Windows 10 is a wildly popular operating system in more ways than one. In one regard, it is installed on hundreds of millions of machines. In another, it is popular with technology pundits as something to portray in a negative light.

While it isn't perfect, Windows 10 is the best version of Microsoft's operating system ever. It is fast, reliable, and pretty. Best of all, it runs an endless amount of classic Windows programs, plus the new universal Windows apps too. True, there are some privacy concerns, but if you don't trust Microsoft with your data, why are you using any of the company's software? Sorry, y'all, Microsoft knows what's best for you -- stop fighting Windows 10! Sticking to an older version of the OS is asinine.

When you think of the internet of Things, or IoT, indoor items likely spring to mind -- lamps, refrigerators, thermostats, etc. But "things" exist outdoors too. As the spring and summer seasons approach, more and more people will spend time in one of the most treasured parts of their property -- the yard.

Yes, many homeowners have yards -- grass, gardens, ponds, and more -- where they can enjoy the outdoors and spend time with family. If the inside of your home can be "smart", why can't your yard? Well, good news, folks -- Scotts Miracle-Gro is launching an open IoT platform, called 'Gro', that focuses on the outdoors. Yes, the connected smart yard is here.

Basketball is one of my favorite sports to spectate, but holy cow -- the NBA is atrocious lately. Professional basketball is just a poor product right now, and I don't just say that because I'm a Knicks fan. Many modern pro players seem to lack fundamentals, leading to sloppy play and boring games.

Luckily, college hoops is still an exciting affair, and March Madness -- the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament -- is almost here. If you are a fan of this tournament, and I hope you are, you can experience it this year on the Roku platform.

As the battle between iOS and Android rages on, it can be said that both operating systems are wonderful. True, Apple's offering allows more timely updates, but Google's mobile OS is available to many manufacturers for various device types. It is clear why Android is the most-used mobile operating system in the world -- it allows affordable devices, while Apple simply doesn't.

Today, Google shocks the tech world by releasing the first official Developer Preview of Android N -- the successor to the wonderful Marshmallow. It is available for many Nexus devices, and you can install it now. Google even shares a handy how-to guide below.

Video conferencing and remote collaboration are hugely important for modern businesses. As more and more employees choose to work from home or at off-site locations, it is imperative that they can interface in a meaningful way. Conference calls and email just won't cut it.

While Microsoft's forthcoming Surface Hub looks great, let's be honest -- it will be expensive and could be a hard sell to company decision makers. Small businesses in particular could be priced-out of that hardware. Today, Microsoft announces Project Rigel -- a way to deliver a similar Skype Meeting-based experience, as shown on Surface Hub, but without the super-expensive hardware.

One of my favorite things to do each year is go on a cruise. Since I am not wealthy, it is a great way to take a vacation without breaking the bank. While the trip itself is great, knowing that a holiday is on the horizon keeps me happy and motivated to work hard during the rest of the year -- a light at the end of a tunnel, if you will.

Planning a cruise can be simple, but more in-depth vacations can be much more difficult. Deciding on travel, hotels, rental cars, food, and more can be dizzying. Luckily, the always-helpful Google wants to make your vacation-planning easier. If you want to make your plans using a mobile device, the all-new 'Destinations on Google' should make you very happy.

If you live in the suburbs, such as on Long Island, you pretty much have to own a car. Without a vehicle, getting around in a reasonable amount of time can be downright impossible. Sure, taxis are available, but that is way too expensive.

City dwellers, however, can get by without owning a car. Quite frankly, having a vehicle can be more trouble than it's worth, with hard-to-find parking and frequent dents and dings. Instead, public transportation is the wiser choice -- it is fairly affordable and dependable. Unfortunately, buses and trains are not always modern -- especially in NYC. Luckily, this is changing a bit, as NY Governor Cuomo announces an initiative to introduce free Wi-Fi and USB charging to 2,042 new buses.

When Microsoft released the first Surface tablets, many consumers -- including me -- were dubious. Windows on a tablet was not ideal, and it made lap-typing damn-near impossible. Worst of all, Surface RT confused consumers, tainting the Surface branding entirely. A detachable laptop/tablet was a massive failure, right?

Wrong. Microsoft persevered, and wisely maintained course, eventually making the Surface an honest-to-goodness success. If you can afford it you really can't go wrong with a Surface Pro or Surface Book. Heck, Google has even copied Microsoft's concept with its atrocious Pixel C, while Apple has seen success with its beautiful iPad Pro. Microsoft was the leader, and it is apparently paying dividends, as detachable tablet sales are predicted to increase leaps and bounds. Sorry, haters, Microsoft was right all along.

It is becoming a cliché, but the best upgrade you can make is moving from a mechanical HDD to an SSD. In 2016, however, all solid state drives are not created equal. While it used to be that having any SSD was awesome, this is simply not the case anymore. As higher capacities become less expensive, and interfaces become speedier, that SATA SSD you bought a few years ago may not be so great anymore.

Case in point, today, Seagate shows off what it claims is the fastest SSD ever. How fast is it, you ask? 10 gigabytes per second! Yes, that is gigabytes, folks, and not gigabits. It utilizes a 16-lane NVMe PCIe interface. Oh. My. Gosh.

Linux Mint is a good operating system. The problem, however, is that it really doesn't need to exist. Mint is based on Ubuntu, which is a wonderful OS on its own. Ultimately, the biggest reason for Mint's existence is the Cinnamon desktop environment, and that is certainly no reason for an entirely new OS. One of the things keeping Linux behind on the desktop is the sheer number of unnecessary distributions, such as Mint, but I digress.

When Linux Mint forums and ISOs were compromised, many of its users felt betrayed. After all, Linux is supposed to be safe and secure -- this hack was a major blemish to the community overall. Of course, this is unfair -- the kernel was not hacked, only Mint's servers. Today, as a reactionary response to the hack, Mint is changing password policies.

Many consumers have a love/hate relationship with their cell providers. On the one hand, these companies provide us with our much-needed data -- allowing us to access the Internet from almost anywhere. On the other hand, where the hate comes in, is high prices and data caps. By limiting data, these companies are arguably impeding technological progress -- users shouldn't have to be mindful of data usage.

It is for this reason that Project Fi has been a godsend for some. Google's cellular service -- piggybacked off of Wi-Fi, T-Mobile, and Sprint -- offers affordable tiered data plans. The big catch, unfortunately, was the invite system. You see, you had to have a special invite to sign up, meaning many of those that wanted to, simply couldn't. Today, this changes as Google kills Project Fi invites, making it available to anyone in the United States. I am very happy to say 'RIP' to the invite system!

In the year 2016, you would think videoconferencing would be very prevalent in business offices. Unfortunately, many solutions are expensive and confusing -- audio-based conference calls are still quite popular. In order for video conferencing to truly take off, it must be both easy to setup and use.

Today, Logitech announces the ConferenceCam Kit -- a video conferencing bundle powered by the powerful, and diminutive, Intel NUC. Will it prove popular with businesses?

The inventor of email, Ray Tomlinson, has passed away at the age of 74. Yes, the man who changed the way we communicate, is no longer with us. His invention was revolutionary, essentially killing the written letter and causing heartache to the United States Postal Service.

As great as his invention was, and continues to be, it is starting to get long in the tooth. In other words, alternative communication services, like text messaging, iMessage, Slack, Telegram, and more, could possibly lead to the death of email. Will email soon leave our lives?

It is snowing once again in New York today -- won't the winter madness ever end? This dreary weather has largely kept me indoors; reading magazines, watching TV, and enjoying the occasional movie. Nothing's better than getting cozy on your couch with a warm blanket and cup of tea to watch a good film.

With that said, this weekend is looking like a good candidate for some movie watching. Unfortunately, picking a movie can be daunting -- there are so many to choose from. Even worse, paying to rent a movie that ends up being bad can make you feel like you've been robbed. If you share my concerns, I have good news -- you can score a Google Play movie rental for 50 percent off. It is a limited offer, however, so you must act fast.

Here's the deal folks -- I am scared of some amusement park rides. Put me on an intense roller coaster and I will fill with anxiety and probably weep like a baby. I know I am not alone in this regard -- I see other fearful men and women at these parks.

Today, Samsung announces a partnership with Six Flags that could make some roller coasters even more exciting. You see, Six Flags will be leveraging the Oculus-powered Samsung Gear VR for virtual reality roller coasters. The big question is, will wearing a VR mask while on a roller coaster make it even more scary for those with ride-anxiety, or could it alleviate the problem?