Sladjana Milojev

 You should always purchase small business-grade laptops from an online source, as these are a step up from what you will find in most stores. Be wary of outstanding price offers on consumer-grade computers from chain store retailers. In most cases, you get what you pay for. You can expect to pay between $750 and $1,500+ for a good-quality, business-grade computer. Products in this price range have higher quality internal components and will generally last four to five years or more with proper care. Examples of recommended business-grade computers include: HP Probook, HP Elitebook, Dell Latitude, Dell Vostro, Microsoft Surface Pro, Toshiba Dynabook Tecra, Lenovo Thinkpad T, Macbook Air, and Macbook Pro.

 ResTechs oversee the daily operation and maintenance of the on-campus housing labs, kiosks, collaborative study desks, and printers. Additionally, they assist with network connections, perform student computer OS re-installs, run anti-virus and anti-malware scans, and provide general hardware troubleshooting. The Connect to Tech Guide is a University-wide resource that describes computer specifications for students bringing a used computer with them.

 Amazon on Tuesday unveiled Amp, a new app that makes DJs of users’ own radio shows, as a growing number of companies jump into the live audio space. Demand for the services surged during the pandemic, and tech companies have raced to launch features to capitalize on the trend. Audio app Clubhouse last year spurred attention and investments from Silicon Valley, while Twitter, Facebook, Spotify and Discord feature content around live conversations. It’s not the first live-content play for Amazon, which owns livestreaming subsidiary Twitch and through Audible has beefed up its podcast library. Amp could provide additional content for users to access through Echo smart speakers, and it could potentially give a boost to the company’s fast-growing advertising business.

Sladjana Milojev

 Amazon has signed up popular artists including Nicki Minaj, Pusha T and Tinashe, as well as social media influencers and radio hosts, to create content for the app, the company said. The app is currently available for iPhone in beta, which requires an invitation to join, but people can sign up to join a waiting list for access. Apple’s new Mac Studio computer goes on sale on Friday. I’ve been testing it for over a week, and it’s a good pick for video and photo professionals for whom cost is no issue and who want a Mac desktop that will be able to handle anything thrown at it for years. But, with a starting price of $1,999 that doesn’t include a screen, it’s not the computer for people who just want to browse the web and watch Netflix. They’re better served by the $699 Mac Mini.

 More cost-sensitive buyers who don’t need all the power of the Mac Studio should consider a Mac Mini if they need a desktop computer, or a MacBook Air laptop, which is more portable and can easily power a desktop experience with a compatible monitor, such as the Studio Display, which is a solid option if you want a 5K screen with good speakers and a great webcam. Apple’s new $599 iPad Air launches on Friday. I’ve been testing it for the past several days and think it’s the best iPad for most people. It’s more powerful and is better than the regular $329 iPad in almost every way, the best mix of features and price for people who want to play the latest games and do some video and image editing. But power users may be disappointed by the skimpy 64GB of storage in the base model and could find that the $799 entry-level iPad Pro is a better deal.