Cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, are wildly popular these days. Whether or not it's smart to invest in these digital currencies is up for debate. Of course, the same can be said about any investment -- including stocks. With that said, cryptocurrency volatility can cause you to lose a lot of money. Still. some people have become very wealthy with crypto. Ultimately, your mileage may vary.

Unfortunately for some cryptocurrency investors, many of the coins are being vilified for their negative impact on the environment. If you aren't aware, "mining" many of these cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, require computers with high-end graphics cards that use a lot of electricity. Elon Musk even famously tweeted Tesla would stop accepting Bitcoin due to the horrific environmental impact.

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Google tracks you. Yeah, yeah, we all know that. It is nothing new. The truth is, that tracking is both a gift and a curse. True, it isn't a nice feeling to know a company is watching your activity across its services, but at the same time, that tracking allows Google to provide you with a more personal experience. For instance, I choose to let Google track me, and my overall web experience is better as a result.

Thankfully, the search giant does empower its users by letting them limit some of the sharing. And now, Google is making "My Activity" (the page which displays much of this tracking history) more secure. You see, the company is now providing extra verification options when accessing My Activity.

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If you are a gamer, writer, or just someone that appreciates a quality typing experience, a mechanical keyboard can be a godsend. Not only are they typically of higher quality than membrane keyboards, but these mechanical variants can sometimes provide tactile and audible feedback to enhance the key presses -- depending on the switch type.

ADATA is a company that makes great hardware, but isn't really known for its keyboards. With that said, the company has a new such wired product under its "XPG" gaming brand, and it looks quite nice. Called "MAGE," the full-size keyboard has an aluminum body, RGB lighting, red switches, and a USB-C port. It comes with a removable six-foot USB-C to USB-A cable in the box.

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Apple's iPhone smartphones have historically offered very good battery life comparatively. In fact, in my experience, Apple's devices typically last a lot longer than many Android phones. This is despite Android phones often having larger batteries. Apple simply does a better job of optimizing its software. Not to mention, since the company designs its own hardware (including processors), Android-makers simply cant compete in this regard.

Even though Apple iPhone 12 battery life is reportedly great (except maybe for the mini model), the company has finally launched a MagSafe Battery Pack. This accessory is primarily designed for hardcore iPhone users that never put the device down. This battery attaches to the rear of the phone using magnets and extends its usage time. Just make sure to keep it away from your pacemaker!

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Hey, man. Want to know something totally far out? The privacy-focused Linux-based operating system, Tails, has achieved version 4.20. How groovy! If you aren't familiar, Tails is designed to run from an optical disk or USB drive and hide your browsing activity. It is particularly handy for journalists or computer users living in countries ruled by oppressive governments.

Version 4.20 of Tails receives several improvements. For instance, OnionShare has been updated to 2.2 and KeePassXC is now at 2.6.2. More importantly, the Tor Browser has been updated to 10.5.2 and the Linux kernel now sits at 5.10.46. Most significant, however, there are massive enhancements when connecting to a Tor network, including a new assistant.

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When people think of PC gaming gear, they aren't likely to think of furniture. Instead, they probably conjure images in their heads of mice, keyboards, and controllers. But the gamer's computer and monitor need to sit upon a desk or table, right? And of course, the players themselves need to sit in a chair. So, yes, gamers do need furniture.

Believe it or not, gaming chairs are a things these days, providing extra comfort for long gameplay sessions. Not to mention, these chairs look cool, appealing to the style of gamers. One of the companies that makes such chairs, Vertagear, has a model called PL4500. And now, that chair is getting a special new variant. You see, Vertagear has partnered with Swarovski to emblazon the PL4500 with beautiful crystals. Très chic!

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NVMe solid states are insanely fast and getting more affordable every day. It is for this reason that most consumers should opt for them when possible -- they put SATA variants to shame. Even if you don't need the extra performance of an NVMe SSD, the ever-lowering prices make them a no-brainer.

While most people probably think of NVMe SSDs as something to go inside a computer, they also make exceptional external drives -- when paired with an enclosure, that is. Today, Silicon Power launches its latest USB-C enclosure. Called "PD60," it is compatible with both NVMe and SATA M.2 SSDs.

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Microsoft has been getting more and more friendly with both the Open Source and Linux communities in recent years. For instance, the Windows 11-maker offers its some of its popular software for Linux-based operating systems these days, such as Windows Calculator and the Chromium-based Edge web browser. No to mention, Linux is essentially integrated into Microsoft's desktop operating system thanks to the Windows Subsystem for Linux.

To show just how close-knit Microsoft and the Linux community are, today, something fairly shocking is announced. You see, Ubuntu-maker Canonical is a 2021 Microsoft Partner of the Year finalist. Wow.

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With Windows 11 on the horizon, many consumers will find themselves unable to upgrade due to the crazy system requirements the operating system has. And so, some of those people will look for alternatives, such as Linux distributions. While Ubuntu is a wise choice for those interested in switching to Linux, it isn't the best choice. Actually, Windows-switchers should instead give Linux Mint (which is based on Ubuntu) a try.

Wouldn't you know it, today, the all-new Linux Mint 20.2 becomes available for download. Named "Uma," it can be had with your choice of three great desktop environments -- Cinnamon 5.0, MATE 1.24, and Xfce 4.16. Mint 20.2 is based on Ubuntu 20.04 and uses Linux kernel 5.4.

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USB-A ports used to be ubiquitous, but nowadays, they are becoming less common. Make no mistake, USB-A isn't disappearing anytime soon, but fewer laptops are coming with the ports. Instead, many notebooks come with USB-C only these days. And if a laptop does come with USB-A, it may only be one or two ports at most.

Thankfully, one of the best things about USB is the ability to utilize hubs -- you can turn one USB port into several. Today, Plugable launches its latest powered hub, and it is designed for both data and charging. Called "USBC-HUB7BC," it can convert either a USB-A or USB-C port into seven USB-A ports. If you need more than seven USB 3.0 5Gbps ports, you can use more than one USBC-HUB7BC with one PC -- they are designed to be neatly stacked on top of each other.

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Many laptops don't have HDMI outputs anymore, instead only offering USB-C ports. So this means you can't connect the computer to your TV or monitor, right? Wrong! Many USB-C ports (not all) will also output video, allowing you to connect to HDMI by using an adapter or dongle.

Of course, not all cables are created equally. While Amazon is littered with many USB-C to HDMI cables, a lot of them are of poor quality. If you don't want headaches, you should stick with a reputable brand, such as the much-respected StarTech.com. Today, that company launches a new such cable adapter, and it even features HDR10 support. The cable is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux-based operating systems (including Chrome OS and Android).

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With cloud storage continuing to gain in popularity, flash drives have largely fallen out of favor with consumers. Maybe that's not such a bad thing, as USB flash drives are easy to lose and are susceptible to failure -- the cloud is arguably more safe and secure. With that said, there will always be a need for local storage, as sometimes you can't trust certain documents, such as company secrets, to the cloud.

It is hard to get excited about USB flash drives though, right? I mean, aren't they all the same? Actually, no! They can vary on things like build quality and performance. That's why the a trio of new USB flash drives from respected company TEAMGROUP has piqued my interest. All three drives are distinct in their designs. The speedy C212 uses a slide to protect the USB-A connector, while the M211 has a unique foldable hinge that reveals both USB-A and USB-C. The C211 is the least interesting of the bunch, as it uses an easy-to-lose cap.

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I have wanted a Nintendo Switch for a while now. I had one years ago, but sold it as I didn't have time to play it. I justified the sale by telling myself I'd just buy another when I did have time. Then the pandemic hit, leading to scarcity. Not to mention, there have been countless rumors about a mythical "Pro" Switch that was coming any day. And so I, like many other consumers, delayed the purchase to wait for the new model.

Well, folks, the new model is official, but it is not a Pro model, sadly. Called "Nintendo Switch OLED Model," it is exactly what it sounds like -- the same console with a better OLED display. Not only is it better, but bigger as well -- 7 inches compared to 6.2. The resolution remains the same, however. Internal storage gets doubled to 64GB, while the integrated stand gets bigger and sturdier with a better range of motion. Nintendo promises enhanced audio too. Even the included dock gets a small upgrade -- it now has a wired LAN port.

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The solid state drive market is evolving very fast lately. Not only do we now have an external drive with a huge 16TB storage capacity, but PCIe 4.0-capable motherboards are becoming more prevalent. Why is PCIe 4.0 so important? Bandwidth, baby. Compared to PCIe 3.0, the new 4.0 has double the bandwidth. From a storage perspective, this means PCIe 4.0 solid state drives will provide insanely fast speeds.

Today, MSI unveils a trio of new PCIe NVMe M.2 solid state drives under its new "SPATIUM" branding. Called "M370," "M470," and "M480," one drive uses PCle 3.0, while the other two utilize the faster PCle 4.0. In other words, the company is providing options, allowing consumers to choose the speed that best meets their needs (and budgets).

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For many home consumers, when they need to access files from their camera's memory card, they just insert it into the reader on their computer. This is typically an SD card reader, although many newer computers are doing away with card readers entirely. Instead, you are expected to purchase a USB reader -- they are plentiful on sites like Amazon and very inexpensive too.

But what if you are a professional photographer? Well, then -- you might not be using SD card at all. Instead, you could be using CFexpress. Popular company Lexar has a new CFexpress Type B card reader that is sure to excite professional photographers. The all-new Professional CFexpress Type B USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Reader connects using USB-C, but it also comes with a USB-A cable in the box. Best of all, it is quite fast -- it can read cards at speeds up to 1,700MB/s.

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