Manfred Kuechler
Hunter College

Where to find Reviews and Competitive Prices for Computer Products

Last Update: January 25, 2002  (vendor links updated Sep 16, 2004)
 
 

Hardware

Netscape Netcenter in collaboration with CNET offers a fairly comprehensive overview of both software and hardware products. From this hardware starting page you can access reviews and detailed product descriptions. Once you are on a page describing a specific product, look for a link labeled "Click here to see the latest prices for this product". This will show current prices for this product at different mail order outfits.
Example: Suppose you look for a low-cost scanner. On the starting page, click on "scanner" to get the scanner page. Then select the price range "under $100". The available products are listed alphabetically, except products having earned CNET's "Editor's Choice" label are listed on top. As of January 25, 2002, the Umax Astra 6400, comes out on top. Clicking on the product name gets you to a fuller description and a review. Or you go directly for an overview of prices at various (online) vendors. While the list price is $249, the lowest price for this scanner found on January 25, 2002, is only $62 (at ecost.com, a "CNET certified store") plus shipping. As shipping charges vary quite a bit and some vendor charge NYS sales tax while others don't (see below), you should peruse this list a bit. But you can get a decent flatbed scanner (suitable for occasional use) for under $100 -- all included.

Below are a few suggestions, mostly based on personal shopping experience. However, I cannot guarantee that you will be satisfied as well. Most mail (web) order vendor will not charge NY sales tax -- unless they have a business office (store) in NY. At 8.25 percent this is a factor worthwhile considering. So, I leave out the vendors with a strong NYC presence like CompUSA, Circuit City, Staples, or J&R. But if you want something really quick (like "today"), they are worthwhile considering.
 

Software

Before you buy anything, check whether Hunter may make this or similar software available for free or under a special "bulk purchase" agreement by visiting ICIT's software web pages. The list of software available to all is fairly limited, but still worth a look. Also, several products are available on "don't ask, don't get" basis -- meaning there is no general information, you have to ask (preferably in person), and if your are in good standing with ICIT you may get a copy for free or a very good price. This system is used to make you feel that ICIT is doing you a special favor -- rather than just doing their job in providing tools necessary to do your job as faculty doing teaching and research.

More importantly, many software products are available in "academic editions" -- fully functional copies of the original software meant for academic users only. And the savings can be enormous. A few examples of software products useful for creating instructional materials, but there is discipline-specific software as well. Prices are subject to change; prices for academic editions were taken from two different academic retailers; the lowest street price from CNET. In addition, there may be "upgrade" version. Typically, these require proof of purchase for the previous version, but condition vary, and sometimes the "upgrade" version is identical to the full version with no real strings attached, but you need to look very carefully.
 
Product List Price (upgrade) Lowest "Street" Price Academic Edition Price at
NeedSoftware.com		 Academic Edition Price at
CampusTech.com
Adobe Acrobat 5 249.00 (99.00) 203.00 69.95 59.00
Adobe Photoshop 6.0 609.00 (149.00) 568.00 289.95  266.00
Adobe Photoshop Elements 1.0 99.00 78.00 59.95 n/a
MS FrontPage 2002 169.00 (89.95) 137.00 99.95 80.00
Macromedia Flash 5 399.00 (149.00) 322.00 114.95 98.00

There quite a few online vendors specializing in academic editions including

General Mail/catalog vendors with wide ranging inventory (hardware and software)

NECX
The Internet Computer Superstore
Micro Warehouse
CDW -Computer Discount Warehouse
First Source
PC Connection Online Superstore
VCSS
Supreme Software
Kenosha Computer Center (mostly hardware)
 

Vendor Lists and Comparisons

Customer Ratings of Stores in Computer Hardware (updated weekly)
Price Watch -- an alternative to the CNET price watch described above; the set of merchants covered overlaps, but is not identical -- check both
 

Final note: Comments are welcome, in particular reports about unsatisfactory service and/or non-competitive prices at any of the vendors listed here. Please, send e-mail. To keep maintenance of this page low, I probably will not add sites that readers may suggest.