Hello, I'm considering getting a iBook G4. I'll be using it for mainly office type applications, making worksheets with graphics for training seminars, and I'm hoping when I find the right software to work with music (sample and dub) (this is the right machine isn't it?!) *As I'm working in Japan it'll be set up in Japanese. Will I be able to set the OS up in English so that the default for the desktop and for 'international' software goes to English? (I'm not so good at Japanese!) *Also will the DVD only read DVDs coded for Japan? I may receive DVDs from other countries which I'll need to read. *Can the iBook G4 be set up for dual monitor/keyboard/mouse? This is with the view to use the iBook at home as well as on the move - I'm just thinking about the ergonomics of my spine! *do you get a decent audio output i.e. in the realms of studio quality from an ibook? *Can an iBook work on a Windows network i.e. access the internet via a network where everybody else is on IBM PCs and use a shared network drive for data? *do external memory drives (USB) have to be apple-made? thanks folks for your time, best, Mike

hi, i own a g3 ibook, i find it great for graphics as that are what make an apple great for use, i have got mine connected to my Home PC network all running windows, and mac os x connects really well with xp, all my network connections transfer any file and i can also share the internet on my mac with windows, the basic language for mac is English as far as i know so you are given a few options to set up the mac when its new. The DVD player has many different language formats and can be set to any chosen language. I use a USB memory drive on mine, and it isnt made by apple, but i also use a fire wire ipod for extra space! The speakers are small on all ibooks and dont project a lot of sound, well not loud anyways but there is a speaker port for extra speakers/ subwoofer etc... Yes the ibook can also beset up for extra monitor/keyboard, hope this helps! James

I have a G4 iBook, which I also purchased and use in Japan. When you switch your new iBook on for the first time you will be asked (in English) which language you wish to set as your default operating language - just click on English (which is the first option given) and from there on it's just as if you bought it in the UK or US. You will get decent enough audio out of the headphone output, but the iBook does not come with an audio in, so you would have to use a USB audio interface to get audio into your iBook if you wanted to do so. Hope that helps.