Brian Fagioli

The highly-anticipated Framework Laptop 16 is now available for pre-order, bringing desktop PC-level customization to a portable device. The sleek notebook is powered by the latest AMD Ryzen CPUs and Radeon GPUs and offers a remarkable degree of upgradability and repairability.

Pricing starts at $1,399 for the DIY Edition, and $1,699 for pre-built systems with Ryzen 7 7840HS. As a bonus for gamers, pre-orders that include a Graphics Module with an eligible Radeon GPU will receive a free download code for the coveted Starfield Premium Edition.

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Today, Plugable releases its all-new UD-4VPD USB4 Dual HDMI Docking Station. Offering high-resolution displays and 11 ports via a 40Gbps USB4 bandwidth, this docking station promises to supercharge your work setup.

The UD-4VPD, currently retailing for $199.95 on Amazon with a limited-time $15 discount coupon, is designed to enhance productivity with its impressive display resolution options. Using the latest chipsets, it supports dual HDMI displays up to 4K at 120Hz or a single 8K display at 60Hz, ensuring fluid and stunning visuals.

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CORSAIR has announced its acquisition of select assets from peripheral-maker Drop. Established in 2011, Drop (formerly known as Massdrop), mostly focuses on enthusiast products, such as customized "DIY" keyboards, aftermarket designer keycaps, and desktop accessories. Recently, Drop expanded its portfolio to include additional designer products for the desk and workspace, known as Battlestation products.

Drop's notable collaborations include officially licensed keycaps inspired by The Lord of The Rings and Marvel Infinity Saga, where the Drop community actively participated in voting for new color schemes and concepts.

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Windows 11, the latest offering from Microsoft, fails to impress when compared to the exciting release of Linux Mint. Codenamed "Victoria," Linux Mint 21.2 is a long-term support release that guarantees extended support until 2027, ensuring its users stability and reliability. This version boasts a range of updated software, refinements, and new features that make it a far superior choice for desktop users.

Based on Ubuntu 22.04 and utilizing kernel 5.15, Linux Mint 21.2 offers three desktop environments to choose from: Cinnamon (5.8), MATE (1.26), and Xfce (4.18). The improvements in Linux Mint 21.2 are plentiful, addressing issues such as touchpad drivers, Wine installation enhancements, sound and microphone problems, and more.

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XPG, the gaming division of ADATA, has launched its new LANCER BLADE DDR5 and LANCER BLADE RGB DDR5 memory modules. These RAM products feature a low-profile heatsink design, making them ideal for small cases with limited space. This eliminates the need for motherboard assembly adjustments.

The XPG LANCER BLADE series are equipped with high-quality Hynix chips that ensure low latency and easy overclocking. Gamers can enjoy a hassle-free speed boost with just one-click overclocking, enhancing their gaming experience. The XPG LANCER BLADE series also supports Intel XMP 3.0 and AMD EXPO, making it compatible with the latest Intel and AMD platforms.

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Friday is here, and if you were looking for something fun to do this weekend, I have some exciting news. You see, MX-23 RC1 is finally here and ready for us to test! It's like a breath of fresh air, blending the stability of Debian 12 "Bookworm" and MX repositories.

True to its roots, MX-23 sticks with sysVinit by default. But for those of us who like to have options, it still keeps systemd in the mix for installed systems. This RC1 release is more than just a polished version of the beta -- it brings a whole bunch of bug fixes, new wallpapers, themes, translations, and updated apps to the table.

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Tech accessory manufacturer Satechi is expanding the capabilities of Microsoft’s Surface Pro 9 with the all-new Dual USB-C Hub. Lightweight and compact, this portable device is designed for work on-the-go, weighing just 40 grams and measuring less than 4.5 inches.

Specifically designed to enhance the functionality of this Windows 11 tablet, the hub boasts six powerful ports, including a USB4 pass-through port supporting 100W power delivery, USB-C and USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports, an HDMI 2.0 port, and SD/microSD UHS-I card slots.

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Earlier today, BIOSTAR unveiled the M800 Series PCIe Gen4x4 2280 M.2 solid state drive. The company’s latest storage offering is designed to enhance the PC experience for a broad range of users, including enthusiasts, gamers, and streamers.

The M800 Series SSD promises excellent performance and high-speed data transfer; an ideal combination for gaming streamers and content creators seeking smoother gameplay and rapid load times. The drive delivers a read speed of up to 5,000MB/s and a maximum write speed of 4,450MB/s, exceeding the performance of many competitors.

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Calibri, Microsoft's main font for the last 15 years, is stepping aside. Our tech has changed, and so have our tastes in fonts, apparently. So, Microsoft went looking for a new default font.

The Windows-maker picked five new fonts: Bierstadt, Grandview, Seaford, Skeena, and Tenorite, and hoped one would be the next go-to font for Microsoft 365. Users got to try these out, and the most liked one was Bierstadt, which is now called Aptos.

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Today, CORSAIR unveiled two new PC gaming accessories -- the NIGHTSABRE Wireless Gaming Mouse and K65 PRO MINI Optical-Mechanical Gaming Keyboard.

The NIGHTSABRE wireless gaming mouse, with its symmetrical design, satisfies all gamer preferences while providing comfortable, pro-player performance. Complete with 11 customizable buttons, it lets you swiftly switch between different games, without any delay thanks to its sub-1ms SLIPSTREAM WIRELESS or Bluetooth capabilities.

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KYOCERA today unveiled the ultra-rugged DuraForce PRO 3 Android 13 smartphone. This device is designed to serve enterprises, small businesses, and first responders who rely heavily on durable, high-performing mobile tech. It’s also 5G-ready and available from Verizon, providing reliable, lightning-fast connectivity.

As more businesses operate on the go, durability and reliability are paramount. KYOCERA addresses these needs with quality rugged products, backed by a 2-year warranty and a growing ecosystem of accessories, services, and solutions. This strategy has led to rugged smartphones delivering a significantly lower total cost of ownership than non-rugged devices when deployed in frontline operations.

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As Apple TV+ celebrates its record haul of 54 Emmy nominations across 13 Apple Originals, a deeper look into this achievement paints a rather unflattering portrait of the streaming landscape. The tech giant, not traditionally known for its entertainment content, has managed to secure the third highest number of nominations, a mere three years since its global launch. It raises questions: Have the Emmys become an echo chamber for Silicon Valley dollars? Is the true art of storytelling being overshadowed by big-budget, big-tech funded content?

A key component of this success lies in Apple's breakout hit, "Ted Lasso," which grabbed 21 nominations. However, the series has already won Emmys in its first two seasons, prompting one to wonder if Emmy voters are merely defaulting to established winners rather than seeking out new, innovative content.

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Durabook has announced its rugged U11 Windows 11 tablet will now feature a 12th Generation Intel processor (Intel Core i7-1250U or i5-1230U). The U11's new CPU, an upgrade to Intel's Alder Lake platform, will substantially improve the device’s performance, offering up to 225 percent more speed than the previous 10th Gen CPU.

Additionally, the integration of the Coolfinity fanless thermal solution ensures the tablet operates silently while reducing downtime and repairs, thus increasing productivity. The addition of Intel Iris Xe Graphics propels the U11's computing capacity, capable of processing large volumes of data and video feeds in real-time.

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Samsung has announced the latest addition to its 2023 television lineup, and boy, is it ever impressive. Called “83S90C,” it is an 83-inch OLED 4K TV. Mama Mia, that’s a big TV! With this new model, Samsung continues to expand its range of OLED TVs, offering consumers a wide variety of screen sizes, including 55-, 65-, 77-, and now 83-inches.

The 83-inch class OLED S90C TV should offer quite the beautiful picture, boasting pure blacks, infinite contrast, and vibrant colors, all powered by the Samsung Neural Quantum Processor. This intelligent processor leverages 8.3 million self-illuminating pixels to deliver content with breathtaking detail, showcasing the deepest blacks and over a billion shades of lifelike color. The color palettes featured on the screen are validated by Pantone, the industry-leading color experts.

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In a move that puts further pressure on Microsoft's Windows, Linux Lite has just launched the Release Candidate 1 (RC1) for its 6.6 version. The significant improvements and additions signal Linux Lite's commitment to staying at the forefront of user-centric operating systems, making Windows seem more restrictive and less accommodating by comparison.

The 6.6 version of Linux Lite doesn't merely push boundaries; it obliterates them by incorporating thousands of new code lines that extend language support across its entire Menu and Sub-Menu system. From Afrikaans to Chinese, Hindi, and Dutch, Linux Lite now supports a total of 22 languages.

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