Acer shocks PC gaming world with incredibly thin and light Predator Triton 700 laptop

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Earlier today, Acer unveiled its new line of Windows computers. While they all look great, there was one model that damn-near knocked me off my chair. The Predator Triton 700, as it is called, is yet another gaming laptop that a manufacturer is calling thin and light. Yeah, we have heard that before -- "thin" for a gaming notebook is often still rather chunky. There it was, though -- an honest to goodness svelte portable PC. It is a mere 18.9 mm thick and 5.7 pounds.

The thin aluminum body is just part of the story, however, as it also has very respectable specifications. "Powering the beast within is a standard-voltage 7th Generation Intel Core processor, latest high-performance NVIDIA GeForce 10-Series graphics, two NVMe PCIe SSDs in RAID 0 configuration and up to 32GB of DDR4 2400MHz memory," says Acer.

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Razer unveils Lancehead gaming mice

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PC gamers have many decisions to make when buying peripherals. Price and brands aside, there are various technologies and style choices. For instance, if you buy a mechanical keyboard, what types of switches should you get? The toughest decision is probably when selecting a mouse -- do you want wired or wireless? While a cordless variant may look nicer, a wired mouse doesn't need a battery and can have less lag.

Today, Razer announces a new product that might make choosing a mouse even tougher. The Lancehead wireless gaming mouse is chock full of cool features, including a super-high 16,000 DPI optical sensor. It charges using USB, and the cable can double as a receiver extender. If you are dead-set against a wireless mouse, do not worry -- the company is launching a wired "Tournament Edition" of the Lancehead with a laser sensor.

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Logitech launches Universal Folio keyboard case for iPad, Android, and Windows 10 tablets

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I recently bought the all-new iPad 2017 and love it very much. The problem? There aren't many cases for it. While some first-gen iPad Air cases may work with it, that is not a guarantee. Sure, there are some universal cases that leverage elastic straps to accommodate many models, but those are often a poor experience.

Today, Logitech announces an all-new universal keyboard case that actually looks good. Rather than use cheap elastic, the company has come up with some brilliant 4-point adjustable grips. This looks to be a very elegant product that solves a common problem. Of course, it will not work with all tablets, just some models that range from 8.9 to 10 inches. Best of all? The clever case is compatible with iOS, Android, and Windows 10.

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GE Appliances connected window air conditioners get Amazon Alexa support

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Summer is right around the corner, meaning the temperatures in many places will begin rising to uncomfortable levels. It's funny -- in the winter, many people get cold and dream of summer, and once that season comes, they complain about the hot weather. There' s just no pleasing some folks!

Thankfully, with the invention of air conditioning, human beings can use technology to stay cool. If you aren't lucky enough to have central air in your home, a window unit is the next best thing. Today, GE Appliances announces that its Wi-Fi connected window models are getting Amazon Alexa support. In other words, using the power of your voice, you can control the air conditioning.

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Amazon makes Alexa a fashionista with all-new Echo Look

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Amazon Echo, and the associated Alexa voice assistant, are wildly popular. This is fairly surprising, as you would expect such a successful product to come from Apple or Google. While the latter has since launched its "Home" competitor, Amazon's offering still reigns supreme in the hearts and minds of consumers.

Not satisfied with resting on its laurels, today, Amazon announces that it is pushing the envelope even further. You see, the company will be launching a new product -- Echo Look. This device works with Alexa like the other Echo products, but with a unique twist -- it has a camera. No, it is not designed for communications, but instead, for fashion. The Echo Look will help you look stylish, by taking your photo or video in an outfit, and making suggestions.

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Western Digital now shipping the 12TB HGST Ultrastar He12 Helium 7200 RPM Enterprise HDD

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Thanks to media streaming and cloud storage, many home consumers no longer need massive hard disk drives. Instead, a fast SSD with a lesser capacity can often meet needs. Of course that isn't a fact for everyone -- some folks still prefer local storage, and mechanical HDDs are ideal from a cost perspective.

Home users aside, businesses still largely have a need for hard drives with large capacities. Trade secrets and customer information can't always be stored in the cloud. While some data centers are embracing solid state drives for better performance, that is not really cost effective at this time. Today, Western Digital begins shipping the 12TB HGST Ultrastar He12 Helium 7200 RPM hard disk drive. This is a HDD with monstrous capacity that is designed for the enterprise.

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SteelSeries launches QcK Prism dual-surface RGB illuminated premium gaming mousepad

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When you are a PC gamer that seemingly already owns everything for gaming, what is left to buy? Besides your hardcore gaming rig, you probably already have a mechanical keyboard, mouse, and headset, right? Heck, you may even have a fancy mousepad. But does your pad even glow, bro?

Today, SteelSeries launches the QcK Prism dual-surface RGB illuminated premium gaming mousepad. Yeah, it is a gaming mousepad that glows thanks to RGB lighting. While not the first RGB mousepad, SteelSeries says it is the first-ever dual-sided variant. You see, one side is cloth, while the other is hard plastic.

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Dude, where's my car? Oh, there it is -- thanks, Google Maps!

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Forgetting where you parked your vehicle can happen to anybody at any age. It happens to me quite often, as I am known to be daydreaming as I walk from my car to a store, such as the mall. On more than one occasion, I've walked around a parking lot, hitting the "panic" button on my keys so that I can hear the horn honk. Heck, there is an entire episode of Seinfeld that deals with the topic.

Thankfully, Google is giving us some relief. The search giant's Maps app has a new feature that will record where you parked your vehicle. It is not an Android-only affair either, as it also works on iOS.

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Microsoft will give you free Subway sandwiches -- here's how to score the yummy deal

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As someone who lives in New York, I have access to many quality delicatessens. This means I have the ability to buy extremely good sandwiches. The problem? They can be expensive, easily exceeding $10. It is for this reason that I still go to Subway on occasion. With that said, some of the company's sandwiches are pretty tasty -- I do not go only to save money.

You know what's better than an inexpensive sandwich? A free one! You see, Microsoft is giving away free meals from Subway -- a sandwich, drink, and either cookie or chips. The offer is not for individuals, however. The Windows-maker will cater your event as long as it has at least one Microsoft related topic and meets the other criteria.

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Google brings YouTube Kids app to LG, Samsung, and Sony smart TVs

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While YouTube can be a great platform for viewing quality family-friendly content, there are a lot of offensive videos on there too. No, I am not just talking about PewDiePie, although some of his content is arguably questionable. Actually, I am talking about videos from other creators that show blatant racism, sexism, and actual pornography -- it is shocking to see some of the content that gets through.

Luckily, Google developed the YouTube Kids app for mobile devices, which tries to block offensive content. This app helps parents to be more confident that their children will only see family-friendly videos. Today, the search giant brings the app to LG, Samsung, and Sony smart TVs.

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Logitech and TED launch Spotlight Presentation Academy to improve public speaking

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Successful public speakers are not born. In other words, it is a skill that must be learned and fine-tuned. Sure, some folks may have higher anxiety than others, but almost anyone can master the skill with enough practice and confidence. Technology can even help too, such as the brilliant Logitech Spotlight Remote.

Speaking of Logitech, the company has partnered with TED for a new initiative called Spotlight Presentation Academy. Since TED is all about public speaking and storytelling, and Logitech manufactures the aforementioned Spotlight Remote, this seems like a marriage made in heaven. The focus of the partnership is to improve people's public speaking skills, and the academy will select 15 individuals that are looking to get better in that regard.

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Need a graduation gift? Look no further than the Microsoft Store to save up to $200

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Graduation is almost here for many high school and college students. With that comes both fun and scary aspects. The enjoyable part is finally achieving the diploma and having a party with friends and family. The scary part? Being thrust into the real world. It can be a good scary, however, as it means the world is a blank canvas -- full of possibilities.

If you need to buy a gift for a graduate in your life, you can always give them cash, but that is so impersonal. If you want to set them up for success, a Windows 10 PC is a wise choice -- especially when paired with an Office 365 subscription. If you want to go that route, and save some money, the Microsoft Store has you covered. The store is offering up to $200 in savings during a limited-time special gradation sale.

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Google will automatically translate local reviews into your language

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Thanks to the internet, consumers are less likely to visit a gross restaurant or other bad location. You see, by reading online reviews, they can avoid these negative experiences. This is particularly helpful when travelling to a new city, as you may be unfamiliar with the area.

Unfortunately, when visiting somewhere that speaks a language that you do not understand, these reviews are useless on their own. To read them, you have to copy and paste them into a translation service, which can be an inconvenient chore. Thankfully, Google has come up with a solution for this dilemma. Starting today, the search giant will automatically translate local reviews into your language when you use its Maps or Search services. How cool is that?

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The Linux Foundation launches IoT-focused open source EdgeX Foundry, Ubuntu-maker Canonical joins

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The Internet of Things is gaining in popularity just as many pundits have predicted for years. Having a connected home is easy and cost effective, thanks to devices like Amazon Echo, WeMo lights, and Nest thermostats. It really is an exciting time to be a tech-enthusiast consumer.

Unfortunately, while IoT is exciting, it can also be confusing and scary. Many devices do not work together due to fragmentation, and even worse, there can be security exploits that put the consumer's home network at risk. In other words, an internet connected refrigerator or webcam could be abused by hackers. Today, The Linux Foundation launches the open source EdgeX Foundry -- an attempt to unify and simplify the Internet of Things.

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Microsoft's LinkedIn surpasses 500 million users

When searching for a job nowadays, you will find that Microsoft's LinkedIn has largely disrupted the process. Long gone are the days of emailing or faxing a resume -- you can both find and apply for a job directly through the service. Even if you are not actively searching for a new career, LinkedIn is a great place to network and meet other professionals.

To show just how popular LinkedIn has become, the service today makes an impressive announcement -- it has achieved more than 500 million users in 200 countries. With a half a billion users, maybe Microsoft's $26.2 billion purchase price wasn't so crazy after all!

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