Monday, July 19, 2010

Dell Tries on T-Shirt Site for new Laptop Art

Associated Press

ROUND ROCK, Texas — PC maker Dell Inc. has tried to set its consumer laptops apart from the competition with lids buyers can customize from a library of patterns, colors and art.

For its latest set of designs, which add $85 to the cost of a laptop, Dell turned to an online T-shirt design community. On Threadless.com, anyone can submit a T-shirt design idea. Visitors to the site vote on favorite designs, and ones that get top marks are printed and sold online.

Dell's Threadless collection is starting with 11 designs from the site, including a deer with cherry blossoms on its horns, a bright yellow daisy and an intricate line drawing of London street sights. The company said it would add new ones in the future.

For people who worry their Dell laptops might not go with their outfit, fear not: Threadless is printing new batches of matching shirts.