Brian Fagioli

Cash is dumb. No, I do not necessarily mean stupid; I mean it is not "smart" from a technology standpoint. Understandably, some folks like the idea of paper money as it allows their honest transactions to occur below the radar, and for a privacy standpoint, I understand that. However, cash also assists people that commit crimes, such as drug dealers -- and that is not cool. Once all monetary transactions are digital, and cash no longer exists, law enforcement will have an easier time tracking illegal transactions, while honest folks can more easily track and budget their finances.

Digital payment systems, such as Samsung Pay and Apple Pay are paving the way for a cashless society. Google's Android pay is also part of the push, and today, it is getting even better. Not only is it adding many new banks to the program, such as Chase, but it is also adding support for mobile Google Chrome and Uber's Payment Rewards program.

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Tomorrow is the big day -- Apple's September product event. While there is probably more than one product being unveiled -- maybe even new MacBooks -- the most anticipated device is the iPhone 7.

Are Apple fanatics the ones most excited for the new iPhone? Not necessarily. Actually, according to a new study by Market Strategies (called "iPhone 7 Market Landscaper") almost half of Samsung Galaxy Note owners expressed interest in potentially switching to Apple's iPhone 7.

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While many people hate advertisements, I actually like them. Why? Well, not only do they alert me to new products on the market, they subsidize a lot of content too. From television, to radio, to the web... ads make the world go around.

Amazon even leverages advertisements with its 'Prime Exclusive Phones' program. This allows consumers to get a discounted Android phone in exchange for seeing ads on the lock screen. It is a great way for shoppers to save money, while Amazon makes money from the ads -- win/win. Today, a new phone joins the program for a mere $99 -- the Moto G Play. It even works on all four of the major USA carriers, including Verizon!

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Computer vision -- meaning quite literally, machines seeing things -- is poised to explode over the next several years. This technology is very important to things such as security cameras, artificial intelligence and robotics. On an immediate consumer level, Intel's RealSense technology is already being used for Windows Hello -- a secure camera-based method of logging into Microsoft's operating system with biometrics.

Intel is looking to further bolster its RealSense technology, plus other such initiatives, with the acquisition of Movidius. This soon-to-be-acquired company's main focus is computer vision and artificial intelligence, making it a seemingly smart fit for achieving Intel's goals.

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AMD makes very cost-effective and powerful processors. Even though some of its chips are a bit long in the tooth, gamers in particular can leverage them for a powerful machine without breaking the bank. Unfortunately, its AM3+ platform is lacking in some modern technology, such as DDR4 and PCIe 3.0. While DDR3 RAM is arguably still good enough, PCIe 2.0 is a bottleneck for modern NVMe SSDs.

Luckily, consumers won't have to wait long to get a desktop PC powered by AMD's latest 7th generation APU -- codenamed 'Bristol Ridge'. Windows 10 OEMs (Lenovo and HP only, for now) are finally shipping these AM4 machines, which feature DDR4 memory, PCIe 3.0, and more. Of course, as APUs, the systems will have solid graphic performance without the need for a dedicated graphics card. This paves the way for the even more-powerful Zen CPUs from AMD.

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OurMine is a hacking collective that gets its jollies by causing havoc in the name of security. For instance, the group often takes over Twitter accounts, causing distress to the handle owner. Heck, just last month it hacked TechCrunch. Ultimately, OurMine never seems to cause real damage -- its antics are an inconvenience more than anything.

Today, OurMine hacks Variety.com and takes its mischief to a new level. You see, the hackers not only infiltrated the company's newsletter database, but OurMine sent spam to the contained subscriber email addresses too. Apparently it was not just one spam email, but many.

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PC gamers have two routes to take nowadays when wanting a new gaming rig. They can build a PC or buy one. While building a machine definitely is deserving of geek credibility, not everyone has the time or know-how to do it. Quite frankly, buying a pre-built system can often provide a more convenient warranty -- giving the consumer a central point of contact if something goes wrong.

One of the lesser-known system building companies, at least from a household-name perspective, is MAINGEAR. With that said, in-the-know gamers will recognize -- and respect -- the brand. Today, it announces a collaboration with accessory-maker RAZER. The fruit of the partnership is a gaming PC called MAINGEAR R1 RAZER Edition.

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The mobile technology market was rocked by the news of Samsung's recall of the explosion-prone Note7. While some people applauded the company for its focus on consumer safety, more cynical people viewed it as nothing more than a way to avoid lawsuits. Quite frankly, the company was likely motivated by both. Regardless of motivation, the recall was the right move.

Consumer Reports, however, is not satisfied with Samsung's recall efforts. The respected consumer-focused publication is calling it deficient, criticizing the failure to make it an "official" recall. In other words, Samsung should have worked with the Consumer Product Safety Commission. This is important, apparently, as it would block the Note 7 from being sold entirely. Shockingly, as of today, the dangerous Note7 can still be sold legally in the USA. This is not theoretical -- Consumer Reports found retailers still selling it yesterday!

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Next week is Apple's big product event, where many expect the iPhone 7 to make its debut. The most controversial aspect of that new smartphone is the rumored removal of the 3.5mm audio jack. In other words, if the rumors are true, traditional wired earbuds will no longer work without a dongle. Bluetooth headphones will still work, of course.

In anticipation of the 3.5mm port removal, Apple's Lightning connector is being viewed as the new default way to connect wired headphones/earbuds. With that said, we will likely see an influx of Lightning connector headphones this holiday season. Libratone is getting the jump on this, however, with its newly announced Q Adapt In-Ear Lightning earbuds. The product doesn't just utilize the Lightning connector for audio, but to power the noise-canceling technology too. Of course, the earbuds should work with any iPhone with a Lightning connector -- not just the upcoming model.

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The Windows Store can sometimes be a satisfying place to download and manage video games, apps, movies, and music. Regarding apps and games, however, the store is littered with a lot of low-quality items. In other words, Microsoft still has a lot of work to do, but it is slowly getting there.

Today, the Windows-maker announces that Windows 10 users can now pre-order video games through the Windows Store. It is one of those things that probably should have been possible from the start, but better late than never, right? The real question is, should Valve, owner of Steam, be worried?

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Interesting Android tablets are becoming increasingly rare nowadays. Consumers seem fatigued by the overwhelming number of low-quality tablets on the market. Understandably, large-screen smartphones have likely stolen some of the thunder too.

Today, ARCHOS  announces a tablet that is fairly generic and underwhelming in most of its specifications. For instance, there is no USB-C here. Dubbed the "133 Oxygen", there are two aspects that make the otherwise lackluster device intriguing, however. What are they? A large 13.3-inch 1080p display and an affordable price. The 10,000mAh battery doesn't hurt either.

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Believe it or not, Twitter launched over 10 years ago. The social network, which is now publicly traded, is no longer a young tech rebel. Instead, it is a mature platform that is leveraged by celebrities, companies, and regular folks like yours truly.

Since non-tech companies like Arby's and Fruit of the Loom have Twitter accounts, surely tech giants like Microsoft and Apple have accounts too, right? Actually, while the former is on Twitter, the latter has long been absent from the platform. True, the @Apple account has existed since 2011, but it has long been inactive.  With that said, Tim Cook is active on the network, as are accounts for some of its services like Apple Music and News. Today, ahead of the upcoming September 7 iPhone event, the @Apple profile shows signs of life. Better late than never, eh?

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There is a stereotype that all PC gamers are the hardcore variant -- drinking Mountain Dew in their mom's basement while spending their entire paycheck on video games and associated accessories. While those people surely do exist, there are plenty of people -- myself included -- that are casual gamers with limited budgets. When I say casual, I don't mean Candy Crush and Words with Friends -- we enjoy the same games as the hardcore folks. Sadly, we just don't have as much time and resources to dedicate to playing.

Unfortunately, companies don't seem interested in catering to the PC gaming everyman (or woman). Today this changes as Logitech G announces a new line of accessories for the casual segment. Called 'Prodigy', it offers capable gear without nonsense.

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Here at BetaNews, we very rarely report on rumors. With that said, sometimes it is warranted depending on the source and importance. Today, the reputable Verge is reporting that Samsung will recall its newest Android flagship, the Galaxy Note7. The Verge is citing Korean news agency Yonhap. The ramifications of this move, if true, are monumental.

Why is the company rumored to issue this unprecedented smartphone recall? Apparently, the phone has been exploding. No, "exploding" is not some form of slang like "lit" or "woke" -- the phone overheats and goes up in flames. This could potentially injure or kill users, not to mention cause damage to property. While this recall would damage Samsung's brand and cost the company millions -- potentially billions -- the alternative of massive lawsuits could be worse.

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Windows laptops and tablets are constantly improving. They get thinner, faster, and more beautiful every year. But what about home desktop PCs and business workstations? Save for some wild-looking gaming rigs, these desk-bound and often-rectangular PCs have become quite stagnant. Quite frankly, their conservative designs can stifle inspiration.

HP is looking to change this. With what the company calls a 'reinvention', it unveils the fashionable Pavilion Wave home desktop PC and modular Elite Slice business workstation. While calling these machines a desktop PC reinvention might be a bit of an exaggeration, they are certainly interesting.

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