Brian Fagioli

Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) used to be the future of wireless connectivity, but nowadays, it is the present. Yes, with more and more devices having Wi-Fi 6, now is the time to buy such a router if you haven't already. Look, with many of us spending more time at home nowadays -- including for work -- we all deserve to have a high-quality router, right?

Today, Linksys unveils its latest wireless router, and it is quite cute and stylish. Called "Hydra Pro 6" it supports Wi-Fi 6 and has a USB-A port on the rear for connecting a USB storage device. In other words, the router (SKU: MR5500) can pull double-duty as a makeshift NAS. Best of all, it has mesh support baked in, so you can set up a mesh network using other compatible Linksys products.

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Do photographers and videographers still use SD cards? Yes. In fact, I would guess that most do. However, the writing is on the wall, and the faster CFexpress Type B memory cards are obviously the future. Those with cutting-edge camera equipment are already enjoying the benefits of these superior cards.

The problem? Most computers, including the newest MacBook Pro laptops, do not come with integrated readers for these cards. And so, consumers must invest in external readers. Today, OWC unveils what it says is the "smallest Thunderbolt CFexpress card reader." Called "Atlas FXR," it connects using Thunderbolt 3/4 to provide insane speeds. It is also compatible with USB-C and comes with a USB-A adapter. In addition, the company is releasing its own line of CFexpress Type B memory cards called "Atlas Pro" and "Atlas Pro Ultra."

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If you are a fan of Chromebooks, you are undoubtedly familiar with Acer. That company has long been a Chrome OS proponent, releasing many computers running Google's Linux-based desktop operating system. The cool thing about Acer Chromebooks is the company releases several models -- with differing specifications and prices -- so consumers can find one that best meets their needs.

Today, Acer announces three new 2022 Chromebooks, and they are all quite different. Two of them, the 314 (CB314-3H/T) and 315 (CB315-4H/T), are budget models, powered by low-end Intel processors (Celeron and Pentium). The former has a 14-inch screen while the latter has a 15.6-inch display. The more exciting model, however, is the 13.5-inch Spin 513 (CP513-2H) convertible, which is powered by an ARM-based octa-core MediaTek Kompanio 1380 chip.

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If you want a pure Android experience with the most timely operating system updates, you should buy a Pixel smartphone from Google, right? Yes, that is largely true. On paper, at least, the Pixel line of devices are what hardcore Android users should opt for. In actual use, however, Pixel phones are often riddled with issues that lead to disappointment. They are arguably not worth the headaches.

The Pixel 6 and 6 Pro in particular have been disastrous. They have notoriously slow and insecure fingerprint readers. Shockingly, some users have reported "phantom" dials, where the friggin' phone calls contacts at random! Even the display is problematic, with many owners experiencing flickering and artifacts. And now, Google has been forced to pause the December 2021 Update due to serious bugs. Sigh.

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Do you use Skype? If yes, it is time to get really excited, as there is some legitimately cool news surrounding Microsoft's wildly popular cross-platform communication software. You see, Skype now has zoom support. Please don't misunderstand things, however, as that is zoom with a lowercase z. In other words, Skype is not getting support for the competing Zoom (with an uppercase Z).

Yes, folks, Microsoft has quite literally added the ability to zoom in on Skype screen-shares. In a new blog post, the Windows 11-maker explains, "It has happened to the best of us. You're in a call and someone shares their screen to show you something. Everyone else is nodding along, but you're squinting at your computer screen trying to read the tiny text they are referencing. It's just too small! With Skype's easy zoom in feature, you don't have to miss out."

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Christmas is just a few days away now, and I am definitely not in a great mood for the special holiday. Like many of you, I am depressed about this new Omicron variant of COVID-19 running rampant. Sadly, we all may have to lock ourselves down once again, staying in our homes while waving goodbye to visiting family and going to restaurants. This is not the Christmas I was envisioning just last week. Sigh.

Thankfully, there is a way to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ without leaving the house -- installing a Linux distribution! Look, I can't prove it, but I'd like to think Jesus would be a fan of both Linux and open source software. If he returned to Earth tomorrow, I think he would be more likely to use the Arch-based Manjaro than Windows 11. And so, if you are forced to stay indoors this Christmas weekend, I highly recommend trying out the all-new Manjaro 21.2 operating system.

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If your laptop or tablet PC only has USB-C, you can buy a home docking station, such as this one from VisionTek, to expand the connectivity. But what if you don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on a dock, plus you really only need to add video output functionality? For instance, maybe you just need to add HDMI. In that case, a single-purpose dongle can save you some money. These dongles can be good for portability too, as they won't take up much room in a travel bag.

Today, StarTech.com launches five new USB-C video dongles, all of which feature long 12-inch cables. Why are five products necessary? Because each USB-C adapter offers a different connection type on the other end -- HDMI, VGA, DisplayPort, Mini DisplayPort, and DVI. In other words, no matter what type of television, monitor, or projector you have, StarTech.com has you covered.

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When somebody mentions LG, you immediately think of PC gaming, right? Yeah, neither do I. To be honest, despite offering general-use laptops, I most associate the company with appliances and televisions. Apparently, the company wants to expand beyond thin and light "regular" laptops to hardcore gaming notebooks with its all new UltraGear brand. While the name "UltraGear" sounds a bit generic and uninspired, I suppose it does get the point across.

The first UltraGear gaming laptop will be model 17G90Q. This portable beast features a 17.3-inch display with an insane 300Hz refresh. It is powered by a cutting-edge 11th Gen Intel Tiger Lake H processor and hardcore NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Max-Q GPU. It even has premium features like Thunderbolt 4, Wi-Fi 6E, and an RGB backlit gaming keyboard.

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As we recently told you, Google and Disney had a dispute that lead to many channels being removed from YouTube TV. Essential television offerings like ABC, FX, Disney, ESPN, Freeform, and more were abruptly pulled from the service.

This hit me hard as a YouTube TV subscriber, as it meant I could no-longer watch Jeopardy (which airs on ABC) in the evenings -- something I truly look forward to. Not to mention, my family loves watching Christmas movies and shows on Freeform.

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So, you need a docking station for your laptop, eh? OK, cool. If it has Thunderbolt 3/4, you should buy a Thunderbolt dock. If not, you should cop a USB dock instead. It's not complicated, folks. With that said, it can be a bit confusing when trying to pick a make and model. After all, Amazon is littered with so many USB docks and docking stations. My advice is to stick with a known company.

Well, VisionTek (a very reputable brand), has a new such product that looks rather impressive. Called "VT4510," it is a Dual Display 4K USB-C Docking Station with 100W Power Delivery. This means a single cable can connect the dock to your laptop while charging it (up to 100 watts) at the same time. It can even simultaneously push two 4K monitors at 60Hz. If you use just one DisplayPort connector, a single 5K display can be used at 60Hz. And yes, both a USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to USB-A cable are included in the box.

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Everybody wants a giant and powerful desktop computer, but most consumers don't actually need a hardcore PC. Heck, nowadays, many consumers don't have enough space in their homes to accommodate a full-sized tower. If you find your home is too cramped, a laptop may be a wise choice. If you insist on a desktop, however, a mini computer, such as an Intel NUC can be a very good choice too.

MINISFORUM is another company producing mini desktop computers, and today, it announces quite the beauty. Called "EliteMini TH50," this diminutive Windows 11-ready desktop is powered by a very modern quad-core (8 thread) 11th generation Intel Core i5 processor (i5-11320H). My biggest complaint about MINISFORUM computers is they can be a bit loud. Thankfully, the company says this model will be much quieter.

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Like System76's Pop!_OS, Linux Mint is an operating system based on Ubuntu. The distribution comes with some interesting tweaks that many users appreciate, making it a popular choice in the Linux community for both beginners and experts alike. It is stable, easy to use, and has a well-designed Update Manager that puts many other distros to shame. Linux Mint is an absolute joy to use.

Back in October, we told you that Linux Mint 20.3 would be named "Una." Even further back, towards the end of July, we shared the Beta of the operating system would be released around Christmas. Well, folks, we are less than two weeks away from that holiday and guess what? You can download Linux Mint 20.3 Beta immediately!

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Ubuntu Linux 21.10 was released back in October, and since then, fans of the Pop!_OS operating system have been wondering when System76 would update to the new Ubuntu base. Well, folks, today is finally the day. Pop!_OS 21.10 is now available to download for your PC hardware. In a surprise move, the company also releases a preview of the OS for the ARM-based Raspberry Pi!

The most notable change in Pop!_OS 21.10 is the inclusion of a new Applications Library, as System76 tries to further distance itself from the vanilla GNOME desktop environment. The refreshed library displays windowed rather than full screen. It even has improved multi-monitor support, displaying the app library on whichever screen has the mouse cursor when summoned. You can see a video of it in action further down the page.

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A Dremel rotary tool is something you don't know you need until you do. These electric tools allow you to do things like cut, drill, sand, and grind, making them great for makers and DIYers. I recently was working on an older laptop with stripped torx screws and wished I had a Dremel to cut into them. I didn't have one and could not properly gain access to the innards. And so, I instead rage-broke the laptop, tearing the bottom off as if I was The Hulk, but I digress...

If you are a tech person that has been on the fence about buying one of these Dremel rotary tools, now may be the time to finally pull the trigger. You see, the company's newest product, called "Dremel 8260," can connect to your phone or tablet via Bluetooth. And yes, it is compatible with both Google's Android and Apple's iOS/iPadOS.

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When you are a computer-builder, there are peaks and valleys when it comes to excitement about PC components. What do I mean by this? Well, sometimes you are building machines with cutting edge parts as an early adopter, while other times you are using ho-hum components that have been around a while. For instance, we have been using DDR4 memory for about seven years now... yawn!

Thankfully, the age of DDR5 is finally here. After dealing with DDR4 for so many years now, we will soon see PCs with DDR5 memory inside. One of the companies leading this industry shift is PATRIOT, and today that company unveils its impressive VIPER VENOM DDR5 RAM. 

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