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The ACSI's results, based on phone su... rveys in which respondents are asked to rank their satisfaction with various brands from 0 to 100, have Apple once again leading the personal-computers category with a score of 86.

But this time around, four of the five Windows-based options--Acer, Dell, Hewlett-Packard's HP brand and "all others"--each gained two to three points to tie at 77, while HP's Compaq brand held steady at 74. One year ago, Apple scored 84 and no PC vendor got higher than 75.

Overall satisfaction with personal computers ratcheted up 4 points to an all-time high of 78.

In an attached commentary, Michigan professor Claes Fornell noted the iPad's role in Apple's continued dominance, writing, "No other company in the ACSI has as formidable a lead within its own industry." In the Windows end of the market, Fornell credited Microsoft's Windows 7 with a healthy amount of credit for manufacturers' better scores.

Fornell also observed a continued problem for the industry, tech support: "Owners who had reason to contact customer care or technical help lines were 8% less satisfied than those who had no post-purchase contact with the manufacturer or retailer."

This quarter's ACSI findings also covered major appliances. And once again, we seem to like our ovens, dishwashers and refrigerators more than most of our computers. Whirlpool led the category at 83, with "All Others" and GE close behind at 81 and AB Electrolux in fourth at 79.

But don't let one university's findings tell you how to feel about your tech purchases (especially, I suppose, if you went to Ohio State).