Brian Fagioli

Fedora 37 was due to be released before the end of October, but if you expected to have the Linux-based operating system by Halloween, you will be very disappointed. You see, due to a critical bug in OpenSSL, the Fedora developers are halting the release until November 15 at the earliest.

The patched version of OpenSSL will come out on November 1, so the developers are targeting November 15 as a realistic date to have Fedora 37 tested and ready to go. Of course, it could end up being even later than that.

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Want to know a secret? If you don't like Windows 11, then you don't have to use it. Look, in 2022, there are plenty of legitimate alternatives. For instance, you can buy a Mac or a Chromebook. If you want to use your existing computer, however, you can just install a traditional Linux distribution such as Ubuntu.

One of the best Linux-based operating systems for Windows-switchers these days is Zorin OS. This distribution is based on Ubuntu, but improves upon that distro by offering a more user-focused experience -- particularly for current Windows users. Today, Zorin OS 16.2 becomes available, and the newest version of the operating system makes it even easier to ditch Windows 11. You see, with Zorin OS 16.2, you can run Windows programs with ease.

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Does the perfect laptop docking station exist? Maybe for some consumers, but ultimately, no it does not. The reality is, consumers have differing needs and wants, so no single dock can truly please everyone. With that said, a new docking station from Plugable should prove to be a great option for most consumers.

Called "UD-ULTCDL," it technically is an update to an existing Plugable dock that carries the same name, but really, it is significantly different, meaning it should be considered an entirely new product. This second generation version features three HDMI ports as opposed to outdated DVI and VGA options. Not to mention, it now offers 100W charging (96W certified).

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Solid state drives are continually getting faster, with many computers now supporting the PCIe 4.0 standard. Heck, PCIe 5.0 computers are now available. If you have a PCIe 4.0-compatible PC, you will probably want to get such an SSD to maximize your performance. Is it largely for bragging rights and benchmarks? Arguably, yes, but if you can afford it, you might as well go for a PCIe 4.0 drive. After all, the price should not be much more than a PCIe 3.0 SSD.

Transcend has a new M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 solid state drive that is designed for both gamers and enthusiasts. Called "MTE250S," this SSD is extremely fast and comes with a thin graphene heatsink to help with cooling.

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Google Chrome is a great web browser for many reasons, including its cross-platform nature. You can run Ubuntu Linux, macOS, Windows, and Android, for instance, and use the same Chrome web browser on all of those operating systems. Thanks to cloud data syncing, you can have a seamless experience too.

With the upcoming Google Chrome 110, however, there will be two fewer operating systems supported. You see, early next year, Google will be dropping support for its web browser on both Windows 7 and 8.1. In other words, if you use Microsoft's desktop operating system, you will need to be on Windows 10 or 11.

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Nowadays, our computers often serve as our centralized media centers. We use laptops and desktops to both watch videos and listen to music. Long gone are the days of having big stereo receivers paired with independent media devices such as CD and DVD players. Streaming is superior.

Unfortunately, many consumers rely on the terrible speakers that are integrated into their laptops or the ones that came with their desktop. These people are missing out on what is truly possible from computer audio. By upgrading to higher quality speakers, a whole new world of audio can be experienced.

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Today, Canonical releases Ubuntu 22.10. Are you excited? Well, you probably shouldn't be. Don't get me wrong, the newest version of the operating system -- which is codenamed "Kinetic Kudu" -- seems fine, but there is nothing truly exciting to be found in it. Yeah, it is just another cookie-cutter Ubuntu release.

With all of that said, there are some notable improvements, such as the new GNOME 43 desktop environment and inclusion of the latest Mesa in the Steam snap. For the most part, however, desktop users will likely find this version very underwhelming.

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Your iPhone has a high-end camera, so why not use it as a webcam for your MacBook? After all, that smartphone's camera is much better than the one on your Mac laptop. That's exactly what Apple had in mind when they added that functionality to macOS.

As long as your iPhone features MagSafe support, you can mount it to the top of your MacBook display with the help of a special accessory. And now, popular accessory-maker Belkin has launched its own such product -- the unimaginatively named "iPhone Mount with MagSafe for Mac Notebooks." The company promises a version for Mac desktops will launch at some point in the future.

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Apple TV is more expensive than competing media boxes such as Roku and Amazon Fire TV. As the old adage says, however, "you get what you pay for." In other words, the premium you pay for an Apple TV device is absolutely worth it. It is far superior to all competitors.

The newest Apple TV remote is brilliant, the tvOS interface is easy to use, and the device has some powerful hardware under the hood thanks to Apple's excellent in-house processors. If you use other Apple products such as iPhone and/or iPad, you would be foolish not to go with Apple TV. It really is that good.

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Is Kanye West (aka Ye) mentally ill? While I am not qualified to determine such a diagnosis, it does seem that way to me. That is purely my opinion. He is certainly erratic and prone to posting inflammatory statements.

Over on Twitter, West recently declared in a now deleted tweet "I’m going death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE." Yes, the self-proclaimed "genius" showed his stupidity by confusing "death con" and "DEFCON." That ugly tweet is not up for interpretation -- it is pure hate. And it is unacceptable, which is why Twitter temporarily suspended Kanye West's account.

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Are Apple's MacBook laptops good computers? Yes, but they can be rather expensive. Not to mention, they aren't known for being durable. It isn't uncommon to see one of these notebook computers experiencing issues -- broken keyboards, displays, and more. Sure, you can buy an AppleCare protection plan, but you would be wise to try and prevent damage by using a case.

A new such case by Satechi is designed to protect the 2021 Apple MacBook Pro specifically. Called "Eco-HardShell Laptop Case," this product is available for both the 14-inch and 16-inch versions of Apple's macOS notebook. The two pieces simply snap onto the computer -- no tools needed.

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Solid state drives make great internal boot drives for computers, but they are wonderful options for external storage too. Not only are they smaller than mechanical hard disk drives, but they use less power and are much quicker as well. Quite frankly, if you are someone that needs to transport data on a portable drive, you'd be crazy to still use a HDD with moving parts.

Today, CORSAIR launches its latest portable solid state drive. Called "EX100U," the tiny SSD offers very fast performance thanks to its USB 3.2 Gen2 x2 interface. It can achieve read speeds up to 1,600MB/s and write speeds up to 1,500MB/s. Corsair lists Windows and Mac compatibility, but it should work perfectly fine with Linux-based operating systems too, including Ubuntu, Chrome OS, and Android. Yes, it should be compatible with iPadOS as well.

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Chromebooks sure have come a long way. What was once merely a glorified web browser running atop meager hardware has morphed into a legitimate Windows alternative for home, education, and business use. You can even get Chromebooks with high-quality hardware these days. Thanks to cloud-based video-game-streaming, Chromebooks can serve as gaming computers nowadays too.

Today, Acer launches its first-ever Chromebook designed specifically for gamers. Powered by a 12th Gen Intel Core processor and equipped with at least 8GB of RAM, the 16-inch Acer Chromebook 516 GE should be perfect for game-streaming platforms like NVIDIA GeForce NOW, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Amazon Luna to name a few. And yes, this Chrome OS laptop has an RGB keyboard.

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If you are anything like me, you have several devices that use various chargers and cables. For instance, I recently went on a cruise with an iPhone and a Kindle. For the iPhone, I have a USB-C to lightning cable. For the Kindle, I have USB-A to micro USB cable. When packing for my trip, I had to pack both a USB-A and USB-C adapter so I could charge both devices. Isn't there a better way?

Yes, actually. Had I planned better, I could have purchased a single wall adapter that offered both USB-C and USB-A ports for simultaneous charging. This would have allowed me to pack less and use fewer outlets in my room. While there are plenty of these wall adapters on the market, a diminutive new model from Silicon Power, called "Boost Charger QM25," looks quite nice.

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Are smartwatches popular? Well, the Apple Watch certainly is. Other brands? Not so much. Quite frankly, Android users have had to deal with watches that are far inferior to the excellent Apple Watch. Being an Android user has not been very fun in recent years.

Earlier today, Google unveiled its newest flagship Android phones -- the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. Unfortunately, the Pixel line has been disastrous lately, and I am not expecting anything different with the new models. With all of the bugs and issues that have plagued the past several Pixel phones, I am surprised anyone would still buy one, but I digress.

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