Brian Fagioli

When it comes to computing, I always prefer a desktop when possible. I like using a big monitor, mechanical keyboard, and mouse. If I am not at a desk in a comfortable chair, my productivity drops. While I do use a laptop when on the go, a trackpad and small screen are pain points for me.

Not everyone can afford to have both a desktop and laptop, so luckily, it is easier than ever nowadays to use the latter as a makeshift of the former. Unfortunately, docking stations from laptop manufacturers are often expensive and proprietary. USB variants are sometimes preferable, and today, Satechi announces the beautiful Aluminum Mini Docking Station.

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The future of computing is open source -- the writing is on the wall. Major companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Google are embracing this software ideology, and more and more consumers are expecting it.

Of course, for open source to continue its ascent, we will need students to be knowledgeable about it. Microsoft had this in mind when it announced its Open Source Challenge for students, and now we have four official winners. The top champion is a dude named Akond Rahman -- yeah, that is his smiling face to the right -- and he is now $5,000 richer. Better than the money, he has ultimate bragging rights in the open source community. Jealous?

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If you are a fan of Apple's iOS, you may be intrigued by the iPad Pro, and rightfully so. Regardless of the screen size you choose, the elegant professional-level tablet is not only great for some business cases, but having fun too.

Today, continuing the elegance trend with the iPad Pro, Logi (a Logitech sub-brand) announces BASE. Leveraging the 'Smart Connector' charging pins found on Apple's pro tablets, the stand supplies electricity to the device while both propping it up and proudly displaying the iPad like art.

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Android is a Linux-based operating system, true, but for many, it is sort of a bastardized use of the kernel. Understandably, Nexus devices aside, it can feel very un-Linux-like to have devices with locked bootloaders that cannot be easily updated. Some Linux fans have been clamoring for an alternative.

Ubuntu is that alternative. Canonical's operating system can scale well, from desktop to tablet to smartphone. Best of all, you can buy an unlocked device that requires no carrier approval for OS updates. Today, the most exciting phone to run the operating system -- Meizu Pro 5 Ubuntu Edition -- goes on sale.

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If you play PC games, you surely know of Steam. If you aren't such a gamer, please know that it is a video game delivery and management platform for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It is a great way to purchase games, and unlike using Microsoft's Windows Store, games can take full advantage of your hardware.

Valve is not satisfied with Steam only being for games, you see, and the company is focusing on other media too. Today, Valve announces that Lionsgate movies will be distributed through its delivery solution. More than 100 films, including the wildly popular Hunger Games series, will be available on Steam for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

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Microsoft's Surface line of computers have been rather wonderful, although its latest machines have been plagued with problems. For the most part, issues for both the Surface Book and Surface Pro 4 have been fixed through updates, but like a game of whack-a-mole, more pop up as others are smashed down.

Despite these issues, Microsoft is highlighting the good aspects of its latest Surface devices -- plus Windows 10 -- in a series of new video advertisements. Over on YouTube, you can see all eight videos, as seen below.

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There is a common misconception that all computer geeks are rabid science fiction fans. While some of them certainly are, it is definitely just a stereotype. As a self-proclaimed computer geek, I can confirm that I don't enjoy many science fiction films or television shows. Some are good, but a lot of them are just cheesy and lame.

Speaking of cheesy, the SyFy network is known for showing low-quality TV movies, like the infamous Sharknado. The network also has some decent original TV shows, however. Today, the TV channel's content comes to Roku with 'SyFy Now'.

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Times are tough for many consumers financially, making new technology purchases a hardship. While a tablet such as the iPad is wonderful, the high starting price makes it unachievable for some. Luckily, thanks to Android, some companies, such as Amazon, have created affordable slabs for the masses.

Speaking of Amazon, its 7-inch Fire tablet -- which starts at $49 --is getting a minor refresh. You can now purchase it with a series of new colors and storage options.

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Many gamers on a budget choose AMD FX processors for their builds. Not only are they affordable, but very capable too. With up to eight cores, and easy overclocking, you can squeeze a lot of performance out of them without breaking the bank.

When using an FX processor, it is not uncommon for builders to choose an aftermarket cooler for better cooling or reduced noise. Of course this will add to the overall cost. Today, however, consumers selecting the FX 8350 and FX 6350 may want to forgo the additional cooler purchase. Why? AMD is now bundling its already-legendary Wraith cooler with them. Yes, the formidable silent cooler is being included in the box!

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Storage for iPhone and iPad can be costly. Since you cannot realistically add more inside later, you must decide at purchase how much you will need. Then, each bump up will cost you about $100. This can make an iOS device purchase a very costly affair.

As an alternative, however, you can use flash drives on the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, but there is a catch; you will need to buy a lightning to USB type A cable, or a flash drive with a lightning connector. While not usually an elegant solution, today, SanDisk unveils an intriguing such product -- the next-generation iXpand Flash Drive -- and it looks really cool.

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Windows Phone has been dead for some time now. I knew it. The world knew it. Dogs knew it. The only people that were seemingly unaware were those that pledged allegiance to Microsoft. You know who they are -- those men and women that some call "fanboys".

Even the journalism community has them. Folks like Paul Thurrott and Mary Jo Foley are unapologetic fans of Microsoft. While Thurrott has long since abandoned the horrific Windows Phone platform, Foley has been one of the few holdouts. Today, she announces that she -- Microsoft's biggest fan -- is choosing the Linux-based Android instead. If this doesn't signal the death of Windows Phone/Windows 10 Mobile, I don't know what does.

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Ubuntu is one of the best -- if not the best -- desktop Linux-based operating systems. Many people, including me, trust it for their computing needs every day. Best of all, Canonical releases special LTS versions every two years, offering a super-long five years of support.

Tomorrow, the latest such LTS version, 16.04, will see its official release. I've been running pre-release versions of this operating system for a while now, and it has been brilliantly stable. Tomorrow's release will be the best Ubuntu ever, featuring things like new snap packages, CephFS, and ZFS-on-Linux.

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Diversity is a tricky conversation. While everyone should have a fair chance at a job despite skin color, disability, gender, or sexual orientation, you can't force a certain group to enter an industry. In other words, percentages in a diversity report don't really tell the whole story.

The best approach to diversity is simply fostering opportunities for those that want it. Scholarships are a great option as it simply opens a door -- the recipient must walk through it. Hewlett Packard Enterprise has been supporting such a thing -- the Scholarship for Women Studying Information Security -- and today, it announces the number of 2016 recipients.

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The Xbox One is a marvelous game console and media player. In my living room, it has replaced both my Roku and Blu-ray player, lessening the number of unsightly wires. Best of all, of course, are the high-quality games, providing many hours of entertainment.

Understandably, not everyone can afford such a costly piece of tech. If this game console is not in your budget, I have some good news; Microsoft is giving one away at Pax East 2016. As an added bonus, the company is including a custom controller. Don't worry, if you aren't going to Pax, you can participate from home in your pajamas -- aka PJs -- too.

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If you need a great cross-platform chat solution, Telegram is one of the best. Not only does it work on Windows, iOS, and Android, but Linux-based desktop operating systems too, such as Ubuntu. Not to mention it offers encryption, but not for all messages by default, sadly.

Besides being available on many platforms, the company is constantly adding features, always making it better. In fact, Telegram is now putting up a million dollars for developers, in an effort to bolster its bot offerings. After all, bots are all the rage nowadays.

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