Eliana Willis

Just when you thought this list would only include Windows systems, we’ve got the Mac Mini. This was one of the original mini PCs, and with the switch to Apple Silicon processors, it has seen a new lease of life.Considered at one point the gateway Mac that got people over to MacOS from Windows (because they could replace their Windows PC with the Mac Mini and keep using their existing keyboard, mouse, and monitor with their new Mac), it’s now a staple of the Mac lineup, and the perfect choice for those who want a compact system.I’ve owned a few different Mac Mini systems over the years, and I’ve been more than satisfied by them. They’re reliable, well-built, and run cool and quiet. The biggest downside to this system is upgrading — bottom line, this Mac will live and die with the same processor, RAM, and storage that it left the factory with. If you want to give it a storage boost, Satechi makes a hub/stand for it that adds a bunch of ports and a port for an M.2 SSD.As I’d expect from an Apple product, the reviews are strongly positive, with users reporting that they are happy with the performance and overall reliability of the system.Apple 2023 Mac mini tech specs: Apple Silicon M2 processor with 8 CPU cores, 10 GPU cores | 8GB RAM | 256GB storage | 2x USB-A, 2x Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, Ethernet, audio jck | MacOS 14 Sonoma More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETI regularly log in remotely to machines on my local area network. To do that, I use secure shell (SSH). I often default to the terminal but sometimes I prefer a graphical user interface (GUI) app that includes features specific to a SSH.If MacOS is your go-to operating system, you don’t have to use the terminal window for this task (although that is one of the options I’ll mention). The good news is that SSH is installed on MacOS by default, so the only thing you’ll need to install is the third-party GUI application.Also: Thinking about switching to Linux? 10 things you need to knowWith that said, let’s jump into the apps and see what’s available. More

The i3 tiling window manager is worth the time it takes to understand how it works. Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNETYour window manager is responsible for the placement and appearance of windows on your Linux desktop. If you use a full desktop environment (such as GNOME or Plasma), the window manager is part of that stack. On GNOME, for example, the window manager is Mutter. On Plasma, it’s KWin. Every window manager offers a different feature set and aesthetic.Also: The best tiling window managers for Linux, and what they can do for youThere’s one type of window manager specifically designed to deliver the most efficient experience, a window manager that allows you to keep your hands on your keyboard more of the time while enjoying automatically placed and sized windows. That window manager is called a tiling window manager. (Previously, I’ve reviewed what I believe are the best tiling window managers currently available.) Today, I’m going to show you how to install a tiling window manager on Linux.I’ll demonstrate how to do this using the i3 tiling window manager. I’ll show how this is done, with a single command, on most popular Linux distributions (Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora, Gentoo, Alpine, Arch, and openSUSE).Keep in mind that tiling window managers typically are targeted toward advanced users. For those who’d like to give tiling window management a try, without actually installing the software, you can always use the Tiling Shell GNOME extension or Polonium for Plasma. Other distributions, such as Pop!_OS, include a tiling window manager extension by default, which you can enable or disable as needed.Also: 10 things I always do after installing Linux – and why you should tooHere’s another thing to consider: When you install a tiling window manager, it’s installed in addition to what you already have. That means you can select between the default desktop environment or the new tiling window manager at the login screen.For those who are curious, i3 is a highly configurable tiling window manager that features a tree data structure for more flexible layouts and includes custom keyboard shortcuts and plain-text configuration without the need to restart the system.With that noted, let’s get to the installation.How to install a tiling window manager on LinuxWhat you’ll need: To install the i3 tiling window manager, you’ll need a running instance of one of the distributions listed above and a user with sudo privileges. Most of these windows managers don’t require much storage space, so they can safely be installed alongside what you already have. More

Google If you have an email sitting in your drafts because you can’t quite fine-tune it to sound like you want, a new Gemini feature might help. In a recent blog post, Google detailed two new additions to Gemini: an option for ‘Help me write’ that lets you polish Gmail drafts on web devices and […] More

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysThe Ulefone Armor 25T Pro is available from Amazon More

Max Buondonno/ZDNETGoogle’s latest lineup of Pixel 9 phones launched last week, and with preorder offers underway, Best Buy More

Books take up a lot of space, but e-readers allow you to carry hundreds of books (and audiobooks) in a small, convenient form factor. And, unlike smartphones and tablets, e-readers are fitted with e-ink displays to look and even feel like paper. They’re glare-free and suited to both indoor and outdoor reading. Also: The best Kindles you can buyE-ink displays even feature a subtle backlight, which means you can read in bed without needing a light on. Combine this with a battery life measured in weeks, and you have the perfect device to replace your big, heavy books.What is the best e-reader right now?Based on our extensive testing, the best e-reader available is the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite More

the_burtons/Getty Images If you have some old electronics around the house, you might be able to turn those into groceries.  Costco offers an electronics trade-in program where you can send your old devices and get a store gift card in return — you don’t even have to be a Costco member. Also: A Costco membership comes […] More