LIVEdigitally

The free shipping era at dell is coming to an end. Next month Dell is going to start charging to get a computer purchase shipped to your house. This penny pinching manuever is supposed to save the company money. There will be a new “pick up at the post office” option to debut soon. This will appeal to consumers who work during the day and don’t want their new purchases sitting on the stoop to get taken.

Dell Inc. will stop its practice of sending low-end computers to customers homes without charge in order to cut costs, the company said on Thursday.

Starting on October 10, Dell’s free shipping offer on basic models will apply only to people willing to pick up their computers at the post office, said Jennifer Davis, spokeswoman for Dell’s U.S. consumer business. Customers will have to pay extra for home delivery.

I personally have not been a big fan of Dell. I’d rather purchase a computer “hands on,” eager to see how it looks up close, and try the keyboard out for comfort. Obviously, many folks buy from Dell, we’ll have to see if it hurts their sales or not.
See over here for more info.

Now, I don’t normally get too excited about bargain basement hardware, but it is nice to see innovation in this price range.

Nicholas Negroponte, chairman and founder of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Labs, has been outlining designs for a sub-$100 PC.
The laptop will be tough and foldable in different ways, with a hand crank for when there is no power supply.

Professor Negroponte came up with the idea for a cheap computer for all after visiting a Cambodian village.

While the hand crank and rubberized case are unique, the notebook is planned to have a 500 MHz processor, WiFi, flash based storage, and USB ports x4. For $100, I might buy one! Actually, they will not be available for purchase by individuals, and you can read more details here.