Question regarding carrying laptop to Russia

[Mr Joshua Wilson]

Whatever the problem with the cookies is, here is the
text of the page (in full) about computers in Russia. 
FYI, it's intended audiance is the students of our
educational programs in Russia....  

Computers and Internet in Russia    

Note: This information is geared for Moscow and
Petersburg, our two most popular locations.  If you
will be traveling to a smaller town or region, your
Student Guide will have more information about the
facilities there.  You will have Internet access
almost anywhere in Russia, except very small villages.
 

I.  Bringing Your Computer to Russia

Most modern computers have built-in, automatic
converters so that they can be used anywhere, despite
the world’s different voltages.  Check for a sticker
that states which countries yours is approved for use
in and/or the voltage/amperage range.  If Russia is
included, you will need only a plug converter and
surge protector.  If you have a computer or palm
pilot, consider getting an electronic dictionary (like
Abbyy Lingvo).  It will speed your learning
considerably.  Also, if you are going to be spending
some time in Moscow, equipping your computer to work
in WiFi hotspots is also not a bad idea.  Many
facilities in Moscow currently offer free hotspots (if
you are eating/drinking there).  

II.  Internet Cafés
Russia is littered with these from Moscow to St.
Petersburg even to "provincial" areas like Yaroslavl
and Rostov.  Sometimes they can be a little hard to
find and sometimes exist in unmarked buildings, but
they can be found and quite easily so in almost any
city.   Going rate at most locations: $1-2 an hour for
standard Internet.         

Moscow
CafeMax (a local chain) is located on the MGU campus,
a 5-minute walk from the sector "B" gate.  Their
connection is reliable and relatively fast.  Files may
be downloaded and written to disk at the counter for a
small fee.   Address: Ulitsa Hohlova, 3. Open 24
hours.   They also have fairly good food, though a bit
overpriced.  Near MGIMO is NetCity, also reasonably
priced with good food and music.  Address: 2
Paveletskaya Ploshchad, Building 2 (at Metro
Paveletskaya).  Open from 9:30 to Midnight.  Also,
near the Kremlin, in the shopping mall by the
fountains, is another café amusingly called
“Phlegmatic Dog” where you can use unlimited free
Internet so long as you are consuming their (fairly
overpriced) food or coffee.  Many McDonald's locations
are now offering free Internet kiosks as well. 

St. Petersburg
Very near SpbGU is “Soyuz,” a very decent café with
reasonable pricing and speed along Srenegavansky
Prospekt.   “Akademia,” is another option, just a
little bit up the street from the Faculty of
Philology, facing the statue of Lomonosov (still on
the campus territory), it's in the building on the
right, one or two doors down from the intersection. 
Cost is $1-2 per hour. In town, the best choice is Quo
Vadis?, which offers international internet calling
(currently at about $.50 a minute – cheaper rates are
to be had), a cafeteria, occasionally live music, and
even a small library at Nevskiy Pr. 24.  Just up the
street is Russia’s most successful Internet chain,
Café Max, but we recommend the walk to Quo Vadis? 
III.  WiFi
Moscow is better equipped than St. Pete for this, and
you won’t likely find locations outside of these two
cities offering this service yet.   

Moscow – (all locations listed are free, with purchase
of food)
American Bar & Grill: 1st Tverskaya-Yamskaya, #1 Open
24 hours, and Zemlyanoy Val, #59 Open 12.00-2.00
Santa Fe Restaurants: Mexican cuisine. Mitulinskaya
st., #5/1, bld 6 (metro Ulitsa 1905 Goda). Open
12.00-24.00, 
TGI Friday's: Tverskaya #18/2, Leninsky prospekt #1/2.
 Open 12.00 to 24.00 daily. 
Il Patio: Italian restaurants #1 - metro
Kropotkinskaya, Volkhonka st., #13a Smolenskaya street

Boarhouse: A popular hang-out for expats with burgers
and beer, beware the drinks specials! Zemlyanoy Val,
26A (opposite metro Kurskaya).

St. Petersburg (all locations listed are $5 per hour)
Cafe Saigon (Nevsky Prospekt, #7)
Mirage-Cinema (Bolshoy pr., Petropavlovsky side, #35)
Zoom cafe-club (Kazanskaya st., #17-19)



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