel makes, or is likely to make, for the next couple years. And once they move to 65nm, AMD’s mobile CPUs will be equalling Yonah on power consumption as well. The poor power consumption numbers of MacBook are a harbinger, believe me.
So, if M$ manages to make Vista at least better than XP, and with Teh Snappy that OSX seems to lack even on x86, then this might not be such a big joke for Apple. Market inertia, coupled with perceived better OS & actually better hardware, will be a very tough nut for Apple to crack.
When, Oh when, is PithHelmet going to get rid of all these pop-ups and pop-unders, now that I’ve gone to OSX 10.4.4?
pog,
I agree with you that, but when I see 90% of the posts spouting off different variations of the MDN take and all applauding MDN’s “truth,” it just makes me sad.
And what’s with the “you’re too smart, life’s too short” BS? Are we going to see that in every thread now?
MacDailyNews tells the truth.
Some people can’t handle the truth. They want it to be hidden or covered with niceties.
There is not one sentence in MDN’s take that isn’t pretty much a bulls-eye. Some people just can’t handle that MDN doesn’t mince words. I appreciate it.
Bravo, MDN!!!
btw – Dell is one of the few computer manufacturers that assembles it’s ‘dull little boxes’ in the US.
baaaaaa
Uncalled for, you obviously don’t remember that Dell is public enemy #1 in the Mac world (as declared by Steve Jobs a few years back). What goes around comes around. Michael Dell once told an interviewer that if he were Steve Jobs, he’d liquidate Apple and give the money back to the shareholders (or something to that effect). So when it comes to Dell, it’s executives or Michael Dell himself, the gloves are off. If you haven’t noticed, MacDailyNews is a popular site for Mac aficionados, and trashing on Dell is part of the territory. If these kind of takes offend you, then you better get used to them, or move on to a news site that is a little less extremist.
Besides, MacDailyNews is known for injecting humor in it’s takes. The problem with humor is not everyone will agree on what’s funny.
MADE IN THE USA
You are doubly an idiot. Dell is the only major manufacturer assembling boxes in the USA. The hardware side of Apple is an American front company for China. As much as I love it.
The personal attacks have gotten out of ccontrol. This site used to be thought provoking without being filled with sophomoric ad hominem attacks. Please pollute somewhere else.
pog,
Amen!
From Uncalled for,
“You’re grownups, and you should have long ago stopped throwing your toys out of the pram.”
No! MDN. Never grow up! Keep it coming!
MacDailyNews Take: …And when you do go to the great Windows box assembler’s ash heap to join the hundreds of other defunct Windows box assemblers, nobody will care; because just like all of the rest, you offered no innovation and nothing of lasting meaning to the world.
That was cold. True, but cold.
This site is biased? Did I miss something?
Every PC-humping WinSite on the net bashes Macs frequently without ever using them to any real degree. How is that any better?
We can give back what we get, since many of us HAVE actually used that “other choice” that we got so sick of. Windows is a pile of rat shit, and until you’ve lived in a quality OS for a while you’ll simply never see it. It’s just what you are used to.
If Intel cut off Dell’s supply entirely AMD wouldn’t be able to fabricate enough chips to support ’em. They would be backordered for months.
Will somebody please answer if AMD processors have HDCP (Intel created HD content protection) like Intel processors do?
“OK MDN, what do you propose they install if not Windows?”
For the Dull brothers my advise would be — a kitchen sink!
Who cares if Dell is manufactured in the U.S.? I’d rather give the Chinese jobs than the Texans. FSCK TEXAS!
Once a business takes that step onto the slippery slope of “cheap over quality”, it is very difficult to ever come back.
The moment you put the sales department in charge, you will end up with a company like Microsoft; producing over-priced crapware, with all innovation and agility lost.
Note that there is plenty of scope for Dell to cut costs; people may dislike their boxes on aesthetic grounds, but compared to some other “discount.” PC sellers their boxes are well designed and well put together inside, and use good quality components. However I do not believe Dell want to reduce build quality too far to save costs as it would destroy one of their strengths: That is one reason Dells are used by businesses so much – they offer machines with good quality components at a good price : Your average reasonable size company with its own IT support does not care about phone support as they can troubleshoot their own IT issues, and Dell are good (if you have their business level cover) at rapid response to hardware faults with fixes / replacement parts.
Dell have avoided AMD (IMHO) because they have always been given sufficient volume discounts by Intel to make it worth their while being Intel only.
However AMD are currently superb on performance, and are for example the only choice for a serious gaming PC. Meanwhile Dell sells “gaming PCs” that are Intel only, which although giving excellent performance compared to your average desktop are outgunned by comparable spec machines where only difference is using AMD processors.
Then there’s the way dual Opterons have had a big surge in PC server market as they are an excellent combination of price and performance.
It may finally be that loss of business from customers who want an AMD solutions, outweighs the benefit of discounts Dell get from intel for being an Intel monopoly: And of course there is the subtext of Dell saying to Intel that Dell are a big source of Intel sales, and if Dell push AMD, then Dell Intel sales will drop…..
Did anyone notice that this “announcement” of they might, maybe, someday, thinking about it, it could happen, perennial “statement” from Dell (or their flackeys) comes on or about the same day as Apple’s Big Show MWSF Keynote ?
Anyone notice that Dell’s stock took a bump up on the “news” ? (it has since gone back down).
They pull this crap because it’s all they can do.
In no way is this “announcement” a threat to Intel. If it were so, Intel would have known about it way before. Intel doesn’t find out about this kind of stuff about one of their biggest volume buyers by reading it on the intarweb. Dell considers itself as ~Loyal~ to Intel for only buying Intel, they are not going to ship with AMD in any significant amount anytime soon. They will only do it when they HAVE to, where ‘HAVE to’ is defined as ‘we’ll make and sell boxes a lot cheaper now and in near future and Intel won’t give it up for us anymore so we have no choice’. Dell is NOT turning its back on Intel and certainly NOT because they are also going to sell to Apple. That’s just ridiculous. I mean, please.
“Every PC-humping WinSite on the net bashes Macs frequently without ever using them to any real degree. How is that any better?
We can give back what we get”
Yes, I suppose you could lower yourselves to the level of the rest of the trash out there, and I suppose in doing so you’re feeding your own superiority complex, but instead of making you the better person, it just shows you’re like the rest that you criticize.
is it just me or are those XPS boxes that Dell seems so proud of the ugliest pieces of shet ever made into a PC?
Permian Mammal,
Nice argument. However, if you replace some of the names, you can get the same argument that was made last year regarding why Apple would never ditch the PowerPC chip and go with Intel.
I believe that part of the reasonn Dell will use AMD chips is that they outperform Intel chips at the moment. This would give them a marketing edge in performance over Apple or other computer makers.
– Mark
Don’t be too hard on Dell – they did do the world a favour – they made sure that corporates paid less for their hardware…
..it’s just a shame those same corporates all spent what they saved x times over on fighting the instablity, insecurity and complexity that is Windows.
I’m a Texan and I won’t even buy Dell’s shit. I don’t give a damn where something is built, I just want the best. And Dell and Microsoft are shit, regardless of where their stuff comes from.
Besides, is anyone dumb enough to not think that Dell will start assembling their boxes in Mexico or somewhere else soon if it will save them a buck or two? Dell will only be a niche player if they’re not totally dead and gone within 10 years, you can bank on that happening.
Dell is in trouble because their business model was a winner short and medium term, but a loser for the long term. It is a commodity manufacturer, a game that can not be won against cheap foreign competition.
Apple has some exquisite system software that nobody has been able to match. That plus a commitment to quality and the user experience is what gives Apple its survivor status. Sorry Dell, but you are being kicked off this island.
To: “Made in the U.S.A.”
There is not one Apple product that is Made in the U.S.A. If so, what is it????
AMD chips are faster – so I should buy a Dell or HP then?
What is crucial to me (and my family) is my security, my wealth, my happiness. OS X gives me security and indirectly my wealth, and those make a big conribution to my happiness. Buying a Dell with Windows would give me insecurity, jeopardise my wealth, take time away from me to create wealth and generally make me pissed off.
Dell could give me 10K to use their machines and I’d still say NO!
AMD for Dell is not about selling cheaper units but selling more powerful servers as its major competitors are doing. As sweet as its accords with Intel are, the pressure as been mounting since the Opteron arrived.
Dell’s words about Apple just echo Steve’s months before NeXT was adquired by Apple. Fun.
And just what is so beautiful in current PowerMac boxes, I ask? These gigantic ugly things are the saddest most compromised less versatile boxes Apple has made ever! I have to suffer these noisy beasts and their antics in a daily basis. My hope is that somewhere in the future I can choose some nice SFF PC and put a decent release of OS X (which Tiger certainly isn’t) in it.
besides windows, users can install Linux, or any other *nix variant.
Many of you are viewing Rollins’ comments far too rationally. I will bet any of you that this is a mainly emotional reaction to the fact that Intel has been lavishing attention and resources on Apple. Rollins believes that, as Intel’s largest customer, Dell should get the lion’s share of Intel love, so he’s annoyed and would like to remind Intel of who butters their bread. As a SIDE benefit: the market may view lower-cost AMD chips positively. Dell will EITHER: a) get Intel to cut prices significantly enough for Dell to stay 100% Intel (in addition to getting a little more fawning behavior); b) actually add/switch a few servers and desktop units to AMD CPUs to cut costs further than Intel is willing to go (and scare Intel into more fawning behavior). Either way, Rollins better get more fawning behavior.
Never underestimate the degree to which high-level corporate executives make major decisions based on emotion or ego, especially when the latter is threatened and they can manage to justify it as a business decision. (And, yes, I’ve dealt with a fair number of these execs.)
Honestly, this is usually the way it works.
I love how MDN complains about Dell preinstalling Windows when theres really no alternative for them. Sure, they’d love to preinstall Mac OS X, but Steve would never do that, and they can’t just go and pull their own OS out of the hat, they would lose their customers, their software, you name it. Apple has had 30 years to build their industry, you can’t just expect Dell to do what Apple did 20 years ago, the costs are too great these days to just up and start your own OS unless it’s Linux based. And Linux, IMO, is a joke on the Desktop for 90% of users.
Both Windows and Mac OS X have been 20+ years in the making. Dell has (to the best of my knowledge), never been a software company. Judjing from the way they run their business now, with the horror stories of tech support and poorly built sub-$500 machines, do you honestly think they could turn they’re company around and pull their own little part of the industry out of their hat, and compete with Apple and Microsoft and who knows how many Linux distros? I certainly don’t think so. Windows sucks, but for Dell, there really is no alternative right now, why do you think all OEM’s that actually make money bundle Windows? Becuase thats where the Developers, Users, ect are. If Dell tried to do their own thing, they’d have to spend who knows how long building their own OS that can compete with Windows and Mac OS X and Linux, plus they have to get partners and developers to build software for their platform, which would be very new and unsupported by anyone.
The way the market is right now, if Dell tried to do their own thing, I think it would mean certain doom for their company. Unless of course it was insanely great, which I seriously doubt they are capable of by any stretch of the imagination (See: dell dj ditty promotional campaign).
Queezzie “There is not one Apple product that is Made in the U.S.A. If so, what is it????”
Profit
(from that “huge” Apple markup)
Jake has it nailed. CEOS operate on the basis of ego, not rational thought. I can say this because I too have seen these folks in action. They are basically babies in suits.
Dell has a plethora of choices available to them. They could install Red Hat Linux, Linspire, and any number of other OSes out there. Nobody is whining because they don’t offer OS X. Besides, who believes what Dell says about Apple, anyways, given the bad blood between the two companies? And would Microsoft even permit it?
Hello PC fanboys, you know that this is a Mac site. Live with it. Don’t complain that it’s not a PC site, because it ain’t. Oh my geez. Someone call a whambulence for these sad little people while you’re at it.
AMD doesn’t have the manufacturing capacity to feed the Dell beast. At most, Dell would offer a few AMD systems with the vast majority being Intel. But of course they won’t, otherwise they’ll lose their lucrative exclusive pricing deal with Intel.
I find it surprising that so much criticism is thrown at PC makers for not making their machines “pretty”. Who the f*** cares??? This coming from people who heap praise upon praise on Apple, the company that bitched about beige and introduced us to grey. . .ooooooooooh, color was cool for a while, but eventually we settle on another bland color. Apple fanatics really amaze me. . .
Such a move might allow Dell to offer less expensive computers without hurting its financial results
—
Oops… can’t use the C-word
and come on.. what Dell interview doesn’t ask about the latest Apple ad?