Laptops and Cell Phones
OK guys a real question.
The cell phone network in N America is different than Europe and the Middle East.
Some advice please for a guy from Alberta Canada on prices.
Should I buy a laptop in Canada or wait until I get there?
Should I pick up a European cell phone in the Airport at London or Frankfurt and just get the SIM card in Doha or wait until I get there?
Help.
I would agree, If you're planning to stay in Doha long enough then buy a mobile from here. For a laptop there isn't much selection here and the prices are higher than that of the states.
Laptops come with a self-regulating power supply brick so voltage isn't an issue.
However, Doha isn't the best place in the world to buy PCs and their peripheries/accessories in terms of variety and price. The issue is that if you buy the computer in Canada what do you do if you need support/warranty. If it's international then there are dealers here for Sony, Dell, Lenovo/IBM and some others.
Cellphones you can buy here no problem. As a matter of fact some phone manufacturers release their phones in the Gulf market before anywhere else in the world.
How long do you plan on being in the Middle East? A couple of years, get the laptop in North America and convert the power. Longer get it here.
Cell phones, get a quad band phone for a GSM network, it will work anywhere in the world by changing the chip. When I go back to USA, I use a Cingular chip, for rest of the world, I use my Qtel chip. Carry the extra chip in my wallet, change at the airport when I land.