Apple MacBook Import from America to The Netherlands - Hardware & Software

Dear Facepunchers, In a week I am going on a vacation to New York, and since the MacBooks are there 1000$ (and here, The Netherlands, 1000€ ) I will save about 200€. There are however a couple of things i need to know. Do you guys know if there will be any trouble with the power supply? Can i take the MacBook in my hand bagage without paying taxes to bring it with me? Also, is there anything else i need to know? Cheers,

The adapter question is easy, you'll have to buy a new one and they are quite expensive (69-79 Euro).

The keyboard layout is different, by the way. Doesn't sound like a big deal, but it's going to absolutely piss you off.

[QUOTE=Erphon;30870672]Dear Facepunchers, In a week I am going on a vacation to New York, and since the MacBooks are there 1000$ (and here, The Netherlands, 1000€ ) I will save about 200€. There are however a couple of things i need to know. Do you guys know if there will be any trouble with the power supply? Can i take the MacBook in my hand bagage without paying taxes to bring it with me? Also, is there anything else i need to know? Cheers,[/QUOTE] They aren't going to check where you bought your laptop, it'll be fine in your hand luggage. And I could image that the keyboard layout would make you want to punch children in the face.

Now this might be a dumb question, and some people will definitely call me stupid for asking it: But why the hell do you want a MacBook in the first place??

What do you mean with the keyboard layout?

[QUOTE=Erphon;30872429]What do you mean with the keyboard layout?[/QUOTE] [IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/51/KB_United_States-NoAltGr.svg[/IMG] It will look like this. If you can live with that, then you will be fine. It just won't have any extended characters, like €, since they are very seldom used in the US. Though, I'm sure you can change the keyboard layout in the software, just those keys won't be labeled as such physically (obviously) unless you got stickers or something.

[QUOTE=Demache;30872547][IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/51/KB_United_States-NoAltGr.svg[/IMG] It will look like this. If you can live with that, then you will be fine. It just won't have any extended characters, like €, since they are very seldom used in the US.[/QUOTE] Compared to the US-international which according to google is used in the netherlands [img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/KB_US-International.svg/800px-KB_US-International.svg.png[/img]

Is the above keyboard the one used on the MacBook in the States? If so, i don't see the problems. Thanks for the help guys.

The US Macbook won't have the Alt Gr key so you won't be able to access all the special letters. Just so you know. Don't know if your language has any special letters.

The one Demache posted is the one used in the states.

[QUOTE=nikomo;30875679]The US Macbook won't have the Alt Gr key so you won't be able to access all the special letters. Just so you know. Don't know if your language has any special letters.[/QUOTE] Alt Gr = Ctrl + Alt

[QUOTE=Murkrow;30876016]Alt Gr = Ctrl + Alt[/QUOTE] I've never considered trying that combo, ever, because I have Alt Gr on my keyboard.

For the power supply, you can buy any Magsafe laptop charger that has the right plug and it will work fine.

Never knew that there is Alt GR button actually. Or well, I didn't know the function.

[QUOTE=tratzzz;30877776]Never knew that there is Alt GR button actually. Or well, I didn't know the function.[/QUOTE] You live in Estonia, you literally have to press either Control-Alt-2 or Alt Gr-2 when you're typing an email address.

[QUOTE=Murkrow;30876016]Alt Gr = Ctrl + Alt[/QUOTE] AFAIK, CTRL + ALT won't do anything on a US keyboard layout. Might need to set it to International.

[QUOTE=Demache;30872547][IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/51/KB_United_States-NoAltGr.svg[/IMG] It will look like this. If you can live with that, then you will be fine. It just won't have any extended characters, like €, since they are very seldom used in the US. Though, I'm sure you can change the keyboard layout in the software, just those keys won't be labeled as such physically (obviously) unless you got stickers or something.[/QUOTE] Almost every keyboard i've used in the Netherlands looked like that. Including the laptop keyboard I'm typing on right now. [editline]4th July 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=Demache;30872547][IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/51/KB_United_States-NoAltGr.svg[/IMG] It will look like this. If you can live with that, then you will be fine. It just won't have any extended characters, like €, since they are very seldom used in the US. Though, I'm sure you can change the keyboard layout in the software, just those keys won't be labeled as such physically (obviously) unless you got stickers or something.[/QUOTE] Almost every keyboard i've used in the Netherlands looked like that. Including the laptop keyboard I'm typing on right now.

[QUOTE=compwhizii;30872612]Compared to the US-international which according to google is used in the netherlands [img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/KB_US-International.svg/800px-KB_US-International.svg.png[/img][/QUOTE] I never EVER used altgr And in the case we need to use characters with two dots, we hold shift, press " and while holding shift we press the character.

[QUOTE=bassie12;30887626]Almost every keyboard i've used in the Netherlands looked like that. Including the laptop keyboard I'm typing on right now. [editline]4th July 2011[/editline] Almost every keyboard i've used in the Netherlands looked like that. Including the laptop keyboard I'm typing on right now.[/QUOTE]Wait, you don't have a € key in the Netherlands?

And since when is it illegal to import a MacBook? You should be fine really.

I don't know what your location is in the Netherlands but I have a spare power-supply.

But, macs are bad. I think the whole thing is a terrible idea.

[QUOTE=jarongoesrawr;31002323]But, macs are bad. I think the whole thing is a terrible idea.[/QUOTE] The hardware's pretty good but it's overpriced as fuck and the OS could be better.

[QUOTE=nikomo;31002586]The hardware's pretty good but it's overpriced as fuck and the OS could be better.[/QUOTE] Apple thinks their shit is the best and it's irritating. I won't even buy an iPod. That's how much I dislike Apple.

[QUOTE=jarongoesrawr;31002611]Apple thinks their shit is the best and it's irritating. I won't even buy an iPod. That's how much I dislike Apple.[/QUOTE] What exactly are you trying to prove? Is there even a constructive argument there? Apple makes great hardware, although a little more pricey. There isn't any reason for you to blatantly hate Apple over the fact that they think their "shit is the best." Why the hell else do they sell it? On topic, you can always set your keyboard layout manually and use Ctrl + Alt, although you won't see the other characters on the keyboard, obviously.