Dell Delays XPS 700- Waiting For Intel Conroe To Replace 965 EE ?

Indeed, I'm actually shocked that they let this happen considering that this is really their last chance to get rid of these processors before everyone fawns over the Conroe.

My theory: Intel's made an agreement not to release any more computers with anything but Conroe's so production has stopped on all new Intel-powered PCs. Yeah it's highly unlikely since Dell/Intel I'm sure don't want to eat the cost of all the processors they already have.

Message Edited by BerzerkFury on 07-03-200610:32 PM

This delay we are all going through has nothing to do with the conroe. It is the 590 mcp motherboard thats is the problem. Nvida finshed the AMD version of the motherboard first because AM2 was coming out before the conroe. They are now finshing up the intel version. Try to buy a intel version of the 590 mcp motherboard at any online site. Not happening.

Its not the 7950GX2 videocard. You can buy that card at any online retailer.
Its not the 1Kwatt power supply. Turbocool has been shipping them for some time now.
Its not the dozer case, they can stamp metal sheets anytime they want.

The good news is...should be soon.

If that's really the case Dell and Nvidia should just come out and say that they are finishing up the production model of the board. Intel must really love this... if the board comes out so late they'll obviously have a lot of backlog on all their chips if they sell Conroe as cheaply as the optimists believe.

Actually SirRobin, I definitely think your post is starting to hit on some major "hotpoints". Particularly the parts about Dell being stuck in the middle of something and how it could not have come at a worse time. They obviously put some hardcore attention into putting together this box and obviously spent a good deal of money marketing the heck out of it only to see it sputter before it even gets out of the gate, while the hardcore market it's targeting was originally ready to take the plunge relatively early and "pray" it was eventually upgradeable to Conroe if it either ends up as cheap as some people think or when it eventually gets cheap. These same target consumers also happen to be "power-users" who will begin questioning their options as the XPS 700 gets closer and closer to the Conroe ship date (and the other components start aging) leaving them with a boat-load of old chips if the optimists on Conroe's price-point are to be believed. The "huge" sale is yet another indicator that I think you are onto something. While there's obviously no proof, the sale is obviously on the processor component since everything else in the system is cutting-edge for now. So it's obvious that they wanted to start selling these things atleast a month before Conroe came out so they could get rid of some old chips before adding the Conroe to the configuration selection after its official release. Everything that's happening now screams a "stall" somewhere as you described and since just about all of the other components seem to have hit "retail", that leaves the motherboard which I've not researched, but if taeike's right and your hypothesis correct then it seems like perhaps you're onto something.

And if your thoughts on Conroe and SLI turn out to be accurate I can see how this turned into the mess it is. If Dell can get the XPS 700 which is currently equipped with P-D's to be fully compatible with Conroe that'll be a big feather in their cap when it comes to gamer's opinions of Dell's upgradeability. At the same time both Dell and Nvidia are really pushing SLI (not to mention the brand new Quad-SLI) so they can't back down on that now either. So they really need both options in this machine for the 700 to really take off with their target audience.

Here's another thought potentially backing up your thoughts. The release date of the XPS 700 is now practically pushed back to the launch of Conroe, yet another hint that there might be some negotiating going on behind the scenes since everyone always says Dell keeps somewhat less inventory in order to have less overhead and sell at better prices since they build systems on order.

I'll probably edit this post again once I get the chance to brainstorm that paragraph a bit more.

I'm actually surprised more of tech forums aren't hot on this story yet.

____________
XPS 700
Pentium D 940 Dual Core 3.2GHz, 64-bit enabled
2GB Dual Channel DDR2 667MHz SDRAM
Dual 256MB GeForce 7900GS Video Cards
250GB SATA HD
1KW PSU
24" Widescreen LCD

Message Edited by BerzerkFury on 07-04-200601:17 AM

I actually ordered mine on June 30th with an "estimated" ship date of August 8th.

I have done a variety of searches trying to see if anyone has actually received an XPS 700. While I have found several mentions of ordering an XPS 700, on forums and blogs, I have found no mention anywhere of anyone actually getting one yet.

In fact I cannot find anyone stating that their XPS 700 order has even reached "In Production" status yet.

Considering that Intel's new desktop chip series, Conroe, may be released on July 5th, 23rd, or even the 27th (depending on the rumor/leak) I am surprised over this delay. I received a steep discount, in my opinion, due to Dell attempting to clear out their old Intel chip inventories. It makes little sense to make these offers if the Conroe chips will be available from others and perhaps from Dell itself before customers actually get the XPS 700 they ordered in June. Some of these orders even date back to the end of May.

Many XPS 700 orders face the risk of being cancelled if the new chips are available, especially through Dell, before orders dating from early June even ship.

Whatever issues are keeping the XPS 700's from even going "In Production" status are probably not known by anyone we could ever reach through the phone, email, in person, or via chat.

I am really beginning to think the reason for these delays may be the BTX Mobo or more specifically the nForce 590 SLI chipset that supposedly is in the XPS 700. By the way, it shows nForce 590 SLI chipset on one page but also shows the nForce 4 SLI emblem.

There seems to be a lot of buzz going on about the Conroe not supporting nVidia's SLI or something along those lines. So maybe there is a major issue with Dell planning to have the Conroe chips in their "flagship" gaming desktop but suddenly finding out that Intel and nVidia are not getting along. What does Dell do?

Scrap plans to have the Conroe in the XPS 700? Not likely with how many they probably already have in inventory and waiting for Intel's official release.

Scrap plans to use the nForce 590 chipset? Also not likely considering how many they probably have in stock but more likely than dumping the Conroe.

Use their formidable bargaining power to convince Intel and nVidia to play nice? A lot more likely but what do they do in the meantime? Well perhaps what they are already doing... stall. Stall until they can convince Intel and nVidia to get along. Stall until they can find a replacement chipset for the nForce 590 that supports Conroe and SLI and get enough of them in stock to make Dell's profit margin worth it.

Dell could basically be stuck in between Intel and nVidia desperately trying to get them to get along without having to negotiate last minute, and subsequently more expensive, supply deals with other manufacturers.

So why not ship what they have since the Conroe isn't released yet? Well that is the biggest hole in my thinking. Of course switching chipsets mid-stream could add a lot of long term support/technical costs and may violate contracts with nVidia that could have some pretty hefty penalties in fines and public relations. It might also jeopardize future negotiations with nVidia who they also get a lot of video cards from.

If I am right this could not have come at a worse time for Dell. Releasing a new "flagship" with a lot of prior engineering and post marketing investment while winding down XPS 600 production which would be costly to start back up again. Also while Intel is still producing their soon-to-be-legacy chips, their cost, and profit margin for Dell, is about to be flushed down the toilet. Especially among the enthusiast, semi-enthusiast, and educated consumer markets the XPS 700 was intended to win over.

Perhaps I am completely wrong and this is really more of an adequate supply or acceptable quality issue with the mobo or psu but I just can't see a giant like Dell so blatantly stumbling over an obvious issue that should have been worked out before release.

Hopefully we will get some sort of official word from Dell on this but the longer fixing this problem takes and the longer Dell waits to tell anyone the harder it is going to hurt the image they want of being gamer friendly.

This a bit off-topic but Intel knows they have an awfully good chip in their hands. They have let quite a few engineering samples and even early production chips slip into enthusiast's hands and they are backing up, mostly, what Intel is claiming. Beyond this Intel is taking this opportunity to get some payback by pricing these new chips far lower than comparable AMD chips.

True it is their MSRP (manufacturer's suggested retail price) but even so it is significantly lower than AMD's MSRP for comparable (performance-wise) chips. True AMD will do some pretty significant MSRP cuts to stay competitive but Conroe will definitely hurt AMD's bottom line. It also looks like Intel's new chip will take the performance lead until early 2007 at the least.

Intel has already shown their confidence in the Conroe by stating they are no longer going to give the big manufacturers, like Dell, big discounts on volume orders. While they still seem to be getting some discount it is not nearly what it used to be which hurts Dell's bottom line. Honestly I believe this was a big part of Dell's recent announcement of buying AMD processors in the near future. Sort of a counterstrike against Intel basically telling them, "you are not our only option."

Intel has also recently signed a deal with ATI, something about Crossfire on their chipsets. This seemed to me to be another payback from Intel this time against nVidia. For the last few months it has seemed to me that Intel corporate has been downright arrogant, showing off that they are back on top and rubbing other corporations' noses in it.

nVidia on the other hand is the big player in the video card arena and seems to have a winner in their SLI platform and chipset. They seem to have excellent market penetration and most boutique builders have nForce chipset options with AMD cpu's. Personally, while not a fan, I have always had better luck with AMD/nVidia than AMD/ATI, Intel/nVidia, or Intel/ATI but it looks like Intel/nVidia or Intel/ATI will be the way to play until at least early 2007.

nVidia itself has also been very protective of their SLI turf especially regarding the semi-SLI incident. So nVidia corporate probably feels confident that they can survive any unreasonable demands Intel wants to make until AMD takes back the best chip crown.

So, in my thinking, if Intel decides they want to put a leash on nVidia or nVidia decides to snub Intel then Conroe/SLI would be a natural battleground. While it would not be easy either company could come up with something like Micro$oft's Genuine Advantage spyware and tailor their updates to impede, handicap, or even exclude the competitor's component.

Dell appears to be heavily invested in nVidia and Intel so they would be awfully vulnerable to any feud between the two. While Dell has taken steps to reduce their reliance on Intel with the AMD deal it will be probably be months before Dell could be in a position to tell Intel to "shove off." Especially when Intel is on the edge of retaking the performance and price crowns until, at least, early 2007.

Unfortunately Dell, and by extension us, would be caught in the middle of this and have little choice but to wait it out. Not something I look forward to but Dell is basically leaving us in the dark so we don't really have many options right now besides waiting or dumping our orders and going boutique or DIY.

Ugh, I really hope I am wrong because proof reading that just depressed me. Hopefully, again, this is just some big whoops that Dell should have caught on day one so I can say nasty things about them but with all the effort they seem to have put into the XPS 700 I am suspicious that the real issue is something they can't quickly, or cheaply, fix.

Of course, Dell still has the Pentium D chips but not only are they currently being beat by AMD performance-wise but soon they will be Intel's classic product and not the cutting edge. Not something you want in your "flagship" gaming desktop. Then we get into whether Dell is prepared to deal with one model, the XPS 700, having different chipsets/mobo's. So, in my opinion, it would make sense to Dell corporate to stall shipping or even building any XPS 700's until they can convince Intel and nVidia to play nicely or Dell finds an affordable and plentiful option for the chipset or cpu.

Yikes! Sorry for the long posts, just trying to explain my thinking on this.

Sad but eerily seemingly mirroring reality and Dell's virtual silence certainly makes something grim like this even more believable since they seem to have no clue when the delay will end. Definitely depressing if nothing else. Even if it's the other problem and Nvidia just hasn't finished the Intel version of the board yet, oddly enough that mirrors possible "posturing/arrogance/jealousy" issues too. That said I'm surprised board makers aren't tired of Intel/AMD and just make all their boards support both chips, just like most boards can support both Nvidia and ATI graphics cards.

I'm with you, I'm getting good at depressing myself, which is just sad since when you finally bite the bullet and realize the moment you plop down your money something newer and hotter is going to come out the next day, you just have to enjoy being on the cutting edge for the moment as you blaze through things on your PC because you'll be "outdated" 2 minutes later. It'd been 6 years since my last PC (the first Dell 1GHZ XPS) and this thing and it's expandability seriously caught my eye so I didn't really give a wif about Conroe knowing I'd have my PC over a month before Conroe even launched let alone was "available" and I wasn't exactly feeling too bad about it since I could eventually upgrade to the Extreme Edition once the Conroe came out and lowered prices ($1000 was a bit much for just the processor). And hopefully the 700 would turn out to be compatible with the Conroe if it really turned out to be so cheap and rediculously good for a couple of years down the line.

I think taeike has identified the key issue, which is that the intel version of the 590 SLI motherboard is simply not ready yet.  It is described on the nvidia website but as far as I know you cannot buy it anywhere and there are no preview reviews.  The AMD version of the 590 came out coincedent with release of AMD's new A2 chip, and I frankly would be very surprised to see the Intel version 590 before Conroe/Core 2.  As taeike points out, other than the board the XPS700 is just a case, power supply, and other components that are available today, except that quad SLI with the 7950GX2 seems not to be ready for prime time yet for the folks who ordered that.

I don't think there is a grand evil plan on Dell's part to sell Conroe chips -- if anything, the problem is going to be selling off the Pentium inventory once Conroe is released, assuming the Core 2 chips are available in volume.  Who is going to want a new computer with a Pentium once Conroe is released in a few weeks? Even the entry level Core 2 Duo looks like it can outperform the top-of-the-line performance Pentium.

What puzzles me is why Dell started taking orders for the XPS700 before all these cool new components were available.  If they had waited a few months and launched the 700 as a Conroe-only machine they could have ridden a tidal wave of excitement in the PC world and generated some real "buzz" about the 700 being the best OEM performance desktop in the world. 

Seems to me that by trying to move a few units over the summer with a hodge-podge of components -- cutting edge motherboard, but nearly outdated processors -- all they've really done is tick off good customers and make the new 700 case yesterday's news. 

Message Edited by Aivas47a on 07-04-200609:18 AM

It would be nice if the only real issue is that nVidia doesn't have an Intel version of the 590 chipset yet. Then I can just be mad at Dell for trying to sell us a chipset that doesn't exist for the cpu they are selling it with. At least doesn't exist yet and may not exist until later July or early August.

Hooray! A short post from me.:smileyvery-happy:

Here is a link to an article about the nForce 590 chipset. While I am not one of those "it's on the internet so it must be true" types this does look hopeful.

Awfully annoyed that we have been sold something since May that didn't exist yet.:smileymad:

Message Edited by SirRobin on 07-04-200610:00 AM

GOOD NEWS!! I called sales and I have the ANSWER!! We can all rest assured that there are no Delays!

 

 

10:44:42 AMSystemWelcome David Marshall ...
10:44:42 AMSystemConnecting to server. Please wait...
10:44:42 AMSystemThank you for using Dell Chat, a representative will be with you soon.  
10:44:48 AMSystemYou are now being connected to an agent. Thank you for using Dell Chat
10:44:48 AMSystemConnected with CU_Rep_Flordy
10:44:56 AMCU_Rep_FlordyWelcome to Dell Sales Chat. My name is Flordy. I'll be your personal sales agent. What may I assist you purchase today?  
10:45:02 AMCU_Rep_FlordyHi, David.  
10:45:33 AMYouDavid
10:45:42 AMCU_Rep_FlordyHow can I help you?
10:45:42 AMYouHi How are you?  
10:46:29 AMCU_Rep_FlordyDoing cool. Thanks. How can I help you?  
10:47:18 AMYouTwo days ago I talk with a Dell Representative and he assured me that my order would be shipped on time, and that there were no delays. He said that he worked at a Dell owned center and therefore he had access to the latest information and that I should not worry.  
10:47:45 AMCU_Rep_FlordyI see. Have you placed your order already?  
10:48:49 AMYouI placed my order June 5 and my shipping date was yesterday, but the computer did not come today, and there is no new ship date. I am very disappointed as I have waited a long time. I also have purchase many other items to go with the computer and now I will be outside the return policy on those items  
10:49:29 AMCU_Rep_FlordyI see.
I'm sorry, but for that matter, you will have to contact Customer Care. You can contact Customer Care by going to www.dellcustomercare.com or by calling 1-800-915-3355 ext. 7266966.  
10:49:36 AMCU_Rep_FlordyAnything else on this concern, David?  
10:50:04 AMYouCan't you tell me the status of my order?  
10:50:40 AMCU_Rep_FlordyI'm sorry I don't have that info here, David. Pls call them for info.  
10:50:55 AMYouI want to know if I should cancel the order and reorder a new computer?  
10:51:11 AMYouAren't you a Dell sales agent?  
10:51:19 AMCU_Rep_FlordyI'm sorry but pls call them for assistance on this as I don't have info on this.  
10:51:31 AMYouDell sales has the ability to look this up.  
10:51:35 AMCU_Rep_FlordyI am but your concern falls under customer care so pls cal them.  
10:51:49 AMYouAre you a sales agent  
10:52:01 AMYouI would like to place a new order.  
10:52:15 AMCU_Rep_FlordyI see. You can do it online, David.  
10:52:40 AMYouThen why are you chatting with me? What do you do?  
10:53:00 AMCU_Rep_FlordyI advise customers what to order, I don't place orders.  
10:53:05 AMYouI am interested in purchasing an xps 700. Can you help me with this?  
10:53:19 AMCU_Rep_FlordyHow can I help you on that?  
10:53:49 AMYouIf I placed an order today, do you know when it would be shipped?  
10:54:25 AMCU_Rep_FlordyStill there?  
10:54:37 AMYouCan you tell me if I place an order on the xps 700, if there will be any delays?  
10:54:57 AMYouOf Course I am still here, I just sent you a question.  
10:55:21 AMCU_Rep_FlordyAlthough we do not anticipate any delays on your order, we occasionally run into unexpected delays in manufacturing. In the evet that your system will not make the estimated ship date, you will be notified through mail.
10:55:27 AMYouAre you still there? I am getting the impression you would rather not help me. Should I try again later?  
10:55:48 AMCU_Rep_FlordyI'm sorry I just posted a response. Did you see it?  
10:56:17 AMYouThat answer is very generic. It is always given. I want to know specificly if there are any delays with the xps 700  
10:56:48 AMCU_Rep_FlordyI'm sorry but we really don't have info on this, David. That's the best we could come up with.  
10:57:04 AMYouI have been told that the system is currently not shipping. I do not want to order a computer that I cannot get for a long time.  
10:57:36 AMCU_Rep_FlordyWe will build it after you order it.
I'm sorry but Dell does not give out specific shipping date. You will be able to receive an email confirmation after completing your order and this email will include its estimated ship date. It could ship on or before that date. In case of delays, you will also be notified through email.  
10:57:49 AMYouWho do I contact if I would like to know exactly what the shipping delays are regarding the xps 700?  
10:58:41 AMYouPlease that answer again is very generic. Obviously you don't know, so I want to know who I should contact to find out about delays on the xps 700. Do you know where I should go?  
10:59:08 AMCU_Rep_FlordyThey are usually unexpected delays, David so if they are unexpected, there's no way we could tell you that there is indeed a delay.  
10:59:41 AMYouCould you ask your supervisor, if he knows about any issues with an xps 700 order? If you advise on sales then I would think that someone there would be able to give good advice on this particular system.  
11:00:55 AMYouMy previous order had a ship date of June 27th, then July 3 and now I am told July 22nd. So this is not an unexpected delay. There is a reason for a 3 or 4 week delay. I simply would like to find out what it is from sales before I procede.  
11:01:38 AMCU_Rep_FlordyI'm sorry but as we have discussed, these delays are unexpected so we don't really have like a list of reasons why it should be delayed.It's always unexpected delays. That's why we're asking for more time. I'm sorry but we don't have that info.
11:01:45 AMYouWould you mind asking your supervisor if he knows of any xps 700 delays. They are certainly delayed for at least 3 weks, and I am sure he must know.  
11:02:34 AMCU_Rep_FlordyI did this already and as we have told you before, it's always unexpected that's why we send you emails on it. I'm sorry but we don't have this info.  
11:02:49 AMYouI have been on the Dell Community Forum, and many customers are having the same problem, and they would at least like to know why Dell is not shipping the xps 700.  
11:03:02 AMCU_Rep_FlordyI'm sorry, but for that matter, you will have to contact Customer Care.
11:03:13 AMCU_Rep_FlordyAnything else on this matter, David?
11:03:15 AMYouThis is not an unexpected delay. Dell has know for weeks that there is a delay.  
11:04:01 AMYouI am so sorry that you in sales don't know any more about the Dell products then I do. Dell is not doing a very good job of keepying you informed, and thus helping the customer.  
11:04:28 AMCU_Rep_FlordyThat in unexpected because if we anticipate that it wouldn't ship the original estimated ship date, Dell would have just given you a later estimated shipping date to make it not delayed.  
11:04:37 AMYouHope things get better for you. I will try to get some sales help somewhere else. I hope you have a good day. Good bye  
11:05:11 AMCU_Rep_FlordyI'm sorry you feel that way but I really think I was able to address your concern, David. It's just a matter of you taking the available info.  
11:06:09 AMCU_Rep_FlordyStill there, David?  
11:06:21 AMYouYou have not told me one thing that I didn't already know. My order is delayed by over 3 weeks. No one has received an xps 700 so that means that it is NOT UNEXPECTED
 
11:08:27 AMCU_Rep_FlordyThere is no point arguing whether you think this is unexpected or not, David. It would depend on what you believe but as I already told you, it's unexpected. The reason I told you that is it's a fact at Dell's end.  
11:08:43 AMYouHow did you address my concern. My order is delayed 3 weeks. I an told to contact Dell if I would like further clarification. I contact Sales and you cannot tell me any thing other then it was unexpected. Sorry but that was of no value. Once I waited 43 days for a replacement computer. I was given every excuse you can think of. I hope Dell is not doing this  again. I would just like to know the reason for the Delay. That is a fair request of a customer purchasing a $5500 computer.  
11:09:43 AMYouMy concern was should I order a new computer and you couldn't help me do that. I am not interested in arguing and I don't appreciate being told this. I will have to go.Good bye  
11:09:49 AMCU_Rep_FlordyI understand , I did address that because I told you where to go to be assisted. It's not Sales.
11:10:48 AMCU_Rep_FlordyI am very much willing in assisting you purchase but the info you're asking for isn't available, David. Why? Because again, delays are unexpected.  
11:11:06 AMYouI want to purchase a new computer. My previous order did not work out. If I order new and stay away from parts that are causing a delay, then that would be what I would do.  
11:11:12 AMCU_Rep_FlordyBut you wouldn't accept the facts I'm telling you.  
11:11:26 AMYouGood bye, Something unexpected just came up and I have to go. Bye  
11:11:30 AMSystemThe session has ended!  

Sir Robin, thanks for the link, I had not seen any preview reviews of the 590 Intel board before.

One thing the article makes pretty clear is that the 590 board will not be available until Conroe/Core 2 launch.  Why did Dell think they could be shipping machines with this board in May or June? 

I also wonder about the form factor.  The direct-sale 590 SLI boards from Asus, DFI, etc. will certainly be ATX, whereas the XPS700 is BTX.  So it would seem that the XPS700 shipments depend not only on a chipset that is not yet ready, but on a custom configuration of a chipset that is not yet ready.

I'm amazed the depth of the speculations in this thread.
Also surprised that there seems to be no XPS-700 delivery at all in North America.
Tough points.

About the whole XPS-700 / Conroe story: I'm 100% sure that Dell knows what is going on they just duck and don't communicate. This is quite typical from a big mammoth who cares more about bad press than angry customers. Besides XPS customers are a thinnest slice on the "Dell cake". Deny, deny, deny - that's their rule for trouble.

The funny thing is that everything seems to be working against us. Why? If they keep pushing out the XPS-700 deliveries it will cause them more work and more trouble to completee them once the issues are resolved. Moreover they're going to face a flood of cancelations and returns within the 21 days "grace period". Altough it will cost for the customers to return I guess it will cost even more for Dell... ...unless they choose to re-sell the returned XPS-700 cases and parts with new MOBO + Conroe processor as new...

Also. If they are worried about the customers going after Conroe they can put up a pricing that will cause everybody think twice before ordering a Conroe config from Dell. It is evident that Dell's XPS processor pricing has no connection with Intel's officially announced prices. They were (and still in Canada) selling the 3.4Ghz, 3.6Ghz processors way above it's market (Intel's) value. What makes you think they won't overprice Conroe? Especially if they get the bulk of the initial shipments from Intel therefore nobody will be able to buy it on a regular market??????

The more I deal with this XPS-700 story the more angry I'm at Dell because of they way they handle clients spending thousands of dollars with them. Now I'm in a state that rather go and build a configuration by myself from high-end parts than buying an XPS-700. Nice design, nice box, but what is inside is messy... Obviously not everybody can do that but for the price of the XPS-700 you can get a top quality machine with all the warranty you need... I'll see what happens in July with Conroe and then decide.

What does that mean for those of us that have ordered a xps 700 with the 965EE processor? Will they be contacting those that ordered an offering the Conroe? Why would anyone stay with the old if the Conroe is available. I can see them getting into some hot water with the Conroe issue, but it is hard to imagine that the BTX issue was not thought through. Is that possible? I tried to check my order status and it now says that it is not available?

With all this uncertainty about the XPS700 I canceled my order. If in fact Core 2 will be out by the end of the month and Dell is obviously not shipping the XPS700 orders they have, it only makes sense to cancel and wait to see what Pentium discounts might be offered with the Core 2 release and if price is not the issue but having the latest technology is, what is 3 or 4 more weeks.

What bothers me most is that when I ordered my first Dell dimension a number of years ago, Dell had production issues that delayed shipping for about 3 months. At that time I posed this on the Dell Forum:

“I wonder what ever happened to just being honest and telling the truth!

1. Why couldn’t Dell send out an e-mail to those people effected by this Audigy problem, explain what the problem was, what Dell expected would be the resolution to the problem and what the customers options were. That is basic customer service.
Dell has garnered a great deal of ill will over this issue. After spending more than an hour on the phone the other day and being bounced through three departments, I asked the very question I posed above. The answer, "we did what the law requires". I was floored, after hearing so much about Dell’s customer service, it was a slap in the face.”

Well it seems that not much has changed at Dell.

I am really hoping that discussions like this will either force the hand of Dell or someone will do some exhaustive research and find out what is goiing on behind the scenes. This could make for a good movie plot, like Wallstreet. What is the price of Dell stock today?