Job Discussion Forums

cheryl · Joined: 01 Apr 2003 Posts: 119 Location: Japan

Hi everyone,

I've been getting mixed accounts on whether I should buy a laptop in Japan or not. My Japanese students say that laptops are cheaper in Japan, but my friends say that since the operating system would all be in Japanese that it wouldn't be worth it to buy the laptop there.

So my question goes out to all of you who are actually living and working in Japan and who have thought about or have bought a laptop.

Thanks in advance,

Cheryl

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

I brought a laptop with me when I moved to Japan from the USA. It worked just fine, and I was very comfortable with it. That was 1998. Now, it is outdated, and technology in Japan has changed for Internet provider access, so my old computer has problems connecting (among other things).

So, in January I bought a Japanese laptop. Besides getting a more current technological device, my (Japanese) wife can now use it with great ease.

My problems? The OS is obviously Japanese, so all of the menus are in kanji and hiragana and katakana. Even when I change Word or Excel to English mode, only the entries are in English; the menus are still in Japanese. So, whenever I have to use the menus, or whenever an error message comes up, it is hard to read. This is also true for general formatting of things (copying discs/files, general file management, etc.). One more thing...I maintained my America Online account, and was happy to see that this computer already had AOL installed on it, but all of its menus were in Japanese, too. AOL informed me that there is no way to install an English version on a Japanese OS computer, so I am stuck with this. On top of that, whenever I send an email to most people, the text displays some garbled characters before each and every line, making it difficult for the reader. You may not be able to get a user manual in English, either.

As for costs, I found Japanese and US laptops to be practically identical. The only thing better (in my opinion) is Japanese technology for screen displays. It is top of the line, but not a super top priority for me.

One more thing. My old computer had a warranty that was valid anywhere in the world. Not so with my new computer. Only in Japan.

guest of Japan · Joined: 28 Feb 2003 Posts: 1601 Location: Japan

Glenski's response is superb.

I'm still using the computer I brought with me from America. I've managed to connect it to ADSL, cable internet, and wireless internet. All of these have given me huge frustration, but they can all be done. The cd rom discs that you recieve for easy intstall will not load, so you have to be a little more creative.

I've been told by many Japanese sales staff that my computer would not work with the internet service they offer. In every case they were wrong and misinformed. Sometimes you will have to download programs from the net, but most things can be done. If you decide to buy a computer in Canada I suggest you also buy a fast ethernet card because that is something that will be necessary to establish either a cable or ADSL connection. I bought mine in Japan, but had to have a friend send me a driver for it from America.

I don't recommend trying to use a Japanese OS right away. I have to use it at work and it still makes me crazy.

BenJ · Joined: 11 May 2003 Posts: 209 Location: Nagoya

wouldnt you just buy a japanese laptop and then reinstall an English-language OS on it?

Smooth Operator · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 140 Location: Japan

I tried that Ben with a Sony VAIO laptop. I even used my friend's recovery discs from his almost identical US version when the normal XP disc didn't work. No luck. If you want to buy an English laptop in Japan buy a Toshiba as they are the only company selling English language PCs in Japan these days. Another place to check out is a shop in Kobe called Mercantile computers. They have a website. Use Google. I haven't bought from them though...

cheryl · Joined: 01 Apr 2003 Posts: 119 Location: Japan

Thanks everyone for your responses. My boyfriend has been saying relatively the same things as you and but i wanted to hear it from people actually in Japan. *sigh* Now his head has doubled in size!!

I'm going to buy a laptop with the ethernet card here in Canada. Thank you again!!

Mike L. · Joined: 28 Feb 2003 Posts: 519

I bought a laptop a few years back in Canada. What a mistake!

Even a relavtively expensive Toshiba available here in Japan with English OS would have been about the same price or relatively cheaper.

The big kicker was that the technology was about 6 months ahead in Japan. The size of the drive and memory on my laptop are smaller than what was available in Japan at that time for the same price. The processor was also slowever.

I had to go through the eithernet card nonesense too!

They all have it built in now.

You could try Toshiba dirrect or even go down to Akiharbara, if you'll be near Tokyo.

With the good exchange rate on the Canadian dollar you should do all right.

Good luck!

Sherri · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2003 7:56 am Post subject:

I love the Mac i-book that I bought in Tokyo. It already had both English and Japanese OS installed. So I can go easily between using Japanese and using English on my email and on MS Word. On the setting I use, all the menu items are in English, but by restarting it can be set in Japanese (or one of many other languages)

chinagirl · Joined: 27 May 2003 Posts: 235 Location: United States

We bought a Fujitsu laptop in the US that we brought to Japan, thinking that it would be easier to get it fixed if we had any problems. When we were in Tokyo we found that there were many computer/electronic stores in the Akihabara area that sell English-based OS for "export" and I think if I were to do it again, I would wait and buy a laptop there.

Celeste · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2003 12:07 am Post subject:

I am sitting here at work writing this post from a fujitsu laptop with an English version of windows 2000. My friend recently bought a laptop from best denki and it has English Windows XP. It wasn't hard to get. I think that if you go through smaller shops they may not have the staff that can put the English software package together for you, but at the bigger shops, they should be able to accomodate you.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

G Cthulhu · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2003 4:26 am Post subject:

While Microsoft products continue to suck mightily, XP *can* be switched to dual language modes. Much like any Mac can be. It's just that Macs have been able to do it for over fifteen years....

OP, buy an iMac. If you want to use Japanese character sets easily then buy a Japanese keyboard once you're here, plug it in, and you're set. Buying a PC is just asking for a nightmare.