Brian Fagioli

For most consumers, Gigabit Ethernet (1 Gbit/s) is more than enough. After all, they likely only use a hardwired network connection when accessing the internet, which typically won't even fully saturate the connection. Hell, many don't even do that -- some households strictly have Wi-Fi devices, with the only use of a cable being the connection from their router to the modem.

Some enthusiasts and business users don't only use Ethernet for getting on the internet -- they may have high-speed internal networks where they are moving files between various hardwired computers and network-attached storage devices. And sometimes Gigabit speeds wont cut it. These folks may opt for 2.5GBASE-T (2.5Gbit/s), 5GBASE-T (5Gbit/s), or even 10GBASE-T (10Gbit/s) networks.

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Everyone knows Google tracks its users. When you use a "free" service, such as the many the search giant offers, you essentially end up being the product. In other words, your personal data is the true cost. Unfortunately, Google is not the only company spying on its users. Microsoft is also guilty of this, especially with its overreaching telemetry in Windows 10.

That isn't Microsoft's only product that is anti-privacy, however. The company is now trying to spy with Office, and as you can imagine, its Bing search engine is tracking user activity too. Today, the Windows-maker openly brags about spying on your recent search activity by announcing a new "feature" for Bing Maps Autosuggest.

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Lenovo is very well known for manufacturing high quality business laptops. Its ThinkPad line, for instance, which it inherited from IBM, is considered by many to be the best. Of course, there are others who prefer Dell, HP, or another maker.

Today, Lenovo launches a new line of Windows 10 laptops aimed at small businesses in particular. Called "ThinkBook," there are two models from which to choose -- the 13s and the 14s -- both of which have a screen size that match the model name. There is just one resolution for both -- 1080p. Each model will have an m.2 solid state drive by default --  either SATA or PCIe. You can get up to 512GB  of storage.

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If you have a large home, it can be difficult to blanket it entirely with Wi-Fi. Sadly, many folks experience dead spots, meaning some locations in the house either have no Wi-Fi or an exremely low signal. Speaking frankly, this situation sucks. Sure, you can potentially remedy it with a range extender, and that can be a great solution, but it isn't as elegant as mesh.

Unfortunately, a mesh Wi-Fi system with multiple access points can be a pricey affair. While they have been coming down in price, these mesh systems are still largely too much money for many consumers. Today, TP-Link brings mesh Wi-Fi to the masses with an insanely low price. Called "Deco W2400," this Dual Band AC1200 system costs less than $100!

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Ahh, Arch Linux; the distribution with the most pretentious user base. If you aren't familiar with Arch, please know it is a very good operating system that is unnecessarily difficult to set up. As a result, the ones who are successful, and end up using the distro, are often quite full of themselves. Many Arch users seem to look down on those using a different distro, such as Ubuntu or Linux Mint. This is what has lead to the infamous "BTW I use Arch" meme. No, not all Arch users are insufferable, but many are. True story.

And now, thanks to Microsoft's Windows Subsystem for Linux, you can (sort of) become a pretentious Arch user too -- all without leaving the comfort of Windows 10. That’s right, folks, you can now install Arch from the Microsoft Store. These are strange times we are living in, eh?

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Apple's iPad Pro is the best tablet on the market, and believe it or not, it can be a fairly useful "laptop" when paired with the Smart Keyboard Folio. Microsoft is simply wrong in its claims about Apple's tablet. You can even expand iPad Pro functionality with USB-C dongles. Without mouse or trackpad support, however, iOS will never be a proper desktop operating system, but I am hopeful that will be added eventually.

If you are someone who owns both the Apple iPad Pro and Smart Keyboard Folio, Urban Armor Gear has a really cool new rugged case you should check out. Called "Scout Series," it protects the tablet without the need to remove the keyboard. In fact, this case requires the keyboard be attached. It even has a useful Apple Pencil holder that allows charging.

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Apple's iPad devices are the best tablets on the market -- better than Microsoft's Surface line or any Android tablet. In other words, since the first iPad was released in 2010, no manufacturer has figured out how to best it. Nowadays, Apple has the iPad Pro as well, and the newest versions even have USB Type-C. So yes, you can even add USB-C docks, dongles, and hubs to the latest iPad Pro tablet, enabling it to have increased functionality, such as HDMI or an SD card reader.

Unfortunately, adding such a dongle or multi-purpose hub is not an elegant affair. You will essentially have an unsightly wire hanging off your iPad. A new product called "BoltHub" is aiming to change this. It plugs into the USB-C port on the iPad Pro, and adds 3.5mm audio, 4K HDMI, microSD, SD, and USB-A to the tablet. And yes, it has pass-through USB-C charging.

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One of the best investments you can make for your home is an internet connected camera. Even if you don’t feel comfortable having them indoors, outdoor variants can be essential for protecting your house. Whether you are home or away, it is nice to know you can always pull out your phone and monitor the perimeter of your property.

Today, Amazon announces the second generation Blink XT camera, which is designed for both indoor and outdoor use. Called “Blink XT2,” it is very affordable, starting at less than $100. Believe it or not, the budget friendly camera features 1080p video, motion detection, and night vision. Best of all, cloud storage is gratis (no monthly fee), making it an extremely inexpensive way to get started with a smart security camera.

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PC gaming doesn't have to be an expensive affair, but if you are a hardcore gamer, you will have no problem finding ways to part with your money. Forget just buying the games themselves -- there will always be new graphics cards and faster solid state drives, for example, to offer superior performance. Not to mention, there are accessories too, such as mice, keyboards, headsets, and more.

Today, Logitech G unveils what it claims is something many consumers have requested -- a wireless version of its popular G502 mouse. Called "G502 LIGHTSPEED," it has RGB lighting, adjustable weights, up to 16,000 DPI, and fast-scrolling. As the product name implies, it leverages Logitech's proprietary "LIGHTSPEED" wireless technology, reducing lag and allowing it to outperform some wired mice. It is also compatible with the company's POWERPLAY mouse pad, which allows the mouse to wirelessly charge while in use.

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When it comes to the smart home, I consider myself "all in." I have smart lights, a smart sprinkler system, a Nest thermostat, and a few audio-only Amazon Echo devices. The outside of my house is monitored by internet-connected cameras too. Despite all of that, I don't feel comfortable having cameras inside my home as part of a hardware assistant. For example, I would never buy a Facebook Portal or Amazon Echo Show for my home.

Earlier today at its I/O 2019 conference, Google unveiled its all-new Nest Hub Max (under the new Google Nest branding), and I find myself intrigued. With that said, I am also terrified of inviting a camera made by the world's biggest advertiser and data collector into my home. Should I allow my intrigue to overcome my desire for privacy?

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Thunderbolt 3 is excellent technology -- it is fast and allows laptop users to expand the capabilities of their computers. For instance, you could add a TB3 docking station to gain additional ports, or an external GPU enclosure to add a desktop-class graphics card. So, yeah, Thunderbolt 3 rules.

Unfortunately, to get the full performance of Thunderbolt 3, it usually means using a very short cable, like 0.5m. While longer cables are available, they often provide slower transfer speeds (20Gbps) rather than the faster 40Gbps that TB3 can theoretically achieve. Not to mention, longer cables usually provide lesser charging power. Sure, there are some longer cables that provide top charging and data speeds, such as this 0.8m one from Apple, but as you can see, at $40, it is quite expensive. Today, Plugable launches a new cable (TBT3-40G80CM) that matches the performance of Apple's cable but at much more affordable price!

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Thunderbolt 3 docking stations, such as this one from IOGEAR, can be a great way to transform your laptop into a makeshift desktop. The problem? Most computers don't have TB3. While that speedy interface is starting to show up on more affordable laptops, it is still, for the most part, reserved for premium machines.

Thankfully, USB-C docking stations exist, allowing more consumers to take advantage of the single-cable dock experience. There are plenty of USB docks on the market, so it can be hard to stand out, but today, VisionTek has done exactly that. Called "VT4500," it is a dual display USB-C Docking station with power delivery. What makes it pretty damn cool is its inclusion of four video outputs on the rear -- 2x DisplayPort and 2x HDMI. Sadly, they can't all be used at once -- you are limited to just two. By offering both connection types for Display 1 and Display 2, VisionTek essentially eliminates the need for adapters. And yes, this thing can push two 4K monitors at 60Hz.

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It used to be, Microsoft was seen as the enemy of Linux. For some folks in the Linux community, that is still the case -- even though that viewpoint is totally wrong. Look, under the leadership of Satya Nadella, Microsoft has transformed itself, becoming a genuine champion of Linux and other open source projects. Anyone that doubts Microsoft's newfound Linux love should look no further than Windows 10 to see it is the real deal. You see, the latest version of Windows contains the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) -- a compatibility layer for developers and others, allowing them to stay within Windows 10 without the need to dual-boot a Linux distro or run one in a virtual machine.

Today, at the Build 2019 developer conference, Microsoft announces the future of this project -- Windows Subsystem for Linux 2. Believe it or not, WSL 2 will ship with an actual Linux kernel, meaning full system call compatibility! This will also allow Microsoft to issue kernel improvements by only updating the kernel -- no need to update the entire WSL. Best of all, WSL 2 will be tremendously faster than WSL 1.

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As the owner of a 2016 MacBook Pro, I was forced to tolerate dongles at first, but over time, I have actually come to like using them. Do I wish my Apple laptop had additional ports, such as USB-A, Ethernet, and an SD Card reader? I suppose, but to be honest, I find myself needing those connection types less and less these days -- especially on the go. I'd rather a thin and minimalist approach.

When at home, however, I do like having those ports as an option, so I typically use a Thunderbolt 3 docking station -- it's a great way to turn a notebook into a makeshift desktop. Lately, I have been testing a TB3 dock from IOGEAR called "Quantum Thunderbolt 3 Docking Station Pro 85." As the name suggests, it is designed for professional use, but it can, of course, be used by home users too.

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Want to make your mommy as excited as the lady in the picture above? Well, if you do, you should get her a very special gift this Mother's Day. Many women like gold, but sadly, the precious metal is quite expensive at over $1,000 an ounce! Don't get discouraged though, as Satechi is launching a very special sale that should enable you to buy a golden present.

No, Satechi hasn't gotten into the jewelry business. Actually, the accessory maker is offering a huge discount on its gold and rose gold colored technology products. By using a special coupon code, you can save up to 50 percent off the MSRP!

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