TECH TIPS
Dell Computer's service slipping

Advertiser Staff and News Services

Dell Computer's once-legendary service has slipped — and the No. 1 personal computer maker is taking steps to bolster it.

Many surveys say Dell is still the best at service in the PC industry, but there are signs of trouble:

• More than 4,740 customers complained about Dell on consumer Web site PlanetFeedback.com from October to March. That's up 40 percent from the previous six months.
• The Better Business Bureau in Austin, Texas, where Dell is based, received 1,195 complaints about Dell during the same period, up from 616 in the six months before.

One factor: Strong holiday sales in 2001 left Dell scrambling to hire techs, but training requires six to eight weeks, which left the service department understaffed, said Rick Chase, a Dell customer-service vice president.

Company pays for workers' Web use

It seemed harmless enough: employees at a Tempe, Ariz., high-tech firm were exchanging copyrighted digital music over their office computer network.

What followed would have a serious impact on Integrated Information Systems Inc.

The 400-employee company violated copyright laws when some of its employees, unbeknownst to management, ran a dedicated computer server that allowed co-workers to download and exchange copyrighted digital songs, or MP3 files, from the Internet.

Rather than go to court against the recording industry, Integrated paid a $1 million settlement.

Apple strikes back with student eMac

Apple Computer has launched a new version of its popular iMac computer especially for students.

Resembling the original all-in-one iMac in shape and size, the eMac includes a 700-megahertz G4 processor, a 17-inch screen with a flat picture tube, a 40-gigabyte hard drive, advanced graphics card, integrated networking and a 56K phone modem. The original iMacs included slower G3 processors and curved 15-inch screens.

The new machines will be sold only to students and teachers through Apple's online store for education.