Dell Offers Multilanguage Support and Global Two-Way Native SMS Crisis Notification and Collaboration

International organizations now have multilingual, two-way communication available with AlertFind, Dell Global Services’ powerful crisis management and alerting service.

AlertFind is designed to help businesses rapidly contact large numbers of employees, customers and other constituents during a crisis using all available communication channels. By allowing administrators and end-users to set language preferences for notifications, instructions or recorded messages, AlertFind can make it easy for customers to communicate with employees in several different languages simultaneously. English (U.S. and UK dialects), French, German and Spanish are currently supported. Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Italian and Dutch will be added by the end of 2008.

“Currently, the top-10 customers for AlertFind have nearly one million employees, with a significant percentage located outside the U.S.,” said Bryan Rollins, director of product management at Dell Global Services. “Being able to immediately communicate during a crisis, regardless of where employees are located or what language they speak, is a top priority for these organizations. Based on customer feedback, we now provide additional language support for both in-bound and out-bound messages.”

Dell also provides local in-bound numbers for employees in 26 countries today with more being added regularly. When employees call the in-bound number, they can check sent notifications, complete poll surveys, transfer to a conference call bridge or listen to general information. In-bound numbers allow employees to call and get instructions from virtually anywhere in the event of a disaster, if portions of the communications infrastructure are unavailable. Administrators also can initiate a notification via the local number, so the alert is easily identified by employees.

Quickly Communicate Internationally

A key component to international crisis notification and collaboration is immediate two-way communication on a variety of devices. As a leading provider of critical crisis communications, AlertFind uses global, two-way native SMS to help ensure customers receive text messages quickly. AlertFind has a distinct advantage over solutions that utilize SMTP. AlertFind uses SMS protocol, which is less likely to be identified as spam by telecommunications providers. Dell has established agreements with telecommunications companies to provide two-way SMS capabilities around the globe.

Enterprise Class Security and Privacy is Critical for Global Organizations

AlertFind is also designed to meet the privacy and security needs of large global companies. For example, some countries may require that data be kept in a specific geographical location. With top-tier data centers in multiple countries around the world, Dell Global Services is able to offer global and regional storage and delivery options that can help customers comply with stringent data privacy requirements.

Alert Find offers secure distributed management, so customers can set strict permissions on who can send alerts and see contact information. When a regional crisis team sends a notification, Alert Find automatically populates with just the regional users and groups available locally. These features can enable companies to provide local control over crisis management while helping to speed message creation and reducing security risks.

About AlertFind

With more than one million global recipients, AlertFind is a crisis notification and collaboration service that can be used for two-way communication over a dozen different devices with user specified escalation rules. AlertFind has kept companies, communities and universities operating and enabled them to ensure the safety of their employees during and after the I-35 bridge collapse in Minneapolis in August 2007, Hurricane Katrina and the July 2005 bombings of London’s public transit system.

Technology “Transports” Dell, NFIB Small Business Award Winner to International Growth

Steve Mattie, founder and president of Transport Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of highly customized enclosed trailers and truck conversion motor homes in Montoursville, Pa., remembers when he and his colleagues saw little use for a computer, as the trailer and motor home industry was decidedly low-tech.

By breaking the mold and growing his business worldwide because of it, Transport Designs has earned the 2008 Dell/National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Small Business Excellence Award1. The announcement and award presentation was made today during NFIB’s National Small-Business Summit in Washington, D.C.

“When you are trying to sell a five or six-figure product sight unseen to a customer living in Australia, technology is the only means for communication, negotiation and building trust,” said Mattie. “Without embracing IT, our business would still be struggling to grow outside our region of the country much less internationally.”

From restaurants on wheels to transportable fitness centers, Transport Designs’ product options are vast, and so is the company’s vision for how far innovative use of technology can take them. Transport Designs stays up-to-speed on the latest in design software and hardware tools using Dell laptops to share customized digital floor plans and real-time construction progress with customers. Under Mattie’s direction, customers can also download easy-to-use tools to interact with the plans and update the designs themselves.

“Our electronic, fully rendered images are so detailed they can even include human figures, allowing customers to truly visualize the product, no matter how far away they are,” said Mattie. “This, along with the option to personally update their floor plan as if they were physically present at the build site, puts customers’ minds at ease and really sets us apart.”

Currently under construction, Transport Designs is building Car Doctor World Motorsports the first-of-its-kind cab-over motor coach to be used at its Turn Key Drive racing events, where average citizens sign up to spend a day in the life of a race car driver. Complete with massage chairs and water-wall décor, the motor coach is designed to exude luxury and comfort and is where participants will go to relax after a day of racing.

“I interviewed and traveled to vendors all over the U.S. for this project and needed to find the best,” said Ryan Pilla, owner of Car Doctor. “Steve’s use of technology and his vast knowledge of design tools far surpassed his competitors, giving me the confidence I needed to choose Transport Designs as my vendor. It has been a wonderful relationship ever since.”

Transport Designs will receive $25,000 in Dell products and services, a lifetime membership to NFIB, the leading small business association in the United States, valued at $15,000 (including a trip to NFIB’s National Small-Business Summit), and a day of best-practice sharing with Dell experts, including time with Chairman and CEO Michael Dell.

New this year, Transport Designs is also eligible for a chance to win the global Dell Small Business Excellence Award¹ worth $50,000 in Dell technology and services and featured participation in a global entrepreneurs’ summit. National winners from 12 countries - Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States - will be announced by September, and the global winner will be announced in fall 2008.

Dell Defining What It Means To Be ‘Green’ In Technology

Dell today marked the one-year anniversary of its commitment to be the “greenest technology company on the planet” by reporting the company’s largest single-year product recycling volume, becoming the first major computer manufacturer to offer Silver 80 PLUS-certified power supplies and demonstrating significant progress in its global zero-carbon initiative.

• Recycles More Than 100 Million Pounds of Equipment in 2007
• Energy-Efficiency Initiatives, 80 PLUS Power Supplies Driving Unprecedented Customer Savings
• Partners with The Climate Group’s “Together” Campaign Launching Today

“Our customers and stakeholders are inspiring us to lead a new era of environmental responsibility,” said Tod Arbogast, director of sustainable business for Dell. “We are at a historic point in time when the combined efforts of companies, customers, employees and suppliers will make the critical changes to protect our shared Earth.”

2007 Product Recycling Results

Dell reported recovery of 102 million pounds of IT equipment from customers during 2007, a 20 percent increase over 2006. The company has continued to enhance options for consumer recycling. In addition to its industry leading free home pick-up program, Dell continues to expand its Reconnect alliance with Goodwill. Consumers can now take advantage of free and convenient recycling at 370 attended drop-off Reconnect locations in 24 U.S. markets.

The company also continues to lead the industry in setting responsible recycling standards, including minimization of landfill globally, no export of waste and regular third-party audits of materials disposition. Dell remains the only major computer manufacturer to offer free recycling for consumers worldwide.

“Together”

Dell today also announced that it is partnering with The Climate Group’s “Together” initiative, a consumer-engagement campaign that brings together companies, cities and non-profit organizations to help Americans reduce their impact on the planet. In addition to expanding its Energy Smart and “Plant a Tree for Me” programs in the coming months, Dell will work with The Climate Group to provide consumers additional tools and resources to manage and reduce energy consumption.

Customer Savings Through Energy Efficiency

Dell remains focused on helping customers meet their own efficiency goals by working to provide products with the most performance per watt. Since 2005, the company’s client desktop systems alone have helped customers save more than $2.5 billion and avoid approximately 24 million tons of CO2.

The company today became the first major computer manufacturer to offer desktop customers Silver 80 PLUS-certified power supplies. The 80 PLUS specification aligns to the power-supply requirements in the EPA’s Energy Star 4.0 standard for computers and requires the use of 80 percent or more efficient power supplies. 80 PLUS Silver supplies are up to 8 percent more efficient than what’s required to meet Energy Star 4.0 compliance and meet the July 2009 qualifications of the Climate Savers Computing Initiative more than a year ahead of schedule.

Last month, Dell announced the company’s laptops and desktops, already among the industry’s most energy-efficient, are being designed to consume up to 25 percent less energy by 2010 relative to systems offered today. Dell recently announced the introduction of a Vostro Energy-Smart 410 desktop computer that can save customers up to 47 percent in annual energy costs1 without sacrificing power and performance.

Dell committed in September to make company operations carbon neutral by the end of 2008 and is ahead of plan in meeting that goal. Operational efficiency improvements in company facilities are saving the company approximately $2 million in operating costs per year.

In April, Dell announced that its corporate headquarters campus is powered with 100 percent ‘green’ energy. Increasing use of green power is locking in Dell’s energy prices as cost for traditional energy is expected to continue to rise.

The company’s carbon intensity (CO2 emissions/revenue) is among the lowest of the Fortune 50 and less than half that of its closest competitor.

In September 2007, Dell announced “Plant a Forest for Me”, a program that enables organizations worldwide to share best practices and, as partners, facilitate the planting of trees in sustainably managed reforestation projects. Partners include AMD, ABN AMRO, Ask.com, CGI, Staples, Salesforce.com, Targus and WellPoint.

Dell Growth Outpaces Market

Dell’s focused execution enabled the company to grow worldwide PC unit shipments in the calendar first quarter of 2008 more than 1.4 times faster than the overall market growth rate, according to IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker.

• IDC Q1 Data Shows Dell Topped Worldwide Industry Growth In Nearly All Major PC Segments
• Dell Leads All Commercial PC Segment Categories in U.S.

According to IDC, Dell recorded a 21.3 percent growth in worldwide PC shipments in the quarter, compared to 14.9 percent growth for the industry. In major segments, Dell regained or maintained leadership in the following:

• Education, for the 32nd consecutive quarter;
• Government, for the 30th consecutive quarter;
• Very Large Business, for the 37th consecutive quarter;
• Large Business, for the 33rd consecutive quarter; and,
• Regained leadership in Medium Business in 1Q08.

In the United States the company grew by 15.6% - more than three times faster than market growth of 4.6% and gained or maintained leadership in all commercial categories including:

• Education, for the 35th consecutive quarter;
• Government, for the 34th consecutive quarter;
• Very Large business, for the 37th consecutive quarter;
• Large Business, for the 35th consecutive quarter;
• Medium and Small Business, for the 40th consecutive quarter; and,
• Gained leadership in Small Office in 1Q08.

Company Gains Share in First Quarter Across All Major Product Categories and Regions

Dell’s focus on the enterprise – a Dell strategic priority – resulted in the company increasing x86 server shipments in the calendar first quarter at 1.8 times the industry growth rate to gain 2 points of global unit share from Q4 2007. Additionally, according to Gartner Inc., Dell sold more iSCSI ECB storage controllers than any other vendor in 2007.

In notebooks, another of Dell’s strategic priorities, the company grew commercial unit shipments 35 percent year on year, gaining 1.1 points of share worldwide from Q4 2007 to Q1 2008, according to IDC.

Dell’s Global Consumer business grew units at more than two times the industry rate year on year and increased it share in the United States by almost 6 percentage points from a year ago to 22.1 percent, according to IDC. Worldwide, Dell gained 1.2 points of share year on year in the first calendar quarter.

Dell grew units at almost triple the industry growth rate according to IDC in BRIC countries – Brazil, Russia, India and China.

In Small and Medium Business, another Dell strategic priority, Dell unit shipments to the segment grew in the double-digits – 20.5 percent worldwide and 11.5 percent in the United States -- year on year. Dell has led the SMB category in the U.S. for 10 consecutive years, according to IDC.

Clemson Selects Dell High-Performance Computing Cluster To Power Wide-Ranging Research

Clemson University is using a next-generation high-performance computing cluster (HPCC) from Dell to enable a wide range of academic research, from how family migration patterns impact schools and children’s development to the design of wireless communication networks.

The supercomputer, known as the Palmetto Cluster, is housed at Clemson’s Information Technology Center and comprises 512 Dell PowerEdge 1950 servers with Intel Quad-Core processors. Dell has worked with researchers at the university to build the cluster, currently benchmarked at 31 teraflops (TF), which means it can perform more than 31 trillion operations in one second, and is expected to grow to a goal of 100 TF.

“The Palmetto Cluster is a shared computing infrastructure offering enhanced computational research capabilities that will benefit our entire research community,” said Jim Bottum, Clemson’s vice provost and chief information officer. “A system of this class from Dell, combined with quality research faculty, highly-trained support staff and world-class operations, is providing Clemson with a cyber infrastructure for the future.”

The research enabled by the Palmetto Cluster already covers a wide range of disciplines, from cross-layer protocol design of wireless communication networks to simulations in molecular dynamics and developmental studies with children.

“Clemson University has made a commitment to providing its researchers the technology infrastructure they need to reach new academic frontiers,” said John Mullen, Dell vice president of higher education. “Dell clusters deliver the simplicity and value of industry-standard computing while still providing exceptional performance in a highly demanding environment.”

Dell Increases Revenue and Earnings, Lowers Operating Expenses

Dell today reported record fiscal first quarter revenue of $16 billion, a 9 percent year-over-year increase, and earnings of $0.38 cents per share, a 12 percent increase. The results were driven by better-than-industry growth of commercial and consumer products and services, and lower operating expense as a percent of revenue.

Product shipments in the quarter increased 22 percent, with servers growing three times the industry rate at 21 percent. Storage revenue increased 15 percent and enhanced services revenue was up 13 percent. Notebook unit growth, a Dell strategic priority, rose sharply at 43 percent and 1.2 times the industry growth rate. Consumer units grew at more than two times the industry rate and the company increased its global share by 1.2 points to 8.8 percent during the quarter.

“We are executing on all points of our strategy to drive growth in every product category and in every part of the world,” said Michael Dell, chairman and CEO. “These results are early signs of our progress against our five strategic priorities. Through a continued focus, we expect to continue growing faster than the industry and increase our revenue, profitability and cash flow for greater shareholder value.”

Earnings per share in the quarter were affected by the following items:

• $106 million in expense, or four cents per share, related to the realignment of our business, including severance costs and facility closures;
• $26 million, or one cent per share, in amortization expense of purchased intangible assets;
• $19 million in expense, or one cent per share, in investigation related costs;
• A $42 million increase in financing and other income, or two cents per share, related to an error in currency exchange rates from prior periods;
• A $46 million, or two cents per share, reversal in the provision for employee bonuses for fiscal 2008; and,
• A reduction in a litigation reserve related to a favorable ruling in a patent case of $55 million, or two cents per share.

Dell’s headcount has been reduced by 7,000 in the past year – including a reduction of about 3,700 in the first quarter – or 8 percent before the impact of acquisitions. Dell has added about 2,700 employees through acquisitions, making the net reduction for the company about 5 percent.

Operating expenses were 12.9 percent of revenue for the quarter. Cash flow from operations was $143 million and impacted by lower payables and tax and bonus payments. The company still expects to generate cash flow from operations in excess of net income on an annualized basis. Dell ended the quarter with $9.8 billion in cash and investments and weighted average shares were 2.04 billion.

In the quarter, Dell issued $1.5 billion in private placement and medium- and long-term notes to be used for general corporate purposes. Dell spent more than $1 billion to repurchase 52 million shares of stock and plans to spend at least $1 billion on share repurchase in the second quarter.

Regional Highlights

Revenue from outside the United States during the quarter surpassed revenue from the U.S. for the first time. BRIC countries – Brazil, Russia, India and China – led accelerated growth in emerging countries with 73 percent year-over-year increase in shipments and 58 percent increase in revenue, and accounted for almost 9 percent of Dell’s total revenue.

• Asia-Pacific and Japan Commercial (APJ): Revenue in the quarter grew by 19 percent on a 31 percent increase in units. Operating income was up 52 percent on a balanced country, segment and product performance. India and China led the region with revenue increases of 52 percent and 30 percent, and unit shipment growth of 68 percent and 43 percent, respectively. APJ growth continued strong across all product categories, with shipment increases of 46 percent in notebooks, 23 percent in server shipments and 25 percent in desktops.
• Americas Commercial: Total unit growth was up 3 percent driven by an 11 percent increase in notebooks and a 20 percent increase in servers, which was more than four times the rate of the industry.
• Europe, Middle East and Africa Commercial (EMEA): Revenue increased 15 percent and shipments were up 30 percent, with a 59 percent increase in shipments of notebooks. Storage revenue increased 48 percent. Unit growth in the region was led by the largest countries: United Kingdom up 20 percent; Germany up 26 percent and France up 14 percent.

Strategic Priority Highlights

• Global Consumer: On improved profitability, revenue grew 20 percent driven by a 47 percent increase in shipments. Dell grew units at more than two times the rate of the industry and increased its global share by 1.2 points to 8.8 percent. In addition to its online and telephone sales channels, Dell expanded its global retail presence, adding Suning in China and Costco in the U.S. to reach more than 13,000 retail locations worldwide.
• Enterprise: Server revenues were up 4 percent on a 21 percent increase in units, Dell’s fastest unit growth in more than two years and three times the rate of the industry. The company gained 1.5 points of share in the quarter. Storage revenue jumped 15 percent driven by strong growth from Dell’s PowerVault direct attached products and a full quarter of EqualLogic offerings. Based on company estimates, Dell again took share worldwide in the first quarter. Enhanced services revenue was up 13 percent aided by the first full quarter of the new ProSupport solutions. A leading indicator of services growth – the deferred services revenue balance – grew 23 percent to $5.4 billion. Dell’s Cloud-Computing service and design model is powering about half of the fastest growing Chinese internet companies as well as the largest portal in China. With launch of the Dell EqualLogic PS5000 series IP SANs and the Dell/EMC AX4 and 5i SANs, Dell extended its position as the No. 1 provider worldwide of iSCSI SAN solutions.
• Notebooks: Notebook units grew 43 percent year-over-year with revenue growth of 22 percent. In the quarter, Dell released its first fully ruggedized laptop, the Latitude XFR D630. In Global Consumer, notebook units increased 78 percent and made up 60 percent of the product mix.
• Small and Medium Business: Dell announced a redesigned Vostro laptop line for small businesses, including the 13.3-inch Vostro 1310 and the 15.4 inch Vostro 1510. These products are further expansion of Dell’s products designed specifically for small business customers, including servers, storage and services.
• Emerging Countries: BRIC plus the 10 targeted countries in Dell’s emerging countries priority accelerated revenue 47 percent. The company launched the Dell 500 notebook, designed specifically for the needs of emerging countries, which it is shipping to great demand in China and India. The Partner Direct program was launched in Europe and APJ in the quarter.

Company Outlook

Dell will continue to incur costs as it realigns its business to improve competitiveness, reduce headcount and invest in infrastructure and acquisitions. The company is seeing conservatism in IT spending in the U.S. particularly with its global and large customers as well as public, small and medium business accounts. Dell expects the conservatism to continue through the summer, particularly as many of these customer segments are seasonally slower. Dell does not expect the significant component-cost reductions experienced during the first half of last year. In addition, the company also expects to have lower investment and other income driven by reduced investment balances with lower interest rates and increased interest expense driven by a higher level of debt.

Dell expects to continue to benefit from improving performance in areas like emerging countries, notebooks, enterprise and services, which collectively are driving a more diversified portfolio of geographies and products.

Against this backdrop, the company recently shared its goal to lower total cost and is targeting $3 billion in annualized savings by fiscal 2011. Dell’s focus remains on growing units faster than the industry, increasing revenue, profitability and cash flow, and making decisions that deliver the best long-term result.

Dell Packs More Punch in New Green Small-Business PC

Dell today announced the Energy Smart Vostro 410 desktop, delivering industry-leading performance and expandability in a system designed exclusively for small businesses. The latest in a series of energy-efficient products and initiatives designed to drive unprecedented customer savings, the Vostro 410 starts at $599 and saves customers up to 47 percent in annual energy costs.

• Customer Feedback Drives Performance, Expandability Improvements Six Months Ahead of Schedule
• Vostro Energy Smart 410 Desktop Saves Customers up to 47 Percent in Annual Energy Costs
• First EPEAT Gold-certified Dell Flat Panel Monitor Also Available

The Vostro 410 is available tomorrow in North and South America and the United Kingdom. It will be available to customers in Asia and the rest of Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

“Small businesses are increasingly concerned about rising energy costs,” said Frank Muehleman, vice president and general manager, Dell Small and Medium Business. “With the Energy Smart Vostro desktop, we’re able to save our customers money and collectively cut down on CO2 emissions, while delivering the features and functionality they require - especially high-performance processing power, graphics technology, fast networking and maximum expandability.”

Direct customer feedback guided Dell to design and deliver the Vostro 410 desktop six months earlier in the product cycle than originally planned. Customer-driven enhancements include:

• Outstanding desktop performance with Intel Core 2 Quad processors, 512MB graphics cards and 800MHz system memory;
• A larger “tower” design to allow the desktop to grow according to business needs with space for up to four hard drives vs. two in the Vostro 400 and up to 3TB of local storage and memory;
• More expansion slots (six vs. standard four) and bays (four vs. standard three), holding up to six PCIe/PCI cards to increase configuration flexibility;
• Gigabit Ethernet for fast wired network access;
• Continuation of Dell’s 30-day worry-free return policy; and
• Available with no trial ware and free services including 10GB of Dell DataSafe Online Backup, Dell Network Assistant and Dell Automated PC TuneUp.

“The changes we’ve made to the Vostro 410 aren’t moderate improvements but an unrivaled combination of performance and expandability for a small-business PC,” said Muehleman. “For customers running complex spreadsheets or databases, multi-tasking frequently and heavily, or using video-intensive applications, you can’t beat the Vostro 410.”

In addition, Vostro customers can take advantage of Dell’s new services portfolio, ProSupport, which gives them the ability to customize and tailor services to fit their technical expertise and business needs. With growing demand for mobile technology among small businesses, Dell also recently announced its refreshed line of Vostro laptops.

To complement the Energy Smart Vostro 410, Dell announced today worldwide availability of its first EPEAT Gold-certified display – the E207 20-inch widescreen flat panel monitor. More than 25 percent of its plastics are made from recycled materials, plus flat panel monitors save customers up to 28 percent in annual energy costs when compared to using a boxier CRT monitor. The E207 display starts at $259.

Dell’s Commitment to the ReGeneration

On World Environment Day 2007, Dell announced it would partner with the ReGeneration – people of all ages who care about the environment – to become the “greenest” technology company on the planet. The company has since pledged to become the first in its industry to neutralize the carbon impact of worldwide operations by the end of 2008.

Dell offers the industry’s only free recycling program for consumers and an award-winning suite of asset recovery services for businesses. Launched in January 2007, Dell’s “Plant a Tree for Me” program helps customers offset the CO2 emissions related to their use of IT products. Expanded to corporate partners in September 2007, “Plant a Forest for Me” enables organizations worldwide to share best practices and facilitate the planting of trees in sustainably managed reforestation projects.

Channel Favors Dell

Dell’s Placement in Channel Product Ranking Reflects Key Channel Values.

• Solution providers participating in the annual 2008 eWeek Channel Insider Product of the Year Awards voted Dell the preferred notebook and desktop provider among all OEMs.
• Dell finished second in the Product of the Year server infrastructure category. Along with its blade offerings, Dell also offers a leading portfolio of storage products and managed services to channel customers, including EqualLogic, and ProSupport.
• Dell’s strong showing comes only a year after the company announced its intent to formalize a channel program – PartnerDirect – and only six months after PartnerDirect was launched in the U.S., eWeek was moved to refer to Dell as “the darling of the channel.”
• To facilitate direct communication with the channel, the Dell Channel blog was launched in conjunction with the company’s inaugural Partner Advisory Council .
• “We are delighted to be recognized by the channel as a leading provider of quality products that enable the channel to grow its own profitability,” said Greg Davis, vice president and general manager of Americas Channel Group. “We are continuing to refine our understanding of partner needs, and look forward to offering new services and products that will enable our partners to grow.”
• “Dell has stressed that they view the channel as their direct customer with whom they will build a partnership based upon integrity, trust, and open (transparent) communication,” said Tim Hebert, president, Atrion Networking. “I am excited to see the future of Dell’s PartnerDirect program.”

Dell to Appoint Brian Gladden Chief Financial Officer

Dell today announced that Brian Gladden will succeed Don Carty, vice chairman and Chief Financial Officer, as senior vice president and CFO. Mr. Carty has resigned. He will remain a member of the board of directors, which he joined in 1992.

Mr. Gladden joins Dell as Senior Vice President and will assume the CFO role when Mr. Carty leaves. Reporting to Michael Dell, CEO and chairman, Mr. Gladden will be responsible for all aspects of Dell’s finance function including accounting, financial planning and analysis, tax, treasury, audit, and investor relations.

Prior to joining Dell, Mr. Gladden was President and Chief Executive Officer of SABIC Innovative Plastics Holding BV, formerly GE Plastics, and among the world's largest producers of high-performance polymers used by electronics, office equipment, computer, and automotive manufacturers.

“Don has played a key role in reestablishing transparency and integrity in our financial practices and we are extremely grateful to have had his leadership. We look forward to his continuing contributions and experience.” said Mr. Dell. “We look forward to welcoming Brian as an operationally focused CFO whose skills in running multi-billion-dollar enterprises and substantial experience with an industry leader make him an ideal fit for the global economies in which we operate.”

“I am excited to be joining Dell at a time of transformation,” said Mr. Gladden. “Don has led an exceptional finance team, driving a culture of accountability and operational control. I look forward to contributing with the aim of maximizing long-term shareholder value.”

Mr. Gladden’s responsibilities as President and CEO of SABIC Innovative Plastics Holding BV spanned a global organization with revenues of $7 billion and some 10,000 employees operating 60 manufacturing and technology facilities in 20 countries.

His previous experience includes nearly 20 years with General Electric (GE) in a variety of financial and management leadership roles. He served as Vice President and General Manager of GE Plastics’ resin business; CFO of GE Plastics; and, Vice President and CFO of GE Medical Systems Healthcare IT business during his career with the company. He was named a GE corporate officer in 2002 while CFO of GE Plastics and had formerly served on GE’s corporate audit staff for five years.

Mr. Gladden received a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and finance from Millersville University in Millersville, Pa.

Dell Laptops Make The Grade

Colleges and universities that want to make mobile technology more accessible and affordable for their students are increasingly turning to Dell, the leading supplier of computer systems to higher education customers.

Several higher education customers have recently chosen Dell as the preferred supplier of laptops to offer as many as 115,000 students a mobile solution.

At Ivy Tech Community College, more than 110,000 students now have the ability to purchase Latitude D531 laptops as part of an agreement with Dell. Ivy Tech is the nation’s largest singly-accredited statewide community college system and the state of Indiana’s second largest public post-secondary institution.

“We want to consistently assure that our students are provided the best possible tools while here at Ivy Tech,” said Ivy Tech Community College President Thomas J. Snyder. “Partnering with Dell allows us to offer our students access to the technology that will help them succeed.”

Quinnipiac University, which ranked No. 9 on PC Magazine’s listing of the “Top 20 Wired Colleges,”2 has chosen Dell for its laptop program, now in its fifth year campus-wide, for its approximately 1,500 incoming freshmen students.

“The ability to bring Dell mobile technology into the classroom has expanded the teaching and learning experience, allowing for more active engagement and increased connectivity between students and faculty,” said Dr. Richard Ferguson, vice president and chief information and technology officer, Quinnipiac University.

Case Western Reserve University has made wireless connectivity pervasive across the campus with more than 1,500 wireless access points. Case Western Reserve’s medical school has a partnership with Dell in which the 170 incoming students are provided with a Dell laptop as part of the program.

“The mobility and wireless capability for these students has transformed the learning environment by allowing students to stay connected while doing rounds and visiting with the clinical research community,” said Lev Gonick, chief information officer and vice president, information services, Case Western Reserve University.

Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, selected Dell as a preferred partner for the new school-wide undertaking Acadia Advantage 2.0, which reinforces that technology is an integral part of the overall learning and teaching experience offered at the university. Through Acadia’s relationship with Dell, students now will purchase their laptops through the university and will own the system when they’ve completed their degree. This coming September, more than 3,000 students will purchase new laptops through Acadia Advantage 2.0, choosing from offerings that include the Dell Latitude D630.

“In today’s campus environment, students demand laptops that can deliver value and performance for a number of uses, including class assignments, research, gaming and music,” said John Mullen, vice president, Dell Higher Education. “Dell is committed to working with educational institutions to help simplify access to the innovative technology that drives the learning experience every day.”

Dell Sets New Energy-Efficiency Computing Standard To Drive Unprecedented Customer Savings

Dell today announced aggressive plans to further reduce the energy consumption of its products, avoid millions of tons of CO2 emissions worldwide and drive unprecedented customer value.

• Commits to Increasing Laptop and Desktop Energy Efficiency an Additional 25 Percent
• Offers Tools, Resources and 80 PLUS Power Supplies to Help Customers Reduce CO2 Emissions and Save Energy Costs

The company’s laptops and desktops, already among the industry’s most energy-efficient, are being designed to consume up to 25 percent less energy by 2010 relative to systems offered today. This is in contrast to Hewlett-Packard’s announcement earlier this year relative to its 2005 offerings. The energy efficiency of Dell OptiPlex desktops has improved nearly 50 percent since 2005, while Latitude laptops have improved 16 percent since 2006.

“Our customers are inspiring us to address the environmental challenges facing our planet,” said Albert Esser, vice president of power and infrastructure solutions, Dell Product Group. “We’ve listened to them and are designing next-generation technologies that dramatically reduce energy consumption, drive meaningful cost savings and help achieve a low-carbon economy. It’s the right thing for our business, our customers and shared environment.”

Dell plans to achieve its energy-efficiency goals by continuing to integrate Energy Smart technologies, including circuit designs, fans and power management features. The company is also working closely with its supplier base to further develop and deliver energy-efficient components, including chip sets, power supplies and memory.

Translating Energy Efficiency into Cost Savings

Based on worldwide unit sales beginning in 2005 with power-management features enabled, Dell estimates that OptiPlex desktop systems alone have helped customers save more than $2.4 billion and avoid approximately 23 million tons of CO2.

The company currently enables desktop customers to lower energy costs by offering more 80 PLUS certified power supplies than any other Tier-1 manufacturer. The 80 PLUS specification aligns to the power-supply requirements in the EPA’s Energy Star 4.0 standard for computers and requires the use of 80 percent or more efficient power supplies.

Dell is the first Tier-1 manufacturer to offer a bronze-level supply.

The company also provides free, easy-to-use tools and resources to plan and manage power consumption. Dell’s OpenManage systems management portfolio helps organizations reduce power consumption by providing functionality to more effectively set and maintain Energy Smart configurations across client PCs. Customers also can access online calculators to measure and assess potential impact to their power bills. Laptop, desktop and server customers are able to compare configurations side by side to determine annual cost savings and CO2 emissions avoided through the use of energy smart systems.

Dell’s Commitment to the ReGeneration

On World Environment Day 2007, Dell announced it would partner with the ReGeneration – people of all ages who care about the environment – to become the “greenest” technology company on the planet. The company has since pledged to become the first in its industry to neutralize the carbon impact of worldwide operations by the end of 2008.

Last month, Dell announced that its corporate headquarters campus is powered with 100 percent ‘green’ energy. The company has already saved more than $1.2 million and avoided 8,200 tons of CO2 through replacing lights and retrofitting air conditioning units throughout central Texas facilities. The company has also saved more than $1.8 million and avoided 11,000 tons of CO2 through a global power-management initiative with 1E.

Dell offers the industry’s only free recycling program for consumers and an award-winning suite of asset recovery services for businesses. CERES recently recognized Dell for providing “extensive discussion on the company’s recovery, reuse and recycling efforts, including global recycling and environmental standards, consumer recycling and donation programs, commercial asset recovery services, and transparent reporting.”

Dell Helps Customers Get More Computer For Their Tax Dollars

As more and more Americans are receiving their tax relief checks from Uncle Sam, many will use the money to buy a laptop or desktop computer. Dell is making those technology dollars go further as customers choose certain models for education, business and entertainment.

A Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) study estimates that approximately one in five Americans receiving a tax rebate will spend it on consumer electronics. Topping that list are personal computers.

“Technology remains essential to consumers in this uncertain economic environment,” said Shawn DuBravac, economist for the Consumer Electronics Association. “CEA research shows that 53% of consumers who say they’re planning on using some of their stimulus check on consumer electronics will put a portion of that money towards a computer purchase.”

Starting today, customers can buy a select new Inspiron 530s for about $300 (monitor not included). For about $600, customers can buy a select Inspiron 1525 laptop. For about $1200, customers can purchase a fully configured select XPS M1530 laptop. About a dozen laptops and desktops will be featured for customers to buy in the next two weeks with their new-found windfall.

“For the next two weeks, this promo is all about making Dell’s award-winning desktops and notebooks accessible to more customers,” said Phil Bryant, vice president Americas’ consumer sales. “We think customers will be delighted by the range of systems on sale and will want to use their tax rebates to upgrade to a new laptop or desktop.”

In addition to the variety of laptops and desktops on sale, Dell is also offering a discount on other electronics to help customers get the most out of their digital lifestyle. They include digital cameras, global positioning systems (GPS) and the latest high-definition televisions.

Dell To Donate Up To RMB 2.1 Million To Chinese Earthquake Relief

Dell and its employees will donate up to RMB 2.1 million to aid relief efforts in the wake of the massive earthquake affecting China Monday – the second major disaster to hit Asia in less than a week.

“While our employees in Chengdu and Chongqing are safe and accounted for, thousands of families in the region have been impacted by these disasters,” said Michael Dell, Dell’s chairman and CEO, who is visiting China this week on company business. “I’ve experienced firsthand the concern of our employees, customers and suppliers. We hope our donations will make a difference to the thousands affected.”

The company’s contributions will come from Dell Inc., the Dell Foundation and Dell employees, whose funds will be matched by Dell through the company’s Direct Giving program.

2008 marks Dell’s 10th year doing business in China. The company employs more than 6,000 people across the country in several locations, including facilities in Chengdu and Chongqing, two manufacturing plants in Xiamen, an Enterprise Command Center in Xiamen, a global product-design/engineering center in Shanghai (one of Dell’s largest outside the United States), and an international service center in Dalian for customers in Japan and South Korea. Last year, Dell employees volunteered more than 7,000 hours and the company donated RMB 5 million to Chinese charities.

Dell and VMware Simplify Disaster Recovery with Integrated Virtual Data Center Solution

• In keeping with Dell’s mission to simplify IT, Dell today announced the seamless integration of Dell EqualLogic storage arrays with VMware Site Recovery Manager (SRM), which automates disaster recovery (DR) management in virtual infrastructures. As one of VMware’s largest resellers and Global Technology Alliance Partners, Dell and its network of Enterprise- Architecture-certified channel partners can now deliver a complete end-to-end DR automation and management solution. The combined Dell EqualLogic/VMware solution integrates PS Series Auto-Replication directly into SRM using PS Series SRM Storage Adapter software developed by Dell.
• VMware SRM enables non-disruptive, automated testing of recovery plans and automates the recovery process using SAN-based data volumes replicated to the remote site by native PS Series Auto-Replication software. Both Auto-Replication and the SRM Storage Adapter are provided by the suite of enterprise storage management features included with every PS Series array, helping to reduce the cost and complexity of implementing DR.
• “Our business depends on maintaining a highly reliable, scalable data center infrastructure that can support over half a million transactions per day,” said Donald Wilkins, IT director of Navicure, a national provider of Web-based revenue-cycle-management services for physicians “We started with storage consolidation onto a Dell EqualLogic PS Series SAN, added VMware Virtual Infrastructure 3, and now are testing SRM to complete our fully automated business continuity processes. With Dell EqualLogic and VMware we can continue to service more customers more efficiently with ease and confidence.”
• “We needed a robust yet easy-to-deploy DR solution to protect our business, which we run on a large Dell EqualLogic SAN with VMware Virtual Infrastructure 3, which is why we tested SRM,” said Derek Knox, Server Architect for the PCL family of companies, a group of independent construction companies that form the largest general contracting organization in Canada and the eighth largest in North America. “Our experience demonstrated the high degree of automation of SRM with PS Series arrays; and the ability to simulate virtual data center failure and recovery gave us great confidence in our ability to maintain business continuity under many circumstances.”
• “The combination of the Dell EqualLogic PS Series and VMware’s new Site Recovery Manager product is an ideal solution to meet the needs of our customers for simpler, more affordable business continuity,” said Scott Miller, president of Server Centric Consulting, a leading VMware Authorized Consultancy firm based in Saint Louis, Missouri. “The level of automation, simplicity, and advanced integration enhance our team’s ability to design and deliver simple, cost-effective disaster recovery solutions to customers of all sizes.”
• “Dell customers in all industries worldwide are deploying VMware virtualization to enjoy high availability and flexibility in their IT environments,” said John Joseph, vice president of marketing for Dell EqualLogic storage solutions, Dell Inc. “We have taken great care to ensure that PS Series storage arrays work as intuitively with VMware as they do with each other, with the goal of making uninterrupted uptime a reality for today’s data centers.”

Dell Unveils Virtualization Blockbuster – From Servers and Storage to Software and Services

Dell today announced its broadest lineup of dedicated virtualization solutions ever. More than a dozen new servers, tools, and services simplify the deployment and management of virtualization in Enterprises of any size.

• New online advisor tools and e-commerce capability streamlines deployment
• New Dell PowerEdge R805, R905 servers optimized for virtualization
• New integration between Dell EqualLogic storage arrays and VMware Site Recovery Manager
• New automated virtual data center management solutions from Dell and Egenera
• New and enhanced services ‘right-size’ virtualization solutions for customer needs

“Virtualization is quickly moving beyond hypervisors and hardware consolidation,” said Rick Becker, vice president of software and solutions, Dell Product Group. “Enterprises are looking for a broad array of servers, storage and services designed specifically for virtualized environments. Having been a leader in the first wave of virtualization, today we are signaling our intent to lead the second.”

Simplified Purchase, Upgrade and Deployment of Virtualization Offerings

Dell has simplified the path to purchase and deploy virtualized Dell PowerEdge servers with updated on-line tools, new e-commerce capability and expanded factory integration. With the updated Virtualization Advisor tool, customers have more options for building validated configurations on-line for virtualization deployments before purchase. Customers can easily upgrade PowerEdge servers purchased with VMware ESXi 3.5 to full VMware Infrastructure 3 enterprise licensing in a single click. Dell will also offer in coming weeks factory integrated VMware ESXi 3.5 or Citrix XenServer Dell Express Edition across a broad range of PowerEdge servers, including the PowerEdge 2950, R900, 1950, 2900, M600 blade and M605 blade.

New Dell PowerEdge Servers Built For Virtualization

The new Dell PowerEdge R805 and R905 deliver servers optimized for virtualization with the PowerEdge R805 offering 2X the memory and I/O capacity of Dell’s previous generation 2 socket servers. With a choice of VMware ESXi 3.5 or Citrix XenServer Dell Express Edition integrated hypervisors, the PowerEdge R805 and R905 servers can deliver the optimal platform for virtualized environments. The Dell PowerEdge R805 and R905 servers are now available worldwide with a starting price of $3,049 and $6,499 respectively.

The Dell PowerEdge R900 and R905 can deliver the ultimate in 4 socket virtualization performance as some of the first servers to support 60 virtual machines in VMmark testing, with 23 percent higher virtualization performance than the HP ProLiant DL580 G5, 8 percent higher than the IBM System x3850, and 16 percent higher than the Sun Fire X44501. The PowerEdge R905 delivered price per virtualization performance at 25 percent less cost than the IBM x3850, 36 percent less cost than the Sun X4450, and 15 percent less cost than the HP Proliant DL5801. This is in addition to Dell’s leadership with number 1 virtualization performance benchmarks in 2 socket servers with the PowerEdge M-Series blades and the PowerEdge 2950III.

Dell EqualLogic Delivers Advanced Integration with VMware Site Recovery Manager

Dell EqualLogic storage arrays offer new advanced SAN-aware integration with VMware Site Recovery Manager for data protection and disaster recovery for virtualized environments at no additional cost in management tools. Combined with Dell EqualLogic patented storage virtualization technology designed to eliminate the complexity of SAN deployment and management, customers can more easily provision and manage their virtual storage environments.

Dell and Egenera Driving New Path to Virtual Data Center Automation

Dell and Egenera are making virtualization and data center automation a reality beyond the blade chassis. The Dell PAN system is built on proven PowerEdge 1950 and 2950 servers and Dell/EMC storage, with Citrix XenServer and factory integrated as a complete, turn-key solution that consolidates and virtualizes server compute-resources into an entire Processor Area Network to be managed like hard drives in a SAN. The Dell PAN system can deliver rapid provisioning and re-deployment in minutes not weeks.

New Services ‘Right-Size’ Solutions for Customer Needs

Dell today announced the expansion of its virtualization services to include:

• Virtualization Simplification Workshop – for customers looking to determine which options are the most suitable for their specific business needs today, their technical environment and to meet future growth.
• New Virtualization Operational Assessment and Process Automation accelerates selection of the right virtualization technology for their needs and define processes and tools to automate the management of virtualized environments.
• New Virtualization Healthcheck – reviews existing virtualized production environments to identify technology, process and people issues impeding virtualization scale out and provides an actionable, results oriented plan.
• Expanded Virtualization Assessment – taking into account multi-vendor virtualization considerations, advanced storage options, as well as green IT data center energy efficiency improvements.
• Dell PAN Accelerator Service – integrating a full Processing Area Network within the customer environment to help ensure production readiness.
• Expanded Design and Implementation Services – which features the latest Virtualization technologies, in addition to best-of-breed disaster recovery tools and techniques.
• ProSupport Remote Advisory Services – fast access to technical experts for consulting on virtualization implementations.

Dell, NFIB Announce 10 of Nation’s Most Innovative Companies as Part of Global Small Business Excellence Award

Dell and the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the leading small-business association in the United States, today announced the 10 U.S. finalists for the Fifth Annual Dell/NFIB Small Business Excellence Award.

“The No. 1 reason small businesses use technology is to better serve customers, and no one is doing that better than this year’s 10 finalists,” said Frank Muehleman, vice president and general manager of Dell Small and Medium Business. “These companies are applying technology in innovative ways to break new ground and raise the bar. We’re proud to recognize their success and help tell their stories.”

Selected by students at George Washington University, finalists receive a Dell business-class laptop and one-year NFIB membership and go on to compete for the national award to be announced June 9, 2008, at the NFIB National Small-Business Summit in Washington, D.C.
“Our research shows that small firms are twice as innovative per employee as larger firms, and the companies who entered demonstrate that fact,” said NFIB President and CEO Todd Stottlemyer. “These companies are the cream of the crop, representing the top 5 percent of entries. We are proud to showcase the finalists and emphasize how technology can help our members thrive and grow their businesses.”

Once named, 12 national winners from Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France (launching May 13), Germany, Italy, Japan (launching May 19), Mexico, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States will be considered for the inaugural global Dell Small Business Excellence Award worth $50,000 in Dell technology and services. All national winners will be announced by September, and the global winner will be announced in the fall 2008.

The U.S. 2008 Dell/NFIB Small Business Excellence Award finalists include:

• Escape Technology , Roseville, Calif., builds ERP Finance, HR and Payroll applications for public school systems in California.
• Glance Networks , Arlington, Mass., provides a simple, web-based, desktop sharing service designed to make online meetings, remote presentations and web conferences easy enough for anyone to host or view, from any computer, anywhere in the world.
• MedApps, Inc. , Scottsdale, Ariz., produces a mobile wireless health monitoring system that helps monitor patients with Diabetes, Asthma, Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and other chronic diseases.
• RNs On-Call , LLC, Greensboro, N.C., provides cost effective telehealth services and contact call center solutions that improve patient's access to quality healthcare. Provides cost effective telehealth services and contact call center solutions that improve patient's access to quality healthcare.
• Rugroden Drafting & Design , Onalaska, Wis., is a residential drafting and design service that creates construction drawings and incorporates the latest 3-D technology allowing customers to digitally walk through their virtual home.
• ServusXchange, LLC , Pompano Beach, Fla., runs MyOnlineToolbox.com, an Internet-based community platform that allows residential property contractors to manage front- and back-office processes.
• TecAccess , Rockville, Va., employs individuals with physical, emotional and intellectual disabilities, including veterans with disabilities, to work in leading IT roles that help federal government agencies and large corporations design and use technology that is more accessible and user-friendly for all.
• TechMD , Fountain Valley, Calif., is a Managed Service Provider (MSP) that offers a full service virtual IT department to non-profit businesses at an affordable price.
• Transport Designs, Inc. , Montoursville, Pa., manufactures highly customized enclosed trailers and truck conversion motor homes, adapting to customers’ needs on a detailed design level. Your Beauty Network , Carlsbad, Calif., is a membership-based business support service for salon and spa professionals in the U.S. and Canada.

Global 2008 Small Business Excellence Award Value

• $50,000 in technology and services from Dell;
• Featured in an entrepreneurs summit;
• Lifetime membership to the International Council for Small Business (ICSB), and
• Engagement with Endeavor’s network of business leaders and high-impact entrepreneurs in emerging markets worldwide.

U.S. 2008 Dell/NFIB Small Business Excellence Award Value

• $25,000 in Dell products and services;
• Day of best-practice sharing with Dell executives, including Chairman and CEO Michael Dell, andLifetime membership to NFIB.

Purdue University Chooses Dell for Campus Supercomputer

The Purdue University Boilermakers celebrated another championship yesterday with the installation of a new high-performance computing cluster (HPCC) from Dell that is the largest on campus at any school in the Big 10 Conference outside of national computing centers.

More than 200 university employees participated in the process of building the HPCC in just half a day, designated as “Installation Day,” from its arrival on campus through racking and loading the software to bring the systems online.

The new HPCC will be used for research across a variety of disciplines, including engineering, biological and earth and atmospheric sciences, mathematics and physics. The leading researchers at Purdue pooled their grants and provided a majority of the funding for the cluster, which is housed at Purdue’s Mathematics Building on campus.

The Purdue supercomputer consists of 812 Dell PowerEdge 1950 dual quad-core computer nodes and is predicted to have a peak performance of more than 60 teraflops, which means it could perform more than 60 trillion operations in one second.

“This new supercomputer will enhance Purdue’s research capabilities and support our efforts to make significant advances in a variety of areas, from designing new drugs and materials to learning the structures of disease-causing viruses,” said Gerry McCartney, vice president for information technology and chief information officer, Purdue University. “The Dell servers will be used for research by scientists and engineers from across campus.”

“Purdue is a wonderful example of a university investing in the technology tools it needs to conduct leading-edge research,” said John Mullen, Dell vice president of higher education. “High-performance computing is supporting research that benefits society, and the work that Purdue researchers are driving will yield new insights and discoveries for years to come.”

Downtown Art Scene Arrives on Your Laptop with New Mike Ming Designs from Dell

Unorthodox, adventurous contemporary art meets on-the-go technology with the inaugural Special Art Edition Inspiron 1525 laptop, featuring two exclusive artworks by Mike Ming. Choose from “Bunch O Surfers” or “Sea Sky,” two unique designs that reflect Mike Ming’s quest to create art that relates to broad audiences, yet speaks directly to everyone.

The laptops are available for order today, starting at $699.

A new Dell manufacturing technique brings alive every color and brushstroke on the laptop’s cover, creating a fluid, graffiti-inspired tattoo effect that lets style pioneers add another level of individuality to everyday life.

The Inspiron 1525 is up to 25 percent smaller, thinner and almost a half a pound lighter than its predecessor. Consumers on the go will appreciate all of the optional wireless features that help them stay connected, whether it’s at the desk, in a room, around the house or just about anywhere in a wireless network.

Brooklyn-based artist Mike Ming (born Michael Miyahira) brings fascination with popular culture and life experiences to the canvas. “I wanted to create a sense of energy, playfulness, sophistication and psychedelic momentum when I started this,” said Ming. “This new technique from Dell brings my inspiration—water and the energy it produces—to life and gives computer aficionados their own display of style.”

“Our customers have asked that we continue to look at other areas of life, apart from technology, to help bring a sense of uniqueness to their computers,” said Ed Boyd, vice president of Consumer Experience Design at Dell. “Mike Ming and the other artists in the series represent the shift in the level of customer design input, a trend we’re excited to see continue.”

Dell XPS 730 H2C: Four-Barreled Gaming Horsepower

Dell has raised the performance bar yet again with the launch of the XPS 730 H2C edition, a premier gaming desktop that is one of the most advanced gaming platforms on the planet.

• Play Crysis at full 1920x1200 resolution and 30+ FPS with Quad Graphics
• Enhanced optional patent-pending H2C cooling solution keeps gamers in the red zone, CPUs out
• Choice of Painted Anodized Aluminium H2C chassis or Silver Brushed Aluminium air-cooled chassis with optional X-View clear panel for under-the-hood ogling

With support for optional quad-core processors, quad GPU graphics solutions and up to four hard drives, the XPS 730 is more than ready to deliver an immersive experience and ensure gamers pwn their opponents in the most demanding PC games available today.

The air-cooled XPS 730 (starting at $3,999) and XPS 730 H2C (starting at $4,999) bring together some of the top bleeding-edge performance technologies gamers crave, such as:

• The new NVIDIA nforce 790i Ultra SLI chipset with standard ATX motherboard, one of the industry’s most overclockable1 platforms for Intel processors.
• Optional factory-overclocked1Intel CoreTM 2 Extreme processors and Corsair DOMINATORTM DDR3 memory.
• Support for a variety of optional high performance graphics solutions, including the ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 in four- way CrossFireX or NVIDIA GeForce 8800GT with SLI technology.Up to four hard drives factory installed, supporting a variety of high performance RAID arrays.

“There is a measure of satisfaction involved in delivering products that meet the expectations of a unique set of customers who are incredibly knowledgeable, passionate, intense and competitive,” said Arthur Lewis, head of Dell’s gaming group. “With XPS and Alienware gaming systems we've been progressively delivering an awe-inspiring experience to gamers and now, with the XPS 730, we’ve set the bar for a truly kick-ass gaming experience.”

The optional patent-pending H2C cooling solution has also been enhanced. Originally co-developed by Dell, Intel, Delphi and CoolIT, the two-stage ceramic cooling solution has been redesigned to fit an ATX motherboard. Other enhancements include:

• Re-designed the CPU cold plate to provide more uniform cooling to all four processor cores, reducing the hottest core temperature when running at full load.
• Added an additional cold plate to cool the chipset. Lower chipset temperature helps improve stability with frontside bus overclocking.
• Added dynamic speed control to the pump and fans to help eliminate audible noise when the system is at idle.
• Added a separate fan to provide assured cooling to the CPU’s voltage regulator components.

Technology enthusiasts should check out Dell engineer Chuck Hood’s VLOG detailing the enhancements on the H2C cooling solution as well as Dell Gaming program manager Louis Bruno’s updated tips on overclocking.

External chassis armor choices include premium materials like 2.4mm anodized aluminum on the XPS 730 H2C in Victory Red and Stealth Blue or brushed aluminum in Silver on the air-cooled XPS 730. Each can be configured with an optional X-View clear side panel that allows sneak peeks at the high performance components, and is easy to remove for upgrades. Additional “under the hood” details include:

• Standard ATX motherboard, 1 kilowatt 80PLUS power supply, and clean cable management for easy component upgrades
• Large, quiet pulse width modulation (PWM) fans
• Support for the new Enthusiast System Architecture (ESA), enabling real-time and complete PC performance management, while delivering new control and monitoring features for thermal, electric and acoustic characteristics.

Dell Expands Its Retail Presence to Australia

Dell today announced plans to sell a range of its award-winning products in Officeworks' 104 stores across Australia.

Dell will apply aspects of its “direct” business model in Officeworks’ stores. Shoppers will be able to try Dell’s products before making their purchase. They will have the option of configuring and ordering a custom product online that meets their exact specifications, or buying a Dell laptop or desktop with standard configurations in the store. Products available in the stores include the award-winning XPS M1330 laptop, the Inspiron line of laptops and desktops, and selected printers, ink and flat-panel displays. Officeworks consultants are trained to assist with selection of product and completing either purchasing process.

“Today’s announcement gives customers the option to call, click or visit and have access to Dell’s award-winning products in Australia,” Said Evan Williams, general manager Consumer Sales and Marketing South Asia Dell Inc. “While we continue to see growth in our online business in Australia, we recognize some people want to touch and feel our products, first. Our partnership with Officeworks will enable them to do this before buying a computer that meets their specifications.”

David Oakley, general manager Marketing and Merchandising for Officeworks said, “Dell’s selection of Officeworks as a major retail partner in Australia shows we are building on our strong position as a destination for IT solutions. The addition of Dell’s products reinforces our commitment to deliver customers the widest range of products at the lowest prices. Our stores will not only stock 10 Dell computers not available elsewhere in Australia, but will also have the capability to order tailored solutions for customers within the store.”

The partnership with Officeworks is Dell’s latest retail distribution agreement aimed at reaching more customers worldwide. Dell products will soon be available in more than 12,000 stores and online around the world. Dell has announced relationships with Croma stores in India; Best Buy in the United States and Canada; Carrefour in Europe; Staples in the U.S. and Canada; Courts in Singapore; Bic Camera in Japan; Carphone Warehouse, Tesco and DSGi in the United Kingdom; Wal-Mart in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Mexico and Argentina; and Gome, Suning, Hontu and several PC chain retailers in China.

Dell Australia will continue to operate its 13 kiosks located in shopping malls in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.

Dell OEM CR100 Server Enables Appliance Vendors to Simplify IT for Customers

Dell today announced the OEM CR100 Server, providing appliance vendors with a customizable, entry-level 1u platform that delivers the high standards of quality and product stability of Dell’s PowerEdge technology.

• Complements Dell’s End-to-End Appliance program
• Priced to OEM customer requirements
• Available to U.S. customers only

The CR100 is part of Dell OEM’s End-to-End Appliance Program, which provides appliance vendors the ability to customize their solution on Dell hardware while also simplifying the operational details related to product development, logistics, and end-user support. Dell’s OEM Industry Solutions Group designs and manufactures customized appliance products, services and support to appliance vendors and OEMs who want a total appliance solution without having to invest in hardware development.

“Appliance servers are proving to be cost-effective solutions, particularly for applications such as security, search, video streaming, storage, networking and others,” said Kenneth Cayton, research manager for IDC’s Enterprise Platform Group.

Cayton adds that a “robust set of products and knowledge positions Dell to be a very capable partner for appliance vendors looking for a partner in developing an appliance solution.”

The CR100 gives customers a rapidly deployable appliance designed to provide reliable performance, lower total cost of ownership and reduced qualification time due to its secure, stable technology. Built with PowerEdge R200 technology, it gives OEM appliance vendors a short-depth 1u form factor in multiple configurations and a brand-customizable, appliance-specific design with a two-year lifecycle.

“We developed the customizable OEM CR100 server to enable appliance vendors to serve niche markets with their own branded appliance,” said Rick Froehlich, vice president and general manager of Dell’s OEM Division. “Large customers, like McAfee and Secure Computing, and smaller customers, like Connectbeam, can benefit from the quality, stability and support the CR100 offers.”

“Secure Computing is about superior safety, price performance and customer support. When customers buy from us, they expect the best. The Dell OEM division provided the hardware plus global support and services infrastructure to help us deliver the world's most secure, next generation network and application firewall. And the CR100 server will help us to further accelerate our lead in the Web gateway and messaging gateway security markets,” said Ken Rutsky, Secure Computing’s vice president of Product Marketing.

Dell’s OEM CR100 is available exclusively to OEM customers in the US (with Canada and Latin America to follow) and is priced according to customers’ unique needs and custom requirements.

Dell EqualLogic PS Series Storage Offers Application-Aware Snapshots for Microsoft Exchange

• In a move that further enhances the Dell EqualLogic PS5000 Series as the midrange SAN of choice for Microsoft Exchange Server, Dell is announcing Auto-Snapshot Manager Smart Copy for Exchange as the latest in a series of “application-aware” snapshot, cloning and data replication capabilities. This application awareness can simplify how IT application specialists can work with PS Series SANs to help improve data protection, disaster recovery and testing-and-development procedures. Smart Copy enhances the PS Series’ host integration capabilities to help reduce the amount of time IT administrators spend managing and protecting Windows -based business applications. In the case of Exchange, Smart Copy allows administrators to easily automate data validation checks and quickly recover from data loss or corruption. The first Smart Copy feature was announced for Microsoft SQL Server in July 2007, furthering the Dell EqualLogic product line’s integration with Microsoft environments and helping to improve the speed and reliability of database and file recovery operations.
• “The Smart Copy feature set is yet another way the PS Series is simplifying storage and enhancing Dell’s overall vision of simplifying IT,” said Kevin Wittmer, senior manager, product marketing, for Dell EqualLogic storage solutions. “Evolving Smart Copy to include Exchange data protection and recovery is part of our initiative to make PS Series storage more application aware. This can empower application administrators by putting sophisticated data management and protection features at their fingertips – at no additional cost – in a safe and easy to-use package.”
• Smart Copy for Exchange will be available in May at no extra cost with all new purchases of Dell EqualLogic PS5000 Series iSCSI SAN storage arrays and for all existing PS Series customers under warranty or with a current support agreement.

Dell Thinks Pink!

Just in time for Spring, Dell XPS M1530 and M1330 laptops Dell XPS M1530 and M1330 laptops are now available in pink! The performance-driven laptop line has now softened its image and sharpened its fashion sense with the addition of the bright and stylish color pink.

Since their unveiling last year, the XPS M1330 and M1530 have been very popular, receiving accolades from customers, industry influencers, and reviewers for their innovation in design and style. In fact, the XPS M1330 received 37 industry awards last year.

“It was an easy decision for us to add pink as an option to the XPS M1330, and M1530 since pink is the second most popular color for our Inspiron laptops” said Michael Tatelman, vice president of Dell’s global consumer business. “While customers appreciate the sleek, no-nonsense XPS look, they also wanted a wider variety in color options. We think they are going to love it.”

Identified by Pantone as one of the Top 10 Fashion Colors for Spring 2008, pink is one of the new shades for the season. It was all over the 2008 Fashion Week runway shows and is expected to be a shade that women and celebrities will be draping themselves in all year.

“Pinks are as popular with technology products as they are with clothing this spring,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “Now-a-days, consumers are using and carrying colorful laptops and technology products as a way to express themselves.”

Dell has been a leader in personalization through colors, materials, and finishes and there is growing recognition that laptops and gadgets are a perfect way to express yourself with fun colors. In addition to Flamingo Pink, the XPS M1330 and M1530 laptops are also available in Midnight Blue, Tuxedo Black, and PRODUCT (RED) . Dell also offers eight color choices and four patterns on the Inspiron laptop line .

The XPS M1330 and M1530 feature sleek award-winning designs with many multimedia features including: Dell MediaDirect technology, which provides one button instant access to media files, even if the system is powered off or in hibernate; high-definition displays; Windows Media Center; optional travel remote control (IR) that slips into the ExpressCard slot, and optional Creative noise-isolation earphones for a great movie watching experience. Both laptops are the perfect blend of performance and portability.

Dell Completes MessageOne Acquisition

Dell today announced the completion of its $155 million acquisition of MessageOne, Inc., an industry leader in Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) enabled enterprise-class e-mail business continuity, compliance, archiving and disaster recovery services. The acquisition is a part of the company’s strategy to use SaaS applications and remote management tools to deliver configure-to-order IT infrastructure services to commercial customers over the Internet.

With its acquisition of SilverBack Technologies, Inc., Everdream Corp., ASAP Software Express, Inc. and now MessageOne, Dell is architecting an integrated service delivery platform of SaaS applications that will enable it to remotely monitor, maintain, troubleshoot and address the majority of routine IT infrastructure issues that challenge businesses of all sizes. The company anticipates that services such as patch management, anti-virus, online backup and recovery, asset tracking, software license management and e-mail continuity delivered and managed over the Internet will reduce the cost of infrastructure management and free budget for the IT driven innovation that grows business.

“Companies currently spend 70 percent of their IT budgets maintaining their current infrastructures and dealing with routine issues,” said Steve Schuckenbrock, president, Dell Global Services. “We are building a services supply chain that integrates the world’s leading SaaS-based technologies to simplify the purchase, delivery and management of IT infrastructure services for companies and improve its price/performance.”

In a departure from traditional industry approaches that lock customers into long-term, expensive contracts, Dell’s model will give companies choice and flexibility in the services they purchase.

MessageOne is an important addition to Dell’s services portfolio. The company’s services eliminate the downtime and complexity associated with managing, archiving, e-discovery and the long-term storage of e-mail. MessageOne estimates that 75 percent of all companies experience a major e-mail outage each year and with 75 percent of most companies’ intellectual property (IP) contained in messages and attachments transmitted via e-mail, it is now considered a “killer” application with importance to every aspect of business operations and customer relationships.

Dell’s MessageOne solutions include E-mail Management Services (EMS), which ensure seamless continuity by keeping Outlook and wireless messaging systems running even when Exchange and Active Directory are down and AlertFind, which provides emergency notification and crisis communication services for businesses. MessageOne’s e-mail archiving services help companies comply with regulations, streamline electronic discovery and maximize storage. MessageOne’s services are available today to companies with more than 1,000 seats through Dell’s sales force and will be available to medium businesses and through Dell channel partners in the future.

Regeneration Community Overwhelmingly Answers Dell’s Green Computing Design Challenge

Dell today announced the top five finalists in its International Green Computing Technology Design Competition, a contest that resulted in the participation of more than 500 design students and professionals from across the globe. The company also invited members of the ReGeneration community to vote for their favorite graffiti art submitted through the Facebook-Graffiti competition.

• “The passion, creativity and ingenuity of the global green design community are inspiring and real,” said Ken Musgrave, director of Dell’s Experience Design Group. “The entries in both competitions represent an important step forward in getting people to adopt new and green technologies, as well as inspire thinking on what we can all do to protect the planet. This is a challenge that warrants a conversation, not a one-way dialogue.”
• The judging in the green computing technology design competition occurred in Austin, Texas, on April 12. Members of the jury included Gadi Amit, principal designer and founder of New Deal Design; Martin Charter, director of The Centre for Sustainable Design at University College for the Creative Arts (UCCA); Andrew Dent, PhD, vice president of Library and Materials Research at the Material ConneXion Inc; Jeremy Faludi, product designer and researcher; Mark Newton, environmental policy manager at Dell; and Louise St. Pierre, associated professor of Industrial Design at the Emily Carr Institute.
• The competition’s overall winner, to be chosen by a popular vote to be held at ReGeneration, will receive an additional $15,000 prize. If the popular vote winner is a student, his or her university if registered is eligible for a matching $15,000 prize. Educators who registered also will receive a $2,000 award. The finalists’ names and locations will be released after the community has had an opportunity to vote on the designs.
• The Facebook-Graffiti competition generated more than 4,500 illustrative and text entries, which are being featured as part of an online showcase highlighting different perspectives on ‘green,’ as well as featured in promotional vehicles inviting the community to take action. The best overall artwork and best text submission, one selected by Graffiti and the other selected by ReGeneration, will receive Green Dell Inspiron laptops.
• The ReGeneration is a group of people of all ages who care about the environment. More than 130,000 people from across the globe have already signed up to help save the planet.

Michael Dell: Green IT Key to Achieving a Low-Carbon Economy

Green information technology (IT) can be one of the world’s strongest assets in achieving and sustaining a prosperous, low-carbon economy, Dell Chairman and CEO Michael Dell told attendees gathered at today’s FORTUNE Brainstorm: GREEN.

• Dell Chairman and CEO Addresses FORTUNE Brainstorm: GREEN
• Previews Company’s Smallest and Most Environmentally-Responsible Consumer Desktop PC

“Ten years from now, we will look back and credit ‘green’ IT for helping to mitigate the effects posed by climate change, strengthen global industries and chart a new and prosperous low-carbon economy,” said Mr. Dell. “It’s a historic opportunity that we must act on now.”

Mr. Dell spoke at the magazine’s first-ever event dedicated to ‘green’ topics and trends, part of the 39th annual Earth Day festivities taking place around the world. At the event, Mr. Dell previewed the company’s smallest and most environmentally-responsible consumer desktop PC. Scheduled to be released later this year, the computer is approximately 81 percent smaller than a standard mini-tower desktop, uses up to 70 percent less energy and comes in recycled and recyclable packaging. Since 2005, the company’s client desktop systems alone have helped customers save more than $2.2 billion and avoid approximately 22.4 million tons of CO2.

A recent study by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) found that information technology is already providing the U.S. economy energy savings. According to the study, for every one kilowatt-hour of electricity used by IT, ten kilowatt-hours of electricity are saved. This includes IT-enabled benefits such as virtualization, energy-efficient computing, telecommuting and online transactions.

“Connecting with customers, employees and suppliers means understanding and sharing their commitment to green ideas and innovation,” said Mr. Dell. “Today, I’m extending my challenge to every technology company to make the environment both a business priority and daily conversation, from energy efficiency and environmentally-responsible products, to carbon neutrality and free recycling for consumers.”

Dell’s Commitment to the ReGeneration

On World Environment Day 2007, Dell announced it would partner with the ReGeneration – people of all ages who care about the environment – to become the “greenest” technology company on the planet. The company has since pledged to become the first in its industry to neutralize the carbon impact of worldwide operations by the end of 2008.

“We are on track to achieve that goal,” added Mr. Dell.

Today, Dell also announced plans to convene a formal ReGeneration Advisory Group to advise and guide the movement. The group will include Alexandra Cousteau, president of EarthEcho International and granddaughter of marine biologist Jacques Cousteau; Chuck Leavell, keyboardist for the Rolling Stones and avid tree farmer and conservationist; and Laura Turner Seydel, eco-living expert and chairman of the Captain Planet Foundation. Dell also will expand the group by extending invitations to other stakeholders and environmental advocates.

The company today also announced five finalists in its International Green Computing Technology Design Competition.

Environmental LeadershipEarlier this month, Dell announced that its corporate headquarters campus is powered with 100 percent ‘green’ energy. The company’s carbon intensity (CO2 emissions/revenue) is among the lowest of the Fortune 50 and less than half that of its closest competitor.

Dell enables its customers to offset the carbon impact of the electricity required to power their computer equipment through the company’s “Plant a Tree for Me” program. The company recently announced that it is matching consumer and small and medium business contributions of $2 made during laptop purchases and $6 made during desktop purchases in celebration of Earth Day.

In September 2007, Dell announced “Plant a Forest for Me,” a program that enables organizations worldwide to share best practices and, as partners, facilitate the planting of trees in sustainably managed reforestation projects. Partners include AMD, ABN AMRO, Ask.com, CGI, Staples, Salesforce.com, Targus and WellPoint.

Dell also offers the industry’s only free recycling program for consumers. In 2006, the company recycled more than 78 million pounds of computer equipment worldwide, a 93 percent increase over 2005. This put Dell ahead of schedule in achieving a goal of recycling 275 million pounds of equipment by 2009.

Dell’s New Premium Support and Integration Services Build on Existing Tools and Improvements for Consumers

To further enhance a great customer experience, Dell today announced forthcoming expansion of its consumer services offerings aimed at delighting customers and helping them get more out of their digital lifestyle.

• Dedicated Tech Teams Work One-on-One with Customers in North America
• Beyond-the-Box Retail Services Focus On Digital Lifestyle in the Home
• Customer Satisfaction Continues to Rise

Dell’s new premium support service is to provide a dedicated team of technical professionals which customers can contact directly for support of any Dell-branded product. This new fee-based offering is designed specifically for those customers who want to engage with the same dedicated team each time they have an issue with any of their in-warranty Dell-branded products.

The premium service offer provides household support by an advanced support team in North America for one year. The technicians are empowered to address a comprehensive range of issues across the breadth of Dell’s product line.

“Our commitment to a great customer experience has never been stronger,” said Ray Roman, vice president Dell global consumer services and support. . “This premium service is all about making the tech support experience more personal; users who want high-touch support can now receive it. We’re excited to bring them to the market.”

The premium service experience resulted in a more than 90 percent customer satisfaction from the 20,000 Dell XPS customers in New York City who piloted it.

“Dell has risen way beyond any computer manufacturer,” said Josh Schleifer. “The real-time knowledgeable and caring assistance offered by the pilot program is light years ahead from any other service I have ever received. It is invaluable”.

Retail Services

In addition to the Premium services, Dell is also planning to provide new services for customers who buy Dell products through retail. Those services, available on Dell and other-branded systems, include home television installation, home theater set-up, technology integration, and other services that can help customers build out their digital lifestyle infrastructure.

“Our goal is to simplify the consumer electronic experience and help customers get more from their digital experience in a way that’s convenient, meaningful and affordable,” said Roman.

These services, available in the coming weeks, complement existing tools that have helped customers with their PC purchases in recent years. Dell's unique remote diagnostic software program called “Dell Connect” has helped over 5 million customers globally. DataSafe and PC Transfer help customers protect their photos, music and stored content as well as transfer files easily when purchasing new Dell products.

With these and other improvements, Dell has improved customer satisfaction scores by nearly 15 percent in the past seven quarters.

“Dell realizes the importance of customer service and remains committed to improving processes and products every day to exceed customers’ expectations,” said Roman.

Dell Kicks Off Earth Day Early

Starting tomorrow, Dell customers and members of the ReGeneration can celebrate Earth Day a little early. For one week, Dell will match contributions to "Plant a Tree for Me", a Dell program that enables customers to offset the carbon impact of the electricity required to power the systems over their useful life.

During the Earth Day campaign, Dell will match consumer contributions of $2 to help offset carbon impact from a laptop purchase and $6 to help offset carbon impact from a desktop purchase. The company is also matching contributions from small and medium business customers when they purchase business laptops, desktops and servers during the month of April.

“Through ‘Plant a Tree for Me,’ we are providing customers a simple but tangible way to make a difference for the planet,” said Michael Tatelman, vice president of Dell's consumer business. “We cannot think of a better occasion to partner with our customers and give back to the Earth we all share.”

Dell gives 100 percent of these contributions to The Conservation Fund and the Carbonfund, non-profit organizations that plant trees in sustainably managed reforestation projects. "Dell led the industry in its direct-to- consumer approach, set the bar in product recycling, and now, through programs like ‘Plant a Tree for Me’, is leading the industry to address two of our world's most pressing environmental challenges — habitat loss and climate change," said The Conservation Fund's president, Larry Selzer.

CarbonFund estimates that customer contributions to “Plant a Tree for Me” in 2007 will result over time in the removal of approximately 150 million pounds of CO2, the equivalent of offsetting the carbon impact of the electricity required to power more than 225,000 laptops.

Dell customers in the United States can also realize instant savings on the InspironTM 531 Energy Star desktop on Earth Day, April 22. Based on the award-winning Inspiron 531, the Energy Star desktop is up to 46 percent more efficient than a standard PC and it has power management settings enabled to reduce CO2 emissions.

Dell is committed to becoming the "greenest" technology company on the planet. The company offers the technology industry’s only global, free recycling program for consumers, has pledged to become the first carbon-neutral computer company and is engaging customers across the globe in its environmental initiatives.

Energy efficiency: Energy Savings and CO2 estimates based on EPA power savings calculator data and Dell internal testing assuming an annual Energy Star Inspiron usage profile of 201 hours in active mode, 602 hours in idle mode, 1,104 hours in sleep mode and 6,854 hours in off mode.

Dell Continues to Expand Retail Presence in China

Broadening its presence in China’s consumer electronics market, Dell announced plans today to sell laptop and desktop computers in Suning stores and to expand its relationship with Gome, the No.1 consumer electronics retailer in China. Additionally, Dell will sell systems in Hontu stores and through several PC chain retailers including Wuxing, Meicheng, Heng Chang and Heyong stores, making many of Dell’s award-winning products accessible in China’s major urban areas.

• Suning Added as Major Retail Partner
• Relationship with Gome Extended
• Other PC Chain Retailers Selling Dell Products

Beginning this month, the number of Gome stores in which customers can buy Dell products is doubling to nearly 900. Also, Suning customers will initially be able to buy a range of Dell laptops and desktops in more than 300 stores with that number increasing in the future. In Suning, customers will be able to select from the popular Dell XPS M1330, the XPS M1530, Inspiron 1420 and 1526 laptops and Inspiron 530s and 531s desktops in addition to displays, printers and toner.

Dell products available at Gome will include the 13.3 inch XPSTM M1330 laptop, InspironTM 1525 and 1420 laptops, the XPS One all-in-one desktop, XPS 720 performance desktop and the Inspiron 530 desktop.

This expansion means even more people can call, click or visit to learn more about and buy Dell’s leading products.

“The China consumer electronics market continues to see exciting growth,” said Michael Tatelman, Vice President and GM Sales and Marketing for Dell's consumer business. “It is great to see the Dell brand associated with the top retail brands in China giving access to our products to a wider audience of Chinese consumers.”

Dell products will soon be available in more than 12,000 stores and online around the world. In the past several months, Dell has announced relationships with Croma stores in India; Best Buy in the United States and Canada; Carrefour in Europe; Staples in the U.S. and Canada; Courts in Singapore; Bic Camera in Japan; Carphone Warehouse, Tesco and DSGi in the United Kingdom; and Wal-Mart in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Mexico and Argentina.

Dell, EPA To Host Earth Day Computer Recycling Drive

Dell, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), TechTurn and the National Recycling Coalition will host an Earth Day computer recycling event for consumers in the Washington metropolitan area.

• The free event, to be held at Freedom Plaza downtown, is part of Dell’s ongoing commitment to educating consumers about responsible computer recycling options and keeping IT equipment out of landfills.
• Consumers can drive to the event and volunteers will unload equipment for recycling. Cars should enter from 13th Street, turning on to E Street.
• Washington, D.C. area residents can recycle any brand computer, monitor, printer and other computer equipment as well as cell phones and PDAs by dropping the items off at the event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Consumers are advised to remove all data from computer hard drives and any removable media such as disks, PC cards, flash drives, CD-ROMs. Televisions, stereo equipment and other electronic appliances cannot be accepted.
• Dell completed a rollout of its global recycling program in December 2006 and offers consumers free and convenient recycling of Dell products, worldwide irrespective of product purchase. The company recovered more than 78 million pounds of equipment from customers for recycling in 2006.

"We cannot think of a better day or more appropriate place to partner with consumers and stakeholders to make a difference for the environment," said Jim Duffey, vice president and general manager, Public Business Group, Dell. "Through public-private partnerships and initiatives, we are sending a clear message that no computer should go to waste."

"This event provides D.C.-area residents an easy opportunity to recycle unwanted computers and help protect the environment," said Molly O’Neill, EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Environmental Information and Chief Information Officer. "We are excited to work with organizations that are showing a strong commitment to corporate citizenship and setting an example for other businesses to follow."

"TechTurn has long been a proponent of delivering value from unwanted electronics through refurbishing the equipment and returning the devices to the market," said Jeff Zeigler, CEO of TechTurn. "This method ensures the least negative impact on the environment, keeps electronics out of landfills and provides a responsible outlet for affordable technology."

"Dell continues to be the leader in providing free e-cycling opportunities for Americans," said Kate Krebs, executive director of the National Recycling Coalition. "As we celebrate Earth Day, Americans will be looking for opportunities to show they care for the environment. This great event will be the perfect way to recycle old computers and do something good for the earth."