Dell today made it official, unveiling three consumer systems -- the XPS 410n and Dimension E520n desktops and the Inspiron E1505n notebook -- with the Ubuntu 7.04 Linux distribution factory installed.
Available in the U.S. after 4:00 p.m. CDT today at www.dell.com/open, the systems target the Linux enthusiast community and are a direct result of extensive customer feedback received since February via www.ideastorm.com, the company's Web site for fielding customers' suggestions to improve products, services and operations. About 30,000 IdeaStorm community members advocated that Dell offer systems with Linux pre-installed, and more than 100,000 participated in a follow-up survey to help determine customer preferences, including which Linux distribution to offer initially.
?The interest and enthusiasm from customers who challenged us to deliver a consumer Linux solution have been matched within Dell and Canonical, the sponsor of Ubuntu, by a team of dedicated professionals who made this happen in a phenomenally short period of time,? said Neil Hand, vice president, Dell Consumer Product Group. ?It?s fantastic to be able to offer what many Linux enthusiasts want, great Dell products with popular open-source software for work and play.?
With no software licensing costs associated with Ubuntu, the base price for each system is competitively priced and fully configured. Hardware support is available through normal Dell support channels, along with the Basic software support on a variety of dedicated Web sites and Linux forums. Customers can also choose service upgrades from Canonical, including: 30-day Get Started, One-year Basic and One-Year Standard. More information on Canonical services is available at www.ubuntu.com.
Dell is offering hardware options on each system that have the most mature and stable Linux driver support. These hardware options have been thoroughly tested and certified by Canonical. For hardware options not offered with this release, Dell is working with the vendors of those devices to improve the maturity and stability of their associated Linux drivers, and expects to have a broader range of hardware support with Linux over time.
In response to customer feedback, Dell created a robust Dell Linux Forum, www.dellcommunity.com. The forum provides an easily accessible resource and collaborative environment that enables customers to interact with other Linux enthusiasts, ask questions, share experiences and learn. Customers can customize and purchase Dell?s Ubuntu systems at www.dell.com/open.
Recommended Configuration and Pricing for the Inspiron E1505n:
15.4-inch TrueLife WXGA display Intel Pentium Dual Core T2080 512MB shared memory 80GB hard drive CDRW/DVD ROM Intel Media Accelerator 950 Graphics Intel PRO Wireless 3945 Starting at $599
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