In this issue:
Unbiased information on new PCs

For decades, Consumer Reports has been a bastion of unbiased product reviews.  They have maintained their objectivity in part by suing the hell out of anyone who quoted them in advertisements or in articles like this (if they ask, you don't know us and you don't where this newsletter came from).  Before they figure it out and send their goons to rough us up, we'll just point out that the latest edition of CR gives desktop and laptop computers the once-over and that the results are quite interesting.
 
Overall, Apple, Dell and Lenovo (formerly IBM, now a Chinese company) fared quite well.  Although, in virtually all categories where Apple excelled, the cost of the Macs tested was $1000-1700 above that of comparable PCs (and for that much more moolah, they should excel like crazy).  Among our clients, most use computers for fairly basic functions and have no need for either very small or overly powerful machines.  Within that mid-range, Dell, Lenovo and Toshiba came out on top, with Dell besting the others on price.  HP/Compaq and Acer (the new owner of Gateway) did poorly in several important categories, including tech support.  Sony was in the middle ground, except in the area of “Slim-and-light” (and expensive) computers, where they beat everyone, including Apple.
 
In terms of tech support, Apple did very well, with the exception of it's warranty.  The company offers a skimpy 90-day coverage on new machines.  After that, you can take it into one of their stores for free advice, but repairs will cost you (and our casual survey of Mac owners showed that it will cost a lot more than repairing a PC).  Lenovo and Dell also made the top three.

For the umpteenth time, the magazine rejected extended warranties, except where computers (laptops especially) are particularly vulnerable. Their point was that if you're buying a computer for a college-bound kid who is prone to lose and/or drop such things, some extra protection may be in order.  Otherwise, they say, save your money.
 
Also of interest is something we've been saying for a very long time: A computer may not need to be replaced just because it's a few years old.  As many of our customers already know, there are ways of making old PCs run like new again, from a simple, inexpensive tune-up to a complete reconditioning.  Consumer Reports draws the line at 4 years, advising their readers not to replace a machine that old.  At 2-4 years, however, repair is worth considering, but only if the cost is less than half that of replacement.  For most folks today, that would be around $250. There are exceptions to this rule, but in general, we agree, especially since good quality new computers are cheaper than ever (see below).

Which is a very nice segue way into…
 

Timing is everything and price is a close second

Three events occurring closely in time are making this a great time to buy a new computer.
 
Event #1 - The clock is winding down on Windows XP.  Microsoft has been threatening for a while to stop producing it and has put off the final date a few times.  But after June 18th (less than two weeks away), you will no longer be able to buy a new PC with that well-tested operating system.*

Windows Vista continues to have problems and, although the company is releasing patches, Bill Gates recently announced that the next version of his company’s flagship software – tentatively titled Windows 7 – will be out in early 2009.  Their long history of delays in getting products to market casts a lot of doubt on that date, but Microsoft has stated their intention of putting out new versions on a much shorter schedule.  Meanwhile, the company has admitted that Vista is slow and troublesome and sales have reflected that.  If Bill is to be believed, they may put more resources toward the next version than in fixing the albatross that is Vista.  So mark your calendar.
 
*(Although Microsoft is ending the sale of Windows XP, we will continue to install it as a Vista replacement for any of our clients who ask.  So if you're interested... ask!)

Event #2 - If you're a taxpayer, raise your hand and groan. The good news is that you're about to get a few bucks back from the government.  In case you haven't noticed, the price of new PCs falls well within the amount of the “economic stimulus package” (see below).  And since the best way to get out of a recession is to increase individual spending, buying a big-ticket item right now is... well, it's the patriotic thing to do.

Event #3 - Warm weather is upon us, and so far it looks like it's going to be a pretty normal summer (unlike last year which felt more like living on the surface of the sun).  If you've never experienced the freedom of reading your e-mail and surfing the Web while sitting in the yard, on the deck or at the pool, this is the time to see just how great it can be.  All new laptops come with built-in wireless capability, which makes them an even better buy.

We're here to help
 
In the past month, we've advised about a half-dozen businesses and families on buying new PCs (a service for which we have never charged).  Five of those purchases were laptops; all were under $550; and three of the laptops were less than $475. That is not a misprint.  Nor were any of them stripped-down models.  These are well-equipped machines with all the hardware and software needed to perform tasks like Web surfing, e-mail, word processing, spreadsheets, financial programs (like Quicken and QuickBooks) and all but extreme games.

So if you've been looking for a good reason to buy a new PC, you can do so because of low prices, remaining availability of Windows XP or the extra cash you're about to receive from your Uncle Sam.  Take your pick.
 
 
Happy computing!
 
Steve @ MCS

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