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julie2
Seeker
Joined: Sep 19, 2004
Posts: 62
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Dec 18, 2005 - 01:00 PM |
 
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| Post subject: Questions from a technological virgin |
OK, be gentle....I've never had a cellphone. Should I buy one in Shanghai or the U.S? I must have phone access to the U.S. after I move to China.
From reading this forum I should buy a laptop in the U.S., right? All I want is internet and email access. Thanks so much for your help. |
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kuldaen
Veejay
Joined: June 06, 2005
Posts: 2060
Location: Somewhere in Shanghai
Status: Offline
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Dec 18, 2005 - 01:32 PM |
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not sure what you mean by phone access to the US while you're here. Do you mean
1) you want to be able to call the US
or
2) you want to keep your US Cell number?
if 1) you'll probably find its cheaper to call the US using calling cards on a fixed/land line rather than on a cell phone.
if 2) you might be able to setup global roaming with your Cell operator in the US.
As for buying in the US or China, problem is most of the US Cell Networks are CDMA based, whereas most of the
Chinese ones are GSM based (though there are a few CDMA providers) These networks use different phones.
Even if your US provider is GSM, the frequencies used are different so you will need to buy a tri-band GSM phone
if you buy in the US. Its probably cheaper to buy one here in Shanghai and you'll be able to get the latest phones as well.
I don't know much about the CDMA networks here so can't help you on that side of things. |
_________________
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; I'm not sure about the universe |
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kuldaen
Veejay
Joined: June 06, 2005
Posts: 2060
Location: Somewhere in Shanghai
Status: Offline
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Dec 18, 2005 - 01:34 PM |
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oops re-reading your post, you do say you've never owned a cell phone so scratch my first question.
My recommendation is then to buy one here. You can then be guaranteed it works here.
To call home, its best to use calling cards on fixed phones or go with VoIP options like skype |
_________________
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; I'm not sure about the universe |
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kewlboy
Newbie
Joined: Dec 18, 2005
Posts: 4
Status: Offline
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Dec 18, 2005 - 02:06 PM |
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There are sms callback, im call back and other callback services that you can use that will allow you to lower your phone bill dramatically..... You can also subscribe to services that will forward phone call to your cell phone or landline in china cheaply.  |
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julie2
Seeker
Joined: Sep 19, 2004
Posts: 62
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Dec 18, 2005 - 11:37 PM |
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Thanks so much. It's important that I'm "reachable" by phone while I'm in china due to a family member's fragile health. So I'll buy a cell phone in China but use landlines for non-emergency calls. Can people in the U.S. call China on their cellphones? I guess it depends on the plan? |
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Magnolia
Board Biatch
Joined: June 01, 2004
Posts: 31071
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Dec 18, 2005 - 11:54 PM |
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People in the US can call a China mobile without a problem. There are usually slightly higher rates associated with doing so, but that's no biggie. All US-based mobile subscribers have been able to call my China home line and mobile from their mobile (higher rates again).
Since you are moving here, you are probably better off buying the phone here, plus the technology is usually more advanced. There are other benefits to having a China-based mobile (local calls, sms in Chinese, etc). It is also less expensive each month. The phone itself will be substancially more expensive because there are no discounts for subsciption service (ie, sign a two year agreement, get a phone for free or USD100).
I would buy the laptop in the US. |
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BOYCOTT BENSON SALON |
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ChaosKnign
Seeker
Joined: Sep 01, 2005
Posts: 51
Location: Wenzhou, Zhejiang
Status: Offline
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Dec 19, 2005 - 03:27 AM |
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My 2 feng,
I agree on the cell phone. Higher cost on the phone here, but latest/greatest, and it's unlocked, which means you can use it with any carrier that gives you a SIM chip. So if you go back to the States, you just get the SIM chip, you don't have to buy another phone.
Laptop though, either way you slice it, you'll end up with the smaller piece.
Buy a laptop in the States, good luck getting support for it here. The very nature of the laptop will make sure it will need some sort of service for something or other, sooner or later. Check when you purchase a laptop that support will be available in MAINLAND China (if there are fees, make sure they are reasonable, including Return To Depot service charges and whether the laptop model can be repaired in the field or if it has to be RTD'd every time, turn around time, etc.) Make sure that you get everything you want on it before coming (any extras that might have to be installed in the factory such as wireless cards or integrated BT or whatever) "Standard" RAM you can get here if you feel you need to upgrade, just make sure the lappy doesn't use some funky proprietary memory.
Buy the laptop here, you get support, BUT you're subject to weirdness. If you don't have a buddy here that can install an OS though, you'd be stuck with the guys selling you your laptop partitioning your hard drive into a million different pieces for some strange reason and putting WinXP Chinese version on there.
If I didn't have a laptop before coming to China, I would have purchased mine here. I would have picked me up an ASUS lappy. Most models are available here (and if they're not, you can speak to someone to get it for you) with VERY competitive prices, sometimes even lower than what it costs to get them in the States. Best bang for the buck in my opinion, ASUS usually has solid hardware. (NOTE: usually as with ANY product you get duds, but I've had the least problems with my ASUS gear)
Hope this helps!
K-9 |
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julie2
Seeker
Joined: Sep 19, 2004
Posts: 62
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Dec 20, 2005 - 10:52 PM |
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Magnolia, thanks for the info. Exactly what I needed to know!
Chaosknign, you should be a teacher---I understood everything you said, it was so clear. Thanks so much. Does asus have a website? Any idea what a basic asus lappy costs? |
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The_Meanderer
Fire-eater
Joined: Aug 11, 2005
Posts: 2734
Status: Offline
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Dec 21, 2005 - 12:42 AM |
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I was lucky and picked up my Asus laptop for 4500. It has good specs, I am very happy with it. I mostly run processor heavy music software, and it copes very well. It was partitioned into three drives ( which is a good practice) and the guys I bought it from installed English Windows XP, no problem.
If you happen to end up with CHinese windows (although in my experience the people who sell you the computer are more than happy to install English) it is very simple to install English windows, so don't worry about that! Good luck with everything.
BTW I have now bought four laptops (not all for me) from the top floor of the electronics building, on the corner of Fuxing Lu and Xiang Yang Lu. With the exception of one hurried purchase (I bought a lemon, it was my fault for being too eager and not checking it out properly) I have been very happy! |
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I am not a hero. You know who's a hero?
Hiro. From Heroes. That's a real hero.
And Bono. |
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