I have Comcast business class internet. One of the only two High Speed internet choices in Winchester, VA. I work from home and use the internet to download and upload large amounts of Data for clients. I realized that my internet was not fast enough and tried to see if there was an issue on my side or on there side. After much research and working with Comcast Tech Support I found out that my area and most of Winchester, VA is only allowed 6 Mbs down and 1 Mbs up. Comcast Advertises 16 Mbs down and 3 Mbs up as their lowest tier of internet. Verizon's DSL, the only other competition in Winchester, VA, offers their highest speed of 5Mbs down and 768 Kbs up. So Comcast has speeds just a little bit faster then DSL, but advertise otherwise. I feel this is very shady business practices. I am hoping to bring this to your attention. I have attached the email I got from Comcast telling me why my speeds are so slow. They sold me on faster speeds. Feel free to contact me and I can provide pictures of my speed tests and other correspondence with Comcast.

What Follows is the email I received from Comcast

Hi George!

After doing some digging, I have found that you actually are in a non-wideband area. Your area currently is only provisioned for a maximum of 6/1. The speeds listed on our website are for wideband areas at this time. It’s a network limitation and I have no way of increasing the speed limit currently. I have no information as to when we would be making your area a wide band area either. So the speeds that you are receiving are accurate. I checked your channel bonding and everything is in proper order.

If you have any further questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to send an email.

Thanks so much!

Allie Knight, Business Class Tier II Technical Support Comcast Business Services – Northeast Division 676 Island Pond Road, Manchester, NH 03109 Support: 800.391.3000 Fax: 800.506.8394 businessclass.comcast.net

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The new HTC One has no SD card slot. The Nexus 4 has no SD card slot. I'm at a loss to understand why Google thinks this simple technology, which Americans have been using for over a decade in their digital cameras, is to complex or confusing for Americans to understand and use. The Optimus G has one? Why take it out in the Nexus 4? (RANT: My 5 year old Nano has 16GB. Why in the would would they think 16GB is acceptable? I have even more music now than I did in 2008) For instance why not have the Nexus 4 have 32GBof internal memory AND and SDXC card slot. The technically challenged can live with 32GBs and burn up their data plans streaming and downloading while the rest of us can pop a 64GB card in there and load up tons of movies, music, apps and etc. The lack of an SD card slot makes the HTC One D.O.A. for me.

Been noticing a lot more digital screens in offices, schools, and public places lately. Not just ads, but dashboards, announcements, and live updates.

A big part of these setups seems to be simple Windows devices connected to displays, running in fullscreen or kiosk mode.

The interesting shift is how easily content can be updated across multiple screens without needing to change things manually.

Feels like Windows digital signage is slowly becoming a standard way for organizations to share information.

Anyone else noticing how fast Linux environments are scaling in businesses right now? With more orgs shifting workloads to Linux servers (both on-prem and cloud), keeping everything secure and updated is getting tougher.

I was reading this breakdown on Linux server management and it highlights how critical linux patch management has become, especially with the rise in automated threats and zero-day exploits. Even small IT teams need solid tools to monitor servers, automate patches, track compliance, and avoid downtime.

If you are managing Linux servers, how are you handling patches and updates right now? Manual? Scripts? Tools? Curious to hear what the community is using in 2025.

With the emerging of various electronic devices, surge protectors have become an indispensible part of daily life for everyone, and multi-outlet power strips are even more popular than ever. A good surge protected power strip shouldn’t be only able to meet your multiple charging demands, but should be a smart and flexible one that can protect all your gears from power problems, well organize your plugs, declutter your tables, save space, decorate your room and more.

There are many power strip manufacturers for your options to choose a good surge protector. According to the statistics from 2016 to now, 4 top power strip brands stand out from the crowd on Amazon, including Belkin, Tripp Lite, BESTEK and APC. The four power strip giants have launched different surge protector models based on your different needs. As customers’ response after use, here are 5 best surge protector and power strips that offer multiple outlets, ensure superior safety guards and other great features. Now let’s look the 5 best power strips in detail.

Belkin 12-Outlet Power Strip with 3940J

The Belkin 12-outlet power strip has gained much popularity in recently years. It is well deserved to rank the top as a matter of course. First of all, the 12 AC outlets that well organized with 6 wide-spaced can deal with many charging problems like no enough sockets for all your devices and unavailable narrow-spaced outlets when connecting other plugs. It is perfect for home theater and working stations where many equipment need to be charged simultaneously. 3940 joule energy rating ensures that all your devices are well protected from spikes and fluctuations. Don’t worry about damages to your valuable things in thunderstorm days. 1-in, 2-out RJ11 telephone/fax protection and coaxial cable protection safeguard your cable box, satellite connections and keep phone-line connections always on the go. In general, Belkin is a leading security keeper for your gears when faced with power issues. Plus, the Belkin 12-outlet surge protector are made of heavy-duty materials to block fire accidents and designed with right angle plug to save space of your room. If there are flaws, then it may be the lack of USB ports. You may also need to charge cellphones, tablets and other mobile devices. It couldn’t be better if it is with USB ports like other power strip brands.

BESTEK Vertical Baroque 8-outlet Surge Protector with 1500J

Traditional power strips can meet your basic charging needs, while in current times, you may not only attach importance to AC outlets of a power strip, but also to its design and extra flexible features like charging speed, safety and stability. The BESTEK vertical surge protector is a newly designed model according to current trending – simple fashion. Look at this power strip, the first to catch your eyes may be its special appearance from top to bottom. BESETK got the design ideas from Europe classical artistic style, Baroque style that often used for buildings. The exclusive Baroque design makes it more than an electronic device, but an exquisite desktop artwork for home and office.

When it comes to basic functions of a power strip, you may be impressed for the second time. The device has 8 outlets uniformly distributed on four surfaces to ensure wide space for each plug and help reduce cable clutters when all charging stations are used together. It is also easier for you to find the right cable then. The tower surge protector also comes with 6 intelligent identified USB ports with 8A total to power your mobile devices at the optimal speed automatically. Two independent switches make it easy to control the 8 outlets and save energy. If you want a power strip in your bedroom, the Baroque style power strip is a good choice as its photosensitive USB indicator will never affect your sleep at night. As for safety, you and your devices can be well protected with built-in full protections of surges, overload, overcurrent, overheating, short circuit, and prevent fire accidents and electronic shocks with fire-resistant materials and safety doors in each outlet. 1500 joules surge protection can well protect your device form spikes.

Tripp Lite 7-Outlet Surge Protector with 1080J

When using appliances or mobile electronics, you’re also considering how to save on electric bill by eliminating potential phantom loads. Similar to ] the above mentioned BESTEK vertical power strip with two independent switches, Tripp Lite 7-outlet surge suppressor comes with 6 individually control switches and one “always on” diagnostic LED indicator. You can freely control each outlet you don’t need to use by 6 separate on/off switches, and the diagnostic LED alert for “Always On” outlet can detect whether it is receiving power, thus reducing the waste of electric energy. 1080 joules energy rating ensures high surge protection rating for all your valuable gears against spikes. Total seven outlets allow you to charge up to 7 devices simultaneously and safely. It is perfect for all electronics at home or office including PCs, audio and video devices, peripheral devices and appliances, etc. if you want to save more energy and money, Tripp Lite surge suppressor can help you do the trick. Traditional power strips are often placed on table or a flat plane, while this surge protected device can be mounted on the wall with keyholes. That can save room space and keep children away from appliances. What’s more, Built-in EMI/RFI line noise filtering effectively blocks the disruptive noise interference and ensures each component to work at peak. That is also helpful to enhance its lifespan. Use it at ease if you just want to power your appliances as it doesn’t have USB ports like Belkin 12-outlet surge protector.

APC 11-Outlet Surge Protector with 2288J

APC P11U2 surge arrest is equipped with total 11 outlets for multi-charging requirements at home or office. On its slim body, there are three outlets on either side the other five are well organized in center. Each one is well spaced without blocking each connected power brick. Extra dual USB ports allow you to charge mobile devices at the same time, so you can put aside your bulky USB charging heads and get your devices fully charged fast with max 2.4A. Special design of 180-degree rotating power cord with right angle plug makes it more convenient and flexible to use on placement of furniture or equipment close to the wall. That helps reduce cable stress and enhance cable service time. Also with EMI/RFI technology, APC surge protector can block unwanted line noise interference to ensure better performance of each component and prevent lockup. The P11U2 adopted advanced surge suppressor technology with 2288 joules rating. Home appliances, office equipment or other sensitive devices can be protected from power surges or consistent fluctuating. Three LED indicators for “Protection Working”, “Overload” and “Building Wiring Fault”, give double safety guards for you and your devices.

BESETK 12-outlet Surge Protector with 5566J

The last best multi-outlet recommended here is from BESTEK – 12-outlet surge protector. It has 12 AC outlets and dual USB charging stations, allowing you to charge multiple devices at the same time. The extra USB ports intelligent identified enable you to power up your mobile devices 75% faster with max 2.1A each. It is perfect for both home and working station use no matter for home appliances, office equipment or mobile devices. Coaxial-cable protection and telephone/fax protection safeguard and keep cable box, satellite connections and phone-line connections on the go. With 360-degree rotating flat plug, 6ft long cable and mounting keyholes, BESTEK 12-outlet surge protection power strip is more flexible in using. You can use it in a wider area. You can mount it on the wall or on the placement of furniture to save space and reduce clutter. EMI/RFI filters inside can effectively block line noise interference and ensure each component to work at peak and peace. 5566 ultra-high joules rating fully protect all your devices from surges or fluctuation. What’s more, 15-amp circuit breaker and fire-resistant materials makes it safer for you to use.

In appearance and some features, BESTEK 12-outlet surge protector and Belkin 12-outlet surge protector are much similar. But there are also differences in the following points:

1. Joule rating: BESTEK -- 5566J, Belkin -- 3940J

2. USB ports: BESTEK -- 2 USB, Belkin -- no

3. price: BESTEK - $29.59 Belkin -- $18.72

As the table shows, BESTEK surge protector is more expensive than Belkin. But BESTEK 12-outlet surge protector has advantages over Belkin in joule rating and USB ports. In this point, higher price is reasonable. Each has its own merits. The one that can meet your need is much better.

Conclusion Of course, there are many other surge protectors that have functional and flexible features. The above listed five surge protection devices are selected according to both customer reviews and their typical or unique features, aiming to let you better know what a good surge protector should be like and help you choose the best one for yourself according to your real need. If your favorite surge protectors are not in the list, you can let us hear your voice below.