Dell’s Della: A Computer For Women
Posted by: Nikki Dowling
Filed in:
news
9:45AM, Friday May 15th 2009
Dell recently unveiled the Della, a small, lightweight laptop made for chicks. Basically, it’s the same as any other laptop, except the Della comes in a variety of pastel colors and styles and has a bunch of cutesy accessories to go with it. Like, oh mi gawd! Why do companies market products to women by emphasizing style and trendiness rather than something substantial—like, say, function? The deets on the new Dell after the jump ...
- The Della has up to eight hours of battery life. That’s basically all Dell tells us. I guess they figure we can’t handle the technical stuff.
- Dell was kind enough to provide a “Tech Tips” tab because girls suck at using technology. Originally, this tab was full of vintage shopping vids, dieting tips, calorie counters, recipe finders, and even a short clip about cooking. Dell, it’s “Tech Tips” not “Home Ec.”
- As you can imagine, many gals were outraged by the blatant sexism, so Dell revamped the website. Now, they’re all about style. The computers come in a million colors. Visitors can brows through hundred of different models in the “Design Studio” or they can shop by designer. Nice try, Dell. Still sexist.
- To elevate the shopping experience, Dell has provided a “Dell Lounge” where us chicks can listen to music while designing and personalizing the perfect laptop. I don’t know if this computer actually works, but at least I’ll look hot using it? Especially when I buy a pink striped case and a cute green mouse to go with it. Annoying.
TheFrisky.com is part of the Turner Sports and Entertainment Digital Network
lilrockgoddess4u
wrote on May 15 2009 @ 09:49 am: [report]
As a techaholic this bums me out.
Alison Wonderland
wrote on May 15 2009 @ 10:03 am: [report]
Why doesn’t Dell focus on making a Netbook that doesn’t suck? That’s all this is right, a Netbook? Or don’t they say.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on May 15 2009 @ 10:16 am: [report]
@Alison: The Adamo is pretty, but sucks.
Tetrine
wrote on May 15 2009 @ 10:59 am: [report]
This makes me ill. I have my BS in computer science and a technical consulting position at a large IT firm doing contracting with the government. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good cocktail dress with a fierce pair of heels, but why the hell do we need dressed up computers “for women”? And why aren’t there processor specs on the page? Guess a woman would never even know what all those complicated numbers mean. After all, I’m probably just at home counting my calories for the day and trying to make a new low-fat dinner recipe.
The worst part of it is, it’s the same computer but just with bunch of hodge-podge femme’d up trinket-y accessories and a coat of paint that makes it “womanly”—the computer still probably is a piece of junk (and seeing as it’s by Dell, probably more than likely it’s a piece of junk). And then we can all pay more money than the thing is actually worth to have an omgsocute! little computer… AWWWWW.
I normally don’t get bent out of shape about gendered advertising, but this really resonates with me personally and is quite offensive, from my perspective.
shannac02
wrote on May 15 2009 @ 11:00 am: [report]
I TOTALLY see more gay men buying this than Women… Not to stereotype gay men, BUT, I know a LOT of gay guys that already have been looking for a pastel Notebook. Just sayin’.
sam04
wrote on May 15 2009 @ 11:20 am: [report]
Boo to Dell. Their computers are crap, no matter what colour they come in. I am a devoted Mac user and when my Mom was looking for a laptop, I begged her to consider a Mac. She refused and bought a Dell. Not a day goes by where I don’t hear her complaining about something to do with her computer. Everything is broken on it, and it’s always on the fritz.
But it’s true that anything marketed to women is automatically more expensive. Especially haircuts. I buzzed my hair off two years ago for Wigs For Kids and when I went in to get a haircut as my fuzz grew out, it still cost a small fortune.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on May 15 2009 @ 11:31 am: [report]
@Tetrine: I have an Eee which I use for television on my hour bus ride….I’m now through 15 some odd seasons of TV since December.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on May 15 2009 @ 11:34 am: [report]
@Sam04: Omg a Mactard. Macs and PCs have the same internals now, the only difference is the operating system, which magically makes the price 30% more than you’d pay for a similarly spec’d anything else.
sam04
wrote on May 15 2009 @ 12:12 pm: [report]
@CheeeeEEEEse: Mmmkay. All the people I know who have PCs (i.e. everyone I know and that includes big computer nerds) are always having issues with their computers. Viruses. Glitches. Noisy fans. I’ve had my current Mac for the past four years and I’ve never had a single issue with it. Also, I’m NOT a computer nerd so I wouldn’t have any idea what to do if I had a constantly malfunctioning PC. I would rather spend 30% more on something that doesn’t give me trouble and is easy to use. But Mactard? Seriously? I always find your posts entertaining and secretly wanted you to like me… curse me for stating my preference and spoiling the dream.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on May 15 2009 @ 12:24 pm: [report]
@Sam04: Can’t please everyone I guess. Macs (IMO) are all style and no substance. They do what they are able to do well, which is anything Apple decides to let run on their OS. It is their crippling weakness, they hinder development progress, as well as limit the type and spec of things that will actually run (That is unless you had the #&@$% out of an application so it runs on OSX).
Sorry that I’ve ruined your perception of me, but have solace that I hold no love for Microsoft either. 4 Linux machines FTW.
retro chic
wrote on May 15 2009 @ 12:51 pm: [report]
I’ve only heard bad things about Dell. In the marketing world, we had a code for these fem colors: P & D—Pink and Douchey!
sam04, I’ve been Mac forever, as are my friends and co-workers/designers. Each buy I made was only because I wanted something newer. To this day, I’ve never had ONE problem with them. The peace of mind, stability, ease of use and total lack of repair/maintenance costs more than make up the $-dif for me.
I guess I have a fundamental affinity for Steve Jobs’ overall philosophy of quality and innovation. Bill Gates responded to SJ with “I don’t want to make the best computer, just sell the most.” So in this way they complement each other, meeting the needs of both kinds of consumer. A friend of mine called PCs “counter-intuitive” cuz they sat queued up on repair shop counters a lot.
idiotfactory
wrote on May 15 2009 @ 12:54 pm: [report]
Way to go, Internet Tough Guy. You’ve now derailed this thread into a platform flamewar. I bet you’re really proud to spew out the same damn argument about Mac vs PC vs Linux that has been dragging on for ten years now. It’s nice that you have an opinion, but it has nothing to do with this post and it is certainly not necessary to call someone a Mactard. That’s just not cool.
What I came to post:
Isn’t anyone else terribly annoyed at how their shirts match their machines?
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on May 15 2009 @ 01:07 pm: [report]
@idiotfactory: This thread was derailed from the start. Everyone can see that this “Marketing Campaign” is incredibly sexist, and that Dell’s have horrible hardware, service, and bad PR decision making skills (Duuuude You’re Getting a Dell, wanna smoke this?). So I just decided to take it elsewhere, now that all hardware is essentially the same now, it comes down to how the OS interacts with you the user in points like usability, UI, functionality, and customize-ability.
sam04
wrote on May 15 2009 @ 01:51 pm: [report]
@CheeeeEEEEse: Fear not! My perception of you was not ruined. Haha. I was merely suggesting that you calling me a Mactard clearly suggested I had not won you over as per my plan.
The Mac vs. PC debate is always an entertaining one to me!
sam04
wrote on May 15 2009 @ 01:53 pm: [report]
@idiotfactory: I was too distracted by the broad racial spectrum to notice the matching shirts.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on May 15 2009 @ 02:06 pm: [report]
@Sam04: http://video.linuxfoundation.org/video/1154
sam04
wrote on May 15 2009 @ 03:28 pm: [report]
@CheeeeEEEEse: Pfft. Linux is never going to get you laid, dude. That penguin shouldn’t act so smug.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on May 15 2009 @ 04:06 pm: [report]
@Sam04: Says whom.
sam04
wrote on May 15 2009 @ 06:40 pm: [report]
@CheeeeEEEEse: It’s common knowledge. Say what you like about Apple, but their computers are sexy. That’s pretty much the only reason I have my iMac. Its mere presence encourages people to take their clothes off. Linux makes me think of people attending LAN parties on a Saturday night…
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on May 15 2009 @ 06:43 pm: [report]
@Sam04: Ahh, the fact you know what Linux and LAN (and the fact you capitalized it) parties are intrigues me. Were you once a fellow geek? Shunned by popular culture perhaps?
sam04
wrote on May 15 2009 @ 07:44 pm: [report]
@CheeeeEEEEse: Oh, I’m a huge geek but not about computers. Sorry to disappoint. I lived with a devoted WOW player for years, so I’m sure I picked up geeky references from him.
P.S. You have good taste in movies and books, but for TV… Doctor Who? For rizz? You should check out The IT Crowd.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on May 15 2009 @ 10:52 pm: [report]
@Sam04: I love sci-fi. I’ve never heard of “The IT Crowd” I’ll check it out. And btw, my geekiness goes beyond computers, it extends to cars, weird #&@$% I’ve found on the internet, to pornography (OH MY!), as well as scifi/fantasy.
Allen Amin
wrote on September 12 2009 @ 03:07 am: [report]
I don’t know why companies think that women will buy anything that would come in pink . this type of thinking really Sucks. Time has Changed
moogyboobles
wrote on September 12 2009 @ 05:42 am: [report]
I’ll stick with my Petticoat 5 thanks!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qptvCqtMg_o
and yes you must watch The IT Crowd, I now know what the internet looks like