Brian Fagioli

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 a joy to use.

Last month, we told you that Linux Mint 20.2 would be named "Uma." At the time, we shared the Uma Beta would be released in the middle of June. Well, folks, today is June 15 and guess what? You can download Linux Mint 20.2 Beta immediately!

Continue reading →

Earlier today, after weeks of rumors, Windows 11 leaked to the web. No, I don't just mean images and videos were shared early -- the actual operating system itself became available for download! It is a bootable ISO file. This not only confirms what the next version of Windows will be called, but it made it possible for anybody to install the operating system early.

While you can download Windows 11 right now, the real question, of course, is should you do it? Before we discuss the morality of doing so, let's be very clear -- it is foolish to download and install a closed source operating system from non-official sources. Obviously, if you aren't getting it from Microsoft directly, it could be full of malware and other bad stuff.

Continue reading →

Hardcore gaming laptops are usually big and heavy -- unwieldy beasts with poor battery life and even worse portability. While that is often the case, it is not always. Case in point, today, Razer re-launches its Blade 14 laptop, and while its power is downright godlike, the laptop is surprisingly svelte and light -- it is just .66-inches thin while weighing only 3.92 pounds.

The 2021 edition of the Razer Blade 14 is powered by the insanely powerful 8-core AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series mobile GPUs. It comes with a 16GB of (non-upgradeable) DDR4-3200MHz RAM and a 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 x4 SSD. Believe it or not, despite the hardcore specifications, Razer promises up to 12 hours of battery life. Obviously, battery life will vary wildly depending on usage.

Continue reading →

Every so often, Logitech releases special limited edition versions of its M325 portable mouse. What makes these variants, or “Collections,” so intriguing are the rare designs. Believe it to not, some consumers even collect these mice!

Today, Logitech launches the latest Design Collection and there are seven styles from which to choose. It is important to note, the M325 is a very basic mouse -- it uses a replaceable AA battery (rather than something rechargeable), it has no side buttons, and there is no Bluetooth -- it only uses a USB-A receiver. On a positive note, it will work on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Continue reading →

Beats by Dre headphones are revered around the world for their great looks and high sound quality. They are also very much respected by the Hip-Hop community as the "Dre" in the brand refers to Dr. Dre -- one of the greatest record producers of all time. Since Apple bought the brand, it dropped the "by Dre" making them simply "Beats." With that said, Dr. Dre's soul and inspiration will forever live on in the products.

Today, Apple launches the Dr. Dre-inspired "Beats Studio Buds." These are notable for offering active noise cancellation at a very affordable price. Despite being an Apple product, the company promises fast Bluetooth pairing with both iPhone and Google's Android! Beats Studio Buds offer a maximum of eight hours of listening time on their own, but the case will fully charge them twice, effectively increasing this to 24 hours. Nice.

Continue reading →

Gamers drinking Mountain Dew is sort of a cliché, but it is based on reality. People that play video games often drink that soda due to its high caffeine count. Taking things even further, many gamers chug energy drinks these days too. Why do they do this? So they can both stay alert and stay awake longer -- it allows them to play their games well into the the night.

Believe it or not, I have also heard of some gamers refrigerating their underwear. This is done in the summer months as a way to keep cool during gaming marathons. When they are feeling particularly sweaty in their crotch area, they can change into chilled underpants for relief.

Continue reading →

Want to know a secret computer manufacturers don't want you to know? Look, don't tell anybody this, but... most consumers don't need to spend $1,000 on a computer. Hell, most folks don't even need to spend $500. Because let's be honest, the majority of home users only open a web browser and do all their computing on the web. Yes, for most people, modern home computers largely exist as a way to run a web browser. If you don't think that is true, you are fooling yourself.

This is why Chromebooks are so popular these days. But what if you want an operating system a bit more capable than Chrome OS, such as Windows 10? Well, there are plenty of inexpensive laptops running that OS too. For example, earlier this month, we told you about the super-affordable Galaxy Book Go -- a low-cost ARM-powered laptop from Samsung. Well, as of today, you can finally buy it!

Continue reading →

Minecraft isn't just a game -- it is a worldwide phenomenon. What is the secret to its success? Well, besides being fun to play, its cross-platform nature and low system requirements make it available to almost anyone. It can be played on Windows 10, macOS, Linux, Android, iPhone, and many video game consoles too.

If you have a person in your life that loves Minecraft, there is a new affordable laptop that should excite them greatly. The GeoBook 120 Minecraft Edition features a 12.5-inch display and a cool green paint job that is inspired by the game. The WASD keys even feature green letters. And yes, the game itself comes pre-installed. As an added bonus, Minecraft stickers can be found in the box, so you can decorate the laptop lid to your liking.

Continue reading →

Thanks to the pandemic, more and more people are learning to enjoy their homes rather than go out. This makes sense, as TVs keep getting bigger and better -- you no longer need to go to an actual movie theater for a proper cinematic experience. Even though the COVID-19 virus is now fading away in the USA, it seems the home entertainment trend is here to stay.

Of course, a quality television is only part of the equation. To truly enjoy movies and TV shows at home, you will want to upgrade your audio gear too. And no, the speakers built into your TV are definitely not good enough. Thankfully, these days you can get by without investing big money into a giant bulky stereo system. Instead, an elegant soundbar can provide a high-end audio experience without cluttering your living room.

Continue reading →

Back in 2019, we told you about the beautiful Jaybird VISTA wireless earbuds. These in-ear headphones put AirPods to shame. VISTA didn't just look nicer than Apple's offerings, but they had more features and a better focus on both exercise and activities too.

Fast forward to 2021, and the sequel has finally arrived. The Jaybird Vista 2 True Wireless Sport Earbuds are here just in time for your summertime workouts. Whether you want to use them during exercise or relaxing on the couch, they should provide a great audio experience.

Continue reading →

Today at WWDC 2021, the folks at Apple talked. I mean, they talked a lot. Like, for nearly two hours, various Apple employees highlighted the company's plans for the future, including iOS 15 and iPadOS 15. While consumers are probably most excited about Apple's aforementioned mobile operating systems, other people (such as yours truly), are more intrigued by the newest version of the desktop OS. Called "Monterey," this once again looks to be the best macOS ever.

Despite Apple switching to its own ARM-based processors for the newest Mac computers, macOS Monterey will be compatible with Intel-based machines too. Notably, Shortcuts from iOS and iPadOS will be coming to Monterey. While Automator is still supported, it is unofficially on death-watch. Most interestingly, Apple is making it easier to work between iPhone, iPad, and Mac -- you can now do AirPlay to Mac and share your mouse and keyboard between devices with Universal Control.

Continue reading →

Apple AirTag is a very cool, albeit expensive, product. If you aren't familiar, it is a little battery-powered disc that is designed to track belongings. You can buy an accessory to turn it into a keychain, for instance, and then track your keys. As another example, you can buy a luggage tag accessory so you can track your bags when traveling. It is the dependence on accessories that makes the AirTag so expensive.

The problem, you see, is that not only can it be used to track things, but people too. Yes, creepy stalkers can secretly hide one of these AirTags inside something that belongs to another person and then track them. If the person being tracked has an iPhone, however, it will detect such behavior and warn them if it notices an AirTag (that they don't own) moving around with them.

Continue reading →

When Apple launched its now-infamous What's a Computer? advertisement for the iPad Pro, it was pretty much universally panned for stupidity. In it, a woman refers to a girl's iPad Pro as a computer, and the girl replies with the classic "what's a computer?" line. As we know, an iPad is a computer, and it's absurd to think the youth of America are unfamiliar with the term "computer."

But what if an iPad Pro wasn't just a tablet computer, but a desktop computer too? Well, with the Satechi Aluminum Stand and Hub for iPad Pro, that can be a reality. You see, this elegant new product transforms the Apple iPad Pro into a makeshift iMac-like, desktop computer.

Continue reading →

ARM processors have been around for a really long time. In modern times, they are found in most tablets and smartphones. These ARM chips have been used in Windows computers for years, but they really never caught on with consumers in that regard. In contrast, the newest Mac computers are powered by Apple's own ARM-based processors, and they have been universally praised as fast and efficient. Apple shows that ARM can succeed on the desktop.

Today, Samsung announces its newest Windows 10 laptop, and guess what? Like the new Mac computers, it too is powered by an ARM processor. Called "Galaxy Book Go," the 14-inch notebook can be equipped with optional 5G cellular connectivity -- something Apple's computers do not yet have. Believe it or not, Galaxy Book Go is shockingly affordable too, starting at just $349.

Continue reading →

For those of you that build your own desktop computers, you know that choosing the right brands can really matter. Why? Well, if you opt for an unknown company for your RAM, power supply, or storage, there is a very good chance you will run into problems. This is why I always recommend sticking with reputable brands -- saving a few dollars is never worth the headaches caused by troubleshooting crashes.

Patriot is a company that offers both reliability and affordability. While not as well known as some other brands, it is a company whose products have proven reliable for me. Today, it launches the ELITE II DDR4 RAM under its "VIPER," gaming brand. While this memory is designed for PC gamers, any enthusiast should appreciate its impressive specifications and good looks. I find the red aluminum heat spreaders to be quite pretty.

Continue reading →