Brian Fagioli

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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Apple is making huge news today with the refresh of its wildly popular MacBook Pro laptops. The portable computers are more powerful than ever and feature a quieter keyboard. In addition, the company will be selling an optional eGPU made by Blackmagic that will transform the notebooks into graphical powerhouses.

MacBook Pro computers are very well-made, but they are quite expensive too. Even if you buy the Apple Care protection plan, it is a wise idea to invest in a case or bag for it too. Today, the iPhone-maker releases new leather sleeves that should protect both the 13 and 15-inch MacBook Pro laptops from scratches and dents. As you can imagine, since it is an official Apple product, it is rather pricey.

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If you are a hardcore PC gamer, you are probably willing to spend almost anything to get an edge. For online multiplayer games in particular, not only is your CPU, GPU, and RAM important, but so is your networking hardware. From your modem, to your router, and ultimately your network interface card, what you have matters.

Speaking of NICs, there is an intriguing new offering from a company called Aquantia. Called "AQtion AQN-107 Gamer Edition," it is a 10G card, which yes, is total overkill. A standard gigabit card is fine for most gamers, but the thing is, this 10G card is quite affordable. Not only is the price reasonable, but it comes with specialized software for Windows that will prioritize gaming traffic and reduce lag. Maybe buying a 10G card isn't so crazy...

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Microsoft recently released the Surface Connect to USB-C Adapter -- a dongle that adds USB-C to any Microsoft computer with a Surface connect port. The accessory was universally panned for being bulky, ugly, and overpriced. Thankfully, the newest Surface Go tablet has an integrated USB-C port -- the aforementioned dongle is not needed.

Microsoft doesn't want to leave the recently unveiled Surface Go out of the dongle party, apparently, as it is releasing two adapters for the tablet. One dongle merely converts the USB-C port into a USB-A port. The other adapter converts the USB-C port into a USB-A port and adds an Ethernet port. Strangely, Microsoft did not mention these products when announcing the Surface Go, but they are available for pre-order now. And yes, they will work with any USB-C Windows device; not just Surface devices.

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The Microsoft Surface Go is a very polarizing device. Some folks are drooling at the thought of an affordable Surface computer, while others argue it is inferior to the iPad. While both camps have valid points, I am of the belief that choice is always good for consumers. In other words, having the Surface Go as another option when shopping for a tablet or laptop is a positive. Quite frankly, I am intrigued by it too.

The Surface Go doesn't hit stores until August 2, although you can pre-order it immediately now. You may be tempted to order it from the Microsoft Store, but I must urge you not to. Why? A different retailer is already offering a rather significant discount!

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I vividly remember the first time I witnessed a video game controller with an alternative color. My father took me to the mall to buy Nintendo 64. I was a huge Mario fan back then -- I still I am -- and Super Mario 64 had me wanting the console badly. The salesman suggested a second controller, which was a must for playing with friends back then -- online multiplayer wasn't an option for N64. That's when I saw it -- a green controller. Oh my goodness. They came in colors other than gray?! I had to have it.

In the grand scheme of things, the color of a controller doesn't really matter. I mean, it does not affect gameplay. Still, it’s fun to choose a color and make the controller your own. Microsoft is no stranger to controller colors -- it releases many special edition options. Not to mention, the company also offers the ability to create a custom design using Xbox Design Lab. Its latest such controller is called "Sport White Special Edition." As you can see, it is mostly white, but it features a mint color on the rear. There are also cool line patterns on the front.

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