By contrast, these upcoming notebooks will come wireless-ready from the factory. In addition, Dell announced today that is has hired Moe Grzelakowski to head a new business unit focused on wireless hardware and services. She will report directly to CEO Michael Dell and start in a month. Integration will likely be an important step in driving greater commercial acceptance for wireless access, as it should simplify the wireless networking process. Rigging PCs for wireless access, which is viewed as one of the hottest trends in corporate computing, is far from painless.
Current offerings require added components that are sometimes difficult to install and configure.
To any extent they can make wireless communication easier to use and more cost effective, that's a big advantage. Apple's LAN card comes separately. The PC manufacturer is known more as an imitator than as an innovator, according to analysts. But things may be changing at Dell, which last week unveiled an MP3 home stereo component developed with digital music specialist S3. The branded music system is part of Dell's expanding focus on leading rather than following, according to analysts.