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| quote: | What Are the Most Reliable PC Products?
by Reid Goldsborough
October 1, 2004
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Your computer is working now. Will it work tomorrow? What about the next PC you buy? Will it be a reliable workhorse or a lemon?
One of the most pressing issues regarding computers is reliability. Nearly a quarter century after the introduction of the first IBM PC and the outset of the personal computer revolution, PCs have largely become commodities, with little differentiating one brand from another in terms of capability and performance. Most of today's software is similarly mature, having gone through many upgrades, with less opportunity for the introduction of groundbreaking capabilities.
These days, what most differentiates one computer product from another is reliability—the hassle factor. The PC industry may be maturing, but computer products are still prone to glitches, bugs, security vulnerabilities, incompatibilities, premature failure, and other problems.
The reliability factor (the chance that any given product will be a major headache) becomes paramount.
Computer and consumer magazines regularly survey computer users to determine the most reliable PC manufacturers. Along with recommendations from trusted colleagues, friends, and family members, using the results of these surveys is an excellent way to increase the chances of your having a low-hassle computing experience (with computers, there's no such thing as hassle-free).
According to its latest survey of subscribers about who makes the most reliable personal computers and backs them the best, PC World magazine gave Dell, eMachines, Gateway, IBM, and Sony its top score, along with the generic "white boxes" made by local independent computer stores. (It didn't receive enough responses to include Apple computers in its ratings.)
Companies making the most reliable notebook computers and supporting them the best, according to PC World readers, were Dell, Gateway, IBM, and Toshiba.
The most reliable printers were from Samsung (followed by Brother, Canon, Epson, and Hewlett-Packard), while the most reliable digital cameras came from Sony (followed by Canon, Fujifilm, Hewlett-Packard, Kodak, Minolta, Nikon, and Olympus). The most reliable personal digital assistants were from Handspring, Palm, and Sony, according to the PC World survey.
Interestingly, PC World’s survey also showed that of the devices measured, digital cameras in general were most reliable, followed in order by printers, personal digital assistants, notebook PCs, and desktop PCs.
In a survey from PC Magazine, Apple received the best overall scores for reliability and service in the desktop category, followed by self-built machines, Dell, ABS, and machines from local computer stores.
Companies earning the best reliability ratings for notebook PCs from PC Magazine subscribers were Apple and IBM, followed by Dell, Fujitsu, and Toshiba.
Self-built machines received the highest rating in the server category from PC Magazine, with Dell and clones following suit.
According to the most recent survey of Consumer Reports magazine readers, Apple ranked best for reliability for desktop computers, followed in order by Dell, IBM, and Hewlett-Packard. Apple also received the highest rating for laptop reliability, with Toshiba, Sony, and IBM following suit.
Apple also ranked at the top for technical support with both desktop and laptop users, according to Consumer Reports readers. Following (in order) were Gateway and Dell with desktop support and IBM and Gateway for laptop users.
Another recent survey, this one sponsored by the University of Michigan and part of the quarterly American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), also indicated that Apple computer users were more satisfied than those using other computer brands, with Dell a close second.
According to the latest ACSI, both Apple and Gateway have improved significantly in customer satisfaction from the previous year. "Apple has had a history of very poor scores in the index, but has been steadily improving," says Sarah Allen, a spokesperson for the ACSI. She attributes Apple's improvement to service and product innovation in its PC line.
Interestingly, the overall satisfaction level among all computer consumers is at a 4-year high, according to the index, which can be attributed to lower prices, upgrades in power and capabilities, and a more experienced and savvier base of computer users.
Another trend that's clear is that despite its tiny market share compared with Windows PCs, the Apple Macintosh warrants consideration if you value reliability. As always, however, the Mac comes with trade-offs.
Though it's easier than ever for Mac users to share files with Windows users, it's not always smooth sailing. Also, Mac users have always had fewer choices in software, although the Mac covers all the major bases.
Finally, the Mac comes with a price premium. On the other hand, as with many things, you get what you pay for.
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| quote: | Computing Q&A
Picking a reliable computer
David Einstein
Monday, April 3, 2006
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Q: I'm looking for a new PC, and I'd like to find one that that has a good warranty and a reputation for reliability. Which brands should I consider?
A: If you stick to major brands, the warranty is a non-issue, because all big PC-makers offer a one-year warranty on most consumer models. A salesperson at a computer store probably will try to sell you an extended warranty, but I wouldn't go for it. If anything fails after the regular warranty ends, you probably can replace the broken part for less than the price of the extended warranty.
As for reliability, there are almost no clear winners. In PC World's most recent rankings, every major brand of Windows desktop computers rated just average, and the only notebook brand to rate above average was Lenovo (formerly IBM). Consumer Reports, in its 2006 Buying Guide, said that Sony and Dell desktops need fewer repairs than other brands, while Toshiba has the most reliable notebooks. Both PC World and Consumer Reports rated Compaq notebooks the lowest.
Q: I just installed the McAfee Internet Security suite on my computer. It includes a firewall, but I already was using the firewall that came with Windows XP. My question is, should I disable one of them? And if so, which one?
A: There's no benefit to running two firewalls; in fact, it could slow your system. The Windows and McAfee firewalls both do a good job of keeping hackers out of your system. However, the Windows program doesn't monitor outgoing traffic, so it can't prevent a virus or malware (malicious software) from transmitting information from your computer to the Internet. McAfee (and most other firewalls) has that capability. So I'd use only the McAfee firewall.
Q: What's the likelihood that financial information sent by e-mail -- in an attachment, for instance -- can be stolen by criminals interested in identity theft?
A: Possible, yes. Likely, no. A good hacker might be able to gain access to the e-mail and other data on your computer via your online connection or home network, or by getting into your Internet provider's e-mail server. The risks of either happening are slim, so I wouldn't worry about it.
That said, there are ways to encrypt e-mail, scrambling its contents (including attachments) to keep it safe from unauthorized reading, even after it is received. You can do that using "public key encryption," which includes a pair of password keys -- a public key that you share with others and a private one you keep to yourself. A person uses your public key to encrypt mail to send to you, and you use your private key to decrypt it. If you want to encrypt mail that you send, you'll need the recipient's public key.
Now that's a pain in the rear, especially because both you and your recipient must use the same encryption software. Microsoft has tried marketing an encryption scheme called Digital ID that features software from VeriSign (verisign.com), but it's complicated and has been less than successful. If you want to take the trouble to encrypt e-mail, try the free version of SecEx Mail from bytefusion.com.
Q: I keep seeing ads for Comcast cable Internet and AT&T DSL Internet. This may sound naive, but what is the difference?
A: Cable Internet comes into your home on the cable that also brings you TV. DSL, which stands for digital subscriber line, comes in through your phone line. Both are "always on," meaning you don't have to connect to the Internet each time you use it. Cable offers faster download speeds, while DSL generally is less expensive. I usually recommend DSL unless you want to download a lot of music and video.
Tip of the week
First, a tip of the hat, to Howard High, longtime public affairs guru at Intel, who retired last Friday after 27 years with the giant chipmaker. When it came to PR in Silicon Valley, Howard was the benchmark for excellence. He was plugged in to the highest levels of the company, made life easy on reporters and helped keep the public informed.
When you give out your e-mail address on the Web -- at a shopping site or for an online account -- you may end up on a mailing list, and that means junk mail. So do yourself a favor and maintain one e-mail address for that kind of stuff and another address for personal correspondence, which will attract less spam.
Got a question about computing? E-mail David Einstein at [email protected].
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I'm actually surprised as to how high Dell is on the list. I've had nothing but problems from them - as well as every other person I know that has dealt with Dell.
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Shut up and DANCE!!
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and the 3 year warranty is like a $200 value 
