Purchase notebook with German keyboard in north America.
Tópico cartaz: hschl
hschl
hschl  Identity Verified
Local time: 03:35
inglês para alemão
+ ...
Nov 20, 2006

Does anybody know of a source in North America (Canada preferred) were I can buy a new notebook with German keyboard wich comes with warranty (which can be handled over here?). I tried to go throuh Dell, IBM (or what was IBM) etc, but I seem to be the first person ever asking them that questions... Thanks for any help. I looked through Ebay, but there is not much warranty support once a unit is here.

 
Jerzy Czopik
Jerzy Czopik  Identity Verified
Alemanha
Local time: 03:35
Membro (2003)
polonês para alemão
+ ...
What about a Sony Vaio? Nov 20, 2006

They should have a world warranty...
Try to buy via www.newegg.com or www.e-cost.com, maybe they will be able to help you.
Should you decide to buy in Germany and need a shipment, just contact me and I´ll try to help you.

Kind regards
Jerzy


 
Michele Johnson
Michele Johnson  Identity Verified
Alemanha
Local time: 03:35
alemão para inglês
+ ...
Workaround: keyboard remap, for instance with KeyTweak? Nov 20, 2006

This is obviously not the perfect solution but I know people who have simply remapped a US keyboard to a foreign one. In fact I know the guy who wrote this piece of code:
... See more
This is obviously not the perfect solution but I know people who have simply remapped a US keyboard to a foreign one. In fact I know the guy who wrote this piece of code:
http://webpages.charter.net/krumsick/
German description: http://www.freeware-base.de/freeware-base-artikel5812.html

Perhaps an alternative if you are unable to order a German keyboard (and potentially interesting for others in a similar position).
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hschl
hschl  Identity Verified
Local time: 03:35
inglês para alemão
+ ...
CRIADOR(A) DO TÓPICO
Thanks for the offer. Nov 20, 2006

Jerzy,

thank you very much for your offer .o)

I am over in Germany once in a while myself, but whenever going to stores, I get the answer, that "warranty is valid in the EU and the unit MUST be returned to the store, where it was purchased" which would result in horrendous shipping costs and delays, which leaves online and mial order places, but the only people I am able to get on hte phone do not realy care about answering my questions, but are trying to sell me someth
... See more
Jerzy,

thank you very much for your offer .o)

I am over in Germany once in a while myself, but whenever going to stores, I get the answer, that "warranty is valid in the EU and the unit MUST be returned to the store, where it was purchased" which would result in horrendous shipping costs and delays, which leaves online and mial order places, but the only people I am able to get on hte phone do not realy care about answering my questions, but are trying to sell me something I do not want for a low interest rate of 29%... lol. I will keep searching and/or follow the thread I started...


Henrik



Jerzy Czopik wrote:

They should have a world warranty...
Try to buy via www.newegg.com or www.e-cost.com, maybe they will be able to help you.
Should you decide to buy in Germany and need a shipment, just contact me and I´ll try to help you.

Kind regards
Jerzy
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Daniele Heinen
Daniele Heinen  Identity Verified
Canadá
Local time: 21:35
Membro (2006)
inglês para francês
+ ...
Reconfigure your keyboard - Nov 21, 2006

Unless you absolutely want the physical layout under your fingers you can reconfigure any keyboard under Windows in over 20 layouts, using (windows XP) Settings Control Panel and Regional Options.
You can always put little stickers on your keyboard as cues
In fact if you go to the web site of the Office québécois de la langue française the recommended CSA standard (Canadian multilingual and NOT Canadian French) which I use all the time for French allows you 14 different European
... See more
Unless you absolutely want the physical layout under your fingers you can reconfigure any keyboard under Windows in over 20 layouts, using (windows XP) Settings Control Panel and Regional Options.
You can always put little stickers on your keyboard as cues
In fact if you go to the web site of the Office québécois de la langue française the recommended CSA standard (Canadian multilingual and NOT Canadian French) which I use all the time for French allows you 14 different European languages without any more ado.
I keep promoting this in answer to all the " my computer does not have the accents" comments I hear all the time in the US.
See http://oqlf.gouv.qc.ca/ressources/ti/clavier.html; print a map of the keyboard, stick it next to you and happy touch type!
Danièle Heinen
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Nicolas Coyer (X)
Nicolas Coyer (X)  Identity Verified
Colômbia
Local time: 20:35
espanhol para francês
+ ...
Worldwide warranty Nov 21, 2006

I think I was once told by a rep at Dell that I could buy a unit in the US (in my case) and buy additional coverage once I got back to my home country with the original one still valid (the basic one year warranty for instance).
Try and ask that in both countries that apply in your case.


 
Steven Sidore
Steven Sidore  Identity Verified
Alemanha
Local time: 03:35
alemão para inglês
Buy a US laptop and sticker the keys yourself Nov 21, 2006

Keyboard layout (what appears on the screen when you press a given key) is a software issue and can be set in the control panel. So setting it to act like a German keyboard is no problem. The next step, if it's important to you, is then buying good after-market stickers to put on the respective keys. There are some good ones out there, just poke around on the internet. Although honestly, if you learn to touch-type you don't look at the keyboard anyway and
can just go without.


 
Michele Johnson
Michele Johnson  Identity Verified
Alemanha
Local time: 03:35
alemão para inglês
+ ...
Go with a local computer shop? Nov 21, 2006

Henrik Schlieker wrote:

... which leaves online and mial order places, but the only people I am able to get on hte phone do not realy care about answering my questions, but are trying to sell me something I do not want for a low interest rate of 29%...


If you don't want to go the keyboard remap/stickers route:
Instead of spending hours on the phone and never getting a firm answer, this is a case where I would go local. I'm sure there is a "computer dude" running a shop in your town or nearby. Let them do the legwork and assume responsibility for the delivery of the notebook with German keyboard. I'm sure you'll pay a bit more but think of the opportunity cost of time wasted on the phone. I assume you have a pretty good idea of what you want - give them your specs, let them research it, and put your dollars to work locally.


 
Jan Pohl
Jan Pohl
Espanha
Local time: 03:35
espanhol para alemão
+ ...
Dell Nov 22, 2006

Hello Henrik,

a friend of mine bought a Dell notebook in Spain with a German keyboard. He just ordered it so and there were no problem. Perhaps it works in Canada, too.

Good luck,

Jan


 
Jan Sundström
Jan Sundström  Identity Verified
Suécia
Local time: 03:35
inglês para sueco
+ ...
Buy US model with easily replaceable keyboard! Nov 22, 2006

Henrik Schlieker wrote:

Does anybody know of a source in North America (Canada preferred) were I can buy a new notebook with German keyboard wich comes with warranty (which can be handled over here?). I tried to go throuh Dell, IBM (or what was IBM) etc, but I seem to be the first person ever asking them that questions... Thanks for any help. I looked through Ebay, but there is not much warranty support once a unit is here.


Hi Henrik and all,

I think this solution would work out the safest, cheapest and most convenient for you:

1. Buy a standard US laptop off the shelf, from any of the wellknown brands.

2. Make sure that your model has an easily replaceble keyboard (for many models, you can just flip a hinge and disconnect it!) Thinkpad, Vaio, Toshiba, Dell are wellknown for this.

3. Buy the corresponding QWERTZ keyboard cheap off German Ebay:
http://computer.search.ebay.de/?fcid=1&fpos=&catref=C12&ga10244=10425&gbr=1&coentrypage=search&ftrv=1&sbrsrt=l&ftrt=1&fsop=3&fsoo=1&copagenum=1&from=R10&satitle=tastatur*&sacat=132112&coaction=compare&save=Speichern

4. Connect! Problem solved.

5. If you ever have a warranty issue, just put the original US keyboard back before you make any claims...

Good luck,

/Jan


 
hschl
hschl  Identity Verified
Local time: 03:35
inglês para alemão
+ ...
CRIADOR(A) DO TÓPICO
Great idea Nov 22, 2006

Jan Sundström wrote:

Henrik Schlieker wrote:

Does anybody know of a source in North America (Canada preferred) were I can buy a new notebook with German keyboard wich comes with warranty (which can be handled over here?). I tried to go throuh Dell, IBM (or what was IBM) etc, but I seem to be the first person ever asking them that questions... Thanks for any help. I looked through Ebay, but there is not much warranty support once a unit is here.


Hi Henrik and all,

I think this solution would work out the safest, cheapest and most convenient for you:

1. Buy a standard US laptop off the shelf, from any of the wellknown brands.

2. Make sure that your model has an easily replaceble keyboard (for many models, you can just flip a hinge and disconnect it!) Thinkpad, Vaio, Toshiba, Dell are wellknown for this.

3. Buy the corresponding QWERTZ keyboard cheap off German Ebay:
http://computer.search.ebay.de/?fcid=1&fpos=&catref=C12&ga10244=10425&gbr=1&coentrypage=search&ftrv=1&sbrsrt=l&ftrt=1&fsop=3&fsoo=1&copagenum=1&from=R10&satitle=tastatur*&sacat=132112&coaction=compare&save=Speichern

4. Connect! Problem solved.

5. If you ever have a warranty issue, just put the original US keyboard back before you make any claims...

Good luck,

/Jan


Jan, (and all)
thanks for this tip. I guess I have never been nosy enough to start and try to take my laptop apart...lol. This might just be the way to go, if I can get this done without having to remove the warranty sealed screws...

Henrik


 
Jan Sundström
Jan Sundström  Identity Verified
Suécia
Local time: 03:35
inglês para sueco
+ ...
Ask about warranty Nov 23, 2006

Hi Henrik and all,

I just heard from a friend who is a laptop retailer, that many brands do have "warranty stickers" that prevents you from disconnecting the keyboard without voiding the warranty. ASUS, Acer, HP are some of the brands that prohibit this.

Apple allow it, at least in some countries.
Lenovo might allow it, if you mention upon purchase that you intend to exchange the keyboard.

Another consideration is actually OEM laptops! Since they are
... See more
Hi Henrik and all,

I just heard from a friend who is a laptop retailer, that many brands do have "warranty stickers" that prevents you from disconnecting the keyboard without voiding the warranty. ASUS, Acer, HP are some of the brands that prohibit this.

Apple allow it, at least in some countries.
Lenovo might allow it, if you mention upon purchase that you intend to exchange the keyboard.

Another consideration is actually OEM laptops! Since they are manufactured for many brands, they are interchangeable and modular, and spares are abundant.
In fact, many OEM laptops pride them self with having parts branded Intel, this is supposed to be a good sign, because of high availability:
http://www.intel.com/cd/channel/reseller/emea/eng/283656.htm

Some laptop stores sell their own "inhouse brand" based on these Intel OEM, and can easily backorder an extra German keyboard, just like our fellow prozian suggested above. The cost for the retailer is only about $10, and a reputable shop will stand for the warranty.

Read more:
http://mcelrath.org/laptops.html
http://forums.livingwithstyle.com/254022.html

Best,

Jan
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DanIssa
DanIssa
inglês
German keyboard Jul 12, 2007

The easiest thing here is to purchase the US laptop with english keyboard, and then install German keyboard stickers (from say, http://www.latkey.com ). At least, I've done that at work and on my laptop.

[Edited at 2007-07-12 13:16]


 


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Purchase notebook with German keyboard in north America.






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