Job Discussion Forums

[Taylor]

Dear Friends,

Has anyone taken a laptop to Taiwan (from US or Canada) and had it DIE soon after?

It seems I recall hearing a couple of stories like this before.

I have a decent Dell that I could use in Taiwan...but I am wondering if I should even bother taking it.

Any suggestions/stories will be welcomed!

Sincerely,

Taylor

[trukesehammer]

Don't know if this helps, but I once bought a laptop in Taiwan and got SCREWED. My advice is if you're crazy enough to buy a computer here, you'd better damn well know what you're getting. My machine was a GVC and the boss advertised it as having bigger, better stuff inside than it actually had. Then when I brought it to the US, the damn thing died.

So much for my future best-selling novel.

As for the Big Boys, meaning the regular desktop computers, I haven't had much luck here, either. I bought a top-of-the-line Gateway (which, oddly enough, is now obsolete), brought it to Taiwan, and it lasted a grand total of 7 days.

One last thing: If you do buy a laptop in Taiwan, don't try to bring it to the US. Those @ssholes in Customs will either try to steal it from you or TAX you to death on it.



tkh, Professor Emeritus, Hard-Knocks University

[monoxide]

speaking of transporting tech back and forth, i'm thinking of taking a few of the key pieces of my tower over with me, so i won't have to go through the ordeal of paying for the more expensive parts of a computer twice. does anyone know if i'll have any trouble with customs over a harddrive? or a motherboard/cpu/video card/ram?

[Taylor]

Dear Monoxide,

I doubt you will have any problem at Customs.

If anyone asks, just tell them it is broken equipment that you hope to get repaired in Taiwan.

In Taiwan, it is easier to get Forgiveness than Permission!

Sincerely,

Taylor

[markholmes]

I bought an Acer desktop from T-Zone, the huge Dixons / Future Shop of Taiwan. I asked them a million does it have an international warantee. The answer was always yes (lies damn lies).

In Taiwan the flat screen monitor went wrong, so I took it to Acer, no problem.

I brought it back to Canada. The cordless mouse and keyboard wouldn't work. I called Acer and they wouldn't have anything to do with it (NO international warantee apparently).

The monitor screwed up again and again they wouldn't help.

Then the hard drive went. Same story.

I had the same problem when I bought Sega Dreamcast when I lived in Japan (all I wanted was the English version CD) and my Casio diving watch I bought in Taiwan (all I wanted was the English instructions).

[MTurton]

Yes. A dark secret of Taiwan is that the voltage varies by as much as five volts at peak; the result is hell on western electronics brought here. My NEC I brought over in '96 failed right away, very sad.

[Taylor]

Thanks, M. Turton

My wife bought a nice Toshiba laptop in America way back in 1995. It had trouble all along in Taiwan, then finally quit in 1997.

I always suspected the voltage issue. Any other experiences anyone would like to share?

Taylor

[patchwork]

strange enough, I have two friends from Taiwan. Both have laptops. They worked perfectly fine in Taiwan for a year, and worked perfectly fine in Canada for a year, and are now still working perfectly fine. One person is moving to Sweden, one back to Taiwan.

Could be that you all just had back luck with electronics. If the voltage is too high and fries electronics, EVERYTHING you plug into the wall would fry. Simple as that.

[Taylor]

Dearest Patchwork,

Surely you do not believe that a laptop computer is no more sensitive than a light bulb. For normal products, acceptable voltages may range from 110 to 120V....the Amperes (demanded and supplied normally) also vary....along with wattage. And I have not even mentioned power surges, due to typhoons, etc.

I am sure that some improvements have been made to laptops since 1995, but it appears you do not have a degree in electrical engineering!!!!


Taylor

[patchwork]

Taylor,

let's not be hostile. i don't want to get into an argument, i just want to share my experience/knowledge.

I work a lot with electronics and am sharing my experiences, especially since I ship many of them to Asia (including Taiwan) and Europe.

Power has never been a problem. Any voltage between 105 and 130 is acceptable for a computer we sell configured for 110. A power surge will fry anything without power surge protection. Perhaps a simple a power bar would be sufficient.

[Xenophobe]

While living in Kaohsiung I bought an Acer PC and in the space of 5 mnths I went through 4 hard drives and a printer. Part of the problem was power surges, but hell I've had computers cooked here due to power surges. Mind you Hydro replaced it as one of their generating stations was at fault and alot more people than just me had Cajun Computers as a result. I was also told that Taiwanese companies produce inferior grade products for domestic consumption and export products that meet stricter international standards. I don't know how true this is but the Acer I bought here in Canada has never had a problem in the two years that I've owned it.

[nenemosha]

I'm wondering if there isn't something you can plug in the wall to determine the voltage... I'm planning on bringing my laptop too (4lbs and I only paid 1400 CND!! how can I resist??).

I think I'm going to check Radio Shack before I leave