Brian Fagioli

USB-C is certainly the future, but there is one huge problem -- low-quality cables. Not only are these cheap cables prone to breakage, but they are often out of spec, meaning they can physically damage your computers and devices. Imagine frying your laptop or smartphone because you connected a cheap cable -- ugh, that would stink. You should always buy cables manufactured by well-known companies that you can trust.

One company that you can usually depend on for quality cables is Belkin. You pay a bit more compared to low-quality no-name offerings, but you get what you pay for, folks. Today, the well-respected manufacturer announces an all-new USB-C cable as part of its MIXIT DuraTek line.

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Social media can be a fabulous tool to help businesses engage their customers. Nowadays it isn't enough to simply offer a quality product or service -- it is about creating memorable experiences. By offering outreach from services like Facebook and Twitter, a business can seem more friendly -- something that may have a positive impact on sales or brand opinion. Not to mention, young adults that grew up with text messaging may be turned off to making voice calls, making social media indispensable for millennials.

Today, Twitter is improving the customer interaction experience for businesses with a really cool new feature -- location sharing through direct messaging. A business can now more easily share its location with a customer, or request a location from them, using the direct message functionality.

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In 2017, it is definitely time to jump into the 4K waters. There is plenty of UHD content nowadays, and pricing for these displays are finally reasonable.

AOC is known for producing quality monitors at affordable prices, and the company has a new offering that reaffirms that. The all-new premium 32-inch (technically 31.5-inch) 4K UHD Display (U3277PWQU) is chock full of great features, such as an integrated USB hub, and it is available immediately.

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Parenting can be hard -- I get it. It can be a real hassle to monitor what a child is doing 24 hours per day. Nowadays, with the internet and many connected devices, your child could be online when you aren't aware. Luckily, there are tools to help you track their activity -- up all night surfing the web? Busted!

Today, the Google Wifi router gets a new tool to help owners better manage internet access. Called "Scheduled Pause," it literally lets you pause the internet for selected devices. In other words, it could make a tablet or other device inoperable during a certain time frame -- like a bedtime. Here's the problem. What if there is an emergency, like say, a home invasion, and the child wants to use the tablet to get help? If the tragedy occurs while the internet is paused, it could be catastrophic.

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While virtual reality has long been expensive, it has become more achievable in recent years. A VR-ready PC is much more affordable, as are the VR accessories. It still isn't a simple affair, however, as there are competing platforms, such as Oculus and Vive. It can be confusing for consumers to know which to choose.

Today, Vive-maker HTC announces that it is celebrating the one-year anniversary of the commercial launch of the virtual reality platform and hardware. To mark the occasion, existing users will get a free game, while new buyers of the hardware will save $100. More exciting, however, the company is launching Viveport Subscription on April 5. For a paltry monthly fee, users get access to a big library of VR apps and games.

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As more and more family members own multiple device -- smartphones, tablets, etc. -- it can feel like every outlet in a home is in use. This can be very problematic, as there can sometimes be more devices than outlets! This can lead to fighting between people that need to juice-up their devices. Luckily, a power strip or multi-port charger can solve this dilemma.

Today, Satechi launches a beautiful new USB-C Travel Charger that can charge three devices at once. It features two USB Type-A ports and a single USB Type-C port. While it is designed to be used for traveling, such as in a hotel or at the airport, there is nothing stopping you from using it in a home as well. In fact, it should be quite brilliant on a desk or dresser.

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When you choose a Linux-based operating system, you also choose a desktop environment. For many users, the DE sort of is the operating system. In other words, for some, they will really only interact with the user interface -- especially if they avoid the command line. A good operating system will get out of the user's way, allowing them to focus on the apps and tools they need.

If you are moving from Windows to Linux, KDE can be a great desktop environment. It is very reminiscent of the traditional Windows 95 to Windows 7 experience. Unfortunately, KDE can be a bit tedious to set up. Sure, it works fine "out of the box," but customizing it can be daunting. Luckily, there is a Debian-based operating system that is configured beautifully -- especially for those leaving Microsoft's OS. Called "Netrunner Desktop," it comes pre-loaded with many useful programs, making it an absolute joy to use. Today, it reaches version 17.03, code-named "Cyclotron."

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Twitter is a great social network, but it has many problems. Targeted harassment is rampant, causing much pain to some users. Many tweets are sexist, racist, and worse -- threats of harm. Sometimes it seems like the company doesn't listen to users either -- it feels like feedback is simply unheard. Just yesterday, the company changed the way replies work, leading to spam and confusion -- a really negative experience. Heck, the company's stock has been terrible too.

Despite all of these concerns, Twitter is unveiling a new default profile picture today. This seemingly superficial change during other outrages is a little bit frustrating, as the company's priorities seem out of order. But oh well, here we are. The new default image is no longer an egg, as the company is adopting a colorless grey gender-neutral picture instead. It is not the first time the default image has changed, but the timing is just awful.

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There are a lot of languages in the world -- there are many you probably have never heard of before. Many people think each country uses just one language, and that is it. This is far from the truth, however. Canada, for instance, uses both English and French. Heck, despite English being predominate (for now), the United States doesn't even have an official language!

In the People's Republic of Bangladesh, the most spoken language is Bangla. Despite the South Asian country being the eighth most populous in the world, for whatever reason, Microsoft Translator did not support the language. Today this changes, however, as the Windows-maker finally (অবশেষে) adds support.

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Solid state drives are absolutely fabulous, but serial ATA variants are getting a bit long in the tooth. Don't get me wrong, if you are still using an old-fashioned mechanical hard drive, any SSD should give you better performance. With that said, NVMe M.2 drives are far superior. Of course, not all computers support the faster standard, so 2.5-inch SATA models are still relevant -- for now.

Today, ADATA announces a new 2.5-inch SATA SSD. Called "Ultimate SU700," it features 3D NAND and capacities up to 960GB -- just shy of a terabyte.

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When I first set up a Logitech Harmony hub in my home, it was life-changing. No longer did I need to have multiple remote controls littering my living room table. The one Harmony remote (or mobile app) controls my television, cable box, sound bar, and Xbox One. Once I linked it with my Amazon Echo, things got even better -- I could control my entertainment devices by voice. If I am dozing off on the couch while watching TV, for instance, and the remote is out of reach, I can simply say "Alexa, tell Harmony to turn off the TV." Like magic, the television shuts off.

Amazon Echo is not the only voice assistant device available -- Google offers its own called "Home." It is very similar to Amazon's offering, but it is not compatible with all of the same devices and services. For instance, Home did not work with Harmony. Today, this changes, as both Logitech and Google's hardware can now work together. It is not compatible with all Harmony devices, however -- only Hub-based models, such as Elite and Companion.

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We are officially in the season of spring, meaning summer is right around the corner. Before you know it, it will be time to barbecue some meat, frolic on the beach, and go swimming in the pool. Quite frankly, summer is probably my favorite of the four seasons thanks to all of the possible activities.

A big part of summer fun is listening to your favorite music. Yeah, you can use your smartphone's integrated speaker, but that is hardly an enjoyable experience -- especially outdoors. For better clarity and volume, a Bluetooth speaker is a wise investment. Ultimate Ears is well known for its amazing portable speakers, and today, it announces a new model. Called "WONDERBOOM," not only is it waterproof (IP67-certified), but it floats on its own too. In other words, you can toss it in the pool without worry.

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If you are in the market for a new Android smartphone, you will undoubtedly consider Samsung. After all, the company makes some of the best smartphones running Google's mobile operating system. In fact, without Samsung, it can be questioned if Android would even be as popular as it is today.

Earlier today, the manufacturer officially unveiled the Galaxy S8 (and a larger "plus" variant). The world was excited for this announcement, as it is Samsung's first true flagship since the Note7 fiasco. You may be wondering if you should buy the new Galaxy smartphone, and I have a very simple answer for you. Yes. Buy it. Pre-order it ASAP.

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Google is an essential member of the open source community. The search giant contributes some really great projects, offering code to be used many -- it claims more than 2,000 such contributions! Heck, the company even hosts the annual Summer of Code program, where it pairs students with open source projects teams. In other words, Google is helping to get young folks excited about open source.

Today, Google announces that it is launching an all-new website to focus on open source. It is not a general open source site, but a destination to learn more about the search-giant's relationship with it.

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Having quality Wi-Fi in your home or office is one of the best investments you can make. Nowadays, having access to the internet and the web are essential for success -- a problematic router that constantly crashes or needs rebooting can be absolutely maddening. Luckily, you do not need to break the bank to get a solid router. In fact, there are even some affordable mesh systems on the market nowadays.

Today, NETGEAR announces new two-unit Orbi Wi-Fi systems (RBK30 and RBK40) that are more affordable than the original (RBK50). The RBK40 comes with two Orbi AC2200 Tri-band 802.11ac routers. The RBK30 comes with just one of the routers, plus a satellite extender. Not only are they affordable and easy to set up, but they are very pretty too -- reminiscent of an Apple design.

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