Who Said Dell Wasn't Buying Alienware?
from the denial-is-de-river-in-egypt dept
Despite denying the rumors last week, Dell has bought gaming-PC maker Alienware for an undisclosed sum. Dell doesn't usually like to grow through acquisitions, preferring lately to grow sales by moving into consumer electronics, but perhaps felt its place as "technological leader" in the PC market was being threatened by Alienware and other high-end game PC makers, or it just wanted to take more share of the market for the high-margin machines. Alienware's CEO says the company sold out so it could take advantage of Dell's supply chain -- which is funny, since we sort of assumed it was because of the money. It's a strange match for a few reasons though: Alienware has a really strong brand that enjoys a lot of loyalty from its users and it handles service in a manner quite unlike most other vendors, whereas Dell's reputation for service has taken some hits lately.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
Ha!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Why not destroy another good brand
Ok, I have to say it.... where's the annoying blonde guy when you need him??? "DUDE! Your getting and ALIENWARE"
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Why not destroy another good brand
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Alienware vs Dell (who?)
Alienware was the greatest.........................
Good Bye So Long Farewell thee Well!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
The Unfortunate Reality
This is the wicked way of big business though. Just like how Babelfish and TerraServer used to be rather novel and sometimes helpful entities that were gobbled up by the ever-whirring gears of big business, it's inevitable that the smaller companies, normally the ones that care enough about service or product to take a cut in profits in order to delivery a superior offering to consumers, will eventually fall prey to the golden dollar signs that big business can offer them. During the bubble, I worked for two different companies that had actually PROVISIONED for aquisition in their business plans...it wasn't a possibility, it was a goal.
I guess we just have to look for the "next great thing" and be glad that there are still some companies out there more concerned with innovating new and unique products for us tech-hungry consumers.
Although, citing that a company like Alienware is acutally a competitive threat is like panicking over the West Nile Virus, as it's a potential viral threat that could end the human race as we know it. Laughable a best, transparent in all likelyhood, and dishonest at worst.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Customer Service
Alienware, but I would pay a good $500 to have the customer service I had with Alienware. When I lost the Windows CD they sent me and I wanted to re-install windows, I called them up, and they had a cd shipped to me arrive at my house the next day. Everyone at the customer service department knows everything, so you don't have to keep getting transfered to the "department of questions starting with the letter 'j' " or the "department of the CPU fan that knows nothing about the rest of the computer." Even if they are, they don't seem to be located in India. I don't care if that makes me racist, which I don't think it does, but I'm sick of talking to Indians who I can't understand and/or don't know anything and are just reading from a script so they don't help me at all. I know Dell customer service, actually I don't because they don't have any, none that I could actually call customer 'service' at least. Dell's gunna go crap up Alienware and now no-ones gunna be able to get help and I'll have to take my samuri sword and slice anyone when their computer breaks to shut them up. Before Alienware could do it, but now it's left to the sword.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Customer Service
Nick - not a big Indian fan but hey - the Japanese are OK!
Wait - who WERE the "samuri"?
A gay band of swashbuckling warriors who also sell discounted plastic swords at Target?
Galactic swordsmen who hone thier World Of Warcraft skills
in the relative privacy of moms basement?
Perhaps we'll never know.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Good Riddance
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Please To Be Rebooting Aliens Now....
"Maybe to letting computer sit and warm for awhile.." suggests your crack technician when the five variations of rebooting on the Dell Solutions Sheet fail to heal your Alienator XPS-SX.
"Look can't you just send the chimp out to replace everything in the case like always?" you ask - expecting at least this for the $4500 Dell took you for.
"Oh thanking you, no very much.." comes the happy reply, "this computer is many too expensive to replace all content and still make profits. Now, to reboointg again please?"
Ah ha ha.
Welcome to Walmart. Having nice day being, please...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Both companies are overrated
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
BBQ anyone ?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Sad to see
I compared the Alienware to a Dell when I bought the desktop, and it was a couple hundred cheaper for a little bit better machine than the closest Dell. I didn't bother to check when I bought the laptop. Their support has been wonderful when needed, and the machine is easy to upgrade and bad-ass. Their attention to detail when installing cabling and testing the configuration is something that is worth the premium price. Plus I don't get automation when I call, I get a person.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
:(
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
This sucks!
Printers, switches...so many things take their eye off the ball.
There was a day when I was a Dell-head. Then I had to talk to several dozen people in a far away land for technical support. The experience taught me several things:
1. Dell has a growing quality problem.
2. Dell doesn't CARE about their growing quality problem.
3. Dell doesn't care that many of us CARE about their growing quality problem.
4. Dell changes sales staff like most of us change undergarments.
5. Dell sales staff doesn't CARE that we ask to be taken off the sales list that ALL new Dell sales people call every six WEEKS.
6. Lenovo has slightly better hardware than Dell.
7. On average, Lenovo has a SLIGHTLY higher percentage of english speaking call-center geek-wannabes.
8. BSD on a Mac is a great thing.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
HA
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: HA
I'm looking for but not finding. Please explain again your express service tag number. How you say again, the modemn hags? Hanres? You are looking for "the internets", but not getting them? What? What did you say? Please wait, I must ask a cunning linguist, I mean a supervisor. What? WHAT?
If it was free, you still paid too much for that hunk of crap.
Wait till you have to talk to Apu, who does not "speekie".
You stay at home and surf your 7 second porn sites. When you work in the TECH industry, THEN you can help solve problems.
Now SHOO!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
IF Dell sucks so bad WHY are they number 1?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: IF Dell sucks so bad WHY are they number 1?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: IF Dell sucks so bad WHY are they number 1?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: IF Dell sucks so bad WHY are they number 1?
I've dealt with several of the Dell Gold Techs and while they range from fair to awful, Dell has now screwed over the people who bought Dell Gold Service plans by not letting them come out any more.
My neighbor, a rich older lady who bought the most expensive plan just had a hard drive blow out. First they made her go through 5 hours of BS before they sent her out a new serial ATA HD, but then they refused to send a tech and expect her to do the install.
She saw me carrying a laptop so she figured I know all about computers.
Dell is so busy trying to race to the bottom of the price point they just won't produce a good product any more.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: IF Dell sucks so bad WHY are they number 1?
"Microsoft Certified Technician"
Translation...I'm a certified moron.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: IF Dell sucks so bad WHY are they number 1
Warcraft? What background do you have to say anyone with any certification is lesser than you, I imagine it is probably none.
Have a nice day.
Now, I have to agree that I believe a company such as Dell would do well hiring American Techs. In fact we just opened another call center here. But the same holds true... you get what you pay for. I appreciate those of you who aren't generalizing because it is impossible to keep extreamly close tabs on every tech.
For everyone's knowledge... Dell does not refuse any kind of service onsite or otherwise unless you have no contract because you were to cheap to fork up the cash or your contract expired which by the way we notify AND ask if you would like to extend it. If we didn't that would be a lawsuit. Dell can't spend more than it makes, so stop whining and expecting Dell to pay for your mistakes. I can't believe I need to explain the concept of income and expenditures to most of you.
If you can't comprehend that Dell sells computers with a warranty not a computers 101 class than I suggest you start asking you car dealers to teach you to drive. If you can't understand why Dell has to outsource jobs to handle the stupid questions then go take economics 101. For those of you who decide to be rude and scream and yell at the people who are trying to help you irregardless of their global location... go take kindergarten, treat others the way you wish to be treated... trust me I am more likely to go above policy and try to hook you up if you are nice. SUGAR ATTRACTS MORE FLIES THAN VINEGAR. Glad I could share that lesson that some of you have forgotten. I think that most people are just rascist against Indian Techs and look down upon them putting their own arrogant AMERICAN selves up on a pedestal, for those of you... allow me to remind you who is calling who?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: IF Dell sucks so bad WHY are they number 1
Warcraft? What background do you have to say anyone with any certification is lesser than you, I imagine it is probably none.
Have a nice day.
Now, I have to agree that I believe a company such as Dell would do well hiring American Techs. In fact we just opened another call center here. But the same holds true... you get what you pay for. I appreciate those of you who aren't generalizing because it is impossible to keep extreamly close tabs on every tech.
For everyone's knowledge... Dell does not refuse any kind of service onsite or otherwise unless you have no contract because you were to cheap to fork up the cash or your contract expired which by the way we notify AND ask if you would like to extend it. If we didn't that would be a lawsuit. Dell can't spend more than it makes, so stop whining and expecting Dell to pay for your mistakes. I can't believe I need to explain the concept of income and expenditures to most of you.
If you can't comprehend that Dell sells computers with a warranty not a computers 101 class than I suggest you start asking you car dealers to teach you to drive. If you can't understand why Dell has to outsource jobs to handle the stupid questions then go take economics 101. For those of you who decide to be rude and scream and yell at the people who are trying to help you irregardless of their global location... go take kindergarten, treat others the way you wish to be treated... trust me I am more likely to go above policy and try to hook you up if you are nice. SUGAR ATTRACTS MORE FLIES THAN VINEGAR. Glad I could share that lesson that some of you have forgotten. I think that most people are just rascist against Indian Techs and look down upon them putting their own arrogant AMERICAN selves up on a pedestal, for those of you... allow me to remind you who is calling who?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: IF Dell sucks so bad WHY are they numb
Lose the racism cry, I work with plenty of Indians on american soil whom I respect. Worry about whether you are going to lose your house and car because your job was off-shored then you can speak.
Talk about generalizations....
I know who is calling who, the rich in charge of the company who get richer by "lowering" costs, that is exactly who is calling.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: IF Dell sucks so bad WHY are they
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: IF Dell sucks so bad WHY are t
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: IF Dell sucks so bad WHY are they
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: IF Dell sucks so bad WHY are t
Wake up, get real, and when you live in reality come on back.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
dude
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Point of origin
As far as hardware is concerned, you are not going to see one bit of difference between the two boxes. It will all boil down to service and support. I'm with the Dell guy on the point of too many stupid people calling in for sh*t because they can't figure out the difference between turning on their monitor and turning on their CPU.
As for the "India" issue...we're not taking jobs away from Americans. Americans don't want those jobs because no one is willing to put up with that kind of crap with the knowledge it takes to do it effectively for minimum wage. There is just no way tech professionals in the US will do it.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Point of origin
I do not work there any longer but the place closed and moved the jobs overseas. I probably would still work there as it paid fairly well for my area and it was far above minimum wage.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Point of origin
One thing here "SCREW YOU" my 60k year a job that I happen to like is being outsourced, as is the entire division where I work. These jobs start at 45k and go as high as 80k. Don't open your F***ing mouth unless you know what jobs are actually leaving.
It is because I can't work for 12k a year, not because I won't.
The reality is the top execs are still getting multimillion dollar bonuses and perks, while they look to find ways to "save" money. This is all about money, nothing more, nothing less.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Point of origin
You're right in ONE respect. You can't expect effective tech support from someone making minimum wage. I work at Canon. I do end-user tech suppport. I deal with stupid customers all day long. Canon doesn't pay me minimum wage. I make $15+ an hour as a level one tech. If you buy a Canon product in the US, your tech support is in the US. We answer approximately 80% of our calls that come in within 60 seconds. If our hold times get over 10 minutes, we have managers running around trying to figure out who else can get on the phones - level 2 and 3 agents - quality monitoring people - email support people - even engineers.
Pay your tech support people what they deserve and you won't have the trouble Dell has.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Point of origin
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
RE: Dell Sucks
and as a Dell software tech in Canada (born and raised & english speaking) I can say that I agree with the Gold support Tech... If the users learn how to read help files and actually learn how to use the PC there would be far less wait times...
Dells price for a base model PC is CHEAP this = cheap, dumb, ignorant users that have to call in alot about simple issues and then B%TCH about the wait times..
Cheap also means easier access to PCs for people that normaly would not be able to afford something like an alienware PC.... and if they can - then they should lean how to fix it themselves!
my 2 cents..
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
RE: Point of origin
support yourselves on the phone???? or would ya freak out and hang up and then quit?? this is a very high stress enviroment... why.. because of people like yourselves.
he's right.... India.. and Canada.. we seem to be nice enough to put up with your shit in order to TRY to help you out... since you can't seem to figue it out on your own...
-regards
disgruntled tech due to dumb all knowing PC owners
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
You are all crack smokers!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: You are all crack smokers!
Most recently, my father's Dimension wouldn't power on. I went to Dell's online help wizard, but it didn't display an option consistent with the computer's symptoms. I chose to chat with a tech, and after an hour and a half of troubleshooting which mostly included randomly removing things from the case, we got disconnected. Frustrated, I went to the Dell support forums. In five minutes, I learned that it might be a problem with my RAM, found the bad piece, and had everything up and running again.
That said, once I found the problem and asked them to replace the RAM, they were happy to have a tech come out (that day, even!) and replace it for my father. And you know, I've got to give them a thumbs-up for that.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: You are all crack smokers!
Maybe I should get the lowest level of support possible of buy one of their cheapest computers to find out what kind of pain you are all experiencing. But, having purchased only Precision, XPS, and Lattitudes for the home and office, I have had none of the problems related. Sure, my stuff costs a few bucks more than the bottom of the barrel crap. But, you get what you pay for. Stop cutting corners, spend a couple bucks and save yourselves some headache:)
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
First-time Dell buyer....
The LCD didn't work right out of the box, and getting a "new" one took almost a week (and it was refurbished). Inconvenient, but the people were nice, fairly quick, and it didn't cost me a penny. I hate dealing with service folks, but it's not the first time I've had to do it, and this was one of the better experiences.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
apologies on the double post
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
This sucks
But to now hear they've been bought out by Dell, I don't think I'd be as willing to buy an Alienware PC.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Alienware stopped being a good company 2 years ago
Then they moved their support lines off shore. At the end you needed to speak Spanish to get good tech support. I hired a guy from the Home Depot parking lot, to make my last call to them.
I ordered my last Alienware box (EVER) last May. I didn't believe what others in the call center were saying about the new level of service. It took 6 months to ship a computer that I paid for with Cashier's Check! And almost a year to get my rebate. I got it a few days ago.
Keep in mind, 6 months is huge. My $3000 computer is no longer cutting edge, if I don't get it for 6 months....nor is it worth $3000.
The hype lived longer than the reality. Do not mourn it's passing. Dance on it's grave.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
AMD
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
There are good days and there are bad days
I used to work tech support and got all sorts of crap from frustrated people and truly appreciated the patience the tech from Dell had with me.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Alien....Area-51
[ link to this | view in chronology ]