Brian Fagioli

Windows 10 S is a very intriguing operating system for education, but it has potential in other areas too. True, being limited to apps from the Windows Store could be frustrating, but in theory, it can create a much safer experience. Of course, for the concept to be a success, developers will need to embrace the app store -- something that largely isn't happening now. Heck, the failure of Windows RT can be largely attributed to the deficiencies of the Windows Store, such as lack of apps (and lots of junk).

If developers do start leveraging the Windows Store, the Windows 10 S experiment could take off, as users won't find a need to install legacy programs. This will largely depend on web browsers being available there, as many users dislike Edge. Thankfully, Microsoft is allowing third-party browser installs from the Windows Store. Unfortunately, there is a big catch -- you cannot change the default.

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When you need a laptop for your business, you can't go wrong with Toshiba's enterprise-grade Portégé Windows machines. These notebooks are extremely premium, offering durability and high performance. They often feature a pointing stick too -- a must for many business users. Quite frankly, I find these laptops to be superior to Lenovo's ThinkPad line nowadays.

Today, Toshiba makes its newest such model available. The Portégé X30, as it is called, has a magnesium alloy body and it is Mil-SPEC-810G certified. You can even get a battery that lasts up to 18 hours! The X30 is a bit pricey, but the old adage of "you get what you pay for" rings true -- the $1,449 starting price should be well worth it.

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The big news of the day is the newest version of Microsoft's desktop operating system -- Windows 10 S. In fact, the company even announced a new computer to showcase the education-focused OS -- the $1,000 Surface Laptop. While Microsoft's newest notebook is drop-dead gorgeous and super premium, the "S" variant of Windows is probably more appropriate for less expensive laptops. Luckily, many manufacturers will be leveraging the new OS for more affordable machines.

Today, Acer unveils its first-ever Windows 10 S notebook, and it is less than a third of the cost of a Surface Laptop ($299) -- wow! The 11.6-inch TravelMate Spin B1 Windows 10 S convertible laptop is touch-friendly and offers an arguably better experience than a similarly priced Chromebook. You see, unlike Chrome OS which seems to use touch as an afterthought, Window 10 S was designed with it in mind.

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When you want a tablet for consumption, there is no better product than the iPad. For creation, however, it can be lacking. For typists in particular -- including students needing to take notes -- the lack of a keyboard makes it a tough sell. While the Pro iPads can be used with an official keyboard from Apple, those tablets are very expensive. Luckily, there are third-party offerings for the more affordable traditional variants too.

Today, Logitech announces a new keyboard case for the 5th generation iPad 2017. Called the "SLIM FOLIO," it transforms Apple's inexpensive 9.7-inch tablet into a laptop. It also protects the iPad from drops, bumps, and scratches. Logitech says the keys are quite durable too, as they are rated for 5 million strokes. Its scissor keys offer an impressive 1.5 mm key travel for a quality typing experience.

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Windows 10 is a great operating system. Despite some vocal detractors, many people enjoy it every day for home, school and work. It is for this reason that Microsoft's overall Windows marketshare is the majority by far -- macOS and Linux-based operating systems are largely insignificant.

In the education segment, however, Google has been having some success with its Linux-based Chromebooks. Microsoft seems unhappy with the search giant taking some of its share of the pie. Today, in response to Google's Chrome OS, Microsoft launches a new operating system -- Windows 10 S. The mantra for this OS, as per Microsoft, is "simplify to magnify."

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Tomorrow in New York City, Microsoft will be holding an event that seems to be geared towards education -- the Windows-maker has been sharing the #MicrosoftEDU hashtag. With Chromebooks gaining in popularity, especially in the school segment, it has been rumored that the company will be revealing a new version of Windows 10 that only runs apps from the Windows Store -- similar to the much-maligned Windows RT. This would, in theory, remove many malware threats, making it a safer platform -- similar to the benefit of Chrome OS.

On the eve of this event, a Twitter user named WalkingCat, using the handle @h0x0d, has leaked some images and details regarding what he/she alleges is the upcoming Surface Laptop that will be revealed tomorrow. The leaker alleges that the laptop will be 14.47mm at its thickest in the rear, and it will taper down to 9.9mm towards the front. It will reportedly be quite light at a mere 2.76 pounds. The 13.5 inch display will have 3.4 million pixels. Oh, and that new version of the operating system? It will be called Windows 10 S and not "Cloud."

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Linux Mint is a very popular operating system -- for Linux, anyway. It is based on Ubuntu, but it ditches one of the most maligned aspects of its base OS -- the Unity desktop environment. Instead, it primarily offers the Cinnamon DE, which is reminiscent of Microsoft's Windows 7. Mint's popularity and relevance is in question lately, however, as Ubuntu itself has decided to stop using Unity too. It remains to be seen if GNOME 3 being the default DE for future Ubuntu releases will decrease the number of folks switching to Mint.

The uncertainty about Ubuntu has not deterred the Linux Mint team, however, as they are moving ahead with plans for version 18.2. While details about the upcoming version of the operating system are scarce, we have learned two important details. First, the code name for the OS will be "Sonya," and second, the distro will use LightDM as default display manager.

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The NES Classic Edition is a very fun nostalgia-based gaming console. As someone who grew up with Nintendo, I knew I wanted the mini system as soon as it was announced. A family member was able to score me one on launch day, and I've been very happy with it. Unfortunately, other people have not been so lucky. Supply was very limited and it has since been discontinued. If you do not already have it, you are sort of out of luck without paying high prices on eBay or Craigslist.

If you are only looking to replay the NES games of your youth, and you are OK with doing it in an unofficial way, emulation is another route. In fact, if you'd rather not play these games on your PC, you can instead use a Linux-based operating system and a Raspberry Pi (or other devices) hooked to a television. One such distro is Lakka, which just reached version 2.0. It is arguably better than an NES Classic Edition as it can also play games from other systems, such as SNES, Sega Genesis, Nintendo 64, PlayStation 1, and many more.

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The government is supposed to work for the people, but sometimes, it can feel like it is against them. In a democratic country like the USA, where many officials are elected by citizens, you would think this wouldn't be the case, but sadly, it often is. As Edward Snowden revealed in his leaks, the US government has programs where it spies on its own people, doing things like scanning and reading their emails.

Today, the National Security Agency announces -- somewhat begrudgingly -- that it will stop the collection of some American emails that simply mention known foreign targets. It will instead only collect communications to and from the target directly. While this is a big win for the privacy of American people, the NSA is seemingly implying that it could have negative implications for safety. In fact, the agency tries very hard to distance itself from any wrongdoing by making it clear that the reading of these emails were legal and allowed.

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With PC gaming still hugely popular, more and more companies are looking to create their own peripherals. As a result, there are countless mechanical keyboards on the market nowadays. I recently reviewed the Logitech G413 which offers amazing value.

Today, popular memory-maker G.SKILL unveils its latest mechanical keyboard -- the RIPJAWS KM560 MX. As the name suggests, it uses Cherry MX switches, and consumers can choose between red, blue, and brown. It is very similar to the company's KM570 model with one big exception -- it is tenkeyless. This means it is lacking the numberpad that is found on most keyboards. In fact, G.SKILL says this will save about 8cm, making it a good choice for those that need desk space.

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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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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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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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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 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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