Job Discussion Forums

[Damd]

Hiya.

I should be going to Osaka sometime in February 2006 and I�m wondering if I should buy a laptop before I leave or once I arrive. Most of my friends and family in Canada have MSN and email so a computer will be essential for me communicating back home. I�ve heard that electronics in Japan are not only cheap, but of very high quality. For this reason I would like to wait until I get to Japan to buy one, but I�m not sure where to look for a good laptop or if I�ll be able to communicate with the salesperson. I can speak very little Japanese (so far I can ask �How much would it be?� and possibly understand a number spoken back at me)� on average, do salespeople in Osaka have enough English to be able to tell me about some of the features of a laptop? Are Japanese laptops very much different from Western ones?

Forgive me for being an ignorant gaijin.

[Nismo]

Computers are cheaper in NA, so get one before you leave. Electronics are not cheap in Japan. They can be cheap, if you look hard and are patient, but the same could be said for NA retailers. Basically, any computer or electronic device you can find in NA, you can find in Japan, but with a higher price on it. I can give countless examples, including my current laptop, Canon Digital Camera, Lexmark printer, iPod - hell, even a rice cooker is cheaper in the States.

The quality in Japan is the same you'll find in your home country. I bought a Sharp Mebius laptop two years ago in Japan - it was fried within a year, so don't worship the mythical infinite quality that is supposed to come from Japanese market goods. The OS in Japan will be in Japanese, unless you look around hard.

Luck.

[canuck]

Get one before you leave. You'll probably want an English only keyboard and an English OS. You can get them here, but the selection of English only is quite a bit less.

[Gordon]

Yes, buy one in Canada. Ask about an int'l warranty and if they have offices in Japan. Dell laptops are dirt cheap right now.

The Toshiba laptop I have right now cost about $2800 2 years ago. It has never been very good either.

[Damd]

Thank you all for your information. Looks like I'll buy my laptop in the great white north.

[famous]

I bought a laptop at the Apple Store in Shinsaibashi. There are many staff members who speak english, including foreign staff. i got an english keyboard, operating system, software,manual, etc. and I got a warrantee that's good around the world (apple care). prices were lower than canada if you want an apple (less sales tax!!). the staff was so helpful! I went back many times with loads of questions.

[Rorschach]

You would have been better served going to Yodobashi Camera or Biccamera to get an iBook/Powerbook. Despite the fact that YC staff generally don't speak English (or choose not to depending on the mood they are in) you can communicate fairly easily with them if you know exactly what you want. They also have the point system which the Apple store doesn't have. It isn't much (5%) but I was able to get extra RAM free using the points accrued from the purchase of my iMac.

[canuck]

[Rorschach]

On Apple products though? Generally stuff from Apple keeps its RRP because retailers order limited runs on them due to the lack of popularity. On the two occasions I have been to the Apple store the prices have been the same as Yodobashi. PC's are obviously different, if I was building a PC I'd shop around in Den Den.

[Gordon]

Anyone have an idea why Apple computers are cheaper here than in NA or other countries? Trying to break into the market? Prices here are about 20-25% less than in Canada. Most other computers I've seen cost a fair bit more when you factor in an English OS.