While Microsoft may be looked at as the enemy of open source, it actually does contribute to the cause. In fact, I am comfortable saying that the company embraces open source; although closed source ideology will always be its "bread and butter".

Today, the Windows-maker announces that it is making yet another one of its projects open source. The Distributed Machine Learning Toolkit seems quite interesting and could prove valuable.

Moving from Android to iOS was one of the best decisions of my tech-life. There has never been a day where I regretted my choice. With that said, I did like the ability to use micro SD on some Android devices to move files to and from the devices to my home computer. This hasn't been a huge pain point, however, thanks to my love affair with Dropbox.

If you own an iPad or iPhone, you may have wanted the ability to transfer files without the need of the cloud. Well, guess what? You actually can. While Lightning connector-based flash drives are not new, Silicon Power today announces a very elegant solution -- the xDrive Z30 Lightning Dual Flash Drive for Apple Devices.

While I love smartphones, laptops, and tablets, my true love is the desktop. My first-ever computer was a store-bought Packard Bell desktop, and ever since then, I have always preferred that form factor -- tower, monitor, keyboard and mouse. Nowadays, however, I build my own such computers; I love selecting all the components piece by piece.

One component that you should never overlook or "cheap out" on is RAM. Choosing a low-quality manufacturer is just asking for headaches. Nothing is more frustrating than diagnosing bad memory sticks. One company I swear by for RAM is HyperX -- a gaming division of Kingston. Its products are fast and dependable. Today, the company announces something so incredible, that I might drown in my own drool -- a 2666MHz 128GB DDR4 kit with its "Savage" moniker. Holy cow!

Business workstations and thin clients are often boring affairs; however, they do not have to be. There is no reason why such a computer cannot have some sweet technology inside of it.

Today, HP announces the t730 thin client -- an exciting thin client. This svelte machine features a quad-core AMD APU and up to 16GB of RAM. The truly impressive aspect, however, is that it can natively support 4K video out -- HP claims it is the world's first thin client to do so. It features an impressive four full-size DisplayPort connectors. You can even add an AMD Fire Pro W2100 for a total of six Display Ports.

People have different needs. This is why saying one piece of technology is better than another is subjective. The Xbox One, for instance is a more powerful device than the new Apple TV. It has, by far, superior hardware and can do more things. And yet, if you do not need that raw processing power, and prefer casual games to expensive console-grade games, Microsoft's console may be too much. In other words, it doesn't make sense to spend the money on Xbox One if you only need it for streaming media. Sure, it can run Halo 5 and play Blu-ray movies, but I really don't want those things and I am sure there are others like me too.

Enter the Apple TV. I bought this little 4th generation box for $200 despite owning plenty of devices that can already handle streaming media. Why? because of its potential. You see, with access to Apple's App Store, the future will be really bright for it as a media machine, but more importantly, a gaming console. Yes, the Apple TV is a Trojan horse in a sense -- it comes into your home disguised as a run-of-the-mill media streamer, but becomes the future of gaming too.

The older I get, the less time I have for video games. Don't misunderstand me, I am not saying I am too mature for gaming; quite the contrary -- I am just as immature as ever! The problem is, as responsibilities mount, there is much less time.

I am quite envious of those people that have hours and days to dedicate to playing in-depth games like MMO's each week. If you are one of these lucky people, Razer has some good news for you; it has refreshed its popular Naga MMO gaming mouse -- now with the added 'Chroma' moniker -- with new features. It, of course, retains its iconic 12 thumb buttons.

I hate leaving the house. Don't get me wrong, I love nature and fresh air, but my fellow humans can be sort of annoying. A trip to Walmart, or a mall, can be the most soul-crushing experience -- fewer people have manners nowadays. In other words, many shoppers do not know how to properly behave in public. This is why I try and do all my shopping online.

If you are a glutton for punishment, maybe you enjoy shopping in brick and mortar stores. With Christmas -- and other holidays -- approaching, many stores will have special hours, both shortened and extended. Now Google is making it easier to see these special holiday hours.

While I am not a hardcore gamer, I do enjoy gaming on both my PC and Xbox One. While playing single-player games can be fun, I much prefer the online multiplayer variants. I am still blown-away at the concept of playing a game against random people from around the world. Keep in mind, my first console was a hand-me-down Atari 2600 -- you younger cats probably take it for granted.

While playing against other people is cool on its own, I also like talking with them. Whether trash-talking or planning strategies, gaming with a headset is super great. If you are going to invest in a headset, however, you should do it right. I have been searching for a really nice headset for games, movies, music and chat and recently came across the Logitech G633 Artemis Spectrum RGB 7.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset. When looking for accessories, Logitech is always a great place to start. Will the G633 continue the long tradition of quality?

My favorite video service is probably not what you expect. No, it is not Netflix or Hulu, but the free YouTube. Yes, when I am on my PC or tablet, I prefer watching Barnacules, iJustine and PewDiePie rather than Hollywood movies and prime-time TV shows. Say what you like, but I am certainly not alone in this regard.

Today, Google is improving YouTube in a really cool way -- it is delivering virtual reality. Using the search-giant's Cardboard face mask, you can experience VR-optimized content as if you are really there! Existing non-VR content can be viewed using Cardboard too.

When it rains, it pours (sometimes in a good way); there have been a lot wonderful updates to some great Linux-based operating systems lately, such as Ubuntu and Fedora. What a great time to be a Linux user!

Today, yet another distro gets updated (sort of) -- openSUSE. This time, however, it is getting the "Leap" moniker, signifying it is being thought of as a new distro altogether. What does this mean? Apparently the developers are claiming that openSUSE Leap 42.1 is the 'first Linux hybrid distro'.

Not all Linux distributions are created equal. The focus of its maintainers can vary wildly, leading to very different experiences. I still insist that there are too many distros, leading to confusion and resources being spread too thin, but c'est la vie.

Today, my favorite Linux distro, Fedora -- which is also the operating system of choice for Linus Torvalds -- reaches a new milestone. Yes, Fedora 23 is finally here and it comes with Linux kernel 4.2. If you are a fan of open source, security, frequently updated packages and free-software ideology, this is the Linux-based operating system for you.

For a while, Microsoft was a company that could do no wrong. Under Staya Nadella's rule, the company made a lot of great moves, such as listening to users, offering cross-platform compatible services, embracing open source, and most importantly, releasing Windows 10.

Unfortunately, the company has just made a major faux pas, by announcing it will be downgrading OneDrive storage plans, including canceling its 'unlimited' offering. Why would it do such a terrible thing to its users? The company claims that some abusive users have ruined it for everyone. Has Microsoft just entered into a PR nightmare?

While I am not a hardcore sports nut, I am a fan of many teams, like the Mets, Knicks, Islanders and Jets. Truth be told, I can enjoy spectating almost any sport -- including bowling and curling -- with the only exception being golf. Don't get me wrong, I recognize the skill, and respect the participants, but holy cow -- it is boring.

Not everyone feels the way I do, obviously, as golf has its fans -- hey, someone must be watching it if they keep putting it on TV, right? Believe it or not, I am actually interested in the PGA Tour now -- not as a sports fan, but as a tech nerd. You see, the PGA Tour has decided to leverage Microsoft technologies to enhance the golf experience for fans and employees alike. The partnership will last three years. Wise move, PGA.

Both iOS and Android are lovely operating systems. They have both matured into great choices for consumers. While the iPhone may arguably be the better all-around device, it is also quite expensive. For those on a budget, Android smartphones are the way to go.

Today, ASUS releases an unlocked and affordable smartphone -- the ZenFone 2 Laser. The phone is quite gorgeous and has great specs. The most impressive aspect, however, is the insane $199 starting price. You won't believe what you are getting here, folks.

If you want to watch media in your living room or bedroom, there are many options nowadays. The easiest, of course, is to buy a box like Roku, Amazon Fire TV or the popular AppleTV. Some "smart" televisions even have this capability built in.

The more hands-on alternative, however, is to build a HTPC (home theater PC). The problem with that? Windows 10 no longer supports Media Center. While this is a huge pain-point for the HTPC community, the good news is that Linux is -- once again -- here to save the day. Whether you choose to build a computer, or buy a compatible device like the low-cost Raspberry Pi, the mature OpenELEC Linux distribution will give you an amazing media experience.