Moving from Windows to Linux wasn't as difficult as I first thought, but that doesn't mean it was smooth sailing. In fact, there were a few things I never had to worry about in Windows that became pretty important when using Linux, and the only way I learned that I wasn't paying attention to those elements was when it was far too late. But hey, that's just part of the learning process, and getting myself properly set up felt really good once I had some notches on my belt.

Considering that a Network-Attached Storage system is essentially a low-power device whose only purpose is to transfer files and archive backups, it may seem like an unassuming little node for newcomers to the home lab ecosystem. But as your server projects pile up, you’re bound to end up requiring more mileage out of your NAS – both in terms of storage capacity and performance.

If you've just built yourself a brand-new PC or simply bought a new kit for your current PC, the first thing you'll want to do is enable the XMP or EXPO profile in the BIOS. While these memory profiles are designed to run on a wide variety of system conditions, there are certain cases where your RAM will simply refuse to boot with its rated speed.

You can snag the high-end Garmin Fenix 8 for a whopping $250 off right now. REI doesn’t do Black Friday, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to save this holiday season. The outdoor retailer’s annual Holiday Sale is now underway and runs through November 24th, offering up to 30 percent off gadgets and gear designed for the outdoors. Right now, you can save on Garmin watches, headlamps, sleeping pads, camp chairs, and Bluetooth speakers from brands like JBL, Yeti, and REI.Below, we’ve rounded up some of the best deals you can shop, whether you’re upgrading your kit or working through a wish list. In many cases, we’ve either tested or reviewed the products on sale, so you can shop with confidence for yourself or loved ones. Also, keep in mind that REI members receive special savings on outdoor gear, including 20 percent off one full-price item, plus 20 percent off one eligible item at an REI Outlet.Garmin Fenix 8The Garmin Fenix 8 is a premium multisport watch that adds a speaker, mic, and on-device assistant for calls, timers, and voice commands. It also offers elite battery life, dual-frequency GPS, and robust sensors. Read our review.Where to Buy: $1099.99 $849.99 at Amazon (47mm) $1099.99 $849.99 at Walmart (51mm) $1099.99 $849.99 at REI (47mm)Garmin Venu 3The last-gen Venu 3 remains one of our favorite Garmin smartwatches. It deftly balances the brand’s in-depth training analytics with a host of smartwatch features, including a vibrant OLED display, a battery that can last for several days, and a heart rate sensor that enables FDA-cleared ECG and AFib detection. Read our review.Where to Buy: $449.99 $349.99 at Amazon $449.99 $349.99 at Best Buy $449.99 $349.99 at REIGarmin Forerunner 165 MusicThe Garmin Forerunner 165 Music lets you download songs from Spotify, Amazon Music, and more. It also provides in-depth training metrics; however, it leaves out some of the more advanced features in exchange for a more affordable price. Read our review.Where to Buy: $299.99 $249.99 at Amazon $299.99 $249.99 at Best Buy $299.99 $249.99 at REIThe Garmin Vivoactive 6 has returned to its all-time low of $249.99 ($50 off) at Amazon, Walmart, and REI. The fitness watch provides up to 11 days of battery life and can track a range of workouts, including walking, running, cycling, HIIT, golf, and more. It also provides extensive health monitoring, including wrist-based heart rate, morning report, stress tracking, and menstrual cycle and pregnancy tracking. However, there is no ECG compatibility, though it features a slightly slimmer profile than its predecessor.If you have plans to run one last ultramarathon before the end of the year, you can snag the Garmin Enduro 3 for an all-time low of $749 ($150 off) at Amazon, Walmart, and REI. The high-end fitness watch offers battery life that lasts up to 90 days with solar charging, along with a built-in LED flashlight and multi-band GPS with SatIQ, which helps you stay on course during your trail runs. It also features TopoActive maps, adaptive training, recovery insight, and even rucking and ski profiles.Garmin inReach Mini 2Garmin’s palm-sized inReach Mini 2 satellite communicator offers off-the-grid two-way messaging, built-in navigation capabilities, and powerful mapping features, including the ability to set waypoints when paired with Garmin’s Explore app. A subscription plan is required to access the Iridium network, though, with prices starting at $7.99 a month.Where to Buy: $399.99 $249.99 at Amazon $399.99 $249.99 at REI $399.99 $249.99 at GarminThe Garmin inReach Messenger Plus, a satellite communicator that provides peace of mind when you’re beyond cell towers, has fallen to an all-time low of $349 ($150 off) at Amazon, Walmart, and REI. It can connect to the Iridium satellite network for global SOS, location sharing, and photo and voice messaging, so you can send a visual marker to a loved one. The richer context makes the Messenger Plus a nice upgrade over the Mini 2’s text-only approach, so long as you’re willing to pay the premium subscription fee.If you like your holiday music, then consider the JBL Flip 7, which has returned to its all-time low of $109.95 ($40 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and REI. The portable Bluetooth speaker features several notable upgrades over its predecessor, including a more rugged design, an enhanced tweeter, and an additional two hours of playtime. It also features JBL’s AI Sound Boost technology, which can boost the speaker’s volume without introducing distortion. An IP68 rating, meanwhile, means you can enjoy using the Flip 7 by the pool, while a PushLock system lets you attach interchangeable accessories like the included wrist strap.The rugged JBL Charge 6 is currently down to an all-time low of $129.99 ($70 off) in multiple colors at Amazon, Best Buy, and REI. Introduced earlier this year, the portable Bluetooth speaker has an upgraded woofer and up to 28 hours of battery life with JBL’s Playtime Boost feature enabled. Like the Flip 7, the Charge 6 features an IP68 rating and a removable strap, making it easier to transport. It even supports lossless audio through compatible music streaming services, including Apple Music and Spotify, so long as you connect your phone or laptop to the speaker via USB-C.EcoFlow River 3 Plus Portable Power StationThe River 3 Plus is a relatively compact but mighty portable power station with an output of up to 600W. It weighs 10 pounds, features app support, and can double as an uninterruptible power supply in emergencies.Where to Buy: $299 $178.99 at REI $299 $269 at Amazon $299 $269 at EcoFlowWith the holiday travel season coming up, chances are you’ll be away from a charger for an extended period of time. Thankfully, EcoFlow’s versatile Rapid Magnetic Power Bank is down to an all-time low of $68.99 ($51 off) at REI through December 2nd. The 10,000mAh Qi2 battery can snap to the back of your device if you’re using a newer iPhone or select Android devices, thus supplying it with up to 15W of power. It also includes a built-in USB-C cable that can provide up to 65W of power to larger devices, including a 13-inch MacBook Air.If you own an older iPhone with a Lightning port, you can grab InfinityLab’s InstantGo 10,000 Power Bank for just $41.93 (about $20 off) at REI. The portable battery features a 10,000mAh capacity and a built-in Lightning cable, making it a solid all-in-one option for days when you won’t be near an outlet. It also supports passthrough charging, allowing you to charge your phone and the power bank simultaneously.Sea to Summit Hanging Toiletry BagSea to Summit’s small toiletry bag lets you keep all of your essentials close at hand for weekend getaways. It features a water–resistant fabric and a convenient hanging hook, along with internal mesh pockets so you can quickly find whatever it is you need.Where to Buy: $49.95 $37.39 at REI $49.95 $37.46 at Amazon $49.95 at Sea to SummitKelty Low LoveseatThe Kelty Low Loveseat is a sturdy, low-profile camp chair built for two. It features a steel frame, a padded seat, and extra-large cup holders for your drinks or gear. It also includes a padded roll-tote storage bag, making it easy to transport when it’s folded down.Where to Buy: $129.95 $97.39 at REI $129.95 $97.46 at BackcountryThe JetBoil Stash Cooking System is a compact, lightweight cooking system that’s currently down to $123.69 (about $41 off) at REI, which is one of the lowest prices we’ve seen all year. It features a standalone stove with a titanium burner and a 0.8-liter cooking pot, allowing you to boil water or heat food at your campsite. The pot comes with a lid and a pour handle, too, and everything can be stowed inside the pot when you’re finished, making it exceptionally easy to pack up.A small, compact chair is nice to have for lounging around a campfire. REI’s Flexlite Camp Chair is a great option now that it’s down to $55.89 (about $24 off) at REI. It features an aluminum frame, a stable four-leg design, and a ripstop polyester seat with water and stain resistance. When you’re done, it can also quickly fold down into a drawstring bag, so you can throw it in your car or tent.The Yeti Rambler is available for its lowest price of the year from REI, Amazon, and Yeti, where you can grab it for just $30.40 (about $8 off). The 20-ounce water bottle is made of kitchen-grade stainless steel and features double-wall vacuum insulation, ensuring your beverage stays hot or cold for hours. It also features a press-in straw lid that’s leak-resistant, while its tapered design ensures it can fit most cupholders, making it a great companion for road trips.Yeti Roadie 15 coolerYeti’s Roadie 15 features a 15-quart capacity, which is enough to fit 22 cans or 16 pounds of ice. The spacious cooler features a durable design, latches that are easy to lock / unlock with one hand, and convenient tie-down slots to attach it to a boat, trailer, or truck bed.Where to Buy: $200 $159.99 at REI $200 $160 at Yeti $200 at AmazonMpowerd Luci Solar String Lights: ColorMpowerd’s solar-powered string lights are perfect for camping or a backyard shindig. The 18-foot string can display six colors and last up to 15 hours on a single charge; the case also doubles as a charger, allowing you to top off your phone in a pinch.Where to Buy: $54.95 $32.93 at REI $54.95 $32.97 at AmazonIt’s that time of year when the sun rises late and sets early, so chances are you’ll be on the trail when it’s dark. If that’s the case, you’re going to need a headlamp. Luckily, the Black Diamond Spot 400 Headlamp is down to around $41.19 (about $13 off) at REI and Backcountry. The headlamp is a great, basic option that features a max output of 400 lumens, a red LED light, and an IPX8 rating, making it safe to use in the rain. It also features an integrated battery meter, which shows the percentage of power remaining, so you know when to replace the batteries before they run out at an inopportune time.The Exped MegaMat Duo Sleeping Pad provides comfort at your campsite or in your car, and currently, you can purchase it for as low as $277.39 (up to $130 off) at REI. The 4-inch, self-inflating mattress features an open-cell polyurethane foam and generous padding, so you won’t “bottom out” while sleeping. A side handle makes it easy to move around, and two deflate valves allow you to quickly deflate the sleeping pad. It also makes for a nice air mattress at home, so guests don’t have to sleep on the floor.The Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol Sleeping Pad is a lighter, more compact option that features an accordion-style design, allowing you to attach it to your backpack. Right now, you can get it for as low as $37.39 (about $13 off) at REI. The closed-cell foam provides comfort after a long day of hiking, while the sleeping pad’s surface helps reflect radiant heat back to your body, so you can stay warm in the cool fall weather.DJI Osmo 360DJI’s Osmo 360 is the company’s first 360-degree action camera. The compact camera features strong stabilization, so footage doesn’t come out shaky, and it can record at 8K/30fps for up to 100 minutes on a full charge.Where to Buy: $549.99 $410 at Amazon $549.99 $412.49 at REI $549.99 $412.49 at B&H PhotoREI’s Magma 30 Down Trail Quilt will keep you warm when temperatures drop, and it’s now available for $230.29 (about $99 off) at REI. It can be used flat or cinched into a footbox, and it features cords to securely connect to a sleeping pad. The quilt comes with water-resistant, 850-fill goose down, along with insulated draft tubes that help prevent heat loss. With temperatures currently dropping across the US, you’ll need all the warmth you can get.The Leatherman Wingman is a versatile multitool that’s great for everyday odd jobs. Right now, you can snag it for $55.89 (about $14 off) at REI. It offers spring-loaded pliers for one-handed use, an outside-accessible locking blade, and scissors for quick cuts. Additionally, it features Phillips and flathead screwdrivers, a file, a package opener, and a bottle / can opener. Its compact size makes it easy to slide into your pocket, too, making small fixes — like campsite repairs — quick and easy.

The new Laptop 16 is a lot like the original on the outside, though here it’s shown with a prototype 3D-printed trackpad surround that’s a single piece. Framework did it again. It promised modular, upgradeable, and user-repairable laptops where other manufacturers dare not venture or have outright failed. And it's delivered. The 2025 version of the Framework Laptop 16 comes with not only new AMD Ryzen AI CPU options, but also Wi-Fi 7, a more powerful USB-C charger, redesigned cooling, and a new webcam - all of which are also sold separately, so existing owners can upgrade. But the biggest bump by far is a more powerful user-replaceable graphics card. The modular, removable GPU is what separates the Laptop 16 from any other laptop on the market. When it announced the Laptop 16, Framework ca …Read the full story at The Verge.

We've all been there at some point in our home lab journey. The decision to run a stack of Docker containers on our NAS, maybe because we didn't want to run experiments on our desktop PC, or perhaps because we thought that using the NAS as a mini server was a good idea. But the longer I had this setup, the more I got the nagging feeling that I shouldn't be continuing, and that a dedicated machine for container experiments was a better idea.

The ability to tinker with cool projects without worrying about breaking anything is what I adore about virtualization platforms. In fact, I’ve spent a long time experimenting with virtual guests on Proxmox, and have ended up with VMs that run well despite their weird premise. A remote Windows 11 daily driver VM is one such project, and the same holds for Arch-based Dev environments.

Oh, how I want to break free. While there is plenty of criticism to be hurled at what music the algorithm serves to us, and how, the real problem with music discovery in the age of algorithmic recommendations is that listening has become a passive activity. It's too easy to press play and let a pile of code take the wheel. Whether that's creating a "station" based on a particular song or artist, firing up Discover Weekly, or just letting Apple Music autoplay into infinity after a particular album or song ends. With less involvement from the listener, less intentionality, it's easy for music to simply become background noise. Research suggests that younger generations a …Read the full story at The Verge.

It's a shame when some games come out and start looking dated within a couple years or more of their release. At the same time, it's magical when others remain stunning for decades, and what it all comes down to is art direction. The PS3-to-PS4 leap was one of the most amazing generational leaps between consoles, and it gave us worlds that looked and felt richer than anything we'd ever seen before.

A Raspberry Pi 5 can do far more than power a novelty gadget. It offers enough performance to replace small appliances, automate daily tasks, and serve as the backbone of a smarter home. Many people underestimate how capable it is, especially when paired with modern software tools and good storage. These projects show where the Pi 5 can step in and deliver real value, without feeling like something you built just for fun.

I remember being blown away by the 2024 reveal trailer for Possessor(s), the new game from Hyper Light Drifter developer Heart Machine. The trailer features a striking art design, where an animated 2D character explores and fights in side-scrolling environments with gorgeous 3D backgrounds, and it's all set to moody, powerful music. The final game, which came out this month, wasn't quite as awe-inspiring as that initial trailer made it seem, and I almost quit it - but I'm really glad I saw it to the end.In Possessor(s), you play as Luca, a girl who is possessed by Rehm, a demon from another realm. After a catastrophe strikes, Rehm saves Lu …Read the full story at The Verge.

Wave goodbye. According to the Financial Times, Tim Cook could step down as Apple CEO as early as next year. And the board has started to seriously work out a succession plan. FT says that John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice-president of hardware engineering, is considered the frontrunner for the position.Cook, who turned 65 recently, has been CEO for 14 years and overseen both incredible growth and his fair share of controversies. He’s also largely seen as responsible for Apple’s shift to outsourcing manufacturing, which has enabled it to operate at much larger scales than it did traditionally. Rumors of Cook’s stepping down follow the retirement of Apple COO Jeff Williams, whose last day at the company was Friday. As part of that departure, there has been some shuffling of responsibilities at the executive level, including expanded roles for Services chief Eddy Cue, head of software engineering Craig Federighi, and Ternus. Regardless of who winds up taking over as CEO, it’s unlikely to be someone from outside Apple. Tim Cook has previously said there is a strong preference for an internal candidate and that the company has “very detailed succession plans.”