Brian Fagioli

USB4 is already plenty fast, with its theoretical maximum speed of 40Gbps. Quite frankly, it is much faster than most consumers truly need. Most people are not even taking full advantage of current USB4 speeds. But rather than leave well enough alone, The USB Promoter Group has instead decided to push boundaries once again, this time with what it calls USB4 Version 2.0.

The group has announced this second generation of USB4 doubles maximum transfer speeds, this time topping out at 80Gbps. But don't worry; the new standard is backwards compatible with the first gen of USB4, plus the even older USB 3.2, USB 2.0, and Thunderbolt 3. Best of all, USB4 2.0 performance should be possible using existing USB4 cables.

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If you are still using one of these old devices -- iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, or iPod touch (6th generation) -- I have some very interesting news. Believe it or not, Apple has issued an emergency update for the iOS 12 operating system. More specifically, it will update your compatible device to iOS 12.5.6.

Why is Apple doing this? Well, it seems a very serious Webkit bug -- that is possibly being actively exploited -- was discovered by an anonymous researcher. Apparently, enough people are still using these old devices that Apple felt it was necessary to patch it.

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PC gamers know how great a curved monitor can be. These displays create a superior gaming experience, allowing the game-player to be immersed in the gameplay. Not to mention, a curved monitor appears very attractive when sitting on a desk -- it simply looks cool.

Today, Samsung unveils one of the most beautiful curved displays ever. Called "Odyssey OLED G8," this 34-inch OLED monitor features a 3,440 x 1,440 QHD resolution, 21:9 aspect ratio, 175Hz refresh, 0.1ms response, and AMD FreeSync Premium compatibility. And yes, there is RGB lighting on the rear, because... gaming!

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Apple's iPad is a tablet, yes, but when you add a keyboard case, it magically becomes a laptop. But did you know the new M1-powered iPad tablets with USB-C can also serve as a legit desktop? It is true! By plugging in a USB-hub, you can connect a keyboard, mouse, monitor, and/or external storage. The desktop capabilities of Apple's M1 tablets will greatly improve with the upcoming iPadOS 16 too.

Today, Satechi launches the "USB-C Mobile Pro Hub SD," which is primarily designed for M1 iPad devices such as iPad Pro and iPad Air 5. The hub plugs into the bottom of the tablet and offers HDMI (4K compatible), USB-A (up to 5Gbps), 3.5mm audio, SD card reader, and microSD carder. It even offers USB-C power delivery (up to 60W) so you can charge the iPad while the hub is in use. There is only a single USB-A port, however, so you will need to use a wireless mouse and/or keyboard -- both cannot be wired.

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Logitech's G502 gaming mouse is iconic and popular, and now, the company is refreshing it with a special "X" moniker. The Logitech "G502 X," as it is called, can be pre-ordered immediately, and there are three variants from which to choose -- wired, wireless, and plus.

The wired version, as you can guess, connects to your PC using a USB cable. While some consumers will consider a wired mouse to be inferior, I actually prefer it -- there is no battery to recharge. Both the wireless and plus models connect without a cable thanks to the included LIGHTSPEED USB-A dongle. They both charge over USB-C, but only the plus variant has RGB lighting.

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M.2 solid state drives are great options for both laptops and desktop PCS. Hell, if you add such a drive to a compatible enclosure (such as this one), you can transform it into a portable SSD too. But did you know you can upgrade the storage of your PlayStation 5 video game console by adding an M.2 drive?

And now, Lexar has a new M.2 SSD that is designed for both PC and Sony PlayStation 5. Called "Professional NM800 PRO," this PCIe Gen4x4 M.2 2280 SSD offers impressive speeds and is being offered either with or without a heatsink.

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USB-C docking stations and hubs are a dime a dozen these days. There are so many such products that can transform a single USB-C port into several others. Quite frankly, it is almost impossible to get noticed with such an adapter these days.

With all of that said, a new USB-C adapter from Belkin has managed to grab my attention. Called "CONNECT USB-C 6-in-1 Multiport Hub with Mount," it has a unique feature that I find quite neat. You see, the "mount" in the product's name indicates that it can be attached to the back of a computer, such as Apple iMac.

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With COVID-19 pretty much over now, I decided to take my first vacation since the pandemic started (I am vaccinated and double-boosted). And so, I booked a Royal Caribbean cruise to Bermuda (Enchantment of the Seas) that left from Baltimore. I returned from that vacation this week -- the trip was quite lovely, as is typical with Royal Caribbean.

Believe it or not, this was my 10th Royal Caribbean cruise! Normally, I would use it as an opportunity to unplug from the internet and relax offline. This time, however, things were a bit different. You see, I adopted a chihuahua from a shelter a few years back, and I wanted to keep an eye on her by way of Wi-Fi cameras. She's a great dog, but very scared and skittish -- I needed to know she was OK at all times.

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Back in April, we told you about the Deco XE75 -- an affordable Wi-Fi 6E tri-band mesh system. TP-Link's AXE5400 wireless networking system comes with two 802.11ax access points, each with three Gigabit Ethernet ports. At just $299.99, it is quite a great value.

Today, TP-Link launches a "Pro" version of the Deco XE75. Yes, the name of this product is "Deco XE75 Pro." Why exactly does this new product get a "Pro" moniker? Well, it has one significant upgrade over the non-Pro variant -- a multi-gig port. You see, rather than have three Gigabit ports, each access point features two Gigabit LAN ports and one 2.5G WAN/LAN port.

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Are all NVMe M.2 solid state drives the same from a performance perspective? Technically, no, but nowadays, even the lower-speed offerings are still rather fast. In other words, no NVMe SSD is "slow" although I would still caution to stick with trusted brands if you value your data. After all, it doesn't matter how speedy your drive is if it dies and your files are lost.

Samsung is probably the most trusted name in solid state storage. Not only are its SSDs historically very dependable, but very fast too. While a Samsung SSD may cost a bit more than some other brands, it is absolutely worth the premium if you want the best.

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Created and maintained by Chinese developers, deepin has long been considered one of the prettiest Linux-based operating systems. Understandably, due to its development happening in China, many people do not trust the distribution -- especially with biometrics being added. Not to mention the recent dustup over Taiwan and apparent ongoing genocide.

If you are someone that trusts deepin despite its country of origin, however, I have some really exciting news. Today, an official public preview of the upcoming deepin 23 becomes available for download. The developers highlight the inclusion of the new "Linglong" package format, atomic updates, and new repositories.

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USB-C docking stations are very common these days. Hell, websites like Amazon are littered with countless makes and models. Of course, not all of them are good, nor do they offer the same things. Features can vary from dock to dock, such as the number of USB ports or video outputs. I recommend sticking with reputable brands such as Kensington, StarTech.com, and Plugable to name a few.

Speaking of Plugable, today, that company launches a USB-C docking station that can push two 4K displays at 60Hz at once. Called "UD-6950PDH," the dock also offers 100W of charging and provides an impressive 13 useful ports, including Gigabit Ethernet, USB-A, and both SD and micro SD card readers.

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While Apple's Magic Keyboards are actually quite good (unlike its terrible Magic Mouse), there is one unfortunate fact -- the company simply doesn't make a mechanical keyboard. And so, if you want such a keyboard for your Mac, you will have to depend on a third-party company. The problem there, however, is there are so many keyboard makers these days, it can be hard to know which are actually good. Sadly, there are many that are terrible.

Well, folks, Das Keyboard has a new Apple-focused USB-C keyboard called "MacTigr," and if you aren't aware, that company is one of the most respected keyboard manufacturers out there. Seriously, you can never go wrong with a Das Keyboard product. Not only is MacTigr built like tank, the wired keyboard is loaded with many excellent features.

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Earlier this month, we shared the news that Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS (code-named "Jammy Jellyfish") was being delayed. Sadly, the first point release of this wildly popular operating system version was being pushed back an entire week -- an absolute eternity in the world of Linux.

Well, folks, a week has passed, and thankfully, Canonical stayed true to its word (this time) and sorted the show-stopping Ubuntu Linux 22.04.1 issue. Yes, the major bug that caused snaps not to open on computers that used the OEM install option is now resolved. Even better, starting today, Canonical will being prompting Ubuntu 20.04 users to upgrade to Jammy Jellyfish.

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If you are a professional photographer/videographer or just an enthusiast interested in the latest-and-greatest technologies, you may already be using CFexpress Type A cards. For those of you that are unfamiliar, however, please know these media storage cards are designed to be extremely fast. You will need a camera that is compatible with this new standard though.

Today, Lexar releases its latest such product. Called "Professional GOLD Series," this new CFexpress Type A card offers both high speeds and durability -- perfect for creators on the go. In addition to the actual card, the company has also released a new 3.2 Gen 2 reader that is compatible with both CFexpress Type A and SD cards.

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