[tlug] Uninterrupted power supply unit recommendations

[Dave M G <dave@example.com>]

TLUG,

I think my last computer was fried because of a power surge. I can't 
prove it in a court of law, but given the nature of the cascading 
hardware failures, that's where I'd place my bet. You know how Japanese 
apartments are - their electrical wiring isn't exactly thorough.
I'd like to get a UPS system to both weather power outages, as well as 
provide some actual protection against surges. I have those power bars 
that claim they have surge protectors, but from what I understand, they 
protect against power surges the same way cardboard protects you from 
bullets.
When walking through Akihabara, I saw some UPS things in a bargain bin, 
going for a thousand yen each. I looked at them and realized I know 
absolutely nothing about UPS systems. I have absolutely no idea if a 
thousand yen is an indicator of uselessness, or if that's what UPS 
systems go for. I remember I worked in a company years ago that had all 
our workstations hooked up to UPS units, and I'm sure they were tens of 
thousands of yen.
I have three desktop computers that I want to protect. Can anyone give 
me some tips or suggestions on what I should look for in a UPS, and how 
much I should expect to spend?
Any advice or comments would be much appreciated. Thank you for your time!

--
Dave M G