The "Patriot"! American Made

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The "Patriot"! American Made

-60 points posted to Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Laptops by sa2008 Apr 30

We live in a global marketplace with a global economy; however, many of us are still very proud to be AMERICAN. I would very much like to see Dell produce a laptop called the "Patriot". This machine should be AMERICAN made, and it should have a couple of really cool and patriotic color options.

color option 1 - camo with the end users choice of military logos
color option 2 - the US FLAG

I realize that Dell has move a portion of its workforce to other countries; however, I still consider Dell an AMERICAN company.

I see this type of laptop as an opportunity for Dell to give back a little to the people and the country that made it possible to be DELL.

I would also like to see a portion of every patriot laptop sold dedicated to a charity that specifically supports wounded soldiers and their families!

It's time for Dell to be AMERICAN PROUD!!!!

sa2008 Apr 30	Those of you who "demoted" this idea, please help me understand why you would demote. This is a low to no cost initiative that Dell could implement almost immediately. It is a way for DELL and us as customers to GIVE BACK to those who have given so much to AMERICA. And - A CAMO laptop would be pretty darn COOL.
paperpilot Apr 30	Camo would be a great color option for the Latitude D630 ATG notebook. Of course the camo would have to meet the current military standards.
phubert Apr 30	Although I don't know just how Dell might accomplish this, I can see that it might have wide appeal. I'm sure there are a number of ways Dell could promote it. HOWEVER, sa2008, would you be willing to PAY MORE for such machines? It might well come down to that. Then again, with the weakening dollar and the rising standards of living in India, China and elsewhere, it might also be entirely doable, if not now, then perhaps in the near future.
jervis961 Apr 30	Perhaps an option for us less flashy people of a black laptop with a small American flag behind the Dell logo or something.
sa2008 Apr 30	I would be willing to pay more for an AMERICAN made machine that supports the PATRIOT in us all! I also think Dell could work in this in a phased approach. I would also be extremely LOYAL to a company that supports our TROOPS and VETERANS. Dell should continue to globalize and provide its products to all populations. They should also continue to look for low cost ways to provide the best possible products. However, I really think they are missing the mark by not sticking to their ROOTS a bit and producing something MADE in AMERICA by AMERICANS for AMERICANS in support of AMERICANS. Like I said earlier! CAMO is COOL!
jervis961 Apr 30	You would need urban camo though. I can't picture an executive in a meeting with a camo notebook. :D
phubert Apr 30	Someone from DELL voted for this??????? :-)
jackie_c Apr 30	@phubert: Fixed the Dell person vote, but if I could vote for an idea, I would vote for this one :) I love the part about a portion going to wounded troops and their families. I have seen firsthand how hard it is for some of these families and anything that supports this cause is A-OK with me!
sa2008 Apr 30	Jervis - I think many exec's would love to have the CAMO laptop. Not to mention the THOUSANDS upon THOUSANDS of current, former, and future military men, woman and families. :)
phubert Apr 30	I didn't have a problem with someone from Dell voting... and wasn't trying to raise it as abuse, by any means. I just thought it was interesting.
phubert Apr 30	Actually, jervis, I can see people in business settings using this... with any of the options listed! It would be difficult for most businesses to object to, I would think (depending, perhaps, on their interaction with international clientèle)
sugarbear Apr 30	I`m all for it. We do "Red" and other things. I vote Dell starts the "Patriot" soon. This goes along with this idea. http://www.ideastorm.com/article/show/74923/Dell_for_Soldiers
sa2008 Apr 30	I read somewhere recently that Dell sold roughly 3.5 million notebooks / laptops in a quarter. Think of the major impact something like "THE PATRIOT" could potentially have if tied directly to a specific charity supporting our troops, veterans and their families. Here are some very basic assumptions. 14 millions units sold per year 2 million units potentially to be sold as "THE PATRIOT" Average DONATION per customer = $5 Dell Matches the donation of $5 That gives a program like this the potential to generate $20 million dollars for our veterans and their families. I know these are all very rough assumptions; however, I am fairly confident that it can be accomplished simply because of the VOLUME done by DELL annually! REALLY SOUNDS LIKE A WIN, WIN, WIN! When can I order my PATRIOT!
jmxz Apr 30	If available, I think it should be made available for each country in which Dell has a manufacturing line. I imagine India, the Philippines, many European countries, etc also have people with a strong sense of patriotism for their own countries as well; and would also be willing to pay more for a system with their flags and supporting their military veterans too. Modify this Idea to say "made in the same country where it is sold" instead of "AMERICAN made" "proud to be a citizen of their respective countries" instead of "proud to be AMERICAN", and "consider Dell to be a global, international company" instead of "consider Dell an AMERICAN company" and you'd have my vote.
jmxz Apr 30	Oh right - he can't edit ideas anymore :( so he can't rephrase it to apply globally. I submitted the idea for similar systems for all countries in which Dell does business here: http://www.ideastorm.com/article/show/10088278/The_Patriot_20___Made_in_the_c...
sa2008 Apr 30	Definitely a good idea for Dell to provide similar units for other countries! I like the expansion and the potential marketing.
winoffice Apr 30	Why just a laptop? How about offering a desktop like this too?
sa2008 Apr 30	I think it would be smart for DELL to start with just one product line! Keeping the idea simple allows for minimul investment on their part while testing the waters. I also think it makes sense to get creative with laptops because they are portable. Laptops are STATEMENT makers for many folks. Dell could bundle in laptop accessories that have the same theme....
jmxz Apr 30	@sa2008: "I think it would be smart for DELL to start with just one product line! " OTOH - if Dell solved the general case first "custom paint on any box" - they'd see which product lines have the most interest in such ideas.
delluser123 May 3	This is a great idea! I would certainly buy one. Let's see it done DELL!
aikiwolfie May 29	Dell is a global player and it's time I think Americans got used to that. I wouldn't buy a Dell with any flag plastered all over it. I think it just looks tacky. I'm also not American so I don't feel any patriotism to America.
phubert May 29	Well, if ANY offering meant increased sales to a segment, a company might do well to consider it... wherever it is... a crescent for the Islamic world, perhaps? But, an add-on would be better than direct from the factory unless the volume was very large and the manufacture (or assembly) was local...
jervis961 May 29	Actually Dell just announced their 1st quarter results and for the first time the USA was not where they made the most money.
phubert May 30	That isn't surprising. The same is true for GM and Ford, isn't it?
jervis961 May 30	Lately, yes I believe so.
badblood Jun 26	I can't for the life of me remember anything American Made... except perhaps Apache Helicopters, Nimitz Class Aircraft Carriers and the Space Shuttle. And whose got the money to run a Space Shuttle these days, what with fuel prices up the way they are..... The American sense of identity shouldn't be defined by who 'makes' things or where they are made, that's very old fashioned. It's actually kind of cute, like going to one of those farmers markets to buy local produce such as jam and pickles. Be proud that you still own almost everything that is made just about everywhere else. I mean I would rather own Nike than make Nike shoes, wouldn't you.... Interestingly I find that Fords and GM vehicles produced outside of the US are actually better quality than the ones produced locally. They are also more expensive which is important to know when you hear that the big automakers in the US are cutting jobs apparently to save costs.
paperpilot Jun 26	Bad America is still the world's largest manufacturer. It is just that few consumer products are made there.
aikiwolfie Jun 26	Hmm ... made in America. What I would like to know is how American cars manage to get so little power out of a V8 and use up an ocean of fuel?
badblood Jun 27	I totally wonder that too. And why do they take a beautiful looking Mustang, put massive engine in it and use a chassis from a tractor and brakes from a golf buggy..
jervis961 Jun 27	I dumped ford a while ago. My F150 would go 0-60 in about 11 seconds and eat up gas at 15MPG when I didn't floor it. I switched to a Tacoma which gets me 19MPG and drive it like I stole it going 0-60 in 7.4 seconds. Even the new Tundra gets 14MPG and does 0-60 in 6 seconds. While the US is trying to improve the build quality they are way behind on engines.
badblood Jun 27	My car gets 55miles to the gallon.
jervis961 Jun 27	OK what are you driving now badblood. You are still overseas, right.
badblood Jun 27	No sir, you are overseas! But it's French, it's small, it's diesel, it's basically disposable, and I don't think you can buy it in the US.
phubert Jun 27	So, have you guys seen this one: http://www.aptera.com/media.php ?? Available in hybrid 2010... reservations being taken now... for CALIFORNIA residents, ONLY, however...
badblood Jun 27	it looks totally impractical You know my diesel gets better mileage than a hybrid.
badblood Jun 27	The best step all you guys should take is to get used to smaller cars. That'd be a remarkeable help for the rest of the world and would be a good start.
jervis961 Jun 27	How about this? http://gizmodo.com/5020210/ozone-concept-car-is-wheely-eco+friendly I wonder what would happen when a malfunction causes the wheel to turn the cabin. :D
phubert Jun 27	The Aptera IS smaller... and impractical? How so?
aikiwolfie Jun 27	Looked like the Aptera is only a two seater. Two seaters aren't the immediate problem. It's huge gas guzzling 4x4s! Now if they could make an electric 4x4 with a decent range I'd be impressed.
winoffice Jun 27	It is funny that a person whose screen name is "iloveamerica" appears on the demote list. Anyway I will demote, as Dell does not sell to the US only; they sell to many countries.
chris_b Jun 27	Er umm... Back on point to the "Patriot" American made laptop people. =) Although the Ozkankoral looks kind of cool.
jervis961 Jun 27	Oh so this is under consideration Chris?
sugarbear Jun 27	I sure hope it is under consideration. I wonder how many of the demotes, are not in America.
aikiwolfie Jun 28	I'm not in America. I don't want this where I live so I've demoted. If it appeals to Americans then sell it in America. Don't force this on the rest of us.
jervis961 Jun 28	I don't think that is the idea, i think they want it to be sold in America.
aikiwolfie Jun 28	Everything in the idea gives me the impression of some arrogant loud mouth American shoving their patriotism in my face. I don't want that. It's very unappealing to non-Americans. "I would also like to see a portion of every patriot laptop sold dedicated to a charity that specifically supports wounded soldiers and their families!" Why should I be paying for Americas misadventures in messing with the internal workings of other countries? Will this be a case of laptops sold in the UK are paying for American war veterans? Or will it be laptops sold in the UK paying to help UK war veterans? Laptops sold in Poland should perhaps be paying to help Polish war veterans? I really don't see much thought or consideration in the original idea for all the nations around the world that have helped America. But never mind i guess American pride is what matters. The Seven Deadly Sins
jervis961 Jun 28	Ouchie! I can see your point.
jmxz Jun 28	@aikiwolfie: Curious what you thought of the spinnoff ideas I had submitted of the country neutral patriot idea and the nonmilitary patriot idea too. Seems ideastorm voters like the american-centric one far better than the pacifist patriot one; but prefer the country-neutral one better than the other two.
aikiwolfie Jun 29	I haven't made my mind up on that yet. It's better worded than this idea. But the word "patriot" really brings the ugly side of nationalism to the forefront of my mind. It reminds me of news of the "Patriot Act" passed in the US and the whole Afghanistan and Iraq debacle. It reminds me of news stories of people being sacked from their jobs because they spoke out against the war. For me it's basically a word that has become synonymous with supporting a self serving political elite, the death of democracy and freedom of expression. Where I work we aren't allowed to post any anti-war materials on the notice boards. The official excuse is it might offend people with family serving in the war. The only thing our troops are protecting us from in the middle east is our leaders inability to strike a good bargain for oil. The proof is Zimbabwe is in the process of becoming another Iraq. What have we done about it? Issued some harsh statements and taken away Mugabes honorary Knight Hood. Why is there no "shock and awe" campaign? Zimbabwe has no oil. But that's not what IdeaStorm is about.
jervis961 Jun 29	Here is what a notebook looks like with camo. Its a 17" from a company called Cizmo. I never heard of them but found the picture.
aikiwolfie Jun 29	Okay that should be counted as a war crime.
jervis961 Jun 29	I didn't say it was pretty but that is one part of this idea, a camo cover.
aikiwolfie Jun 29	Well forget everything else I've said so far. That is the single biggest reason why this idea should fail.
winoffice Jun 29	Wow that laptop looks horrible! That is yet another reason to demote this!

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