Dell Defines Its 'Effect' on Education Market, Introduces Intelligent Classroom at NECC
More than 17,500 educators and exhibit personnel flocked to New Orleans in June for a jam-packed National Educational Computing Conference (NECC). With an overwhelming number of exhibitors, attendees and sessions, one of the biggest surprises of this year's conference was the appearance of Dell Inc.'s Chairman and CEO Michael Dell at the company's booth and around the show.
Among other things, Dell helped define the "Dell Effect" — the drop in prices and resulting increases in value that occur when Dell enters a product category or new market — which has taken hold in the U.S. education market to provide more students and teachers access to technology in the classroom. This is backed by IDC research which found that from 1999-2003, while the average selling price of computing systems in the U.S. education market fell 38%, Dell lowered its average selling price 46%.
Also at NECC, Dell introduced its customizable Intelligent Classroom, which is a combination of computers and related technologies that together can help transform traditional K-12 and higher education classrooms into high-tech, interactive learning centers. The Intelligent Classrooms feature Dell desktop and notebook computers, as well as Dell-branded and third-party products, including projectors, interactive whiteboards, document cameras and LCD TVs. For more information, visit www.dell.com/k12/classrooms.
This article originally appeared in the 08/01/2004 issue of THE Journal.