i will be buying either an iBook or a PowerBook for university in september.
I live in the UK and have an Uncle who lives in the states.
Should I
a) get my uncle to take one here next time he visits?
get it when i start uni and get student discount - how much is it for higher education?
c) Do something else?!
I don't need it for the start of term particuly, I can wait, also I am more likely to get better value/better specs/tiger if I wait.
Basicly, what is the cheapest way to get my laptop?
I think you should ask your uncle to buy one for you in the US.
I've been comparing the prices on the apple website a couple of weeks ago and it seems that prices are much higher in United Kingdom than in the US, even after taking the student discount into consideration.
What's more, don't forget that the dollar is extremely low right now, which brings the price in the US even lower!
Hope that helps!
EDIT:
Ok I've just made a small comparison.
The GBP/USD is now 1.885.
The price of a PB 15'' 1.67ghz SD in the US is 2299 $
The price of the same computer in UK is 1579 GBP, which is 2976 $...
So you see the huge difference (700 $), there is an arbitrage opportunity here
Oh and I 'm thinking about something else to get an extra discount. Does your uncle have a child in the US, which would allow you to benefit from the student discount in the US?
However, from a practicality point of view, you should buy from a *physical* apple authorised reseller in the UK, or if near London, the Regent Street store. This will be a little more expensive, but you can still get the edu discount.
It also means that when you have to contact Apple for a problem you can see the people you bought it from and have someone to ***** at directly, rather than some person in a call centre. This is really important, don't underestimate it. This is exactly what I did when I bought my 15" PowerBook for Uni last September.
I can also heartily recommend the authed reseller in Tewksbury as being really helpful and giving me a good price on an extra 512mb of RAM when I bought it.
EDIT:
Another point: Even though the lappies come with an international warrantee, you'll save some headaches buying from the UK as there will be less difficulty with the AppleCare department should you need to send it for repair. I have a friend that bought from the US and had no end of troubles getting it fixed when the screen got the white spots problem.
I can't imagine why Apple should care where you bought your computer. It's their hardware and they should honor any warranty associated with it. I bought my Powerbook online even though there are five Apple stores close to me.
I saved several hundred US$ by purchasing from the "Education" online store. It required absolutely no proof that I was an actual student. I just picked a university from the list and ordered my computer.
Just my two cents...
word of the wise:
"If you can wait, wait. If not buy it"
There will always be something bigger/better/badder
Buy it the last moment possible cause u will know u`ve got the latest tech for ur cash.
Anyways, i hate u all new Apple owners >.<
i can`t even afford a Mac mini :cry:
but the student discount only works for america. right?
Anyways, i hate u all new Apple owners >.< i can`t even afford a Mac mini :cry:
Unbeliever is a great asset to this community... What about organizing a collect for him? I'm sure if everyone gives something, he will be able to afford his minimac. In my opinion, he more than deserves it.
EDIT: The student discount works everywhere, I got a 300 $ rebate here in Switzerland.
I can't imagine why Apple should care where you bought your computer. It's their hardware and they should honor any warranty associated with it.
I know what you mean, but here in the UK, they seem to take a positive delight in being difficult. Not just with me, but also with others I know.
have your uncle order it online in the states using the edu discount. then have him bring it over or even fedex it
have your uncle order it online in the states using the edu discount. then have him bring it over or even fedex it
I would think you would lose the amount you saved if he flew over to the UK to hand deliver it. You should also have him price how much it would cost to ship it to you. I'm not sure how much it would cost to ship a computer overseas, but I do know it's not cheap here in the US if you want to make sure it's boxed with enough safety precautions to prevent anything happening to it should someone throw it around while it's being shipped. I would hate for you to try and save $700 only to have it damaged in some way. Order it here, find the cheapest and safest way to ship it, and everything will be cool. I would wait until after Tiger is released though, which is supposed to happen in the second quarter. Just my two cents.
well if his uncle is going to visit.. why not?
well if his uncle is going to visit.. why not?
True. Forgot about that part. Well, hopefully he will be visiting after Tiger is released. :-)
Purely out of interest, other than me and funky_monkey, are any of the above posters from the UK?
Although James comes from the UK, I do not
Unbeliever is a great asset to this community... What about organizing a collect for him? I'm sure if everyone gives something, he will be able to afford his minimac. In my opinion, he more than deserves it.
EDIT: The student discount works everywhere, I got a 300 $ rebate here in Switzerland.
even though i admit i'm flattered, i`m sure that most pple here consider me more of an ass than an asset 
anyways, i`ll earn money for it eventually (in a year or two >.< )
Purely out of interest, other than me and funky_monkey, are any of the above posters from the UK?
Sorry, but I am not from the UK. I am from Texas, which is big enough to be it's own country. And no, I don't go cow-tipping. 
<< new york... i wish london though
Purely out of interest, other than me and funky_monkey, are any of the above posters from the UK?
Not from the UK, but IN the UK.
@Unbe: Start working, yow... yow... ... :confused:
thanx for the masses of replies! well, im not sure when my uncle is next visiting, but i will hold off as long as poss and if he mentions comin over then i will go YAY!
He mentioned the insurance as well, and i hate it when things go wrong, so i might end up buyin in the uk anyway.
@ludge i like your thinkin of buying from a reseller, let them deal with the prob! might do that if i buy in the uk.
thanx for the masses of replies! well, im not sure when my uncle is next visiting, but i will hold off as long as poss and if he mentions comin over then i will go YAY!
Well, if you're into the latest and greatest and don't like upgrades, I would wait until Tiger is released. If you rather wait until Tiger has been out for a while to see what it breaks and what it doesn't, then I would get it as soon as possible. I would choose the first one, but then again, I love to beta test.
i might end up buyin in the uk anyway.@ludge i like your thinkin of buying from a reseller, let them deal with the prob! might do that if i buy in the uk.
It's really worth it.
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