Linux / Unix

The new Oryx Pro laptops are powered by the Intel Core i7-11800H processor that can be coupled with up to 64 GB of DDR4-3200 RAM and up to 4 TB of PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD storage. On the graphics side, we find the RTX 3070 and 3080 Max-Q dGPU options and there is a MUX switch to unleash the full potential in games and demanding applications. It also comes with a Thunderbolt 4 connector, but the prices are quite steep.

Some Android games can now be played on any device capable of running a modern web browser. BlueStacks X, a cloud-focused variant of the popular Android emulator, can play compatible Android titles without the need for installing any software. The service runs entirely in a web browser, making it usable on PCs, Linux machines, and even iPhones and iPads.

Thanks to a very productive community that is working diligently on an open source driver for the alternative operating system Linux, older AMD graphics cards are about to receive raytracing support in the near future.

Notable features include non-Steam game compatibility for Proton, ext4 and exFAT file system support for the SD cards, user-accessible BIOS with multi-boot option along with SD card OS boot, plus PC game controller mode through Remote Play. The updated FAQ also confirms that external GPUs are not supported and the console is not specifically optimized for VR games.

Available for both desktop and mobile users, Vivaldi 4.2 includes a few interesting new features and improvements, such as the ability to translate text on a web page privately, URL sharing via QR codes, scrollable web panel buttons, Neeva as a new search option, all alongside the usual set of unseen tweaks and fixes.

Labeled 2.9 “Direct Hit” and released earlier today, the latest update to War Thunder sports a rich collection of new aircraft, ships, armored vehicles, and more. Its highlights include the MiG-27M (also the first aircraft in the game to carry guided bombs), two new battlegrounds, as well as visual updates for some older models (the B-17 bombers, for example).

The Linux-based Pangolin refreshes come with the Lucienne R5 5500U and R7 5700U APUs integrating Zen 2 cores. Other features include a 15.7-inch FHD display, up to 64 GB DDR4-3200 RAM, up to 2 TB NVMe SSD storage, Wi-Fi 6 and a GbE NIC. Prices start at $1,199.

Only available for desktop users for now, Vivaldi 4.1 brings a new way of managing open web pages, namely accordion tabs, as well as command chains. Now, opening a few websites and tiling can be done in a single operation, but more than 200 browser commands are available to use in multiple actions.

René Rebe managed to patch the Linux kernel to support the RISC-V processor along with the AMD RX 6700 XT card in around 10 hours. The GPU is not exactly fully functional, as it cannot yet run games, but it can render the GUI, 3D elements and also decode hi-res videos.

The new Executive model from Slimbook weighs 2.2 lbs (1 kg) and packs premium features like a 16:10 screen with 3K resolution and 90 Hz refresh rate plus an Intel Tiger Lake-U i7-1165G7 processor. It also includes a Thunderbolt 4 connector and users can add up to 64 GB of DDR4-3200 and up to 4 TB of NVMe SSD storage.

The JingPad A1 has smashed through its funding target on Indiegogo, where it is currently available to back. The tablet is the first running Linux and comes with an AMOLED display, along with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage.

The Atari VCS hybrid console-PC is finally available to purchase some 3 years after originally being launched. The device features classic retro Atari looks and can play classic Atari games and also function as a desktop PC.

The jump from version number 3.8 to 4.0 comes with a few massive changes for Vivaldi users, starting with the three features still in Beta status: Mail, Calendar, and Feed Reader. This update also intros Vivaldi Translate, three interface layouts to choose from, and more. The Android update is also moving to version 4.0.

Labeled 2.7 "Red Skies" and released earlier today, the latest update to War Thunder introduces rank VII jets, alongside two new locations, 11 new ground vehicles (including modern Chinese SPAA), 5 helicopters, 6 new ships, as well as a comprehensive list of minor tweaks and fixes.

NVIDIA is bringing its DLSS image upscaling technology to Linux users via Proton. This will enable supported games on Linux to leverage the Tensor cores on RTX GPUs for AI-based supersampling. NVIDIA said that DLSS will be enabled for Vulkan games this month followed by DirectX titles in the fall.

Released earlier today, Firefox 89 comes with a clean design "is easy on the eyes, bright and buoyant on screens of all sizes" across multiple platforms. The list of visual changes is pretty long and includes a new icon set crisp typography, streamlined toolbar and menus, a new look for tabs, expanded privacy protections, and more.

The new 14-inch Linux-based business laptop from Tuxedo weighs around 2.2 lbs and is fairly thin. CPU options include the i5-1135G7 and i7-1165G7 Tiger Lake-U CPUs with Iris Xe iGPUs, which can be coupled with up to 64 GB of DDR4 RAM and up to 4 TB of PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD storage. This model is among the first to offer a 3K display with LTPS LCD technology that is usually seen on smartphones.

The next version of Chrome OS will move a great developer feature from the Beta to Stable channel: Linux integration will finally exit beta with Chrome OS 91. This move should broadly increase Linux usage and development on Chromebooks.

Jingling has confirmed the price of the JingPad A1, the 2-in-1 convertible running a Linux-based tablet OS. The JingPad A1 features a Unisoc Tiger T7510 SoC though, so the tablet may offer limited performance.

System76's newest product is an open-source keyboard called Launch. While Launch boasts some high-end features, they are not uncommon to mechanical keyboards. Considering the high price of $285, Launch seems to be a niche product.

Bleujour has updated the Kubb, its compact and stylish mini-PC. The square device is now available with Intel's latest Tiger Lake processors that feature Iris Xe Graphics and Thunderbolt 4 ports.

Pine64 unveiled a new keyboard case for the PinePhone. While the pictures and videos do not show the case working at this point, they show the design of the case. The beveled keys and included 6000 mAh battery make the case thick, but it may present a convenient package for those in search of a small Linux laptop.

Steam has published its hardware and software survey for March and yet again AMD has pinched some more processor usage share away from Intel. However, there has been a small increase for Team Blue with Linux-based systems, and there must be some hope that Rocket Lake has the cash registers ringing soon.

Earlier this week, Firefox 87 arrived with SmartBlock for Private Browsing — a new intelligent tracker blocking mechanism that provides stand-in scripts to decrease the chance of a website breaking on load. The list of other changes includes a new default HTTP Referrer policy, full support for VoiceOver in macOS, and more.

With specs that make it look ancient, such as eMMC storage and a 2/5 MP pair of cameras, the PinePhone Beta Edition is exactly what its name says. Priced at US$150 (2/32 GB) or US$200 (3/64 GB and a USB-C docking bar), the PinePhone Beta Edition only comes with 30 days of warranty and it isn't just another smartphone.

Unleashed for both desktop and mobile users, Vivaldi 3.7 comes with native support for Apple M1 processors and noticeable speed improvements (Windows/Linux/macOS), as well as easier bookmarking of websites and a friendly Welcome page alongside various other interface enhancements (Android).

The JingPad A1 is a 2-in-1 tablet that runs JingOS. In addition to having a high-resolution 4:3 display, the JingPad A1 also includes a 5G modem, a detachable keyboard and an 8,000 mAh battery. The JingPad A1 supports Android apps too, among other features.

The latest Linux-based laptops from Tuxedo offer quite a wide array of options when it comes to displays and GPUs. The i7-10870H CPU might not be the best solution when the AMD Ryzen 5000H are already available, but users can choose among RTX 3060 / 3070 / 3080 Max-Q GPU options plus 144 Hz / 300 Hz FHD IPS displays and even 4K OLED or IPS screens with 60 Hz refresh rates.

The latest update to War Thunder, labeled 2.5 "Ixwa Strike" and unleashed earlier today, brings more than 20 new ground vehicles (including a South African separate branch in the British tech tree), first sweep-wing aircraft (Su-17M), 5 new ships, new locations, a pilot HUD, new graphical effects, and more.

Steam has published its Hardware & Software Survey for February and AMD has managed to gain further processor usage share from Intel. However, while things look rosy for AMD at the moment, the supply situation could give the upcoming Intel Rocket Lake series an upper hand over the Ryzen 5000 range.

The 48-core AMD EPYC 7643 Zen 3 server processor has made another appearance on Geekbench, turning up on version 5 of the synthetic benchmark. The Milan chip pulled out a gigantic multi-core score of 33,348 points that puts it +33% ahead of the average result managed by the 64-core AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X.

With the PICO-TGU4, AAEON has created a compact single-board computer based on Intel's Tiger Lake platform. The PICO-TGU4 also offers up to 32 GB of RAM and a good selection of I/O, including 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, despite its size.

Stealth has unveiled its latest robust machine, which is also waterproof. The WPC-905 mini-PC runs silently too and comes in four processor configurations. The Stealth WPC-905 starts at US$3,195, which is extraordinarily expensive by mini-PC standards.

The 48-core, 96-thread AMD EPYC 7643 server chip has been tested on Geekbench 4 and has come up with a gigantic multi-core score of 121,080 points. The Zen 3 Milan part also wields 256 MB L3 cache and has clock rates of 2.30 GHz to 3.60 GHz. Astonishingly, AMD has even more-powerful CPUs than the EPYC 7643 waiting in the wings.

For those who often find themselves facing way too many tabs on their tab bar, Vivaldi 3.6 comes with a second one. In addition to two-level tab stacks, the latest update for this browser also includes split-screen view and tree-style view (via the Tab Tiling and Window Panel features).

The BeagleV offers open-source RISC-V computing on freeRTOS and Linux distributions like Debian and Fedora. With a SiFive U74 processor and up to 8 GB of RAM, the BeagleV should be a powerful single-board computer. The BeagleV has a plethora of I/O, too.

The ZimaBoard has taken Kickstarter by storm, with people pledging close to US$125,000 in support after less than one week. Two versions of the ZimaBoard are available to order, separated by the CPU, RAM and onboard storage with which they have been equipped. Both ZimaBoard models should begin shipping in July 2021.

The Slimbook Titan offers an AMD Ryzen 7 5800H APU, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 and a 165 Hz display with a native QHD resolution. The machine currently starts at €1,599 and is intended for Linux users, but you can also configure it with Windows 10 licenses. The inclusion of a 93.4 Wh battery should keep the Slimbook Titan ticking over, too.

ECS has released ARM versions of its LIVA brand of mini-PCs. The Q1A and Q1A Plus have Rockchip SoCs, 2 GB of LPDDR3 RAM and measure just 74 x 74 x 34.6 mm. The two machines run Android 8.1 and Ubuntu 18.04 natively.

Redditor newhacker1746 managed to get Ubuntu up and running on an A10-powered Apple iPhone 7, after using the Checkra1n jailbreak exploit.

Dell's new business mid-rangers have a brand new design as well as Intel Tiger Lake. There are many changes happening for the new Dell Latitude 5320, Latitude 5420 and Latitude 5520. One is especially interesting: Dell is getting rid of its equivalent to the ThinkPad TrackPoint.

The Steam hardware and software survey for December 2020 has thrown up a surprising result in regard to processor usage. According to the currently published data table, Intel has snatched over 2% of the Windows share back from AMD. However, that’s nothing compared to the huge change in the color chart that shows AMD losing over 7% share in one month.

Details and key specifications for Huawei’s upcoming ARM-based laptop have been leaked on social media. It appears the notebook, which currently has the name Qingyun L410, is powered by the 8-core 5G-capable HiSilicon Kirin 990 chipset. It’s not known if the Huawei laptop will be launched outside of China.

War Thunder 2.3 "Hot Tracks" comes with multiple graphics enhancements, 3 Italian helicopters, 9 ground vehicles, 7 new ships, over a dozen new aircraft, as well as the usual minor tweaks, optimizations, and bug fixes. The new vehicle tracks and effects are not available yet and should become available after "some time," according to Gaijin.

Based on Chromium 87, Vivaldi 3.5 features the ability to share URLs with QR codes via a small button in the address field, media fixes that enhance video/audio content consumption, more ways to manage tabs, single key shortcuts improvements, a new accept-language setting, and much more.