Brian Fagioli

While I do sometimes wear a watch, it is not for telling time. No, I strictly wear a timepiece as jewelry -- a gold Michael Kors watch on my left wrist to complement the gold bracelet on my right. It's funny, even when wearing a watch, I reach into my pocket to check my phone for the time.

A smartwatch may be the thing to change this for me, as it allows you to have a computing experience without pulling out a smartphone; however, many of them are fairly limited. Today, Opera brings its Mini browser to Samsung’s Tizen-based Gear S smartwatch, enabling a full web-browsing experience on your wrist.

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Whenever I am going out for a day trip, like walking through Manhattan, the inevitable usually happens -- my smartphone battery dies. This seems to be quite the common problem, as Starbucks and similar places are overrun with people desperate for electricity. Yes, I can carry a USB energy bank for charging, but it is bulky and not ideal. Quite frankly, you may get weird looks with a giant bulge in your front pocket -- it is more of a backpack accessory.

What is really cool, however, is protective cases that double as a battery extenders. Sure, they can add bulk, but that is to be expected. Today, Logitech announces the Logitech protection [+] power case, designed for the Apple iPhone 5, iPhone 5s and Samsung Galaxy S5.

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The allure of art greatly escapes me. Don't get me wrong, I see beauty in paintings and sculptures, but I'd be just as happy with a cheap reprint as the original. Hell, I can see the Mona Lisa on my iPad while laying on my couch, why bother going to an art gallery or art auction? It seems like a waste of money. When I watch Pawn Stars, I yell at the TV when Rick buys art for thousands -- "Dude, save your money!"

Well apparently, having an understanding and appreciation of art is a sign of class, which I am told I am lacking. In fancy social situations, I picture myself like Rodney Dangerfield in Caddyshack -- "whoa, did somebody step on a duck?" Yes, I am more "fartsy" than artsy and I have no business being at an art auction. Today however, eBay brings the art auction to your computer by launching Live Auctions. Yes, you can bid on classy art while sitting on the toilet -- finally.

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Nowadays, all major operating systems are great. Regardless of your preference, it cannot be denied that Windows, OS X, iOS, Android and many Linux distributions are amazing feats of technology. It is not uncommon for me and many others to use multiple operating systems every day. While Windows is what I use mostly for getting work done, Android is my smartphone OS of choice, and the iPad is my bedtime entertainment computer. It is not necessary to live on a desert island-like environment from only one company exclusively.

Bluetooth keyboards have made typing on devices convenient; however, there is an annoying aspect -- pairing. If you use a Bluetooth keyboard with only one device, you should have no issue. Unfortunately, if you want to share it between multiple devices and operating systems, you have to re-pair it every time you switch. This becomes a tedious affair, turning convenience into a hassle. Luckily, Logitech has released a product, that should alleviate this nuisance -- the Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard K480.

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Believe it or not, I am not the life of the party. Sure, I may seem like a really happening guy, but the truth is, I am quite boring. At a social gathering, I don't really talk or interact, and more often than not, I find myself staring at my smartphone screen in the corner alone. However, there is one thing that gets me going -- karaoke!

Yes, me and many other folks love singing like a fool in front of both strangers and friends. However, unlike many people, I don't drink alcohol before doing it. I even love signing alone at home; if you stand outside my bathroom door, you will hear quite the riveting renditions of Man! I Feel Like a Woman! by Shania Twain or Do You Really Want to Hurt Me by Culture Club when I'm in the shower. Today, Microsoft makes my love for singing easier, by bringing full song lyrics to Bing results.

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Wirelessly streaming content from a tablet or laptop to a TV is a really cool thing. I regularly use a Chromecast to watch and listen to media, but there is one problem -- it is limited in that it cannot function on its own. A device like the new Microsoft Wireless Display adapter may be a little more useful than a Chromecast, but ultimately, it cannot function on its own either.

It is for this reason that I prefer devices like Amazon's Fire TV and the Roku; they can operate without the need of a source device. Both media boxes are great, but today the latter is gaining new functionality. Roku announces that you can mirror the screen of both Windows and Android devices with Screen Mirroring Beta.

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As someone who grew up in the '80s and '90s, I have seen pretty much every Adam Sandler movie. Besides loving his work on Saturday Night Live, I even remember him briefly being on the Cosby Show; one of the greatest sitcoms of all time. Sure, his movies can be stupid, and sometimes flat-out bad, but even his terrible films are funny. Critics universally panned his film Jack and Jill, but it is one of my favorites; Sandler dressed as a woman with fart-humor? I don't care who you are, that is funny right there.

As much as I love his films, I am not a fan of going to the movie theater to see them. I take seeing films seriously; even silly ones, and his films attract an immature crowd that interrupt the experience and ultimately ruin it. Movies are very expensive and I am not a fan of wasting money. Luckily, Netflix announces that it has signed a deal with Adam Sandler that will make it easy to avoid the theater; the streaming service will get 4 exclusive films. Yes, Netflix is partnering with one of Hollywood's biggest actors and cutting the movie theaters out of the equation; this may be an act of war.

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There are a lot of technology buzzwords and phrases being thrown around lately, such as "Cloud" and "Wearables", but the one I see gaining the most traction is "Internet of Things". The concept is pretty simple -- things being connected to the Internet, but what exactly is defined as a "thing". Well, pretty much anything that isn't a traditional computer can qualify. Think outside the box for a moment and imagine things like your bed, a toaster or a vacuum cleaner being connected to the Internet. Maybe an internet-connected bed can upload logs of your sleep patterns, a toaster can tell you that breakfast is ready, or your vacuum might warn you to to clean the filter.

Unfortunately, as cool as this is, it presents a big problem -- who will decide the standards, and how can we be sure that it is all safe? After all, you do not want a vulnerability in an Internet-connected refrigerator compromising your entire network. Have no fear however, ARM has stepped up with its solution -- the mbed platform which focuses on open standards.

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When it comes to smartphones, I am generally an Android guy; however, the iPad Air is my favorite casual tablet. While the Surface Pro 3 is my choice for best all-around tablet, there are some places I don't want to bring it, such as the bathroom. Yes, the iPad Air usually is with me when I am sitting on the toilet; sorry if that is TMI (too much information). With that said, the iPad Air can be a great all-purpose tablet too when coupled with a keyboard case; even outside of using the potty.

There are many companies that manufacture iPad keyboard cases, but in my experience, Logitech produces the most reliable and consistent offerings. In other words, the company makes great iPad accessories that consumers can depend on; I've yet to see a lemon. Today, Logitech announces the Type+ Protective case with integrated keyboard for iPad Air and it looks pretty sweet.

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As a Hip-Hop head, I have spent many hours consuming the latest rap tunes. While I am a fan of several artists, none have had an impact as large as the Wu-Tang Clan. Back in 1993, when New York first started getting a taste of the rap group, it was unlike anything fans of the genre had heard. You see, the production by group member RZA was unique and immediately changed the course of Hip-Hop.

Unfortunately, as of late, the Wu-Tang Clan's music has been rather uninspired. RZA's production is lazy and the solo albums from the members have been average at best. Still, the group deserve its props; as a celebration of their 20 year career, RZA has partnered with Boombotix for the Boombot REX 20th Anniversary Wu-Tang Edition speaker.

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There are award shows for everything nowadays, celebrating actors, athletes and more. However, computer nerds do not get the credit they deserve; we should get an award show too, right? Hell, they should give out trophies for fixing family members' computers. I have spent hours at my Uncle Roy's smelly house removing malware, only to leave with not so much as a thank you.

Don't worry though, Google cares about your nerdy endeavors -- if it helps the Chrome browser, that is. You see, the search giant is increasing the maximum bounty for finding bugs in the browser to $15,000. While money is awesome, the recognition may be equally cool, as your name may be added to the Google Hall of Fame!

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I'll admit, when Windows 8 was first announced, I hated it. Even though I am open-minded about UI changes, the Start Screen rubbed me the wrong way. At the time, I was strictly a keyboard and mouse user, who enjoyed doing things on a large monitor. After months of trying to convince myself that I would eventually like the changes, I gave up and went to Linux full time. I was already a casual user of operating systems based on the open-source kernel, but now I was jumping in head first.

Initially, life was great and I hopped from distribution to distribution trying Ubuntu, Mint, Fedora and many more. What was cool about these Linux-based desktop operating systems, was that I could choose the environment of my liking. In other words, if I didn't like the UI, I could easily switch. This was in stark contrast to Windows, which has a take it or leave it approach. Ultimately, I decided on Fedora and the GNOME 3 environment. This surprised me, because as a lifelong Windows user, I expected to gravitate towards KDE. Over time though, something strange happened -- I went back to Windows 8.

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Acer makes some great machines, but the company is often associated with budget laptops. This is not a bad thing though, as the company's notebooks are inexpensive, but not cheap. In other words, Acer computers give you a lot of bang for your buck.

Today however, Acer is going the hardcore-gaming route and is delivering some beasts to North America, with the Aspire V Nitro Black Edition laptops. Make no mistake, these laptops are not budget-oriented, but power-oriented.

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Bluetooth speakers are a dime a dozen, nowadays. Quite frankly, it is hard to get excited about them. While they can be used with a desktop at a workstation, the true allure is portability with a smartphone or tablet. You see, there is typically a trade-off of quality for convenience, and the average audiophile would likely turn up their nose at using them.

While I have heard some great Bluetooth speakers like the UE BOOM and JBL Flip, they ultimately were not enough to replace my desktop speakers, the Logitech Z-2300. Those desktop speakers are quite phenomenal and hard to beat. I recently tested the Cambridge Audio Minx M5 and found them to be wonderful, but they do not offer a wireless connection. Today, I am looking at the Grace Digial aptX Bluetooth Speakers, which work as both wired and wireless.

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When I bought my first Chromebook, the 2012 Samsung model, I did it mostly for one reason -- price. I drove down to my local Best Buy and was blown away by how inexpensive it was; at $249 it looked like a MacBook Air and promised good battery life. Even though I knew the limitations of Chrome OS beforehand, I still handed over my money thinking I could find a place for it in my home. For the most part it was OK; I mean, it changed the way I thought about computing, but it soon became apparent that it could not replace my Windows machine. I didn't return it; I kept for basic typing on the go, but I later sold it as it collected dust. You see, my iPad Air when coupled with a keyboard-case was a better portable machine.

Now, in 2014, Chromebooks are making huge strides in homes, schools and the enterprise, but Windows still reigns supreme. While I do recommend Chromebooks for people low on cash that only have basic computing needs, today this changes. You see, HP announces the $199.99 Stream 11 laptop, and with a price that low, why would you bother with Chrome OS?

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