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Dell Installs Google Software at Factory

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the yes-have-some dept.

simonjp writes "BBC News are reporting that Dell will be installing Google software onto their new machines as part of the software build. Details appear sketchy, but this signifies the first step for Google from being just something you can download to an almost 'essential' software provider. They report that both sides are to benefit from the deal, and that 'more is to come.'"

5 of 242 comments (clear)

  1. Old news? by Saedrael · · Score: 5, Informative

    Google desktop came with my Dimension E510 ~three months ago. Is Dell just reporting this now?

  2. They've been doing this for a while. by k_187 · · Score: 2, Informative

    The laptop I bought a month and a half ago came with google desktop & toolbar preinstalled. I suppose this means that they'll be adding things beyond those 2?

    --
    11 was a racehorse
    12 was 12
    1111 Race
    12112
  3. yes and no by Aeron65432 · · Score: 2, Informative

    Google's software has been coming preloaded with Dell computers for about 3 1/2 months now, but was only a trial period, a "test" if you will. Now it looks like it is an official, permanent policy.

  4. Re:Details sketchy? by callistra.moonshadow · · Score: 3, Informative

    I agree with your comments about Spyware and ads added to a computer that you buy. Lest we forget Dell was in the news for not supporting the removal of spyware from Dell bought computers last year. This is just in keeping with their business model - essentially to not support the privacy of their customers.

    --
    --Cally
  5. Re:Details sketchy? by Irish_Samurai · · Score: 3, Informative

    The shit is most definitely spyware.

    Goole toolbar tracks your clicks in a sesion and phones home with the results as a way to tweak their listings based on traffic patterns. You CAN turn is off, but the average user doesn't have a clue that they can or how to do it.

    Google desktop phones home with user tendencies to "help" them build more user friendly tools. It ALSO phones home with your web surfing sessions.

    The issue becomes a little cloudy when people don't agree on the definition of "spyware". Some people define it as anything that sends information about your activities, anonomous or not, to a collecting party. Some people say it has to have a personal identfier for you or it doesn't count as spyware. Others won't believe its spyware unless there is no way to disable the "feature." Alot of people like the qualifier that that the software has to be installed without the users consent. Pesonally I stick with the definition of anything that phones home with my activities.