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The Universal Media Server Project has released Universal Media Server 7.0.0, a major new release of its open-source, cross-platform media server for Windows, Mac and Linux computers.

The server, which works with a wide range of UPNP/DLNA-compatible devices from mobiles to smart TVs, adds support for filtering content into movie and TV show libraries. It also promises massively improved folder-scanning times along with quicker browsing of Media Folders.

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Here's the thing. As happy as smartphone makers are about selling a ton of devices across the globe, they would all like to make it big in the US. It's a huge market where lots of consumers buy premium handsets -- which offer the biggest margins. However, it's not easy to gain ground here.

The US is unlike the vast majority of markets in the sense that iOS and Android share a similarly-sized slice of the pie. Making things even more difficult is the fact that Samsung pretty much wipes the floor with the competition in its corner of the market. And then there is the matter of perception. Huawei probably knows best about it, as it's been taking hits left and right over its ties to China.

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It's become quite clear that the idea of having major updates available in a timely fashion remains a distant dream for many Android users. Lots of smartphones remain a version or two behind the latest big release of the popular operating system, even though the hardware is more than capable of handling it.

Trouble is it's not (just) obscure companies that are failing users, but major players too. Take Samsung and the Galaxy S8 for instance. The Oreo roll-out only just started, but it's based on Android 8.0 -- not 8.1, as you would expect. Fortunately, there are some exceptions, most notably OnePlus and its two most-recent flagships.

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It is hard to get excited about a desk lamp. I mean, let's be honest -- they supply light and that's the end of the story, right? Well, no. Not necessarily. Actually, thanks to LED technology, there have been big advancements in both design and lighting capability.

Believe it or not, I am excited about a desk lamp, and there are many reasons why. It is from a company called TaoTronics and the product name is "LED Desk Lamp with Wireless Charger" (model number TT-DL036). As the name implies, it can wirelessly charge your compatible smartphones, such as the Galaxy S8 or iPhone 8. Actually, any device with Qi charging capabilities can be charged just by being placed on the lamp's base.

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With the Linux community being rather fragmented, it’s nice to know there are some organizations that aim to unify it. The Linux Foundation is one such group that has done a lot of good for the overall community. It does a great job of bringing companies -- such as Microsoft, Samsung, and AMD, to name a few -- into the Linux fold as official foundation members.

When a company becomes a Linux Foundation member, there are different tiers that can be chosen, such as Platinum, Gold, and Silver. These levels carry different annual fees. Today, The Linux Foundation announces the newest Gold member -- Oath. If you aren’t familiar with Oath, please know it is a Verizon subsidiary that is comprised of assets such as AOL, Yahoo, and more.

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For some people, Firefox Sync is a great way to synchronize browser settings, add-ons, bookmarks and so on between computers. For others it's a privacy nightmare and a massive annoyance.

Starting with Firefox 60, Mozilla is making it possible to not only disable the feature, but also hide it. This might seem like a minor change, but for anyone irritated by the mere presence of Firefox sync, it's something that should have happened sooner.

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With the launch of Samsung's Galaxy S9 and S9+, we now have a full contingent of new flagship smartphones to pit against each other. The S9 joins the iPhone X and the Pixel 2 as one of the handsets shoppers will be choosing between.

While you may feel that you are settled firmly in the Android or iOS camp, it's not until you look at the full specifications of each of these top of the range phones that you can really make a decision. So that's just what we're doing. Here's how the Galaxy S9, Pixel 2 and iPhone X compare.

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When it comes to building a PC, there are often two types of consumers -- those that target value and those that will spend any amount of money for the best specifications. Neither focus is wrong -- if you can afford to have the top specs, more power to you.

G.SKILL is a company that caters to both camps. You can get quality G.SKILL RAM at various price points and speeds. Today, however, the company unveils a new memory kit that will appeal to those that want hardcore speed. This 16GB G.SKILL Trident Z RGB DDR4 RAM runs at an insane 4700MHz. Not to mention, the timings are respectable too, at CL19-19-19-39.

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There are many Linux-based operating systems out there, but not many I would call great. My absolute favorite is Fedora, as I am a GNOME fan that likes using a distro that focuses on truly free and open source software. Not to mention, it quickly gets many updated packages while also retaining stability. So yeah, Fedora is great.

Another great Linux distro? Netrunner Rolling. This Manjaro-based operating system uses KDE Plasma for its desktop environment. As the name implies, it follows a rolling release, meaning it is constantly being updated to fresh packages -- no major upgrades needed. It has a lot of polish and many quality pre-installed programs which indicates the developers truly care about the overall user experience. Quite frankly, it reminds me of Windows 7 -- in a good way -- which also makes it a wise choice for those unhappy with the much-maligned Windows 10. Today, Netrunner Rolling gets its first ISO refresh of 2018.

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When designing a dash cam it's easy for manufacturers to focus more on features rather than benefits. That's why we end up with so many devices that look bland, have pretty much the same features, but lack that special touch to set them apart from the crowd. With its new dash cam, VAVA decided to do things differently.

The VAVA Dash Cam is an intriguing proposition, featuring a cylindrical design and a magnetic mount connection, but no display or physical buttons. However, it's not lacking in features, as it packs lots of useful functionality. But how well does it work? I've tested it to find out.

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Twitter has revealed that a total of 677,775 Americans followed accounts or liked tweets associated with Russian propaganda groups during the 2016 US election. The company does not reveal how many people saw the tweets posted by these accounts.

That Russia tried to use Twitter -- and other social networks -- to influence the outcome of the US election is hardly news, but there has been an ongoing investigation trying to determine the scale of the operation. In its latest announcement, Twitter also says that it closed 50,258 accounts with links to Russia.

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Shutterstock is an excellent website to obtain high-quality media -- images, music, and videos. Not only is it easy to use, but it has a large and diverse selection too. That is probably why so many companies use the service (including us). With so many people searching Shutterstock for media, the company has the opportunity to analyze that search data to predict trends. This is smart to do, as unused data is arguably worthless data.

Today, Shutterstock unveils its Creative Trends Report for 2018, and the data is quite interesting. If you aren't familiar, it is a report that highlights certain media trends based on search data. Even though it focuses on media, the subject matter can reveal larger overall worldwide trends too. As an example, one of the big media search trends is cryptocurrency -- this should come as no surprise, as Bitcoin and others have seen huge gains (and losses) lately. As you can see, people will search for media that represents things that are happening in the world.

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In the wake of the Meltdown and Spectre bug revelations, Intel has been eager to downplay the impact patches will have on performance. Having already shed a little light on exactly what users can expect in terms of a performance hit, the company has now released more detailed benchmark results

In a blog post, Intel's Navin Shenoy shares details of benchmarks performed with sixth, seventh and eighth generation processors in Windows 10, and sixth generation processors in Windows 7, 8 and 10. Shenoy reiterates the company position that the "performance impact should not be significant for average computer users", saying that "the data we are sharing today support that expectation on these platforms." It's worth bearing in mind, however, that the hardware used in the tests is not necessary that which would be used by the average computer user.

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Given the high number of data breaches in the past year and the number of records involved, many consumers now rank identity theft as one of their top concerns with 66 percent of Americans saying it's the crime they most worry about.

Security company McAfee is using this week's CES to move beyond its traditional antivirus products and launch its own Identity Theft Protection.

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One of the fun aspects of Android is that you get to choose from many different devices. Unlike Apple iOS, where you are fairly limited, Google's operating system can be had on many phones and tablets, from companies like LG, Samsung, HTC and more. Unfortunately, unless you buy a Pixel or Nexus device, you often don't get a "pure" Android experience. Not to mention, community support can be limited due to locked bootloaders and other nonsense.

That's why the OnePlus devices have been such a breath of fresh air. These phones are no-nonsense, with purposeful design, and a fairly pure Android OS experience. Best of all, there is a wonderful community for support. Not to mention, they are affordable too. Today, the company announces that its latest flagship, the OnePlus 5T, will soon be available in a very limited edition color -- Sandstone White. Despite having the same specifications and just being a new color, the company says the phone "is the most complex device we have ever built."

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