Star Trek: The Next Generationismygeneration’s Trek. It was and remains my favorite series in the franchise, and not too long ago I finally realized my dream of owning the full series remastered on Blu-ray. Having taken the time to watch the entire thing again in glorious HD, and with every episode refreshed in my mind, I think it’s time to pick out the ten best episodes in the series. In the USA, you’re able to streamStar Trek: The Next GenerationonParamount Plus....

Summary There are some situations where only a digital SLR or mirrorless camera will get the job done. Wedding photography, motorsports, bird-watching, and fashion, to name a few. But for more casual photography, a smartphone can often stack up surprisingly well. Image Quality Let’s start with the one fact we simply can’t escape: a smartphone can never match the image quality available from a DLSR. There are two main reasons for this: the sensor, and the lenses....

Summary TheKobo Clara Colouris Rakuten’s departure from its grayscale eReaders, and the 6-inch color E Ink display is certainly its highlight. But I was most drawn to its compact, comfortable-to-hold body and long-lasting battery life. Its simplicity makes it perfect for anyone looking for an intro-level eReader with a colorful screen and a simple UI. Rakuten Kobo Clara Colour eReader The Kobo Clara Colour features a 6-inch E ink Kaleido 3 screen, 16 GB of storage, adjustable color temperature, and weeks of battery life, all in a small package you can take anywhere....

Thunderbird, the desktop and Android email client from Mozilla, just got an update to version 136. This is the start of another transition for Thunderbird: monthly major releases by default, matching the Firefox web browser. Mozilla Thunderbird is available in different release channels, just like the Firefox web browser, giving people more choices in features vs. stability. The default download on the Thunderbird website until now, and the version distributed in some package managers, is the Extended Support Release (ESR) channel that is updated annually....

MSI has announced a new PC design inspired by Pixar’s belovedToy Storyseries. This isn’t just a sticker on a shell; it’s a limited edition hardware design that reminds you of Buzz, Woody, and many toys from the movie. Usually, many themed PCs might feature simple artistic designs or subtle references, or maybe even a sticker that goes all along, but MSI didn’t go in lightly. The company had a much more detailed approach and transformed a whole set of essential PC components into a colorful tribute to the classic animated film....

TheSonic Adventureseries is fondly remembered for successfully transitioning the blue blur into 3D, as well as its music and varied gameplay. However, another point of praise often referred to is the Chao Garden. Sadly, we haven’t seen a new iteration of it in over 20 years. Given its successful integration into previousSonicgames, the advances in technology since the GameCube, and its potential as a standalone game, there’s never been a better time to bring the Chao Garden back....

Quick Links Over the past few years, smartphone makers have started pulling the charger from their boxes. Apple was the first big player to do it, and soon after, brands like Samsung, Xiaomi, and even OnePlus followed suit. The reasoning? It’s usually framed as a way to cut down on electronic waste, but the story’s not that simple. Is this move really about saving the planet, or is it a cost-cutting tactic that leaves consumers paying more?...

Quick Links Summary Privacy-conscious Discord users are upset over the platform’s Clips feature that lets people easily record audio in voice channels during streams. Instead of being opt-in, Discord allows your voice to be recorded by default. Fortunately, this feature can be turned off. How Discord’s Clips Feature Works You canshare your screen in Discordvoice channels, known as streaming. You can stream anything, like your web browser, a video game, or even a simple Word document....

Summary I’m guilty of calling plenty of tech-infused glasses “smart,” even if the only thing they did was play audio through the stems. I don’t think any were any smarter than AirPods. But theRay-Ban Meta Smart Glassesdo actually bake in a hint of intelligence which could be the difference for why this product blossoms into its full potential, whereasRay-Ban Storiesfrom 2021 just wilted. The reason you’ll want these glasses today, however, has little to do with the AI and everything to do with listening to music or taking unencumbered videos....

Quick Links Summary TheSatechi Thunderbolt 4 Multimedia Pro Dockcould be a worthy consideration for port-starved Windows and Apple hardware. With its space-saving design and assortment of useful connections, it’s a natural addition to any robust workstation, but the price and Mac limitations will definitely deter some buyers. Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Multimedia Pro Dock The Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Multimedia Pro Dock lets you turn your average laptop workstation into a Thunderbolt-powered USB nexus....

Most people overlook the row of function keys at the top of their keyboard. They often ignore, misunderstand, or underuse them. If you work with Excel spreadsheets regularly, those F-keys can be your secret weapon for working faster, smarter, and with far less frustration. Most function-key shortcuts also work in Google Sheets, but you may need toenable compatible spreadsheet shortcutsfrom the Help menu to access some familiar Excel shortcuts. you may also assign custom shortcuts to macros....

Quick Links Spotify’s “Like” button has been through some changes in recent years. It used to be a heart, then it was a plus sign, and now it’s… well, it depends. Spotify Kills the Heart Let’s refresh your memory on how liking songs worked beforeSpotify changed things in 2023. When you wanted to like a song, you’d pull up the “Now Playing” screen and tap the heart icon. After you liked a song, you’d see a green heart icon attached to it everywhere....

Summary The idea of a single universal remote control for your TV box (Apple TV or Amazon Fire TV) and other smart home products sounds compelling. Unfortunately, theSwitchbot Universal Remotewith Matter is a bit jumbled and didn’t introduce simplicity for me. SwitchBot Universal Remote Universal Remote can control Infrared appliances such as air conditioners, TVs, lights, fans, and projectors at home. It also supports controlling Fire TV, Apple TV, and SwitchBot Bluetooth devices....