Everyone I know used to owned a Dell.  I think I've owned 3 or 4 in the past 10 years.  But Dell took a tumble a few years back, and lost their commanding grasp on the market.   I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that they were the ugliest option on the market for a while.

In the computer world, features and performance should be the most important things to consider when purchasing a new machine... but these days, that's no longer the case.  It's sad, but looks - the physical appearance of the machine might actually be one of the most important selling points.  Apple and Sony have both embraced this and have done a great job marketing their computer lines with this in mind. Now Dell is starting to take the hint and have finally embraced a sense of new age design with their latest line of computers.

They now sport a very sleek and colorful design that follows the type of direction Sony went with their computers.  This comes with Dell's push onto retail shelves after years of cornering the direct-sales PC business.  In order to compete in this market they needed to appeal not only to a consumers budget, but actually entice potential buyers to ignore everything else in the store to come poke and prod Dell products.

I have to admit, I like the direction they went.  The forms alone give off a perception of speed and power.  I just hope they don't skimp on the features as a result.  I like pretty, but I need functionality and won't settle for something that doesn't perform to my standards.  Check out a few of their latest models:

Desktops:
XPS 730
Studio Hybrid

Laptops:
XPS M1730
Studio 17