A dancing dog mascot, 23 screws, 9 parts: Inside Dell's attempt to show Japanese kids how computers work and how to assemble one

• Dell Technologies held the 14th edition of its parent-and-child PC assembly class at its Miyazaki Customer Center,
• where children learned how to build a 14-inch Dell laptop from nine parts and 23 screws
• Entries cost 113,275 Yen (approximately $730) and included keeping the finished laptop with a Core 5 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD, along with a year of on-site service

On the fifth floor of a building in central Miyazaki that once housed a department store, seven children spent a Saturday afternoon doing something almost no laptop owner will ever do.

They learned how to build a working Windows 11-based laptop from start to finish using spare parts on a tray that included nine different components and 23 screws.

The exercise concluded when they powered on their laptops, checked for a Wi-Fi connection, and were allowed to take the self-assembled laptops home.

An exercise focusing on reliability, self-service and promoting Dell's brand image

The event was Dell's 14th parent-and-child PC assembly class, who were given step-by-step access to the entire process. The event, which drew 14 parents and children, was divided into 6 groups, with one group including two children.

They were tasked with assembling a 14-inch laptop (Dell 14 DC14250) with an Intel Core 5 120U CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. The event focused on understanding the underlying hardware and how it worked once assembled, while underscoring the computer giant's focus on repairability and reliability.

Masashi Hayashida, head of Dell Technologies' Miyazaki Customer Center, stated during the event (translated): "Computers can do so many things. I want people to use their finished computers until they break down and get to know them completely. If they break down, they can be fixed. Technology is constantly evolving. I hope you will look forward to the future advancements in technology."

The event included an office tour, and Hii-kun, one of the three Miyazaki-ken prefectural mascot dogs, turned up and performed a dance routine as part of the event. Participants also received a brief history of how Dell Technologies started in 1984 and grew into the monolithic giant it is today, with a presence in over 170 countries, starting with only a $1,000 investment from its founder, Michael Dell.

The exercise, a compressed version of what a Dell service technician does for a living, included plugging in memory and attaching the display, speaker, keyboard, SSD, battery, and Wi-Fi modules.

The children also received a brief overview of AI, how it is important, and that it can make mistakes and should not be given access to personal information beyond what is necessary. University interns at the center followed up by running a ten-question true-or-false quiz on Dell, Intel, and PCs.

The event also featured Yoko Oishi of Dell's advanced technical support team demonstrating how to replace a USB-C module on a Dell XPS laptop to invited members of the press.

The same company that is making record profits building AI data center racks spent a Saturday afternoon teaching children how a laptop is assembled and works, making for a nice change of pace that doubles as a great marketing and public service play for a conglomerate that still makes a significant amount of its revenue from consumer electronics, indicating that it is still committed to the 'personal' side of computing.