Brian Fagioli

After many leaks, Google’s Pixel 9a is finally here! For anyone not locked into Apple’s ecosystem, it’s looking like the smarter choice over the iPhone 16e. At just $499, it packs AI-powered features, a pro-level camera system, and the powerful Google Tensor G4 chip -- all at a lower price than Apple’s so-called budget offering.

The Pixel 9a isn’t just another mid-range phone -- it’s got some legit flagship-level perks. Its 6.3-inch Actua display is the brightest ever on an A-series phone, hitting 2700 nits, while the 120Hz refresh rate makes for smoother scrolling than the iPhone 16e’s 60Hz screen. Google’s color choices -- Peony, Iris, Porcelain, and Obsidian -- also bring more fun and variety compared to Apple’s standard options.

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Fedora Linux 42 Beta has officially landed, and it’s packed with a ton of awesome changes. This release gives KDE Plasma Desktop full edition status, introduces the COSMIC spin, and rolls out Fedora Asahi Remix 42 Beta for Apple Silicon Macs. There’s also a big refresh to the Anaconda installer, improvements to DNF5, and a slew of updated packages.

For KDE fans, Fedora Linux 42 finally makes Plasma an official edition, putting it on the same level as Workstation, Server, IoT, and Cloud. It’s also now officially supported on Power Systems (ppc64le), including OpenPOWER machines like the Talos Workstation. That means users on those platforms get the full KDE stack, including KDE PIM.

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PNY has announced its latest solid state drive -- the diminutive CS2342. This M.2 2230 NVMe PCIe Gen4 x4 SSD is impressively fast, with read speeds hitting up to 7,300MB/s and write speeds reaching 6,000MB/s.

Available in 1TB and 2TB capacities, the CS2342 is primarily designed for gamers looking to upgrade devices like the Steam Deck, ASUS ROG Ally, or MSI Claw. With that said, it’s not only compatible with gaming handhelds -- this drive will technically also work in laptops and desktops.

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When I suggest to someone that they switch to Linux, they often ask me the same question -- will I be able to run Adobe Photoshop? The answer, of course, is no (for the most part). However, I always follow up by suggesting the totally free (and open source) GIMP. For some people, GIMP isn’t just comparable to Photoshop -- it is superior.

And now, following an agonizing seven years of development, GIMP 3.0 has finally arrived for Windows, macOS, and Linux. This open-source program has been completely overhauled with a modernized interface, non-destructive editing, expanded file format support, and major performance improvements.

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TRIBIT has launched its latest Bluetooth speaker -- the StormBox Lava. Packed with 80W of room-filling sound, ultra-deep bass, and rugged durability, it is designed to keep the music going whether you’re at home, by the pool, or out on an adventure.

This speaker isn’t messing around when it comes to sound. With dual 30W neodymium magnet woofers and dual 10W silk dome tweeters, the StormBox Lava delivers crisp highs, rich mids, and floor-shaking bass. TRIBIT’s XBass technology pushes the low end all the way down to 43Hz, so every beat hits with solid depth and power. In addition, the 360-degree sound dispersion means you should get an immersive audio experience from any angle.

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St. Patrick’s Day is all about luck (plus corned beef and cabbage, of course), but when it comes to your Linux system, relying on luck isn’t exactly the best security strategy. Thankfully, Debian 12.10 has arrived just in time for the big Catholic holiday, bringing a fresh batch of security fixes and system updates to keep “bookworm” running smoothly.

If you’ve been keeping up with security updates from security.debian.org, you’re probably already covered on most of these fixes. But for those who haven’t, it’s time to update. Just point your package manager to a Debian mirror, and you’re good to go. New installation images will are available here if you’re starting from scratch.

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Silicon Power has announced its latest lineup of solid state drives, the Endura series, featuring four new models: E55, E60, ED90, and ES75. Built with 3D TLC NAND, these SSDs offer a mix of performance and reliability for different types of users. But here’s the thing -- there’s no PCIe 5.0 option. In 2025, that’s a tad surprising.

The E55 is the entry-level model, a meager 2.5-inch SATA III SSD. It comes in sizes from 512GB to 2TB and delivers read speeds up to 500MB/s and write speeds up to 450MB/s. If you’re still running a mechanical hard drive, this is an obvious upgrade.

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For many years now, Linux users looking to block ads have needed to piece together a mixture of browser extensions, DNS-based filtering, and network-wide tools (such as Pi-hole). While these solutions certainly help, none of them offer complete system-wide protection.

Yeah, with Windows and macOS users having access to various tools for years, Linux users have mostly had to rely on workarounds. That’s where AdGuard for Linux comes in! Yes, folks, we finally have a dedicated ad blocker that works across all browsers and applications!

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Well, folks, ADATA has announced the SC730 -- a super-compact external solid state drive that features both USB-C and USB-A connectors. Weighing just 7.8g and measuring a mere 36mm in length, this SSD is smaller than many USB flash drives but delivers speeds up to 600MB/s.

The SC730’s dual-interface design means it works with everything from laptops and tablets to smartphones and gaming consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox. ADATA is also highlighting its compatibility with iPhone 15 and newer models, letting users back up photos and videos directly without needing extra adapters.

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ViewSonic has just rolled out the ColorPro VP2788-5K, and this 27-inch monitor should absolutely be on your radar! The display features a 5K (5120x2880), plus a 99 percent DCI-P3 color gamut.

Mac users should love how well this monitor plays with macOS, offering what ViewSonic calls “Retina-like” sharpness. Of course, this isn’t just for Apple fans -- Windows users will get the same experience.

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TP-Link has launched a brand new compact travel router. The TL-WR3002X is equipped with dual-band Wi-Fi 6 and provides speeds up to 2,402 Mbps on 5GHz and 574 Mbps on 2.4GHz.

It also has both a 2.5-gigabit WAN port and a gigabit LAN port for wired networking. Additionally, it features a USB 3.0 port and a microSD slot for file sharing and storage.

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CodeWeavers has just released CrossOver 25 for macOS and Linux, and it’s packed with some seriously awesome improvements. Thanks to Wine 10.0 bringing over 5,000 changes, this update should make running both Windows games and apps on non-Windows systems smoother than ever. Could this finally convince gamers to dump Microsoft's OS?

Let’s be honest, Windows 11 hasn’t exactly won over everyone. Between forced updates, hardware restrictions, and Microsoft’s annoying obsession with AI features (that most people don’t even want), it has left many gamers looking for alternatives. That’s where CrossOver 25 comes in.

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Today, Plugable launches two new super-cool products that should be useful in a laptop bag or collection of tech-tools. There is the USBC-E5000 5Gbps USB-C Ethernet Adapter and the TBT5-240W1M Thunderbolt 5 Cable.

The USBC-E5000 is a USB-C dongle that offers speeds up to 5Gbps. Of course, you will be limited by the maximum speed of the network to which you connect. In other words, you won’t magically get 5Gbps when connecting to a gigabit network.

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Firefox users running older versions of the web browser could be in for a really nasty surprise. On March 14, 2025, a critical root certificate will expire. And, if your browser isn’t updated to at least Firefox 128 (or ESR 115.13+ for those using the long-term support version) your add-ons will be disabled. Additionally, streaming services that require DRM may even stop working!

For anyone still using an outdated version on Windows, macOS, Linux, or Android, time is running out to avoid these annoyances. Even those sticking with older operating systems (such as Windows 7, 8, and 8.1, or macOS 10.12–10.14) need to at least update to ESR 115.13+ if they want to keep their add-ons and media playback working.

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Today, Dynabook introduces the Portégé Z40L-N, an ultra-light Windows 11 business laptop that combines AI-powered features, enterprise-grade security, and an absolutely gorgeous Dark Tech Blue magnesium alloy chassis. It even has a user-replaceable battery -- what a concept!

Despite its sleek body and sub-1kg weight, this Microsoft Copilot+ PC packs some impressive specifications -- Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processors, Intel Arc Graphics, Wi-Fi 7, and a vibrant 14-inch 16:10 display. In other words, it is definitely not form over function.

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