The bottom line? There are plenty of good machines out there.

These are machines with sharp blades spinning at 160 miles per hour just inches away from our feet and hands. Everyone needs to respect the dangers and use common sense.

The thing about laptops is that they tend to be more idiosyncratic than desktops. It's really important to be able to try a laptop in a store before you buy one.

The simpler the plan, the better because there's a fighting chance you'll understand your bill.

State and local taxes can add as much as 20 percent onto your basic rate.

Start with one carrier and see if that company has everything you need.