Brian Fagioli

The Raspberry Pi computers are extremely popular. It isn't hard to see why people like them -- they are small, inexpensive, and very useful for various projects. While they are arguably under-powered for use as, say, a full-time workstation, the diminutive machines aren't really meant for that.

If you do want to use it as a workstation, however, I have good news. Fedora 25 Beta Workstation is now available for both the Raspberry Pi 2 and Raspberry Pi 3. In addition to the Workstation image, Fedora 25 Beta Server is available too. Owners of ARMv6-powered Pi models, such as the Pi Zero, are out of luck, as the operating system will not be made available for them.

Continue reading →

When buying a wireless router for your home, there are many models to choose from. If you have basic needs in a small home, such as surfing the web or watching Netflix at 1080p, you can easily get by with an inexpensive router for, say, under $100. For those with more advanced needs, like streaming 4K and sharing large files between computers on the network, or those in large homes requiring greater range, prices for more capable routers can skyrocket.

While you don't always have to spend obscene amounts of money on technology, a wireless router is definitely not the place to try and save a buck -- you should always aim for quality products from reputable brands. Today, once such trusted company, NETGEAR, announces the Nighthawk X10 AD7200 smart WiFi router. On paper, it looks like one of the greatest home routers ever. Of course, with such cutting-edge technology like 802.11ad, it carries a very hefty price tag.

Continue reading →

This Friday, the video game 'Battlefield 1' hits stores. Many gamers have anticipated this game, as both the graphics and gameplay look amazing. As with previous Battlefield titles, the multiplayer and campaigns should be very rewarding. When completing the latter, gamers should expect solid storytelling.

If you are interested in playing Battlefield 1, the Electronic Arts-published title will be made available for Windows PC. If you prefer gaming on consoles, it will also be available for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. If you don't own either console, don't panic -- Larry Hryb (aka Major Nelson) of Microsoft is giving away an Xbox One S. The grand prize is no ordinary version of the console, however, but the limited-edition Battlefield 1 Special Edition Bundle. There will be additional runner-up prizes given away too.

Continue reading →

When it comes to shopping for PC gaming hardware, there are often three types of consumers -- hardcore, budget, and those that fall in between. Hardcore gamers will spend massive amounts of money to get the absolute best performance. Budget gamers, however, aim for respectable specifications at affordable prices.

If you fall into the budget category, today, NVIDIA announces two new graphics cards that will make you very excited -- GeForce GTX 1050 and 1050 Ti. While neither card is top of the line, they should be able to achieve solid performance at 1080p. Best of all? The 1050 starts at a super-low $109.

Continue reading →

Google is one of the biggest champions of open source, releasing very useful projects such as Cartographer and Noto. Heck, the company is so proud of its open source efforts, that it graded itself with a public report card.

Today, the search giant releases yet another open source tool. Called "Nomulus", it is designed to be a top-level domain (TLD) registry platform. This is not a young or incomplete project, however, as Google began developing it way back in 2011. Now that Nomulus is in the wild and free to use, it will be interesting to see how it is leveraged.

Continue reading →

When Apple released its cylindrical Mac Pro, I was in awe. Not only was it beautiful, but it wasn't form over function. Actually, a cylinder is a wise design choice, as it can aid in cooling when done correctly. Surprisingly, Windows PC manufacturers took a while to start really embracing the design.

Recently, for instance, HP announced the Wave -- a tube-like PC with integrated 360 degree Bang and Olufsen speaker. Now, Samsung is following HP with the ArtPC Pulse. It too features a 360 degree speaker in its design, but by the arguably superior Harman/Kardon. Where Samsung's offering greatly differs, however, is gaming. It has a respectable AMD RX460 GPU. As you can imagine, the drop-dead gorgeous ArtPC Pulse will not come cheap.

Continue reading →

Linux distributions and silly names go together like peanut butter and jelly. For whatever reason, the maintainers of these operating systems seem to enjoy having fun with what they call them -- some argue it is childish. Even Google -- a billion dollar company -- uses sugary dessert names for the Linux-based Android operating system.

One of the most well-known Linux distributions to use funny names is Ubuntu. It famously uses the convention of an adjective and a lesser-known animal, each starting with the same letter. The letter is chosen sequentially by alphabet. For example, Ubuntu 16.10 uses the letter "Y" -- "Yakkety Yak". The next version of the operating system will use the letter "Z". While many folks hoped for "Zebra", that would be too obvious. Instead, Canonical has chosen "Zesty Zapus". Don't know what a zapus is? Neither did I. It is apparently a type of jumping mouse. The selection was not made at random, however, as the company has an explanation for the decision.

Continue reading →

Chromebooks are not for everyone, but for many home users, it is absolute perfection. If you live in the web browser -- as many people do nowadays -- laptops running Google's Linux-based Chrome OS are a godsend because they are maintenance free. No need for confusing OS upgrades or anti-virus software. It just works, and it works well. Since they can now run Android apps too, they could become a serious threat to Microsoft and Windows 10.

One of the most attractive aspects of Chromebooks is price -- they are often quite affordable. Today, Acer refreshes its 15.6 inch Chromebook 15 with a mind-boggling 12 hours of battery life. Best of all? It starts at $199. Yes, this model will get Android app support in a future update too.

Continue reading →

Windows 10 is a very rewarding operating system. While Windows 8.x was very polarizing, the newest version of Microsoft's OS is much more appealing. Not to mention, through updates, it is getting better all the time. The user interface is easy to use and learn, while also being wonderful for productivity.

If you are still using an older laptop running Windows XP or Vista (or something else), and have a need for a new computer, I have good news. We here at BetaNews are giving away a beautiful 11.6 inch convertible PC running Windows 10. It has been upgraded with an SSD, and can be both a notebook and a tablet. Entering to win is very easy, and you can learn more below.

Continue reading →

The future of computing is open source. While there is still room for closed source software, more and more companies are going the open route. Major players such as Microsoft, Apple, and Facebook are all contributing to the open source community. Google in particular is a huge proponent of open source. Heck, two of the company's operating systems -- Chrome OS and Android -- are Linux distributions.

Today, the search giant announces the 'Open Source Report Card'. This is essentially a report that explains the details of its open source projects. Google is undoubtedly a major open source contributor, but the question is, what grade should the company get?

Continue reading →

Manufacturers seem obsessed with making laptops, tablets, and smartphones both thinner and lighter. You know what? That is a good thing. As long as the design isn't entirely form over function, who can argue with a more sleek device? As someone who is constantly carrying a laptop in a backpack, having a lightweight machine is wonderful for my back and shoulders.

Speaking of svelte laptops, the Acer Swift 7 is the world's thinnest. Yes, the 13.3 inch Windows 10 notebook is apparently a record-breaker at an insane 0.39 inches height. You might think the 2.48 pound PC would have an Intel Core M processor, but actually, it has a Kaby Lake Core i5.

Continue reading →

Windows 10 is a great desktop operating system. It also works wonderfully on tablets. That is what makes Microsoft's OS so attractive -- versatility. It still doesn't scale very well on smartphones, but I digress.

Whether you are a home user, college student, or professional, a 2-in-1 Windows 10 device can be a really rewarding experience. Not only does it save you money by not needing to buy both a laptop and a tablet, but it is one less thing to carry too. Today, Samsung releases the Galaxy TabPro S Gold Edition 2-in-1 Windows 10 tablet/laptop hybrid. The gold-colored PC features an impressive AMOLED screen and other great specifications. Unlike the Surface devices, the keyboard case is included -- nice! Best of all? It costs less than $1,000.

Continue reading →

The blue 'WRT' routers from Linksys are iconic. These open source-friendly devices have been very popular with in-the-know consumers that enjoy flashing alternative firmware, such as OpenWrt or DD-WRT. This can sometimes provide added features and functionality.

Today, Linksys unveils its latest such offering, the AC3200 WRT Gigabit MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Router (WRT3200ACM). The 802.11AC device features Tri-Stream 160 technology, 512MB DDR3, and a 1.8 GHz Dual Core processor. Despite all of these amazing specifications, it is surprisingly affordable.

Continue reading →

Ubuntu is a wonderful operating system. Depending on your needs, it can be a better choice than Microsoft's Windows 10. More and more people live in the web browser, and Ubuntu can run both Chrome and Firefox. Need a word processor? The ability to edit spreadsheets? The wonderful LibreOffice is included -- no need to spend money on a subscription-based office package. There are countless free packages available too. You can even buy laptops pre-loaded with the OS from companies like Dell and System76.

Today, Ubuntu 16.10 'Yakkety Yak' sees release. It has many significant updates (you can read the release notes here), such as Linux kernel 4.8 and LibreOffice 5.2. The best part about this version of the operating system, however, is that it isn't exciting. Once again, home users will likely be bored by this Ubuntu upgrade, but that is a good thing -- Canonical does not do change for the sake of change.

Continue reading →

While virtual reality can transport a user into a different "world", augmented reality enhances the actual world. In other words, AR arguably has more potential than VR. Quite frankly, actual reality is pretty great already -- do we really need to be transported to a different virtual reality? Our time on the Earth is short -- who has time for make-believe? AR could one day improve our everyday lives.

One of the more intriguing augmented reality solutions comes from Microsoft. Its HoloLens device has sparked the imaginations of many, getting developers -- including NASA -- excited. Unfortunately, the device has not been available to all regions -- it was limited to the USA and Canada. Today this changes, as Microsoft announces that it will be delivering HoloLens to more countries, such as Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, and UK.

Continue reading →