Brian Fagioli

The Super Bowl is this Sunday, and I suppose I’m excited. As a New York Jets fan, I can never truly enjoy football -- it’s a miserable existence. However, I enjoy all things sports, so even though I hate both the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles (and refuse to cheer on either team), I will still tune in and watch the big game.

This year, you can watch the Super Bowl in 4K for free, which is definitely cool, but taking things a step further, if you have Xfinity TV service and the right hardware, you can experience the game in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos too. This upgrade is part of Comcast’s new “Enhanced 4K offering” on X1.

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If you are a Linux fan that is forced to use Microsoft Windows for some reason, you know how valuable Windows Subsystem for Linux is. If you aren’t familiar, WSL allows you to run a Linux environment from within Windows -- no virtual machine needed. It’s pretty wonderful.

Well, folks, today, Ubuntu on WSL gets a very useful upgrade that both developers and enterprises should really love. You see, thanks to Microsoft’s new tar-based distribution format, Ubuntu can now be installed and managed without relying on the Microsoft Store. That’s right, y’all -- no more struggling with Store-related headaches.

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Believe it or not, in the flash drive world, USB-A models are still the most common. Yes, folks, despite USB-C being far superior, consumers have been slow to adopt flash drives with the better connector.

Thankfully, companies are still producing USB-C flash drives despite the slow adoption. For example, today, PNY has launched a trio of new USB Type-C flash drives. The lineup includes the PRO Elite V3, Elite-X Fit, and Elite models.

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While I am a huge fan of steaming music for convenience, vinyl will always have a special place in my heart. You see, I have spent countless hours in record stores shopping for hip-hop on vinyl. Believe it or not, many of the records in my vast collection are not even on steaming services.

Do I listen to my vinyl ever? Unfortunately, no. Why? Because these days, I don’t even have a record player set up in my house. Sadly, I don’t have the space to dedicate to a player and stereo. This may change, however, thanks to a cool new portable record player from MIXX.

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addlink has launched the P21 USB SSD, a high-speed portable storage drive built for users who demand fast transfers. Featuring USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 support, it delivers sequential read speeds of up to 2050MB/s and write speeds of up to 2000MB/s, making it a strong choice for handling large files like 4K videos, high-resolution images, and game libraries.

The P21 is available in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities, with performance varying slightly by model:

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OpenAI has unleashed Deep Research in ChatGPT, a new AI-powered tool that can handle complex online research tasks faster than a human ever could. Available today for Pro users, with Plus and Team access coming soon, this feature is designed to synthesize information from hundreds of online sources, analyze data, and generate detailed reports. OpenAI says it can complete hours of research in just minutes -- but should we really be celebrating this?

This latest AI capability is powered by an optimized version of OpenAI’s upcoming o3 model, fine-tuned for web browsing and deep data analysis. Unlike a simple search engine, it doesn’t just find information -- it thinks about it, pivots when necessary, and compiles its findings into structured reports. That means it isn’t just doing research -- it’s acting like a research analyst. And if AI can do that, what happens to the actual researchers?

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CachyOS fans, get ready -- this first release of 2025 (download ISO here) was definitely worth the wait. The team held off until NVIDIA’s latest driver was available to make sure users with Blackwell-based 50xx series GPUs had a seamless experience. Now, with the 570 driver in place, Blackwell support is fully integrated.

For those unfamiliar, CachyOS is an Arch Linux-based distribution that focuses on performance and optimization. It builds on the power of Arch while adding aggressive compiler optimizations, a user-friendly setup, and custom tweaks designed to get the most out of modern hardware.

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Black History Month is officially here, and Google is kicking things off with a major celebration of Black creators, artists, and innovators across its platforms. From YouTube and Google TV to the Play Store and Chrome, the search giant is making it easier than ever to explore Black culture all month long.

On YouTube, Google is shining a spotlight on rising Black stars and legendary voices in music, TV, and social media. YouTube Music is serving up playlists dedicated to regional dance genres like Chicago House and NOLA Bounce, while artwork from Stonie Blue will bring even more energy to the platform throughout February.

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StarTech.com has introduced a high-capacity charging solution designed for professional environments. The 240W Multi-Device USB-C Charger is built for IT professionals, offering multiple charging ports, security features, and flexible mounting options. With four USB-C ports supporting up to 140W per port and a total output of 240W, it is intended for workstations, meeting rooms, and shared spaces.

According to StarTech.com, the charger can power MacBook Pro models with M3 or M4 chips, as well as tablets and smartphones. The company states that in-house testing shows a MacBook Pro 16 with an M3 Max or M4 Pro/Max can reach 50 percent charge in 30 minutes. The device uses gallium nitride (GaN) technology, which StarTech.com says helps it run cooler and maintain power output over extended use.

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Newegg’s launch of NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs was nothing short of a frenzy, with stock selling out in minutes as gamers rushed to secure the latest tech. The retailer has promised restocks as more inventory becomes available, encouraging customers to stay tuned to its social media for updates.

The demand was off the charts. Newegg reported that 18 of its top 25 most-viewed product pages belonged to the RTX 50 Series, proving just how eager buyers were. Searches for “RTX 5080” and “RTX 5090” skyrocketed, making up 9 of the top 10 search terms on the site. Compared to the previous week, searches for these GPUs spiked 25 times. The rush also caused a massive traffic surge, with site visits increasing by as much as 10 times during the launch window.

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Major League Soccer is back on Apple TV, and if you’re one of the people who actually follows the league, you can once again stream every match with no blackouts through MLS Season Pass. Starting today, fans in over 100 countries can subscribe, unlocking access to all regular-season games, the MLS All-Star Game, and even the playoffs. Exciting, right?

The 2025 season kicks off on February 22, marking year three of Apple’s 10-year deal with MLS. This season also introduces the league’s latest expansion team, San Diego FC, because apparently, North America just can’t get enough soccer teams. Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior VP of Services, hyped up the service, saying, “MLS Season Pass delivers fans exactly what they want.” That may be true for soccer diehards, but let’s be honest -- MLS is nowhere near the NFL, NBA, or even MLB in terms of mainstream appeal.

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The Joy Factory has introduced the aXtion Extreme MP, a rugged case designed specifically for the Surface Pro 10. What makes it stand out? It’s the first case for Microsoft’s tablet to receive certification from a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) for hazardous locations. That means it’s built to handle extreme conditions while keeping the device safe.

This case isn’t just about toughness -- it’s designed for frontline workers in industries like oil and gas, utilities, and manufacturing. With Class I and II hazardous location certifications, it meets North American safety standards for environments with flammable gases and combustible dust. On top of that, it’s been tested to meet MIL-STD-810H durability standards and boasts an IP68 waterproof rating.

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Big changes are coming to PlayStation, and Sony just made it official. Hideaki Nishino will take over as President and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) starting April 1, 2025. This move isn’t exactly out of left field -- Sony hinted at a shift back in May 2024 when it split SIE into two business groups. Nishino got put in charge of the Platform Business Group, while Hermen Hulst took over the Studio Business Group. Now, Nishino is getting the top job, with Hulst still running first-party game development and reporting to him.

Meanwhile, Hiroki Totoki is stepping down as Chairman of SIE, but don’t worry -- he’s not going anywhere. He’s still the President, COO, and CFO of Sony Group Corporation. Lin Tao, currently an SVP handling finance, strategy, and development at SIE, is also moving up. She’s taking over as CFO of Sony Group Corporation, though Sony hasn’t said who will replace her at SIE just yet.

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System76’s Meerkat mini PC has long been a go-to for Linux enthusiasts, and its latest upgrade with Intel Core Ultra processors makes it even more exciting. While I haven’t had the chance to get my hands on one yet, the specs and features suggest this upgraded compact PC is well-suited for a wide range of tasks, including running Linux, serving as a Plex server, or even handling Windows 11.

The Meerkat now supports up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor, which offers 16 cores -- a jump from the 12 cores in its predecessor. System76 also upgraded the RAM, now 62 percent faster, promising better performance for multitasking and resource-intensive applications like 3D printing or virtualization. Designed primarily for Linux, it comes preloaded with either Pop!_OS or Ubuntu, but it also has the capability to run Windows 11 for those who need it.

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Owlet has launched a new subscription service called Owlet360, designed to help parents get a clearer picture of their baby’s health and development. While the core safety features, such as live vitals monitoring and real-time alerts, remain free, Owlet360 goes beyond by offering tools to track trends, compare data, and provide deeper context about a baby’s well-being.

Let’s face it, parenting today is a lot different than it was back in the day. Boomers? They’d toss the baby in a crib, shut the door, and hope for the best. It was survival of the fittest back then. But today’s parents? They’ve got technology on their side. And Owlet360 is here to make parenting a little less stressful and a lot more informed.

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