When shopping for mechanical keyboards, there is probably something you focus on -- key switch colors. If you aren't familiar, the color indicates how the switch will perform. Historically, these switches were designed by Cherry, but over time, keyboard manufacturers started creating their own variants. HyperX, for instance, has its own called HyperX Red (linear) and HyperX Aqua (tactile). They have slightly less travel distance (1.8mm) than some Cherry keys, but are rated to have a much longer lifespan.

Today, HyperX launches two new Alloy Origins Mechanical Gaming Keyboards that use its in-house Aqua switches. One is a full keyboard with a number pad, while the "Core" model is tenkeyless (no number pad). These keyboards are designed for gaming, but of course, they should be great for general use too. These new models feature a braided detachable USB-C to USB-A cable, but you can also use a USB-C to USB-C cable (such as this one) if you prefer. Both variants also have customizable RGB lighting, three on-board profiles, and three angle positions.

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Microsoft loves to release special editions of its Xbox One controllers, and consumers seem to really enjoy buying them. After all, if the controllers weren't selling well, it is doubtful Microsoft would bother. In other words, yes, these "special" controllers are just money-grabs, but hey, if people enjoy them, so be it.

Today, Microsoft announces two new special edition Xbox One controllers --  Phantom Magenta Special Edition and Arctic Camo Special Edition. The former is purple while the latter is a white/gray camouflage.

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A couple days ago, we shared some pretty great news with you -- Manjaro Linux 19.0 "Kyria" was finally available for download. This Arch-based operating system has exploded in popularity lately, so people were obviously excited to get the new version.

While Manjaro 19.0 initially came with three desktop environment options (GNOME, KDE, and Xfce) that obviously wasn't enough to please everyone. After all, this is the Linux community we are talking about here -- many users treat distros and desktop environments like tribalism. And so, MATE fans were sadly left out of the party. Today this changes, thankfully, as Manjaro MATE 19.0 is now available.

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YouTube TV is without a doubt the best streaming television service, but it is about to lose a lot of subscribers. You see, the TV service has lost the New York Yankees! As a New York Mets fan, this doesn't really bother me, but there are many hardcore Yankees fans in NY, and not watching their games is a huge deal breaker.

Sadly, YouTube TV sent out an email alert to its impacted subscribers in the New York area to tell them that at the end of this month, they are losing the Yes Network -- the channel that broadcasts the majority of Yankees games. In addition, FOX Regional Sports Networks will be dropped as well.

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The Raspberry Pi line has provided great little Linux computers to nerds -- its low price and small size makes it ideal for tinkering and doing projects. But also, the device has proven to be a solid media device, wonderful for watching videos and emulating classic video games. In other words, it has been a very versatile computer, serving as many things to many people.

With the release of the Raspberry Pi 4, however, it finally became powerful enough to serve as a true desktop computer. By installing a Linux distribution, some people can use it for day-to-day computer use, such as web browsing, playing media, and word processing. Unfortunately, the $35 base model came with a paltry 1GB of RAM. Today, this changes, as the company has dropped the price of the 2GB version to $35, effectively doubling the memory for the base model.

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There are so many Android phones on the market these days, that it can be hard to get excited. Look, Samsung recently released its Galaxy S20 devices, and for the most part, the world shrugged. Don't get me wrong, I am sure the S20 line is great and all, but overall, the phones have hardly got consumers excited. Not to mention, there are many budget Android smartphones coming out of China nowadays that are actually quite good -- many consumers are starting to wonder why they should continue shelling out the big bucks for the name-brand phones if they are just going to be incremental upgrades every year. Overall, the state of Android has been a bit... well... boring.

And so, today, LG announces its latest flagship, and I am sure you are wondering -- is it another boring Android phone? Actually. No. The "LG V60 ThinQ 5G," as it is called, is actually something that should get your heart beating faster. On the surface, it looks like a standard smartphone -- and it is -- but the beauty is all of the amazing specifications that the company crammed in here. LG is finally bringing some excitement back to the stagnant world of Android!

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Things would be much easier if everyone in the world spoke the same language, but sadly, we do not. Inconvenience aside, I suppose there is beauty in each and every language — it might be boring to only have one.

Thankfully, thanks to translation technology, it is much easier to communicate with people that speak a different language nowadays. Google Translate, for instance, is a great service that can help people around the world speak with each other. Today, the service gets even better, as the search giant adds five new languages.

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If you are a Linux user, you are undoubtedly in heaven right now. Recently, there have been updates to some truly excellent distributions, such as MX Linux 19.1, Netrunner 20.01, elementary OS 5.1.2, and OpenMandriva Lx 4.1. While I suppose having to choose from so many distros can be seen as a negative for some, I say it's a damn good problem to have!

Guess what? Things are getting a bit more crowded! Today, one of the most popular Linux distributions gets a new version. Yes, Manjaro Linux 19.0 is finally here! Named "Kyria," it can be had with your choice of three desktop environments -- Xfce 4.14, KDE Plasma 5.17, and GNOME 3.34. While Xfce is highlighted by the developers, the others two DEs are arguably superior.

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Bluetooth speakers have largely replaced giant stereo systems in people's homes -- all you need to do is connect your smartphone and stream music to it. It is inexpensive, easy, and -- depending on the speaker -- sounds great. Long gone are the days of CD players, receivers, and giant floor speakers.

Ultimate Ears has long been making some of the best Bluetooth speakers on the market. Its offerings are loud, rugged, and most importantly, offer superior sound quality. Today, the company announces its newest such speaker. Called "HYPERBOOM," the large wireless speaker has an impressive 24 hours of battery life and an insane 150 feet of range. Ultimate Ears promises tons of volume and bass.

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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, the excellent Netrunner 20.01 that was just released. Even one of the best Linux distros, Ubuntu, is based on Debian. Then, we have operating systems based on Ubuntu, such as the wildly popular Linux Mint. Yes, in the Linux community, there are operating systems based on operating systems, that are based on other operating systems. Confusing, eh?

While Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu, there is actually a lesser known variant of the operating system called Linux Mint Debian Edition. As you can guess, LMDE cuts out the Ubuntu middleman and is based on Debian directly. Why do we need two versions of Mint? Well, you can think of LMDE as sort of a contingency plan -- it exists in case Ubuntu ever goes away. Consider it a back-up base, if you will. With that said, some people actually prefer LMDE, and they use it instead of vanilla Mint (yummy).

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Qi is amazing technology, allowing you to charge your smartphone by just placing it on a wireless charging pad/mat. Long gone are the days where you have to fumble around with a cable to charge your phone like a caveman. The thing is, it is hardly new -- it took Apple a while to add it to the iPhone, but the Palm Pre had it over a decade ago. Seriously, folks. Hell, there were even Nokia Lumia Windows Phones with wireless charging! And yet, despite the technology being fairly old in 2020, it is still very cool -- and finding its way onto more device types all the time.

For instance, today, HyperX launches a new gaming headset that features Qi wireless charging. Called "Cloud Flight S," you can drop the headset onto any Qi pad (such as this one) to charge it up, but HyperX is selling its own wireless charger called "Chargeplay Base." If you find yourself without such a charging pad, don't panic -- it can also charge with USB. The microphone can be easily detached for when you just want to listen to music, but also, this is great for privacy. While Cloud Flight S does have a mute option, being able to physically remove the microphone is the most foolproof way to avoid accidentally sharing too much during a gaming session.

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One of my favorite Linux distributions is Netrunner. If you aren't familiar, it is a Debian-based operating system that utilizes the KDE Plasma desktop environment. It is very polished and chock-full of excellent pre-installed applications such as LibreOffice, GIMP, Firefox, and Skype. All of this makes Netrunner a great choice for those switching from Windows, but also, it is a wonderful option for Linux experts too. Seriously, folks, you will be blown away by how exceptional it is -- one of the best.

Today, Netrunner 20.01 becomes available, and it is a very important milestone. You see, not only does it represent 10 years of development, but also, it is the twentieth major version of the operating system. And so, the Debian Buster (stable) 10.3-based distro is being dubbed "Twenty." Netrunner 20.01 is using KDE Plasma 5.14.5 and comes with a very special birthday wallpaper!

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USB flash drives are rather ho-hum these days. Sure, they are still very useful products, but for the most part, they are all the same. You plug the drive into your computer to read and write files, and that's all that it does. Well, TEAMGROUP has a new such drive that does much more than just deal with files. Called "T193 Stationery," this flash drive also serves as a protractor, ruler, and magnifying glass. It even has a built-in magnet for good measure -- you can use it to pick up dropped screws or paper clips with ease. And no, the magnet isn't strong enough to interfere with other storage devices.

In addition, the company is also releasing a new USB-C portable solid state drive. Called "PD1000," this drive is only about storage, sadly. There are no useful tools built into it, like the T193 has. With that said, it is both attractive and fast, putting it in similar territory with the ADATA SE7760 we told you about a couple days ago. The PD1000, however, is also very rugged, offering protection from water, dust, and drops.

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It's been almost two years since I cut the cord and switched to YouTube TV and I couldn't be happier. The picture quality and DVR remain top notch, while Google has consistently offered more and more channels -- some at no added charge, some at a premium. Since I initially subscribed, I now have additional channels that I watch regularly, such as Food Network, Discovery, and Tastemade. Believe it or not, I even find myself watching PBS on occasion. True, the price has gone up a bit from when I first subscribed, but look -- you get what you pay for, folks. YouTube TV is the best streaming television service and worth every penny. All of your devices, such as smartphones and tablets, become portable TV screens. It rules.

And now, the best is getting even better. You see, YouTube TV has made a deal with WarnerMedia to bring both HBO and Cinemax to the streaming service this spring. That is not all, either. The upcoming HBO Max video on demand service will eventually come to YouTube TV as well. If you didn't know, HBO Max will be the only place to stream wildly popular TV show Friends -- that is a big deal for a lot of people.

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AOC monitors are some of my favorite, because they provide great quality at an affordable price. If you are a gamer or just need a display for productivity, and you are on a budget, you need to give the company's products a look. Hell, even if you aren't limited by money, you should check these monitors out.

Today, AOC unveils its latest gaming monitor, and holy crap, it looks like a beauty. Called "AGON AG353UCG," this 35-inch gaming display is chock full of features. For instance, it supports VESA DisplayHDR 1000 and NVIDIA G-Sync Ultimate, plus has a refresh rate of 200Hz! The monitor has a very respectable resolution of 3440 x 1440 UWQHD and 2 ms GtG response time. And yes, it has a built-in USB hub and integrated RGB lighting on the back. There is a even a handy hook on the side to hold your gaming headset.

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