Computers: from den to living room.(upgrading the computers)

Now that they have a firm foothold in dens and home offices, computer makers have designs on another part of the house: the living room. The idea is to create an integrated, all-digital home-media center, with one user-friendly interface. Some early models are already in stores. Should that influence your choice of a new computer?

Two examples of this trend: personal computers equipped with Microsoft's Windows Media Center Edition operating system (including the HP z558 Digital Entertainment Center covered on page 24) and Apple's iMac desktop computer. In addition to full PC functionality, Media Center PCs offer features similar to those of DVD players, TiVo, or other DVRs. The iMac can display on a TV screen videos and photos stored on it or play digital music through a home audio system.

In January, Apple introduced a new iMac, based on Intel processors, that it says runs faster than its predecessor, the iMac G5. New laptops were to follow.

Some electronics makers are also building more computer technology into their living-room gear. For example, cable boxes with built-in digital video recorders use hard drives and powerful processors to manage TV content in new ways. So far, however, they lack the Internet access that would enrich their content offerings. Microsoft's Xbox 360 game console can pipe photos to your TV from the computer in your office or store music on its own hard drive (see CloseUp on page 24). But its Internet capabilities are limited.

Neither approach to the digital living room has yet taken off. There are some knotty problems to solve in integrating computing and home entertainment. Those include creating a device with a simple user interface, connections that work seamlessly with other gear, and a price tag more befitting a budget computer or common video gear.

The iMac, while elegant in design, has a display that's a bit small for watching movies in the living room, lacks a TV tuner, and costs well over $1,000. It's best suited to a smaller room or home office.

The debut of a new technology for personal computers, Intel Viiv, may hasten the convergence of computers and digital entertainment. A combination of new hardware and software for Windows-based PCs, Viiv is supposed to boost those computers' entertainment capabilities and make them more compatible with other devices. Intel says that computers with the technology will be able to send music, photos, and video simultaneously to multiple entertainment devices by way of a home network and also turn on and off as fast as a TV set.