Brian Fagioli

If your laptop has Thunderbolt 3 -- and you want to connect it to a keyboard, mouse, and display -- a TB3 dock is a worthwhile investment. This allows you to both charge and connect your peripherals with a single cable. Don't have Thunderbolt 3? That's OK -- you can still utilize a USB dock. While it won't charge your machine, it will still offer much convenience.

While my MacBook Pro has Thunderbolt 3, my family and I have Windows and Linux notebooks that still use USB 3.0. For these computers, I have been testing a new USB 3.0 dock from VisionTek called "VT1000." Not only does it serve as a 3-port USB 3.0 hub (two Type-A on front, one on rear), but it also provides gigabit Ethernet, audio, and the ability to push two displays. For this, it offers very versatile connection options -- HDMI, DisplayPort, and VGA.

Continue reading →

For better or worse, the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) initiative seems to be moving full steam ahead. There are some very respectable distributions available in the Microsoft Store, such as Debian, Ubuntu, and Kali to name a few. Not to mention, Microsoft is trying to encourage even more maintainers to submit their distros with a new tool.

Apparently, some Windows 10 users have been clamoring for the ability to copy and paste both from and to WSL consoles -- a reasonable request. Well, as of Insider Build 17643, this is finally possible.

Continue reading →

Intel and AMD both make great processors, but the latter is more about value than raw performance. Don't get me wrong, AMD's products are plenty powerful, but they tend to be easier on the wallet compared to Intel. That is why I, and many other PC builders, choose AMD -- wonderful performance/price balance. It's Ryzen line in particular offers fabulous multi-core performance at a great price, making them excellent choices for all types of computer users -- including both gamers and video editors.

Today, AMD unveils the second-generation of Ryzen processors, and the company has managed to do something quite remarkable. You see, not only are these 12nm chips more powerful than their 14nm predecessors, but they are less expensive too! On top of that, the entire line of second-gen Ryzen processors come with high-end Wraith coolers -- enough for modest overclocking. The coolers that comes with the Ryzen 7 models even feature LED lighting.

Continue reading →

System76 has long been a huge champion of both Linux and open source. If you aren't familiar, the company sells premium computers running the Ubuntu operating system. Recently, the company decided to create its own Ubuntu-based distro called "Pop!_OS" which uses the GNOME desktop environment.

Today, Denver, Colorado-based System76 takes its commitment to GNOME even further by becoming a Foundation Advisory Board member. It joins other respected companies on the board such as Google, Red Hat, and Canonical to name a few.

Continue reading →

Home consumers probably own just one desktop computer -- if they don't instead have a laptop. Enthusiasts and professionals, however, can own two or more (workstations, servers, etc.). Managing them all can be a pain in the butt, as you must own several keyboards, mice, and monitors -- a costly and messy affair. Of course, alternatively, you can own just one set of peripherals and constantly switch them between the machines -- a hassle that also puts wear on the ports.

The best alternative, however, is to utilize a KVMP switch, which allows you to easily switch one set of peripherals -- including USB, audio and video -- between several machines. Today, IOGEAR launches two new high-end KVMP switches with dual 4K video-out. One supports two computers, while the other handles up to four. And yes, the 4K video is at 60Hz.

Continue reading →

Thunderbolt 3 is awesome. The connection is blazing fast, and for convenience, it uses the same connector as USB-C. It allows a computer user to expand the functionality of their laptop with ease. Keep in mind, however, while USB-C devices will generally work with all Thunderbolt 3 ports, TB3 devices won't work on normal USB-C ports. Ultimately, Thunderbolt 3 is the superior standard. Best of all, it is supported on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

StarTech is no stranger to Thunderbolt 3 adapters, and today, it unveils two new products. The company's motto is "hard-to-find made easy" and both of these offerings match that. One product is a Thunderbolt 3 to eSATA adapter -- quite niche these days. It also offers a USB 3.1 gen 2 Type-A port. The other new product is a Thunderbolt 3 to USB 3.1 controller, which is sort of like a USB hub on steroids.

Continue reading →

No matter the product, a manufacturer should take pride in what it produces. In a world where technology is largely disposable, it is appreciated when a company creates something that is designed to last. If you go on Amazon these days, and you look to buy, say, a cable, you will be presented with countless unrecognizable brands with inexpensive low-quality offerings. And yeah, saving money is cool, but if you are buying crap, have you really saved anything?

I say all that because I have discovered a new USB-C cable from a company called Nomad that promises to be extremely rugged. Do you need a durable cable? Well, if you travel, absolutely. People that are constantly "on the go" will find themselves often pulling cables out of their bag and then shoving them back in. Not to mention, when you are in an airport or coffee shop, for instance, you may find yourself in awkward positions where the cable faces extra strain on its connectors while charging.

Continue reading →

Ubuntu Linux 18.04 "Bionic Beaver" is almost here -- it is due on April 26. In the interim, today, the second -- and final -- beta becomes available. Bionic Beaver is very significant, as it is an LTS version, meaning "Long Term Support." This is important to those that prefer stability to bleeding edge and don't want to deal with the hassle of upgrades. In other words, you can install 18.04 and be confident that it will be supported for 5 years. In comparison, non-LTS Ubuntu versions get a mere 9 months.

There is plenty to be excited about with Ubuntu Linux 18.04 LTS 'Bionic Beaver' Beta 2, including the GNOME 3.28 desktop environment -- Beta 1 did not include GNOME at all. Of course, all the other DE flavors are available too, such as KDE and Xfce. The kernel is at 4.15, which while not the most current version, is still quite modern. Also included is LibreOffice 6.0 -- an essential tool that rivals Microsoft Office. Wayland is available as a technical preview, although X remains the default display server -- for now.

Continue reading →

Wireless charging is nothing new -- I first used it many years ago with a lowly Nokia Lumia running Windows Phone. For years, many Android phones have had this feature too. Apple's iPhone was very late to the Qi charging party, only launching in 2017, but I suppose late is better than never, right?

Today, Case-Mate launches a new wireless charger that is compatible with all Qi smartphones, including the Samsung Galaxy S9 and the latest iPhone devices -- 8, 8 Plus, and X. In fact, it supports fast wireless charging, so you can juice up your device more quickly (not as fast as using a wire, though). Best of all, it has a very unique design, where the charging pad itself can be inserted into a base. This allows the device to charge while laying flat or propped up in either portrait or landscape modes. In other words, you can decide how the phone is positioned, and you can change it whenever you want -- a very clever design.

Continue reading →

While prices for NVMe solid state drives are dropping, it is important to remember that all such drives are not created equally. We recently shared a new Kingston NVMe drive with you -- the A1000 -- and while I am sure it's a fine product, it only uses PCIe Gen 3.0 x2, making it slower than drives utilizing x4. Consumers will have to decide if the speed trade-off is worth any potential savings.

Today, Western Digital launches the Black 3D NVMe SSD, and it looks amazing. While it is affordable, like the aforementioned Kingston drive, it uses PCIe Gen 3.0 x4, giving it insane performance. In other words, with this drive, you don't have to sacrifice speed for savings.

Continue reading →

When Apple removed the 3.5mm audio jack from the iPhone, some people freaked out. Look, I understand that change can be scary, but an analog port has no place on modern smartphones. For those that struggled to cope, Apple even included a free dongle, allowing these Luddites to take their time transitioning to the new standard -- Bluetooth.  Of course, despite the negative feedback Apple received, many Android manufacturers followed suit and removed the headphone jack too. The same thing is happening with the iPhone X's notch, but I digress.

Regardless of whether your smartphone does or doesn't have a headphone port, you should still invest in some quality Bluetooth earbuds. Not only are they more convenient and fashionable, but they can be better for active folks too, as there is no annoying cord going into your phone which can get tangled. Today, JBL unveils a pair of new wireless earbuds that focus on an active lifestyle. The "Reflect Mini 2" and "Reflect Contour 2," as they are called, are very similar, but the latter has a handy ear-hook to prevent slippage. Best of all, they are both priced under $100, making them very affordable.

Continue reading →

If your computer has a compatible PCIe-based M.2 slot, and you aren't currently using it, you are making a big mistake. Why? Because NVMe solid state drives are insanely fast -- putting SATA variants to shame. If your desktop doesn't have an M.2 slot, don't worry -- you may be able to add one using a PCIe adapter card.

Unfortunately, NVMe drives can be expensive comparatively. Thankfully, they are dropping in price all the time. For example, today, Kingston launches an all-new affordable such drive called the "A1000" and it looks quite nice. Unfortunately, it leverages PCIe NVMe Gen 3.0 x2 rather than x4, so it is slower than offerings from some of its competitors. With that said, it is still significantly faster than SATA.

Continue reading →

Fedora is the best overall Linux-based desktop operating system -- Linus Torvalds famously uses it regularly. Today, version 28 of the distribution finally achieves Beta status. After a short delay -- it was scheduled to be available a week earlier -- the distro is back on track, and looking better than ever.

As is typical now, there are three versions of the operating system -- Atomic Host, Server, and Workstation. While all three have their places, normal desktop computer users will want to focus on Workstation. There are plenty of new features (and bugs), but the most exciting aspect of Fedora 28 Workstation is the inclusion of the GNOME 3.28 desktop environment.

Continue reading →

It used to be, if you wanted a gaming laptop, there was a huge price to pay. No, I am not talking about a financial price, although they can be expensive. Actually, I am referring to the excessive weight and thickness. A portable gaming machine was historically a very big and bulky product.

These days, however, a gaming laptop can be quite svelte comparatively. They are continually getting thinner and lighter. Today, ASUS unveils its latest such notebook, the ROG Zephyrus M. That "ROG" stands for "Republic of Gamers," which is ASUS' premium gaming brand. This new laptop certainly is premium, as it features a hexacore Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and either an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or 1070 -- depending on configuration. This is all crammed into a very thin body. And yes, the keyboard features RGB lighting, because... Gaming!

Continue reading →

If you want a quality all-in-one desktop, you should buy an iMac or iMac Pro, right? Pretty much. Surface Studio is another option, but it is sort of outdated these days. Unfortunately, both Microsoft and Apple's offerings are very expensive, making them unobtainable for many.

There is yet another intriguing option lately -- the previously announced Acer Aspire S24. That company is normally synonymous with budget systems, and while this all-in-one desktop isn't top of the line, it actually has some premium design aspects. In fact, it can be argued that it is more attractive than the aforementioned expensive products from Apple and Microsoft.

Continue reading →