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Microsoft is on a roll. Windows 10 is so much better than Windows 8—worthy of skipping an iteration number altogether—Office 2016 is out and the company topped off the software announcements with several big hardware releases. The Surface Pro 4 and all new Surface Book convertible laptop are turning heads on the portable PC front, while new a new Microsoft Band hits the red hot wearables market and long-awaited Lumia flagship smartphones bring the best of Windows 10 to mobile. Microsoft has plenty to look forward to this fall.  

In the last few months, we’ve seen Nest and Canadian companies ecobee and Sinope release their latest takes on the smart thermostats. Now, more than ever, you have options. What do you want your thermostat to do for you? Warm your house automatically when you’re home from work? Interact with other smart devices? Save you money? Perhaps this is the year you prepare for the Great Canadian Winter with a new Smart Thermostat.

One of our readers posted a question in the Plug-in forum, looking for advice on an affordable laptop or tablet for playing Minecraft. Beside showcasing what a great resource the forums are, that question reflects a buying decision that many parents are facing as we head into the holiday season. What options are there for low cost gaming?

Without the complication of having to choose data and voice-plans, today’s tablets still offer many of the features and benefits of popular smartphones, while having the advantage of larger displays, connected keyboard accessories, and a range of functionality. This makes tablets some of the best gifts for the women in your life.

It’s fun shopping for accessories for your home theatre.  The ideas and cool gadgets are seemingly endless.  But there are three must-have items your home theatre can’t be without.  Find out what they are, and see if you agree or disagree.

As Canadians, we’re no strangers to brutal winter weather. From bone chilling ice storms that knock out entire city power grids, to blinding blizzards and torrential downpours, to winds so fierce that merely crossing the street is a test of your core strength, coast to coast, we see it all. So with winter right around the corner, now is the time to prepare your tech for the inevitable change in weather.

If you have as many smart home devices as I do, you’re probably popping in and out of all apps all day long. Until I heard about Muzzley, I didn’t realize there was a better way to navigate and use all of my favourite gadgets all within one app.

While a TV is a super gift for the whole family, if you’re not in the market for one, there are still some great ways to upgrade your home theatre. Small and inexpensive accessories, like a universal remote, or a streaming device can add great features to any home theatre with ease.

If you only upgrade your PC once in a blue moon, Windows 10 is a great reason to take the plunge now. By doing so, you get yourself the latest OS running on the latest PC, so you can take full advantage of each and enjoy an optimal experience with your day to day computing. There are some great options out there to help you get a great Windows 10 experience whether you want a tablet, desktop PC or something along the spectrum in between.

On Sunday I attended the NBA Canada Series Fantasy Camp, Presented by NBA 2K16. For details of the event (which included the NBA preseason game between the Toronto Raptors and the LA Clippers at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, B.C.) and a detailed overview of the video game it was sponsored by (NBA 2K16, which is now available on multiple platforms), click through and read on. Whether your interests lie more in the video game itself or the amazing live event, I’ve got you covered.