Bali Expat Forum - Bali Travel Forum

I am looking for a laptop to buy, when I am in Bali. Maybe someone has a used laptop they want to get rid off? If not, are the prices compareable to the prices in Europe?

Thanks,

Theo

Yes pretty comparable....

They have some 2nd hand shops in Denpasar as well....

And "older types"....

I think you can get something new around 5-7 million....

Thanks Bert,

Since I have to go back later, I wanna give my wife a laptop, so we can chat/ webcam/ call all at the same time.

Do you have any experience with this Bert? Is the connection regarding calling via MSN or whatever any good?

I got a Toshiba M105-S1021 from rimo computer . for just over 6 million....and skype or msn works good as long as there is a good connection,

Usually is good at the restuaunts that have wireless.

I wouldnt buy a second hand Laptop.....just my opinion

I agree, I wouldn't buy a second hand laptop. The trouble is they run hot. I think that's why one year warranty laptops are cheap and a three year warranty jacks the price up quite a lot.

I have a second hand Thinkpad for sale on ebay. The current bid is 99 cents which is probably what it's worth.

Not sure about using a webcam in Bali. If you have adsl or a fast gsm connection it might be ok but probably still pretty jerky.

BTW Theo did you get married already?

I use a webcam with my friend in Bali and it is fine. Sometimes a long wait for connection to the cam but no problems. We also chat via yahoo. T

I use a webcam with my friend in Bali and it is fine. Sometimes a long wait for connection to the cam but no problems.

Nothing like first hand experience!

Good to know, thanks Tina.

Thanks people!

I think her connnection will still go through phone line. Don't know yet.

Allan: Not married yet. Next week friday I am flying out there. Pretty much all the papers have been legalized etc. Only hassle is that we are waiting for my birth certificate. I am adopted, and never been given a birth certificate. I will surely post some pictures!

Also we used and use Skype (chat) and webcam by telephone line. Works. Sometimes connection fail but rare.
Hope you get your birth certificate and have a nice wedding.

Thanks Patatje, yesterday I heard the news that they found the birth certificate..!

Aaah, this post.

Well, when I was in Bali, we bought a laptop in Denpasar, in one of the bigger shopping malls, could have been mata hari or sth..

Costs were around 8 juta.. Built in webcam, and a thingy to use the laptop with telkomsat.. wireless thing.

Hey Theo could you be a little more specific about what you've bought. Reason is, I asked around about laptop pricing on Bert's new XPS and he said he bought it in the Netherlands but thought the prices were about the same in Bali. Sounds though yours was not too bad, but depends upon the spec???

While I am not advocating piracy of software, the fact is one of the greatest advantages to buying new computer in Bali is that most dealers will load it up with all the software you need as part of the package price which will end up being a very good buy.

Essentially this will boil down to paying a compatible price for the same hardware as elsewhere, and paying nothing for the software which most dealers are more than happy to install at no charge.

Another advantage is service. Most dealers, especially the smaller shops, are more than happy to service your computer at your own place, and for a very modest charge. This is particularly convenient with PCs.

Thanks for the tip Roy but I gotta tell you that all that "extra" service you are getting is still called pirate software - don't get me wrong, I too would never, never advocate the use and spread of same - nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

What you are saying, I guess, is pretty much what Bert said - that the hardware prices are about the same as in Europe?

"What you are saying, I guess, is pretty much what Bert said - that the hardware prices are about the same as in Europe?"

Exactly. The same is true for cell phones and digital cameras.

Despite "attempts" to stamp out pirated software, music and film DVDs in this country, the practice continues more or less unabated.

Buying any computer here with a pirated version of an operating system installed on it can result in difficulties installing up-dates, security patches, and the like, later on. Then again, and despite what Micro$oft and others might want you to believe, a lot of the patches are either pretty much useless for a "normal user", don't work anyway, create new problems, etc, even with legal original software.

"Automatic updates" from Micro$oft are also something to avoid like the plague, IMHO, at least until the various patches have had a good run in the field and any new bugs/kinks have been ironed out properly. Don't believe me? Look at the poor bastards who've saddled themselves with Vista and Service Pack 1. Like me.

I run legal Vista Business on my notebook. Had it since last December and initially set it for "Automatic updates". I've turned that off now and quite frankly, can see no difference to my computing experience. Yeah - sure - maybe I was "safer" and "more secure" but Micro$oft and Security in the same breath leaves a lot to be desired.

Please don't get me wrong - I am not a Micro$oft basher. I've used its OS software since the days of DOS and Windows 3. I wouldn't say that all my experiences were positive. But I've become accustomed to the idea that a "perfect" OS simply doesn't exist and is perhaps even impossible, especially with the sheer numbers of programmes out there, hard-ware platforms, drivers...

I'm not going to touch Vista SP1 for at least another six months.

Laptops and notebook computers are readily available in Bali these days. And there are some spectacular bargains to be had if you know exactly what you want/need. I just heard recently that many of the outlets in the RIMO complex on Jalan Diponegoro (Denpasar), have been slashing their prices. Maybe too much competition. The worst prices you will pay will be at least comparable to those of Western countries, often cheaper.