Hi all, I have a couple of questions. Firstly when I was last in kunming I only used the wireless internet at the coffee shops which had terribly slow speeds. If I get it connected in an apartment are the speeds decent? Is it difficult to organise private internet connections?

Also I am thinkning of getting a new laptop at home before coming back to china. I'm sure they are cheaper in china but for convenience in programs and english I am thinking I should buy it at home in oz. Any thoughts?
Thank you

Q. If I get it connected in an apartment are the speeds decent?
A. The speed is acceptable. Maybe not as great as what you're used to, but definitely usable.

Q. Is it difficult to organise private internet connections?
A. Nope. Expect to pay around 130-150RMB per month.

Thoughts on laptops:
I've not bought a laptop recently, but it seems there are some good prices out there (under RMB10k) and there's plenty of models to choose from. Getting a legal-copy install of an English language OS could be problematic.

What about external hard drives, can you buy them in Kunming or should I bring one with me? Thanks!

There are several computer markets throughout Kunming, most notably on the periphery of Yunnan University. External hard drives are plentiful and tend to be quite reasonably priced.