Brian Fagioli

My colleague Alan Buckingham reviewed the Kindle Fire HDX 7 over the weekend. I too have been testing the new HDX variants of Amazon's tablets and share many of my colleague's sentiments. However, for me, one of the most intriguing things about the tablets is not a feature but an associated accessory -- the Origami Case.

If you aren't familiar with the word origami, it is an ancient Japanese art form involving paper-folding. One of the typical clichéd objects to represent with origami is a crane (the bird, not the construction equipment). However, the number of objects to create is limited only by your imagination. Heck, you've probably done origami and never realized it -- ever make a paper airplane in school? Well, it turns out you were an artist; not a troublemaker!

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If there is one thing I hate, it is paying for subscriptions. As new services come out and I subscribe, it feels like money is just being siphoned from my wallet. Entertainment services alone are bleeding me dry -- Netflix, Hulu Plus and Google Play Music All Access to name a few. Even though I detest subscriptions, there is one that I am happy to pay for -- Amazon Prime.

Now, I do not want to sound like a commercial for Amazon, but it is truly a service that delivers exponential value. You see, besides offering a plethora of TV shows and movies for free, it also enables free two-day shipping for physical products. I shop at the website so much, that the paltry $79 annual fee pays for itself rather quickly. As a computer nerd, getting something like a 120mm fan or PCI card in two days at no cost is awesome. Today, the company announces that you can now send a Prime subscription as a gift.

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It was only a month ago that Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.5 Beta became available. Apparently, the beta-testing went smoothly because today, Red Hat announces that the final version is immediately available. In other words, if you work in IT and your company uses RHEL, you had better buy some Red Bull.

"Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.5 is designed for those who build and manage large, complex IT projects, especially enterprises that require an open hybrid cloud. From security and networking to virtualization, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.5 provides the capabilities needed to manage these environments, such as tools that aid in quickly tuning the system to run SAP applications based on published best practices from SAP", says the company.

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While Microsoft has its own mobile operating system with Windows Phone 8, the company generously supports its competitor's products too. After all, with its own OS having such a small user base comparatively, it would be insane not to.

Back in June, the company's flagship non-OS software, Office 365, was released for Apple's iOS to the surprise of many. Today, while less of a surprise, Microsoft announces some major changes to its cloud-storage SkyDrive app.

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On the weekends, I often go to Best Buy with no intention of buying anything. In other words, I am a technology window-shopper. It is actually quite interesting to observe the habits of consumers while playing with the latest gadgets. While I typically visit all sections of the store, I make it a point to stop and play with one of my favorite computers -- the Acer Aspire R7. Sadly, I am not yet in need of a new computer, so I always leave without buying it.

This laptop is special to me because in a sea of similar devices, this one stands out. You see, it features some unique features such as the patented Ezel-Hinge, which allows the display to be manipulated into a myriad of positions; including a tablet mode. However, it also features a trackpad positioned above the keyboard, rather than below. Is your mind blown? Boom.

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Windows Phone detractors are often similar in their complaints -- they love the device and underlying operating system but a lack of apps is the achilles heel. However, a lack of apps on any platform is problematic. Developers are attracted to platforms with many users but users are attracted to platforms with many apps. Essentially, whichever platform gets the early start, and establishes a dominant app library, will be the most popular. The old adage is, "the early-bird gets the worm" -- Apple and Google got the head-start and Microsoft hit the snooze button. In other words, Microsoft allowed the other companies to eat its worm.

However, another adage is "slow and steady wins the race". Microsoft hopes that Windows Phone is the tortoise and its competition is the hare. Today, the company announces two blockbuster apps have made their way to its mobile operating system. Microsoft employee Michael Stroh puts it best by saying "I'm happy to announce that Instagram and Waze are now available in the Store for Windows Phone 8". Yes, two wildly popular apps have found their way to Windows Phone 8, joining the likes of Vine; another popular score by Microsoft.

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There are far too many award shows nowadays. It seems like every week, the entertainment industry puts on a show to give itself awards -- Oscars, Emmys and MTV Music Awards to name a few. However, what about the nerds and geeks? Where are the awards for people like web developers? Sure, they aren't trendy and don't dress in meat-clothing like Lady Gaga, but they deserve awards nonetheless. Microsoft apparently agrees with this sentiment as the company announces the all-new Developer Awwward as a part of the coveted website awards, Awwwards.

"We're delighted to announce there’s a new web award celebrating websites that seek to balance innovative design with quality code. In conjunction with Awwwards, today we are launching the Developer Awwward, which recognizes the work of web developers and designers who care about the inner beauty of their websites. The Developer Awwward was inspired by the amazing work behind some of the best experiences on the web that demonstrate what it means to be inclusive of all people, regardless of device or browser", says Microsoft.

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Smartphones have positively impacted the gaming industry. Casual touch-based games like Angry Birds and Candy Crush Saga have turned some non-gamers into dedicated ones. However, hardcore gamers interested in more complicated things are forced to use on-screen virtual controls (d-pad, buttons, etc.). Unfortunately, for many, this virtual solution is unacceptable. Since you cannot feel the controls, it is easy for your fingers to wander and cause unintended consequences. Sure, there have been third-party controller options, but they have mostly been unpolished and largely ignored by developers.

With the unveiling of iOS 7, Apple introduced support for game-pads. Today, Logitech announces its first such offering for iPhone and iPod touch devices, with the PowerShell Controller + Battery. The company says it "turns your compatible iOS7 device into a pocket sized mobile console, all while roughly doubling your play time with its on board battery".

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When it comes to Linux, I am very flaky. You see, I tend to never settle on a specific distro. While I always seem to end up on Fedora, I do tend to cheat. Yes, I am monogamous for the most part, but I can be found canoodling with Mint, Netrunner and openSUSE from time to time. The latter operating system is well-known for being rock-solid and well-supported. My wandering eye is always keeping tabs on the chameleon-logo distribution and today, there is big news.

"Dear contributors, friends and fans: The release is here! Eight months of planning, packaging, adding features, fixing issues, testing and fixing more issues has brought you the best that Free and Open Source has to offer, with our Green touch: Stable and Awesome", says Jos Poortvliet, community manager at SUSE.

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While products are typically produced by corporations and businesses, the brands themselves are often adopted by societies and become icons. Some examples are Coca-Cola (USA), BlackBerry (Canada) and Nokia (Finland). Sadly, for the latter country, the associated company has been in talks to become acquired by Microsoft (USA).

Some citizens of Finland may have hoped for the acquisition to fail in the eleventh-hour, but unfortunately for them, the sale has been approved. According to Nokia, at a meeting that took place today, it "decided to confirm and approve the sale of substantially all of Nokia's Devices & Services business to Microsoft in line with the proposal and recommendation of the Nokia Board of Directors. More than 99-percent of the votes cast at the EGM were in favor of this proposal".

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Every year in the United States, on the fourth Thursday of November, we gather with our families for Thanksgiving -- a holiday for, of course, giving thanks. Typically, we share a meal of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and various other side dishes. The men watch Football while the women and children watch the parade. It is surely a wonderful day that evokes positive emotion.

Then, at midnight, Black Friday begins and we throw all of that out the window. Consumers, still woozy from tryptophan, line up at stores to buy mass-produced products. Only hours removed from giving thanks, they trample their fellow man in a mad-dash to save a few dollars. Sadly, people actually die as a result. With that said, here are the top 10 most wanted Black Friday products.

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I am a big fan of the TV show Who Wants to be a Millionaire. My Tivo records it every day and I watch it in the evening. While I have been watching the show for years, I have never seen anyone actually win the show and leave with the full $1 million. That ultimate prize has proven elusive.

While Sony did not win a game show, the company announces something that was surprisingly not elusive -- one million PlayStation 4s sold in 24 hours. While the console was expected to be popular by many, nobody could have predicted such a remarkable feat on the first day.

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When I preordered the PlayStation 4 from Amazon in June, it felt like an eternity before I would actually receive the next-generation console. Like many people these days, I crave instant gratification and patience is not a character trait that I posses. However, the long wait definitely trumps being a sucker in a line on launch day.

As a kudos to Amazon, the entire process was painless. This is in stark contrast to my horrible experience pre-ordering the Xbox One from the Microsoft Store (which I ultimately did not do). The online bookstore-turned-everything-store made the process orderly and I received the PlayStation 4 yesterday evening. While I was tempted to rip into the box immediately, I used self control and instead waited until after dinner so the entire experience would be uninterrupted. After getting home from my favorite Thai restaurant, I took the enormous brown Amazon box to my mancave-slash-office and magic happened.

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The Windows tablet market is starting to get exciting. Besides the venerable Surface line, there are new devices by Asus, Lenovo and Dell to name a few. However, a dark horse has entered the ring too -- Nokia. Yes, the Finnish handset company (which is being purchased by Microsoft) is releasing a Windows RT 8.1 tablet. While that in itself is not news (BetaNews reported on its existence three weeks ago), the release date was not known -- until now.

"The Nokia Lumia 2520 tablet will be available starting on November 22nd. You will be able to purchase the Lumia 2520 (in black) from AT&T for $399.99 with a two-year agreement, or for $199.99 with a two-year agreement when bundled with a Lumia 925, Lumia 1020, or Lumia 1520 Windows Phone", says Brandon LeBlanc, Senior Marketing Communications Manager at Microsoft. Of course, you can buy the tablet without a contract for $499.

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When you buy a Bluetooth speaker, you do not expect it to evolve. In other words, you buy it from the store, it plays your music and there your relationship with the manufacturer ends, right? Wrong. Well, at least with Ultimate Ears. You see, the company announces a new firmware update that will teach the UE BOOM speaker new tricks.

"When we conceived of the UE BOOM and its updateable platform, our goal was twofold: introduce the world's first social music player and make sure it stays relevant with the ever-evolving world of music consumption. Social music enthusiasts have told us how much they love the 360-degree sound of the UE BOOM, its life resistant design and how it completely integrates into their lifestyle, and now we’re taking it to the next level, thanks to regular updates", says Rory Dooley, General Manager of Ultimate Ears.

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