Linux / Unix

The Anbernic RG34XX is a compact gaming handheld aimed at retro gamers who are fans of the classic Game Boy Advance. Copying Nintendo's design wholesale, the RG34XX should be powerful enough to emulate up to N64, PS1 and PSP games.

Community-developed ultralight Linux distro Alpine is back with version 3.21.0. The first release in the 3.21 stable series comes with loongarch64 CPU support, as well as multiple updated packages, including GNOME 47, GCC 14, PHP 8.4, and more. It also sports version 6.12 of the Linux kernel.

Updated SteamOS partner guidelines seem to point to an imminent full-scale launch of SteamOS on other gaming handhelds out of the box, nevermind simply as an ISO for gamers to install on their own machines. Previous work suggests the Asus ROG Ally may be among the first to receive "Powered by SteamOS" certification.

While remaining an experimental distribution, EasyOS 6.5 is also considered a rather mature piece of code. Its highlights include several fixes, the 6.6.61 Linux kernel, as well as Chromium 130.0.6723.91 compiled in OpenEmbedded. This milestone refresh targets both releases, namely Scarthgap and Daedalus.

Codenamed "db" and using the version number 3.8.0, the latest Nitrux release comes with updated apps such as Firefox 133.0, MESA 24.2.8, some fixes to the system installer, as well as OpenRC reorganization that improves the service script. The Calamares configuration tool and the offline documentation have been updated as well.

FreeBSD's third release of the stable/14 branch, labeled 14.2 and dedicated to the memory of Mike Karels, arrives with OpenZFS 2.2.6, OpenSSL 3.0.15, and support in the installer for downloading and installing the needed firmware packages after deploying the base system. OCI container images are now also available.

Using the Linux kernel 6.8.12-4 as a stable default with 6.11 as an option, Proxmox Backup Server 3.3 sports ZFS 2.2.6 support and is based on the Debian 12.8 "Bookworm" release. The list of changes also includes removable datastores support, new change detection modes and push direction for remote sync jobs, and more.

Powered by an Ubuntu core and sporting a macOS-inspired design, elementary OS has just moved up to version 8. After 13 years of history, this Linux distro has received a new dock optimized for better multitasking and window management, as well as a new Wayland-powered Secure Session feature.

The Steam Autumn Sale sees over 90% off on plenty of massive AAA and indie games from recent years, but the biggest deals are in the Steam Deck, which now undercuts the Nintendo Switch.

Steam OS competitor Playtron OS has reached an alpha two release. Despite some known issues, this update brings some much-needed changes, such as additional hardware support and exciting new features.

SoundSlide is a small device that adds volume controls to almost any computer. It plugs into a USB-C port and allows users to adjust their computers' volume with a swipe or tap.

Based on Debian 12.8 "Bookworm" and the Linux kernel 6.8.12-4 (with 6.11 as an option), Proxmox Virtual Environment 8.3 comes with multiple package updates, supporting QEMU 9.0.2, LXC 6.0.0, and ZFS 2.2.6. A new "Tag View" for the resource tree is also available, as well as Ceph Squid 19.2.0 support, faster container backups, and more.

Not long after its 18th anniversary, Oracle Linux is back with a new update, labeled 9.5. Java moves from OpenJDK 11 to OpenJDK 17, while .NET 9.0 comes with support for C#13 and F#9. Additionally, GCC Toolset 14 is available via the AppStream repository, not to mention the UEK and RHCK options.

Released yesterday, War Thunder 2.41 comes with a mix of military hardware, new and tweaked locations, missions, and technical improvements alongside bug fixes. Alongside the world's first stealth airplane, the "Firebirds" update packs Ray Tracing options, several other planes, as well as new ground vehicles and ships.

Codenamed “Teal Serval” and available with the distributed kernel version 5.14.0-503.11.1.el9_5, AlmaLinux OS 9.5 comes with improved security, refined development tooling, as well as performance enhancements. The list of changes includes updated compilers, improved system monitoring, stronger cryptography, crypto-policies, and more.

The desktop-focused branch of the FreeBSD family, namely GhostBSD, has just moved up to version 24.10.1. This update fixes issues that occurred on some Legacy BIOS systems on boot while also delivering multiple driver updates and under-the-hood improvements. There is also support for watching Netflix in Chromium.

The TrimUI Brick is a new retro gaming handheld that mimics classic Game Boy designs. Equipped with a 768p display and built-in storage, the TrimUI Brick is now available for as little as $49.99 in four fetching colour options.

More than two months after the arrival of its predecessor, Q4OS 5.7 surfaces with Debian Bookworm 12.8-specific updates, improved hardware compatibility, an updated Q4OS software center, as well as the usual set of refreshed packages alongside Q4OS-exclusive visual refinements, under-the-hood fixes, and tweaks.

Often abbreviated to RHEL, Red Hat Enterprise Linux has just reached version number 9.5 after 24 years on the market. While continuing to provide fast, reliable, and affordable software services to enterprises, the latest update comes with improved file management capabilities, multiple package updates, and more.

SZDiier has another vertical retro gaming handheld in the starting blocks. While the D008 follows on from the D-007 Plus, it does so under a new brand for SDZiiER called Diium.

The D-28S is a new take on the 2.8-inch gaming handheld. Unlike recent efforts such as the Anbernic RG28XX, MagicX XU Mini M and Miyoo A30, the D-28S adopts a vertical layout with comparatively large buttons and enough power to emulate up to PlayStation 1 games.

The D50 Plus is a new budget gaming handheld capable of running Android or Linux. While it is the spitting image of the Pimax Portal, the device will target classic retro games across its 5.5-inch and 720p display.

Turned into freebies in May 2024, VMware Workstation and VMware Fusion were only made free for personal use back then. However, now Broadcom has just decided to apply the same treatment to the commercial versions, which can now be used for free even in commercial and educational environments.

Anbernic has now officially presented the RG406H. Not only has the company the device's existence, but it has also showcased the gaming handheld in three colours playing classic PS2 games like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and God of War II. Seemingly, even Nintendo Wii titles are playable too.

Based on Arch Linux and featuring multiple desktop options with a BORE kernel which focuses on top performance and low latency, CachyOS is back with this year's 12th release. This update comes with improved gaming performance on both Nvidia and AMD hardware, latest Calamares version, improved Asus ROG Ally X support, and more.

NethSecurity 8.3 is now available with a focus on new features for subscriptions and an improved user experience. This updated Linux firewall solution sports a centralized unit update management interface, comprehensive real-time and historical monitoring, a new NAT helper configuration page, and more.

Only available for 64-bit processors since mid-2020, Parted Magic has just received a new update. The latest version of this Slackware-based distro focused on data recovery and disk partitioning comes with Wine 9.0, ClamAV 1.4.1, LibreOffice 24.8.2, version 6.11 of the Linux kernel, and more.

The Official Raspberry Pi Touch Display first launched over 9 years ago, offering a paltry 800 x 480 resolution. Used in projects and embedded products the world over for nearly a decade, the official panel has finally been upgraded with the same $60 price tag.

qBittorrent, a popular torrent client, has left a key backdoor open for 14 years. A security measure that began getting skipped back in 2010 is now being re-implemented. There was no word to users about this fix, beyond the usual patch notes.

Thanks to the move from KDE 5 to KDE 6, Br OS 24.10 has multiple visual changes when compared to its predecessor. The latest update to this Ubuntu-based Brazilian distro comes with Wayland set as default (Xorg still available as an alternative), and, similar to most recent Linux distro updates, it uses the 6.11.0 kernel.

Available since yesterday, Firefox 132.0 comes with Microsoft PlayReady encrypted media playback, which allows 4K UHD support on several streaming websites, as well as various security fixes, improvements to tracking protection, a broader color range, and more. Firefox ESR 115 and 128.x were also updated.

Just as expected, Fedora 41 is finally here. Across various editions, the list of changes includes highlights such as GNOME 47 and KDE Plasma 6.2, the Mir and Wayland-based Miracle desktop environment in the new Fedora Miracle, new options for image mode, Secure Boot support for systems that require the Nvidia proprietary driver, and more.

After using the X Window system for years, Raspberry Pi OS is now moving over to Wayland. In addition to this new windowing technology, the firmware release labeled "2024-10-22" also comes with improved touchscreen support and better Raspberry Pi Connect integration, alongside several tweaks and fixes.

A new budget gaming handheld has hit the market with a 1:1 and 720p display. Available for $55, the device attempts to take on the likes of the Powkiddy RGB30 and Anbernic RG CubeXX, which are also available at slightly higher price points.

Ubisoft previously guaranteed that Assassin's Creed Mirage would work on the Steam Deck, but as of tomorrow, the game will automatically detect that it is running on the Linux-powered gaming handheld and apply recommended graphics settings.

Now recompiled in OpenEmbedded, EasyOS 6.4 remains labeled "an experimental Linux distribution" for the time being. This update launches with support for the Zig programming language, the version 6.6.58 kernel, new desktop icon themes, support for the WEBP image format in mtPaint, and more.

Vivaldi 7.0 comes with a completely redesigned interface, which brings together tabs, apps, and tasks into an "all-in-one control center" alongside new icons, themes, and floating tabs. While the feed reader gets separate feed folders, the update also brings management improvements in the mail client.

The SteamOS 3.6.19 release adds more functionality to the Asus ROG Ally and moves the gyro controller driver into the kernel, outside of Steam's proprietary driver stack, suggesting that support for third-party gaming handhelds is inching closer to reality. At the same time, the Steam Deck OLED becomes more Windows-friendly.

Parrot OS is back with multiple improvements and updates, as well as a new launcher. Unleashed yesterday, version 6.2 of this Debian-based distro that targets ethical hackers brings forward Rocket, a launcher for Docker containers written entirely in Python, which uses a PyQt6 GUI and can also run on Windows and macOS machines.

A new gaming handheld sold as the RG50XX has started appearing online. Available for under $100, the device takes Anbernic's naming scheme and puts it to use with a device that rips off the Nintendo Switch Lite.

A new update to Battlefield 1 has officially removed Steam Deck compatibility from the online FPS, despite the game launching as long ago as 2016. This move comes after a similar decision was made with GTA Online last month. Unlike GTA Online, there doesn't seem to be any hope for redemption for Battlefield 1.

The Anbernic RG CubeXX has now arrived as a cheaper alternative to the existing RG Cube. Launching for almost 3x less than the RG Cube, the RG CubeXX still features a pocket-sized design and a 1:1 IPS display.

Less than two months since the release of version 1.6, PorteuX 1.7 arrives with several fixes, sub-500 MB ISOs, as well as updates to most of the seven desktop environments supported. The seven are GNOME, Cinnamon, KDE, LXDE, LXQt, MATE, and Xfce. The Linux kernel 6.11.4 is used for all these flavors.

Unity has launched the Unity 6 game development engine for Windows, Macs, and Linux computers. The new version adds a native Windows on Arm editor and app compilation, an updated Sentis AI library, and better graphics with improved performance.

Although it has been present in Firefox for ages, the "List all Tabs" button recently got a bigger icon, so it became more visible. However, Firefox 131 came with a minor change, now labeled by Mozilla as a bug, which consisted of the users' inability to remove the button. Now, that option is back.

Anbernic has now confirmed pricing and a release date to a reliable source for its next gaming handheld release. Launching in under a week, the RG CubeXX will serve as a cheaper alternative to the existing RG Cube while retaining a 1:1 aspect ratio.

Based on the barely released Ubuntu 24.10, Voyager Live 24.10 comes to add a stylish twist to the live distro paradigm by combining GNOME and Xfce while including out-of-the-box visual elements and Conky widgets. This update includes the Linux kernel version 6.11 beneath a redesigned layout designed for both PCs and tablets.

Miyoo has shown its long-awaited Anbernic RG35XX SP in a pre-release hands-on video. Not only will the Miyoo Mini Flip come pre-installed with countless ROMs, but it will also run Emulation Station out of the box.

Released yesterday, the third point update for Firefox 131 follows last week's critical security update, which addressed a critical flaw. Now, Firefox 131.0.3 comes to fix no less than five problems, including a crash that occurred when AVG and Avast Windows users visited certain websites.