Frequently Asked Questions

Q: So- Macs are now all Intel based?
A: Yes, as of September 2006, all the current machines in Apple's lineup are Intel-based. There are no more PowerPC Macs being produced.

Q: Can Macs run Windows?
A: For more information, please check here: http://www.apple.com/macosx/bootcamp/

Q: Can Intel Macs run OS 9 software?
A: No, not without emulation. Since the architecture is not PowerPC anymore, Classic mode will not work. While the new Mac OS X has been designed to run on Intel hardware, Classic Mac OS (9.2.2 and anything before) was not.

For PowerPC emulation, check out SheepShaver and Mac on Mac.

Q: Where can I buy a Macintosh in Nagoya?
A: At the time of this writing, October 2006, there are 3 stores in the Nagoya station area: Bic Camera, SofMap and CompMart, 1 store in Sakae: The Apple Store, and 1 store in Osu: Good Will. They all sell new Macintosh computers. Store names and information are here.

Currently I am only aware of stores in the Nagoya city area. Other stores that may carry Mac products are: CompMart, Eden, Gigas and Yamada Denki, which can be found around the prefecture.

New Macs can also be bought from Yahoo! Auctions, but you'll have to pay for shipping most of the time, and even if it's included, the price disount is not very beneficial over buying from a store (as little as ¥500.) Yahoo! Auctions Japan: http://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/

Q: Is there anyway to get a discount?
A: In short: no. Unless you are a student or teacher, there is no way. Don't even bother asking. If you want a cheaper Mac, wait until a new model has been released then go to the store and see if they have the previous models. They may be cheaper as they try to eliminate stock.

Stores may also sell their display models, which are usually in good condition and can be had cheaper than new models. Keep in mind though that they've been on display for a while, sometimes 6-8 months, so they are not "new" (i.e. the fastest model) and they may be quite dirty. They may also have only base memory, and no AirMac card installed. The stores will clean them up for you (wipe the screen, keyboard, etc.) and they almost always include the manuals, original box, Apple stickers, and other odds and ends. If the box, software or manuals are missing, expect it to be discounted even more- if not, it won't hurt to ask.

Another way of getting a small discount, is to price compare between shops. Go to different stores and see if their prices are the same. Sometimes there are minute differences, as little as ¥500. Stores do not want to be undersold though, and will always try to make the sale. If you tell shop A that you found a Mac in shop B for ¥1000 less, shop A may drop the price for you to undersell their competition. BE CAREFUL - DON'T BLUFF! Stores will call other stores sometimes to verify their prices! As always, your mileage may vary.

Last but not least, if you cannot get any money knocked off the Mac itself, it may very well be possible to get the store to throw something in for you for free. In fact many stores with Macs have "sets" already put together. Most often the stores will include a printer, a mouse or will offer to up the memory for you for a fraction of the memory's actual cost. If you go to the actuall Apple Store in Sakae, there are no sets, no deals and rarely if ever, old models or display models for sale. Please keep this in mind. Also, this will not work if you're just buying an AC adapter or something 'cheap'. You'll need to spend some money before the store will throw in some "extras".

Q: Can I get English software for my Mac, even if I buy it in Japan?
A: Mac OS X is a fully multi-lingual operating system. Right out of the box, in can be installed in English, Japanese, Chinese, French, German, Spanish, Portugese, Korean and a number of other languages. This means that menus, system messages, etc will all be in the language that you choose. When you buy a Mac in Japan it will be by default in Japanese, but to changing it over to English takes less than a minute. Websites in foreign languages can be read without having to install language packs.

Sometimes in stores you may see copies of OS X with an "English Version" label on them. Software is the same, but included paperwork is all in English. English Versions are available at most places that sell OS X.

Macintosh software is found at all the retailers listed at the end of this page. Keep in mind that this software is primarily for OS X. OS 9 (and previous) software is becoming more and more difficult to find.

Q: Can I get an English keyboard?
A: That's a little bit more difficult. Macs that are store bought in Japan will have a Japanese keyboard. Stores do not have the ability to change the keyboards for English ones in house, so it's no use asking. Stores also do not sell English keyboards that I've seen. For desktops English keyboards are very easy to swap. They use a USB connection (or Bluetooth, if you like.) Laptops are more difficult; unless you are quite familiar with hardware, changing one is not an easy task. Laptops in general (regardless of maker) are not meant to be user-serviceable, so things like changing the internal hard disk, changing the keyboard, etc. should be done by an authorized repair shop.

To get an English keyboard, my recommendation is to order direct from the Apple Store online. After selecting which model you want, you are presented with various options to customize your machine. With both desktop and portable Macs you have the option of choosing an English model keyboard for no extra charge.

To get to the Apple Store online, go to Apple.com and click on the "Store" tab. At the bottom of the page you can select the store that corresponds with your country.

Q:So what's the difference between a Japanese keyboard and an English keyboard?
A: Japanese keyboards have more keys on them, and the keys are in different places than an English keyboard. For example the '@' sign is next to the letter 'P' and quotes "" are made by hitting shift and the number 2. Also the spacebar is smaller, and to get an apostrophe ', you'll need to hit shift+7, which can be annoying for typing in English. However getting used to a Japanese keyboard is not that difficult if you give it time.

If you are a gamer, using a Japanese keyboard may affect game play. For example in some games that require a tilde "~" to open a console, I personally have not be able to do so. If there is a fix for this or you have any further information, please contact me.

Q: Can I use my (Japanese/American/French/German/etc.) Mac overseas?
A: I have used Macs (iBooks and PowerBooks) purchased in Japan, in the US and in Europe (with a plug converter), and Macs purchased in the US, in Japan. Going between the US and Japan is no problem as the plug is the same, the supplied AC adapter will convert if neccessary.

I've read somewhere that people have had some trouble with certain electrical devices in Northern Japan but I cannot verify. (If you have any information, please contact me.)

As always, please check voltage information before going abroad. It is better to be safe than sorry.

Q: Where can I get used Macs?
A: Used Macs are available in 2 stores in Nagoya now. One is CompMart near Nagoya station, they have new Macs and a section dedicated to used Macs. The other store is Good Will in Osu. Their Mac section is down in the basement, with used Macs all in the back. They have a very large collection of old machines, including iMacs, occasional Cubes, PowerMacs Beige, G3 and G4, Performas, and old PowerBooks. CompMart in Meieki has recently removed most of its used Mac machine. There is still a small number of machines up on the 3rd floor.

It has been my experience that used Macs in stores are expensive, sometimes unreasonably, illogically so. For example, a new 15" Aluminum PowerBook 1.42Ghz may go new for ¥220,000 when a store might have a used 1Ghz Titanium PowerBook for ¥210,000. Used G4 iBooks go for about ¥100,000 used, which is not much of a price advantage over the new MacBook. You can, however, run classic mode, which the new Intel Macs cannot.

If you really want to get a used Mac, I recommend going through Yahoo! Auctions as the prices are better. I will discuss this in more detail in the Used Mac section.

Q: How do I know which Mac is right for me?
A: My advice is to hit the stores and just play around with one. All stores that sell Apple computers have display models turned on and running that you can use. Stay as long as you want and then you can make the decision as to whether Mac is right for you or not.

In about 1999, Steve Jobs (the CEO and one of the original creators of Apple Computer) laid out Apple's product grid. Apple has a desktop and portable for consumers, and a desktop and portable for professionals. The iMac, iBook & eMac are consumer machines, the PowerMac and PowerBook are professional machines. Consumer machines offer less in terms of upgrades and not as much power as the pro models, but are cheaper. Professional machines are faster and more expandable.

If you have questions, feel free to ask the staff. Especially at the Apple Store in Sakae; the staff there is trained to answer all kinds of questions that people might have. Can I use this camera? Can I use that printer? They should be able to answer all the questions you may have. The Apple Store in Sakae has some English speaking staff. I am not sure about other stores. Again, your mileage may vary.

Q: Why are Macs more expensive?
A: This is another very popular question. "I'd like to get a Mac, but they're so expensive" is a statement I've heard almost on a daily basis since switching. The truth is that a lot of people, if not most, want to buy a Mac but they see the price tag and go running for the hills.

When shopping for a Mac, the price is important but don't be swayed just because it looks more expensive. In the case of Apple the old adage rings true: You get what you pay for.

You're flipping through a circular and you see a DELL notebook (for example) for $600. How can they be so cheap?? you ask yourself. They are cheap for more than one reason. Construction of Macintosh computers and their included hardware is arguably of higher quality than PC laptops. PowerBooks for example, are made of Aluminum, iBooks are made of poly bicarbonate plastic with a magnesium frame. Build quality is very high, and there are famous stories on the internet of people dropping and banging around (by accident) their iBooks and PowrBooks and having them emerge unscathed.

You are also paying for software. When you buy a PC laptop with XP, how much included software is there? How much of the included software is full version not trial? With the purchase of a brand new iBook you get: Mail, iChat AV, Safari, Sherlock, Address Book, QuickTime, iLife which includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD and GarageBand, iSync, iCal, DVD Player, Apple Works and a bunch of other programs.

Suddenly the price gap closes. Plus Apple portables weight less than most PC notebooks, have better battery life, retain the value for much longer, have a longer life span than PCs and are less costly to maintain.

For many people just the inclusion of OS X is worth the price of admission. Again, with all this in mind please visit a Macintosh retailer and play around until you figure out which model is right for you.