Date: Wed, 1 Jun 2005 18:15:04 -0600 From: Tory Braybrook <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [LIB] OT: Osaka - any hints for someone looking for electronics?
On Wed, 1 Jun 2005 07:59:25 -0700 Raymond <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Date: Wed, 01 Jun 2005 00:02:03 +1000 > From: Raymond <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: OT: Osaka - any hints for someone looking for electronics? > > Hi all! > > > In just over a month, I'll have the pleasure of once again venturing to the > land of little laptops and other wondrous gadgets - this time Osaka! > > Anyone got any advice as to the "lay of the land" in Osaka as far as > electronics go? (David, Brett, I'm looking at you two!) I'm told "Den-Den > Town" is worth a visit (in an Akihabara-like sense), any other must-see > places (or for that matter, specific places in Den-Den Town that I > shouldn't miss)? The Osaka Aquarium is world class - there are some absolutely stunning displays there (Including super-deep sea animals, such as crab like things with dinner plate sized bodies and 2 1/2 foot long legs!!!). Other than that, I didn't get to do much in Osaka other than Den-Den town. Den-Den itself is fantastic- I liked it much better than Akihabara. In Akihabara you have a confusing pile of stores, literally one on top of another - trying to find anything is somewhat... difficult. Den-den town is simple and straight forward - both sides of the road for several blocks. Osaka struck me as being a fairly dirty place - for Japan. Hiroshima is spotless, and Kyoto is well-kept, but Osaka seemed somewhat out of place. I literally came across an abandoned van on the side of the road, filled with garbage. It was a bit surprising. (And I was "helped" out by a beggar dressed like a Buddhist priest. :( ) > > As for electronics themselves, any new models to look out for (especially > those that might have gone under the radar here because they're > Japan-only)? I'm particularly keen to get one of those Linux-powered > Zauruses (Zaurii?) - especially if there's a chance of snapping a cheap, > only-just-obsolete model! > I'm a *big* Zaurus fan - I've got about 6 of them :) Don't bother with an older model - the newest one is the C1000. It's a black clamshell with USB host and a VGA screen, and it is currently running at about 40,000 yen (About $465CAN). That's less than the used prices on the 860's (no USB host) last year. Anything used will save you a bit, but you'll have an older device with the poorly supported ATI W100 video, no USB host, and a used and smaller capacity battery. Check out www.oesf.org/forums for more info. (I post there under the name Kahm). > > David, I've just been reading your email about Sofmap back in October last > year ... know if there is one of those in Osaka? :-P > You'll want to look for a store called "Naniwadenki" - it's a discount store in Osaka that has *MUCH* better pricing than Sofmap. Sofmap is ubiquitous in Japan, so yes there is one in Osaka - probably several. (Akihabara has at least 8, all specializing in different departments). Their used section is kind of neat, especially for used laptops. The one outside of Kyoto station has row upon row upon row of them - Literally dozens of the smallest laptops you have ever seen! (Things like the tiny Sony machines. Wow!) They're still pretty expensive - 130,000-200,000 yes, if I remember right. > > Cheers! > > > - Raymond > I got to spend two weeks in the Kyoto/Osaka area last October, and I thought it was fantastic. I'm excitedly looking forward to my next opportunity to go there. Tory
