Dell customers hoping to bag an XPS M1710 laptop may find themselves twiddling their fingers for a very long time as they sit at home waiting for the doorbell to ring.

The direct PC box shifter has been struggling to turn around its production line quickly enough to deliver a range of new laptops within a reasonable timeframe.

One disgruntled customer contacted The Register after he learned that his estimated delivery date had been pushed back by a whopping six weeks.

Dell told him in an email that "due to the popularity of the product you have ordered there has been a delay at our suppliers". (Ed. I thought Dell was the supplier?)

Our reader telephoned the computer maker's helpline only to be told that Dell, which has been pre-occupied with attempting to woo the channel by going indirect, was having a problem sourcing displays for the laptop model.

Dell said in a statement that a worldwide laptop components shortage was to blame for the backlog. It said:

Dell is seeing supply constraints across various components, including LCD displays used in notebooks and monitors.

Depending upon the model ordered by the customer and options chosen, the components included in their order will vary.

We understand that customers are frustrated because this is not a common occurrence for Dell.

We are making steady progress toward addressing the backlog of orders. Teams are working around the clock globally to decrease the number of systems affected by delays.

We regret any inconvenience this may be causing our customers.

But this is the latest in a series of production blunders at the firm.

Just last month, Dell confirmed that its range of colourful Inspiron laptops would not ship to customers on time due to a manufacturing cock-up with the paint being contaminated by dust. ®

More comments…

Related stories

Dell's laptop customisation options not very customisable (24 December 2007)
Dell to dealers - you win (6 December 2007)
World to face laptop famine this Xmas? (31 October 2007)
Dell fires up physics-friendly gaming laptop (28 September 2007)
Green Dell gets greener with new green initiative (26 September 2007)
Channel to Dell - you've lost (21 September 2007)
PC superstore refuses to take sack in hand (20 September 2007)
Dell profit improves amid accounting woes (30 August 2007)
Dell laptop explodes 'like fireworks' (24 August 2007)
Dell laptops not in the pink after all (24 August 2007)
Dell Inspiron 1720 laptop (21 August 2007)
Dell dances out with desktop Inspirons (27 June 2007)
Dell pitches XPS laptops at the mainstream (27 June 2007)
Dell calls to consumers with coloured Inspirons (26 June 2007)
Dell's vertical line issues lengthen (21 June 2007)
Dell: vertical lines, what vertical lines? (23 April 2007)