I want to get a new PC, what should I get?
First of all, WAIT! If at all possible wait. The next version of Windows, called “Vista” is just around the corner. It is due to be released for business customers in November and for home users in January. Vista is the replacement for Windows XP. Now, I’m not saying if you have a computer that is a year or two old that you should rush out and upgrade to Vista. But if your PC is four plus years old and you are considering upgrading, my recommendation is to wait until Vista is released so you don’t have a computer that is outdated three months after you buy it. One note to this, historically when there’s a new version of software just around the corner, many PC manufactures will give you a free upgrade to the new version when it is released if you buy a PC in a specific time frame. I would bet that some companys (Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc.) may do this around the holiday shopping season to entice folks to “buy now” rather than waiting for Vista. Basically the machine you buy would come with XP and after it is released, you’d get a DVD (yes Vista comes on DVDs rather than CDs) with Vista that YOU get to install on your computer (which opens a entirely new can of worms).
If you must get a PC now make sure the manufacture certifies it as “Vista Capable” - this will ensure that the new computer meets a baseline set of requirements necessary for Vista to run.
Update: Just stumbled on this Microsoft is offering an “Express Upgrade” option if you buy a “Vista Capable” PC between October 27, 2006 and March 17, 2005 BUT it will not be free!