Brian Fagioli

Internet of Things devices for the home are becoming extremely popular, but Apple HomeKit, well, isn't. The iPhone-maker's platform for controlling the home hasn't exactly set the world on fire. Slowly but surely, however, device manufacturers are starting to embrace it.

Today, Logitech announces that one of its existing home devices, the Circle 2 Wired security camera, is getting Apple HomeKit compatibility; the wireless variant is not supported at this time. This will allow you to interact with the wired camera using Apple's Home app. It also means Siri support -- a huge convenience.

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Thanks to the MacBook Pro, the popularity of Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C docks and dongles has exploded. If you have accessories that use USB Type-A, for instance, they simply won't work with Apple's latest laptop without the use of an adapter. Heck, the machine does not even feature a standard video-out port, so an HDMI, VGA, or DisplayPort dongle must be utilized.

If you use your MacBook Pro as a makeshift desktop with a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, investing in a dock or docking station would be a wise move. Today, a new such product from a company called "LandingZone" caught my attention. While I am not familiar with the company, the docking station is quite intriguing. It is one of the most complete MacBook Pro dock solutions I have seen, featuring many useful connection options and the ability to charge the laptop, of course. It is designed as a traditional docking station too, where Apple's laptop actually locks into the product as opposed to being more of a hub.

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The United States has been heavily under attack from Mother Nature lately. Hurricane Harvey caused horrific devastation in Texas, and now Irma is headed for Florida. During these disasters, it is not uncommon to lose electricity. This can be a huge pain point, as people need devices such as cell phones to call for help -- a device with a depleted battery is pretty much useless. Not to mention, some folks have medication that requires refrigeration, so a loss of power could actually lead to death or sickness.

Thankfully, companies sell generators to keep the power flowing during an electricity outage. For prolonged outages, there are even models with solar charging capabilities. Today, a company called Renogy unveils a heavy-duty battery backup generator that can be charged using the sun. Impressively, the company claims it can keep a refrigerator running for about 8 hours! It is even on wheels so it can be easily transported. The fact that it has so many connection types, including USB Type-A , should make it indispensable during a hurricane or simply on a family camping trip.

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T-Mobile may not be the best cell carrier from a coverage perspective, but it provides its users with a lot of value. The company and its foul-mouthed CEO, John Legere, often use outside-the-box thinking to disrupt the mobile phone industry. For instance, the company once gave free Domino's pizza to its customers through its "T-Mobile Tuesdays" scheme. Even without the added bonuses, its unlimited service is quite affordable compared to, say, Verizon.

Today, T-Mobile is once again giving away something for free, but it is much better than some cheap chain-restaurant pizza. You see, subscribers to its T-Mobile ONE family plans will now get free Netflix! This is well-timed, as the hit series "Stranger Things" returns to the streaming video site next month with season two. Of course, Netflix has much more content than that -- a solid library of original programming and a less-impressive collection of ho-hum films. The complimentary "Netflix On Us" subscription is not automatic, however -- users must activate it.

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While some people view the trackball as a product from yesteryear, they would sort of be incorrect. Sure, the number of users still leveraging this type of a pointing device is quite small comparatively, but the ones that do can be very passionate. Believe it or not, there are some people that hoard them because they can sometimes be hard to find. Not to mention, some folks with handicaps depend on them too -- since you move the pointer with your thumb, it can be great for someone with limited wrist mobility. Heck, they are great for HTPC use too.

Today, Logitech intends to delight these passionate trackball fans with an all-new new model. Called "MX ERGO," it brings the trackball to modern times with extreme comfort and functionality. Not only does the product feature Bluetooth connectivity, but it can also pair with Logitech's unifying USB dongle. The scroll wheel features horizontal tilt scroll which is great for working in large Excel spreadsheets. When you need to be as accurate as possible, there is even a special "precision mode" that you can enable for the ball.

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Earlier this year, I was shocked to learn that development of Opera for iOS was effectively dead. No, this was not just a rumor -- an Opera employee told me publicly on Twitter. And so, we here at BetaNews reported the unfortunate news. Luckily, the report of the browser's demise was short-lived -- the company later told me the employee was misinformed. I was dubious, so I took a wait-and-see approach to see just how alive development truly was.

Well, today, Opera supplied proof that its popular Mini browser is alive and kicking -- a new version! Apparently the company was just waiting for the iPhone 8 before updating the web browser. In a blog post highlighting the upcoming release of a new iPhone, the company shares that the user interface has been refreshed. For instance, there is more use of the "Opera red" color and trending news stories have been bumped to the top of the start page. New features have been added too, such as an enhanced search bar that can scan QR codes.

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Windows 10 S is a really great idea in theory. By limiting the operating system to applications from the Windows Store, it could make users safer. After all, it should limit the potential of malware since users can't download and install questionable things from the web. Of course, this will only be successful if there is a good library of apps, and I am sorry to say, the Windows Store is a failure in that regard. The biggest selling point for Windows is legacy program compatibility. Once you take that away, there isn't much left.

Thankfully, the company is giving complimentary upgrades from Windows 10 S to Windows 10 Pro until the end of 2017. This will allow a person or organization to easily recover from mistakenly buying into Windows 10 S if it doesn't meet their needs. Today, however, as a sign of weakness, Microsoft extends this deadline.

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Samson is a company that is known for making affordable audio equipment for both amateurs and professionals. For many podcasters, for instance, its microphones are a wonderful value and quite popular. The company has a very diverse portfolio of such products.

Today, Samson launches a new set of powered studio monitors. These pro-grade speakers should offer solid sound reproduction. While they are 2.0, meaning just left and right speakers, there is an output to add a dedicated subwoofer. If you do need added bass, but don't want to buy a sub, there is a bass-boost button too.

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Happy Labor Day, dear BetaNews readers! I hope you are off from work today, spending time with family and barbecuing some food on the grill. If you are working, as some folks have to do on holidays, I salute you. I just got home from a baseball game, where my beloved Mets beat the Phillies. America's pastime is a great way to celebrate today's holiday.

Another great way to celebrate? Listening to some rocking tunes! Whether playing some Lynyrd Skynyrd in the backyard on some speakers, or curled up on the couch with the latest from Lil Uzi Vert on some headphones, music can enhance the experience -- as long as you have some decent equipment, that is. Today, Apple launches a new set of wireless cans from its Beats by Dr. Dre subsidiary. The "Beats Studio3 Wireless," as they are called, look beautiful, but more importantly, they should sound exceptional.

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Tomorrow is Labor Day, meaning for many of you, this is a three-day weekend. While some folks will use this time to relax, we computer geeks will instead tinker with hardware and try new software. If you like to install and play with various Linux-based operating systems, Labor Day Weekend is perfect for this!

Today, version 17.0.3 of the Manjaro Gellivara Linux distribution becomes available. This Arch-based operating system is quite the satisfying experience -- I highly recommend it. This will be the final "Gellivara" release, which also means it is the final 32-bit version of Manjaro. Yes, folks, for the next major version of the operating system, you will need 64-bit hardware to use this distro. If your hardware is still 32-bit only, please buy a new machine already!

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Linux and Kodi go so well together. If you want to set up a lightweight media center distribution, you should look no further than LibreELEC. This open source Linux-based operating system exists solely to run Kodi, making it work on fairly meager hardware, such as a Raspberry Pi.

Today, a new LibreELEC Krypton version gets a release -- 8.1.1 BETA. If you are worried about compatibility with your favorite addons such as Exodus and Covenant, don't -- they should work absolutely fine. Of course, if you do encounter any issues, it can be very easy to go back. Might as well have the latest and greatest, right?

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When it comes to the Windows Insiders program, the Fast Ring is the most bleeding edge, right? Wrong. While it used to be, the "Skip Ahead" level has exceeded it in that regard. In other words, there is a Fast Ring, but now Skip Ahead can be seen as the Faster Ring. Eh, whatever...

Today, Microsoft releases Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16281 for PC, which is for the regular Fast Ring. While the Skip Ahead folks are now on builds based on Redstone 4, this is apparently based on RS3. If you like playing with virtual choo choo trains, I am happy to say there is an important fix for Train Simulator 2017.

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Ubuntu 17.10 should be available in October. With Canonical making GNOME the default desktop environment, and killing the much-maligned Unity, this will be the most exciting release in years. Quite frankly, the operating system had been feeling sort of stale lately, so a new default DE should shake things up.

Today, the first official Beta of Ubuntu 17.10 becomes available. This pre-lease version of the operating system, codenamed "Artful Aardvark," does not include the GNOME desktop, unfortunately. Instead, it includes several other spins, including Kubuntu, Lubuntu, and more.

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The smartphone market has been a bit boring lately, but things are starting to heat up. Manufacturers are pushing the boundaries of design, as we see with the beautiful Essential Phone, Samsung Galaxy Note8, and leaks of the upcoming iPhone 8. Now is an exciting time to be buying a new smartphone.

The Moto Android smartphones have long been forward-thinking in design, and today, Lenovo unveils its latest such device, which runs version 7.1 of the operating system -- not Oreo. The "Moto X4," as it is called, features a 2.2 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor, 3GB of RAM, a 3,000mAh battery, 32GB of on-board storage (expandable with microSD), and a 5.2-inch 1080p display. It has a fingerprint reader for security and IP68-rated waterproofing too. It even features Amazon Alexa integration! Photographers will be excited for the upgraded cameras, including a new dual-lens rear shooter.

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Earlier this year, my local energy company emailed me with an offer I couldn't refuse -- a big discount on a Nest Thermostat. While I had never really cared much about such a product -- I was OK getting up from my chair to control my home's temperature -- the price was too enticing. And so, I installed the product and linked it to my Amazon Echo. With the power of my voice, I can now control both my air conditioning and heating. It is amazing. The energy company has even issued me a check for allowing them to control it during a few weeks in the summer. Yeah, Nest is actually making me money!

Understandably, not everyone wants to spend an arm and a leg to get an energy-saving "smart" thermostat. Thankfully, today, the Google-owned Nest announces a new lower-priced "E" model. This affordable variant should be attractive to more thrifty spenders. It features a "frosted" screen, which could look even more classy than the pricier model, although that will ultimately be a matter of personal preference.

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