Dell Giving Away 432 Notebooks

By Nate Mook | Published July 27, 2006, 2:41 PM

For a back to school promotion, Dell is giving away 12 notebook computers every day until August 31. The offer is part of a contest in which participants create a "skin" for their laptop of choice. Winners can add a college logo or other skin to their free computer.

The individual with the best skin design chosen from 10 finalists based on public appeal, originality and creativity will receive a $10,000 check along with a notebook produced with their winning design. The 12 daily winners will be selected at random instantly, with the pre-configured laptops valued at between $948 and $1,418 USD.

Comments

View comments by with a score of at least

lack of freedom in design is the worst part of this. ie: everything looks the same.

Score: 0

|

Regardless of how lame Dell has been in terms of innovation (very), this is amazingly progressive thinking on their part. Could they do more? Sure. Could they do something "better"? Sure. It's a step in the right direction though: thinking outside the box (God. I hate that phrase) :(

Score: 0

|

I suppose the winner would have to come up with a fireproof one, eh?

Score: 0

|

AHHHH

My skins on fire! My skins on fire!

Score: 0

|

Oooh....are these the ones with special batteries ;)?

Score: 0

|

Never mind...
Cool contest.

Score: 0

|

Good job, Dell.

Score: 0

|

Ok, I applaud any company giving away laptop to kids, but I have to say that the whole "skin" concept is lame. I'm a PC guy, but with Mac's booting both OS's I'm very intrigued. Regardleses, I think the Apple laptops are beautifully designed. They almost look like a works of art. My point? Snapping-in some plastic "skin" doesn't make a laptop/PC "cool". Makes it look crappy and cheap to me... I know this makes a laptop/PC more expensive, but Dell should consider custom form-factors, highly integrated software and hardware solutions, not to mention, innovative things which would make people want to buy one... (i.e. things Apple or other hardware/software designers haven't done). Sadly, this probably won't happen, but this post is here in case someone from Dell is reading this.

Score: 0

|

You must be naive if you think your post is anything different that what some workers at Dell already think.

Score: 0

|

So, if i gave you a $1,418 USD laptop with a skin on it, you'd tell me to **** off?

your post holds no significance and has no relevance.

Score: 0

|

Thank you NateBBG. I can see how relevant your post is. Btw, what did you add to this thread?

No, I wouldn't say "**** off", but I was commenting on what I think of Dell's "skinning". I was on topic and, as such, the post is relevant.

Your logic is brilliant NateBBG, but what does accepting something for free have to do with whether something is a quality or aesthetically pleasing product? ... That doesn't make any sense. Who wouldn't take a free laptop? But, my post was about how Dell's skins look bad. Care to comment on that? Care to say something relevant? ... btw, I've bought several Dells (4 PC's and 2 laptops) in the last several years. I'm using an XPS Gen4 right now. It's a solid machine, but what does that matter... Their laptop skins still look horrible.

Score: 0

|

nice, i want a 1210M

Score: 0

|

o.o nice *enters*

Score: 0

|

Google Chrome 4: Yes, it's fast, but is it usable?

As Betanews readers have responded to our stories about Chrome's JavaScript superiority...Does that mean we'd actually use this browser? Well...

Video: Netflix on PlayStation 3

Netflix has come to the PlayStation 3 via Blu-ray and BD-Live.

Verizon Wireless launches new Android, Chocolate, and ruggedized phones

The lower-priced Eris joins the Droid, while the Chocolate gets a touchscreen and more music playback.

Early sales figures for Windows 7 nicely high, but do we know why?

Fans of triple-digit surges in figures quoted by Betanews will love this one, as it appears Microsoft rediscovered how to pull off a software launch.

Myka announces its latest Linux-based 'net top box'

Myka's ION brings Boxee, XMBC, and much more to HDTVs.

What hath Mac wrought? A remembrance after a quarter-century

The reason there's a Macintosh today is not because of some brilliant flash of engineering genius, but because Apple had the audacity to learn from its mistakes.

Early build of Moblin 2.1 improves connectivity, but not device support

The Linux Foundation's Atom-centric OS yesterday received a major overhaul with the project release of Moblin 2.1 for netbooks and nettops.

The iPhone's China syndrome: Sales of 5,000 and climbing

There's actually a country where Apple's device is not a godsend, where sales can be measured in the dozens.

New European counterpart to FCC will ensure 'a more neutral net'

Late Thursday night, the ruling telecom administrators of the EU's member nations signed away their final authority to a new entity overseen by the EC.

Sophos study suggests Windows 7 UAC's default setting is self-defeating

Without any anti-virus installed, a Sophos test showed, User Account Control was only capable of thwarting just one malware package out of ten samples chosen.

Indiscreet tweet trips awareness of Web SSL vulnerability

A group of high-level security engineers had been making progress on thwarting a low-level threat to the Web, until somebody blurted it all out on Twitter.