There have been off again, on again, rumors that Dell was going to buy Alienware. Looks like it turned out to be true, according to CNET:
Dell has agreed to purchase gaming PC maker Alienware, in a rare acquisition designed to improve Alienware’s supply chain and boost Dell’s standing among PC enthusiasts.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Alienware will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of the world’s largest PC maker, said Nelson Gonzalez, chief executive officer of Alienware. Gonzalez will now report to Jim Schneider, Dell’s chief financial officer, but the company will operate separately from Dell, he said.
A Dell representative confirmed the deal, but said the company was deferring comment until later on Wednesday….
There will be no cross-marketing of Dell and Alienware PCs on their respective Web sites, at least initially, said Jess Blackburn, a Dell spokesman.
Since they are going to be operating seperately, I would assume then that this means Alienware’s Sentia ultraportable lineup remains intact for now, (the 12-inch Sentias are just one of several areas that Dell and Alienware overlap in).