Computers

Adam and Alex let loose some magma-hot takes on the little metal bits that connect and power all our gadgets. Credit: Foundry I have a visceral hatred of MicroUSB. Back when I was writing about Android phones, there was a needlessly long transition from Micro to the far, far superior USB-C, that made me resent it every time I saw it. And yet even now, I need to keep one MicroUSB…

Back-to-school shopping for college students means more than just bundling them off with a backpack and a reminder to not mix white clothes with colors. Today, it’s all about tech. My son heads off to college in roughly six weeks. But as a techie dad, I’ve already started prepping what I want to send with him. It’s nerve-wracking, but also sort of fun! I may not be able to force him to write…

Laptops are great if you need portability, but they’re also expensive. You’re paying for a lot of hardware that may not matter if your computer never leaves your desk. Since laptops cram all of their components into a single device, they’re much more expensive to manufacture and ship, especially in today’s economy. That’s where mini PCs shine. These tiny desktops pack surprisingly…

Longevity is a good thing when it comes to software, as it generally means it’s capable and reliable. Case in point: Retrospect. PCWorld’s art department relied on Retrospect (and tape!) for backup back in the ’90s. I was the one operating it. I kid you not. Obviously, with several decades under its belt, the already powerful Retrospect has evolved. Retrospect 18 added some very handy…