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Posted on 09/28/2006 9:59:03 PM PDT by Swordmaker
Right about now, Dell has to be wondering: "Intel, was it something we said?"
If Dell actually gives voice to the question, though, I expect Intel would confide, "Nah. It was something you did -- building boring computers. But it's not just you. Gateway, Hewlett-Packard, and Lenovo pretty much bore users to tears, too."
Recognizing that the EBA ("Everybody But Apple") computer makers have gotten stuck in a decades-long rut of churning out plain beige, or occasionally grey, boxes as their primary form of desktop computing power, Intel CEO Paul Otellini announced a new contest on Tuesday. Intel will pay some lucky computer-maker $1 million to design a desktop computer with a modicum more style than the floor protectors sitting under our desks.
Specifically, Intel is looking for someone who can incorporate its new Core2 Duo processors into a "Viiv technology-based ... small, stylish" PC -- so basically, it is looking for an EBA iMac. As for how the prize will be awarded, it is described in typically obfuscated engineer-speak. The "grand prize winner" gets $300,000 to use toward manufacturing costs, and $400,000 to use in co-marketing the computer with Intel. The "first place winner" -- which may or may not be the same thing as the "grand prize winner" -- gets the remaining $300,000 to use toward manufacturing costs.
Now, before you get all excited and start drawing up plans, be aware that only "companies" can play in this game. Presumably, the prize will look pretty penny-ante to giants such as those described above. But they might decide to enter just for the bragging rights victory would confer. As for the loser, my guess is that it will be AMD. Both the language used in the contest announcement and the fact that 40% of the "prize" is to be used in marketing the fact that the winning design has "Intel Inside" suggest that this is first and foremost a marketing ploy by Intel, aiming to generate buzz for its new product at the expense of AMD's competing offerings.
That said, as a computer user, I can only hope Intel gets some good bites with its offer. As Apple has proven time and time again, there's no reason on earth why a PC must resemble a big tin box. Style and performance need not be mutually exclusive properties. In short, we EBA users have suffered under the Beige Regime for far too long, and it's time for a change.
When combined with the Core/Core 2 chips, and their recent IDF announcements, I'm really liking Intel more and more these days.
AMD seems to be spinning their wheels by comparison.
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Up to 750 gig hard drive, ATI Mobility™ Radeon® X1800.
I built a really hot looking computer from pond scum and old ice tea jugs. It'll run any program as long as it isn't Apple or Windows, and when I break wind, the little birdies come and sit on my shoulder because I'm just that much better than all of you Macbots.
My Dell laptop itself works fine, but the power supply burns out about every six months. I'm on my fourth or fifth one. Dell always ships me a new one promptly at no cost, but I think I'll splurge and buy from a different company for my next one (in a couple of months).
i dont care if my computer looks like a large turd if its fast, Is under the table and i dont spend that much time looking at it...
Is this even worthy of an article?
pricegrabber.com has something like 1050 cases, plus specialty sites have several thousand more high end cases.
The Sony Style LS series already fits all requirements for the contest.
AMD's busy working on reverse-hyperthreading. Could have interesting results, especially on a quad-core processor.
Anyway, it's not the style but the virii. I like XP except it's too much aggravation to keep it malware free.
Good luck finding the equivalent of the Ives team out there, which understands not only the looks, but the engineering, manufacturing and materials to make the whole thing a coherent product.
Of course, she'll run OSX because if she runs Gatesware it'll be all work and no play, crashes at the worst times, and them pesky viruses.
Nice try, getting better, still not quite there yet.
My crummy Gateway desktop finally died and I just got my 24" Imac to replace it. It's jaw-droppingly beautiful and is, of course, a Mac so it's a pleasure to use. Life is sweet (except the part about paying the credit card bill).
My Dell laptop made me a Machead. It froze continuously almost right out of the box. It took 18 months of wrangling with "tech support" before they admitted that I had a bad hard drive and replaced it. I've since bought 5 Macs. Message to Dell- cutting corners on tech support does not lead to higher profits.
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