Linux / Unix

A new challenger has entered the clamshell gaming handheld space. Arriving barely any time after the launch of the Anbernic RG34XX SP, the Powkiddy V90S undercuts its peers on price while still delivering comparable performance and features.

Of Life and Land is a newly released base- and city-building game on Steam, featuring familiar resource management, trading, and economic mechanics but with a realistically sinister twist. As you grow and develop your city, the world around you will start to change, potentially leading to mass extinctions, population booms, or ecosystem collapse if the natural order is disrupted too much. Of Life and Land only recently launched, but there is a 40% discount and a free Steam demo available.

Anbernic has finally released a clamshell version of the RG34XX. Available initially for under $60, the RG34XX SP has fared well in early reviews, not least because of its design that gets much closer to the original Game Boy Advance SP than last year's RG35XX SP does.

Nobara Linux 42 packs a handful of interesting upgrades over the previous version of the gaming-centric Linux distribution, including an in-house Flatpak app store, a new default browser, and improved software and driver management.

System76, which specialises in Linux devices, is relaunching its Serval WS high-end laptop with an Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti GPU. The Linux notebook is also getting a better 16-inch display and an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU.

Temtem, an online co-op creature collector action-adventure game from Humble Games, has been substantially discounted in the Steam Creature Collector Fest. Battle and collect wild monsters across seven islands, fight other tamers in PvP gameplay, and even evolve and breed your Tems in a game that scratches that Pokémon itch at 70% off until May 18.

More details about the long-awaited successor to the Powkiddy V90 have emerged before the device's impending release. Possibly launching before the summer or even later this month, the Powkiddy V90S looks to challenge the Anbernic RG34XX SP, RG35XX SP and the Miyoo Flip with various enhancements over the original Powkiddy V90.

Beyond All Reason is redefining large-scale RTS with its open-source Recoil engine, capable of supporting 100-player matches and 10,000-unit battles. With a Steam launch and multilingual localisation underway, it is setting new standards for community-driven strategy games.

Anbernic has revealed new details about the RG34XX SP on its way to being released. Surprisingly, Anbernic has aimed its sights at Miyoo and the Miyoo Flip in its latest teaser video too.

The latest SteamOS Beta 3.7.5 officially improves support for third-party gaming handhelds, specifically the Asus ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go, implements an updated KDE 6.2.5 desktop mode, and improves support for a number of different controllers, including the Switch Pro controller and the modular Byowave Proteus.

Anbernic has lifted the lid on the RG34XX SP, its second retro gaming handheld release of the year. Sporting a design even closer to the classic Game Boy Advance SP, the Anbernic RG34XX SP also has twin joysticks to rival the gameplay experience of the Miyoo Flip.

A recent SteamOS code commit indicates that Valve is in fact testing Arm support for SteamOS. The implications of this are far-reaching and suggest that users of Windows on Arm laptops may soon be able to game on Linux, but it might also mean the launch of the Valve Deckard VR headset is drawing near.

The security-focused OpenBSD operating system has just reached the 58th release. Thanks to it, this open-source piece of code now sports new userland features, more accurate documentation, better hibernation support, as well as performance improvements in out-of-memory situations.

New leaks have provided fresh insights into the state of the Anbernic RG34XX SP. Apparently arriving hot on the heels of the RG557, the RG34XX SP may not pack the performance boost over the RG35XX SP that many had hoped for.

CheckMag As a tech journalist and cybersecurity analyst running Manjaro KDE, these keyboard shortcuts have greatly transformed my workflow. From instant window switching to formatting-free pasting, these tricks save me hours every week—and they’ll supercharge your productivity too.

Anbernic retro gaming consoles are a cost-effective way to experience classic Nintendo and PlayStation titles. Some customers are facing imminent stock shortages after severe new tariffs. The Chinese Anbernic will no longer ship its gaming handheld inventory to the US.

CheckMag The market for ultra-portables that bridge the gap between a decent desktop and media consumption has dwindled to almost nothing. A space now dominated by iPads and Android tablets with terrible multitasking, file management and mobile browsers. But once you get rid of Windows, the Surface Go can still be a compelling option.

Drive Rally, stylised as #DRIVE Rally, has finally exited its arduous Steam Early Access period with a 1.0 update that introduces three iconic rally cars, 22 race stages, improved progression, and a tempting launch discount.

A new free game giveaway has landed on GOG and Steam. Only available until later this week, Metro 2033 Redux builds on Metro 2033 with various improvements, including the engine that underpins Metro: Last Light.

The R36S Plus is a new retro gaming handheld powered by an Allwinner A133P chipset. Also packing a 3,000 mAh battery, the device features a 720p and 1:1 display like the Anbernic RG Cube and RG CubeXX too but for under $40.

The upcoming Mecha Comet modular Linux handheld has received yet another spec boost ahead of launch. Users have upgraded internals and some newly added I/O to sweeten the deal before pre-orders go live.

CheckMag With official Steam OS just around the corner, Bazzite might seem irrelevant. However, Steam OS is currently still in beta, some functions don't work, and it has a far shorter supported device list. Bazzite on the other hand supports almost every x86 based handheld out there, is mature in its development process, and is very easy to set up alongside Windows. Here's how.

Q4OS, often praised as a faster solution for old computers than Puppy or Bodhi Linux, is back with a new update. Labeled 5.8, this refresh is based on Debian Bookworm 12.10 and the 6.1.0-32 kernel. In addition to the Debian-specific changes, Q4OS 5.8 also comes with several translations for Calamares, improved Flatpak app handling, and more.

Not long after the arrival of version 7.2, Vivaldi for desktop received an update that's labeled 7.3.3635.2 and integrates Proton VPN. Thanks to this free piece of code that comes from Switzerland, users can enjoy better privacy protection and security without having to download any additional components.

PS4 emulation is progressing steadily and shadPS4 now has AMD FSR and HDR support, among other features. Games like Bloodborne, Dark Souls Remastered, Red Dead Redemption, and more can run successfully.

A well-informed source has shared initial details about another new Powkiddy retro gaming handheld. Hot on the heels of the Powkiddy V90 V2, the Powkiddy RGB50 will marry a 4.5-inch and 3:2 aspect ratio display capable of PSP emulation with Android and Linux support, along with a SoC not seen on retro gaming handhelds before.

The Mecha Comet is a modular handheld that can be used with a keyboard. The manufacturer has now announced that the gaming device will hit the market with better technical specifications, but the news isn't all positive.

Roughly three months since elementary OS 8, the 8.0.1 update lands with a new kernel alongside multiple minor changes. The list of areas that received tweaks includes the AppCenter, Files, Terminal, System Settings, Installer, and more. The ISO file is 3.3 GB in size, and the installation needs at least 32 GB.

Now sporting page loading speed improvements, Vivaldi 7.2 also comes with a tweaked address bar, the ability to override keyboard shortcuts and to create events directly from email messages, a new currency widget, workspace access via quick commands, as well as account reordering in Vivaldi Mail.

HP has officially announced its next-generation ZBook 8 line-up, which includes both AMD and Intel CPUs, up to 64 GB of RAM, and even Nvidia RTX 500 Ada GPUs with up to 4 GB dedicated VRAM. These workstation laptops are available in both 14- and 16-inch variants.

With a history of over two decades and formerly known as SystemRescueCD, the Arch-based SystemRescue live environment has just received the update labeled 12.00. This refresh comes with the 6.12.19 LTS kernel, bcachefs support, Firefox 128.8.0 ESR, and Xfce 4.20.1, as well as several other package updates.

New info from a reliable source suggests Valve's SteamOS release is imminent. Code changes hint towards expanded hardware support, which aligns with official reports that SteamOS will soon be available beyond the Steam Deck.

The Game Console MyMini is one of the more eye-catching retro gaming handhelds released lately. Available for just over $40, the device adopts a button layout that would make it an ideal candidate for Nintendo 64 emulation but for its underpowered chipset.

The second version of its Miyoo Flip has officially arrived. Available worldwide for under $100, the Miyoo Flip V2 should get closer to the Anbernic RG35XX SP with a superior hinge mechanism, among other reported changes.

Unleashed as the sixth and final release of the stable/13 branch, FreeBSD 13.5 focuses on maintenance once again. In addition to the usual list of tweaks and fixes, this update also comes with refreshed third-party apps, including Inkscape 1.4, VLC 3.0.21, GTK 4.16.12, and more.

CheckMag Thanks to Valve and Proton, Linux is becoming a much more viable platform for work and play, but first party support for syncing common cloud services like OneDrive and Google Drive is none existent and unlike TruNAS and Synology this feature isn't built in. However, there is a reliable and relatively straightforward solution. Here's how it works.

Game Console is preparing to release a budget retro gaming handheld. This time, the company has decided to borrow heavily from the RG40XX V, albeit with perhaps an even less ergonomic design than Anbernic's recent handheld.

As previously announced, the country pack dubbed "Graveyard of Empires" has just landed for Hearts of Iron IV. Priced at $14.99/£12.79/€14.99, depending on the market, this expansion requires the base game and can also be acquired as part of the Expansion Pass 1 bundle.

Based on Linux Debian 12.9 "Bookworm" and using the 6.8 kernel as default (with 6.11 as an option), Proxmox Mail Gateway 8.2 is now available with SpamAssassin 4.0.1, which packs updated rulesets. Additionally, this new release comes with ZFS 2.2.7, PostgreSQL 15.11, automated/unattended installation, and more.

Valve's latest hero shooter, Deadlock, has just received a new major update with several updates to the core gameplay. The biggest change that most players will notice is the shift from a four-lane map system to the more traditional three-lane map meta. Valve also introduced a new mode to help players train their movement, and movement has become considerably faster, to boot.

The RX6H by Game Console is a new cheap retro gaming handheld built around a 3.5-inch display. Considered relatively comfortable by early reviewers, the Game Console RX6H also already supports ArkOS thanks to its usage of a Rockchip RK3326 chipset and 1 GB of RAM.

Framework today announced the latest in its repairable, upgradeable laptop line-up. The Framework 12 is a 12-inch convertible laptop with a touch screen and 360-degree hinge. Despite the convertible nature, the Framework 12 will feature a rugged design, with TPU overmoulding for shock absorption.

Ading2210, a high-schooler who created DoomPDF, has now released LinuxPDF to run Linux on a RISC-V emulator derived from TinyEMU within a PDF file using a combination of C, Python, HTML, and Javascript.

CheckMag The market for gaming handhelds is booming. New devices are springing up everywhere and more and more manufacturers are venturing into the segment. Too much choice can be paralyzing, so knowing what makes a good handheld is certainly worthwhile.

In a world that brings together high-end technology and classic puzzles, AI Confidential allows players to take advantage of an intuitive emoji-driven dialog system to solve everyone's problems as a robo technician. There is no release date yet, but interested parties can add the game to their wishlists to be notified.

The AstoCAD development team has announced the first release of the FreeCAD soft fork, which aims to drastically redesign the UI of the free, open-source 3D design software to "make FreeCAD sexy."

Released back in 2016, Hearts of Iron IV has been continuously updated ever since. A new country pack expansion, "Graveyard of Empires," is on the verge of release on March 4th. The countries this update focuses on are Iran, India, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

Built on top of the 6.13.2 Linux kernel, the latest update of the Arch-based German distro Bluestar Linux comes with Firefox 135, LibreOffice 25.2, GTK 4.16.12, and many other updated packages. However, Thunderbird only moves up to 128.6, although version 135 has been recently released, while KDE Plasma is stuck at 6.2.5.

With 65 "very positive" reviews so far, Aethermancer is off to a great start. Unleashed yesterday on Steam in a public demo, this title from German indie developer moi rai games brings together monster taming and the roguelite formula in strategic 3v3 turn-based battles. The full game will hit Windows, macOS, and SteamOS+Linux.