DELL

DESCRIPTION

Dell wants its name to ring from the desktop to the data center. One of the world's top suppliers of personal computers, the company offers a broad range of technology products for the consumer, education, enterprise, and government sectors. In addition to a full line of desktop and notebook PCs, Dell offers network servers, data storage systems, printers, Ethernet switches, and peripherals such as displays and projectors. It also markets third-party software and hardware. Dell's growing services unit provides infrastructure consulting, systems integration, asset recovery, financing, support, and training.

MICROSOFT

DESCRIPTION

Microsoft's ambitions are anything but small. The world's #1 software company provides a variety of products and services, including its Windows operating systems and Office software suite. The company has expanded into markets such as video game consoles, server and storage software, and digital music players. Microsoft has reached settlements to end a slew of antitrust investigations and lawsuits, including agreeing to uniformly license its operating systems and allowing manufacturers to include competing software with Windows. In 2008 Microsoft made repeated efforts to acquire Yahoo! but was rebuffed by that company's board of directors.