Brian Fagioli

For a while, Wi-Fi 6 (aka 802.11ax) was the future of wireless connectivity, but now, it is the present. Yes, with more and more devices having Wi-Fi 6, it is time to finally buy a compatible router now. If you already have a Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) router that you love, you probably don't need to run out and upgrade immediately. However, if you find yourself needing a new wireless router, it would be foolish not to go with 802.11ax -- there is no downside.

Today, Linksys unveils its latest wireless router, and it is very affordable. Called "MR7350," it supports Wi-Fi 6 and has a USB-A port on the rear for connecting a USB storage device. In other words, the MR7350 can pull double-duty as a makeshift NAS. Best of all, it has mesh support baked in, so you can set up a mesh network using other compatible Linksys products.

More than a decade ago, we learned Microsoft Money was being canceled. At the time, I worked in banking and many of my clients were upset about it. Believe it or not, many people really depended on Microsoft's financial organization software. It was truly beloved. Why the company canceled it I don't know for sure, but I'd guess the Windows-maker saw the writing on the wall -- the future of money management was mobile apps and web-based account aggregation services, such as Mint.com. Financial software that you install to a PC's storage disk, such as Microsoft Money, was on borrowed time.

Fast forward to 2020, and today, Microsoft announces a new way to manage your money using a PC -- Money in Excel. Sadly, this is not the rebirth of Microsoft Money, but instead, a plugin/template for Excel that allows you to easily import your financial information. This is not really a Microsoft service, either. The Windows-maker has tapped Plaid.com to perform the actual aggregation. Once imported, you can then track your spending, including viewing graphical charts to better understand both where your money is and where it is going.

If you are a homeowner in 2020, you should have an outdoor smart security camera -- it simply isn't up for debate. Not only are they more affordable than ever, but they are very simple to set up. Many models don't even requires cables or a hub, allowing you to mount it anywhere within your Wi-Fi's range. You can then monitor the outside of your home to detect potential burglars or just keep an eye on your children playing in the yard. There really is no excuse to not have one.

Today, Arlo unveils its latest outdoor smart security camera and it is shockingly affordable. Called "Essential," the 1080p camera is powered by a rechargeable battery and doesn't require a hub, so you can place it anywhere without having to deal with running cables for power. It even has color night-vision and two-way audio. Not to mention, it is sleek and attractive, so it won't look ugly hanging off the side of your house.

Back in March, we told you about the upcoming Linux Mint 20. Code-named "Ulyana," it was a very controversial announcement as the developers decided to cancel the 32-bit version. After that bombshell, the devs further shocked the world by revealing their intention to remove Snapd starting with version 20 of the operating system. Don't forget, all of this follows the unpopular decision by the developers to pull both GIMP and VLC from Mint too.

And now, the BETA of Linux Mint 20 is officially here. The pre-release operating system comes with Linux kernel 5.4 and is based on Ubuntu 20.04. Linux Mint 20 even has official support until the year 2025! Best of all, you can choose among three desktop environments -- Cinnamon (4.6), MATE (1.24), and Xfce (4.14). What really has the developers hot and bothered, however, is a new program called "Warpinator."

Synology makes some great network-attached storage (NAS) enclosures. Whether for home or business, its devices can be filled with storage disks to set up collaborative file-sharing over a network. Synology's offerings are fast and dependable, making them smart choices for consumers. There's a reason so many people trust the brand.

The company's NAS products can work with any brand of storage disk, but still, Synology has decided to begin selling its own solid state drives for some reason. Yeah, it is kind of odd to see drives with Synology branding, but here we are. I suppose the company saw a money-making opportunity, so who can blame it for trying to increase profits. The company isn't just offering 2.5-inch SATA SSDs either, but M.2 PCIe-based drives too. Nice.

Xbox Series X isn’t ugly. In fact, it looks rather cool. The problem, however, is the design of Microsoft’s upcoming video game console is tragically boring. It is literally a rectangular cuboid, showing very little effort was put into the design. Does the appearance of a console even matter? Actually, yes. Look, it is probably going into a living room or bedroom, so it will have a big impact on the room’s overall style.

Earlier today, Sony finally unveiled the upcoming PlayStation 5, and holy moly, it looks so much prettier than the Xbox Series X. The design is futuristic and iconic. Microsoft should be very worried that consumers will be turned off by the very conservative design of the Xbox Series X.

The year 2020 undoubtedly belongs to AMD. After trailing Intel for years in some areas, the company has finally leapfrogged the Pentium-maker. Between its Ryzen and Ryzen Threadripper processors, AMD owns the enthusiast desktop market. And that's not all -- the company's Ryzen 4000 Series Mobile Processors are impressing on laptops too. Hell, Linus Torvalds, the father of Linux, is now using a computer powered by AMD's Ryzen Threadripper 3970X.

Linux computer maker/seller System76 has been offering AMD processors in its Thelio desktop computers, but believe it or not, the company has never offered an AMD-powered laptop -- until now, that is. You see, starting today, you can buy a "Serval WS" powered by AMD. No, System76 is not offering mobile Ryzen chips in this laptop, but instead, desktop-class processors! As you can expect, this 15-inch portable Linux workstation is quite chunky and heavy as a result. With that said, it is simply impossible to cram this much power into a thin and light notebook.

When it comes to product design, there are many paths to take. You can, of course, go for a basic and boring design, or opt for an elegant style. But what about fun? Playful and whimsical designs are not just for children -- adults can enjoy some funkiness too.

A great example of fun design comes from Logitech. Each year, it releases a collection of mobile wireless mice with playful exteriors. For 2020, the company is introducing the Design Collection for its M325C mouse. This year, the company has produced some truly colorful and fun styles of the non-Bluetooth and non-rechargeable wireless mouse.

Between the pandemic and widespread police brutality, America is in deep trouble. As usual, however, the USA will ultimately survive and come out stronger as a result. Wisely, Sony decided to delay its big PlayStation 5 game-play reveal during the peak of protesting George Floyd's murder. Obviously, it would have been tone-deaf to discuss video games in the middle of a worldwide movement to fight against racial inequality and police brutality.

While the protests are still happening (racial inequality is arguably a forever-battle), Sony has decided enough time has passed, and it is time to reschedule the big PS5 event. Yes, we will finally get to witness some significant PlayStation 5 game footage later today at 4:00 PM Eastern Time. While not guaranteed to happen, many people are hoping Sony will also reveal the design of the PS5 console. Hey, we have already seen the revolutionary controller.

When you think of gaming mice, your mind probably conjures images of brands such as Logitech G or HyperX, am I right? That is totally understandable. However, there are many other companies manufacturing these types of mice nowadays. Believe it or not, even ADATA is making gaming mice and keyboards under its XPG enthusiast brand.

Today, ADATA unveils its latest such pointing device. Called "XPG PRIMER," this optical gaming mouse is wired, so you don't have to worry about replacing batteries. And of course, as a gaming product, the XPG PRIMER has customizeable RGB lighting too.

Graduation ceremonies and associated commencement speeches are generally very boring. Graduating students and their families sit through them out of obligation, but for the most part, no one really wants to be there. This year, because of COVID-19, these ceremonies are largely canceled across the USA. Even though people are acting upset about that, they are probably secretly happy — you know it is true.

With planned commencement speeches being scratched, many people are instead delivering them online to a wider audience — anyone that is willing to watch and/or listen. Today, Google CEO Sundar Pichai delivers a virtual commencement speech to the Class of 2020 on YouTube.

Chromebooks are wonderful computers. In fact, the underlying Linux-based Chrome OS is arguably the most secure desktop operating system on the planet. Yes, it is more secure than Windows or macOS. If you have to access a website for banking information or other sensitive data, a Chromebook is probably the safest way to do so.

With all of that said, they aren't just good for surfing the web or education, but for fun stuff too. Not only can you enjoy streaming media on a Chromebook, but you can actually do some light gaming too -- thanks to Android support and the Google Play Store. Two classic games -- DOOM and DOOM II -- are on Play Store for $5 a piece, but if you own a Chromebook, you can get both for free!

When you build a gaming PC (or any type of computer, really), there are often two ways you can go -- flashy or classy. Neither is wrong, but your decision probably says a lot about your personality and/or your age. For instance, if you choose a case that looks like an alien spaceship, and you fill it with RGB lighting, you are probably a teen or someone in their early 20s. Age aside, maybe you just like being ostentatious. If you prefer a more sophisticated-looking PC, you may be in your late 20s or older, or just prefer subtlety.

For those of you that prefer a more subdued and classy style, Fractal Design's cases are probably for you. Why? They are wonderfully boring -- and yes, I mean that in a good way. The company's no-nonsense cases are beautiful while also looking mature. In other words, a Fractal Design chassis tells the world you are sophisticated and not a clown. The company's latest case -- the Define 7 Compact -- is a diminutive version of the existing 7 Series chassis, but believe it or not, it can still accommodate up to a full-sized ATX motherboard! The Define 7 Compact has a very purposeful design -- no space is wasted.

Lenovo makes some great Enterprise computers — both its desktops and notebooks can be found in use by many businesses. With that said, the company’s Windows laptops and Chromebooks are used in many homes too. Unfortunately, Lenovo’s consumer PCs have varying degrees of quality — some models are good, while others are downright bad.

Today, Lenovo announces amazing news regarding some of its higher quality computers. You see, all of the company’s ThinkStation and ThinkPad P Series workstations are now certified for Linux, including Ubuntu LTS and RHEL. This is in addition to Lenovo’s previously announced plan to pre-install Fedora on some machines.

Nowadays, many new laptops come with very few ports. In fact, some computers, such as Apple MacBook laptops, have no traditional USB-A ports, instead relying on USB-C exclusively. Sure, it looks clean and nice, but it limits functionality.

Thankfully, adding the needed connectivity to one of these USB-C only computers is just a dongle away. Today, Plugable releases a new line of USB-C adapters. This line is comprised of four dongles, three of which are for video out -- DisplayPort, HDMI, and VGA. The fourth is a Gigabit Ethernet adapter. They all feature flat cables and sleek bodies.