Dell is not on a streak with its Streak tablet, so it's understandable that the company would be critical of Apple's iPad, especially in the enterprise market, where Dell is a huge player.
In an interview with CIO Australia, Andy Lark, Dell's v-p of global marketing for Dell's large enterprise group, said while he "couldn't be happier that Apple has created a market and built up enthusiasm" for tablets, over the long haul, "open, capable and affordable will win, not closed, high price and proprietary" such as Apple's operating system.
Google's Android operating system, which Dell uses on its 5- and 7-inch Streaks, is "outpacing" Apple, Lark said. That is true in terms of the smartphone world; tablets, not yet. But while other Android tablets, like Motorola's Xoom and Samsung's Galaxy Tab, are receiving more favorable reviews, the Streak is not.
Lark said Apple "is great if you’ve got a lot of money and live on an island. It’s not so great if you have to exist in a diverse, open, connected enterprise; simple things become quite complex."
Lark said Dell's business approach to tablets will ultimately give it the edge in the business world:
“We’ve taken a very considered approach to tablets, given that the vast majority of our business isn’t in the consumer space,” he said. “[A company] like Samsung has to aggressively go after their business, but we’ve got a far more diversified footprint than some of these players.” The cost of Apple products was another deterrent to iPad deployments, with Lark claiming that a the economics on a fully kitted iPad did not add up. “An iPad with a keyboard, a mouse and a case [means] you’ll be at $1500 or $1600; that’s double of what you’re paying," he claimed. "That’s not feasible.”
Not sure how Lark came up with those figures, even based on the most expensive model of the iPad, which is $829. A mouse and case might add $100. Apple's Wireless Keyboard is $69 (although there are other, more expensive keyboards you can buy).
So the math isn't quite right.
"Nice try Dell, but your desperation is starting to show," wrote Jim Dalrymple on The Loop:
As Macgasm points out the price of getting these items is far less than what Lark says. iPad = $499; Apple Wireless Keyboard = $69.00; iPad Dock = $29.00; and an iPad Smart Cover = $69.00. The grand total is $666.00, not $1,500 or $1,600.
Furthermore, says Dalrymple: "Apple is also great if you want to get things done without rebooting your crappy machines like you get to do with a Dell."
More about tablets:
- Reasons we so crave the iPad 2
- T-Mobile goes 4G tablet crazy with LG G-Slate, Dell Streak 7
- I want an Android tablet ... but not Dell's
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