Brian Fagioli

Back in the day, getting a laptop with Linux pre-installed was almost unheard of. For the most part, you had to buy a computer with Windows and then install Linux yourself. This wasn't bad, necessarily, but it did mean that the price of the computer included a Windows license you maybe didn't want. In other words, Microsoft was profiting off of Linux users -- just because they bought a Windows PC.

In 2020, however, there are many computers to be had with Linux pre-installed, thanks to pioneers like System76. Of course, nowadays, big companies like Dell and Lenovo are selling Linux machines too. Today, yet another such laptop hits the market -- the second generation Kubuntu Focus M2. Yes, this is the second officially sanctioned notebook from the developers of the KDE variant of Ubuntu.

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Wired keyboards are better than wireless keyboards. Sure, cables can be unsightly and take away from the overall beauty of your desk, but bottom line, wired variants don't require charging -- a huge benefit. Not to mention, there is no risk of wireless interference causing lagging or disconnects. Ultimately, wired keyboards just end up being superior.

Today, Logitech unveils its latest wired keyboard. Called "K845," it comes with options for several types of switches, meaning all consumers should be able to find a model that meets their wants and/or needs. It is backlit, yes, but just with regular white light. There is no RGB, and for many people, that could be a plus. Despite tenkeyless keyboards gaining in popularity nowadays, the K845 has a number pad.

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You do have a Wi-Fi 6 router, don't you? No? Oh my. You may want to consider upgrading soon. These routers are not only faster because of the superior 802.11ax protocol, but thanks to WPA3, they are often more secure too. There are many great models on the market, starting as low as 80 bucks. There's no excuse for not upgrading, folks.

Today, Zyxel announces its latest router, and holy moly, it is a beauty. Called "Armor G5," this Wi-Fi 6 router has an insane 13 internal antennas. It has four gigabit LAN ports, as is typical, but it has some additional multi-gig magic too. You see, it also has a 10G LAN port and a 2.5G WAN port. The Armor G5 even has a USB-A port on the rear. All of this is housed in a beautifully sleek body.

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Thunderbolt 3 docking stations have proven to be game-changing devices, allowing both MacBook and Windows 10 laptop owners to essentially transform their portable computers into desktops. With a single cable, you can charge your notebook plus connect multiple accessories, such as a mouse, keyboard, monitor, and more.

Plugable is a name that has become synonymous with quality docking stations, and today, it launches its latest such Thunderbolt dock. Called "TBT3-UD1-85W," it offers one USB-A and one USB-C on the front. On the rear, the dock features USB-A, Gigabit Ethernet, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt 3, TB3 Host, and dedicated headphone and microphone jacks. As the name of the product implies, it provides 85 watts for charging,

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Today is Friday, meaning later this afternoon, we will officially be starting the weekend! Woo-hoo! Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, many of us will be spending our weekend downtime indoors once again. Sigh. The weekend is far less exciting when you've been self-quarantining for months due to a pandemic.

Thankfully, we can all still have plenty of fun while indoors thanks to the internet. Not only can we stream video and music, but we can play online video games too. If you are a computer nerd, however, I have a much better suggestion -- install the new Ubuntu Beta! That's right, Linux fans, Ubuntu 20.10 "Groovy Gorilla" Beta is now available for download. This doesn't just include the "vanilla" GNOME version either, but other variants like Kubuntu and Xubuntu as well.

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Well, folks, the Thunderbolt 4 revolution is just about here. Some computers with Intel's 11th-generation Core processors (Tiger Lake) will offer TB4 ports, and eventually, devices that can actually take advantage of the standard will be hitting the market. For the immediate future, however, Thunderbolt 3 will still reign supreme. Thankfully, TB4 is backwards compatible with TB3 (and uses the same USB-C connector), so your existing gear should continue to work fine.

If you are chomping at the bit to see some actual Thunderbolt 4 devices, I have some great news. Today, the typically Apple-focused company, OWC, unveils the Thunderbolt 4 Hub for Windows 10 devices. Essentially, it turns one TB4 port into three (no daisy-chaining needed), while also offering a USB-A port (3.2 gen 2) for good measure.

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There are many great Linux-based desktop operating systems nowadays. There are arguably too many Linux distros, but I digress. For instance, if you are an experienced Linux user, you can opt for something like Debian or Fedora, while novices are better served by Ubuntu or Linux Lite.

One of the best operating systems for beginners and Windows-switchers, however, is Linux Mint. This is a no-nonsense Linux distro that looks good, is very stable, and ultimately "just works" for many users. New versions of the operating system are named after women, and today, we learn what Linux Mint 20.1 will be called.

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Earlier today, Google had a special product unveiling. Called "Launch Night In," the search giant showed off a bunch of new devices, wrapping up the whole spectacle in 30 minutes. It was concise, focused, and largely without surprise. Nearly everything that was "revealed," was previously leaked. And so, there is nothing to be excited about, right? Well, not so fast.

At the Google event, the company unveiled a handful of truly interesting devices -- two phones, a speaker, and even a new media player. None of them are particularly cutting edge, but they all have something in common -- value. Yes, all the products are affordable, and in these uncertain times, consumers should greatly appreciate that.

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You can never go wrong by purchasing SanDisk storage products. From memory cards to solid state drives, they are consistently excellent. Not only are the drives often quite fast, but more importantly, they are extremely reliable too. While not the only company making great flash storage products, I try to only use SanDisk SD cards in my camera when taking family photos -- the content is too important to lose.

SanDisk's Extreme and Extreme PRO Portable SSDs are quite popular thanks to their high-end performance and durable housings, and today, the company launches the next generation. Designated as "V2," both the Pro and non-Pro drives feature 256-bit AES hardware encryption and IP55 ratings for both water and dust resistance. SanDisk says both feature drop protection of up to 3 meters.

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Fedora 33 Beta was scheduled to be released during September, and on the eve of the final day of that month, the pre-release operating system is finally here! Yes, if you love Fedora and want to give an early version of 33 a try, today is your lucky day.

As you can imagine, Fedora 33 Beta comes with the excellent GNOME 3.38, which was only released a couple of weeks ago. The biggest change, however, is BTRFS being made the default filesystem -- ext4 is no longer the standard. Wow. Also significant? The new default editor is nano.

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Do laptops need to keep getting thinner and lighter? Oh, hell yeah. True, we are starting to get to the point where they really can't get any more svelte, but as engineers continue to show, they will keep working to push boundaries. For instance, today, Lenovo officially unveils an impossibly thin and light laptop that is sure to delight road warriors. Called "ThinkPad X1 Nano," it weighs less than two pounds and is just 0.55 inches thick.

The ThinkPad X1 Nano comes with some bleeding-edge technology such as Wi-Fi 6, optional 5G, and Thunderbolt 4 (two ports). It is powered by up to an 11th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, and it can be configured with up to 16GB RAM and up to a 1TB SSD. The 13-inch 2K display comes in both touch and non-touch options, and Lenovo promises up to 17.3 hours of battery life. And yes, the HD camera is compatible with Windows Hello.

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There are many different types of creators nowadays, such as vloggers, podcasters, YouTubers, and Twitch streamers. For some (if not most) of these media creators, audio quality is very important. And so, many of these people will invest in a nice microphone. Unfortunately, There are many of them on the market these days, making it hard to pick one.

Today, HyperX launches its latest microphone, and it sure is a beauty -- it should stand out in the crowded market. Called "QuadCast S," it is very similar to the company's existing QuadCast mic, but it has one big difference -- the addition of RGB lighting. Why does a microphone need colored lights that can be customized? It doesn't, but let's be honest, RGB lights are fun.

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When Amazon bought eero, many people were worried. After all, Amazon is a massive billion-dollar corporation -- there were legitimate concerns that the privacy of eero devices were in jeopardy. So far, however, eero has largely operated independently, and its routers and mesh systems are still very well received by consumers. In other words, it seems all the doom and gloom was probably for naught.

Earlier today, Amazon unveiled the all-new eero 6 Series. Like previous eero devices, the new 6 line ranges from a single router to multiple units that operate in conjunction to create a mesh network. If you aren't familiar with mesh networking, it is essentially a series of access points that work together -- under a single SSID -- to provide a lot of Wi-Fi coverage. What makes eero 6 different, is the use of Wi-Fi 6 (aka 802.11ax) for the first time. There are two models from which to choose -- eero 6 and eero Pro 6. Both have integrated Zigbee smart home hubs.

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Back in July, we told you that the Intel NUC 9 Extreme was finally available for purchase. This diminutive computer offers some impressive performance for such a small body. At just 5L, it is quite amazing what Intel was able to cram inside. Not only will it run Windows 10, but it will serve as a brilliant Linux box too.

Today, ADATA unveils the GAIA MINI PC under its XPG gaming brand. This computer is based on the aforementioned Intel NUC 9 Extreme Kit. Is it merely a rebadged computer? Yes and no. While ADATA did not design the PC at all, the XPG GAIA comes with 32GB of XPG RAM and a 2TB XPG SSD. In other words, it is an Intel NUC equipped with high-end ADATA XPG components. It also has the XPG logo emblazoned on the front.

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Lenovo's ThinkPad and ThinkStation computers are legendary. They are very well known for being well-built and reliable. That is why many businesses (and consumers) choose those computers for their needs. While these computers are mostly sold running Windows, the company has also been selling machines running Linux. Not only can you buy a Lenovo PC with Ubuntu preinstalled, but the company is even selling a laptop loaded with Fedora!

Showing it is a true friend of the Linux community, Lenovo has decided to expand its offering of computers running Ubuntu. Yes, folks, if you are a fan of that operating system, you can now buy these Linux computers from Lenovo.com globally -- they are no longer limited to enterprise customers. Anyone can buy them easily, and yes, this includes both ThinkStation desktops and ThinkPad laptops.

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