I will be traveling to Beijing, Shanghai, and Xian in July from the US. Should I bring my laptop, what do I need to adapt the electrical system in China in order to be able to recharge the laptop battery, what do I need to do to be able to connect my laptop to the Internet in China? What adaptors do I need to connect to the electrical system, and is it safe for my laptop? Thanks, Eric

When in Xi'an you can rent internet time at the Hyatt business center. It's a nice, quiet facility and is quite reasonably priced for 30 minutes. <BR> <BR>As for Beijing, I was told that there are internet cafes, but because I was staying with a friend who had service, I never looked into this service. <BR> <BR>I actually took a laptop through customs since I was bringing a new one to my friend. They didn't even bother to check our bags, not alone know that we had a laptop with us.

All the hotels we stayed in had an internet service room. The rates were very reasonable.

We just returned from Beijing, Xian, & Shanghai.Connecting cost for your laptop is $6.oo per minute! Suggest you use the hotels business centers. Beijing is very slow- st least at our hotel it was!! We stayed at the Kunlun. In Xian, we stayed at the Hyatt & used the business center where the speed was very fast. Didn't try in Shanghai but since it's a busy business city expect it was also fast.We stayed at the Sofitel where they had connections in the room.You'll need a converter and adapter plugs. Use this to connect also to charge.You'll find Internet Cafes in Beijing.

I spent several weeks in China last summer and found the hotel business centers and internet cafes to be excellent places to use. The internet tends to be slow, but it's better than nothing.

I agree with the other posters that the business centers are a convenient way to access the Internet in China. <BR> <BR>However, it's certainly possible to use your laptop for Internet access. My parents were here a few months ago and used their laptop for Internet access. I can't remember what they paid, but it was no where near $6 per hour - it must depend on the hotel. <BR> <BR>Most (if not all) laptops come with an electrical converter - check yours to see if it says 100/240V - that's what mine says. You will only need a plug adaptor - those are available at Radio Shack.

Judy: Do you really mean that it is $6.00 per MINUTE to connect a laptop? This sounds unreasonable. Three hundred and sixty dollars an hour. WOW!

If you just want to check your e-mail, read news, then use the internet cafe. <BR>They are everywhere. In cities where I used the internet cafe, Dalian, Chengdu, Kunming, the hourly rates were somewhere between 2~3RMB(25~35 cents).

It's better safe than sorry to bring an electrical converter. I found out NOT ALL American-brand hotels have 110-volt. Internet is available in most decent hotels, but very slow. Sometimes you can access to free internet at restaurants or cafe' where there're a couple of computers lying around

Yes, $6.oo per minute! Haven't received our bill but this is what we were by people who had got their phone bill.There must be some Fodorites who can tell you what they paid!