In today's digital age, no one wants to be left out when it comes to computers. This may boil down to the fact that everyone wants to become computer literate. From tots to teens, a personal computer or PC that will just suit their need is the best way to help them stay ahead in a world where mouse and keyboard rule mainstream information technology.

PCs for the tots

For tots ages two to eight, the choices are great if you want to familiarize them with computers. The hardware needs, for instance, are not much of a worry since a 300 MHz Pentium II with 128MB RAM is enough memory to contain twenty titles of education software.

For the PC itself a secondhand model will do if you really want to cut the cost. However, you can go to emachines.com if you prefer a brand-new model instead. With the monitor not included their T2824 model costs at about $449 and comes with 256MB RAM, 40G-capacity hard drive, an eight-in-one memory card reader 2.53 GHz and an Intel Celeron D 325 processor.

If you think the price has to equate the love you have for your tot, Dimension 2400 by Dell is another good option. It costs at around $699 and features include a 19-inch CRT monitor, DVD-Rom and CD-RW drives and a 2.66 GHz Pentium 4 processor.

PCs for tweenies

The age range for this group would be 9 to 12 years old, the so-called "tween years". As children approach such an age, they will be more inclined with a more challenging 3D games, music and feature-oriented websites among other things. With projects becoming more reliant on online research, surfing the Web regularly becomes a necessity for them. 

Minus a monitor, EMachines T2958 which costs at about $549 will suit their needs. Having a Windows XP Home edition, a 2.66 GHz Intel Celeron D 330 processor, DVD and CDR drives and an 80GB hard drive, it has an eight-in-one media card reader.

Though lacking a FireWire port, which is required for capturing videos, an ADSTech Pyro DV card can be added. What's even great about this is that it is a video-editing card that this is even better than a Windows MovieMaker.

PCs for teens

For the 13 to 18 bunch, you got to know what programs they like. If you find out they like Tom Clancy games or those from Blizzard and Sierra, consider Alienware.

The cost may make your eyes bulge in surprise as the Alienware Aurora Extreme is about $2984, but price makes it worth the package itself. It has a hard drive of 120GB, both DVD and CD-RW drives, and an AMD Athlon 64 FX-53 processor.

Number of PCs at home

This depends entirely on how many your family needs. If work will only take a couple of hours or so, one computer is enough. The great thing about this is that you get to budget your expenses. But if work is critical in nature, then multiple PCs may prove necessary when it comes to this.

But, of course, this depends totally on your budget. But remember that having multiple PCs means having all of them protected. Install anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall softwares in them.