Brian Fagioli

Is the Surface Go a powerful computer? No, compared to some other Windows 10 devices on the market, its specifications are rather meager. With that said, many consumers don't need a hardcore PC. In other words, for basic computer needs, such as word processing, web surfing, social media, and media consumption, the Surface Go is more than enough -- even with its $399 base configuration.

For those that crave portability over performance, the Surface Go should prove quite popular. I don't only see students embracing the low-cost tablet/laptop, but potentially, business executives too. Heck, any type of consumer may fall in love. To get the full Windows 10 experience in such a svelte and elegant package is very intriguing. Of course, Microsoft needs to convince consumers that they want/need it, and advertising is a great way to do so. With that in mind, the Windows-maker has posted ten new Surface Go videos on YouTube.

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Microsoft is a major proponent of both Linux and open source these days. This is a shock to many old-school computer users, but for those following the "new Microsoft" under Satya Nadella's leadership, it really isn't surprising. Hell, the company now owns GitHub!  The CEO keeps an open mind and is very focused on the cloud and services. While Windows still matters to the company, it is far from the main focus.

The Windows-maker releases plenty of software for Linux, such as the very popular Skype. For many, PowerShell Core has proven to be a useful tool, and today, Microsoft makes it available as a Snap. If you aren't familiar, a Snap is essentially a packaged version of a program that can be easily installed on many Linux distributions. Many see it as the future of Linux, as it has the potential to reduce fragmentation.

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Linux Mint is one of the most popular Linux-based desktop operating systems for a reason -- it’s really good. By leveraging the excellent Ubuntu for its base, and offering a top-notch user experience, success is pretty much a guarantee.

While the distribution primarily focuses on two desktop environments -- Mate and Cinnamon -- the latter is really the star of the show. Cinnamon is great because it uses a classic WIMP interface that users love, while also feeling modern. With Cinnamon 3.8, the Linux Mint Team focused on improving the DE's performance, and today, the team shares that it is continuing that mission with the upcoming 4.0. In particular, the team is focusing on Vsync.

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This probably won't surprise you, but I am a huge "smart home" proponent. I have a couple of Echo Dot voice assistants, a Nest smart thermostat, several Wi-Fi security cameras, and I am even in the process of testing a smart sprinkler from Rachio.

One of my favorite smart home devices, however, are my Wemo Mini Smart Plugs. If you aren't familiar, these are devices that plug into a power outlet. You then plug something into the Wemo. For instance, mine are connected to lamps, so using my phone or tablet, I can easily turn on/off the lights using the Wemo app -- even remotely. Thanks to Alexa support, I can control my lighting by voice too! I can say "Alexa, turn on the living room lamp,"  and like magic, it does!

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Back in May, Sony launched a drop-dead gorgeous special edition PlayStation 4. Called "Days of Play," it featured a beautiful blue body, which was emblazoned with gold PlayStation button labels. I was quite smitten with the design, but there was one huge problem -- it wasn't a PS4 Pro. In other words, the special design was wasted on a console that wasn't Sony's most powerful.

Today, Sony unveils a new limited edition console that puts the aforementioned "Days of Play" variant to shame. And yes, this time it is a PS4 Pro! The "Limited Edition Marvel's Spider-Man PS4 Pro Bundle," as it is called, features a PS4 Pro with a red body and massive white Spider-Man logo on the top. The "Amazing Red" color, which Sony is calling it, is also on the DualShock 4 wireless controller. Rounding out the bundle is the "Marvel’s Spider-Man" video game disc.

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Microsoft can make beautiful computers as we have seen with is popular Surface line, but when it comes to accessories, the company doesn't have a great track record. Its recent Surface to USB-C adapter is embarrassingly ugly, while its new Surface Go USB-C dongles are ridiculously priced.

Worst of all, its most recent Surface Pro dock (seen here) is rather ho-hum. I preferred the older Surface docking station (seen here) from the Surface Pro 3 days, which cradled the tablet -- it wasn't just a glorified dongle like the current one. Seeing an opportunity to outdo Microsoft, today, Kensington unveils a Surface Studio-like docking station (model SD7000) that is downright breathtaking -- it holds up the tablet and has adjustable arms.

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Mobile internet speeds are blazing fast these days thanks to 4G LTE, and they are about to get even faster with the impending roll-out of 5G. Not all carriers are created equally, however. In a new study by Ookla -- of Speedtest.net fame -- it is discovered that T-Mobile offers the fastest mobile internet overall in the USA. As you can expect, Sprint is dead last.

Ookla didn't just rank carriers, but cities too. After all, speed can vary by location since performance can be impacted by number of towers, terrain, and other factors. Shockingly, the overall fastest city in the USA is not New York or Los Angeles, but Minneapolis -- located in the cold state of Minnesota.

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System76 has long been a Linux computer seller, but recently, it has transitioned into a Linux computer maker. What's the difference, you ask? Well, currently, the company doesn't really make its own computers. System76's laptops, for instance, are made by other manufacturers, which it re-brands as its own.

No, System76 doesn't just slap its name on other company's laptops and ship them out the door. Actually, it works closely with the manufacturers, tweaks firmware, and verifies that both Ubuntu and its Ubuntu-based Pop!_OS will work well on the hardware. System76 then offers top-notch support too. In other words, the company isn't just selling a computer, but an experience too.

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Back in April, we reported on a very exciting new monitor from Philips -- model number 436M6VBPAB. What makes the display so special? Well, the 43-inch 4K monitor uses quantum dot technology and is HDR1000-certified. It even has an impressive 1,000 nits max brightness and 10-bit color.

At the time, Philips said the monitor would be available in the "summer." Unfortunately, that availability was quite vague, leaving many consumers wondering when they could buy the breathtaking monitor. Thankfully, we now know when it can be bought -- right now!

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Samsung didn't become one of the most popular and important technology companies on the planet by accident. The recipe for its success is quite simple -- create quality products for both consumers and OEMs. Not only are its consumer electronics wildly popular, but many manufacturers turn to it for its components too. Samsung's memory and display offerings are top notch and found in countless products, such as the Apple iPhone.

The company never rests on its laurels, however, instead continually pushing the envelope. Samsung's breakthroughs are beneficial to the technology industry as a whole. Today, the company announces yet another milestone, this time with its low-powered memory. You see, Samsung has created what it calls the "industry's first 10-nanometer (nm) class 8-gigabit (Gb) LPDDR5 DRAM." The company promises significant power reduction -- up to 30 percent over LPDDR4X DRAM! This should be important for the upcoming 5G explosion.

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Tomorrow is “World Emoji Day,” apparently. Who knew ??‍♂️?! Yes, tomorrow is the day we officially celebrate the little emoji characters. Quite frankly, as far as I’m concerned, every day is World Emoji Day — I just love ❤ using them when texting ??with my friends and family. Emojis can be polarizing, however; some people hate them. Those that dislike emojis must have cold hearts!

To celebrate this very important holiday, today, Apple announces that 70 new emojis are coming to two of its upcoming operating systems — both iOS 12 and macOS 10.14 Mojave. Included are new hair styles, animals, food items, and more. For some added fun, check out the Apple ? leadership team page here.

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I am not fan of smart televisions -- I prefer connecting a streaming media box to a "dumb" TV. Believe it or not, I have a smart Samsung TV, but I don't connect it to the internet. Why? I don't trust TV vendors to stay on top of security exploits and such. Instead, an Apple TV 4K provides me with my streaming media needs, such as YouTube TV, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video.

If I had to buy a smart television and use its internet-connected capabilities, however, I'd probably opt for a Roku TV. Why? Because Roku actually offers a consistent platform with regular updates -- it is not a half-baked OS that will be abandoned. Today, Roku unveils a pair of wireless speakers for televisions that leverage its platform -- the unimaginatively named "Roku TV Wireless Speakers." While they are rather intriguing, I do have a specific concern.

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Debian 9 "Stretch" was released over a year ago -- time really flies! Since then, the wildly popular Linux distribution has been downloaded by countless users.

Today, the 5th "point" release becomes available. In other words, Debian Linux "Stetch" has reached an important milestone -- version 9.5 stable. The operating system is always improving with security updates and bug fixes, and 9.5 is no exception here. In fact, it includes a patch for Spectre V2. Also of significance, the Debian Installer has been given an update.

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While summer has only just started, it is already time to start thinking about Back-to-School shopping. Yeah, sorry to bum you out, students. But hey, you don't want to return to school or university without a capable laptop, do you? Come on, isn't it fun convincing your parents you need a new computer for "studying and research?"

If you are looking for a good deal on a laptop, whether for school or any other purpose, Acer has a pretty sweet deal going on Amazon. All of its computers with integrated Alexa are $50 off. In addition, you will receive a free Echo Dot. How cool is that? Best of all, this offer is immediate -- you do not have to wait for Prime Day!

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If you haven't heard, YouTube TV experienced an ill-timed outage yesterday. Well, I suppose there is never a good time for a service disruption, but still, this was during a rather important sporting event. What game was it? The big World Cup match between England and Croatia. I'm not a fan of soccer, but I can understand how having your TV service disrupted during such a major game could be annoying. If it was during the World Series or Super Bowl, I'd be rather upset.

YouTube TV apologized profusely on Twitter, and ultimately, the service was restored long before the match was over. In other words, subscribers were able to experience England's crushing defeat. If you weren't satisfied with the apology, YouTube TV is offering something that should make up for the inconvenience -- a free week of service.

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