If there was any doubt about the competitiveness in the computing and software industry, the latest slew of hardware and software releases by the giants of technology should surely put those doubts to rest. But this has provided a dilemma for most consumers — to upgrade or not to upgrade.

Apple updated its entire range of products from the iPhone, iPods, MacBooks, iMacs and iPad and even introduced a iPad Mini. Many who forked out a fortune as recent as two years ago for the iPad 1 are stuck with iOS 5.1.1 forever or they have to jailbreak the device and possibly ruin it. Apple’s current iOS 6 will not run on it.

But then Apple has diehard fans and upgrade they will. Nobody can beat Apple in the way its devices function and the sleek metallic look and feel. I, for one, would any day prefer the iPhone 5 to Samsung’s Galaxy Note 2 and the Smartphone Galaxy SIII.

Now that prices have dropped for older versions, buyers are faced with the problem of telling an iPad 2 apart from the iPad Third Generation. Here’s how you can solve it.

First, register your product at the Apple site (www. apple.com/support), or ask the vendor to do it for you. On the support page, you will find, “Check your service & support coverage”. Click on this and you will be asked to enter the serial number of the product. Once you do this you will know for sure which generation of the iPad, iPod or Mac you have bought. There is also a helpful link on finding the serial number of your Apple product.

Microsoft, on the other hand, has launched Windows 8 with three different versions. The base or core version will come with most new laptops or desktop computers. Windows 8 Pro has extra security and administrative functions. And there is the Enterprise version.

RT is the new version of Windows running on ARM processors that are optimised for mobile devices. Windows RT will run on tablets like Microsoft Surface. It features the new Windows 8 user interface but doesn’t have the ability to run desktop apps. You will need to buy the mobile apps much like the App store in the iPhone or iPad if you use a Windows-based smartphone. The only problem is that there are not enough apps in the Windows Store.

One of the biggest challenges Windows 8 users will have is learning to navigate between Windows 8 (Modern UI) Start screen and the traditional desktop. But you can get around this by pinning items from the desktop to the Start screen and vice versa.

Apart from the fact that the drivers for the smooth operation of multitouch gestures are lacking, Windows 8 actually makes computers easier to operate once you get the hang of it. Sometimes you may need help to figure out some of the new features. To overcome this I suggest you use the built in Help and Support App. Here’s how to access it in Windows 8. From the Windows 8 Start screen type: winhlp32.exe and press enter.

Before you upgrade make sure your computer is powerful enough. Microsoft is notorious for listing minimum specs that fall drastically short for daily use. For a satisfactory experience, you will need at least a dual-core processor, preferably one of Intel's Core 2 Duos, AMD's Athlon X2s, or anything newer. These processors became common in PCs after 2006. Microsoft’s Windows 7 RAM requirements are too low, and they continue to be too low in Windows 8. Make sure you have at least 6 GB of RAM and very good graphics support.

The retail price for the Windows 8 PC package is Rs 11,999. For those who wish to upgrade from Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7 and have bought PCs after June 2, 2012, the price is Rs 699. This is a good deal for the moment considering Mountain Lion, the latest operating system for Macs, costs a little over Rs 1,100 for the update. If you have bought your PC before June 2, 2012, you will have to pay Rs 1,999 for the upgrade. Upgrading to Windows 8 Pro will cost you Rs 2,150. This offer is valid only till January 31, 2013.

Send in your computer- related problems to askdoss@abpmail.com with bits&bytes in the subject line