Dell, Surface Deal Raises Questions About Dell PC Range
David Richards
09 Sep 2015
Later today Lenovo is expected to make statement regarding the unusual Dell decision, currently Dell PC’s are sold online and at JB Hi Fi who also sell the Surface Pro 3.Â
Dell said that have agreed to sell Microsoft’s tablet-cum-laptop to enterprise customers, while the company will also “leverage its relationships” with HP, Accenture and Avande to bring Windows 10 to more people in the workplace setting.
Microsoft Australia has not commented on the move or the benefits for Dell.Â
ChannelNews understands that the Surface Pro devices and accessories will come with an option to buy Dell Services, which includes hardware warranties, managed deployment, configuration services and damage services through Dell.
The idea is to build on Dell’s relationships and deployment infrastructure in the business sector to get Windows 10 into more enterprise environments.
All that sounds great, but the wisdom of Dell offering another manufacturer’s hardware is open for debate.
“Innovation isn’t about great devices,” Michael Dell explained. “It’s about partnerships put together with products software and services to delivery extra-ordinary customer value.
The statement is at odds with what Lenovo preached at the recent IFA conference in Berlin last week.
“Innovation and great design is key to our growth” said Rod Lappin Regional Price President Asia Pacific for Lenovo who are the #1 PC Company in the world.Â
“In addition to our own tablet and line up of 2-in-1 devices, we’re thrilled to bring this innovative and offering to our customers.” said Michael Dell.
Insiders are telling ChannelNews that Microsoft has thrown Dell a bucket load of money to flog the new Surfacer Pro 4 in 2016 up against offerings from both Lenovo and Acer?
The Dell program starts next month in the US and Canada and will come to Australia in 2016.
The new Lenovo Miix 700 is a stunning new device that makes the Surface from Microsoft look and feel like yesterday’s technology. I got my hands on the new device at IFA last week and it is a hot contender for a top SmartHouse award.Â
The device is a 12-inch tablet, the same form factor as the Surface Pro 3. But with processors reportedly ranging up to the new Skylake Core m7. The device that I got a first look at IFA had a Core m5 Intel processor.
The Miix 700 can be configured with up to 8GB of memory, and will run Windows 10.
As for the price, well, it’s tipped to sell for around $799 in OZ.Â
If you’ve ever used a Surface, you’ll suddenly realise when you boot up the Miix 700 that your Surface has a few bits missing, especially attach capability and above all a superior keyboard. The Surface keyboard when compared to the Lenovo offering is a shocker.Â
There’s a kickstand, with the full range of motion as found in the Surface Pro 3. The Miix also adds the styling of the Yoga hinge.
The screen resolution is 2160×1400, the same as the Surface Pro 3. The keyboard folds back and connects via the superb long rectangular hinge that Lenovo uses in the Yoga Pro 3.
The Miix 700’s battery life is said to be over 10 hours.Â
As for the keyboard the Miix 700’s keys are smaller and spaced out better than the Surface.
Microsoft is tipped to launch a Surface Pro 4 and possibly a Surface 4 at an event in October.
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