Brian Fagioli

Installing a pre-release version of an operating system on a production machine is downright foolish. You can run into serious bugs, and potentially, lose data too. So I urge you not to install Ubuntu 22.10 "Kinetic Kudu" Beta which was released earlier today... unless you are cool dude or "dudette."

Yeah, the truly cool Linux users are willing to throw caution to the wind and ruin their current Ubuntu installation in favor or living dangerously. Of course, these brave Linux users should also have their important data backed up just in case something catastrophic happens. After all, failing to backup is certainly not cool.

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Today, Google finally flushed Stadia down the proverbial toilet. And yes, the company's streaming game service was, in fact, a massive turd. Consumers never really embraced Stadia, and after a few short years, Google is admitting defeat and shutting it down.

On paper, Stadia looked great -- you could play high-end games without spending money on a console. The games simply streamed over the internet, with Google's servers doing the heavy lifting. Unfortunately, the execution and overall game library was lacking. Stadia was not fun to use or play. And now it is dead, or at least it soon will be.

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Many devices offer expandable storage these days thanks to microSD card slots. This ability can be found in smartphones, tablets, drones, cameras, and more. Believe it or not, you can currently store up to 1TB on a microSD card -- a mindboggling amount of storage for a card that is roughly the size of a postage stamp.

But what if 1TB of storage is not enough? Well, in that case, you can simply utilize multiple microSD cards, but this can be both costly and inconvenient. Wouldn't it be cool if we could finally get microSD cards to break the 1TB barrier?

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Everyone's tastes are different, so when it comes to keyboards, it is impossible to call any of them the "best." With that said, today, the Das Keyboard 6 Professional gets officially released, and for some consumers, it could prove to be the best keyboard... for them.

What makes the Das Keyboard 6 Professional so appealing? Well, besides the company's legendary quality, this mechanical keyboard seems to check so many important boxes. Not only does it connect to your PC via USB-C, but it has a 2-port USB-C hub on the rear. It features beautiful white backlighting for the keys, and you can choose between Cherry MX blue and brown switches. It even has a huge volume knob and convenient media keys. Plus, if you like number pads, it has that too.

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Wi-Fi 6E is the latest and greatest wireless networking standard. It is most notable for using the 6GHz band, making it superior to "regular" Wi-Fi 6. To take advantage of this new standard, you will obviously need a Wi-Fi 6E router. However, that is just part of the equation. If you do not have devices with Wi-Fi 6E as well, it is kind of pointless.

Thankfully, many new computers are coming with Wi-Fi 6E, but what if you are not ready for a new PC? Well, in that case, you can crack open your desktop or laptop and install a card -- if you have an available slot, that is. Of course, not everyone is comfortable opening up their computer -- it can be a scary affair.

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With so many USB-C multiport adapters on the market these days, I'll be honest, it can be hard to get excited about new models. I mean, look, the dongles all pretty much work the same way, right? The adapter turns a single USB-C port into several useful ports.

Today, however, Satechi has a new such product that got my attention. Called "USB-4 Multiport Adapter with 2.5G Ethernet," the exciting aspect is in the name -- you get multi-gig Ethernet. Sure, plenty of similar adapters provide gigabit Ethernet, but the 2.5G offering here is rather special.

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If you build your own desktop computers, you know that the component brands you choose can really matter. For instance, if you opt for an unknown company for your RAM, power supply, or storage, there is a very good chance you will run into problems. This is why I always recommend sticking with reputable brands -- saving a few bucks is never worth the hassle of troubleshooting crashes.

Kingston is a company that has been around for a long time, and its products are typically very reliable -- I trust its products for sure. Today, that company announces its latest DDR4 RAM, and the memory modules are very beautiful. Called "FURY Beast Special Edition RGB," this limited edition RAM features white heat spreaders and RGB lighting.

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System76's Thelio desktop computers have been notable for three things -- being assembled in the USA, running Linux-based operating systems, and having a largely wooden chassis. Moving forward, the PC will still be assembled in America and ship with a Linux distribution (Ubuntu or Pop!_OS), but it won't necessarily contain any wood.

You see, the computer manufacturer has decided to redesign the chassis to be mostly aluminum, save for a thin accent strip. Actually, while the strip can be made of wood, not all of them are. In other words, it is not a given that a Thelio desktop will contain any wood -- only if you specifically choose a wooden access strip. Some of the strips are instead made of powder-coated aluminum. And yes, you can replace the strip by easily pinching and sliding it off.

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Many people are working from home nowadays, using work-issued laptops. The problem, of course, is that these workers often own personal notebooks too. And so, if they regularly connect their computers to a mouse, keyboard, and monitor, it can be quite cumbersome to constantly plug and unplug cables when switching between two machines.

A KVM switch is a great solution for this dilemma, as it allows you to easily switch peripherals and accessories from one computer to the other. IOGEAR has unveiled its newest such product and it is quite elegant. Called "GCS72CC," it offers two USB-C cables that you plug into both computers. Then, the device offers two USB-A ports and one DisplayPort. This lets you connect a mouse, keyboard, and monitor. You then press a convenient button to switch between machines.

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Working from home (WFH) and hybrid work have gone from being "new" to the "new normal." Yes, what was once a scary new world during the pandemic has become the standard. Office workers are happy to avoid traveling to an office when possible, and many businesses are happy to oblige.

If you want to be successful as a work-from-home employee, however, investment in quality hardware is key. You see, as people now mostly see and hear you on video chat platforms such as Zoom, you will leave a bad impression if you use a low quality webcam. Shouldn't you put your best foot forward?

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Can something as boring as Windows Terminal be made sexy? Well, maybe not necessarily in the erotic sense of the word (that would be super weird), but yes, the program apparently can be made more attractive and appealing thanks to some new customization options.

Today, Microsoft launches Windows Terminal Preview 1.16, and the new version has a whole bunch of changes such as a new text rendering engine and default colors. However, the truly exciting improvements are focused on the ability to customize things. You see, Microsoft has added an all-new themes feature and redesigned color schemes page. Ooh la la!

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Fedora and GNOME go together like peanut butter and jelly. It is the best Linux distribution combined with the greatest desktop environment. Not to mention, Fedora focuses on truly free and open source software. Sure, that may make the operating system a bit less inviting to Linux beginners, but many seasoned Linux experts know Fedora is the cream of the crop.

Today, Fedora 37 finally becomes available in Beta form, and the developers are hoping you will test it and provide some useful feedback. The most exciting aspect of Fedora 37 Beta is its use of GNOME 43, which is also in Beta. Also titillating is official Raspberry Pi 4 support, and yes, accelerated graphics are working. ARM fans will surely be happy about that, but sad to know the ARMv7 architecture will no longer be supported.

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Power supply units are arguably the unsung heroes of computer builds. They aren't very exciting, and they don't necessarily add to performance, but make no mistake -- having a quality PSU maters. A low-quality power supply can lead to system instability, and even worse, fires. Yeah, it is never worth it to choose a PSU from an unknown manufacturer.

LIAN LI is a very trustworthy and respected manufacturer of power supplies, and today, it launches its latest. Called "SP850," this is an 850W SFX power supply that comes with the latest-and-greatest 12VHPWR cable, making you ready for the newest cards. The modular PSU even comes in both white and black colors so you can make it look good in most computer builds.

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A few months ago, we shared with you that iOS 16 was on the way for Apple iPhone. Well, folks, today the operating system finally becomes available for iPhone 8 and higher. Yes, the five-year-old iPhone 8 can be updated to the latest version of iOS, putting Android to shame.

You see, some Android devices never get significant updates -- to get OS updates after 5 years with Android is pretty much unheard of. Yeah, being an Android user can be quite depressing, and iOS 16 makes Android 13 look like literal dog poop.

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While I am sure California is a nice place to live, it sure does seem like it has many problems. Not only does the state suffer from earthquakes, droughts, rampant homelessness, and wildfires, but increasingly, it is struggling to meet the electricity needs of its citizens. After all, as temperatures go up from global warming, more and more people will turn on air conditioners.

Thankfully, smart thermostats have the ability to alleviate some of these power consumption woes. You see, not only are these connected devices convenient, they can be controlled by the power companies during power usage spikes. With your permission, the power company can adjust your air conditioning slightly so that blackouts and brownouts can hopefully be prevented. Sometimes you will even be compensated for participating in such a thing.

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