The group was formed recently but was not announced formally. Although the strategy marks a departure for Dell, the change won't be radical. The PC, in Dell's view, will remain the focus of consumers and businesses, according to Godevais. Devices and services will largely exist to complement the basic functionality of the computer. The PC is at the center of the Internet experience.
Appliances do one or two things very well.
The PC, however, will be the conduit for Internet access. This will allow manufacturers to eliminate modems and other parts, as well as reduce the number of devices that consumers have to hook independently to the Internet. The ones that will be successful are the ones that are familiar to the customer. Dellnet by MSN will differ in that it will begin to offer custom information services. The graphical interface will also change, Godevais said.