My electronic purchases have started to worry me!

Late last year, I agonized over at specialist websites concerning which new laptop to purchase for home use rather than business. Knowing that what I needed was a help but not as much of a help as I expected, as trying to find the right spec (regardless of make) proved almost impossible for the price range I had in mind.

Some modifications to the spec to meet the price point meant only going back to the beginning again and starting the whole process over.

It's not that we lack consumer choice in this field, but that we lack decent information that is unbiased and thorough, which is strange considering the number of PC magazines and websites out there!

Eventually I did purchase a laptop that $ for $ was the best I could get as well as not looking like a brick! (No I didn't buy a Dell). In fact, IMHO it's one of the best-looking PC laptops around, praise indeed for a very long-term MAC user!

Friends and relatives seem to agree as several have since purchased the same model and all are very impressed with it, especially since they didn't have to do the research I did!

No surprise then when I saw various market research firms announce that HP had become the Number 1 PC and laptop manufacturer in 2006!

Then early this year, my employer's purchased a new business laptop for me after the IBM Think Brick I had endured for 18 months was finally incapable of just about anything to do with publishing.

I did make some suggestions based on my now extensive research into the matter, though challenging when considering the budget!

No problem actually, because they picked what I suggested and it was even cheaper that I had thought, so they actually saved money on me! They also bought two of them. (Must try harder next time)

Since then I have come across quite a few people who have purchased the same budget laptop and all can't believe what you get for the money. Friends that have seen mine have also sneaked off and purchased the same model.

This comes as no surprise then when I read last week that ACER has become the third biggest seller of laptops. Market researchers pointed out that ACER packs a lot into the product for the price and is growing incredibly fast. I totally agree from the user-end of those comments.

Then today we get news that Apple has sold 100 million iPods since launch. Now, strange as this may seem, but I have purchased quite a few iPods of all shapes and sizes over the last few years, though ironically not for me!

They have tended to be for presents or friends asking me to pick up a few when next in the Apple store in San Francisco. Rip-off UK and good exchange rates are very compelling, it should be noted.

Me? I use the MP3 device in my Sony ‘Walkman' mobile phone!

Yes, you guessed it! It is also a great selling product for Sony-Ericsson.

So with all these new trends occurring I can honestly say that I am simply not surprised!

Want to know the next killer product? Just keep an eye on this blog!

FYI: The HP is Intel Core 2 dual core and NVIDIA graphics card while the ACER is AMD Turion dual core and ATI graphics. Total agnostic me!

PS: Don't ask me to compare the two, not simply because the HP is of a higher spec but because it has been adopted by my kids who have by the law of possession deemed it their own.