Slashdot Mirror
Dell to Buy Alienware?
An anonymous reader writes "Well, looks like rumors are flying, and Dell may have bought Alienware according to an article on cnet.
It really would fit Dell well. They are the last big manufacturer not to use AMD, and this would fill that void. Acquiring this company would also help them grow their business to where they want it to be ($80 billion anually). One can only hope that Alienware support and hardware won't be ill effected by this acquisition."
Dude.... you're getting an Alien!
"One can only hope that Alienware support and hardware won't be ill effected by this acquisition." Whoa!..Alienware has so many post purchase CS complaints...Hell its hard to even talk to a competant rep once you get your laptop/desktop..When i ordered mone in November 18, 2005...and the did not get it to me until January 31 2006..Thats a little bit of a problem..You actually think Dell buying them out will help this..Maybe the will help with the 8 Stuck pixels that my laptop came with, that Alienware CS is still insisting that they will not replace the laptop for, because it is not center of the screen..When has it ever been ok to release a completely faulty product!
~~"Of course, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong." ~~Dennis Miller
All the while lining the pockets of good ol' Mike Dell.
I'll keep building my own, thanks.
Curb CO2 emissions: Kill yourself today!
Thank you, thank you, I'll not be here all week.
Generally, bash is superior to python in those environments where python is not installed.
All my rich uncles have either Alienware or Dell systems. These are users who need tons of support, and they are all equally happy. Also at the school district where I work we are 100% Dell. As long as the box is under warranty or service contract Dell is amazingly responsive to service and support needs.
Moderation in All Things... Especially Moderation - gurutc
It's affected not effected.
Effected means to have actioned. Affected means influenced by.
AlienWare starts systems with about the same level of hardware as Dell. Last time I looked at their lineup, they were trying to sell a system with embedded video. We know how bad Dell support is, and they will likely move their alienware support devision to india too. The only good thing I can see coming of this is lower prices. This really makes sense, if you want a high quality system and support, you should go to a PC shop or a friend.
"And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the World"
1 John 4:14
http://www.cnet.com.au/desktops/pcs/0,39029439,400 61082,00.htm
A local Dell spokesman has effectively denied rumours that it's acquired rival PC vendor Alienware, suggesting that all speculation should be taken "with a grain of salt".
Sex is not the answer. Sex is the question. Yes is the answer.
Alienware support??? You're kidding, right? Have you ever spoken to Alienware support? Over the 15-16 times I had to call up (my video card on my desktop replacement heated to the point of bubbling) I found myself wishing I could deal with Dell.
When 2 of my keys fell off on the 4th day I owned the laptop, the CS Rep (Juan) informed me that he couldn't replace the keyboard because it was more than 3 days old, but he "off the record" suggested superglue to me.
Because this article states otherwise.
Left 4 Dead Gaming Group - http://www.l4dgg.com
I have avoided bulk manufacturers such as Dell and HP like the plague. They give you about as many choices as you got in the old Soviet Union. You can have any configuration you want as long as it's the one they want you to have. It's also a bit like buying a Japanese car: 5000 models, all alike.
The good thing about companies like Alienware (and other smaller makers) is that you get lots of choice and you can configure your box just about any way you want it. Also, you can change things after you buy it. I hope those days are not soon over.
If true, this smells like Dell trying to make an end-run around Samsung and the other OEM builders for Dell's notebooks.
With this, they'd get a company that makes it's own AND gain access to some supply of AMD without having to bring it in as a full mass market Dell product with the supply issues that would cause.
Samsung would probably jump for joy as they would no longer be embargoed from selling computers under their own name in the US.
Who knows. Voodoo says it's true. Dell denies it. Alienware will neither confirm nor deny. If these were politicians speaking, Dell's denial would be laughable and Alienware's respose would be code for confirmation.
Sig for hire.
This makes more sense than Dell trying to dress up their systems with the XPS badge. Giving consumers a more highend (read needlessly expensive) systems will appeal more to the tweakers and neon windowed case types. Dell would cover all the bases; from a $399 complete system (after rebates) for Grandma, and a $3000 tricked out system for Johnny Freshman to frag on!
Now if Dell would offer Linux as a equal choice (I'm not talking about buying Linux or a 'naked' FreeDOS box on a similar system that is *more* than an XP box!). With Apple's Intel offerings starting to look great, people that want to run OS X for fun will be swayed once they try it, and people like me who have no use for XP are already planning on buying a new MacBook for OSX/Linux dual boot. If/when they have the abiltiy to run XP too, well I think Dell should be a bit worried, but they'll still beat them on price (well, not with these Aliens they won't!)
fak3r.com
Remember the movie Wall Street? When a company is rumored to be bought, its stock will most likely go up substantially because investors know the company will cut overhead, largely in the form of layoffs. Expect that to happen here. So I'm not optimistic about support but that doesn't mean that the quality of the technology will diminish, perhaps even the opposite as the new owner has the interest and the cash money to step up R&D or acquisitions of other similar companies.
One can only hope that Alienware support and hardware won't be ill effected by this acquisition.
Sadly it has been affected, now they are calling this new merger 'AlienatedWare', and furthermore, all tech support is done by 'aliens.'
He who knows best knows how little he knows. - Thomas Jefferson
Of course Alienware does actually make quality computers, and I purchased one myself since I don't have the time to build my own...but here's a tip....order from their small business line. Its WAAAY cheaper, you get the same components for the most part...and the only thing lacking is the flashy case that screams "Alienware just scammed me out of $500 bucks for this case".
Buy Steampunk Clothing Online!
It'd fit with the whole aliens-abducting-cows thing.
...sorry.
Slashdot Burying Stories About Slashdot Media Owned
I wrote the first story backing up Rahul's blog here:
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=30043
and then got more info the other day that also backed up the CNet and AMDZone versions, so I wrote this:
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=30289
Then the new CNet 'backpedal' piece came out, and it looks like someone is spreading hardcore FUD. So, I spent the morning tracking down rumors and leads, calling sources to see who their sources are and the like.
Short story, the sources are not talking to each other, and contrary to the CNet implications, it is not a grand plot by Rahul. I was told last week that it is a done deal, and nothing has changed that view since, but a lot has bolstered it.
The tepid denials (A friend of a guy who knew someone from Dell Australia) and the like are not what I would call good evidence. I have talked to three people who gave me some very convincing evidence about the purchase.
All that said, take it with a grain of salt, but when you start hearing about anouncement dates, it may be more than smoke and mirrors.
-Charlie
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=30289
:)
Luckily I was there yesterday. 6/10 for effort though.
-Charlie
I had a alienware sentia laptop. after 1 year and 4 months (1 year warranty) the laptop totally died on me. So I call up to get out of warranty repair, I was expecting to pay. After playing the phone support game with a couple of their techs it came down to:
-Model is discontinued, and they have 0 parts for this model.
-They have no competitive upgrade, I would have bought a newer laptop if they would have given me something for the old one.
-Alienware said "sorry" and referred me to a company in CA who does laptop component repairs.
At this point I sent it to the company in CA who said the MB was totally shot. they gave me some money for the case and the LCD and shipped me my hardrive back.
Hopefully Alienware can learn a few things from Dell on how to support their products.
A totally disatisfied customer.
they sold their company at a ridiculously overpriced rate!
The merger can only help. We bought a handful of Alienwares (desktops and laptops) for our employees - we are a government software development research lab. The desktops have been okay, but the laptops are horrible. Every one of them has had some major problems and mine (Sentia) has had the keyboard replaced twice and the optical drive replaced once. I have personally spent hours waiting on the phone for an answer from their technical support. The other two Sentia laptops we bought are in worse shape than mine. All of these problems cropped up within a year of owning the machine. Add this post to the long list of Alienware beefs that is resident on the Web...or should I say ALEMONWARE?
I know people tote Alienware's hardware and support, but every time I have had to interact with their support it has been horrible.
Most recently I have had a problem with the little screws falling out of my laptop and with my AC adapter dying.
1. I shouldn't have had to call in to get mailed screws (which is aside from the fact that screws shouldn't have been falling out of my laptop in the first place). This should have been simple enough to handle via e-mail, but no, I had to call.
2. I shouldn't have had to wait for 40 minutes on hold when I *did* finally call Alienware.
3. I shouldn't have been lied to by the first person I spoke with, who told me that part was all set and that I'd receive it shortly. When it didn't arrive and I called back they said they were out of stock and they'd ship it when it was back in stock.
4. They really shouldn't have been out of stock of the AC adapter for a laptop STILL UNDER WARRANTY.
5. When the DID finally ship it they shipped it do an address that I haven't used with them in YEARS. I then had to have people I knew at said address (it was a previous employer) ship me the part.
All of this is on my second Alienware laptop, whose only major problem is that it resets if you bump the DVD-ROM the wrong way (this is annoying, but avoidable, and I didn't feel like sending it to them to fix it). This is my second laptop only because THEY HAD TO REPLACE my first one after months of tech support, three round trips back to Alienware TO FIX THE SAME PROBLEM, and TENS OF HOURS on the phone.
Not to mention that it's extremely unwieldy to use an adverb in that situation. A better structure would have been:
One can hope that this acquisition won't adversely affect Alienware hardware and support.
(That is, if you're OK with the occasional split infinitive).
Too many verbs and modifiers in the original.
(I hope you're OK with this sentence fragment).
(And I hope you're OK with my use of the abbreviation 'OK').
(And I hope you're OK with me beginning a sentence with a conjunction).
"Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
In the end, there will be two computer manufacturers: Dell and Apple.
How ya like dat?
Especially in light of this story from two days ago which talked about Alienware and its founders.
We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower
The alienware store works a LOT like the dell store does now. Upselling Norton, the warranties are a lot like Dell's now...it just reminds me of when I bought my laptop.
This is rather wierd feeling.
In regards to Alienware's horrible customer service, I've got to weigh in. Last year I bought a laptop from them expecting a 15" 4:3 screen as pictured on their website when I ordered it. It took over a month to arrive, and what I got was a 15" widescreen with a 1680x1050 resolution -- I'm a young guy with decent vision (with corrective lenses) but this was too damn small for me and not what I ordered.
Add to that my X, C, and V keys were DOA, and when I powered up the computer it informed me the CMOS battery was dead. Alienware advertises extensive power-on load testing -- if any of that were true, they would have found and corrected this problem as soon as they tried to power it up! Additionally the video card and wifi drivers were not installed, so their marketing B.S. about fine-tuning drivers for you is just that.
To top this all off, I had to pay a 15% restocking fee to return my laptop for a refund. That was a $4k machine. Even after their false advertising as to the laptop design and absolutely no in-house testing -- despite the falsified testing sheet that came with it -- I lost $600 to them and it was two full months until I got the 17" Gateway laptop I now have. And it runs great.
So maybe Dell will bring some credibility to Alienware, because it's totally bullshit. Do some Googling and you'll find hundreds of stories like mine.
Shaun
Dell has already released a press statement saying it's not true. This all aparently started from a VoodooPC blog, whom is a competitor with Alienware.
"The past was erased, the erasure was forgotten, the lie became truth." ~1984 George Orwell
I've been hearing this rumor for a while and the fact that it was already shot down by dell, but i never really noticed how similar dell and alienware's websites really are... like "I stole the entire design from the other guy's site" similar...
<end/>
People who manage to save money by building a computer tend to not actually build a full computer.
Talk to them. "oh yeah I used my old video card, the hard drive, keyboard, mose, and monitor for the old system."
In other words, most of the time they aren't building, they are just upgrading.
Alternately, they skimp. Maybe their girlfriend just laughed at their manhood, so they get the best video card and fastest processor, and put them in a system with the cheapest parts available. Spec sheet it might look comparable to OEM systems, even better... until their bluescreens come up and hte power supply catches fire.
In higher end market segments the skimping can save money without being so stupid- a gamer might not need 300GB of hard drive space, so they cut back to maybe 80 so they can afford a faster video card. Get a better system for gaming, for less money, than the most closely equivalent OEM box, but they lose the data storage that said OEM box would give them. "Specialization" would probably be a better word than "skimping" for this savings strategy.
Of course, on the bottom end where you bought, even if its possible to save money building a theoretically equivalent system... I wouldn't trust such a thing with personal email much les anything important.
It's not like it'd be a big difference if Dell did buy out Alienware. It used to be back a few years ago that Alienware computers were the envy of the gaming world. You got a fully loaded, high quality computer with a very attractive case and very nice peripherals, and an even more attractive warranty and support package. You could rest completely assured that it'd play anything, and play it better than any other gaming computer on the market, and if it broke, you'd get it fixed right away. Of course, times change. Dell computers used to be a hot item, too.
Now that Alienware has sunk to Dell's inferior standards, it's only logical that they allow themselves to be bought out. Dell and Alienware are practically the same thing, only one of them sells office hardware and servers, too. Think about it - overpriced, overhyped piece of shit computers sold in attractive cases? Piss-poor technical support that can't speak a word of English? The only thing these two companies still have going for them is a barely-par warranty package, and even then they're both flaky about that. They're both washed-up computer manufacturers peddling electronic turds wrapped in pretty packages.
What a drag, but hey. If you're going to build a computer right, you do it yourself.
Good point, but I guess that leaves the average (or slightly above) home user in the lurch to getting resolution to issues.
You did make me recall that every time I called Sun, I received excellent support. Especially since I was having difficulty with a machine that due to security reasons I could not send them raw core files and could not allow them access to the machine. They provided me with analysis tools so that I could extract the necessary data they needed from the core files and get into to a plain text format that I could then provide them.
So I revise my previous statement...most distance support I've dealt with was CRAP, but Sun was outstanding!
How big of a spender do you need to be to get good Dell support? At the time the small company I worked for had spent at least ~25k with them, and they were horrid! Granted that's not a large amount big...but it's not small either...
Ceinwyn
It really would fit Dell well.
Alienware is like the Mercedes of PCs. Their computers are typically over priced and aim for a very specific niche market (gamers).
Meanwhile, Dell is a bulk seller of commodity parts. They're the Civics, man. How in the world is this a good fit? It seems more like a really awkward fit to me.
I'd trust a dell over a system with the same specs I put together for under 400.
Dell doesn't use top end components, but their parts are quite a bit better than the real bottom of the barrel stuff you'd have to go with to meet their price points buying individual components. Most dell systems are pretty solid. There are ridiculous numbers of them out there, and except for the 270 series optiplexes, the vast majority will go their warranty period without a problem.
Have you really seen the true bottom of the barrel components that are on the market? Motherboards that are almost guaranteed six month failures. Cases that trap hot air around the processor. PCI slots that fall apart. Seriously, to meet Dells specs at the same price buying individual components, you'll be buidling a computer with *at best* half the lifespan of the dell. I've seen friends buy such parts. I've stupidly bought some myself. Dell quality far exceeds this stuff.
And I'm not saying its bad to recycle components, its just that some people will say they built their entire computer and it saved them like a hundered bucks... and don't mention until you prod them that they recycled at least 200 dollars worth of parts from the old system. It's a valid moneysaving strategy, but many people use it to misrepresent the costs of building to people who don't have parts worth recycling in the first place.
Why can't they put in a larger keyboard into these massive portables? Look at all that wasted space on either side of the keyboard.