We're considering taking a laptop with us to use for emails, some work and as a dvd player since our flat has no tv (oh no, how will the kids survive!)
After reading other posts here, I looked at the cord for my Dell Inspiron and it says AC100 -240V. Does that mean I only need to buy an adapter and not a transformer? Would Magella's website be a good place to purchase one? Where should I buy an extra battery? What about my cellphone? What do you normally do?

Sorry about all the dumb questions.

Yes.
Only if you can't find one locally for 1/3 the price.
eBay.
What about your cellphone?
I plug everything in with an adapter and cube tap.

The questions aren't as dumb at all.
For you Inspiron, you'll need a standard notebook power cord. This will cost about 2-3€ if bought in Europe. It's the cord that goes from the power socket to one end of your transformer. (little black box with the green light) It is detachable. All that has to be done is to replace the cable with a correct one for the country you're visiting. This stuff needs to have additional grounding for security reasons, so avoid using a simple plug adaptor.
Batteries at Dell or ebay.
You cellphone will only need a simple adaptor if it's 100-240.

you will be fine with just an adapter. perfect world, you would have a continental lead for the laptop but i would prefer to arrive with everything rather than to have to shop for a new lead in germany. shop hours are very limited in germany and electronics stores are everywhere until you really need one. also, leads can be different, for example, my ibm laptop uses a different format as compared to my sony laptop (and i am talking about just the bit that goes from the power supply to the wall).

I would encourage you to play it safe. And as always: "You're in violation of basic safety regulations in case something happens. You insurance will be void".

One of my laptops has a 3-wire plug on it, and I use a 3-prong adapter with my own cord.

My cellphone has a 2-prong plug on the wall wart, so a 3-prong adapter wouldn't do anything.

I think the correct course of action depends upon the situation.

I'm not quite sure what logos is saying.

Yes, you just need an adaptor. You don't need to shop at magellan online - I've seen plug adaptors at Walmart, Target, & Radio Shack. Don't let the HS kid at Radio Shack sell you a converter - chances are he has no idea he's ever used a laptop in Europe.

If cellphone says AC100-240V you can also just plug it into an adaptor, no converter.

>shop hours are very limited in germany
Wal-Mart is open until midnight today. Those poor people at the checkout!!!

>I'm not quite sure what logos is saying.
Simply said .
If you appliance has 3 wires, you'll have to attach 3 wires to the outlet. If if has 2, you only have to attach 2. Nothing you put in between must change this. Robespierre is absolutly right.

agree 100%

I always use the more bulky round plug adaptors with ground (3 wire) and not the little 2 prong adaptors regardless - they fit much snugger into the European socket and don't wiggle around.

Thank you!
We don't have any stores like Walmart, etc, where I live.

What is a "cube tap"?

Magellan had one that was also a surge
protector called a EuroSurge. Kind of expensive though, $49.85 but compared to buying a new laptop...?

http://www.magellans.com/store/Phone...iesEA230?Args=

I checked my cell phone and don't need to buy anything for it. The weird thing is that it came with a 3-prong charger as well as the usual 2-prong.

>EuroSurge
You won't need this in Germany. A 3 prong adaptor to Schuko or cable will do.

<< What is a "cube tap"? >>

Like an extension cord, without the cord...

www.hardwaresquare.com/sku453327003.html

Located, readily, by http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=cube+tap

Best wishes,

Rex

I used a simple plug adaptor for my last two trips over here and now I'm using a 110-240v laptop surge protector in the circuitand a plug adaptor on the end of that. It was $20 at Costco, but I found them on eBay for $4.50. Adds a little extra bulk, but it also serves as a telephone line plug-in for internet and gives extra protection that way. I don't worry too much about surges here in Germany, but I find it reassuring in some of the less electrically-reliable countries.

Electrically-reliable or not, the most frequent path for line surges to fry computers is not the AC line, but the phone cord.

If you can get suppressors for both, that's best, but if you have to choose one or the other, go with the modem protector.

Thanks Everyone, for the advice and links. Now to back up everything before we go (to England)

Does your laptop also work on 50-60 Hz or just 60 Hz? If it is just 60 Hz do not bring it to Europe. You cannot change electrical frequency.

Any electrical appliance designed to run on 50Hz or 60Hz will run on the other frequency with negligible loss of efficiency. In the case of solid-state power supplies, the loss is zero.

Devices which are designed for only 60 Hz can be burned out when subjected to 50 Hz.

The laptop itself runs on DC power, not AC, so the frequency is irrelevant.

The 'brick' on the power supply cord converts converts the 100V-240V AC to 16-20V DC (depending on the model). The OP clearly stated a Dell Inspiron, with 100-240V input. This is designed to work worldwide. There is no need to be alarmed by what hopscoth says. His/her statement applies to motors.