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Dell Adds Google Software: Programs to Ship With PCs for Consumers, Small Businesses

Posted on: Wednesday, 31 May 2006, 18:00 CDT

By Crayton Harrison, The Dallas Morning News

May 26--Dell Inc. will install Google Inc.'s software on many of the personal computers it sells, Google's top executive said Thursday.

The deal will provide revenue for both companies and could help Google fend off Microsoft Corp.'s competing software. Financial terms weren't disclosed.

Google's Desktop program will be installed on many of the Texas computer maker's products in the factory, Google CEO Eric Schmidt said at an investor conference.

The program searches a computer's files for snippets of text the same way Google.com searches the Web. It also has a window that can be used to monitor weather, e-mail and other information.

Microsoft, which has a similar offering, had reportedly been bidding against Google for the real estate on Dell's computers. Dell is the world's largest computer seller, shipping nearly 38 million in 2005.

Google's Web search browser toolbar will also be installed on Dell machines, and the browsers will be set to a co-branded home page.

Computers for consumers and small businesses will include the Google software, Dell spokesman Jess Blackburn said. Some corporate customers will also get the software installed, but many have their own software requirements.

Google's partnership with Round Rock, Texas-based Dell could be followed by other agreements, Mr. Schmidt said.

Dell shares rose 12 cents to $24.30, while Google shares rose $1.74 to $382.99. Microsoft shares rose 24 cents to $23.74.

E-mail charrison@dallanews.com

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NASDAQ-NMS:DELL, NASDAQ-NMS:GOOG, NASDAQ-NMS:MSFT,

Source: The Dallas Morning News

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