Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!aplcen!haven!ncifcrf!nlm-mcs!sandro
From: sandro@nlm-mcs.arpa (Michael D'Alessandro)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Subject: Buying Z88's from the UK
Message-ID: <11387@nlm-mcs.arpa>
Date: 10 Feb 90 16:25:39 GMT
Organization: NLM/LHNCBC, Bethesda, Md.
Lines: 44

Here is the info on how to buy a Z88 from the UK - I ordered mine 
from Lion COmputers, 778 Borough Road, Birkenhead, Merceyside L42 9JG
Telephone is 051-608-0435.

Basically we called the proprieter, and put it all on our VISA.

We paid roughly $450 for the whole lot - including the Z88, 128K of RAM,
and a carrying case and powersupply.  The $450 included shipping and 
customs.  

Note that you can't use the powersupply that comes with the Z88 - you must
goto Radio Shack and buy one and then do some sort of switch-o-roo with 
its wires so you don't blow up the Z88 when you plug it in.  I didn't
do the wiring, my friend did...

I got a piece of shareware for my Mac that lets me transfer files between
it and my Z88, and made a cable for $15 to connect the two - the cable
diagram is in the shareware software manual.  

Note that if you buy a Z88 from the UK it is grey market and not FCC approved.
For warranty repair you'd have to ship it back to the UK.

The U.S. Postal Service acted as our Customs Broker, procuring clearance of
the Z88 through U.S. Customs, paying the duty on it in advance.   U.S.P.S.
charges $3.25 for this brokerage service.  Customs duty is 3.9% plus
$5/package.

Buying through the UK is a bit of a pain - as you can see.  My friend 
did it, so it was painless to me.  At the time I bought my mahcine, 2 months 
ago Cambridge US  was selling the same hardware for about $600.  Now, 
I have heard that they have dropped their price to $499.  At this price
I would buy though them in order to avoid the grief of shipping and customs.
Also, if you buy though Cambridge US your machine is FCC certified and 
and you have a good warranty.  I would have bought through them if their
price had been this two months ago.  Sorry, but I don't have their 
phone number handy.

Feel free to ask any other questiosn....

-- 
Michael D'Alessandro M.D.
The National Library of Medicine
Lister Hill National Center for Biomedical Communications
Educational Technology Branch            Internet:  sandro@mcs.nlm.nih.gov