Q: An american Macbook Pro in the UK?

Hi Bradley ...

1.  They should, yes.

2.  Yes. System Preferences > Language & Text

3.  Possibly. Check the Apple online store >   http://store.apple.com/us/search?find=power+converter

4.  Yes. Click the round flag icon bottom right corner of the App Store window to change the country. However, your credit or debit card credentials must be associated with the same country where you reside.

"Although you can browse the iTunes Store in any country without being signed in, you can only purchase content from the iTunes Store for your own country. This is enforced via the billing address associated with your credit card or other payment method that you use with the iTunes Store, rather than your actual geographic location."   The Complete Guide to Using the iTunes Store | iLounge Article

Billing credentials are the same for the iTunes and Mac App Stores.

On item 3

You would need an American to English adapter to plug the magsafe into UK Sockets.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB974ZM/B

Ignore.

Sorry had not read the  answer

but hey no problem in duplication is there ?

It's better to check other posts first so you don't duplicate is all  No apology necessary.

As for the electrical converter, do you mean a transformer?

Not necessary - the power supply conversion is built in to the iMac, MacMini and Mac Pro, and the Magsafe brick for laptops. Any supply from 100v to 240V (which is the UK standard), 50 to 60 Hz AC can be used.

The world travel kit includes the 3-pin standard UK plug for the magsafe, but the Magsafe can also be used with any figure-of-eight cord as used in CD players, radios, Hi-fis and many more small electrical and electronic devices. (and a spare one is a bit cheaper than the WTK!)

noondaywitch wrote:

 

figure-of-eight cord as used in CD players, radios, Hi-fis and many more small electrical and electronic devices.

The alternative name for this connector is IEC320 C7 (or IEC60320 C7).

fane_j wrote:

 

The alternative name for this connector is IEC320 C7 (or IEC60320 C7).

Ta.

"but the Magsafe can also be used with any figure-of-eight cord as used in CD players, radios, Hi-fis and many more small electrical and electronic devices."

That's true, but the "figure 8" cord is not grounded, and you're likely to get an electrical sensation when you touch the casework.

The cable is a two-core, as is the input to the magsafe. Take your adapter off and see.

The adapter may have an earth (ground) pin, but it isn't connected to anything in the magsafe.

noondaywitch wrote:

 

The adapter may have an earth (ground) pin, but it isn't connected to anything in the magsafe.

That's not quite right. The ground pin is connected through metal rails in the AC cord connector to the metal nub on the adaptor; it's probably connected to the common. I don't have a multimeter to test, but it should be fairly easy to do so. (The two outer pins on the MagSafe connector are ground.)

But the point is that, connected or not, it doesn't make any difference, because the MagSafe adaptor is clearly designed to operate without earthing.

carl wolf wrote:

 

the "figure 8" cord is not grounded, and you're likely to get an electrical sensation when you touch the casework.

Then why doesn't everybody get "an electrical sensation" when using the "duckhead" AC plug

<http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2346>

which has no ground pin or earthing method?

The notion that one may get "an electrical sensation" because the mains outlet is not properly grounded or the adapter is not connected to the ground, etc, is grounded (ha!) in a failure to understand the design principles of switched mode power supplies (I suggest Sanjaya Maniktala's "Switching Power Supplies A to Z"). The "electrical sensation" is static electricity. Anything else means the adapter is malfunctioning and needs to be replaced ASAP -- no amount of grounding or turning the plug by 180° can fix that.

"That's not quite right. The ground pin is connected through metal rails in the AC cord connector to the metal nub on the adaptor; it's probably connected to the common. I don't have a multimeter to test, but it should be fairly easy to do so. (The two outer pins on the MagSafe connector are ground.)"

I do have a multimeter. There is indeed a connection between pins 1 & 4 and the metal guide on the magsafe - at 1.95kΩ

However, that pin connects to nothing on the plug adapter - it slides into an all plastic slot.

Of course there could be a terminal behind the plastic wall, but requiring an earth fault to jump that gap I would have thought increased the chance of damage to the transformer.

Of course, it would also ensure that any DC short to the casing wires would be isolated from the AC earth. (and given the rough handling those cables often get I'd say that was far more common than an AC earth fault).

I do have a spare plug adapter…

noondaywitch wrote:

 

it slides into an all plastic slot

Look carefully where the arrows point. And/or measure resistance between the ground pins on the MagSafe connector and the earthing contact on the AC plug.

fane_j wrote:

Look carefully where the arrows point. And/or measure resistance between the ground pins on the MagSafe connector and the earthing contact on the AC plug.

Nothing visible with an 8x magnifier - Magsafe to earth pin = ∞

Mind you, that's a different plug design to my UK ones.

Sorry about the quality - camera phone and shaky hands.

One thing the guide pin is good for though, is as an anti-static ground for the hand prior to opening up the MacBook.