Brian Fagioli

Netrunner is one of my absolute favorite Linux distributions, but I haven’t been recommending it to people lately. Why? Well, to be honest, I thought the operating system was dead. You see, the last time the developers released a new version of Netrunner was early 2021. I assumed development had ended. The year 2022 came and went without any substantial Netrunner news.

But no, Netrunner lives! Out of the blue, a new version of the KDE-focused operating system is made available for download. Code-named "Vaporwave" (no, not vaporware), Netrunner 23 is based on Debian 11 "Bullseye" stable for the first time. Yes, fans of Netrunner can finally have modern Debian.

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If you need a new webcam and don't want to break the bank, there is a new product from Logitech that you definitely need to check out. Called "Brio 300," this beautiful cone-shaped webcam connects via USB-C and comes with an integrated privacy shade. And yes, it is certified for both Zoom and Microsoft Teams.

Brio 300 costs just $69.99, which seems like a great value for a 1080p webcam from a top brand such as Logitech. It includes a microphone with noise cancellation, of course, but also, you get features like auto light correction and high dynamic contrast. If you love the environment, you will love the Brio 300 too, as it is partially constructed of post-consumer recycled plastic.

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The Mac mini is a great computer. As the owner of an M1 model, I am beyond satisfied with my purchase. Surprisingly, my only real complaint about Apple's "mini" desktop is that it is too big. You see, there is a bunch of wasted space inside the chassis since Apple moved from Intel to its own Silicon. Not redesigning the Mac mini with a smaller chassis is simply laziness by Apple.

Today, Apple finally refreshes the aging M1 Mac mini, now equipping it with newer M2 processors instead -- either an M2 or M2 Pro. Unfortunately, the company has once again failed to shrink the chassis. In other words, you will get improved performance, but in the same outdated body. Come on, Apple, you can do better than this.

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New year, new solid state drive. Now that 2023 is here, many computer users will think about upgrading their machines. One of the simplest and most cost effective ways to improve performance is by installing a fast new SSD.

Today, Silicon Power unveils its latest solid state drive. Called "UD85," this PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD offers impressive performance. The company claims the drive is "budget friendly," but pricing is not yet revealed. What we do know, however, is that four capacities will be made available -- 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB.

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Today, the Linux community is treated to yet another new distribution version. An ISO of MX Linux 21.3, the third point release in the "Wildflower" series, can be downloaded here immediately with your choice of Xfce, KDE Plasma, or Fluxbox.

Most notably, the operating system (which is based on Debian 11.6 "Bullseye") has Linux kernel 6.0 available (in addition to 5.10). The Xfce variant of MX 21.3 now uses version 4.18 of the desktop environment, which is the latest and greatest. Obviously, many packages and applications have been updated too.

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Earlier today, System76 announced its AMD-powered Pangolin Linux laptop is getting a significant redesign. The computer comes with either Ubuntu Linux 22.04 LTS or the Ubuntu-based Pop!_OS 22.04 LTS. The laptop has a 144Hz 15.6-inch matte display with a max resolution of 1080p.

The refreshed notebook now comes equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 6800 processor and 32GB of RAM (LPDDR5 @ 6400 MHz). You can configure the computer with up to 16TB of PCIe 4.0 NVMe solid state storage. You get three USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Type-A) ports and a single USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-C) port.

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Tomorrow is one of the most important days of the year -- Jesus Christ's birthday! Also known as "Christmas," many people celebrate the holiday by giving gifts to friends and family. And of course, Santa Claus will be delivering many great presents to all the non-naughty children of the world too.

As an early Christmas gift, the Linux community is getting something very special today -- Manjaro 22.0! Code-named "Sikaris," this operating system is based on the excellent Arch Linux. If you love using a modern kernel, you will be happy to know Manjaro 22.0 comes with version 6.1. There are three desktop environments from which to choose -- GNOME (43), KDE Plasma (5.26), and Xfce (4.18).

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Grandmothers can be great ladies, but let's be honest -- they aren't very good at using computers. It's not their fault though -- they didn't grow up with them. That's why every time you visit grandma for Christmas, she asks you to fix her computer.

If you are sick of removing malware from grandma's PC, there is a simple solution -- install Linux! Yes, by formatting grandma's hard drive and replacing Windows with Linux, she will have the best Christmas ever.

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Santa Claus is cool and all, but let's be honest, the gifts his elves make are kind of lame. Look, it is 2022, and no kid wants a wooden train, stuffed animal, or baby doll. Santa can keep that crap at the North Pole. Thee days, kids want electronics and hardcore gaming computers.

If you want to impress someone this Christmas, you should buy them a prebuilt gaming PC with a legit gaming card. Don't know which PC to buy? Don't worry -- there are three new "ODACHI" desktops from YEYIAN that are guarantied to "wow" the recipient. They are powered by either an Intel Core i9 13900KF or AMD Ryzen 9 7950X and come with either an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 or 4090.

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Some of the best holidays are almost upon us, such as Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. Sadly, due to the recession and inflation, many people are finding it hard to celebrate this year. The economic downturn has decimated the bank accounts of many, meaning fewer gifts might be a possibility in some homes.

Thankfully, reading a book can be a free way to escape reality -- just head to your local library. If you don't have a library card or are unable to go to such a place, do not worry -- Google has you covered. No, the search giant is not giving away books, but it has curated a list of digital holiday books in the public domain that are freely available to read.

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While a power supply unit isn't exactly a fun component to buy, it is absolutely necessary when building a computer. A PSU is essential, and if you choose a poor quality offering, your system may experience instability, crashes, or even a dangerous fire. So, yeah, you should always get a quality PSU with a wattage rating that meets the power needs of all of your components.

Thankfully, a quality power supply with the latest bells and whistles doesn't have to break the bank. You see, today, MONTECH releases an affordable ATX 3.0 and PCIe 5.0 PSU called "TITAN GOLD" that offers up to 1200 watts. And yes, the modular PSU features the new 12VHPWR connector -- needed for some of the newest graphics cards.

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One of the big reasons some people don't switch to Linux is a lack of video editors. While it's true there are more video editing programs on macOS and Windows, there are some great options on Linux too, such as Kdenlive and DaVinci Resolve.

Another popular video editing application that runs on Linux is the open source OpenShot. This cross-platform video editor can run on Windows and macOS too, meaning you can try it on one of those platforms to see if it meets your needs before switching to Linux. And now, OpenShot has reached a new major milestone -- version 3.0. The developers brag that it includes over a thousand changes.

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Back in October, we told you about the MTE250S -- a PCIe 4.0 M.2 solid state drive from Transcend. While that SSD is fast, it is missing something that many computer users insist upon -- a heatsink. You see, heat can negatively impact both the performance and longevity of an M.2 SSD, and a heatsink can help cool it down. However, some laptops and desktops can't fit an M.2 SSD with a heatsink, so it makes sense not to include such a cooling accessory with every model.

With all of that said, Transcend has now unveiled the MTE250H, which is an all-new SSD. While it is technically a new product, the reality is, it is merely the previously announced MTE250S with a heatsink bolted on. Other than the heatsink, the MTE250S and MTE250H seem to be identical.

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One of the most beautiful operating systems is a Linux distribution from China called deepin. If you are dissatisfied with Windows 11 or macOS, and you are intrigued by Linux, deepin can be a great choice -- especially if you highly value beauty and well-designed user interfaces.

The newest version of that operating system, deepin 20.8 is now ready to be downloaded. This version of deepin gets improvements to the loading times of Wine apps from the App Store, plus new features in the File Manager app. The most notable change in 20.8 is the inclusion of the all-new Deepin Home app.

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One of the worst parts of traveling is packing your bags. Nothing is more annoying than when you arrive at to your destination and discover you forgot to put something in your luggage. In my case, I usually forget charging cables and adapters. Since I often travel with both my iPhone and AirPods Pro, I have to remember chargers for both if I want to juice them up simultaneously.

Thanks to a new product from Satechi, you can use one charger for several things, meaning fewer things to forget at home. Called "Duo Wireless Charger Power Stand," it can wirelessly charge both a smartphone and wireless earbuds at the same time. It even includes a USB-C port for charging a third device. To make it even more appealing, the stand also includes a 10,000mAH battery so you can charge devices when no outlet is nearby.

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