Job Discussion Forums

[MeyeQui]

Cool, I got you're attention. I just have a question regarding shipping personal stuff to Japan (from Canada).

I want to ship my PC but people keep saying that it's unreasonable to do so. Why? Do shipping costs exceed the price of a new/used labtop or PC? I was thinking that I could just ship the main PC unit and buy the peripheral stuff in Japan. Please tell me what you think.

I just have another question regarding the use of North American appliances in Japan. Yeah yeah, I know the voltage differences and all but can you use an appliance through an adapter for prolonged lengths of time? Last time I was in Japan and Indo I used an adapter that would heat up pretty damm fast and some people said you shouldn't use an appliance through an adapter for more than an hour. ?????

Thanks and PEACE to all.

MeyeQui

[Celeste]

Get a laptop. It is so much easier to deal with, and as far as I know all laptops can take 100-240 volts. If your current computer is the computer of your dreams and you MUST have it with you, you are right that you can probably buy all of you peripherals here in Japan. Shipping stuff to Japan is not cheap though.

[migo]

Definitely get a Laptop. I doubt mainstream laptops will be any cheaper in Japan, but Japan is king when it comes to ultra portables, and they will be cheaper in Japan because they have to be imported from there to get them anywhere else.

Regarding the adaptors, it's not just Voltage, it's frequency. I'm not sure what the frequency is where you're from, but if you're using a 50Hz appliance on a 60Hz outlet, then it'll burn out pretty quickly. I think most if not all of europe is on 50Hz. North America is on 60Hz. I'm guessing Japan is as well as I haven't heard of any issues between NA and Japan.

[lajzar]

Its not just the shipping costs, but the quality of handling. I was quoted GBP 500 to ship a desktop PC - without any special care taken to handle it (ie as if it were the equivalent weight of clothes or something non-fragile). A decent computer is about 3 times that, but depreciates rapidly, and probably won't survive the trip in perfect condition. then of course tehre is the power supply issue, which won't apply to laptops.

If you absolutely must have *a* desktop PC, buy one in Japan, and bring the most critical components for you as hand luggage. Bring any software disks with you too.

But laptops are teh most sensible option.

[Mike L.]

Desk tops are dirt cheap here that's for sure. Especially if you're going to be anywhere near Akihabara in Tokyo..

About 40,000 yen gets you a fairly supped up machine.

Even a FLAT screen can be had for about 30,000 - 40,000 yen new!

Might want to bring software though as English software seems really pricey.

I know many of the cases come with a switch at the back so it may be possible to move them from country to country but there again is it worth it?

[Willy_In_Japan]

What I did was to take out all the components, such as the motherboard, hard disk, CD Rom etc, and carried it in my luggage. Unless your machine is a proprietary machine such as an IBM or a HP, this is the way to go, as shipping is too expensive otherwise, and then as mentioned, it probably would be damaged.

Then when I got to Japan, I paid a visit to Akihabara and picked up a monitor and a case. That is the best way to go if you dont want to buy a new machine here. Ive seen 'e' machines advertised for 50,000 yen. I don't know what your requirements are in a PC, but they are decent machines, and can probably play most games you would want to play and of course surf the internet. Simply load in English windows.

User Side in Akihabara has English OS's, and standard motherboards and video cards etc.

There are many used laptop sellers on the streets in Akihabara, and I recently bought a nice IBM Thinkpad with a PII 266 mhz and a USB port and CD rom etc.........i just loaded english windows on it and it is a great portable (although the battery doesnt last more than 5 mins in it, I just plug it in).....got it for 17,000 yen.

Just bring the software you use, and you should be able to get everything you need here including english keyboards in tokyo.

Willy

[Sheep-Goats]

If you don't have a laptop then buy one -- shipping an actual PC back and forth is silly. Your laptop will also double as a DVD player and stereo if you're in a real pinch.l

You can get a passable desktop these days for about 400 bucks. If it costs you 80 to ship it, and your machine is a year or two old, you're almost at that 400 already due to depreciation. Plus the cost to insure it. Plus hassels at the shipping office.

I'll never understand why English teachers (who are still in their globe hopping phase) buy desktop computers.

Before you go, find all the passkeys you need to install your software and write them on the relevant CDs using a felt marker. Bring any software you'll be using.

[Mike L.]

[quote]I'll never understand why English teachers (who are still in their globe hopping phase) buy desktop computers. [/quote]


I bought one after my laptop gave out becasue they're dirt cheap (1/2 price of decent laptop), can replace parts dirt cheap, and am not salarymen thus negating the need to take a computer with me everyhwere I go!

Laptops last a few years then you usuallt start to run into trouble....

[JimDunlop2]

Well, I'm not really in my "globe-hopping days" but I for one also bought a desktop for much the same reasons as Mike L. I bought my computer from Akihabara (assembled it from bits -- well they call it a "kit"). I suspect that by the time I'm ready to leave Japan, it will be obsolete enough that the only part to ship back to wherever we decide to live after Japan is going to be the HD (with all my data) and worst case scenario would be to ship the chip and maybe the MB as well... Everything else I can deal with buying new.

[ScottM]

If you are in Japan and wanting to ship the PC because you didn't bring it, then you're better off buying a cheap second-hand PC or building your own. I'd recommend only shipping things that are relatively light and sturdy. You could try shipping your HD if it's properly packed, but you'd be taking a chance. Plus, you probably only want or need certain information or programs, not the whole drive, which would be cheaper to get here.

If you aren't in Japan, then, depending on the size of the PC, you might want to take the parts (a la Willy_In_Japan) or the box and keyboard (a la my American neighbour) as carry-on luggage.

Things to consider:

You'll probably want English-language software, unless you're fluent in Japanese. Operating System, favourite programs, device drivers, game CDs... Be wary of bringing porn or pirated programs across international borders. (If you've got data that you don't want to leave behind, burn it, test it, and bring it with you.)

You'll want an English-language keyboard, since the Japanese keyboard has some maddening key assignments.

You don't need to worry about a mouse if you can wait a week to buy one. (It may take that long before you're settled enough to shop confidently.) Mice aren't any more expensive here than they are in the West and drivers aren't usually a problem, unless you're buying the latest in "ergonomia".

Unless you can make a compelling business case for bringing or buying a laptop, they're a bad investment. You will definitely get more for your money buying a desktop. More flexibility, more power, more storage, etc. If you're a fellow geek, building your own will get you even more for your money.

You can get decent, second-hand, flat-screen monitors here for less than 20,000 Yen.

Hope this helps.

[Eleckid]