Buyers Beware!

The holidays may be over, but the after-holidays sales are going to be at every store near you. Many people held off this year to buy new computer purchases. Like cars, computers have warranties, they cost money, and the details are in the fine print.

"Accidental Damage" is certainly an area all consumers need to be aware of. Fixing a computer can be extremely costly. An Apple MacBook Pro bought in early 2008 can cost you $1259.00 for a broken LCD screen, even if you have AppleCare. Why? Because AppleCare does not have an accidental damage warranty, but just a limited warranty on parts that fail, i.e. hard drives, cd-roms, fans, etc. I have compiled a list of some laptops for sale by various vendors with a breakdown of the accidental damage warranties for major laptop/notebook/netbook makers (each quoted with the maximum protection):

• Sony's Policy (3 Year Onsite Service Plan plus Accidental Damage from Handling Protection): What are Accidental Damage from Handling service plans? Accidental Damage from Handling Protection (ADH) plans offer the same benefits as the Regular Extended Service Plans but gives the added benefit of repairing or replacing your Sony product when it malfunctions due to breakdowns that occur from handling the product under normal operating conditions. This Service Plan includes all parts, labor and shipping costs in its coverage to make sure your Sony product is repaired and delivered back to you without any out-of-pocket costs. Coverage begins on the date you purchased the product and runs concurrently with the Limited Warranty.

• Dell's Policy (Add CompleteCare Accidental Damage Service to 3Yr Lim Warranty): The Ultimate peace of mind! Help protect against accidental spills, drops and surges with Dell’s CompleteCare™ Accidental Damage Service.

• HP's Policy (3-year HP Accidental Damage Protection with HP Pick Up and Return): Protect your PC from damage caused by drops, spills, and electrical surges with our Accidental Damage Protection Extended Service Plan.

• Apple's Policy: None.

• Alienware's Policy: None.

I just covered the top resellers that you can get at any store. Once again, I've only covered the "accidental damage" warranty plan with each maximum warranty. Why are these important? If you are on the road trying to promote yourself and keep your business mobile, you absolutely need an accidental warranty with your laptop, which by the way have begun to be referred to as "notebooks" as many companies, like Apple, do not recommend leaving these systems on your lap due to their heat. I recommend going with something fairly cheap, disposable, and backup your data. You don't need anything fancy when you are getting started to give simple PowerPoint presentations to clients. While I am a MacBook Pro user myself, the majority of my work requires no travel and thus operates happily from my desk. It's important to have that quick turn-around time to get you back and operational in case of any disaster. If you can shell out for a $500-700 "notebook" with an extended warranty that has accidental damage coverage, you're pretty much set. As time progresses, you can get a more stylish laptop like a MacBook Pro and keep your extended warranty system as a backup. You can purchase a good external drive for backups or even a USB key. You probably won't have much marketing material that exceeds 1gig unless it's video-related.

Also, be careful to look at policies being sold by companies like Best Buy. As they may have limited warranties (that are usually fairly expensive), that does not mean they cover accidental damage to your system. Always read the fine print before agreeing to sign, and ask the relevant questions before purchase.