Brian Fagioli

Belkin has always been at the forefront of innovative charging solutions, and its latest release is no exception. The company has just launched its newest Qi2 portfolio, offering up to 15W of fast wireless charging for Qi2-enabled devices. This new lineup is designed to cater to early adopters who are always on the lookout for the latest and greatest in technology.

The Qi2 portfolio is not just about speed; it also promises precise alignment and universal compatibility. This means that users can charge their devices more efficiently and without the hassle of finding the perfect charging spot. Additionally, the portfolio comes with certification from the World Power Consortium (WPC), providing users with the peace of mind that their devices are being charged safely and securely.

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DuckDuckGo, the search engine known for its commitment to user privacy, has launched a new subscription service called Privacy Pro. This service aims to provide users with a more comprehensive suite of privacy protections beyond what is available for free through the DuckDuckGo browser.

The DuckDuckGo browser, which is the centerpiece of the company’s product offering, already provides a range of free privacy protections, such as tracker blocking and email protection. Privacy Pro is designed to complement these existing features by offering additional protections, such as securing network connections with a VPN and limiting data brokers’ access to personal information.

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Today, TEAMGROUP has launched the T-CREATE EXPERT R31 3-in-1 Card Reader. Designed with portability in mind, the EXPERT R31 measures just 8.5 cm and is lightweight, making it easy to carry and access creative content wherever inspiration strikes.

The T-CREATE EXPERT R31 is equipped with a Type-C interface and supports USB 3.2 Gen2x2 specifications, allowing for read and write speeds of up to 2,000MB/s. This means that a 10GB file can be transferred in under 20 seconds, significantly reducing data transfer times and allowing creators to focus more on their creative work.

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Google Photos is set to enhance your photo editing experience with an exciting update. The search giant is bringing a suite of AI-powered editing tools, including the much-loved Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur, and Portrait Light, to all users for free, starting May 15.

Previously exclusive to subscribers, these features will now be accessible to anyone using Google Photos, with no subscription required!

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Gentoo Linux has become an Associated Project of Software in the Public Interest (SPI), following a formal invitation by SPI’s Board of Directors. SPI is a non-profit corporation dedicated to supporting open source software and hardware projects by providing fiscal sponsorship services such as accepting donations, holding funds and assets, and more. Importantly, SPI holds a 501(c)(3) status in the U.S., meaning donations made to SPI and its supported projects are tax-deductible for U.S. donors.

Gentoo Linux excels as a Linux distribution but has faced challenges in maintaining its non-profit status in the U.S. The Gentoo Foundation, while a non-profit in New Mexico, is considered a for-profit entity at the federal level. Transitioning directly to a federally recognized non-profit would be complex and costly.

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Blizzard Entertainment, Microsoft Gaming, and NetEase have announced a renewed publishing deal that will see beloved video game titles return to the Chinese market, starting this summer. The agreement marks the continuation of discussions over the past year and signifies a commitment to once again support players in mainland China.

The renewed publishing agreement includes popular games that Chinese players had access to under the previous agreement, such as World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, and other titles in the Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, and StarCraft universes.

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Canonical, the publisher of Ubuntu Linux, has announced the launch of Ubuntu Pro for Devices, a new subscription service aimed at simplifying security and compliance for IoT device deployments. The service provides 10 years of security maintenance for Ubuntu and thousands of open source packages, including Python, Docker, OpenJDK, OpenCV, MQTT, OpenSSL, Go, and the Robot Operating System (ROS).

Ubuntu Pro for Devices offers device management capabilities through Landscape, Canonical’s systems management tool, and access to Real-time Ubuntu for latency-critical use cases. The subscription is available directly from Canonical and through a range of original device manufacturers (ODMs) in Canonical’s partner ecosystem, such as ADLINK, AAEON, Advantech, and DFI.

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TRIBIT has launched its XSound Plus 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker, an upgraded iteration of the MaxSound Plus. The new model boasts several enhancements over its predecessor, including an additional 6W of power, an extended playtime of 4 hours, Bluetooth 5.3, the introduction of Party Mode, and full compatibility with the TRIBIT App for customizable sound preferences.

The XSound Plus 2 is equipped with 30W Twilight sound, featuring neodymium full-range drivers that produce a wider frequency response compared to traditional magnets. This ensures crisp clarity in every audio experience. The advanced DSP and amplifiers, along with the XBass patented algorithm, elevate wireless listening to new heights.

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Logitech has launched the G PRO X 60 LIGHTSPEED, a compact gaming keyboard designed for professional gamers. The keyboard’s 60 percent form factor is preferred by some gamers for its space-saving design, allowing for more room for mouse movements essential in FPS competitions.

To address the limitations of smaller keyboards, Logitech has developed KEYCONTROL technology, enabling gamers to assign multiple functions to each key, offering extensive customization options. This technology, combined with G-SHIFT, allows players to access a new layer of keys, providing quick access to essential commands. The addition of KEYCONTROL is aimed at ensuring that gamers do not miss any critical keys during gameplay.

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I’m sorry to share some very sad news today. According to a new official blog post, EndeavourOS ARM has been discontinued. This loss is not just tragic because of its negative impact on the ARM Linux community but also for what it represents in the broader open-source ecosystem.

EndeavourOS, a popular Linux distribution, expanded its reach to ARM devices in 2019, thanks to the efforts of a community member known as “Pudge.” His initial scripts for making EndeavourOS compatible with ARM hardware evolved into an official ARM branch, showcasing the collaborative nature of open-source projects.

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Samsung today unveiled the latest versions of its EVO Select and EVO Plus microSD cards, targeting mobile devices and handheld gaming consoles. The new cards feature enhanced transfer speeds of up to 160 MB/s, marking a 23 percent improvement over their predecessors.

Jose Hernandez, Senior Director of Memory Product Marketing at Samsung, stated, “With the mobile and handheld gaming market on the rise, we aimed to accelerate data transfers on these devices with our updated EVO Select and EVO Plus lines. We also recognized the demand for larger storage options, such as a 1TB memory card, for digital files like games, video footage, and photos. With these new additions, users can enjoy ample space, swift speeds, and the durability to last for years.”

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Over the years, I have seen many tech companies go through various regulatory hurdles. With that said, I can’t help but raise an eyebrow at Google’s recent complaints regarding the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). The act, designed to promote competition in the digital market, has seemingly ruffled some feathers at the tech giant.

Adam Cohen, Google’s Director of Economic Policy, has taken to the company’s blog to air grievances about the DMA’s impact on their services. In a bid to comply with the new regulations, Google has had to strip down some of its useful search features, particularly those related to flights, hotels, and local businesses. Cohen argues that this move benefits only a select few online travel aggregators while disadvantaging a broader range of businesses, from airlines to small firms, who now find it harder to directly reach customers.

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Cloud Software Group and Microsoft have announced an eight-year strategic partnership agreement, with Cloud Software Group committing $1.65 billion to Microsoft’s cloud and generative AI capabilities. This collaboration aims to strengthen the Citrix virtual application and desktop platform and develop new cloud and AI solutions with an integrated product roadmap.

Under this partnership, Citrix, a business unit of Cloud Software Group, will be the preferred Microsoft Global Azure Partner solution for Enterprise Desktop as a Service when collaborating with joint Azure customers. The companies will jointly support customer success by offering tailored solutions, expert guidance, and support to accelerate customers’ cloud journeys. Citrix will also leverage Microsoft Azure as its preferred cloud solution, integrating the benefits of the Citrix platform with Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365.

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Opera has announced a huge AI update to its Opera One web browser in the developer stream. The company is introducing experimental support for 150 local Large Language Models (LLMs) across approximately 50 different model families. This innovative feature allows users to easily access and manage local AI models directly from the browser, a first in the industry.

The supported local LLMs include notable names such as Llama from Meta, Vicuna, Gemma from Google, Mixtral from Mistral AI, among others. The inclusion of local LLMs means that users can now leverage generative AI capabilities without the need to send data to external servers. This ensures that user data remains on the device, enhancing privacy and security.

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Hold on to your hats, folks, because Microsoft is at it again. In a move that’s sure to ruffle some feathers, the tech giant has announced* that starting October 2024, just one year before Windows 10 reaches its end of support, the company will charge a whopping $61 per device for the first year of Extended Security Updates (ESU). And get this – the price will double every consecutive year for a maximum of three years! If you’re late to the party and join in Year Two, you’ll have to cough up the cash for Year One as well since these updates are cumulative. Talk about a slap in the face!

Now, let’s be clear: these Extended Security Updates are meant to be a temporary bridge for organizations that need more time to transition to Windows 11. They’re not intended to be a long-term solution. But let’s face it, for many businesses and individuals, upgrading to Windows 11 isn’t as simple as flipping a switch. There are compatibility issues, hardware requirements, and not to mention the hassle of migrating entire systems. So, this move by Microsoft feels like it's holding users hostage -- pay up or risk being left vulnerable to security threats.

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