5 hot electronics gifts flagged by Consumer Reports Holiday Shopping Poll

Electronics are again at the top of a lot of gift lists for the coming holiday season, according to the results of a Consumer Reports Holiday Shopping Poll released this week.

Here, are the five hottest electronics gifts, listed in order of respondents’ intentions to give them. I’ve added some reasons why they’re hot at the moment and, for some, details on the kind of people who are buying them:

• Video games and accessories. Planned as gifts by 28 percent of respondents. In a year where many people plan to cut back, as other survey data underlines, these are gifts that cost a lot less than most hardware. Nearly half of households with kids under 12 are planning such purchases, but so are nearly a quarter of homes with no such youngsters—underlining that games and extra Wii nunchucks aren’t just being bought for kids anymore. It helps that some of the hottest game titles of the year appeal equally to young and old players—notably Beatles Rock Band.

• Video-game consoles. Planned as gifts by 14 percent of respondents, including 25 percent of homes with kids under 12. With no new versions of consoles out this year, and the economy softening, prices have dropped for most brands. Also, after two seasons in which getting a Nintendo Wii consoles required military-level planning, the promise of its wider availability may be prompting some Wii holdouts to plan a purchase. (See our video buying guide for game consoles.)

Windows 7: To Upgrade or Not to Upgrade

Launch day for Windows 7 is just a few days away. So you might be wondering whether you need to plop down between $120 and $220 for the new OS, buy a new computer, or maintain your status quo.

Before you make any decisions, you should check your computer’s compatibility, as well as that of your peripherals, with Microsoft’s Upgrade Advisor.

Then, find the description of your situation below and proceed accordingly:

You’re happy with your current system and OS. Save your money, at least for now. Sure, Windows 7 has some new interface tweaks that we think are pretty cool. But any time you upgrade, there’s a potential for unpredictable problems. So why mess with success? Meanwhile, however, always download any critical Windows updates. Make sure you’re using the latest version of your browser. And if you don’t have any security software running, install a free antivirus program. We recommend Avira AntiVir.  Alternatively, Microsoft just released its free antivirus/antispyware software, Microsoft Security Essentials.

You’re a Vista user frustrated with its performance. Get the upgrade if your system is compatible. Windows 7 is more stable than Vista and it’s got a good number of ease-of-use enhancements. And as a bonus, you’ll get a grip on those frustrating User Account Controls, since Windows 7 provides options for different levels of settings. 

You recently bought a new computer and qualify for a free upgrade. Get your upgrade. Most computer manufacturers are offering free Windows 7 upgrades to those who bought Vista-based computers from late June through this coming January. Be sure to register for the upgrade, and keep in mind that you might have to pay shipping and other costs to have the software sent to you. But keep in mind that the Windows 7 upgrade option does not apply to Vista Basic-based computers.

You’re an XP user. If your computer is no more than four years old and running Windows XP, and you want to upgrade to Windows 7, run the upgrade advisor. If you’re cleared for Windows 7, you can upgrade, but you’ll first have to either install Vista or backup and then erase the contents of your hard drive before moving to Windows 7.

Retail versions of Windows 7 cost $120 for Home Premium; $200 for Professional; and $220 for Ultimate. Eligible college students can grab an upgrade for just $30 until early January at www.win741.com. —Donna Tapellini

A new security freebie from Microsoft

You’ve got one less excuse for leaving your computer unprotected against viruses and spyware: Microsoft recently added its new software package, Security Essentials, to the list of free antivirus tools available for download online.

We gave Security Essentials a preliminary test run on several PCs here in our labs. The program installed in less than a minute on the typical PCs we tried, appears to use relatively few system resources, and has reasonable default settings. It’s compatible with Windows XP or later.

The user interface is deceptively simple, which is a good thing. The program automatically updates itself, and performs a quick scan every Sunday night by default, though you can change that and other settings.

If you have antivirus software already, there's no need to change. If you decide to make the switch to Security Essentials, be sure to uninstall your old antivirus program first. Security Essentials disables Windows Defender if it finds it, since they duplicate anti-spyware tasks, and since running two real-time anti-spyware programs can lead to problems.

Microsoft announces Windows 7 upgrade program and pricing

Microsoft has unveiled some details on the upgrade and retail pricing of Windows 7, the new version of Windows that’s due for release this October.

If you’re planning to buy a computer with Vista soon, there’s a good chance the upgrade program will cover you: it’s in effect from June 26, 2009 through January 31, 2010. But pricing and options depend on when you order a new PC (or a retail copy of Windows 7) and, in the case of a new computer, the brand and model.

Bottom line: If you’re buying a new computer with Vista, check directly with the manufacturer to find out if they support the upgrade program and what the upgrade to Windows 7 will cost you.

Microsoft has posted Windows 7 retail pricing on their Windows Blog.

The site estimates these retail prices:

CES 2009: The future of Microsoft is…cloudy

To hear Steve Ballmer—Microsoft's wunderkind and now CEO—tell it, computing is drifting off into the clouds…referring to the "cloud" of interconnected computers, that is, which makes up the Internet. Ballmer played the starring role in Wednesday night's opening keynote presentation for the 2009 CES, taking over from Bill Gates, who, as expected, was nowhere to be seen except in flashes among the quick-cut scenes in the Microsoft ads played on a huge screen.

Ballmer (seen at right) spoke glowingly of "Windows Live," Microsoft's major push into Internet-based computing, leading the way—or following in the footsteps of Google, some believe—towards software as a service (SaaS). For Microsoft, the ultimate success of this model depends on users' willingness to "pay as you go" for the use of Microsoft applications that are not running on their PC, but on virtual machines in a distant data center, accessed through a web browser that could even be running on (gasp!) Mac OS.

For now, Microsoft is offering Windows Live Essentials, comprising "Messenger, Mail, Writer, Photo Gallery, Movie Maker beta, Family Safety, and Toolbar", as a free download; it will be preinstalled on all Dell consumer and small-business computers. Not that you couldn't get most of these functions from existing applications bundled in Windows Vista, but Microsoft's new push leverages the "connectedness" of PCs and other Internet-connected devices, and preps users to think of the Internet as an extension of Windows that provides limitless capabilities, and an opportunity for Microsoft and its partners tosell you up to some of them.

Champing at the (64) bit

For years, mainstream PC processors have been capable of calculating 64 bits (binary digits) at a time, an advancement over 32 bits that can potentially speed up some applications—like gaming and photo editing—and allow the PC to use virtually unlimited memory space. Apple PCs running Mac OS 10.5 already have full support for 64-bit operation. But, so far, Windows PCs marketed to consumers have overwhelmingly been equipped with only a 32-bit version of Windows Vista. Well, no more.

New PCs from Gateway and HP that we recently tested for our Latest Ratings of desktop computers (available to subscribers) are only sold with the 64-bit version of Windows Vista Home Premium. Why? The main reason, we think, is that they are equipped with more than the 3 GB of memory (RAM) that the 32-bit version of Vista can use. Moving to 64-bit memory addressing allows PC makers to equip desktops and laptops with (ultimately) many times more RAM than before—potentially 8,192 GB. This will usher in a new generation of applications with enormous memory-usage capabilities, improving performance in such areas as home-video editing.

But there are downsides to 64-bit computing.

Is June 18 the end of the line for Windows XP? Not quite.

After a 5-month stay of execution, the end is nigh for Windows XP.

Tomorrow, June 18, will be the last day you can purchase a Dell computer with XP pre-installed. Dell has announced this in order to meet Microsoft's June 30 deadline for ceasing sales of XP.

I spot-checked other manufacturers' sites and found limited availability of computers, mainly business-oriented models, available with XP. Compaq and HP together offered at least 11 laptops and 7 desktops, Lenovo a couple of laptops, and Sony one model. I couldn't find any Gateway models with XP.

Microsoft had originally intended to kill XP this past January in order to give its heir, Vista, total reign over the PC market.  But an outcry from consumers and businesses  (and manufacturers looking to appease them) stayed Microsoft’s hand for five months to give XP users time to warm to the beleaguered Vista.

Says Microsoft to Vista detractors:

"We love that you love Windows XP…But our commitment to innovation sometimes means making tough choices. This is one of them."

Despite the tone of finality, Microsoft has left open several loopholes so that XP lovers can hang onto it for some years to come.

PC tech support: Apple shines, say our readers

Which computer company is tops in terms of free tech support? Don't expect it to be anyone on the Windows side of the computer world.

Our latest survey on computer tech support, conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center and drawn from our readers' personal experiences with 10,000 desktop and laptop computers, finds that Apple owners have much to smile about. Apple's tech support was able to solve Mac problems more than 80 percent of the time, according to those surveyed who used Apple's support.

Overall, however, the news isn't stellar when it comes to using tech support to fix annoying computer problems. According to those surveyed, problems were solved for only about 60 percent of those who actually had to contact a manufacturer for help. What's more, many computer makers' free technical support policies end in a year or less. (One notable exception is, again, Apple. Free phone support runs out after 90 days, but you can get unlimited support at Apple stores—if you live near one.)

As such, salesmen will try to pitch an optional, extra-cost "extended" service plan. Our general advice is to skip such pricey extended service warranties. But if you absolutely need the hand-holding or know you'll travel everywhere with your laptop, you might want to consider one—especially since our latest report on extended service plans for computers (available to subscribers) finds that a few companies' extended plans do offer significantly better tech support compared to their limited free services.

ConsumerReports.org subscribers also have online access to more information, including which laptop tech support and desktop tech support scored among the lowest in our readers' satisfaction (Hint: It's a top-selling computer maker) and how to get free computer help.

Microsoft cuts prices on Vista

Price alert: Microsoft is dropping prices on certain versions of its Vista operating system, starting with the release of Service Pack 1 in mid-March.

The upgrade version of Vista Home Premium will drop from $159 to $129, although pricing for the full version will remain the same. The full version of Vista Ultimate will drop from $399 to $319, and the upgrade version goes from $259 to $219.

You can already get a better deal on Vista from Amazon.com, where the Home Premium upgrade is selling for $95 and the Ultimate upgrade for $195.

But that's only a good deal if you want Vista. There are plenty of XP users sticking to that older, tried-and-true operating system, and plenty of Vista users "downgrading" back to XP themselves.

—Donna Tapellini

Vista to XP: The world's most popular downgrade

One year after Microsoft Windows Vista hit the market, public response to it has been underwhelming. True, most buyers of new Windows-based home computers get Vista pre-installed by default; but that's not exactly the same as beating down the door for Vista's glitz.

Meanwhile, many techies, IT departments, and just plain home users are either holding off upgrading or actually converting back from Vista to XP, thereby introducing a backward-looking term into the forward-looking world of technology: downgrading. At the tech forums on Microsoft's Web site, for example, you'll find a hefty number of posts dedicated to doing just that.

With retail sales of XP now scheduled to end by June 30, a movement to save Windows XP has formed. At SaveXP.com, created by the IT publication Infoworld, more than 75,000 people (as of early February) have signed a petition to Microsoft demanding that Windows XP be kept available indefinitely.

Here are kinds of Vista gripes cited by people arguing to save XP: