The original iPad is one of the most disruptive products in the history of personal computing. Its popularity caused the entire industry to shift -- it made Microsoft go bonkers with Windows 8 (retrofitting a touch UI to a mouse and keyboard OS), while countless manufacturers tried to copy it with Android. Yes, many have tried to duplicate the magic, but ultimately, nothing has ever truly matched it.

The iPad Pro, however, has not seen the same consumer interest, and for good reason -- its not intended for personal use (although it can be). Actually, the "Pro" moniker seems to be quite intentional; it is more appropriate for things such as business and education. Speaking of the latter, today, Lynn University announces that it is giving an iPad Pro to all undergraduate students and some members of faculty. Unfortunately for Microsoft, its Surface line was not chosen.

On my nightstand next to my bed, I have an iPad, Kindle Voyage and iPhone which I am often charging. While I like to keep a tidy and organized home, this ends up being a spaghetti-like mix of wires. With that said, I am sure there are people with many more devices than I, including families with multiple tablets. I shudder at the thought of all of the USB outlet adapters and cables everywhere.

Yes, it is a "first world problem", but a problem nonetheless. Today, Griffin begins shipping its elegant solution that could remedy this woe for many. You see, the PowerDock Pro Premium Charging Station will not only charge your devices, but more importantly, make it a tidy and attractive affair too.

I like advertisements. Whether on the web, radio or television, I generally appreciate them for notifying me of new products and services. Think about it -- how else would you learn about a new breakfast cereal, video game or toothpaste, to name a few? Face it, our economy depends on ads.

Of course, not all advertisements are created equally. Some are misleading, offensive, and in the case of the web, can even deliver malware. Luckily, Google -- a company that profits from ads -- has our collective backs. Today, the search giant declares war on evil advertisements, and shares how it is fighting back.

Chromebooks are great for home use, but they truly shine for education. Its easy to see why -- they are easy to use, cost effective and (unlike the iPad) offer multi-user support. These are all essential things for school districts on a tight budget.

Today, HP announces the Chromebook 11 G4 Education Edition. Starting at a paltry $199, it looks to offer incredible value. Thanks to military-grade build quality, it should be very durable. This is very important, of course, as children are often rough on computers.

While it is easy to put someone down for engaging in poor security practices, remember -- not everyone grew up with computers. In other words, for some people, modern technology and security are foreign concepts. With that said, people of all ages -- old, young, and in-between -- are guilty of doing stupid things, such as using poor passwords.

Speaking of passwords, many sites mandate specific requirements, such as using a mix of capital and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters, arguably minimizing the possibility of very weak passwords, such as "password". Sadly, people are still using poor passwords, and today, SplashData shares its list of the worst passwords of 2015. If any of your passwords are on the list, you should change them immediately, and probably go to bed without supper -- shame on you!

There are so many reasons to use a Linux-based operating system. Most often, people tell me that they switched because of a dissatisfaction with Microsoft's Windows. The second most common reason people tell me that they use Linux is for security -- a lack of malware. While operating systems such as Ubuntu, Fedora and Debian are rock solid, no operating system is impervious to viruses or trojans. The moment you feel 100 percent safe, you have effectively let your guard down.

While Linux-based operating systems are arguably more secure than Windows, every so often a vulnerability pops up to bring users down to Earth. Today, a rather nasty such vulnerability rocks the Linux community, as millions are at risk. And yes, this includes the oft-denounced Android.

With great profits, comes great responsibility. Nowadays, being profitable, creating jobs and selling quality products isn't enough from a publicity perspective. Take Microsoft, for example. Windows and Office has powered countless successful businesses, while the company employs thousands of folks globally. Yet, despite those things, in order to be seen as a friendly company, the Windows-maker -- and other corporations -- must be philanthropic too. You know what though? Regardless of motivation, its donations are much appreciated.

Today, Microsoft announces that it is donating "$1 billion" worth of cloud computing resources, which it claims is "measured at fair market value". True, this is not the same as donating $1 billion to the homeless or hungry, but it is still something for which to be thankful. With that said, the dollar figure is arguably subjective, as Microsoft is pretty much setting the value. Still, the potential for this donation is immense.

Going to school for many students is a total drag. In some schools, technology lags behind the "real world". Heck, I'm not an old guy, yet I had to learn the 100-year old Dewey Decimal System in elementary school -- something totally worthless nowadays. In other words, my interest in learning was negatively impacted by a lack of excitement and a failure to focus on the future. We kids knew the things we were being taught were dated.

Luckily, children have it much better these days. Between iPads, Chromebooks, and smartphones, everything is at their fingertips. Today, however, Microsoft-owned company, Mojang, announces that it is making education much more exciting with Minecraft: Education Edition. Yes, the wildly popular block-based game is being adapted for learning thanks to the purchase of third-party MinecraftEdu.

Remembering passwords is difficult nowadays. Between all of the crazy site-mandated requirements and the directive of never reusing the same password on multiple sites, the human brain is outmatched. It is for this reason that I, and many others, swear by password managers. Not only do they securely store login credentials, but can generate ultra-secure passwords too.

While there are many companies that offer such solutions, I stick with LastPass. Why? Linux. Yes, LastPass is one of the only solutions that works with all major operating systems, including Linux distributions. By default, many users of Ubuntu, Fedora, Chrome OS, and more, choose LastPass because there aren't many other options. Sadly, today, it is revealed that this password manager is at risk of a nasty phishing vulnerability. The author, Sean Cassidy, has published details about what he has dubbed 'LostPass'.

Here's the deal, folks -- I love cars and technology. Heck, I am sure many of you dear BetaNews readers do too. Unfortunately, it just isn't feasible to buy a brand-new car every time the latest technology comes out. While I love my Ford Focus, it doesn't even have Bluetooth. My iPhone gets connected to the stereo by way of an analog cable. I would absolutely love a car with Apple CarPlay.

While I am a Ford fan, I am also a fan of value and quality regardless of make. Hyundai is a company that overcame much to become one of the best-bang-for-your-buck vehicle brands, and its Elantra is one of the smartest buys for those on a budget. Today, Hyundai announces that the 2017 model of the aforementioned car will be getting both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

My smartphone is my life. Understandably, some people will decry my love for an inanimate object, but it is my window to the world. Quite frankly, I know that I'm not alone with my feeling towards the device. Between things like social media, news and email, to name a few, it is my constant companion. It is an essential tool for both business and personal needs.

While my iPhone 6s Plus has great battery life, few smartphones are up to the demands of active users. This is why USB battery packs are so popular nowadays. Hell, even Apple recently released a battery case. Today, SCOSCHE announces the goBAT 12000 Rugged portable backup battery. While the 12,000mAh product is not unique in its function or capacity, its rugged nature makes it very intriguing.

Slack is the current communication darling for many small and medium businesses. The SMB-focused communication and collaboration solution is pretty simple -- it is similar to internet relay chat. Just like IRC, you join a channel and have text-based communications with other people. Where it differs, however, is its native ability to integrate with other tools. In other words, its potential is arguably greater than many competitors.

Today, Microsoft announces that it is enhancing Slack in a very special way. The Windows-maker releases a preview of Skype integration for the aforementioned communication solution. The team here at BetaNews uses Slack, so of course, I had to give it a go.

While Linux's share of the desktop pie is still virtually nonexistent, it owns two arguably more important markets -- servers and smartphones. As PC sales decline dramatically, Android phones are continually a runaway market share leader. In other words, fewer people are buying Windows computers -- and likely spending less time using them -- while everyone and their mother are glued to their phones. And those phones are most likely powered by the Linux kernel.

Speaking of smartphones, one of the largest cellular providers is the venerable AT&T. While it sells many Linux-powered Android devices, it is now embracing the open source kernel in a new way. You see, the company has partnered with Canonical to utilize Ubuntu for cloud, network, and enterprise applications. That's right, AT&T did not choose Microsoft's Windows when exploring options. Canonical will provide continued engineering support too.

Whether or not you attended or graduated from college, if you are a fan of basketball, you can totally enjoy March Madness. If you aren't familiar, this is a nickname for the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship. Sixty eight teams will participate, but only one will be left standing at the end. Not only is it fun from a sports perspective, but for bracket competition and gambling purposes too.

While 68 teams sounds like a lot, there are far more colleges that won't even qualify for the tournament. My alma mater, Stony Brook University, has never qualified, but came close last year. Today, Microsoft announces a new website powered by Bing Predicts, which can predict the likelihood of a team participating in March Madness. Will your team make it?

Large hard drives are surprisingly controversial. In the world of computers, it is often assumed that larger capacity drives are a positive. For a long time, that was indisputably true. With that said, as drives grew to gargantuan proportions, critics were quick to point out that the larger the drive, the more you can potentially lose at failure. Those people will often suggest utilizing multiple smaller drives, combined with regular backups -- good advice.

Unfortunately, many businesses are limited in space physically -- there are only so many bays and connections for drives. It is for this reason that a larger HDD is preferable. Today, Seagate is launching a massive 8TB NAS HDD. While not the first HDD of this capacity, Seagate claims it is the largest-ever NAS optimized drive. Who is the drive for? The company says "small- and Medium-sized Businesses (SMB), Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) and creative professional segments". Of course, there is no reason why it can't also be utilized by home users who value a high quality -- and high capacity -- NAS optimized drive.