iBook, Global Power Adapter? (Korea)

[lind0834]

OK here goes.

Got me a nice iBook.. warranty and Applecare expired so I have to be extra nice to it. I'm planning a trip to Seoul in a few months and want to make sure my 'Book won't have any freak outs.

I know that Apple sells thier worldwide power adapter pack (which is very nice), but it is quite a bit more expensive than just picking up a Unversal power adapter from a Travel Store and using that. I read a few warnings that you aren't supposed to run things like computers and tvs off a power adapter like that. Is it different because it's a laptop computer? Comments, Suggestions?

I'd buy Apple's power adapters if I knew I could get them in time. Sometimes it takes a long time to get equipment on our little island.

 

[RBMaraman]

Here's a little story for you, that may make your decision much easier.

I recently returned from England, where I went to school for four months. My friend and I both took our iBook's. I bought Apple's World Power Adaptor kit, and my friend purchased a regular travel power adaptor. He could not get his iBook to charge using the adaptor, so he had to run on battery until the machine went to sleep, then come borrow my British plug adaptor so he could charge the computer. For the four months we were there, he could never get the thing to work on a travel adaptor.

Apple's World Power Adaptor set seems expensive, but it's really nice to have. It works great, any you never know when you'll need one of the adaptors. It was well worth the $35 or whatever the cost was.

 

[cardio]

Or you can just buy a cheap transformer in Korea. Something like these:

http://www.worldbox.co.kr/boxht/b01a.htm

It is pretty cheap there (my friend used a 220v -> 110v one which was under $15 on his G3 Powerbook and iPod and it worked fine ). You just need to know where do find one.

Grab a Korean or someone who lives there and ask for those small stores commonly called "Jeon-pa-sa." They are places like Radio Shack or an electrical section of a hardware store.

Ask a Korean to find you a "Trans (pronounced more like Tu-ran-su)" or "Do-ran-su (old style ponunciation of Trans)." The thing is quite heavy so you will have to leave it behind when you leave, but it's cheap anyway.

 

[floatingspirit]

I used my iBook in Seoul no problem. Just get a plug end (adaptor) to slip on over the plug of your iBook. In Korea the outlets have round holes, which is the only reason you need anything. The iBook adaptor is good for a range from 100-240volts, which I believe covers it. (Did for me.)

I just went to Starbucks and plugged it in with a little 70cent plug adaptor. Go to any electronics/hardware type shop there. It's a common item.

 

[Squire]

lind0834,

I think what the above poster said was bang on. If, in fact, you realize that you do need the world travel kit once you're here, you can pick it up at the Apple Store downtown. (Okay, it's technically called the "Apple Experience Center" but that's where all of Apple products in Korea come from.) It's located in the Gangnam district in the COEX Mall (Samseong Station, green line) directly across from the Bandi & Luni's Bookstore.

In addition, the other adapters and stuff can be picked up at Techno Mart- a huge, 8-story electronics market located across from Gangbyeon Station, green line- for dirt cheap.

I would show you around myself but I started back at work today after a very long vacation. Bad timing.

Good luck.

Squire

 

[jxyama]

Originally posted by floatingspirit
I used my iBook in Seoul no problem. Just get a plug end (adaptor) to slip on over the plug of your iBook. In Korea the outlets have round holes, which is the only reason you need anything. The iBook adaptor is good for a range from 100-240volts, which I believe covers it. (Did for me.)

I just went to Starbucks and plugged it in with a little 70cent plug adaptor. Go to any electronics/hardware type shop there. It's a common item.

exactly correct. laptop adapters are universal in handling different voltages. if you read the adapter lable, you'll see that it's rated for 100 to 240 volts. only "adapter" you need is converting the "regular" american plug (two parallel flat prongs) into whatever the shape plugs are in korea. (two round ones, like in western europe, according to this poster)

those should cost no more than few bucks at a radioshack.

apple's adapter is a ripoff, unless you really don't want to use 3rd party accessories or something. (it's also a little deceiving that they list regions covered instead of shapes of plugs included. just to be picky, if you knew nothing about the plug shapes and read apple's description, an american user might buy it to go to japan - but japanese plug is exactly the same shape as american one...) note on the product description that they do nothing to change the voltage - because you don't need to. the brick part of the adapter does that for you already.

 

[lind0834]

Thanks

Thank You all very much.. I noticed all the stuff (vid cam, digi cam) I was planning on bringing also has the rating from 100-240 or so on the adapters.

 

[superbovine]

Here's a little story for you, that may make your decision much easier.

I recently returned from England, where I went to school for four months. My friend and I both took our iBook's. I bought Apple's World Power Adaptor kit, and my friend purchased a regular travel power adaptor. He could not get his iBook to charge using the adaptor, so he had to run on battery until the machine went to sleep, then come borrow my British plug adaptor so he could charge the computer. For the four months we were there, he could never get the thing to work on a travel adaptor.

Apple's World Power Adaptor set seems expensive, but it's really nice to have. It works great, any you never know when you'll need one of the adaptors. It was well worth the $35 or whatever the cost was.

worked for me...