[shafj]

Hi Everyone,

I’m going to Japan on holiday in a few weeks time. I’ve been checking the prices of MacBook Pros in Japan and with the current exchange rate (I’m working in the Middle East) they work out to be a lot cheaper than what I can get here.

I know software shouldn’t be a problem since I can choose different language & localization settings. But what about the keyboard? I read that we can request for a standard English keyboard instead of the Japanese ones when buying the MacBook Pros. Can this be done over the counter at the retail stores or is it BTO only? Does it cost extra?

Are there any other things I should look out for?

Anyway thanks for any advice you could give.

[Randman]

You may need to but a converter plug. Been awhile since I was in the middle east so can't remember so that may add on a few more dollars along with a keyboard.

[jonswan]

Hi,
I live in Tokyo and have a Macbook Pro! You can go to one of the Apple stores in Tokyo - the Ginza store is nice + they speak good English sometimes... - you can ask them to fit an English only keyboard, which shouldn't take them long - a matter of hours, or overnight. Everything else is the same as on all Macs. The electric current is 110-240 so I presume that covers everywhere - just get yourself an adaptor.
Presently the yen is 245 to the pound, so yes, they are a bit cheaper at 259,000 for the basic MPB.

[shafj]

Originally Posted by jonswan 

Hi,
I live in Tokyo and have a Macbook Pro! You can go to one of the Apple stores in Tokyo - the Ginza store is nice + they speak good English sometimes... - you can ask them to fit an English only keyboard, which shouldn't take them long - a matter of hours, or overnight. Everything else is the same as on all Macs. The electric current is 110-240 so I presume that covers everywhere - just get yourself an adaptor.
Presently the yen is 245 to the pound, so yes, they are a bit cheaper at 259,000 for the basic MPB.

Do you know if the English keyboard will cost extra?

Anyway thanks for the info.

[tomato71]

It should not cost you anything extra if you buy from the Apple store in Ginza. I've noticed that places like Sofmap in Shinjuku or Akihabara also carry models with US keyboards, sometimes at cheaper prices that those with a Japanese layout. You might want to check out Sofmap anyway as you can often get better deals on memory upgrades and such.

[JoshuaZ]

When in doubt call their Japan english support line and order it from there, COD (gotta love paying for a new computer, at your door, in cash!). My next door neighbor ordered his Macbook and got it 4 days later. With a US Keyboard, no extra cost. I plan on doing the same in August, ordering myself a nice new Macbook Pro!

Just buy the world traveler's kit. Sounds like you get around a bit and it should cover most of the world, all for around 3,000¥.

[gen]

You do not need anything inc. a converter plug if you live in US.

[blackslayer]

i wonder will it be cheaper to get it from singapore or japan..

[shafj]

Originally Posted by blackslayer 

i wonder will it be cheaper to get it from singapore or japan..

At the current exchage rates (1 SGD = 80.4783 JPY), its slightly cheaper in Japan:

From the Japan Apple Store, the price for the 2.4GHz 15.4" MacBook Pro = 319,800 Yen (SGD 3,973).

From the Singapore Apple store, the price = SGD 4,188

Both prices include tax/GST.

[JoshuaZ]

Originally Posted by shafj 

At the current exchage rates (1 SGD = 80.4783 JPY), its slightly cheaper in Japan:

From the Japan Apple Store, the price for the 2.4GHz 15.4" MacBook Pro = 319,800 Yen (SGD 3,973).

From the Singapore Apple store, the price = SGD 4,188

Both prices include tax/GST.

Yeah, but its still more expensive then buying it in the US. Damn yen being so weak!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank god I get an educational discount.

[jonswan]

Beware: in Japan the only place you can order a new one with an English only keyboard is at an Apple store, not at Softmap or anywhere else, as far as I know. You could get one from Softmap for $150 less, but it has a Japanese/English keyboard. I have one and I'm regretting it - some of the keys look messy and they are not where they say they are!
If you order an MBP with an English keyboard at Apple in Ginza it costs the same - it just might take half a day or so. You can also get 30% off dotmac membership when you buy, which is a nice touch.

[stripeycat]

jonswan,
I lived in Japan and had 3 macs in my years there, albeit 2 iMacs and an eMac. They all had Japanese keyboards and that was never a problem cos you can change the keyboard layout (I'm Australian so I changed my layout to Australian - couldn't stand the apostrophe being Shift + 7 on the Japanese layout!) provided you're familiar enough with your favoured layout to remember where the keys are! If your layout's been changed maybe that's why you're not getting what you type. (I could never find the tilde.)
But with a Japanese keyboard you can choose whether to input Japanese or English - toggle it by pressing space + the kana key to the right of the space bar. Don't know if you speak or write Japanese documents but it could come in handy one day. I miss my Japanese keyboard... it had so many more characters than the boring English ones.

[Randman]

In Singapore, SGL marketing is the place to go for Macs for a better price (not affiliated with them but I have bought 2 laptops there).

[jonswan]

Hi Stripey cat,

I speak but don't read Japanese so the J keyboard is an annoyance. Also, with a desktop you can simply replace the keyboard with an English one for £15 (ooh, just found the pound sign) but with laptops it's harder - and nigh on impossible if you didn't buy it at the Apple store (my problem) as they won't touch it unless it breaks, which is very annoying seeing as it is still a £1600 machine of theirs. I am having a chap I know change it for me but it's gonna cost more like £100, but what the hell. It's not that I can't learn where the hidden punctuation is - it's that I can't be bothered learning.

Feel like we've hijacked the thread.

[tomato71]

Originally Posted by jonswan 

Beware: in Japan the only place you can order a new one with an English only keyboard is at an Apple store, not at Softmap or anywhere else, as far as I know. You could get one from Softmap for $150 less, but it has a Japanese/English keyboard. I have one and I'm regretting it - some of the keys look messy and they are not where they say they are!
If you order an MBP with an English keyboard at Apple in Ginza it costs the same - it just might take half a day or so. You can also get 30% off dotmac membership when you buy, which is a nice touch.

Just to be clear, what did you order from Sofmap exactly? I have bought many a computer from Sofmap and have always requested a Japanese model -- whose keys have both alphabet (qwerty) and Japanese characters on them. I have had no quality problems with these. So if Sofmap says they are selling computers with a US keyboard, does that possibly mean that you are receiving something other than an Apple made keyboard? Cheers.

[jonswan]

Hi
I didn't buy from Softmap - but from going there and asking, I gathered that the only keyboard available is a Japanese/English one, which OK up to a point but pretty annoying sometimes when you can't locate colons, brackets etc, which are not always in the place there supposed to be in. Softmap Macs are a little cheaper though, so if you don't mind the keyboards then why not? They're even cheaper if agree to start using their preferred internet provider.

[ninahagen]

I live in Japan too. Just to be sure, I would call the Apple Store in Ginza, order it ahead with your credit card, so it is ready when you arrive. Make sure to get the name of the staffer you place the order with, and call just before leaving the Middle East to make sure it is done.

nina

[jonswan]

I went into the Ginza store in Tokyo the other day. The Apple guy there said it'd take a couple of hours max to get your English only keyboard. Maybe more if it's the weekend due to the sheer numbers. But, we don't have the iPhone here so there's no hysteria!