Faulty PC lawsuit story is 'old news', says Dell

BANGALORE, INDIA: PC maker Dell, which has fallen in a soup of controversy following the allegation that it had sold faulty PCs, said that it is an “old news”.

While responding to the news unearthed by 'The New York Times' from old court documents, the PC maker told Austin American-Statesman that the story is "old news, and the implication that this situation affects Dell currently is incorrect".

Though some industry analysts said that over the past four years, Dell has brought in a new crew of top executives and improved its product quality and customer service, there are others who believe that the new controversy would affect Dell's reputation.

Also read: Dell sues 5 Asia tech firms, alleging LCD cartel

Roger Kay, an analyst with Endpoint Technologies Associates, said Statesman that the lawsuit is a problem from its past that Dell has not resolved. “The main impact is the further degradation of Dell's reputation,” the Statesman quoted him as saying.

The controversial news said that Dell examined the machines after the math department at the University of Texas noticed some of its Dell PCs malfunctioned, and claimed that the school had overtaxed the machines by making them perform difficult math calculations.

The allegations have caused serious embarrassment for Dell, which is trying hard to regain its market reputation. However, the reports that Dell employees were aware of the problem, and the company ignored it, may put the PC maker in deep trouble.