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Android TV H96 Max V56 (Image Source: Amazon)

Android TV Box gets unofficial Ubuntu 24.04 upgrade

Thanks to the efforts of Murray R. Van Luyn and countless Linux developers, the popular H96 Max Android TV box can now run an Armbian Ubuntu 22.04 installation. The full process is now available for users to try.

Stephen Pereyra, 04 Sep 2024 19:22

Windows and Linux vulnerable to oddly familiar Cicada3301 ransomware

Cybersecurity researchers have finally cracked Cicada3301, a ransomware-as-a-service attack that first surfaced in June of 2024 on a dark web forum. The ransomware is able to target both Linux and Windows systems. It bears a strik...

Daniel Fuller, 03 Sep 2024 23:14

GhostBSD 24 desktop (Image source: GhostBSD)

FreeBSD-based GhostBSD 24.07.1 launches with improved performance and stability

Arriving a tad later than anticipated, GhostBSD 24.07.1 promises increased performance and stability thanks to the transition from using packages based on the team's own ports to using FreeBSD PKGBSD packages. Additionally, this u...

Codrut Nistor, 03 Sep 2024 10:05

Huion unveils 13.3-inch Kamvas 13 (Gen 3) pen tablet for graphic designers, photographers, and 3D artists

Huion has unveiled the 13.3-inch Kamvas 13 (Gen 3) pen tablet for graphic designers, photographers, and 3D artists. The factory-calibrated display has high-color accuracy covering 99% of the sRGB and Rec.709 color spaces. The tabl...

David Chien, 02 Sep 2024 23:57

The EmuDeck Machines EM2 and docking station resemble a cross between the Dreamcast and the Sega CD. (Image source: EmuDeck)

EmuDeck hopes to take on MINISFORUM, Geekom, GMKtec and others with first retro gaming mini-PC releases

EmuDeck has announced its first hardware, which it is already selling through Indiegogo. Available in two variants, the EmuDeck Machines project takes design inspiration from the Dreamcast and aims to simplify the home retro gamin...

Alex Alderson, 30 Aug 2024 01:11

Chrome OS Flex as a Windows replacement

CheckMag Windows is becoming less favorable as an OS daily driver for many users. Windows has recently faced various issues, ranging from complete system crashes to invasive privacy leaks. As users look for alternatives, many wonder if Chr...

Stephen Pereyra, 28 Aug 2024 23:34

Dolphin emulator community build (Image Source: Flathub)

Dolphin emulator getting official Flatpak build

In response to the rise of Linux gaming, primarily due to the Steam Deck, the Dolphin team has decided to collaborate with the community to make the widely used unofficial Flatpak distribution of the Dolphin emulator official.

Stephen Pereyra, 28 Aug 2024 20:31

4MLinux 46.0 desktop (Image source: 4MLinux Releases)

Lightweight Polish Linux distro 4MLinux hits version 46.0

With a history of no less than 14 years, Polish-made 4MLinux is a lightweight distro that includes a collection of classic Linux games, support for virtually all multimedia formats, and can also be used for troubleshooting and res...

Codrut Nistor, 27 Aug 2024 23:48

DC-ROMA Pad II (Image Source: DeepComputing)

New $149 tablet runs Ubuntu 24.04 out of the box

DeepComputing has started taking pre-orders for its upcoming DC-ROMA Pad II. The tablet, which starts at $149, is focused on providing an advanced RISC-V development platform. RISC-V is becoming exceedingly popular among developer...

Stephen Pereyra, 27 Aug 2024 02:11

OSMC 2024 gets Kodi 21.1 (Image source: GeeksMint)

Debian-based OSMC 2024.08-1 brings Kodi 21.1 to Raspberry Pi, Apple TV, and Vero

The Open Source Media Center (OSMC) Debian-based Linux distro has just been updated with Kodi 21.1 Omega. In addition to a set of bug fixes, the new version, labeled 2024.08-1, comes with improved remote keymap messages, updated a...

Codrut Nistor, 26 Aug 2024 11:03

llamafile project (Image Source: Mozilla)

Whisperfile by Mozilla Ocho team delivers local and easy ASR

The team known for innovation and experiments at Mozilla has integrated OpenAI’s Whisper automatic speech recognition system into their llamafile project. The project aims to deliver local hardware-friendly large language models i...

Stephen Pereyra, 23 Aug 2024 06:29

GNOME 47 Beta welcome screen (Image source: GNOME Discourse)

GNOME 47 Beta launches with hardware encoding for screen recordings and more

About seven months after the release of GNOME 46, GNOME 47 Beta arrives roughly a month before the testing will end, as the final version should arrive on September 14th. This new pre-launch release comes with hardware encoding fo...

Codrut Nistor, 22 Aug 2024 19:56

August Windows patch breaks some dual-boot systems: how to fix

Microsoft recently pushed out a security update to Windows users that breaks some dual-boot configurations. Users with some older Linux distributions, or any that use GRUB 2, may find their system unable to boot. This article goes...

Daniel Fuller, 22 Aug 2024 19:36

GIMP 3.0 is nearing release, and it is set to introduce a number of game-changing features to the free Photoshop alternative. (Image source: Julian van der Merwe / Notebookcheck)

GIMP 3: 5 game-changing new features coming to the free Photoshop alternative

CheckMag It looks as though the long-awaited GIMP 3.0 release may be soon upon us, with the GNU Project announcing a string freeze for the latest developer preview build. Between overhauled colour management tools, a refined UI, and, final...

Julian van der Merwe, 22 Aug 2024 02:33

Intel-optimized Clear Linux distro boosts AMD Ryzen 9 9950X performance by up to 16% over already decent Ubuntu gains

Zen 5 might only be 5% faster than the previous gen in Windows for now, but Linux users can already enjoy up to 32% speed boosts thanks to Intel's optimizations that somehow work for AMD's latest CPUs too.

Bogdan Solca, 21 Aug 2024 19:19

Latest Nvidia drivers for Linux default to open-source GPU kernel modules

Nvidia released its latest official drivers for Linux, FreeBSD, and Solaris. In addition to improved support for a variety of features in the open-source OSes, the Nvidia 560 graphics drivers also default to using open-source GPU ...

Sam Medley, 21 Aug 2024 17:10

Artix Linux desktop (Image source: GeeksforGeeks)

Artix Linux 20240819 drops LXQt and LXDE from the community editions

Born in 2017, Artix is a rolling-release distro partially based on Arch Linux. The latest update, labeled 20240819, arrived yesterday. The most obvious change is that LXQt and LXDE are no longer coming with the community editions....

Codrut Nistor, 21 Aug 2024 08:46

EasyOS 6 desktop (Image source: DebugPoint)

Puppy Linux successor EasyOS gets updated to version 6.2

Often hailed as one of the best lightweight Linux distros that can run from a USB stick while also supporting persistency, EasyOS was born in 2017, and its roots can be traced all the way back to Puppy Linux. Now, version 6.2 is a...

Codrut Nistor, 20 Aug 2024 18:53

ExTiX 24.8 live Linux (Image source: ExTiX Linux - The Ultimate Linux System)

Deepin 23-based ExTiX 24.8 live Linux launches with Synaptic Package Manager and Google Chrome in tow

Based on the stable Deepin 23 distro, ExTiX 24.8 comes with the 6.10.3-amd64-exton kernel (equivalent to the 6.10.3 stable kernel) and Google Chrome 127.0.6533.119-1, which replaces the Deepin Browser. Compared to Deepin 23, ExTiX...

Codrut Nistor, 17 Aug 2024 10:12

The RG40XX V will be available in multiple colour options, including this fetching blue option. (Image source: Anbernic)

Anbernic RG40XX V: Release date and launch pricing revealed for new retro gaming handheld

According to new reports, Anbernic is a mere few days away from officially releasing its latest vertical retro gaming handheld. Not only has the release date for the Anbernic RG40XX V surfaced online, but so has its launch pricing...

Alex Alderson, 16 Aug 2024 19:10

Deepin 23 Linux - Accounts settings (Image source: Deepin Technology Community)

Deepin 23 launches with atomic updates and support for more CPU architectures

Released yesterday (Aug 15), Deepin 23 sets a new standard for Debian-based Linux distros. This update introduces atomic updates alongside support for new hardware architectures such as ARM64, LoongArch64, and RISC-V. The custom D...

Codrut Nistor, 16 Aug 2024 09:07

Steam reviews are generally a mix of informative, funny, and just plain ridiculous, and Valve hopes to somewhat remedy this by guiding users to more helpful reviews first. (Image source: Valve - edited)

New Steam review helpfulness system puts informative reviews first, ASCII art and memes second

Gone are the days of review bombs and copypasta on Steam; replaced instead by review bombs and copypasta with extra steps. Valve's new Helpfulness System will rank helpful Steam reviews as such and place them higher on a game's st...

Julian van der Merwe, 14 Aug 2024 23:46

Internet anonymity (Generated using DALL·E 3)

Tails 6.6 live Linux launches with persistent storage improvements and multiple fixes

The Edward Snowden-endorsed live Linux distro Tails is back with version 6.6. This refresh brings Thunderbird and Tor Browser up to date, as well as packing support for new hardware and improving the persistent storage capabilitie...

Codrut Nistor, 14 Aug 2024 16:48

RebeccaBlackOS live Linux - MATE desktop in Wayland (Image source: SourceForge)

RebeccaBlackOS 2024-08-12 live Linux drops support for 32-bit processors and replaces Qt5 with Qt6

Made by a fan of Rebecca Black, the Debian-based distribution simply called "RebeccaBlackOS" is a beta-stage live Linux with a login manager for Wayland, Qt 6, and only 64-bit support (the versions previously released, which arriv...

Codrut Nistor, 13 Aug 2024 14:24

Firewall protection (Generated using DALL·E 3)

IPFire 2.29 Core 187 launches with an extra layer of protection against DoS attacks

Focused on delivering an easy initial setup and post-install configuration, IPFire is a Linux distro designed for firewalls. Version 2.29 Core 187 comes with an additional layer of protection against denial-of-service (DoS) attack...

Codrut Nistor, 12 Aug 2024 09:25

ETA Prime's Steam Deck mini PC is very bare-bones but has better acoustics and thermals than the standard Steam Deck thanks to an open case and more heat sinks. (Image source: ETA Prime on YouTube - edited)

Broken Steam Deck becomes dirt-cheap mini PC in creative DIY project

ETA Prime on YouTube has recently demonstrated how to turn a broken Steam Deck into a fully functional mini PC on the cheap. You don't even need in-depth knowledge or specialised tools to accomplish the task, and the parts-bin Ste...

Julian van der Merwe, 09 Aug 2024 21:26

Tuxedo's first convertible (Image Source: Tuxedo)

Tuxedo starts pre-selling InfinityFlex 14 Linux-based 3-in-1 convertible with Intel Raptor Lake-U CPU

This is the company's first convertible model. The Intel i5-1335U processor can be complemented with up to 64 GB DDR4-3200 RAM and up to 8 TB SSD storage. While the FHD+ touchscreen is not that impressive, the port selection is va...

Bogdan Solca, 09 Aug 2024 16:35

These classic PC games still hold up, especially with modern engine rebuilds. (Image source: Wikimedia Commons and Bethesda)

Old is new: 3 free remakes that revive classic PC games

CheckMag Looking for something to do this weekend? These three modern remakes slap much-needed coats of paint on older PC games. These are essentially engine rebuilds that add modern features to the classic titles while staying true to the...

Sam Medley, 08 Aug 2024 22:02

The Cosmic DE has officially entered public alpha with Pop!_OS 24.04 alpha. (Image source: System76)

Cosmic DE previews the future of Linux in Pop!_OS 24.04 alpha with Fedora, Serpent OS, and Arch support at launch

The highly anticipated Cosmic desktop environment has finally launched in alpha version alongside the Pop!_OS 24.04 alpha. The new Linux desktop environment is also available for Arch, Fedora, NixOS, and Serpent OS, with plans for...

Julian van der Merwe, 08 Aug 2024 21:35

The affordable compact gaming PC in all its glory (Image source: ETA Prime on YouTube)

ETA Prime builds sub $250 Linux gaming PC

For just under $250, YouTuber ETA Prime has assembled a Linux-based PC that can handle some beefy PC titles at 1080p. The system was designed as a living room PC with more power than the Steam Deck while maintaining the Steam Deck...

Stephen Pereyra, 05 Aug 2024 11:33

The StarBook 7 now comes with modern-day Intel hardware (image source: Star Labs)

StarBook 7: Linux-based laptop now available with Core Ultra 7 165H and matte 4K display

The Linux-based StarBook 7 can now be configured with Intel's new Meteor Lake chips. Key specs include a 14-inch 4K screen, up to 96 GB RAM/4 TB storage, a 65 Wh battery and a variety of Linux distros to choose from.

Anil Ganti, 04 Aug 2024 04:01

The long-awaited Linux distro Serpent OS is finally here

With a focus on minimalism and performance, Serpent OS aims to help users get the most out of their hardware and streamline their workflow. The release comes four years after Ikey Doherty announced he would be working on a new Lin...

Stephen Pereyra, 02 Aug 2024 07:30

Phoronix tested Ubuntu and Windows 11 on the Asus Zenbook S16. (Image source: Notebookcheck / Andreas Osthoff)

AMD Radeon 880M on Linux faster than Windows 11 with up to 50% performance gains in some Ryzen AI 9 365 benchmarks

A recent review tested the performance of AMD's new Ryzen AI 9 365 processor and its Radeon 880M iGPU in Ubuntu 24.04 on Linux kernel 6.10 and Windows 11 and found that the CPU and iGPU combination performed better under Linux in ...

Julian van der Merwe, 01 Aug 2024 22:39

Toyota switched to Linux in 2011 (Image source: AI generated)

Toyota Motors and its Linux journey

CheckMag I spoke with Brian R Lyons of TMNA Toyota Motor Corp North America about the implementation of Linux in Toyota and Lexus infotainment systems. Automotive Grade Linux (AGL) is a version of Linux being used by several automotive man...

Malcolm Dean, 01 Aug 2024 15:27

System76 has confirmed that it is working on a Fedora spin with its Cosmic DE. (Image source: Fedora / System76)

System76 tips Fedora Cosmic spin for 2025 release with Fedora 42

It looks like System76's exciting new Rust-based Cosmic DE will get an official Fedora spin in the upcoming Fedora 42, potentially giving Linux users with bleeding-edge hardware an official way to try Cosmic. Fedora Linux operates...

Julian van der Merwe, 01 Aug 2024 01:28

Linux Kernel 6.11 is coming, and it brings support for new hardware. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

Linux Kernel 6.11 Release Candidate 1 now available, brings support for Qualcomm SDX wireless chips and Intel Battlemage GPUs

The first Release Candidate for the next version of the Linux Kernel (Kernel 6.11-rc1) is now available. The candidate includes support for wireless drivers on Qualcomm chips (specifically the Snapdragon X1 platform) and features ...

Sam Medley, 29 Jul 2024 22:25

The Epomaker x Aula F87 Pro Wireless is 50% off and delivers premium features, like gasket mounting and 2.5 GHz and Bluetooth connectivity. (Image source: Epomaker)

Deal | Amazon sale heavily discounts Epomaker mechanical keyboards with hot-swap switches and PBT keycaps

A handful of DIY-friendly Epomaker mechanical keyboards are on sale on Amazon, with up to 50% off. The sale brings some impressively quality keyboards down to very reasonable prices, like the Epomaker x Aula F87 Pro wireless TKL k...

Julian van der Merwe, 27 Jul 2024 09:48

Linux Mint 22 Wilma desktop (Image source: Linux Mint)

Linux Mint 22 lands with improved language and hardware support

Codenamed "Wilma" and to be supported until 2029, Linux Mint 22 comes with multiple software updates, including the Linux kernel 6.8, themes with GTK4 support alongside multiple visual changes across the entire system, HiDPI in th...

Codrut Nistor, 26 Jul 2024 17:23

Ubuntu Pack 24.04 Unity edition (Image source: UALinux)

Ubuntu Pack 24.04 now available in ten editions with extra apps, drivers, and codecs

Based on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS and available in no less than ten editions, Ubuntu Pack 24.04 is now out. This distro comes with a universal VLC player, a comprehensive set of media codecs, and support for running Windows apps. The list...

Codrut Nistor, 26 Jul 2024 12:30

MidnightBSD 3 Xfce desktop (Image source: MidightBSD)

MidnightBSD 3.2.0 arrives with Zen 4 CPU temperature sensing and massive package management improvements

Available in its current form since early August 2007, MidnightBSD started as a FreeBSD fork in 2005. Version 3.2.0 brings the Ravenports integrated system, which allows you to build packages of complex software, including private...

Codrut Nistor, 25 Jul 2024 13:25

The MagicX XU HD has been shown in three colours so far, all with translucent finishes. (Image source: @forthenextlive)

MagicX XU HD revealed as future Anbernic RG35XX gaming handheld competitor

MagicX is developing yet another retro gaming handheld. Supposedly arriving with a $40 target price tag, the MagicX XU HD should be powerful enough to emulate Nintendo DS, Nintendo 64 and PlayStation 1 games.

Alex Alderson, 24 Jul 2024 23:42

The System76 Cosmic DE will be coming in the early days of August as part of a Pop!_OS alpha release. (Image source: System76)

System76 reveals Cosmic DE release date with Pop!_OS 24.04 alpha

System76's long-awaited Cosmic desktop environment will officially ship with the Pop!_OS 24.04 alpha build, bringing with it a host of improvements to GPU compatibility and features. Despite it being an alpha build, System76 hopes...

Julian van der Merwe, 23 Jul 2024 19:51

JSAUX FlipGo Lite debuts as budget version of portable dual monitor

JSAUX has announced a Lite version of its innovative, foldable portable monitor. It is now the most affordable variant of its line-up, and is also the first version of the FlipGo in which its dual screens are 15.6 inches in diagon...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 22 Jul 2024 17:53

Nobara Project desktop (Image source: The Nobara Project)

Gaming-focused Nobara Project hits version 40 with KDE Plasma 6.1.1 and GNOME 46 in tow

Available since July 10, 2022, Nobara Linux is a Fedora-based distro aimed at gamers and content creators. Yesterday, version 40 arrived with a completely remade updater, KDE 6.1.1, Gnome 46, as well as the Nvidia 555 drivers and ...

Codrut Nistor, 18 Jul 2024 12:06

Don't count older laptops out; these old dogs can learn some new tricks. (Image source: generated by DALL-E 3)

Age before beauty: Why a decade-old laptop is more than enough

CheckMag While buying the latest tech is tempting, older desktop and laptop computers are often more than enough to meet the demands of modern computing work. An older machine may require some time and tinkering to get up to par, but the p...

Sam Medley, 17 Jul 2024 20:58

The RG40XX H is available in nine configurations. (Image source: Anbernic)

Anbernic RG40XX H: New retro gaming handheld released as cheaper RG Cube alternative

Anbernic has decided to offer yet another compact gaming handheld. Arriving shortly after the RG Cube, the RG40XX H starts at just $69.99 and should be powerful enough to emulate most retro game consoles up to the PlayStation Port...

Alex Alderson, 15 Jul 2024 23:13

The RG40XX H will be available later this week in three colour options. (Image source: Anbernic)

RG40XX H: Anbernic confirms release of yet another compact retro gaming handheld after RG Cube aimed at emulating up to PlayStation Portable games

Anbernic is gearing to release yet another retro gaming handheld, roughly a month after the arrival of the RG Cube. This time, the company has delivered the RG40XX H, a 4-inch option that has been shown to emulate up to Dreamcast ...

Alex Alderson, 10 Jul 2024 23:40

YouTuber explores how booting Linux from Google Drive could spark changes in PC ownership

A recent video from Mental Outlaw explores what it means to be able to boot from Google Drive, how it is possible, and how this proof of concept could impact future PC hardware.

Stephen Pereyra, 10 Jul 2024 11:02