A Vista In Your Future

Is there a new Vista in your future? Unless you are an Apple or Linux user, the answer is most likely 'Yes'. The real question is 'Should I run out and get Vista today?' And that is a much easier question to answer.

If you are planning on purchasing a new PC, Vista from Microsoft will be included with most retail systems sold. But there is no compelling reason to upgrade to Vista anytime soon if your system works well under Windows XP.

Manufacturers and software publishers will attempt to persuade you to upgrade your operating system and hence, their new application software versions, memory upgrades, video card upgrades, et cetera. And if you haven't upgraded your system in the past five years, that may be a good idea, economics notwithstanding.

If you are at home browsing the internet and sending e-mail back and forth, stay where you are. If you bring work home from the office and open word processing software and spreadsheets, then just keep doing it.

Unlike the jump from Windows 98/ME to XP, Vista is designed for more media-related activities (i.e.: music and video files). Not everyone I know is frustrated because their PC won't 'talk' to their home stereo system. I recently bought an adapter that allows me to hook my MP3 player to my home stereo system...total cost: $4.95 (USD).

My Treo smartphone already has Bluetooth and talks to my PC via a Bluetooth dongle on notebook and desktop units. My wireless network works just fine on Windows XP, and streaming video and audio from one to another is smooth, not choppy on 802.11(g), and is encrypted.

The idea of getting excited about a new operating system is yesterday's news. All I really want to do is connect to the internet and use internet-based applications. My Treo handles word processing, spreadsheets, calendars, and e-mail. It plays MP3s and connects to high-speed internet. And all of this on a Palm OS.

But, like many others, when I am ready for a new PC, I will be getting one with Vista onboard. Until that day arrives, I will be plugging along with XP on my PCs.

HDTV PRICING...DOWN...Down...down

If you purchased a High Definition Television this holiday season, you probably were prompted by the numerous advertisements and the 'lower than last year' pricing. Prices will continue to fall, especially since the peak retail selling season is now over.

Manufacturers and retailers alike have little time to celebrate their recent sales figures, as they enter the slow season...spelled N-O F-O-O-T-B-A-L-L. For consumers, however, this could be the right time to buy, if you need a new set and weren't already coaxed into buying during December.

As for which type to buy, it really comes down to what size set is best for your home setting. Typically over 50 inches leans toward Plasma, as LCDs have not yet reached the mass market in that size. But for 27, 32, 37, and 42 inch models, our preference would be for a LCD version.

LCDs don't require cooling systems, and give relatively good brightness and contrast. Most are UPS shippable, and easy to set up. Life expectancy runs 25-50,000 hours of use, with generous limited warranties. Buy one on your credit card, and chances are that the warranty is automatically extended for up to an additional year by the card company.

Be sure to check the connections on any set you may be considering, and then look at the additional costs of the cables and adapters. If you want to connect your PC to the big screen, most have an RGB input on the HDTV, but we would recommend looking for a DVI input if your PC has a high end graphics card with a DVI output. DVD players and cable boxes may have HDMI outputs, but check to be sure. And don't forget the additional cost of HDTV programming from your cable provider.