Dell targets SMEs

PC and notebook maker Dell Malaysia aims its line of Vostro notebook PCs at the SME market, says The Star Online.

GM Pang Yee Beng said a majority of Dell's SME customers were aware that the use of IT was important and could help grow their business in a more efficient way, yet didn't want complications.

Among them are the Vostro 1000, 1400 and 1500 notebook PCs, and the Vostro 200 desktop PC. The Vostro 1400 is for users with high-mobility needs. It has a 14.1-inch wide antiglare display as well as integrated graphics card (128MB nVidia GeForce Go 8400M GS).

At this year's Consumer Electronics Show, PC makers are expected to emphasise style over function, as the industry tries to lure customers with snazzy designs and features that turn computers into jukeboxes and libraries for video and photos, says Information Week.

Faster processors, more memory to run applications, and larger storage devices were once strong selling points. Now, sleek design and a choice of colours and textured outer cases attract customers by appealing to their vanity.

This trend is particularly evident in the notebook market, which has outpaced desktop sales and is expected to eventually account for more than half of all PC shipments.

Medion is continuing its successful policy of selling cut-price technology at the supermarkets, this time with a quad-core desktop PC, exclusively at Tesco, for under £600, says Tech Digest.

The Medion 6615 PC is available now at stores and online, featuring Intel's latest Core 2 Quad Q6660 2.4GHz chip, NVIDIA GeForce 8600GT DirectX 10 graphics card with DVI-I connector and HDMI port (with HDCP decoding).

It also has Windows Vista Home Premium edition and Tesco-branded software. It's selling for £579.