Brian Fagioli

There is no place for bullying in the world. Schools around the country are teaching this important lesson. When one person is mean to another, that is very bad. When two people join forces to bully someone, it can be even worse -- it is hard to stand up for yourself when you are outnumbered.

When Microsoft ran mean-spirited advertisements against Apple's MacBook, my colleague Mark Wilson took umbrage, calling the ads 'childish and imbecilic'. Today, in an all-new ad, Huawei MateBook is joining the Surface Pro in the Apple-bashing. The personified versions of two Windows 10 tablets come across as bullies, belittling Apple's iPad Pro.

Continue reading →

Cloud storage is amazingly convenient. Unfortunately, the best part of the cloud can also be the worst. You see, having your files stored on someone else's severs and accessing them over the internet opens you to focused hacking, and potentially, incompetence by the cloud storage company too. As a way to have the best of both worlds, some folks will set up net-connected local storage so they can manage their own 'cloud'.

Today, Canonical and Western Digital (WDLabs) unveil an Ubuntu Core Linux-based cloud storage and 'Internet of Things' device called 'Nextcloud Box'. The box leverages the open source Nextcloud service and can be powered by a Raspberry Pi 2, Raspberry Pi 3, or oDroid C2. Will it be easier to use and manage than closed source solutions?

Continue reading →

Logitech is a huge player in the PC gaming accessory market with its popular 'G' line of products. Not only does the company make quality keyboards and mice, but really great headsets too.

Today, the company announces a surprising acquisition. Logitech has officially bought Saitek -- maker of simulation controllers -- for $13 million. While the move was unexpected, it actually makes a lot of sense. Logitech gains entry into a niche gaming segment that depends heavily on high-priced controllers.

Continue reading →

As someone who often works on the go, I find myself in various coffee shops -- such as Starbucks -- during the week. While I obviously want to use the free Wi-Fi, their caffeinated beverages keep me fueled-up too. Coffee is one of the best productivity boosters, folks.

Inside Starbucks, I am surrounded by other people doing the same. They are using expensive Windows laptops and MacBooks, drinking pricey coffee drinks, and yet there is one area they seem to skimp -- the carry bag. They use ugly bags that seemingly offer little protection. This is crazy to me, as a good bag can not only prevent damage to your devices, but improve the overall appearance too -- it is also fashion. Today, Booq announces its latest such bag, called simply 'Pack Pro'.  It looks to be an excellent choice for professionals that value high-quality laptop backpacks.

Continue reading →

Between the rather contentious USA presidential election, natural disasters, terrorism, gun crimes, and other terrible things reported in the news, it is a wonder that people get out of bed in the morning. With that said, positive news just doesn't get as much coverage, making the negativity seem overly prominent. There is plenty of good in the world, folks. Be happy.

Today, Google launches its 2016 'Doodle 4 Google' contest with a focus on fun and good. If you aren't familiar, it invites children across the USA (grades K-12) to use art skills to 'doodle' the Google logo, focusing on a certain theme. It is fun, educational, and quite frankly, makes me smile. It is a refreshingly light annual reminder that enjoyment is alive and well. This year, the theme is "What I see for the future".

Continue reading →

When people think of Twitter, their minds might conjure images of short-form messages filled with emoji. While it is much more than that, it is how some people view the social network. Lately, however, the company is looking to expand into other markets, such as streaming media. As a publicly-traded company, Twitter could be looking to rejuvenate a relatively stagnant stock.

Today, Twitter announces that its streaming video is no longer limited to your phones and tablets. Yes, folks, it is finally time for Twitter's video in your living room, as the company releases a free app for three popular TV-connected media devices -- Microsoft Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV. While the experience on all three will be similar, it looks like Apple's device will be slightly better thanks to an exclusive side-by-side split-screen feature.

Continue reading →

One of the biggest pain points for dual-booting computer users is Bluetooth devices. This is because every time you switch operating systems, you must do the pairing all over again. For a keyboard in particular, this is a big hassle. Logitech solved this dilemma in 2014 with the wonderful K480, and today, it unveils an update to the that model.

The all-new K780 Multi­Device Wireless Keyboard is designed for Windows, Mac, Chrome OS, Android, and iOS -- it will work on traditional Linux distros too. It is thinner than its predecessor (thankfully), while adding a number pad. I have been testing this new product, and in my limited use, the Logitech K780 has left me quite impressed.

Continue reading →

Today has been a great day for Apple device owners. The company released iOS 10 for compatible iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices. In addition, tvOS 10 was released for Apple TV, while watchOS 3 was made available for Apple Watch. All of these operating system upgrades are impressive, making the Apple devices even better.

Not everything released by Apple today is operating system related, however, as the previously announced Swift Playgrounds app is released too. This iPad-only app is designed to help young learners to code. With that said, there is no reason why coding beginners of all ages can't get it on the action. After all, the educational app is totally free -- what do you have to lose?

Continue reading →

Streaming media is more than just TV, movies, and sports. If you are more interested in real events -- as opposed to just mindless fiction -- there are plenty of news, lifestyle, and public interest options too. Heck, even Hollywood gossip can be a nice escape from the stresses of daily life.

Today, Roku gains access to the PEN channel. Not familiar with it? Neither was I, but it is actually very cool. It is a joint partnership between two major media publications -- People and Entertainment Weekly. This looks to be a match made in heaven, as they both offer entertainment news and fairly light public interest stories. It should prove brilliant for relaxing and temporarily getting your mind off your daily responsibilities.

Continue reading →

Solid State Drives are not the exciting products they once were. Having an SSD is so commonplace nowadays, that there are far fewer opportunities to 'wow' someone with an upgrade from a mechanical hard drive. SATA variants in particular are underwhelming in performance compared to faster NVMe models.

With all of that said, there is a place for SATA SSDs on the market, as not all computers offer compatibility with NVMe drives. If you are still clutching to an old HDD, or maybe needing to replace an existing SATA SSD, Toshiba has a new drive that may interest you. What the OCZ VX500 SATA SSD lacks in speed (550/515 MB read/write is expected for SATA), it makes up in potential longevity with MLC as opposed to TLC.

Continue reading →

As someone on the go, I have always craved the ability to listen to audio books in my car. Whenever I research getting them, however, the high prices always scare me away. Look, I understand a lot of time and effort goes into creating versions of books that are read aloud, but with current pricing, it is simply not reasonable for an average person to truly take advantage.

Today, this changes as Amazon delivers audio-focused benefits to members of its Prime service. Users can now access 50 audio books for free, meaning consuming them is an affordable reality. In addition, Prime members are getting free access to the company's 'Audible Channels'.

Continue reading →

Apple's iPhone 7 and 7 Plus smartphones hit stores this Friday, and many people -- including yours truly -- want one. Unfortunately, the phones are not free, meaning those without sufficient funds cannot get in on the party. Not to mention, if your current phone is working fine, it would be wasteful to buy another -- having two smartphones makes no sense, right?

What some folks do in this situation, is sell their current iPhone or Android smartphone, and then put the proceeds of the sale towards the purchase of the newest iPhone. Unfortunately, selling a phone can be stressful and sometimes dangerous. If you meet someone from Craigslist, for instance, they could end up hurting or stealing from you. If you opt for an online 'for cash' service, they could prove to be unreliable or maybe even a scam. Today, eBay launches a service called 'Quick Sale', designed to take the pain out of getting cash for your current phone.

Continue reading →

While the iTunes software on both macOS and Windows 10 is currently in need of some tender loving care, there is no denying that the overall platform changed the world. In a time when music piracy was rampant, Apple legitimized downloadable music, arguably saving that industry. It later introduced movie downloads too, making iTunes a brilliant media market.

Today, iTunes Movies celebrates 10 years of existence. To mark the occasion, Apple is selling some $10 movie bundles (technically, $9.99) that are seemingly a great value. In a world where everything is streaming and rentals, the iPhone-maker is giving you an opportunity to purchase and own a collection of films for a very low price. In other words, these are not rentals, folks!

Continue reading →

The exploding Galaxy Note7 is no overblown situation. These phones are really exploding and catching fire. Property is being damaged, and even worse, people are getting hurt. There have been reports of a hotel bed being burned, and a Jeep being engulfed in flames. Yes, Samsung is to blame for the faulty product, but at what point is the consumer at fault for knowingly using a dangerous recalled product?

Today, we learn that a six year old boy was burned in Brooklyn on Saturday while playing with a Samsung Galaxy Note7. He was holding it in his hands when it exploded. While I won't blame the child's family entirely, I do wonder why they let him use a dangerous product. That is worth a discussion. It is almost impossible to be unaware of the recall, as it has been covered ad nauseam in the news -- print, online, TV, and radio.

Continue reading →

Self-driving cars are undoubtedly the future. With that said, the future is definitely not now. The automotive industry has a lot of work to do before autopilot technologies become the norm. Quite frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if that is decades away. The technology as it stands won't work well in conditions like snow, while city infrastructure and insurance industries will have to be radically refreshed.

Some companies, such as Tesla, are banking on driver-assisted autopilot (not entirely autonomous), where the driver must be awake, alert, and ready to take the wheel if something goes wrong. Unfortunately, people have died from malfunctions or deficiencies in that company's technology. Today, Tesla announces a major change to its Autopilot in upcoming version 8.0. By increasing the utilization of radar, the company hopes to decrease fatalities when the Autopilot technology is in use.

Continue reading →