Brian Fagioli

The iPhone 7 looks to be the best Apple smartphone ever, and later this week (September 16), it will officially go on sale in USA retail stores. If you didn't already pre-order it from Apple directly, don't panic -- you will get your chance to buy it eventually, albeit maybe not on launch day. While getting it on "day one" is possible, it will probably require waiting on a very long line -- maybe even camping out the night before.

If you plan on getting the new iPhone 7 or 7 Plus, you will likely want to buy some new apps for it. Those entirely new to iOS -- maybe switching from Android or the terrible Windows 10 Mobile -- will be pleasantly surprised by an App Store full of high-quality apps. You will actually want to spend money on them! To help you get started, we here at BetaNews are giving away one $15 iTunes gift card. It can be used for apps and games, plus music and movies too. To enter, just complete the form below.

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There are too many Linux distributions nowadays. While many people feel that there is no such thing as too much choice, I respectfully disagree. Quite frankly, the Linux developer community is spread too thin, leading to wasted resources and slow movement on projects. For end users, it can be hard to find the best operating system for them, as there are far too many from which to pick.

With all of that said, there is plenty of room for some distributions -- when they make a substantial impact, that is. Elementary OS (stylized as elementary OS) isn't the most popular Linux distro, and it certainly isn't the best. However, this Ubuntu-based operating system is focusing on something that some competitors do not -- user interface, which ultimately contributes to the overall user experience. It is because of this that Elementary is so important to the Linux community -- it matters. Today, Elementary 0.4 (code-named 'Loki'), achieves stable status.

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Regardless of your feelings about the iPhone, you cannot deny that this week belongs to Apple. The company is certainly dominating much of the world's attention. With that said, there is certainly more going on in the technology world than a new version of a popular smartphone. Some desktop Linux users for instance, would probably be more excited about a new version of a distribution, and today, a significant OS sees release.

What is the desktop OS of which I speak? Linux Mint 18 'Sarah'. True, that distribution is not really new, but this variation is -- KDE. Yes, a new version of Mint -- featuring the Plasma desktop environment and associated apps -- is available today. Could the open source operating system be a good alternative to Windows 10?

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Yesterday, Apple announced that it was removing the 3.5mm audio jack from its upcoming iPhone 7 and 7 Plus smartphones; some people are still comically reeling from the news. Understandably, not everyone can see the benefits of Apple's forward thinking subtraction now, but the world will catch up eventually -- as usual.

While killing the outdated decades-old audio port was the correct choice, understandably, not everyone is ready to invest in Apple's AirPods. Some folks will prefer wired headphones. Luckily, Apple is bundling both a 3.5mm dongle and Lightning audio wired earbuds with the iPhone 7 (and Plus). While that partly solves the dilemma, some folks will hit a roadblock -- they cannot listen to wired headphones while charging their iPhone devices. Today, Belkin creates a solution for that problem with the all new 'Lightning Audio + Charge RockStar' adapter.

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Uber is considered the king of ride-sharing in the USA by many. Why is this? There are many likely factors, but ultimately, its brand got an early boost. There is definite name recognition, and the company's marketing keeps the brand on consumers' minds. In other words, "Uber" is to ride-sharing, as "Band-Aid" is to bandages. Many people do not consider alternatives.

But what if consumers did not need to be aware of the alternatives? What if they were instead shown multiple brand options -- including pricing -- next to Uber? This would not be good for Uber. There would be very visible alternatives -- with potentially lower prices -- which could take business from the aforementioned leader. Today, Google Maps is slowly enabling this very thing by expanding on its initial ride-share options, adding some significant choices when searching for a ride -- Lyft nationwide, and Gett in NYC. While Uber should be worried, consumers should be absolutely thrilled.

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People with diabetes have to check their blood sugar often. Not only do they have to worry about high glucose levels, but low levels too. Having blood glucose outside of normal levels can cause long term health risks, but in the short term, it can cause symptoms like dizziness and confusion too.

Unfortunately, many glucose meters are fairly low-tech -- a far cry from modern devices. Luckily, there are newer meters that can connect to smartphones for improved blood sugar tracking. Dario Health offers an iPhone compatible model that leverages the headphone jack. The problem? Apple killed that port today. If you are upgrading to the iPhone 7, do not panic. Today, Dario Health announces a new meter that utilizes the Lightning connector.

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Can you believe it is almost four years since the PlayStation 4 was initially announced? Since then, the video game console landscape has been wild. Nintendo totally dropped the ball with the Wii U, while Microsoft has been giving Sony consistent competition with its Xbox One. Actually, the Windows-maker recently released a more svelte version if its console, making the PlayStation 4 look a bit dated.

Today, Sony sort of follows Microsoft's lead by announcing a slimmer version of its existing PS4. The company refers to this refresh as the 'standard' version of its console. This is important to note, you see, as Sony also announces the PlayStation 4 Pro -- a more powerful version of the console. Even with the added CPU and GPU horsepower, that naming convention seems a bit silly -- how the heck is a video game console professional?

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When Apple does something, markets react. The company is not the first to remove a 3.5mm headphone jack from a smartphone, for instance, but it will be the only one to cause the headphone industry to pivot. The decades-old audio port was just begging to die, and today, with the iPhone 7, the jack's death-clock officially starts counting down.

Further burying the 3.5mm jack and wired headphones overall, Apple today introduces its new AirPods to the world. These are no mere wireless headphones, but a total reinvention. Chocked full of ground-breaking technology, they are poised to be wildly popular with iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac users.

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Cash is dumb. No, I do not necessarily mean stupid; I mean it is not "smart" from a technology standpoint. Understandably, some folks like the idea of paper money as it allows their honest transactions to occur below the radar, and for a privacy standpoint, I understand that. However, cash also assists people that commit crimes, such as drug dealers -- and that is not cool. Once all monetary transactions are digital, and cash no longer exists, law enforcement will have an easier time tracking illegal transactions, while honest folks can more easily track and budget their finances.

Digital payment systems, such as Samsung Pay and Apple Pay are paving the way for a cashless society. Google's Android pay is also part of the push, and today, it is getting even better. Not only is it adding many new banks to the program, such as Chase, but it is also adding support for mobile Google Chrome and Uber's Payment Rewards program.

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Tomorrow is the big day -- Apple's September product event. While there is probably more than one product being unveiled -- maybe even new MacBooks -- the most anticipated device is the iPhone 7.

Are Apple fanatics the ones most excited for the new iPhone? Not necessarily. Actually, according to a new study by Market Strategies (called "iPhone 7 Market Landscaper") almost half of Samsung Galaxy Note owners expressed interest in potentially switching to Apple's iPhone 7.

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While many people hate advertisements, I actually like them. Why? Well, not only do they alert me to new products on the market, they subsidize a lot of content too. From television, to radio, to the web... ads make the world go around.

Amazon even leverages advertisements with its 'Prime Exclusive Phones' program. This allows consumers to get a discounted Android phone in exchange for seeing ads on the lock screen. It is a great way for shoppers to save money, while Amazon makes money from the ads -- win/win. Today, a new phone joins the program for a mere $99 -- the Moto G Play. It even works on all four of the major USA carriers, including Verizon!

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Computer vision -- meaning quite literally, machines seeing things -- is poised to explode over the next several years. This technology is very important to things such as security cameras, artificial intelligence and robotics. On an immediate consumer level, Intel's RealSense technology is already being used for Windows Hello -- a secure camera-based method of logging into Microsoft's operating system with biometrics.

Intel is looking to further bolster its RealSense technology, plus other such initiatives, with the acquisition of Movidius. This soon-to-be-acquired company's main focus is computer vision and artificial intelligence, making it a seemingly smart fit for achieving Intel's goals.

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AMD makes very cost-effective and powerful processors. Even though some of its chips are a bit long in the tooth, gamers in particular can leverage them for a powerful machine without breaking the bank. Unfortunately, its AM3+ platform is lacking in some modern technology, such as DDR4 and PCIe 3.0. While DDR3 RAM is arguably still good enough, PCIe 2.0 is a bottleneck for modern NVMe SSDs.

Luckily, consumers won't have to wait long to get a desktop PC powered by AMD's latest 7th generation APU -- codenamed 'Bristol Ridge'. Windows 10 OEMs (Lenovo and HP only, for now) are finally shipping these AM4 machines, which feature DDR4 memory, PCIe 3.0, and more. Of course, as APUs, the systems will have solid graphic performance without the need for a dedicated graphics card. This paves the way for the even more-powerful Zen CPUs from AMD.

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OurMine is a hacking collective that gets its jollies by causing havoc in the name of security. For instance, the group often takes over Twitter accounts, causing distress to the handle owner. Heck, just last month it hacked TechCrunch. Ultimately, OurMine never seems to cause real damage -- its antics are an inconvenience more than anything.

Today, OurMine hacks Variety.com and takes its mischief to a new level. You see, the hackers not only infiltrated the company's newsletter database, but OurMine sent spam to the contained subscriber email addresses too. Apparently it was not just one spam email, but many.

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PC gamers have two routes to take nowadays when wanting a new gaming rig. They can build a PC or buy one. While building a machine definitely is deserving of geek credibility, not everyone has the time or know-how to do it. Quite frankly, buying a pre-built system can often provide a more convenient warranty -- giving the consumer a central point of contact if something goes wrong.

One of the lesser-known system building companies, at least from a household-name perspective, is MAINGEAR. With that said, in-the-know gamers will recognize -- and respect -- the brand. Today, it announces a collaboration with accessory-maker RAZER. The fruit of the partnership is a gaming PC called MAINGEAR R1 RAZER Edition.

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