Dell launched Della earlier this week and you can’t argue that it won’t help the less tech savvy woman find her way around a computer. That said, we do wonder why it’s directed at females only. Surely there are men who know very little about computers too, right?
Under ‘Tech Tips’ the site explains how your netbook can help you meditate, “bliss out,” create “soothing” slideshows and, with the help of a program called “Remember the Milk,” track your time, keep lists and “send yourself remembers.” What other tips does Della have for women? Well, did you know that your netbook can also help you find, store and organize recipes? It can even show you cooking videos and help you count calories! You can also download meditation podcasts, and watch yoga videos during all those “mini-breaks” you take during the day (which Google Calendars will remind you to take, by the way).
Leaving aside the fact that Dell seems to have suddenly arrived upon the notion that there is an untapped audience out there just dying to get connected, but found that, "Gosh-darn-it, this technology thing is so confusing!" We like the idea of teaching those that aren’t familiar with the ins and outs of a laptop exactly what they can get from their machine. The site does a pretty decent job of explaining the term cloud computing, a phrase that is thrown around a lot these days and likely confuses strangers to computing. Unfortunately, it kind of stops there. When you’re buying a laptop through Della, it offers you a limited number of choices: the Inspiron 15, the Studio 15, the Studio 17 and of course, the Mini 10 and 12. Clicking “Configure” or “Buy Now” sends you to the back to Man World (the regular Dell site).
Dell probably won’t target the man who knows nothing about gadgets, but the company could start by making the Della site less pink. Does Dell think we women are immediately pacified by any brand of rose-colored or fuscia hue? Were there any women on the team who designed this thing? I emailed Dell and asked. I’m not holding my breath for an answer, but I’ll update if I get a reply.
