Cross, however, believes Dell needs to shift its focus to research and development and design, rather cranking out custom-built computers and selling them directly.

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Taking a page from Apple's playbook, Dell is hiring designers as it moves away from its old model of building custom-made computers and begins bypassing traditional retail outlets in order to sell its machines directly to customers.

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The data from this indoor GPS system is sent to computers where custom-built software sends commands to the quadrocopters via wifi.

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Backyard tinkerers have moved from custom cars and home-brew computers into once esoteric fields like neuroscience, biology, genetics and robotics.

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The space has charcoal-and-white wallpaper, a magnetic wall, a custom sectional and a long desk with computers for Jake and his 8-year-old sister.

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Dell could sell individuals, or corporations, computers off-the-shelf or custom designed machines in minutes, delivered often overnight.

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