"Rindler Sigurd" <srindler@da2.so-net.ne.jp> wrote in message
news:3f6032e6$1_3@news.uncensored-news.com...
> > >I purchased a Sony Cybershot from Akihabara  a year ago and bought it
> with
> > >an International Sony Warranty. So far no problems and the only thing I
> had
> > >to acquire for it was an English plug.  Shouldn't be a problem for you.
> >
> > I did a search on the model number he is interested in. It seems not
> > to be marketed in the US, so I think he would be shit-outta-luck
> > getting anything to it in Sepponia.
> >
> >
>
> If the company is called IBM... I can only second it. Their International
> Warranty is OK from A(fghanistan) to Z(ambia) with the exception of
J(apan).
> They didn't even acknowledge that a certain US laptop model existed!
> Anyway, a call to Sony (USA) should clear things up.
>

This has always been the chief reason I've discouraged 'transient' English
teachers from buying a new Japanese notebook computer. Prices between the
US/Japan compare well but dozens of Brits would love to get one of the
latest models for around 1000 quid. Even though I've become a pretty dab
hand at installing English OS on Japanese Windows-based machines it's a
simple fact that if/when they go wrong back home then the guys at the local
dealer will just scratch their heads and (especially if it's a Sony model)
point to the part in the manual (conveniently printed in English) that
states that Japanese language models can only be serviced in Japan.

BTW I'm quite proud of my latest installation - a full, and I mean not a
single yellow exclamation mark in the device manager, English OS
installation on a new Japanese Toshiba notebook. I even got all the fancy
extra buttons to work.   I think I've finally figured out how certain online
retailers manage to offer sold-in-Japan-only models with English operating
systems.  The most difficult components are those pesky little things that
come up as 'Unknown Device' in the device manager menu - once I figured out
how to get Windows to recognize them for what they were installing the
drivers was simple - just got to love Windows XP Japanese/English *.inf file
compatibility!

--
jonathan