Wi-Fi is the same as Network (Ethernet, LAN), except it uses radio, not cables. It is slower, but wireless. WiFi is especially useful if stringing Ethernet cables is not convenient. For example, in an apartment, one usually cannot send wires to every room. Using WiFi means that a whole apartment can get an Internet signal without the messy cables.

If you have a WiFi network at home, make sure there is a password protecting it; neighbors may "steal" your connection if you don't protect it.

Wi-Fi traditionally connects computers with other computers. More recently, it is also used by peripherals, including portable MP3 players, cell phones, cameras, and printers. There is even an SD Card type called "EyeFi" which adds WiFi ability to any digital camera using it. This card allows you to send photos directly from your camera to your computer, even if you are using a WiFi network away from home.

Most personal computers now have Wi-Fi built-in; more and more, it is becoming standard and even necessary. More and more public places (like coffee shops or restaurants) offer Wi-Fi connections, but they often require some kind of membership or other payment. WiFi spots in public are called "hotspots." In America, more and more cities are installing city-wide WiFi. For example, in 2006, Mountain View, CA, received a free 1Mbps WiFi network sponsored by Google. Many other cities have networks that cover part or all of the city, or they are installing new networks.

Types of WiFi:

• 802.11a: early type, 1999; speed: 54Mbps
• 802.11b: early type, 1999; speed: 11Mbps
• 802.11g: 2003; speed: 54Mbps; works together with type "b"
• 802.11n: 2007; speed: 248Mbps; works together with types "a," "b," and "g"

Most WiFi has a range of about 30 meters indoors. It usually can work through walls, but normally not very far through ceilings and floors.

WiMAX

WiMAX is a new way to connect to the Internet wirelessly.

Normal Internet connections are to your home; you sign up with an ISP like NTT, KDDI Dion, or OCN, and offer speeds up to 50Mbps (ADSL) or 100 Mbps (Fiber Optic). However, you are only able to connect to the Internet at home using this service.

WiMAX, on the other hand, is like city-wide WiFi: you can connect to the Internet anywhere you go, similar to a cell phone connection. WiMAX offers much greater speed than a cell connection, with 40 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload (in Tokyo ~ Yokohama). Similar to WiFi, it is classed as IEEE 802.16.

WiMAX is currently offered in the Kanto, Nagoya, and Kansai areas through the UQ service, and is expanding throughout Japan.

WiMAX is currently not built into most computers, and requires USB dongles to work. However, some computers do have WiMAX built-in; if you have such a computer and you live in a WiMAX-covered area, this may be a strong ISP alternative for you.

Before you buy a computer, consider weight and size. For a desktop computer, size is the biggest issue: will it fit on your desk? Where will the monitor and keyboard go? Is there enough space?

For laptops, consider the weight for carrying: a heavy computer might be too difficult to carry. When you feel the weight, make sure the battery is inside--it makes up a lot of the computer's weight. Also check a laptop's size, see if it fits nicely on your lap or on a desk/table you might use. If you will carry your computer in a backpack, check the size of the computer for that (you might also need a special protective cover for the laptop). Also check where the ports (USB, network, power, etc.) are located--they might not be convenient for you.

You should remember that in the U.S., many more students carry their laptops around with them in school, using it as a tool for note-taking and research.

MS Office Personal Edition (Word and Excel only) comes free on many but not all PCs. Be sure to check! It does not come free with any Macs. Macs have a large selection of free Apple software which is mostly not available on PCs, however.

The best image-editing software is Photoshop. The cheaper version is called Photoshop Elements, and it can do everything you would want to do with Photoshop anyway (it just doesn't have the professional add-ons).

If you buy software, be sure to ask for the Academic Discount! As a student, you can often get a much cheaper price. Some software can be half price that way. Academic discounts are usually strongest with mail-order firms in the United States.

Here is an example of academic pricing in Japan:

Note that the academic prices for Microsoft products are 47% lower than the normal prices. In addition, many American college bookstores offer even lower prices for software.

You should always shop around for the best deal. Computers and computer peripherals (printers, drives, scanners, etc.) are cheaper to buy in the U.S. (sometimes a lot cheaper!). However, Windows cannot always change languages so easily (though it can allow you to type in Japanese using the English version). So if you want the Japanese-version OS, you should buy in Japan. The Macintosh can change languages very easily--even the main language of the computer, for different menus and dialog boxes.

Also, the keyboard is different for Japan and the U.S.--you may prefer one keyboard more than another.
If you buy in the U.S., you should probably buy from a mail-order company. You can order by phone using a credit card, and the computer will be delivered to you. There will be a delivery charge, but sometimes it is very low. Also, if you buy from a company in a different state from the one you live in, there is no sales tax! That can save you up to 10% of the price of a computer. Ask the sales person if you can get that special deal. Examples of mail order computer dealers: PC Connection (New Hampshire), PC Zone (Washington), and Tiger Direct (Florida). If you check around (here's one list of dealers), you can find a good price, but you have to ask about price, shipping, taxes, and any other charges. Some sites, like C/Net, have many reviews of products, and can calculate the best dealer in terms of sales tax and shipping (click on the "shop" link on the page for any product, then enter your U.S. zip code--like on this page).

Alaska, Montana, and Oregon have no state sales tax; Mississippi, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Tennessee have sales taxes of 7%, with California being the most expensive at 7.25%--but some counties in these states have additional taxes as well. California sales taxes, depending on the time and place, can be over 9%. Most states are between 4% ~ 6%, with the average being just over 5%.

Some colleges sell computers at the campus bookstore at an "academic" price, but these prices are usually not the best.

If you buy a computer from a shop and you need to buy extra RAM, ask them if they can install it for you--it might be difficult for you to do!