Global PC makers vying for "Green" crown

Personal computer makers are increasingly prioritizing "green" strategies, creating a pivotal point of competition for customers that are becoming more attuned to their financial -- and societal -- benefits. Analysts say going green has become a business plan unto itself for the industry's heavyweights: a way to stand apart from rivals, win over a growing segment of environmentally conscious consumers, and shore up branding worldwide. The three major US computer vendors -- Hewlett-Packard, Dell, and Apple -- argue that customers glean real benefits, for example lower power consumption in green-certified display screens.