Brian Fagioli

It is amazingly sad that in 2016 consumers still must face a major dilemma -- battery anxiety. Laugh all you want, but the fear of running out of juice is a legit issue. Yes, this is partly due to concerns about trivial things like being disconnected from social media and texting, but more importantly, it can be scary to lose the ability to call 9-1-1 in an emergency. Hopefully battery life in future smartphones will last weeks, not mere hours.

If you are constantly worrying about battery life, a portable USB battery pack is a smart purchase. There are countless models available nowadays -- Amazon is chock full of them. Today, SCOSCHE releases its goBAT 4400. As the name implies, it is 4,400mAh -- not the largest such capacity. While it doesn't stand out much from the crowd, its price tag and integrated flashlight make it fairly interesting.

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One of the most stifling trends in modern times -- from a technology standpoint -- is the death of unlimited mobile data. Now that customers must monitor how much data they use, it can be argued that progress -- especially regarding the cloud -- is negatively impacted. As someone who still clutches to a grandfathered unlimited Verizon plan, I feel for my fellow smartphone users.

Thankfully, Google's Project Fi cellular service largely takes the worry out of data overages. While it is not unlimited, it offers affordable tiers -- you won't have to claim bankruptcy for using too much data. The most brilliant aspect, however, is that it aggregates multiple carriers -- Sprint and T-Mobile -- so that it can switch to the one with better coverage when needed. Today, Google welcomes a third carrier, U.S. Cellular, to the Project Fi family.

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While warm weather is finally here, and many of our days will soon be filled with outdoor activities, the sunshine and fresh air can get a bit tedious. As a computer nerd, I like to balance my trips to the beach with both gaming sessions and PC builds in my dingy basement.

If you are planning to build a new PC this summer -- or upgrade your existing machine -- there are a lot of amazing new components available. As a prime example, today, CORSAIR announces its new Neutron Series XTi line of solid state drives. Since it uses a traditional SATA interface, compatibility is high, but speeds are lower than the newer NVMe offerings. The really cool aspect, however, is the monstrous top capacity of 1,920GB -- damn near 2TB!

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Depending on your hobbies or career, you may have a need for rugged devices. What would be some of these scenarios? Maybe your job is a coal miner, police officer, farmer, or in the military. Maybe on the weekends you need to take a laptop on a snowmobile or ATV. Whatever the case, constantly breaking your computer due to hostile environments can get costly quick.

Today, Getac announces one of the most rugged Skylake-powered Windows 10 laptops on the market. Called the B300, it has a Core i7 processor and is built like a tank. Not only can it take a beating, but its hardcore internal specifications can dish one out too.

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Windows 10 is a great operating system from a usability standpoint. Unfortunately, between the privacy issues and Microsoft's unethical upgrade tactics, more and more folks are turned off to it. Luckily, thanks to Linux, users don't have to tolerate the company's shady behavior.

If you want to switch to Linux, please know that while Ubuntu is a great operating system, it is not the only OS based on that kernel. Quite frankly, there are too many distributions, but I digress. Another fairly easy-to-use Linux-based operating system is Manjaro. For many folks leaving Windows, the default UI should be an inviting sight. Today, version 16.06 code-named "Daniella" becomes available for download. Will you format your Windows drive and join the Linux community?

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The summer is almost here, and I am so excited! Relaxing and having fun at the beach, pool, or my backyard are some of my favorite things. Unfortunately, water and sand are not good for electronics. While I absolutely adore my iPhone, I wouldn't dare bring it to the beach, or rest it on a table near a pool.

If you live a very active summer lifestyle, and cannot deal with owning a phone that you must treat gently (such as Apple's), a rugged such offering would be a wise choice. Today, Samsung announces that the all-new rugged Galaxy S7 Active is coming to AT&T as an exclusive. Best of all, it will be available just in time for the summer season.

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The Olympic games are a time when the countries of the world should put aside their differences to engage in sport. Whether that actually happens, however, is debatable. While the athletes are surely capable of focusing on the competition, it can be hard for long-standing disagreements to be forgotten -- even temporarily -- by their home countries.

If you plan to visit Brazil for the Olympic games, and to focus on sport and having fun, Google has you covered. In anticipation of the 2016 Rio Olympics, the search giant is bringing the 'Explore' feature to Brazil Maps.

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When I think of horseback riding, my mind drifts to simpler times. It also conjures thoughts of cowboys, farming, and the Amish. Since the invention of motorized vehicles, equestrian travel just seems a bit old fashioned.

With all of that said, there is an apparent need to bring technology to horseback riding. How, you ask? With the Hoofbeatz Audio 'i Rock N Ride' Bluetooth speaker, currently on Kickstarter. You can now listen to music and answer telephone calls from the convenience of your saddle!

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As a system builder, I am constantly trawling the web for good deals on components. I am a fairly cost-conscious person; spending  $1700 on any processor is not something I would ever do -- value is what I target. Actually, this weekend I will be doing a budget build with an AMD Athlon X4 845 which sells for less than $70, but I digress.

Patriot is a company that makes excellent memory-based products, like RAM, flash drives, and SSDs to name a few. While its offerings are usually priced competitively, its newest product takes affordability to a new level. The all-new Spark SSD will be available in a 512GB capacity for a super-low $105!

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The "wearable" product segment is a bit curious. Quite often, it feels like smartwatches, bands, and more are merely solutions in search of a problem. For many consumers, they can end up being nothing more than money spent to get notifications on their wrists.

The one clear usage for wearables, however, is fitness. Whether you are an active exercise aficionado, or someone just wanting to shed some pounds, a fitness tracker or other activity-based wearable can be a godsend. Today, Samsung announces two such products -- the Gear Fit2 wrist wearable and the Gear IconX wireless earbuds..

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If you are into technology and computers, but unsure about a career path, open source and Linux are both wise focuses. While the job market cannot be predicted with absolute certainty, it is undeniable that both of those things are increasingly important. The Linux-based Android is the most popular mobile operating system, while major companies like Microsoft, Google, and Apple embrace open source.

The problem with education nowadays is the high cost. Many people can't afford to pay for classes out of pocket, and if they take out student loans, they can end up in debt for many years. Luckily, scholarships can help alleviate the stress of education costs. Today, The Linux Foundation announces the 2016 LiFT Scholarship Program, offering a free course and certification exam for chosen applicants. If you want to experience formal learning of Linux, you should definitely apply.

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As an iPhone owner, I enjoy driving along in my car and listening to Apple Music. If my smartphone battery starts to drain, I don't panic -- I just grab my Lightning cable car charger and top off the juice. Where some people run into problems, however, is when they have someone else in their car. If their car only has one cigarette lighter, they cannot simultaneously leverage an additional charger for additional devices.

Luckily, I own a brilliant multi-port car charger from VisionTek -- that I highly recommend -- allowing me to share the single port with others. Unfortunately, that charger does not offer USB Type-C, the popular standard of the moment. If you need a charger that offers both Type-A and Type-C, Satechi now has you covered. The company's svelte offering can handle both connector types simultaneously, while taking up very little real estate in your car.

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Even though the cloud is all the rage nowadays, flash drives are still pretty useful. If you need to install a Windows 10 or Ubuntu ISO, for instance, the little USB drives are much faster than optical media. Not to mention, with USB Type-C, flash drives can be easily mounted on both desktop and mobile operating systems -- depending on ports, of course.

Today, SanDisk releases the Ultra Dual Drive USB Type-C flash drive. The retractable Type-C drive also offers a Type-A connector, making it future-proof while also supporting older devices. Although not the first drive to offer dual connectors, it is certainly one of the more elegant options.

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When NVIDIA announced the GTX 1080, the PC gaming community was largely in awe, and rightfully so. Its performance was impressive, and many folks wanted it. The problem? It has an MSRP of $600. At that price, the card -- while amazing -- is simply unobtainable for many. In fact, many high-end cards which are needed for a premium VR experience are too expensive for ordinary folks on a budget.

AMD was not satisfied with VR being a luxury reserved for those with deep pockets. Instead of focusing on raw performance regardless of price, the company set its sights on delivering VR to the everyman. Today, AMD's vision is realized, thanks to the all-new Polaris-based Radeon RX 480 graphics card, which starts at a shocking $199. It offers performance that is comparable to some $500 cards. PC gaming market, you have officially been disrupted!

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Believe it or not, printers are still relevant. True, smartphones have reduced the need for printing on pieces of paper, but there still could be times where it is necessary. All-in-one variants in particular can find a place in both homes and businesses, thanks to the scan and copy functionality.

If you have modest all-in-one printer needs, and don't want to break the bank, HP has you covered. Its all-new DeskJet 3755 for home use is small, cute, and affordable. Just how affordable is it? You are going to be shocked at the price.

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