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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Hello Naz:<span style='font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Any new laptop I would buy would have at least 16 GB of RAM, at least a one terabyte flash hard drive, and a processor speed no less than 2.0 gigahertz. The graphics card should be as vanilla as possible, nothing fancy.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Three things I do before the computer leaves the store:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><ol style='margin-top:0in' start=1 type=1><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>Ensure that the function keys are set in the BIOS to be real function keys and not media or other control keys and<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>remove all vendor-specific software, often called bloatware. You want the Windows operating system to be as generic as possible.<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>Finally, I strongly recommend using Microsoft 365, the subscription version.<o:p></o:p></li></ol><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Software does crash from time to time even on the best system. The trick is to keep the system as straightforward and simple as possible while still getting the most out of the computer. Since Narrator and Magnifier are both Microsoft-supported products, I find it disturbing if either program contributes to a crash scenario.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>In terms of the operating system, you will doubtless get Windows 11. All reports indicate that Windows 11 is a fairly stable system.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please feel free to contact me directly at <a href="mailto:chong.curtis@gmail.com">chong.curtis@gmail.com</a> or via mobile phone at 515-306-1654 if you want to talk about this further.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Kindly,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Curtis Chong<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> BlindResearch <blindresearch-bounces@nfbnet.org> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Nazanin Heydarian via BlindResearch<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, December 07, 2022 8:54 AM<br><b>To:</b> blindacademics@googlegroups.com; Blind Academics Discussion List <blindacademics@mailman.rice.edu>; blindresearch@nfbnet.org<br><b>Subject:</b> [BlindResearch] Laptop Issues<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif'>Good morning, everyone<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif'>I am on the market for a new laptop and would like to know what others have had success with. I am looking for something I can run a screen reader + screen magnification on without crashing the laptop. On my current laptop, I am running the built-in Narrator and Magnifier, and it crashes my Microsoft apps like MS Word and PowerPoint sometimes...<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif'>I can go Mac if necessary, but a lot of the programs and things I need work well on Windows.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif'>I appreciate any help and advice.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif'>Thanks in advance,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif'>Naz<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal>-- <o:p></o:p></p><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#333333'>Nazanin M. Heydarian, PhD.</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Assistant Professor</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>School of Social Work</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>University of Texas Rio Grande Valley</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Project Director: PODER Project</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Steve Hicks School of Social Work</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>University of Texas at Austin</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Associate Editor</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Journal of Blindness Innovation and Research</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Pronouns (she/her/ella)</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>