Just a friendly reminder to all of you. There is available on the
market, low-cost docking stations, that does not need any specially
designed port on the computer. The most known manufacturer is Targus,
and searching places like EBay for "Targus docking", will reveal to you
a pretty good selection. Many of them, can be had for less than a
hundred dollars. They simply plug into your USB port, and you get
several ports available - like serial, paralel, microphone,
headphone/speakers and monitor. Read the ads thoroughly, specially if
you are running 64-bit OS, since only some models support that platform.
The benefit of these units are, they are quite small, plug into any
computer with a USB, and are low-cost. They actually are that tiny, you
will have little trouble in bringing them along, even on your next trip.
And, as I stated, you are not bound to buying a specially designed unit
for your actual model of laptop. Several low-end laptops, does not even
come with a connector for a docking. Yet, with the Targus docking, even
those computers can be docked.
Regards,
On 5/18/2014 12:43 AM, Chip Orange wrote:
Hi Rick,
I have been very happy with my Dell business class laptop E6530
running 32-bit Windows 7.I have seen a lot of complaints re consumer
grade Windows 8.1 laptops (which are always 64 bit Windows), but I
don't know which component is the big hassle; I suspect Windows
8.However, to get Windows 7 you usually have to go through the
business class division of the computer company.This has another
benefit as well: they don't throw on all the shovelware onto a
business class system.Pretty much you get straight Windows plus some
Dell utilities.
Dell also makes a nice, not expensive, docking station for this line
of laptops, which I also have been very happy with.It includes a nice
USB port replicator to plug in all those accessories (not all laptop
lines have this, and it's something worth considering when you make
your decision).
It turns out, independently, this is exactly the same laptop pc our
hardware purchasing group has selected for all of our business
purchases where I work.We've been using these at work for several
years as well, and they've been very happy they said.
Hth,
Chip
*From:*RickUSA [mailto:[email protected]]
*Sent:* Friday, May 16, 2014 2:09 PM
*To:* [email protected]
*Subject:* New Dell Going Back
Hi WEErs: New xps 8700ac kept locking up.
After 14 hours on phone with support? I decided on last day of return
policy to send
this puppy back.
We never nailed down what caused the lockups. Could have been audio
drivers not playing
well with Screen Readers, tried jaws, windoweyes and even narrator so
not a WE problem as far as I could tell.
Dell removed some junkware, replaced the video driver they said was
causing the problem,
removed some of dells software for digital downloads and eventthe
backup and recovery
software, nothing helpped.
They ran many tests saying the hardware was all good.
There were many errors in the event loggs and the final nail was that
internet explorer
11 had to restart and then a lockup and in the event log there was a
problem with
a dll related to internet explorer.
The Reps also said they were getting intermittant breaks in the
connection when trying
to remote so who knows?
Could be anything but I cant pay a grand for a new boat anchor so back
it went.
Now I have to start the new computer search all over again.
This time I am going with a business system, better components and
hopefully more
stable software. Perhaps I will go w7 Pro instead of 8.1 Consumer version.
I just dont know anymore what will work with a screen reader without
worrying about
potential conflicts or even if that had anything at all to do with all
the errors
and lockups - neither did the dell techs and there were many, many of
them over the
14 hours plus of phone calls.
If you run a recent machine, desktop with WE, and it has worked well
for you what are you
running?
Are there errors in the event loggs?
HP, Dell, Lenovo, Asus or others?
And which OS do you find most stable with WE - that is W7 Pro or even
W 8.1 (Pro?)
Rick USA
--
David
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