If you became interested in computers in the last five years or so and I mean "A+ certified, I want to take em apart and rebuild em" interested. Then you learned that Dell and its subsidiary Alienware were garbage when it came to tech support and insane with there price gauging. Into the spotlight stepped Dell's longtime rival Hewlett Packert. Eventually HP outpaced Dell and took away enough market share to tie and then overcome Dell.
I'll admitt that I'm pleased with Dell's embracing Linux and opensource but that doesn't take away from the fact there machines are overpriced at best and lacking in the aesthetics department.
After splitting the market in 2006 HP this past year sold more computer then Dell. HP now retains 18.2% of the market to Dell's 14.3%. In 2006 these numbers were dead even with each having 15.9% of the market. Obviously someone has gained traction while the other continues to have difficulties even after its founder, micheal dell took back the position of ceo in manner reminicent of Steve jobs returning to Apple.
While Dell and Jobs stories are similar in that respect, the downward spiral has continued for Dell with its total sales growing just 1.7% over the previous year. The lowest rate among the top five pc manufactureres. You know you've hit a little more then just a rough patch when your losing to gateway.
Not taking my word for any of this, lets look at what Connecticut-based research firm Gartner Inc. analyst Mikako Kitagawa told bloomberg. "HP established a solid number one position in 2007"
"Robust Consumer and mobile PC sales across all regions were two main drivers of HP's overall growth"
Looking for a second opinion on the numbers besides Gartner, research firm IDC had HP with 18.8% of the market to Dells 14.9.
Why is this happening ? Well most of it I believe has to do how Dell has come to symbolize not only low price but low quality as well. The firt point being debatable. The tales of poor tech support and machines taking several weeks if not months to get fixed didn't help matters. Only time will tell if Dell can turn it around.
Let it be known that I'm a Mac user but that everyone I meet owns an HP desktop. They must be doing something right in the qaulity department to warrant the change.
sources: Gameindustry.bizz
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