Brian Fagioli

BlueAnt's Soundblade desktop soundbar, first showcased at CES 2024, is now available for $199.99 from Amazon. Designed to combat the often subpar audio quality of monitor and laptop speakers, the Soundblade promises a convenient and powerful audio solution for desktop setups.

This under-monitor soundbar offers an elegant, space-saving design that integrates seamlessly with any monitor setup. Whether you're gaming, watching movies, streaming YouTube videos, or on conference calls, the Soundblade delivers high-definition, immersive sound with 120 watts of peak power, 2.1 channel sound, and a built-in 80mm neodymium subwoofer.

Continue reading →

HMD Global has launched its latest budget-friendly smartphone in the USA, the HMD Vibe, priced at an attractive $149.99. This new entrant in the budget segment looks like a great value -- if its lack of 5G isn’t a dealbreaker.

The HMD Vibe sports a sleek design and is available in a stylish Charcoal color. Measuring 6.45 inches in height, 2.96 inches in width, and 0.33 inches in depth, and weighing just 0.41 pounds, the phone is designed to be both comfortable and easy to handle. Its 6.56-inch display offers a 720 x 1612 resolution with a 20:9 aspect ratio, protected by toughened glass to ensure durability.

Continue reading →

When it comes to portable gaming, the ASUS ROG Ally is a powerhouse. But what if you could make it even better? Enter the Sabrent USB Type-C 3-Port Gaming Hub (HB-ROAY). This sleek, form-fitted accessory is designed specifically for the ASUS ROG Ally, offering a perfect blend of functionality and portability.

The Sabrent Gaming Hub is a plug-and-play device, meaning no drivers are needed. Simply attach it to your ASUS ROG Ally and enjoy immediate access to multiple ports. This hub features two USB-A ports, ideal for connecting portable storage, keyboards, mice, and more. Additionally, it includes an upstream USB-C port that connects directly to the Ally, providing high-speed data transfer at up to 5Gbps (USB 3.2 Gen 1x1).

Continue reading →

Sonos has announced the launch of its first-ever headphones, the Sonos Ace. Known for its developments in sound technology, Sonos is now expanding its audio expertise to headphones. Sonos fans are surely quite excited to finally have headphones from the company, as this has been a long-awaited addition to its product lineup.

The Sonos Ace is an over-the-ear Bluetooth headphone featuring lossless and spatial audio, Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), and Aware Mode. The headphones also offer a home theater experience with Sonos’ new TrueCinema technology.

Continue reading →

Microsoft has introduced two new Copilot+ PCs, the Surface Laptop 7th Edition and Surface Pro 11th Edition, designed primarily for business customers. Equipped with Snapdragon X Elite and Plus processors and running Windows 11 Pro, these devices promise faster performance and improved AI capabilities compared to the MacBook Air. The new Copilot+ PCs feature integrated NPUs, offering AI-driven tools like Recall, Live Captions with Translations, and Windows Studio Effects, which streamline daily tasks and improve collaboration.

The Surface Laptop 7th Edition offers impressive features such as brighter displays with thin bezels, enhanced connectivity with Wi-Fi 7, up to 22 hours of battery life, and multiple port options. Available in 13.8” and 15” sizes, it combines visual clarity with portability. The Surface Studio Camera and AI-powered Windows Studio Effects ensure clear and confident video calls, while the Omnisonic Speakers and AI-enhanced Studio Mics improve audio quality.

Continue reading →

BenQ has launched its latest 4K home theater projector, the W5800. This new model showcases BenQ's exclusive CinematicColor and advanced HDR-Pro technology, providing a true 4K UHD experience with 8.3 million pixels. It stands out as the only 4K home cinema projector to achieve 100% DCI-P3 color accuracy, making it an essential upgrade for home theater enthusiasts.

The W5800 comes with individual factory calibration reports that ensure 100% Rec. 709 Delta E<2 and optimized DCI-P3 color table, delivering true Hollywood colors. The projector's HDR-Pro technology enhances dynamic contrast, featuring Blue Laser Dimming and Dynamic Black Technology to improve light and dark scenes in HDR mode. The Local Contrast Enhancer adjusts gamma for each scene, while HDR10+ technology optimizes each frame with dynamic metadata.

Continue reading →

Today, Lenovo announces the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x and Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6, marking the debut of its next-generation AI PCs powered by the Snapdragon X Elite processor. As the PC industry transitions into the artificial intelligence era, Lenovo aims to redefine personalization in personal computing with these new offerings. These NGAIPCs combine intelligent software-powered local processing, increased productivity, creativity, and security to deliver an enhanced user experience.

The Yoga Slim 7x and ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 are equipped with Qualcomm Technologies’ new Snapdragon X Elite processor, which features the 12-core Qualcomm Oryon CPU, Qualcomm Adreno GPU, and a dedicated Qualcomm Hexagon NPU (neural processing unit). This combination promises leading PC performance per watt and up to 45 trillion operations per second (TOPS) in AI NPU processing. Users can now access Large Language Model (LLM) capabilities even offline, enhancing productivity and creativity without relying on an internet connection.

Continue reading →

Acer has launched its first Copilot+ PC, the Swift 14 AI laptop, marking a new era of AI-enhanced computing. Encased in a thin-and-light aluminum chassis, the Swift 14 AI features optimized AI capabilities for productivity and mobility.

The laptop is powered by Snapdragon X Series platforms, featuring an integrated NPU capable of 45 Trillions of Operations Per Second (TOPS). This supercharges the Swift 14 AI to deliver a significant leap in performance, all-day battery life, and advanced AI experiences. Running on Windows 11, the Swift 14 AI supports next-generation AI features including Recall, Cocreator, Live Captions, new Windows Studio Effects, and Auto Super Resolution.

Continue reading →

MX Linux has released version 23.3 "Libretto," a fresh update to its MX-23 series (download here). For those already running MX-23, there's no need for a complete reinstall, as all updates are available through the regular update channels. This third refresh brings a host of bug fixes, kernel updates, and application enhancements, making it a compelling choice for users considering a switch from Windows 11.

MX-23.3 is based on Debian 12.5 "bookworm," ensuring a stable and reliable foundation. Among the notable updates, the inclusion of the "build-essential" packages stands out. This feature, previously available in MX-23.2, is crucial for users needing to compile drivers without internet access.

Continue reading →

TerraMaster has launched an exciting Kickstarter campaign for its D8 Hybrid, a versatile 8-bay storage solution designed for professionals needing massive data capacity and speed. Best of all, you can score one for under $200 if you act fast!

The D8 Hybrid supports both 3.5-inch SATA drives and M.2 NVMe SSDs, offering a perfect blend of high storage volume and fast data transfer. With Thunderbolt 3 connectivity, it promises rapid access and impressive performance, making it an ideal choice for video editors, photographers, and other creative professionals.

Continue reading →

Winamp, the iconic music player that defined a generation, is opening its source code, inviting developers worldwide to contribute to its evolution. This could mean a new era for the beloved software, fostering global collaboration to enhance and innovate its features.

On September 24, 2024, Winamp's source code will become available to developers globally. This move will enable the entire community to participate in its development, allowing experts and enthusiasts to bring their ideas and passion to the table. By opening its code, Winamp aims to build on its rich legacy, transforming from a simple music player into a digital culture icon.

Continue reading →

G.SKILL has unveiled its latest memory series, the Ripjaws M5 RGB. This high-performance DDR5 memory series is specifically designed for the latest DDR5-enabled Intel platforms and promises to deliver exceptional performance and aesthetic appeal for a wide variety of PC builds.

The Ripjaws M5 RGB memory kits are set to launch with impressive specifications, including options up to DDR5-6400 CL32-39-39-102 96GB (2x48GB). These kits will be available in both matte black and matte white aluminum heatspreaders, allowing users to choose a look that best fits their build. The series also features customizable RGB lighting, adding a touch of personalization to any setup.

Continue reading →

In a world where digital content is rapidly expanding, the need for larger and more robust storage solutions has never been greater. Western Digital has stepped up to meet this demand with the introduction of a groundbreaking portable HDD expansion across its WD, WD_BLACK, and SanDisk Professional product lines. These new additions boast the world’s highest storage capacity in a 2.5” portable HDD, bringing 6TB capacities to the WD My Passport portable HDD line, WD_BLACK P10 Game Drive, and SanDisk Professional G-DRIVE ArmorATD.

“Expanding our portfolio with the world’s first 2.5” 6TB portable hard drive is an incredible technological achievement, and it enables us to continue pushing the boundaries of what's possible,” said Nitin Kachhwaha, Director of Product Management at Western Digital. “Offering up to 6TB in such a small form factor and accessible price point gives everyone—from students, gamers, professional videographers, and more—greater flexibility to create and keep even more of their essential content in one portable drive.”

Continue reading →

Opera has announced the release of an Arm-optimized version of its web browser, supported by Microsoft's App Assure team and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. This new build is designed for Arm-based Windows systems, delivering over twice the speed compared to previous versions. The timing of this release aligns with the anticipated arrival of products powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite Platform.

The Arm-optimized version of Opera is expected to deliver exceptional performance on the fastest machines available, thanks to the efficiency of Arm architecture. Snapdragon-powered devices are known for better battery life, which results from the power-efficient design of these processors. The reduced instruction set (RISC) architecture is optimized for streamlined performance, offering longer battery life and cooler operating temperatures.

Continue reading →

Not a fan of wireless controllers? Well, there is some great news for you! You see, Performance Designed Products LLC (a Turtle Beach company) has launched the Victrix Gambit Prime Wired Tournament Controller for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC.

The standout feature of the Victrix Gambit Prime is its patented Dual Core Technology, which promises up to eight times faster input responses. This reduction in lag is crucial for gamers looking to maximize their speed and performance. Additionally, the controller comes with 12 swappable components, allowing users to customize it to fit their play style perfectly. A convenient case is included to store any spare parts.

Continue reading →