Fancy
iMac
Many consumers stick with the devil they know—Windows—but Apple's operating system is generally easier to use and more secure than Microsoft's, and the new iMac packs a lot of power into one stunning package. Especially nice: the luxuriously thin, wide-button keyboard.
$1,799 for 24-in (61 cm) screen; apple.com
Cheap
Zonbu
It's less than 7 in. (18 cm) tall and weighs about 2 lbs. (0.9 kg), and it has no hard drive or disc drive, but that's how you save money and energy, and the Zonbu consumes little of either. All its programs—word-processing, photo-editing, etc.—are Web-based, so an Internet connection is a must.
$249, plus file-storage fees; zonbu.com
Something Different
HP TouchSmart IQ775
This Windows PC offers an unconventional approach to family computing. Built to be shared, it has a hideaway keyboard and a finger-friendly touchscreen that displays a calendar, video messages, virtual sticky notes and other domestic extras to keep the household in synch.
$1,600; hp.com/go/touchsmart