Dell Hires HP's Top Notebook, PDA Guy

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.infoworld.com/article/04/08/11/HNhpnotebookexec_1.html' target='_blank'>http://www.infoworld.com/article/04...bookexec_1.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Alex Gruzen has left Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) to share responsibility for Dell Inc.'s client product group with John Medica, a Dell spokesman confirmed Wednesday. As senior vice president and general manager at HP, Gruzen ran the company's notebook, Tablet PC, and PDA (personal digital assistant) division prior to leaving. When he joins Dell later this month, he will share joint responsibility with Medica for product development, marketing, and procurement within Dell's client product business, said Mike Maher, a Dell spokesman...It also means Dell now has insight into HP's notebook and PDA product strategy over the upcoming months. The two companies are locked in fierce competition for the top spot in PC market share, and Gruzen's hiring gives Dell a sense of what HP is trying to do as both companies head into the fourth-quarter holiday shopping season."</i><br /><br />Intriguing! I'll let you guys speculate as to the meaning of this. ;)

[Jon Westfall]

I guess the rumors we heard were true.

Dell looks like its going to become the dominant pda producer in the next year. After HP's horrible design decisions this season, and their general decline in sales, I really don't see Dell not stepping in. This just provides more proof.

[Ed Hansberry]

Just as long has he doesn't carry the "don't provide an upgraded OS to your existing users" mentality to Dell... :?

[lmtuxinc]

Just as long has he doesn't carry the "don't provide an upgraded OS to your existing users" mentality to Dell... :?

They already have that.

[24va]

It means that Dell will start to make PPCs that no one wants!

[Jonathan1]

I can not imagine that one person guided the entire development and implementation of HP’s entire line of PDA’s. That probably contributed to the pooling waste that is accumulating in the PDA department at HP but I’m thinking there is more going on behind the scenes then simply losing one exec. What I REALLY want to know is why he left. I consider that the better question. And an even better question is what can we expect from Dell in terms of a PDA in the future. Is there any word of a Dell VGA PDA yet? If not this could be a major break for Dell.

Another thing:

It also means Dell now has insight into HP's notebook and PDA product strategy over the upcoming months. The two companies are locked in fierce competition for the top spot in PC market share, and Gruzen's hiring gives Dell a sense of what HP is trying to do as both companies head into the fourth-quarter holiday shopping season."

I can guarantee you that Dell and Gruzen are going to tread VERY carefully on what info is disclosed. I know when our IT manager went over to the competition many a lawsuit was flung around about confidentiality clauses. I don’t believe for a nanosecond that Gruzen didn’t sign similar NDA while at HP. Consequently I’m betting HP is going to be seriously paying attention to what Dell does over the next few months to see if they need to unleash a pack of lawyers on Dell.

[dean_shan]

I thought it was a joke (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=31106)

[Fabulas]

I don't believe he will give out this info. Corps make employees sign non-disclosure agreements. They'd sue his pants off 8O

[robcorn]

I would like to know what his non-compete said, or more specifically, even if he had one. Highly unusual in this competitive business world....

[iPAQ_ace]

Given what's been going on with the iPAQ of late, you really have to sit and wonder why he left.

There's no way (unless he wants to get his pants sued off by HP) that he would be breaking his non-disclosure agreement plus that would be corporate suicide (his next or new employer might be inclined to think, "so if you leave us - are you going to break your NDA with us?")

[rpommier]

Excellent news as far as I'm concerned... HP has always sold PDA's at too much of a premium for my tastes. They have always had the most expensive PDA's on the market for what you got.

3600 series, no expansion but $500+
5000 series, $650
4700 series, maybe $500-$600

too much for PDA's when you have competitors offering more PDA for less $. I hope Dell capitilizes on HP's misstep and takes them out of the market, or at least makes them reasses the market and become competitive again.

I also don't like how they left their best PDA's in a lurch, the 4100's, 2200, and 5500's, are excellent PDA's that are dead. Yes they still do what they were purchased to do, but hey, offer a $30 bump for WM2003SE to keep users of those devices happy.

I have a 2210 and there's no comprable model in the new bunch, same for users of the 4100 series. 5500 users have an option, but if I paid $600 for a PDA, I wouldn't purchase a 4700, so soon after being left with a discontinued 5500.

[maximus]

Lets just hope that he did not remove the CF slot in future axims.... That will be a bummer.

This guy has impressive credentials though .. an MBA from Harvard Business School and two degrees in engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ... Sony, Compaq, HP, and now Dell.

Sony ?

[Sven Johannsen]

Lets just hope that he did not remove the CF slot in future axims.... That will be a bummer.

There aren't any in recent Axims.

[Jonathan1]

Lets just hope that he did not remove the CF slot in future axims.... That will be a bummer.


Not for me. They may as well replace it with a PCMCIA slot for all I care. I have no use for CF and just makes a system bulkier. *shrugs* But that's me.

[maximus]

Lets just hope that he did not remove the CF slot in future axims.... That will be a bummer.

There aren't any in recent Axims.

Wow, Alex Gruzen really is an evil :wink:

[SharpDog]

Alex is a great guy. I used to work for him a Compaq. The insight I have is that he will bring more international product development. marketing and business experience to Dell. Dell may be trying to strengthen its international presence where it is currently lagging behind HP.

[JPack]

It's not as big a deal as some of you are making of it. :)

Trust me, both companies probably have detailed info on each other's plans for the upcoming quarters - usually a hired or in-house group called "comptetitive intelligence" or something to that effect.

I'm sure if it's the case here, but typically someone with a position as high as Alex Gruzen signs an agreement which prevents them from working for a competing company until several months have passed. This usually gives time for the company, HP in this case, to make changes and get a new-decision maker.

[whydidnt]

Seeing as we don't get any insight from him, or from HP on his departure we get to speculate. :devilboy:

Gruzen was the top Notebook & PDA guy at Compaq before the HP acquisition. He had to have at least some input, if not significant input on the creation of the original Ipaq's as well as the recent 22xx, 41xx series we all know and love. Makes you wonder if he wasn't involved in recent product line decisions (See questionable PDA line) and decided to move on. You typically don't see top level execs make a lateral move such as this unless they are unhappy with their current situation.

I have a hard time believing the same guy that led the efforts to develop the original Ipaqs was leading the effort on the new product line.

[ricksfiona]

Seeing as we don't get any insight from him, or from HP on his departure we get to speculate. :devilboy:

Gruzen was the top Notebook & PDA guy at Compaq before the HP acquisition. He had to have at least some input, if not significant input on the creation of the original Ipaq's as well as the recent 22xx, 41xx series we all know and love. Makes you wonder if he wasn't involved in recent product line decisions (See questionable PDA line) and decided to move on. You typically don't see top level execs make a lateral move such as this unless they are unhappy with their current situation.

I have a hard time believing the same guy that led the efforts to develop the original Ipaqs was leading the effort on the new product line.

I was going to say the EXACT same thing. Many loved the iPAQ's before they became HP products. These things are designed years in advance so the current line of iPAQ's could've been an HP decision.

After all, Compaq was kicking HP's rear-end with PDA's before the acquisition. The guy who left was in charge of designing the winning Compaq PDA's. He got angry at how the new batch turned out, since he probably didn't have as much input, and was waiting for a good offer to come his way.

My prediction: Dell will start coming out with PDA's that are designed for REAL users. They will be more attractive and have the features that people want. Dell will overtake HP in PDA sales and HP will eventually get out of the game.

Overall, I think this is good for us users. I think we'll see great things from Dell in the PDA arena within a year.

[epdm2be]

To whydidnt: I think you're spot on the reason why he left. Since it's clear that all the "good" work was previously done at compaq. I particularly think that HP more and more tied his hands regarding his personal input. As we see that over time all the things that made the Ipaq's succesfull were ditched one after another (3.8"screens, sleeves, device design etc.) to an extend that the Ipaq-name is no more than just another PPC and a bare resemblamce to the former Compaq glory. It's not to say that all was bad (smaller lighter devices) but those HP machines aren't any "Ipaq"s anymore

Also I don't see what's the fuzz about. One CEO from a big bad megacorp going to another. What's the big deal? I hope for him he gets more input into PDA designs at Dell. But mainly a switch like this is also about the money. Only big corps can pay such high-ranking personel.

As to most other poster. We've clearly seen Dell attitude towards customers. It is exactly the same as HP. The difference is that Dell's machines come at an initially lower prices. That doesn't make them any better.

Regards,

EPDM

[timmer]

I thought it was a joke (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=31106)

Of course, I will happily accept your apology ;)

[ctitanic]

Just as long has he doesn't carry the "don't provide an upgraded OS to your existing users" mentality to Dell... :?

May be that was not he is idea... may be the latest errors of HP ( no OS upgrade, to ask to delete posts in forums, names that are hard to remember and not very good for marketing, information leak, etc) are due to the fact that the ship was without Captain ;)

[Don Sorcinelli]

Twenty-one posts in, and all of the focus thus far is on the "Pocket PC" speculations. Do not discount the notebook and (potentially more significant) Tablet PC influence here.

Dell still does not have an enterprise answer to the Tablet PC solution. While this obviously does not kill them, it is (and will continue) be a sore point in the vertical market markets (healthcare, insurance, education, financials) where the Tablet PC sales do exist. If history is any indicator, Dell will eventually move into the market, if for no other reason than to be able to compete with their major adversaries (HP and Toshiba) in this space. They will also likely (if they have not already) move into "skunkworks mode" very soon. Remember - it was late summer when Dell really put the Axim project into full motion, with the rush to find outsourcing and bids in late Fall in order to have a holiday shopping/end of calendar year solution.

Anyone high enough up the "corporate food chain" at HP to assist in the Tablet PC realm would be a strategic plus for Dell. I am just not sure if (at this point at least) his involvement in the Windows Mobile space was as much in need.

DonS

[Jason Dunn]

Twenty-one posts in, and all of the focus thus far is on the "Pocket PC" speculations. Do not discount the notebook and (potentially more significant) Tablet PC influence here.

That's because it's a Pocket PC site Don. I haven't launched Tablet PC Thoughts yet. ;-)

[dmy]

Maybe good for Dell's PDA business......


MAYBE VERY BAD FOR DELL'S LAPTOP BUSINESS


I honestly can't think of a WORSE series of laptops than the HP/Compaq line.... Heavy, oversized, feature-weak, underpowered, unreliable. I have an HP/Compaq that was assigned to me for work, and a Dell that I bought for my wife. The Dell is faster, cheaper, has the 15inch wide-screen with NVidia chip, and is still thinner and about half the weight. The HP was about the same price for less features, and the keyboard and touchpad haven't worked right since the second week on the road.

D.

[KimVette]

(I cross-posted this from another thread since it's related. if this is the second time you're seeing this post, I apologise for any inconvenience)

Excellent news as far as I'm concerned... HP has always sold PDA's at too much of a premium for my tastes. They have always had the most expensive PDA's on the market for what you got.

3600 series, no expansion but $500+

No expansion? What the heck are you talking about?

The 3600 (and by extension the 55xx) is my FAVORITE PocketPC exactly BECAUSE of the limitless expansion capability!

Give me an extremely slim PPC, and when I NEED or WANT the expansion, let me slide it into a sleeve or sled, then I can get CF, SDIO, PCMCIA, or even TV tuners or GPS or a Phone!! Why give me a crappy SDIO slot when I will be able to use SDIO devices ONLY with the PPC? (some notebooks have SD slots. I'm aware of this: I sell notebooks. Those slots are not SDIO. Those slots ONLY work with SD memory cards, not SDIO devices).

Why should I tie up the SDIO slot with a GPS card and be limited to only 64MB of storage for maps? Why shouldn't I be able to clip a sleeve or sled onto the unit and add a CF or PCMCIA slot so I can use mass storage AND GPS concurrently?

Question though: is Alex Gruzen from Compaq, or from HP (I'm referring to his pre-merger tenure)? If he's from Compaq, expect Dell's next-generation PocketPC to pick up where Compaq left off: highly-expandable and geared toward power users on the high end, and a TON of functionality for a good price point at the low end. If he's from HP, expect Dell to lose momentum.

(addition I didn't include in other post follows)

Dell has a great opportunity here. HP has decided to betray its customer base, fall back on promises and in essence blatently commit FRAUD. My company's servers are Compaq ProLiants but since HP has pretty much destroyed the ProLiant and iPAQ lines, I am going to be either building my own servers when it comes time to upgrade (using OEM components from Asus or off-the-shelf parts ordered from newegg) or going with Dell PowerEdge servers, and when it comes time to buy any PocketPC after the 555x, I will be comparing Asus and Dell, and go with whichever one offers a REAL expansion option, and if they don't, I'll just be taking a Spartan notebook or Tablet (they're re-introducing their tablet line soon) off the shelf instead, and stick with an old-and-slow-but-expandable iPAQ.

I'm growing discouraged because HP has taken a GREAT innovation and trashed it. Casio tried with their sled but lost to the iPAQ 36xx. I hope somebody spots that lost opportunity and steps in to fill the gap. Casio, are you listening? Bring back your sleds! Dell, are you listening? We need expansion. Asus, are YOU listening? I'd buy an Asus in a second if you come out with a sled or sleeve, because I can get Asus wholesale.

SOMEBODY step in and pick up the ball HP dropped. Please.

[KimVette]

Maybe good for Dell's PDA business......


MAYBE VERY BAD FOR DELL'S LAPTOP BUSINESS


I honestly can't think of a WORSE series of laptops than the HP/Compaq line.... Heavy, oversized, feature-weak, underpowered, unreliable.

. . . average 23% failure rate . . . the problem with the big-name notebooks is that the big names beat the OEMs who actually manufacture the motherboards and cases (Asus, Compal, Mitek, etc.) to death over price, forcing those manufacturers to cut corners, go with fewer caps on the motherboard (less filtering), cheaper transistors on the power supply side, lower-end chipsets, cheaper batteries, cheaper LCD panels, etc. to save a few pennies per component. There is a REASON that Dell, HP, etc. advertise sub-$700 notebooks - that's because corners have been cut to sell as many notebooks as possible, and then there is the three-week turnaround time for the 25% of notebooks that are GUARANTEED to fail within the first year.

Dell's higher line averages a betteer 4% failure rate (the Latitudes and lower-end Inspirons are around 19%) but even that isn't good compared to the smaller names who buy the BEST components Asus, Compal, Mitek, etc. have to offer, or have higher-end cases and boards custom-built, and the better notebooks from the smaller names really don't cost all that much more - in fact on the high-end they're generally cheaper, and STILL post a much more favorable failure rate.

[Kati Compton]

Dell's higher line averages a betteer 4% failure rate (the Latitudes and lower-end Inspirons are around 19%) but even that isn't good compared to the smaller names who buy the BEST components Asus, Compal, Mitek, etc. have to offer, or have higher-end cases and boards custom-built, and the better notebooks from the smaller names really don't cost all that much more - in fact on the high-end they're generally cheaper, and STILL post a much more favorable failure rate.
Yeah - I've been fortunate in that I haven't *had* a low-to-mid-end laptop from a big-name company. Well, I had a Vaio a couple of years ago, but a Vaio is hardly low-end. ;) Anyway - after hearing a bunch of complaints and having had GOOD experiences with Compaq Evo (business line) tech support, I've decided that IF I buy a laptop from a "big" company, I'd only get the higher-end business line.

It's not cheap - but there really seems to be a quality difference both in terms of the laptop and the customer service.

[Jonathon Watkins]

Just as long has he doesn't carry the "don't provide an upgraded OS to your existing users" mentality to Dell... :?

They already have that.

That's a bit unfair lmtuxinc. I got one (paid) upgrade from PPC2002 to PPC2003 for my X5, so praise where praise is due.

However of course, I'm not crazy about them not offering (paid) upgrades to PPC2003SE.....................

[ricksfiona]

PDA: The guy who left HP for Dell wouldn't take the offer unless he was guaranteed to have a certain amount of control over design. I don't know about support issues, but I'll put money on it that Dell's PDA's will improve dramatically.

Laptop: The same SHOULD happen here. Until recently, I've never really considered by HP laptops. Yes, they've been heavy, expensive and under-powered. They've looked over in the last year or so but the jury is still out for long term.

[Kathy_Harris]

Excellent news as far as I'm concerned... HP has always sold PDA's at too much of a premium for my tastes. They have always had the most expensive PDA's on the market for what you got.

3600 series, no expansion but $500+


3600 was NOT an HP, it was a compaq. If you look at the price, the year it was released (2000!), and the competition at the time, the 3600 was well priced, highly competitive, allowed expansion (yes, it was there with lots and lots of sleeves), super fast (please compare it to the HP of the day), and very innovative.

[ctitanic]

Excellent news as far as I'm concerned... HP has always sold PDA's at too much of a premium for my tastes. They have always had the most expensive PDA's on the market for what you got.

3600 series, no expansion but $500+


3600 was NOT an HP, it was a compaq. If you look at the price, the year it was released (2000!), and the competition at the time, the 3600 was well priced, highly competitive, allowed expansion (yes, it was there with lots and lots of sleeves), super fast (please compare it to the HP of the day), and very innovative.

No question about it. Up today that was and is one of the best PPC I have ever owned.

[rpommier]

I meant out the box 3600 wasn't much good and was still expensive compared to what was out there. Maybe I'm just hatin' because I couldn't afford one at the time.

No swappable battery
No expansion (out the box)
Poor battery life

Yeah you could get sleeves to expand the thing. I owned an HP 525, circa 2000, yeah it was slow and not many colors but the price was right and it had a CF slot.

I owned a 3955 excellent PDA and currently own a 2210, all were excellent PDA's. The 2210 has been the best Compaq/HP device I have owned thus far.

I still think that Ipaq's have always cost more than they were worth, but economics 101, supply & demand, etc...

[KimVette]

More fallout at HP. Looks like a big shakeup is going on:

{
Hewlett-Packard's Blackmore, Milton Out
HP has shown its top enterprise server and storage executives,
Peter Blackmore and Jim Milton, the door in the wake of a $208 million
3Q operating loss for the division.

http://newsletter.crn.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/eip70GCSow0ElK0CiId0AR
}

Of course you're going to turn a loss. Carly told you to produce crap so she could misappropriate more corporate funds to buy five new Gulfstream jets and other corporate toys.

[maximus]

It's not cheap - but there really seems to be a quality difference both in terms of the laptop and the customer service.

I have been using an ECS laptop (by elitegroup taiwan) for more than 6 months now. No complaints, not a single phone call to technical support. It is working perfectly. Cost me only $1500 (bought it from a friend who is working at elitegroup taiwan, using his staff discount priviledges) for a laptop with dothan 1.8G, centrino, 512K RAM, and mobility radeon 9700. Not bad. A same configuration by Dell wouls have cost an arm and a leg.

Well, maybe that is the reason why some of the top branded US PC makers outsourced their manufacturing to taiwanese companies.