Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > From England... buying a PB from the US?

From England... buying a PB from the US?
Thread Tools
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Sep 2005
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Sep 12, 2005, 06:00 PM
 
Hi all,

I'm about to buy a new 12" Super Drive PB, & I'm trying to get the best deal I can.

A friend of mine regularly travels to New York from the UK, & he suggested that I get him to buy the PB over there, which would save me a lot of money!

Would I have any problems getting it fixed if it broke? Would it have to be returned to the States to be fixed or could I take it to the Apple Store in London.

Please help, I wanna get my PB as soon as I can!
     
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Sep 2005
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Sep 12, 2005, 06:12 PM
 
I've bought a number of iBooks in the US and never had a problem with warranty issues. It is sold with an International warranty, so Apple will cover any problems covered by the warranty. You'll also save a few quid...

I always buy the iBook, then carry it through customs in my laptop bag, having thrown away the box etc. Never had a problem yet.

Nick
     
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: London, UK
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Sep 12, 2005, 07:03 PM
 
Definitely don't bring the packaging back. Post the documentation to yourself back home and just bring the book back like anyone else with a laptop. Done it before myself.
By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out - Richard Dawkins
     
Senior User
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Denver
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Sep 12, 2005, 07:17 PM
 
Freeflyer's right. Don't bring the packaging or receipts with you (post them separately) and complete the initial out-of-box system set up procedures before flying.

One nice thing about buying in the US is the PowerBook's keyboard. The US one seems more symmetrical (i.e. the caps lock and shift on the left and return and shift keys on the right side are proportionate) and the \ and ~` keys are in more logical positions. However, some people really like the UK keyboard. It does have those modern-looking universal arrow symbols for the tab, return, etc. keys.
     
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Sep 2005
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Sep 12, 2005, 09:16 PM
 
Take the laptop with you in your carryon luggage....and put the documentation in a magazine and put it in your regular luggage, in with the clothes. You wont have any problems.
     
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Apr 2003
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Sep 12, 2005, 10:36 PM
 
Apple honors warranty claims internationally for portable machines - strangely, this includes the Mac mini
     
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Sep 2005
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Sep 13, 2005, 06:12 AM
 
Thanks, the warranty id the thing I'm most concerned about.

I could have it shipped to me from New York, labelled as a gift, & it would pass through customs fine, if I'm not mistaken?
     
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: BFE
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Sep 13, 2005, 06:34 AM
 
For all they know, you moved. But I'd ship the box back via post/fedex/whatever because it is so cool. You can't just throw it away.

I'm a bird. I am the 1% (of pets).
     
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2003
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Sep 13, 2005, 10:55 AM
 
Originally Posted by freddywaddle8
I always buy the iBook, then carry it through customs in my laptop bag, having thrown away the box etc. Never had a problem yet.

Nick
So you mean that they never asked you to pay taxes when leaving US/entering Europe?
     
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Sep 2005
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Sep 13, 2005, 11:16 AM
 
Never. I've purchased 3 iBooks over the years and I have never been questioned.

Nick
     
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2003
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Sep 13, 2005, 11:26 AM
 
Originally Posted by freddywaddle8
Never. I've purchased 3 iBooks over the years and I have never been questioned.

Nick
To which country were you travelling?
     
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Sep 2005
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Sep 13, 2005, 04:03 PM
 
Originally Posted by Pierre B.
To which country were you travelling?
To the UK.

Nick
     
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Sep 13, 2005, 04:37 PM
 
only issue I see is that you'll have a $ on the keyboard instead of the L pound. Maybe you can remap it, as I assume you'll want the pound more than the dollar.
     
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: London, UK
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Sep 13, 2005, 06:24 PM
 
Originally Posted by sxates
only issue I see is that you'll have a $ on the keyboard instead of the L pound. Maybe you can remap it, as I assume you'll want the pound more than the dollar.
If you just change the language to english (UK) it remaps the # to £ for you. you get the # by hitting option instead of shift

J.
By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out - Richard Dawkins
     
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Apr 2003
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Sep 14, 2005, 06:16 PM
 
Alternatively, avoid annoying remaps of @ and " by leaving the keymap at US and just use option-3 to get the £ symbol
     
   
Thread Tools
Forum Links
Forum Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On
Top
Privacy Policy
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:53 AM.
All contents of these forums © 1995-2011 MacNN. All rights reserved.
Branding + Design: www.gesamtbild.com
vBulletin v.3.8.7 © 2000-2011, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd., Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.3.2