Brian Fagioli

Virtual reality is rather cool, although it requires money and commitment. To truly experience VR on a PC, you need a powerful computer and, sometimes, a room to be dedicated to it too. After all, the VR mask usually has to be tethered to the desktop PC -- a messy experience, leading to tangled wires. Sadly, it is these wires that really limit the fun of VR on PC.

Thankfully, some PC manufacturers have wisely created backpack computers -- a PC designed to be worn on the user's back. This creates greater mobility while experiencing VR, although it does have the downside of requiring batteries (which ultimately need charging). Today, ZOTAC unveils a new backpack PC, and it looks amazing. Called 'VR GO' it is equipped with two 6600 mAh batteries, allowing up to two hours of game play. You can buy additional batteries and swap them for even longer gaming sessions, however.

Linux-based desktop operating systems can sometimes be incredible for productivity and security, but they can be deficient from a feature and application perspective too. Windows 10 and macOS Sierra, for instance, are chock-full of some exciting software that is simply not available on Linux, such as Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop, although alternatives (LibreOffice and Gimp for example) can sometimes be passable.

With all of that said, Microsoft has delivered an incredible feature to Linux-based desktop operating systems by way of the latest Alpha version of its Skype client. What is this exciting feature of which I speak? Well, the newly-released Skype for Linux 1.13 allows users to send SMS test messages from the operating system!

When building a computer, many people focus on performance and cooling. There is another aspect that is important to some consumers, however -- noise. Sometimes builders get so caught up in benchmarks, that they forget about how loud the tower may be. As a result, the computer could sound like a jet engine. This is unfortunate, as it can negatively impact the overall computing experience.

Luckily, more and more manufacturers are focusing on developing quiet products. Today, famed chassis manufacturer BitFenix unveils a high-quality quiet power supply unit. Dubbed "Whisper M", it should deliver a good balance of performance and quiet operation. The unit is fully modular, and is available in wattage ranging from 450 to 850. Best of all, it is very efficient (92 percent) too.

Back in the the mid-1990's, everyone thought they needed a computer. After all, Windows 95 made using one particularly easy, and the internet was a very attractive thing. Unfortunately, once some people got their first-ever PC set up in their homes, they didn't really know what to do with it. In the end, it would turn out that some consumers spent thousands of dollars for a machine dedicated to one thing -- playing Solitaire! Yes, this fun Windows game is responsible for much wasted time, but not just at home -- at businesses too. The card game has historically been viewed as a negative for productivity.

Fast forward to 2016 and fewer people are sitting in front of large desktop computers at home -- people are increasingly turning to tablets and smartphones for entertainment. Today, just in time for Thanksgiving, Microsoft Solitaire Collection comes to both Android and iOS.

Thanksgiving is coming this Thursday, meaning friends, family, food, and football. Around the USA, people will be chowing-down on Turkey, stuffing, and all the other popular food side-dishes too. Another popular Thanksgiving tradition is watching The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV (if you cannot be there in person). If you aren't familiar, it is a New York City parade featuring many giant inflatable cartoon characters, plus floats carrying celebrities.

Unfortunately, not everyone enjoys watching the parade, leading to fights over the television. This year, however, a TV is not required. If you have an internet-connected device, you can watch it on YouTube in glorious 360 degrees for the first time ever. Best of all, BetaNews has the video ready for you below.

Wearables are all the rage nowadays, and I expect them to be very popular holiday gifts this year. While Microsoft has killed its Band, there are still many other great options such as Apple Watch, Fitbit, and more.

Unfortunately, a smartwatch or other wearable is yet another thing to charge. As a result, many people have wires all over the place, leading to messy nightstands and kitchen counters. Luckily, a good charging station can make things much more tidy. Today, Satechi unveils its Smart Charging Stand for smartphones and wearables. This elegant product will not only reduce clutter, but offer much convenience too.

After the release of both alpha and beta versions, Fedora 25 is officially here and ready for production machines. If you aren't familiar with the popular Linux-based operating system, please know that it is the distribution of choice for the founder of the Linux kernel, Linus Torvalds.

One of the most endearing qualities of Fedora is its focus on only offering truly free open source software. Also, you can always count on a very modern version of the Linux kernel being available. Despite having very up-to-date packages, it is always very stable too. My favorite aspect, however, is the commitment to the GNOME desktop environment; other DEs are available, though.

Apple's AirPort wireless routers are iconic -- well designed aesthetically, while being rock solid from a performance standpoint. The company even took an odd approach to management -- an app that was only available for macOS, iOS, and Windows. In other words, it did not use a browser-based web interface like routers from other companies.

The routers' lack of a web UI meant that it could not be managed from Linux-based operating systems. If you owned an Android device, Chromebook, or PC running Ubuntu, you could not change the AirPort settings. Some would argue that a lack of web interface made it more secure, but ultimately, it was a bit of an inconvenience. Linux users no longer have to worry about this snag, however, as -- according to Bloomberg -- Apple is reportedly stopping development of new AirPort routers.

Windows 10 is a really great desktop operating system, but it is not for everyone. For those that care deeply about security and privacy, an open source Linux-based operating system is a wise alternative. The problem? Learning a new user interface can be hard for some. If you have always used a Windows OS in the past, moving to a desktop environment like GNOME or Unity can be confusing and scary.

Luckily, for those that have difficulty with change, there are some Linux-based operating systems that are designed for Windows-switchers. One fairly popular such offering, Zorin OS, has now reached version 12. It is designed to be familiar to former users of Microsoft's OS. While the company does charge for an "Ultimate" version, the "Core" edition of Zorin OS 12 is entirely free.

Apple's all-new MacBook Pro looks to be a very well-designed machine. It features Thunderbolt 3/USB Type-C ports only -- something I think is a wise choice. True, those that want to leverage USB Type-A and other ports will need to use dongles, but in a couple years, consumers will be glad to have nothing but the latest-and-greatest connector on their machine. For comparison, look at FireWire, floppy disk, and optical drives -- Apple was panned for their removal too.

If you need to expand storage on your new Touch Bar MacBook Pro, you unfortunately cannot upgrade the internal SSD. Instead, you will need to leverage an external drive using the aforementioned Type-C ports. Plextor has an elegant new product that should meet those external storage needs. Called simply "EX1", it is a USB 3.1 Gen 2 SSD with Type-C connector.

Holiday shopping is upon us, and some people in my life have started asking me about technology to give as gifts. Tablets are sure to be popular again this year, although probably not as much as years past. Apple's iPad is always a smart choice, but it is becoming harder to recommend an Android tablet.

Unfortunately, quality tablets running Google's mobile operating system are becoming increasingly rare. Many Android variants are simply low-quality. Thankfully, a high-quality tablet from Huawei should excite shoppers. Previously available in Europe only, the Huawei MediaPad M3 is available in the USA starting today. Best of all? It is very affordable too.

Apple makes a damn good laptop, and its new MacBook Pro computers are no exception. Unfortunately for some, Apple's latest offerings are too expensive and fall short -- most models lack the ability to upgrade the SSD, and the RAM maxes out at 16GB. Interestingly, many upset Apple fans even turned to System76 and its Ubuntu-powered machines following the big MacBook Pro unveil.

At the time, I compared the MacBook Pro to the Oryx Pro to highlight that you could get more performance from System76 for less money. Obviously, it was not an entirely fair comparison, as they are different in many ways. For example, the Oryx Pro only featured a 1080p screen. Today, this changes, however, as System76 adds a 4K display option to its MacBook Pro competitor. Will this make macOS users more likely to switch to Linux?

Microsoft is a big proponent of open source, something highlighted by its becoming a Linux Foundation Platinum Member earlier today. The company has been contributing to multiple projects, and back in March, it even announced it was bringing SQL Server to Linux-based operating systems.

Today, the Windows-maker follows through on its promise and delivers SQL Server Preview packaged for two of the most popular business-used Linux-based operating systems -- Ubuntu and Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). While it is not ready for prime-time, both administrators and developers that prefer those aforementioned operating systems can start testing now.

The year 2016 has been very weird. I mean, hell, a reality TV star is the president-elect of the USA -- it doesn't get more odd than that.

Well, maybe it does, actually. Today, Microsoft becomes a Linux Foundation Platinum Member. But wait, isn't the Windows-maker an enemy of open source? Not anymore, folks. Actually, the company is a major contributor to the Linux kernel, and it has been embracing other open source projects too. Satya Nadella's Microsoft is a very different beast compared to the company under prior leadership.

The internet has made the world feel smaller, connecting people all over Earth. The problem? Many of us speak different laguages! Sure, some of you speak multiple languages, but for many of us -- including yours truly -- one is all we know.

Thankfully, translation services -- such as Google Translate -- removes barriers, allowing people to more easily communicate despite language differences. Today, the search giant announces that it has massively improved its service thanks to Neural Machine Translation technology.