Brian Fagioli

All USB and Thunderbolt cables are not created equally. Since these cables can carry both power and data, it can be quite foolish (and potentially dangerous) to choose one that is low-quality. The problem, however, is it can be hard to know which cables on the market are worth your time. You see, a higher price does not necessarily mean a cable is of good quality or safe to use.

OWC is aiming to solve this dilemma by releasing a premium Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C cable on which consumers can fully depend. In other words, you will be able to buy this cable and be confident that it meets all specifications and certifications. In fact, it is certified for up to 8K video, up to 100 watts power delivery, and up to 40Gb/s data transfer. Yeah, this a very nice cable, folks!

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So, you just took a bunch of photos with your camera and now it is time to transfer the pics to your computer, eh? OK, just remove the storage card from your camera and insert it directly into your computer. What? You can't do that? Oh, that's right -- many computer manufacturers are no longer including integrated card readers these days. Ugh. I guess those photos will be stuck on the card forever, right?

Actually, no. You can simply connect an external card reader to your computer to transfer those photos (or other file types). Today, Lexar launches its latest such reader. Called "Professional USB-C Dual-Slot Reader," it connects with (you guessed it) USB Type-C and is compatible with both SD and microSD cards.

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Is Ubuntu the best Linux-based desktop operating system? That is debatable. However, I think we can all agree that Ubuntu is the most well-known desktop Linux distribution on the planet. Hell, Ubuntu even got a mention on the legendary TV sitcom The Big Bang Theory.

Today, the developer of Ubuntu, Canonical, announces some exciting news -- the Linux-based operating system is getting a new logo! While it doesn't deviate much from previous Ubuntu logos, it is definitely an improvement. You see, the logo was always suppose to look like a top-down view of three people interlocking arms -- Canonical calls it "Circle of Friends." The circles (heads) are now centered to better represent the trio of people. The logo also gets put into an orange rectangle.

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Mushkin may not be a household name, but if you are a seasoned PC builder, you should be familiar with it. I have purchased the company's RAM several times, and have always been satisfied with the results. In other words, I can confidently recommend Mushkin products based on my experiences.

Today, Mushkin launches its latest solid state drive. Called "Redline Vortex," the M.2 SSD utilizes the INNOGRIT IG5236 PCIe 4.0 controller to achieve impressive performance. This drive features read speeds up to 7,415MB/s and write speeds up to 6,800MB/s. Very nice!

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If you are an experienced desktop-computer-builder, you know the brands you choose for components 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 it if you end up troubleshooting crashes.

PNY is a company that has been around for quite a while, and its products are typically very reliable. Today, PNY launches new memory under its popular "XLR8" gaming brand. Called "REV RGB," these sticks feature customizable lighting and quality memory modules. PNY promises the RAM is capable of "aggressive overclocking" too.

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Zorin OS is one of the best Linux-based operating systems around, thanks to its focus on elegance and simplicity. It offers familiarity to Windows-switchers too. Ultimately, Zorin OS is a solid distribution for both Linux beginners and experts alike.

Today, the first "point" release of Zorin OS 16 becomes available for download. Zorin OS 16.1 comes with security patches plus other goodies, such as the great LibreOffice 7.3 office suite and other updated packages.

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When it comes to storage drives, faster is always better, right? Well, yes, but remember, better performance usually comes at a higher price. And so, if you don't need bleeding edge speeds, why should you pay for it?

Despite the prevalence of PCIe 4.0 solid state drives, and the emergence of PCIe 5.0 SSDs, the truth is, most consumers would probably not notice the speed benefits they offer over, say, a PCIe 3.0 SSD. Hell, many would likely see no difference between PCIe and SATA. For those consumers that don't need a PCIe 4.0 or 5.0 SSD, today, Silicon Power unveils a new PCIe 3.0 (Gen3x4) drive. Called "UD80," it actually has very respectable read and write speeds.

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Are you a fan of USB-C? Yeah, me too. I love that you can insert a USB-C cable into the port without having to worry that it is the wrong orientation. Not to mention, the port is so thin that it allows computers to be thinner than ever before. No longer are manufacturers forced to accommodate the chunky USB-A ports.

If your laptop, tablet, or smartphone charges by USB-C, then I have some interesting news for you. Today, Satechi launches a 30W USB-C PD GaN wall charger and a beautiful braided USB4 cable. The charger is so, so cute and tiny while still offering 30 watts of power. While this wattage isn't ideal for laptops, it should be a great option for a phone or tablet. The aforementioned USB4 cable is USB-C to USB-C and offered in your choice of two lengths.

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There were many rumors Apple would announce a more-powerful Mac mini today, and that proved to be false. Sort of. You see, the company instead revealed an entirely new computer called Mac Studio. While the little aluminum computer does resemble a Mac mini (albeit taller), it is a far more powerful beast that is not intended for typical home users.

Designed for hardcore creators and professionals, Mac Studio is powered by either the M1 Max or all-new M1 Ultra processor. Choosing a processor really matters beyond the chip’s performance too, as it determines some other specs. For instance, the M1 Max model gets up to 64GB RAM while the Ultra version can be equipped with up to 128GB. The front USB-C ports on the Max model are just USB 3.2 while they are Thunderbolt 4 on the Ultra.

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We recently told you about a new flash drive from Silicon Power that was rather unremarkable and ho-hum. Called "Marvel M02," it is your typical run-of-the-mill USB-A drive. Its lack of excitement is absolutely fine, however, as sometimes all you need is a basic flash drive for general use. Not every product has to be exciting.

Well, folks, there is yet another new flash drive from Silicon Power, and it is anything but boring. While its design is nothing special, its performance is. Called "Marvel Xtreme M80," this USB-A drive offers read performance up to 600MB/s and write performance up to 500MB/s. In other words, as its name implies, this drive is extremely fast!

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Windows laptops aren't particularly fascinating these days -- it can be hard to get excited about them. With that said, Dynabook has a new notebook that should truly get your motor running. Called "Portégé X40L-K," this 14-inch laptop has a dark-blue magnesium chassis, and it is merely 15.9mm thin while weighing just 2.3 pounds.

The Dynabook Portégé X40L-K comes with Windows 11, but Windows 10 remains an option too. It is powered by either a 12th Gen Intel Core or Core vPro processor, and can be configured with up to 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to a 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD for storage. The 14-inch 1920x1200 display should pair quad nicely with the Dolby Atmos-compatible quad-speaker system for enjoying media.

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From time to time, a manufacturer will release a memory card that it claims is designed for gaming. Consumers often wonder if there is anything special about these cards that will truly benefit gamers. The answer is largely... no. Sorry, folks, but a storage card that is designed for gaming is usually just marketing hype.

With all of that said, today, PNY launches a microSD card under its XLR8 gaming brand. You know what? Thanks to the card's impressive specifications, gamers will actually want to check it out. While it is primarily intended to be used with the Nintendo Switch, it will absolutely be a smart choice for the new Valve Steam Deck and Android devices too. The card will, of course, work with any device that uses such a card, including the Raspberry Pi, drones, digital cameras, and more.

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Nowadays, professional photographers with high-end camera equipment are embracing CFexpress storage cards more and more. The problem? Those cards are quite expensive. Not to mention, many photographers can get by fine without using top of the line. And so, for many photographers -- amateur and professional alike -- SD cards remain a great option.

Thankfully, companies are still manufacturing new SD cards, and today, Lexar launches its latest. The GOLD Series Professional 1800x UHS-II U3 SDXC storage card is both fast and durable. Best of all, pricing starts at just $36.99, making it affordable for all consumers.

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Debian is a great Linux distribution in its own right, but also, it serves as a base for many other operating systems. For instance, two of the best Linux distros, Ubuntu and deepin, are based on Debian.

Linux Mint is a popular operating system based on Ubuntu, but did you know there is actually a lesser-known variant of the operating system based on Debian? It's true! The unimaginatively named "Linux Mint Debian Edition" (aka LMDE) cuts out the Ubuntu middleman and is based on Debian directly.

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Windows 11 is cool, but let's be honest -- Microsoft's operating system is total overkill for the vast majority of users. When a family member asks my advice on buying a new PC, I almost always suggest a Chromebook. Why? Because they tell me everything they do is in the web browser anyway. And by getting them onto Chrome OS, there is a far reduced chance of them bothering me for PC help in the future. Chromebooks are simple and secure.

But what Chromebook should they buy? Ah, that is a tough one. There are so many great makes and models on the market these days. You really can't go wrong by sticking with reputable brands such as Acer, ASUS, or HP. One of my personal favorites, however, is Lenovo. That company is legendary for offering high-quality Windows computers, and its Chromebooks are no different.

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