Brian Fagioli

Sometimes technology can be very exciting. Look, we all love when a sleek and sexy new device -- such as a smartphone or laptop -- is shown off at a keynote. Remember when the original MacBook Air was first revealed? I get chills. And yeah, everyone wants the latest and greatest flashy product. The truth, however, is we don't always need exciting. Sometimes we need affordable and unremarkable products that simply exist to get work done.

The Dynabook E10-S Windows 10 Pro Education laptop is such a product, and you can buy it from the company starting today. The computer is fabulously unremarkable, and yes, that's a good thing. You see, this laptop is designed for schoolwork -- not gaming or other hardcore computing.

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Can you believe it? It is 2021 and Apple still hasn't added USB-C to the iPhone! The company has added the connection to the iPad Pro and its Mac computers, but its smartphones still use Lightning. This is both frustrating and disappointing, as it means consumers can't streamline their chargers and cables. It also means you cannot easily plug a USB-C flash drive into an iPhone like you can with Android.

If you have been wanting to connect a flash drive to your iPhone without the use of dongles, Western Digital's SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive Luxe can make this a reality. You see, the drive features both Lightning and USB Type-C connectors, meaning it will work with iPhone, Android, and modern computers. While such a drive is not a new concept, this is apparently the first 2-in-1 from WD with an all-metal body.

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Nowadays, more and more people are utilizing wireless networking almost exclusively -- particularly in homes. Enthusiasts and business users, however, may choose wired networking for security and performance purposes. Many of these folks will have mere Gigabit networks, but some are going the multi-gig route these days, with 5G or even 10G.

For whatever reason, 2.5G often gets overlooked, and this is a shame. Why? Well, 2.5G network capabilities are showing up in more computers and motherboards nowadays, and it can be the most affordable way to go multi-gig. For instance, 2.5G cards and dongles won't break the bank, while 2.5Gbps speeds can theoretically be achieved with existing Cat5e. And now, TRENDnet releases two affordable unmanaged 2.5G switches. Called "TEG-S380" and "TEG-S350," the former offers eight ports, while the latter has five.

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Wait. You don't have a Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) router? Ugh. You are not living your life properly. Look, even if you don't have any Wi-Fi 6 devices yet, you can score such a router for less than $79.99. Seriously, folks, it's time to upgrade your aging wireless networking gear already. If you have a large home, however, you will want to consider a more powerful mesh system. And yes, there are mesh Wi-Fi 6 solutions available.

If you are looking to upgrade to 802.11ax and mesh, NETGEAR has a new "whole home" Wi-Fi 6 system that should interest you. The "MK83 Nighthawk," as it is called, offers Tri-Band AX3600 Wi-Fi via three access points (one router and two satellites) to blanket your home in connectivity. In fact, NETGEAR claims it is capable of up to 6,750 square feet.

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Google's Nest Hub is an integral part of my home. It is on my living room table where it serves as a clock, but it is so much more than that. Hub is in "earshot" of my kitchen too, so I use it all the time for setting timers while cooking. When I take a nap on the couch, it is my alarm clock. Oh, and when I need to turn the lights on (or off), it does that for me too. All of these actions are done by voice -- "Hey, Google."

One of the reasons that I chose Nest Hub is for privacy -- it doesn't have a camera like some other hardware assistants do. Today, Google finally announces the second generation Nest Hub, and I am happy to say it also does not have a camera. With that said, it can optionally watch you sleep. Wait, what?

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Bluetooth headphones are very cool, but they have a huge problem -- they run on batteries. And so, while people seem happy to invest in expensive wireless options like Apple AirPods, when they run out of power, they can leave the consumer feeling quite foolish. Why? Because "old school" wired headphones never had this problem.

Sadly, many smartphone manufacturers have done away with 3.5mm audio jacks, making it harder than ever to use traditional headphones. Logitech wants to cater to fans of wires, however, as the company today launches the G333 wired USB-C gaming earphones with integrated microphone.

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If you are a Linux user, you can't go wrong with Intel. That company's processors, chipsets, wireless cards, and other hardware have long been very compatible with Linux-based operating systems. An all-Intel system should be a headache-free experience with Linux. If you want to game or do other graphic-intensive actions, however, an NVIDIA GPU has historically been the best option -- a better experience than AMD graphics cards.

Nowadays, AMD-based systems are Linux-friendly too, and Radeon graphics are becoming more commonplace in computers running Linux distros. Today, popular Linux-based computer-seller System76 finally launches its first-ever laptop to have both an AMD processor and AMD graphics -- the 2021 "Pangolin" that we told you about in December. This is not only historic for System76, but it is a godsend for Linux users that are fans of AMD.

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Understandably, more and more people are choosing laptops these days, as they are more convenient for those that need to work on the go. By utilizing a docking station, you can usually turn notebooks into makeshift desktops too. With all of that said, true desktops do provide better expandability, upgradeability, and sometimes, better performance too. And so, some consumers are better off with a desktop PC.

If you are in the market for a Windows 10 desktop, you can't go wrong with Dell's XPS Desktop. Today, the company refreshes this beautiful desktop with 11th Gen Intel Core processors. It even comes with an optical drive (DVD-RW or Blu-ray burner) -- something that has become quite rare on modern computers.

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Kodi is an excellent open source media player that provides the user with an immersive experience. While the software gets a bad reputation due to people using it for piracy, many folks only use it for legal media consumption. As more and more illegal Kodi add-on maintainers face legal trouble, and streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ remain competitively priced, fewer folks are seeking pirated content nowadays.

Not familiar with LibreELEC? Please know it is a Linux distribution that exists solely to run Kodi. It supports many hardware configurations, including traditional x86_64 for PC and some ARM devices like the Raspberry Pi 4. Following the release of Kodi 19 "Matrix," LibreELEC 10 BETA 1 finally becomes available for download. Sadly, support for the Raspberry Pi 0 and 1 is now discontinued.

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When you are a system builder, there are certain important aspects that can sometimes get overlooked. For instance, many builders will opt for a cheap power supply and then wonder why their system crashes or is unstable. I know a PSU isn't as exciting as a CPU, GPU, or RAM, but it is still an important component.

Another overlooked thing? Thermal paste -- that gooey stuff that sits between your processor and its cooler. True, some CPU coolers come with pre-applied thermal paste nowadays. And yes, that stuff is probably fine for most regular users. If you care about cooling, however, and you plan to overclock or game, you should wipe off that pre-applied junk and apply a better compound.

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If you love mini desktop computers like I do, you absolutely must check out Minisforum. This company produces unique NUC-like computers with beautiful designs and respectable performance. They can typically run both Windows 10 and Linux wonderfully. We recently tested out the Intel-powered Minisforum EliteMini H31G and came away very impressed.

As an AMD fan, however, I am extremely excited about the company's latest offering. Called "DESKMINI UM270," this miniature desktop computer is powered by a quad-core Ryzen 7 PRO processor and features Vega 10 graphics. While it comes with 16GB RAM standard, it will support up to 64GB. For storage, there are two capacities of NVMe SSDs -- 256GB and 512GB.

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System76 started its life as a Linux computer seller only. Essentially, the company would sell re-branded laptops with Ubuntu pre-installed. To provide a class-leading experience, however, System76 also provided top-notch customer service, helping Linux beginners get started with a little hand-holding when needed. This focus on service continues today, and it is largely responsible for the company's success and longevity.

Seeking to better control its own destiny, the company branched out from only being a computer-seller and transformed into a maker too. Its handcrafted Thelio desktops are powerful works of art, comprised of wood, metal, and good ol' fashioned American elbow grease. Yes, these Thelio machines are made in the USA -- Colorado, specifically.

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Earlier today, we told you about an all-new NVMe solid state drive from Lexar. That SSD looks quite nice, as it is both fast and affordable. Not to mention, the Lexar brand is synonymous with "high-quality." That company has been cranking out great memory products for many years.

Of course, Lexar is not the only trustworthy maker of SSDs. Along with more-known manufacturers like Samsung are lesser-known companies like Transcend. If you have shopped for storage products lately, you have probably come across Transcend, and yes, that brand can absolutely be trusted too. Today, Transcend launches its latest NVMe SSD. Called "MTE240S," it is designed for both content creators and gamers. With that said, it should be a solid choice for any computer user, really.

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There are many companies producing quality solid state drives these days in various capacities, speeds, and form factors. SATA variants are perfectly fine, but NVMe models are significantly faster. If your computer has an M.2 slot and supports NVMe, you should consider replacing your current SATA drive with one.

Today, Lexar releases a new solid state drive that looks to be pretty solid. Called "NM620," this M.2 2280 PCIe Gen3x4 NVMe SSD is not only fast, but rather affordable too.

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In an office setting, sometimes you can opt for an elegant desk layout, while other times, you can go the low-class route. For example, I once needed a monitor riser when working at a former employer, but there was no money in the budget for such things. What did I do? I used a ream of printer paper instead. Did it look nice? No, but it got the job done.

With all of that said, I’m a big believer in the benefits of having a classy workstation. Being proud of your work area can boost your confidence and lead to improved productivity. Today, StarTech.com launches a new height-adjustable monitor riser that is both beautiful and special. You see, not only can it increase the height of your computer monitor, but it has an integrated Qi wireless charger for your smartphone too. How cool is that?

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