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Our survey on PC demand and the impacts of the pending Microsoft launch of its new operating system - Vista, is almost complete.We are calling major electronic retailers in Europe and North America. We asked the following questions:

Should we buy a Desktop or Laptop?

Should we wait to purchase a new computer until Vista comes out?

The results thus far are interesting. Almost unamiously the survey respondents recommended laptops. Desktops were only recommended as a cheaper alternative or for those interested in high end video gaming. A few respondents pushed Macs, but most suggested standard laptops from the usual manufacturers.

On the subject of waiting until Vista is launched we got some interesting data. First EVERY respondent said “No” to waiting and suggested a purchase now. Most reponsdents claimed that buying a computer that meets the system requirements for Vista is sufficient as Vista can be added later when it is released for general availability. This release date was estimated as 2-6 months by the retailers we contacted.

The most interesting data point we found was that Best Buy is offering a free Vista upgrade coupon with the purchase of a laptop or desktop.

This is interesting to us because it makes us ask, who is paying for this coupon? Is Microsoft offering it in conjunction with the PC manufactrers to protect Q4 demand from consumers who might wait for the Vista launch. Do the PC manufacturers pay for this? Best Buy?

It looks like a margin killer to us, although the rate of redemption could be small, offsetting the hit. We will follow this Best Buy free Vista upgrade offer and see if it is adopted by other retailers in coming weeks, or maybe already has but our data from these other major electronics retailers did not reveal this to be the case.

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