Chinese notebooks and power supply for notebooks in China
gesang
April 25, 2009, 04:14 PM posted in General Discussion大家好！Maybe there is someone who can help me with information about this:
Last year when I left the monastery I am working in during summer in Tibet, one of the monks asked me to bring him a small notebook next year.
He said we have better notebooks than the ones you can buy in Lhasa. And he asked me to buy a small one in Switzerland for about 4000 yuan...which is possile for a small one..and as he is not a very skilled person in computer things he does not need the most fancy notebook with the newest and best equipment. I told him I will call him next year before I buy it to make sure he still wants it and has the money (I plan to give him a good price but i am not a rich person I can't give it to the monastery for free).
I agreed and now realized I never really think about it any further because it always seemed so long until I will have to buy it. But now the time has almost come...I plan to leave 31th of May.
Long story...now my problem:
When I took my notebook to China once, the guy in the computershop told be I should not load the battery while working at the computer. Seems that there is something different with the power supply..about the grounding or something..didn't really understand... (Somebody who knows and is able to explain to me again?)
It was possible for me as I only took it to download photos from my camera and watch DVD (which is, as this guy told me, no problem also with plugging in the charger cable because the programm does not need to work so much during replay of movies). But normally this is not a perfect condition...you can't always stop working at the computer to charge the battery before you can go on...
Is it possble to change something with the plug, for example fix a Chinese one directly to the cable without causeing any damage?? Or any other solution...???
(I only use those little tools to make my Switzerland plug fit in the China socket, but they don't change the power supply).
Is it right, that the quality of the notebooks in China (at least in citys small like Lhasa) is not good? Or is it possible that my friend the monk just didn't know and liked the idea of getting a western notebook? Would be much more easy for me to buy the notebook in Lhasa...and then I dont have this power supply problem...???
Any tips, information, hints..?
Thank you very much!
Gesa
RJ
May 01, 2009, 10:35 AMmiantiao,
thanks for the omo/fab tip. Its all good unless you're the "old man". I dont believe we have omo here but we do, or did have fab as I recall.
Its tough leaving a car sit. They tend to suffer more from no use, than heavy use. Yea, by all means, let us see that when you get it all "schmicked" up.
majablumer
April 26, 2009, 02:49 AMHi Gesang
As much as I love Switzerland I highly recommend buying the laptop in China. Any laptop you buy will have been made in Asia anyway, so you can't expect a better quality in Switzerland. Plus apart from the plug, your monk might not be happy with the Swiss keybord, the Swiss version of word etc., and it's really hard to get another one. I have quite a few friends who bought a notebook at Zhongguancun (in Beijing) and are absolutely happy about it and had no problems up to date. Additionally, it is very hard to find shop assistants in Switzerland who can explain things - I went through five shops last year before I found somebody who would sell me a camera, and paid like the triple price than I would have in China. That's certainly not a problem you face here. Plus you can (and must) bargain here, which makes shopping so much more fun.
I hope that helps and wish you good luck! Maja
gesang
April 26, 2009, 06:55 AM
@chanelle77
Thank you very much for your detailed information. With all the links and even information about CHF price!
This is maybe something I will try to get...this small kind of netbook thing...I think very important for Jabu is to have USB to connect the small digital camera the monastery bought last year and he wants to learn how to write in Tibetan. There is a software for this, and his cousin works in Zhada (small village near monastery) police office where he can get the software and help to use a computer.
Especially Thank you for suggesting a charity appeal. It is a lovely idea. I don't know how to organize it (used paypal to pay, but not for receiving money...) and I don't know if many people think like you.
I spent a lot of money to help people it Tibet (hospital bills, books, spring 08' support (no chance for many of my friends to go to work)...) and I will go on helping them but as I wrote I am not able to pay everything. Yes, when I get the salary for the work this summer I do have 500CHF to buy a notebook (thats why I feel strange to do what you suggest and ask people here to help without knowing me or the monks)...
...but there are many many more requests from friends in Lhasa and Westtibet ;-)... sometimes I have to explain to them that ammounts like few hunddred Swiss Franks are, also for me, a lot of money. I might be rich compared to my Tibetan friends but when I told them how much my rent in Bern is.., my bills, food prices in Switzerland... compared to what I earn they can see I am not that rich ;-)!
But I would guarantee the money (PC) will arrive. I will come back for the 4th time to this monastery this year. There are 9 monks now and they are really really nice people and became good friends.
But I think I should think about buying the notebook in Lhasa... as Maja added a good point about the keyboard...
@Maja, thank you for your help too. I totally agree about shops in Switzerland. e.g. I use Mac and there is only one shop in Bern with apple support counter...closed on saturdays... great ;-).
Yesterday when I wrote this post I also wrote an email to two friends in Lhasa to ask them about their opinion about notebooks available in Lhasa and about costs. I didn't get answers until now but I hope they can get some information.
thanks to you two so far!!! Gesa
miantiao
April 26, 2009, 08:32 AM@gesang
if you are prepared to travel to chengdu before you go to lhasa i can get you an asus laptop at cost. i'm pretty sure you have to go to chengdu anyway to get to lhasa by air.
eg;
asus
genuine intel core2 duo (duo T5850cpu) 2.1ghz
250gb HD
2gb memory
14inch screen
ati radeon hd graphics card
wireless internet
your choice of selected software including antivirus and ms office suite
xp windows(chinese)
global warranty(24 months)
4500rmb(after haggling for an hour or so you may get it for around 6, if your not good at haggling expect to pay 6500)
there are many more choices. my gf works at chengdu computor city and sells laptops and desktops, many people from tibet come to chengdu to purchase in bulk then take them back to lhasa and sell at big markups.
i'm not there at the minute, but can give you her phone number if you pm me.
chanelle77
April 26, 2009, 09:08 AMGesang, happy to help. I'm not rich either (well ofcourse for Chinese standards I am but for me also for me a notebook is a lot of money)!
However, I believe that many people doing a SMALL thing can make a BIG difference. So, for Paypal there are 2 options: if you can make payments you can also receive money. I logged into my account and found you can send a "money request", also I can transfer money directly but then I need the e-mail adress of the receiver.
If you like, I/ you can pm you/me the details and I will make the first donation and see if it works :-)
gesang
April 26, 2009, 09:23 AMmiantiao: I just had to look up the word bogan but I think the online dictionary left out the translation = sweetheart ;-)!
Thank you so much for offering to help. The problem is I DO fly via Chengdu, but I get the ticket from the foundation I work for and I dont have time to travel before I go to Tibet (normally rebook the flight back to add some holydays after work...). We fly with China air via Beijing, which is totally crazy if you look at it on the map...but it is the cheapest connection..then we only have a 1h stopover in Chengdu. You normally leave the plane, hang around in the airport without checking out..and get back in the same plane...same seat...only some other passengers change. Well,... I tend to babble...short: I will not be able to come to Chengdu city.
I will wait what my friends in Lhasa will answer and dicide what to do later...
thanks, Gesa
chanelle77
April 25, 2009, 11:49 PMHello Gesang, I read your post and it was not boring ;-). Not sure if I can be of any help but here a small suggestion:
Is your friend looking for a small notebook as in a "netbook"? Then the Asus eee pc could maybe be an option: I think it has all the option that he would need and this netbook is supposed ot be easy to use. If you look at the comparison sheet (don't let all the info scare you) there is one model with an extra ordinary battery life: 1000HE has up to 9.5 hours (that would bypass the charging issue I guess?).For the issue, I have no idea WHY he told that. To me it does not make much sense. Maybe someone else knows. As for the Western notebook. Maybe he is afraid that it could be fake if it is bought there?
In Europe you can buy this model definately under 442 EUR (I saw it for 541 CHF here that is 340 EUR?). Also, the good thing is that Asus has Global Warranty that you can get help if something is wrong any where in the world. Here some more links: Asus Ch, Asus forum Switzerland.
I think this would make a great charity subject. If 400 people contributed only 10 RMB then the monastry / your friend would have its pc? Not sure how to organize it (Paypal?) but I am in ;-)
jinkeli
April 29, 2009, 12:04 PMI will only add that in China there seems to be some sort of negative superstition about having the battery installed when plugged into power. I have seen it many times and on my last trip I unplugged my girlfriends laptop thinking to move to the table only to have it shut off. She gave me the same story...the guy said blah blah...haha.
All power supplies nowadays will be switching (100V to 250V etc.) and will generally filter out even flaky power and it is far more liikely to shorten the life of the power supply (charger) than the battery. So, it is better to charge it and then run the battery down than to leave it plugged in all the time.
-ck
miantiao
April 29, 2009, 10:09 PM@gesa
you make me laugh, bogan=sweetheart??
i can just imagine the reactions from said bogans in OZ.
the shazzas(sharons wearing black hipster mini-skirts, moccasins on their feet, a crop top with a picture of gun's and roses or kylie so as to show off the protruding results of nightly beer and chips, make-up so thick you would need an angle grinder to remove, mouth rotating at 400rpm chewing gum -cigarette hanging from one corner- and a big 80's hair-do) telling you how @#$%%$ noice ya ahh.
the gazzas(garys still in black jeans when its 40 degrees in the shade - or the stone washed grease stained variety that haven't seen the omo once in their life - mullet hair-do, flannalette shirt with gun's and roses or picture of hot car t-shirt underneath, mocassins or thongs on the feet - depending on season - cigarette hanging form one corner of the mouth, bent over an engine bay of a hot car) telling you that's @#$%^# noice daarrrlin but don't tell me @#$%#$ mates roighto?
if you get a few days off after your project work and feel like spending a day or two in chengdu me my local sichuanese shazza would be happy to take you out to hotpot with some of the other local bogans;-P
bababardwan
April 29, 2009, 11:40 PMmiantiao,
That's hilarious.Best description of shazza's and gazza's I've ever seen bar none.Spot on.Esp. loved the quotes,lol.
gesang
April 30, 2009, 03:42 PMmiantiao, sounds like a very special Chengdu experience! Ha ha, loved your description too...I think there is an equivalent species in Germany. ha ha ha
...Never made it out of Chengdu airport before...just yesterday I talked to my travel agent about changeing my return flight in October from what the foundation booked for me...and I didn't fixed my trip yet... :-) be careful with those offers, I might remember when booking ;-)!
RJ
May 01, 2009, 09:33 AMMiantiao,
bogans unite. Great description. (Im getting better at Aussie, but I did have to look up "omo") Were you raised in China?
miantiao
May 01, 2009, 10:08 AM@rj
no mate, born and raised in some of the more nefarious suburbs and towns in Aust. always had an interest in china since i was a kid though.
spent the day today getting my boganmobile going again. finished restoring it two years ago, about a month before i left for chengdu. driven it twice in two years, last year about this time i came home for two weeks, took the young bloke for a drive and snapped an alternator bracket bolt. stayed like that until today, gathering about an inch covering of dust in the garage.
drilled the little cretin out of the engine block today and bought two high tensile bolts to replace the dodgy brothers ones supplied with the bracket, didn't wash the dust off and just took it out and lit it up around town. you can take the bogan out of bogansville, but you can't take the bogansville out of the boy!
i'll get a pic of it after i schmick it up and use it as my avatar to replace my existing one of the same model car.
there's a secret about omo and fab , two brands of washing powder, that was privvy to us soldiers in townsville where i spent a few years. many married quarters were back then all put in one or two suburbs. if the omo was placed in the laundry window it meant the Old Man's Out, and your welcome to come for a 'visit', but if the fab was displayed it meant that the 'F#$%#$ A@#$@$%*'s Back, and now is not a good time. :-)
RJ
April 26, 2009, 11:16 AMGesa,
I am wondering if there is really any advantage to buying outside of China. Sometimes they hear these things and believe, but usually not true. A friend and co-worker of mine visited from China last year and she insisted she wanted to buy a computer (lap top) here, because it would be better. Better? They are all made in China. Anyway she ordered it with my help to be delivered to me. Unfortunately it was delivered one day after she left. I couldnt bear to break her heart so I told her I could ship it through the company my wife worked for, and it would be free. I did this, but it wasnt free. In addition she was given a free printer with this purchase and it came in a separate box. Shipping both boxes cost me more than she paid for the computer I think. When it got to China, she had to pay a few more dollars to get it released from customs. I know this computer was no different than one she would buy in China and it was missing convenient Chinese software. The moral of this story is - buy in China. As for helping with the cost, I would also be willing to help as Chanelle has suggested if you set it up. Your integrity is not in question here. I am also suspicious of the charging issue story you were told, this just doesnt sound right. Good luck and God bless you for helping those in need.
RJ
gesang
April 25, 2009, 04:27 PMmy post with the question got so long...I am afraid you are bored to read it...but as I hope to get any help I like to add some colour to my post ;-)
This is Jabu, the monk I am writing about, in Red Temple in Tholing, in the monastery I am writing about :-)!!