(another) Newbie...

I'm looking for some advice/opinions on purchasing a new Mac.
I think I've decided on a new 20" iMac. I've had a iMac DV SE (G3/400, 512M RAM) for many years and upgraded it to 10.3.9 a couple of years ago. I also have an iBook (G4/800, 1G RAM, with a brand new 120G HD) running the same OS. They both still work great (especially with that new HD in my iBook) but I'm looking for a little more speed.

I really like the looks of the new iMacs and the 20" would fit my needs pretty well.
Are there any problems or issues with the new Intel iMacs I should be aware of?
I want to buy in the next month or so.
Should I bite the bullet and wait until Leopard is out? Will it be that much better?

Are the new Intel MacBooks that much better than the iBooks?

I'm in a remote area of AK and can't go window shopping to easy. It will have to be ordered online and shipped.
Any reasons "to" or "not to" buy directly from Apple?
Any other recommended purchasing options?

Please, be easy on the new guy.

Thanks, Glenn

Reasons to buy direct from Apple:

- Customizable configurations.
- Less likely to be back-ordered.
- Refurbished items available.

Reasons to buy from a reseller:

- Avoid sales tax.
- Better deals on bundled software.

I am waiting for leopard to purchase my new imac.
What part of AK are you from? I live in Anchorage for about ten years.