Brian Fagioli

The world is currently undergoing a cord cutting revolution. Thanks to the internet, many consumers are being empowered to dump their cable provider and switch to a streaming option. This is sort of ironic, as quite often, the internet being used to stream is provided by the TV provider that is being dumped. Ultimately, the cable company becomes nothing more than an ISP. You know what? Maybe that is how it should be.

Cordcutters have many internet-based TV providers from which to choose these days, but one of the most attractive is offered by Google. The search giant’s YouTube TV service is quite intriguing thanks to its paltry $35 monthly fee (often much less than cable TV). Starting today, the service will become even more popular, as it is now available for Roku and Apple TV.

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While Microsoft has long been viewed as an enemy of the Linux community -- and it still is by some -- the company has actually transformed into an open source champion. Not only does Microsoft release software for Linux, such as PowerShell Core 6.0, but it is even serving distros in its software store for Windows. Let's not forget that Microsoft even offers Linux virtual machines in Azure.

One of Microsoft's biggest Linux contributions, however, is Skype -- the wildly popular communication software. By offering that program to desktop Linux users, Microsoft enables them to easily communicate with friends and family that aren't on Linux, thanks to its cross-platform support. Today, Microsoft further embraces Linux by releasing Skype as a Snap. This comes after two other very popular apps became available in Snap form -- Spotify and Slack. Wait a minute -- Slack, Spotify, and now Skype? It's a mighty strange coincidence that popular apps that start with "S" are being made available as Snaps -- yet another "S" word!

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As a younger man, I was obsessed with audio equipment. I invested in expensive stereo receivers, multiple large speakers, and countless components -- turntable, cassette, CD, mini-disc, and more. Of course, I also connected my television and computer. Over time, however, with the explosion of downloadable and streamable media, all of that went away. Now, my living room just has a soundbar and subwoofer hooked to my TV -- Apple TV handles video and music. It is simple, and I like that.

So yeah, soundbars are great for living rooms, but what if there was one that was designed for computer desks? Weird concept, right? Yes, but as I have learned from the Sound BlasterX Katana, it totally makes sense. This speaker system from Creative is designed to sit under a computer monitor and provide exceptional sound quality. It is not just a soundbar, though -- it comes with a subwoofer, remote control, and has an integrated USB DAC.

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If you don't have a mechanical keyboard, I straight up feel sorry for you. I mean, look, if you like your current non-mechanical keyboard, then more power to you, but there's a good chance you simply don't know what you are missing. If you are a millennial in particular, you probably missed out on the good ol' days of computing when keyboards weighed a ton and were built like tanks -- the throw-in keyboards that desktop manufacturers include nowadays are largely garbage. Mechanical keyboards are just so much more rewarding and satisfying to use.

Today, CORSAIR launches its all-new K68 RGB mechanical gaming keyboard, and it has a lot going for it. First of all, it is IP32 water resistant, so if you spill your drink (or sweat profusely on it), it is less likely to break. Since it is a gaming product, it is chock-full of RGB lighting, because all gaming gear must glow -- it's the law. Best of all, it uses authentic Cherry MX switches (either red or blue) -- not some sort of knock-off.

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Chromebooks run Chrome OS, which is a very secure Linux distribution. While that operating system is very easy to use, it can sometimes be limited by a lack of software. You see, for the most part, these Chromebooks are designed to only run web apps. Thanks to emerging Android support, however, this is slowly changing. Still, a traditional desktop Linux distro can be much more useful.

One of the most popular Linux-based desktop operating systems is Ubuntu, and today, its maker, Canonical, launches an official guide on how to get its OS running on a Chromebook. Since this tutorial is directly from the Ubuntu-maker, you can have extra confidence that it should work well.

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Solid state drives are all the rage nowadays, and it is not hard to see why. Not only are they much faster than traditional mechanical hard drives, but they consume much less electricity too. While power consumption might not be a big deal for home users, it can really add up in the enterprise where many drives are in use. In other words, a reduction in energy use can really benefit data centers and other business uses.

Today, Samsung unveils a new high-performance SSD aimed at the enterprise. The "SZ985 Z-SSD," as it is called, uses special Z-NAND memory. The drive is designed for The Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, supercomputing, and more. With that said, there is no reason enthusiasts can’t use it on their PCs.

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After a long wait, the much-anticipated Linux kernel 4.15 is finally here. While these kernel releases are always important, this one is particularly noteworthy. Why? Because it largely focuses on Spectre and Meltdown mitigation. With that said, it is not only about those vulnerabilities, of course.

Linus Torvalds, the inventor of Linux, has been quite critical of Intel’s patches of the aforementioned vulnerabilities, and Microsoft seemingly agrees -- the Windows-maker has disabled one of Intel’s shoddy "fixes" with an emergency update. With kernel 4.15, Torvalds is quick to say that the work on Spectre and Meltdown is far from finished.

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The computer industry is in utter chaos right now. Despite a slight increase in PC sales for Q4 2018, the market is still extremely unhealthy. Not to mention, pretty much all existing hardware is fundamentally flawed thanks to both Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities. At least major companies such as Intel, AMD, and Microsoft are working together to mitigate these risks, right? Wrong. These patches have proven to be problematic -- for instance, some AMD computers were rendered unbootable. Ugh, what a failure.

To make matters even worse, Intel's Spectre variant 2 mitigation is causing instability (random reboots) on some Windows computers. Microsoft has apparently had enough of Intel's shoddy patches, and as a result, it has issued an emergency update to disable the Spectre variant 2 mitigation on Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10.

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Malwarebytes is great software, designed to protect Windows, Mac, and Android devices. As someone who fixes computers for both friends and family, I often rely on the free version to detect malware on Windows machines -- it is a great tool to keep in your virtual "toolbox."

Unfortunately, this software which normally helps computers to run well, has started making them run poorly. You see, a recent update is causing high CPU and RAM usage, making the computer slow to a crawl. Luckily, a fix is already available. Keep in mind, the bug is caused by the web protection feature, which is only for "Premium" subscribers. Users of the free Malwarebytes software should be unaffected. Here's how to return your PC or business workstation to its full speed potential.

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There are many Linux-based operating systems out there, but not many I would call great. My absolute favorite is Fedora, as I am a GNOME fan that likes using a distro that focuses on truly free and open source software. Not to mention, it quickly gets many updated packages while also retaining stability. So yeah, Fedora is great.

Another great Linux distro? Netrunner Rolling. This Manjaro-based operating system uses KDE Plasma for its desktop environment. As the name implies, it follows a rolling release, meaning it is constantly being updated to fresh packages -- no major upgrades needed. It has a lot of polish and many quality pre-installed programs which indicates the developers truly care about the overall user experience. Quite frankly, it reminds me of Windows 7 -- in a good way -- which also makes it a wise choice for those unhappy with the much-maligned Windows 10. Today, Netrunner Rolling gets its first ISO refresh of 2018.

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While Dell is one of the largest Windows computer manufacturers, it is also a big proponent of Linux. For instance, the company sells machines running Ubuntu -- its relationship with Microsoft be damned.

Ubuntu is not the only Linux-based operating system that can be found on a Dell laptop. Actually, the company also sells Chromebooks, which run Chrome OS. Yes, Google’s web-focused desktop OS is a Linux distro. Today, Dell unveils its latest such Chromebook, the 5190. It is rugged, has USB-C, stylus support, and offers an impressive 13 hours of battery life.

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When many consumers buy a Galaxy phone, they aren't choosing Android, they are selecting Samsung. I know what you are thinking -- isn't that essentially the same thing? Actually, no. You see, for many, the operating system is largely inconsequential. When buying a new Android phone, they don't want HTC, LG, or even Google's own Pixel. Instead, these folks must have a Galaxy -- nothing else will do.

Samsung's brand loyalty is quite remarkable, and it is possibly only surpassed by Apple. I mean, heck, even after Samsung sold phones that literally exploded and caught fire, consumers have continued to purchase the company's products. It's not hard to see why -- its phones, tablets, televisions, washing machines, and more are an absolute delight. Its Galaxy phones in particular are well-designed and take class-leading photos. Today, Samsung is sure to make many excited, as it has started to send out press invitations to witness the unveiling of the Galaxy S9 at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

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If you haven’t yet upgraded your operating system drive from a mechanical hard disk to a solid state drive, you are really missing out. Prices have dropped dramatically over the years, while at the same time, reliability has improved. Swapping an HDD for an SSD can be very easy too, thanks to cloning software that often comes with the drive.

Before you buy some random SSD, please know that they are not all the same. True, SATA models largely have equal speeds these days, but the brand really matters from a reliability standpoint. If you want a dependable solid state drive for your data, you should take a look at Samsung. Its offerings are top notch, and today the  company launches its newest SATA models -- the 860 PRO and EVO.

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When it comes to Chromebooks, Acer is one of the premier manufacturers. From the early days of Google's desktop OS, Acer has produced quality computers running the Linux-based Chrome OS. Best of all, Acer's Chromebooks and Chromeboxes are often quite affordable. This makes sense, since the company is largely a value-focused manufacturer. Quite frankly, Acer and Chrome OS are a match made in heaven.

Hot on the heels of announcing its all-new Chromebook 11, the company today unveils three new Chrome OS computers -- Chromebook 11 C732, Chromebook Spin 11, and Chromebox CXI3. While the Chromebooks will likely get much of the attention, I am quite smitten with the Chromebox. This diminutive desktop is absolutely gorgeous, and it is chock-full of useful ports. The Chromebook 11 C732 is also quite intriguing, thanks to its optional LTE connectivity!

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Coffee... is life. For me, and countless other people, the drink is responsible for daily motivation. Without a cup or two (or five) of the caffeinated beverage, I’d probably be asleep at my desk all the time.

If you live alone or simply don’t want to deal with brewing entire pots of coffee, single-serve pods have proven to be a godsend (not so great for the environment, though). You can quickly make a cup without stress. A new coffee system is looking to make coffee pods even easier. The "illy Y5 DRS Espresso and Coffee System," as it is called, can connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth for more intuitive controls. Even cooler, it can leverage Amazon Dash technology for automatic coffee pod reordering. How clever!

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