All the News that Matters

• Fedora 43: fluidSynth Race Condition Vulnerability CVE-2025-68617 Exploit
  Update to 2.5.2 Fix for CVE-2025-68617

• Fedora 43: duc Critical Fix for Stack Overflow CVE-2025-13654
  Update to 1.4.6: fixes CVE-2025-13654

• Fedora 43: tkimg Critical Libpng Libtiff Vulnerabilities 2025-13b23a6952
  Update to 2.1.0. Update bundled libpng, libtiff, to latest versions. Built against TCL/TK 9. Fix FTBFS.

• Fedora 43: gdu Critical Update for CVE-2025-58189 and More
  Update to 5.32.0

• Fedora 42: tkimg 2.1.0 Critical Buffer Overflow FTBFS 2025-419c60783f
  Update to 2.1.0. Update bundled libpng, libtiff, to latest versions. Built against TCL/TK 9. Fix FTBFS.

• Ubuntu 22: gdu 5.32.1 Significant CrossSiteSecurity Update 2025-4e1fa2bc27
  Update to 5.32.0

• 44% Of GNOME Core Apps Are Written In C, 13% In JavaScript & 10% In Rust
  GNOME developer Sophie Herold has shared some interesting end-of-year code stats for the GNOME project. The "GNOME" codebase is up to 6,692,516 lines of code at the end of 2025 with 1,611,526 lines of that being from GNOME apps. Where the data gets interesting is on the programming language breakdown in different areas...

• After Vizio Ruling, SFC Pushes Back And Torvalds Weighs In
  The court ruled, SFC fired back, and Linus couldn’t resist weighing in. Here’s what actually happened.

• Blender 5.0 Benchmarks Since Blender 3.0 For CPU Rendering Performance
  As part of the many different year-end benchmarks on Phoronix, over the holidays I was curious about how far the Blender 3D modeling software's performance has evolved over the past few years. So in looking at the CPU rendering performance I ran benchmarks of the major releases since Blender 3.0 through the recently released Blender 5.0...

• SDL Fixes Support For More Than Five Mouse Buttons For Gaming On Wayland
  The Simple DirectMedia Library that is widely-used by many cross-platform games and part of the Steam Runtime now has better support for handling more mouse button events under Wayland...

• Winux Tries to Mimic Windows While Staying Fully Linux
  Ubuntu-based Winux joins the Linux ecosystem by mimicking the Windows experience, but is imitation the best path?

• HarfBuzz 12.3 Released - Nice Performance Improvements To This Text Shaping Engine
  HarfBuzz 12.3 was just released for ending out 2025 with some nice performance improvements to this widely-used text shaping engine. HarfBuzz in turn is used by the prominent Linux desktop environments, Java, Flutter, various game engines, and apps like Chrome and Firefox for text shaping needs with OpenType fonts and more...

• Debian Officially Welcomes Loong64 as a Supported Architecture
  Debian has officially promoted loong64 from Debian Ports, confirming it will ship as a supported architecture in Debian 14 Forky.

• GitHub Takes Down Rockchip MPP Repository After FFmpeg Copyright Claim
  GitHub disabled the Rockchip Linux MPP repository after a DMCA notice from an FFmpeg developer alleging violations of the LGPL license.

• Linux 6.19 Lands Fix For ARM64 EFI Systems Crashing On Boot
  Adding to the early headaches of Linux 6.19 with some regressions in performance and functionality were ARM64 hosts crashing on this in-development kernel version for those platforms using EFI. But a fix is now merged ahead of Linux 6.19-rc3 due out tomorrow...

• Installing and Using Wget on Linux Like a Pro
  In this article, you will learn what the wget command is, its features, how to install it on your Linux system, and its usage (with practical examples).

• Is Dark Energy Weakening?
  An anonymous reader shared this report from the BBC:There is growing controversy over recent evidence suggesting that a mysterious force known as dark energy might be changing in a way that challenges our current understanding of time and space. An analysis by a South Korean team has hinted that, rather than the Universe continuing to expand, galaxies could be pulled back together by gravity, ending in what astronomers call a "Big Crunch". The scientists involved believe that they may be on the verge of one of the biggest discoveries in astronomy for a generation. Other astronomers have questioned these findings, but these critics have not been able to completely dismiss the South Korean team's assertions... The controversy began in March with unexpected results from an instrument on a telescope in the Arizona desert called the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (Desi)... The data hinted that acceleration of the galaxies had changed over time, something not in line with the standard picture, according to Prof Ofer Lehav of University College London, who is involved with the Desi project. "Now with this changing dark energy going up and then down, again, we need a new mechanism. And this could be a shake up for the whole of physics," he says. Then in November the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) published research from a South Korean team that seems to back the view that the weirdness of dark energy is weirder still. Prof Young Wook Lee of Yonsei University in Seoul and his team went back to the kind of supernova data that first revealed dark energy 27 years ago. Instead of treating these stellar explosions as having one standard brightness, they adjusted for the ages of the galaxies they came from and worked out how bright the supernovas really were. This adjustment showed that not only had dark energy changed over time, but, shockingly, that the acceleration was slowing down... If, as Prof Lee's results suggest, the force that is pushing galaxies away from each other — dark energy — is weakening, then one possibility is that it becomes so weak that gravity begins to pull the galaxies back together.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Sal Khan: Companies Should Give 1% of Profits To Retrain Workers Displaced By AI
  "I believe artificial intelligence will displace workers at a scale many people don't yet realize," says Sal Kahn (founder/CEO of the nonprofit Khan Academy). But in an op-ed in the New York Times he also proposes a solution that "could change the trajectory of the lives of millions who will be displaced..." "I believe that every company benefiting from automation — which is most American companies — should... dedicate 1 percent of its profits to help retrain the people who are being displaced."This isn't charity. It is in the best interest of these companies. If the public sees corporate profits skyrocketing while livelihoods evaporate, backlash will follow — through regulation, taxes or outright bans on automation. Helping retrain workers is common sense, and such a small ask that these companies would barely feel it, while the public benefits could be enormous... Roughly a dozen of the world's largest corporations now have a combined profit of over a trillion dollars each year. One percent of that would create a $10 billion annual fund that, in part, could create a centralized skill training platform on steroids: online learning, ways to verify skills gained and apprenticeships, coaching and mentorship for tens of millions of people. The fund could be run by an independent nonprofit that would coordinate with corporations to ensure that the skills being developed are exactly what are needed. This is a big task, but it is doable; over the past 15 years, online learning platforms have shown that it can be done for academic learning, and many of the same principles apply for skill training. "The problem isn't that people can't work," Khan writes in the essay. "It's that we haven't built systems to help them continue learning and connect them to new opportunities as the world changes rapidly."To meet the challenges, we don't need to send millions back to college. We need to create flexible, free paths to hiring, many of which would start in high school and extend through life. Our economy needs low-cost online mechanisms for letting people demonstrate what they know. Imagine a model where capability, not how many hours students sit in class, is what matters; where demonstrated skills earn them credit and where employers recognize those credits as evidence of readiness to enter an apprenticeship program in the trades, health care, hospitality or new categories of white-collar jobs that might emerge... There is no shortage of meaningful work — only a shortage of pathways into it. Thanks to long-time Slashdot reader destinyland for sharing the article.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Military Planners Dread the Arctic, 'Where Drones Drop Dead and GPS Goes Haywire'
  An anonymous reader shared this report from the Wall Street Journal:Sending drones and robots into battle, rather than humans, has become a tenet of modern warfare. Nowhere does that make more sense than in the frozen expanses of the Arctic. But the closer you get to the North Pole, the less useful cutting-edge technology becomes. Magnetic storms distort satellite signals; frigid temperatures drain batteries or freeze equipment in minutes; navigation systems lack reference points on snowfields. During a seven-nation polar exercise in Canada earlier this year to test equipment worth millions of dollars, the U.S. military's all-terrain arctic vehicles broke down after 30 minutes because hydraulic fluids congealed in the cold. Swedish soldiers participating in the exercise were handed $20,000 night-vision optics that broke because the aluminum in the goggles couldn't handle the minus 40 degree Fahrenheit conditions.... An arctic conflict would force war planners back to basics. Extreme cold makes the most common components brittle. Low temperatures alter the physical properties of rubber, causing seals to lose their elasticity and leak. Traces of water or humidity freeze into ice crystals that can scratch pumps and create blockages. Wires should be insulated with silicone rather than PVC, which can crack. Oil and other lubricants thicken and congeal. In most standard hydraulic systems, fluid becomes syrupy and can affect everything from aircraft controls to missile launchers and radar masts. A single freeze-up can knock out an entire weapons platform or immobilize a convoy. Even the Aurora Borealis interferes with radio communications and satellite-navigation systems, according to the article.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• OpenAI is Hiring a New 'Head of Preparedness' to Predict/Mitigate AI's Harms
  An anonymous reader shared this report from Engadget:OpenAI is looking for a new Head of Preparedness who can help it anticipate the potential harms of its models and how they can be abused, in order to guide the company's safety strategy. It comes at the end of a year that's seen OpenAI hit with numerous accusations about ChatGPT's impacts on users' mental health, including a few wrongful death lawsuits. In a post on X about the position, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman acknowledgedthat the "potential impact of models on mental health was something we saw a preview of in 2025," along with other "real challenges" that have arisen alongside models' capabilities. The Head of Preparedness "is a critical role at an important time," he said. Per the job listing, the Head of Preparedness (who will make $555K, plus equity), "will lead the technical strategy and execution of OpenAI's Preparedness framework, our framework explaining OpenAI's approach to tracking and preparing for frontier capabilities that create new risks of severe harm." "These questions are hard," Altman posted on X.com, "and there is little precedent; a lot of ideas that sound good have some real edge cases... This will be a stressful job and you'll jump into the deep end pretty much immediately." The listing says OpenAI's Head of Preparedness "will lead a small, high-impact team to drive core Preparedness research, while partnering broadly across Safety Systems and OpenAI for end-to-end adoption and execution of the framework." They're looking for someone "comfortable making clear, high-stakes technical judgments under uncertainty."
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Researchers Show Some Robots Can Be Hijacked Just Through Spoken Commands
  An anonymous Slashdot reader shared this story from Interesting Engineering:Cybersecurity specialists from the research group DARKNAVY have demonstrated how modern humanoid robots can be compromised and weaponised through weaknesses in their AI-driven control systems. In a controlled test, the team demonstrated that a commercially available humanoid robot could be hijacked with nothing more than spoken commands, exposing how voice-based interaction can serve as an attack vector rather than a safeguard, reports Yicaiglobal... Using short-range wireless communication, the hijacked machine transmitted the exploit to another robot that was not connected to the network. Within minutes, this second robot was also taken over, demonstrating how a single breach could cascade through a group of machines. To underline the real-world implications, the researchers issued a hostile command during the demonstration. The robot advanced toward a mannequin on stage and struck it, illustrating the potential for physical harm.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• New Runtime Standby ABI Proposed for Linux Like Microsoft Windows' 'Modern Standby'
  Phoronix reports on "an exciting post-Christmas patch series out on the Linux kernel mailing list" proposing "a new runtime standby ABI that is similar in nature to the 'Modern Standby' functionality found with Microsoft Windows..."Modern Standby is a low-power mode on Windows 11 for letting systems remain connected to the network and appear "sleeping" but will allow for instant wake-up for notifications, music playback, and other functionality. The display is off, the network remains online, and background tasks can wake-up the system if needed with Microsoft Modern Standby... "This series introduces a new runtime standby ABI to allow firing Modern Standby firmware notifications that modify hardware appearance from userspace without suspending the kernel," [according to the email about the proposed patch series]. "This allows userspace to set the inactivity state of the device so that it looks like it is asleep (e.g., flashing the power button) while still being able to perform basic computations..." Those interested can see the RFC patch series for the work in its current form, in particular the documentation patch outlines the proposed /sys/power/standby interface.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Is Russia Developing an Anti-Satellite Weapon to Target Starlink?
  An anonymous reader shared this report from the Associated Press:Two NATO-nation intelligence services suspect Russia is developing a new anti-satellite weapon to target Elon Musk's Starlink constellation with destructive orbiting clouds of shrapnel, with the aim of reining in Western space superiority that has helped Ukraine on the battlefield. Intelligence findings seen by The Associated Press say the so-called "zone-effect" weapon would seek to flood Starlink orbits with hundreds of thousands of high-density pellets, potentially disabling multiple satellites at once but also risking catastrophic collateral damage to other orbiting systems. Analysts who haven't seen the findings say they doubt such a weapon could work without causing uncontrollable chaos in space for companies and countries, including Russia and its ally China, that rely on thousands of orbiting satellites for communications, defense and other vital needs. Such repercussions, including risks to its own space systems, could steer Moscow away from deploying or using such a weapon, analysts said. "I don't buy it. Like, I really don't," said Victoria Samson, a space-security specialist at the Secure World Foundation who leads the Colorado-based nongovernmental organization's annual study of anti-satellite systems. "I would be very surprised, frankly, if they were to do something like that." [Later they suggested the research might just be experimental.] But the commander of the Canadian military's Space Division, Brig. Gen. Christopher Horner, said such Russian work cannot be ruled out in light of previous U.S. allegations that Russia also has been pursuing an indiscriminate nuclear, space-based weapon. "I can't say I've been briefed on that type of system. But it's not implausible," he said... The French military's Space Command said in a statement to the AP that it could not comment on the findings but said, "We can inform you that Russia has, in recent years, been multiplying irresponsible, dangerous, and even hostile actions in space." The article also points out that this month Russia "said it has fielded a new ground-based missile system, the S-500, which is capable of hitting low-orbit targets..."
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• NVIDIA Drops Pascal Support On Linux, Causing Chaos On Arch Linux
  NVIDIA has been "gradually dropping support for older videocards," notes Hackaday, "with the Pascal (GTX 10xx) GPUs most recently getting axed." "What's more surprising is the terrible way that this is being handled by certain Linux distributions, with Arch Linux currently a prime example.?"On these systems, updating the OS with a Pascal, Maxwell or similarly unsupported GPU will result in the new driver failing to load and thus the user getting kicked back to the CLI to try and sort things back out there. This issue is summarized by [Brodie Robertson] in a recent video. "Users with GTX 10xx series and older cards must switch to the legacy proprietary branch to maintain support," explains an announcement on the Arch Linux mailing list. But Hackaday points out that using the legacy option "breaks Steam as it relies on official NVIDIA dependencies, which requires an additional series of hacks to hopefully restore this functionality. "Fortunately the Arch Wiki provides a starting point on what to do."
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Waymo Updates Vehicles to Better Handle Power Outages - But Still Faces Criticism
  Waymo explained this week that its self-driving car technology is already "designed to handle dark traffic signals," and successfully handled over 7,000 last Saturday during San Francisco's long power outage, properly treating those intersections as four-way stops. But while during the long outage their cars sometimes experienced a "backlog" when waiting for confirmation checks (leading them to freeze in intersections), Waymo said Tuesday they're implementing "fleet-wide updates" to provide their self-driving cars "specific power outage context, allowing it to navigate more decisively." Ironically, two days later Waymo paused their service again in San Francisco. But this time it was due to a warning from the National Weather Service about a powerful storm bringing the possibility of flash flooding and power outages, reports CNBC. They add that Waymo "didn't immediately respond to a request for comment, or say whether regulators required its service pause on Thursday given the flash flood warnings." And they also note Waymo still faces criticism over last Saturday's incident:The former CEO of San Francisco's Municipal Transit Authority, Jeffrey Tumlin, told CNBC that regulators and robotaxi companies can take valuable lessons away from the chaos that arose with Waymo vehicles during the PG&E power outages last week. "I think we need to be asking 'what is a reasonable number of [autonomous vehicles] to have on city streets, by time of day, by geography and weather?'" Tumlin said. He also suggested regulators may want to set up a staged system that will allow autonomous vehicle companies to rapidly scale their operations, provided they meet specific tests. One of those tests, he said, would be how quickly a company can get their autonomous vehicles safely out of the way of traffic if they encounter something that is confusing like a four-way intersection with no functioning traffic lights. Cities and regulators should also seek more data from robotaxi companies about the planned or actual performance of their vehicles during expected emergencies such as blackouts, floods or earthquakes, Tumlin said.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Open Source Initiative Estimates the 'Top Open Source Licenses in 2025'
  The nonprofit Open Source Initiative offers "enriched" license pages with "relevant metadata to provide deeper insights and better support". So which pages got the most pageviews in 2025? The MIT license, Apache 2.0 license, BSD licenses (3-clause and 2-clause), and GNU General Public license: mit (1.5M) apache-2-0 (344k) bsd-3-clause (214k) bsd-2-clause (128k) gpl-2-0 (76k) gpl-3-0 (55k) isc-license-txt (35k) lgpl-3-0 (34k) OFL-1.1 (31k) lgpl-2-1 (24k) . . From the Open Source Initiative's announcement:Please note that these are aggregated pageviews from actual humans along the year of 2025... Actual humans (presumably) because the number of requests by bots or crawlers is several orders of magnitude higher (e.g. requests just for the MIT license are on the range of 10M per month). We do provide an API service that gives access to the canonical list of OSI Approved Licenses — this is a very new service, which hopefully will be adopted by automated requests from CI/CD pipelines. One final observation is that the number of human pageviews is likely higher because we are using Plausible as our data source and a high percentage of our target audience uses Ad blockers, which by design are not accounted by Plausible. Users from China are also likely undercounted by Plausible for the same reason.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Disaggregated Routing with SONiC and VPP: Lab Demo and Performance Insights  Part Two
  In Part One of this series, we examined how the SONiC control plane and the VPP data plane form a cohesive, software-defined routing stack through the Switch Abstraction Interface.` We outlined how SONiC’s Redis-based orchestration and VPP’s user-space packet engine come together to create a high-performance, open router architecture. In this second part, we’ll turn [0]
  
  The post Disaggregated Routing with SONiC and VPP: Lab Demo and Performance Insights  Part Two appeared first on Linux.com.
  

• Disaggregated Routing with SONiC and VPP: Architecture and Integration  Part One
  The networking industry is undergoing a fundamental architectural transformation, driven by the relentless demands of cloud-scale data centers and the rise of software-defined infrastructure. At the heart of this evolution is the principle of disaggregation: the systematic unbundling of components that were once tightly integrated within proprietary, monolithic systems.` This movement began with the separation [0]
  
  The post Disaggregated Routing with SONiC and VPP: Architecture and Integration  Part One appeared first on Linux.com.
  

• Kubernetes on Bare Metal for Maximum Performance
  When teams consider deploying Kubernetes, one of the first questions that arises is: where should it run? The default answer is often the public cloud, thanks to its flexibility and ease of use. However, a growing number of organizations are revisiting the advantages of running Kubernetes directly on bare metal servers. For workloads that demand [0]
  
  The post Kubernetes on Bare Metal for Maximum Performance appeared first on Linux.com.
  

• How to Deploy Lightweight Language Models on Embedded Linux with LiteLLM
  This article was contributed by Vedrana Vidulin, Head of Responsible AI Unit at Intellias (LinkedIn). As AI becomes central to smart devices, embedded systems, and edge computing, the ability to run language models locally — without relying on the cloud — is essential. Whether its for reducing latency, improving data privacy, or enabling offline functionality, local AI [0]
  
  The post How to Deploy Lightweight Language Models on Embedded Linux with LiteLLM appeared first on Linux.com.
  

• Automating Compliance Management with UTMStacks Open Source SIEM 8 XDR
  Achieving and maintaining compliance with regulatory frameworks can be challenging for many organizations. Managing security controls manually often leads to excessive use of time and resources, leaving less available for strategic initiatives and business growth. Standards such as CMMC, HIPAA, PCI DSS, SOC2 and GDPR demand ongoing monitoring, detailed documentation, and rigorous evidence collection. Solutions [0]
  
  The post Automating Compliance Management with UTMStacks Open Source SIEM & XDR appeared first on Linux.com.
  

• A Simple Way to Install Talos Linux on Any Machine, with Any Provider
  Talos Linux is a specialized operating system designed for running Kubernetes. First and foremost it handles full lifecycle management for Kubernetes control-plane components. On the other hand, Talos Linux focuses on security, minimizing the user’s ability to influence the system. A distinctive feature of this OS is the near-complete absence of executables, including the absence [0]
  
  The post A Simple Way to Install Talos Linux on Any Machine, with Any Provider appeared first on Linux.com.
  

• Using OpenTelemetry and the OTel Collector for Logs, Metrics, and Traces
  OpenTelemetry (fondly known as OTel) is an open-source project that provides a unified set of APIs, libraries, agents, and instrumentation to capture and export logs, metrics, and traces from applications. The project’s goal is to standardize observability across various services and applications, enabling better monitoring and troubleshooting. Read More at Causely
  
  The post Using OpenTelemetry and the OTel Collector for Logs, Metrics, and Traces appeared first on Linux.com.
  

• Project Tazama, A Project Hosted by LF Charities With Support From the Gates Foundation, Receives Digital Public Good Designation.
  Exciting news! The Tazama project is officially a Digital Public Good having met the criteria to be accepted to the Digital Public Goods Alliance ! Tazama is a groundbreaking open source software solution for real-time fraud prevention, and offers the first-ever open source platform dedicated to enhancing fraud management in digital payments. Historically, the financial [0]
  
  The post Project Tazama, A Project Hosted by LF Charities With Support From the Gates Foundation, Receives Digital Public Good Designation. appeared first on Linux.com.
  

• Xen 4.19 is released
  Xen Project 4.19 has been officially out since July 31st, 2024, and it brings significant updates. With enhancements in performance, security, and versatility across various architectures like Arm, PPC, RISC-V, and x86, this release is an important milestone for the Xen community. Read more at XCP-ng Blog
  
  The post Xen 4.19 is released appeared first on Linux.com.
  

• Advancing Xen on RISC-V: key updates
  At Vates, we are heavily invested in the advancement of Xen and the RISC-V architecture. RISC-V, a rapidly emerging open-source hardware architecture, is gaining traction due to its flexibility, scalability and openness, which align perfectly with our ethos of fostering open development ecosystems. Although the upstream version of Xen for RISC-V is not yet fully [0]
  
  The post Advancing Xen on RISC-V: key updates appeared first on Linux.com.
  

Engadget"Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics"

• Samsung's two new speakers will deliver crisp audio while blending into your decor
  Samsung is adding two brand new speakers to its audio lineup, along with updated soundbars boosted with AI features. While not as inconspicuous as the Samsung Frame, the new WiFi speakers, called the Music Studio 5 and 7, were designed to blend into your living room9s atmosphere with their minimalist design. However, if you9re looking for a more convenient option, Samsung also updated its flagship HW-Q990H soundbar, while also introducing the more affordable choice of the HW-QS90H.
  
  Samsung built the Music Studio 5 with a four-inch woofer and dual tweeters, pairing them with a built-in waveguide to deliver better sound. To customize the sound, Samsung added its new AI Dynamic Bass Control that can make bass sound better without any distortion. You can even control the "gallery-inspired" speaker via voice or Bluetooth and it9s compatible with WiFi casting and streaming services.
  Samsung
  For an upgraded option, the Music Studio 7 comes with a 3.1.1-channel spatial audio that has top-, front-, left- and right-firing speakers to give a more immersive 3D audio experience. You can calibrate the sound even further with the Samsung Audio Lab Pattern Control Technology and the same AI Dynamic Bass Control feature seen with the Music Studio 5. Samsung says the Music Studio 7 can play Hi-Resolution Audio with up to 24-bit/96kHz audio processing and can either be used as a standalone speaker or paired with other Samsung audio devices.
  Samsung
  To round out its new audio offerings, Samsung debuted the HW-QS90H, or its All-in-One Soundbar, with a 7.1.2.-channel system that features 13 drivers, nine of which are wide-range speakers. The new soundbar9s built-in Quad Bass Woofer system means you can achieve deeper bass without a separate subwoofer. The All-in-One Soundbar even features Samsung9s Convertible Fit design that can handle being mounted on a wall or placed on a table, and a gyro sensor that can automatically adapt channel distribution depending on its orientation, like we saw with the QS700F.
  
  Samsung even refreshed its flagship HW-Q990H soundbar this year and introduced to it the Sound Elevation feature that makes dialogue sound more natural and Auto Volume, which regulates a consistent volume across its channels for a more balanced sound. All of Samsung9s latest soundbars and speakers will be on display at CES 2026.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/samsungs-two-new-speakers-will-deliver-crisp-audio-while-blending-into-your-decor-230053770.html?src=rss

• OpenAI is hiring a new Head of Preparedness to try to predict and mitigate AI's harms
  OpenAI is looking for a new Head of Preparedness who can help it anticipate the potential harms of its models and how they can be abused, in order to guide the company9s safety strategy. It comes at the end of a year that9s seen OpenAI hit with numerous accusations about ChatGPT9s impacts on users9 mental health, including a few wrongful death lawsuits. In a post on X about the position, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman acknowledged that the "potential impact of models on mental health was something we saw a preview of in 2025," along with other "real challenges" that have arisen alongside models9 capabilities. The Head of Preparedness "is a critical role at an important time," he said.
  
  Per the job listing, the Head of Preparedness (who will make $555K, plus equity), "will lead the technical strategy and execution of OpenAI’s Preparedness framework, our framework explaining OpenAI’s approach to tracking and preparing for frontier capabilities that create new risks of severe harm." It is, according to Altman, "a stressful job and you9ll jump into the deep end pretty much immediately."
  
  Over the last couple of years, OpenAI9s safety teams have undergone a lot of changes. The company9s former Head of Preparedness, Aleksander Madry, was reassigned back in July 2024, and Altman said at the time that the role would be taken over by execs Joaquin Quinonero Candela and Lilian Weng. Weng left the company a few months later, and in July 2025, Quinonero Candela announced his move away from the preparedness team to lead recruiting at OpenAI. 
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-is-hiring-a-new-head-of-preparedness-to-try-to-predict-and-mitigate-ais-harms-220330486.html?src=rss

• Here’s the first real look at the Retroid Pocket 6 running PS2 games
  The Retroid Pocket 6 may have gotten off to a rocky start, but the gaming handheld is officially completed and going to see its first shipments soon. The handheld maker revealed the final product shots of the Retroid Pocket 6 in black and orange on X. Along with in-person product pics, Retroid revealed gameplay videos of its handheld, running emulation of PlayStation 2 games.
  
  For those looking to relive some classic Nintendo or PlayStation titles, the Retroid Pocket 6 offers a great entry point into the retro handheld world since it can emulate games up to Nintendo Switch and PS2. However, Retroid did have some initial blowback about its design and decided to go back to the drawing board. Following the early criticisms, Retroid decided to add an option for customers to choose between having the D-pad or a thumbstick at the top of the handheld9s left side.
  Retroid
  The problems persisted for Retroid, as the handheld maker had to then cut short the early bird pricing thanks to the widespread memory shortage. Instead of offering the handheld for $209 until January, Retroid removed the discount in late December, leaving new buyers paying the full retail price of $229. However, the internal specs remained the same, with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, up to 12GB of memory and up to 256GB of storage that9s expandable with a TF card slot.
  
  Despite the hiccups, Retroid looks ready to start shipments of its latest retro gaming handheld as evidenced by the new photos and videos. According to the website, the first batch of Retroid Pocket 6 preorders are due to start shipping in January. Second bath preoders are still available on Retroid9s website, which are expected to get to customers in March.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/heres-the-first-real-look-at-the-retroid-pocket-6-running-ps2-games-193624145.html?src=rss

• Stardew Valley players on the Nintendo Switch 2 get a free upgrade
  free upgrade that introduces new features and multiplayer modes. However, fans have reported some bugs following the free release, and Eric Barone, the game9s developer that9s better known as ConcernedApe, is working on fixes.
  
  If you have Stardew Valley on the Switch 2, you can download the Upgrade Pack that introduces mouse controls to make it easier to place furniture and organize your inventory. The upgrade also adds local split-screen co-op for up to four players and online multiplayer that maxes out at eight players. On top of the co-op modes, the free content pack includes Game Share compatibility, meaning only one player needs a copy of Stardew Valley to share it with three others.
  
  This Upgrade Pack may not have as much content as a numbered update, but some players are already reporting bugs. According to user accounts, the online multiplayer mode isn9t working, while other reports noted that some crafting recipes had inaccurate material requirements or quantities. In a post on X, Barone said that he9s taking "full responsibility for this mistake" and that the development team "will fix this as soon as possible." On top of addressing the bugs from the latest Upgrade Pack, Barone and the rest of the development team are also working on the upcoming 1.7 update for Stardew Valley, while Haunted Chocolatier is still under development.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/stardew-valley-players-on-the-nintendo-switch-2-get-a-free-upgrade-174849697.html?src=rss

• New York State will require warning labels on social media platforms
  The State of New York will signed two bills into law last year aimed at protecting kids from social media.
  
  Concerns over the mental health effects of social media platforms on younger users have been mounting and government bodies have been increasingly taking action. A bill similar to the one in New York has been proposed in California. This year Australia became the first nation to ban social media for children, with Denmark soon to follow.
  
  Last year the US surgeon general said social media should come with warning labels and highlighted data associating social media use with increased anxiety and depression in youth. The risks of social media use on children9s mental health are multifactorial and are still being studied.
  
  We9ve reached out to Meta, Snap and TikTok for comment and will update if we hear back. 
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/new-york-state-will-require-warning-labels-on-social-media-platforms-210306716.html?src=rss

• What we listened to in 2025
  If streaming services’ year-in-review campaigns have shown us anything, it’s that we’ve spent a staggering amount of time drowning out the hum of everyday life with music, podcasts and audio series. And with some incredible new releases this year, we were really eatin’ good. Here are some of the Engadget team’s favorite things we listened to in 2025.
  Spiritbox - Tsunami Sea
  I became aware of Spiritbox in late 2024 shortly before the band dropped its latest album, Tsunami Sea. At the time, I was in a deep Sleep Token phase, and I don’t remember how I stumbled upon Spiritbox, but I’m sure glad I did. Not knowing anything about the band, I initially thought it had two singers: one for clean vocals and another for the harsh, guttural screams. 
  
  Well, I was wrong. Vocalist Courtney LaPlante handles it all, and she is a force of nature. After learning of a new band, I do what any self-respecting music nerd does: I looked up live videos of them on YouTube. The way LaPlante seamlessly transitions from airy, ambient singing to some of the best growls you’ll hear in metal music is effortless. And after seeing Spiritbox live in person earlier in December, I can attest to her ability to consistently nail both vocal styles for the entirety of an hour-long set. 
  
  My infatuation with Spiritbox isn’t just with the vocalist though. Guitarist Mike Stringer, LaPlante’s husband, also has a lot of unique abilities to offer. Stringer’s use of noise and whammy effects in his riffs create a signature style, not to mention his mix of nu-metal, djent and metalcore sensibilities. He also has some of the thickest guitar tones I’ve ever heard live, and I was mesmerized for the full set. Stringer’s guitar work on Tsunami Sea is a prime example of a  unique musician at the height of his powers. 
  
  Tsunami Sea takes you on a ride. The first two tracks are all-out ragers, and after a slight respite in “Perfect Soul” and “Keep Sweet,” the album’s best song comes fifth. I’ve heard LaPlante dedicate it to “all the people I love to fucking hate,” and it’s clearly written about her enemies. It’s also the perfect example of what this band is capable of. It’s three minutes of LaPlante’s screams interlaced with plenty of Stringer’s trademark guitar work. 
  
  The rest of the album showcases the band’s ability to blend dynamics, with “No Loss, No Love” and “Ride The Wave” providing the highlights on the back half of the record. The album’s title track is a great vehicle for LaPlante’s clean vocals, serving as the introduction to the album’s second act. If you’ve been enamored with Sleep Token this year like I have, give Spiritbox a go — you won’t be sorry you did. — Billy Steele, Deputy Editor, Reviews
  Bandsplain
  I didn’t discover Bandsplain in 2025, but I definitely listened to it more than any other podcast in terms of total time spent. Sure, that’s because most episodes are over three hours long, but I digress. Host Yasi Salek does a deep dive on “cult bands and iconic artists” to… ahem, bandsplain why people love them. There’s a deep catalog of back episodes, so there’s sure to be an in-depth analysis of a band you’re familiar with. But even if you think you know an artist, I’m willing to bet Salek will divulge parts of the story you weren’t aware of. 
  
  Jimmy Eat World’s Clarity is a top 5 all-timer for me, and Salek had plenty to offer about the narrative around that album I didn’t know. Her grunge series from 2024 was a history lesson I wish I’d had in middle school when I first discovered Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains and the rest of the lot. An older episode about Nine Inch Nails served as the primer for me seeing the band live for the first time in September. And that’s the thing about the show: the back catalog holds up. If you’re waiting for the next installment to drop, there’s certainly something in the archives you’ll enjoy. 
  
  No shade to Salek’s colleagues at The Ringer, but the best episodes of Bandsplain are when the guest is a musician. Thursday front man Geoff Rickly was excellent on that Nine Inch Nails episode, and Death Cab for Cutie singer Ben Gibbard had me on the edge of my seat when he was on to discuss The La’s — a band I’d never heard of before. I’d also highly recommend the episodes on Oasis and the more recent one on Alanis Morissette. But, really, you can’t go wrong starting from anywhere on the episode list. — B.S.
  Lucy Dacus - Forever is a Feeling 
  I remember being a teenager and hearing from an adult that they did not religiously seek out, research, evaluate and introduce new bands and songs into their lives as if all existence would cease without the life-sustaining energy of new music. I was confused, concerned and damn sure that wouldn’t happen to me. 
  
  You know where this story goes: Job. Kid. House. Spouse. Pets that will die if I don’t feed, walk, play with and/or medicate them. I allow the algorithm to feed me new songs but rarely does something stick, so I end up listening to tracks I bonded with in my teens and twenties. 
  
  This year, Blossom & Bones, a three-day music festival in Ghost Ranch, New Mexico, managed to push through the churn and lodge new music into my brain. Along with my kid and some friends, I camped among some of the most beautiful landscapes imaginable and ambled over to the stage each evening for performances by Santigold, Ani DiFranco and about a dozen more. 
  
  Lucy Dacus, one third of the indie group Boygenius, did a one-hour set with plenty of songs from her latest album Forever is a Feeling. Hearing the songs for the first time, I felt like I’d been listening to them for years. Lilting harmonies and layered strings create a lovely backdrop for Dacus’s velvet voice, but there’s a sharpness to her observations about relationships, rejection and sex. I’ve been looping the album ever since. — Amy Skorheim, Senior Reporter, Buying Advice
  Blanco White - “So Certain” (single)
  Early on the last concert of the day at that same festival, Blanco White took the stage. People were aimlessly milling about and the sun hadn’t yet set. Kids were playing on the lawn and the smell from the food trucks was intense, but I was enrapt by the four people on stage. The sad violin and strummy guitars floated with the hand-beat drum out into the red hills. The music sounded like I felt: rooted and wrapped in the harsh beauty of the desert and I was really glad to take that home with me. — A.S.
  Martian Revolution 
  If you9re as big a nerd as I am, you might know that Leo Tolstoy didn9t consider War and Peace to be a novel. The story is what most people read for, but in the author9s mind, all the drama was a parable to illustrate his grand theory of history.
  
  Over the last year, history podcaster Mike Duncan has accomplished a similar feat using a medium Tolstoy never imagined. Duncan9s Revolutions podcast has covered ten different revolutionary upheavals across history, starting with the English Civil War and ending with the Russian Revolution. After wrapping up the Bolsheviks, Duncan took a few episodes to suggest a grand theory of how revolutions unfold. For a while, it seemed like that was all we9d get. Then, in the middle of 2024, he started posting original sci-fi — without any indication that this tale, which followed future Martians revolting against their corporate overlords on Earth, was in any way different from the previous ten seasons.
  
  Part of what makes the Martian Revolution so excellent is Duncan9s deadpan delivery. He never once breaks character. He rattles off lists of fictional sources, apologizes for inaccuracies in prior episodes, and introduces made-up historical figures with the same gravity he once used to mention George Washington or Simon Bolivar. If you9re a fan of Revolutions, you9ll have a blast recognizing character archetypes. (Mabel Dore is the Liberal Noble! Timothy Werner is the Man of Blood!)
  
  But the podcast is great even if you9ve never listened to an episode of Revolutions. It has an excellent grasp of character and a sense of inevitable tragedy, but with moments of joy leavened throughout. I certainly hope we don9t wind up in the megacorp-ruled future of the podcast, but if we do, it9ll be a great consolation if it eventually turns out the way Duncan imagines. — Sam Chapman, Senior Writer
  Ron Gallo - Checkmate 
  My favorite artists are ones that surprise me, and Ron Gallo is a master of reinvention. He9s dabbled in absurdist punk, psychedelia, garage rock, Beatles-tinged pop and, now, stripped-down acoustic music. This is not a genre I am typically a fan of, Elliott Smith withstanding, but Checkmate is something special. His lyrical prowess is off the charts here, trading his usual wordplay for simple and emotionally-gutting truisms about life, love and, well, the end of the world. 
  
  Of course, the lyrics wouldn9t work if the songs weren9t good. The songs are very good. The title track is just about the perfect love song, with a primary hook that gets lost in your head for weeks. Other tracks offer hints of Mac DeMarco, Dan Fogelberg, Kevin Morby and just about everyone else who has crafted great songs on an acoustic guitar. It9s fitting that Gallo has found a home on the label Kill Rock Stars, which released so much of Elliott Smith9s work back in the day. As an aside, Gallo regularly posts songs about current events on TikTok and other social media platforms, which are worth checking out if you like stuff like Jesse Welles. — Lawrence Bonk, Contributing Reporter
  De La Soul - Cabin in the Sky
  There have been hip-hop albums that explored the finality and tragedy of death, but not many that truly tackled spirituality and long-term grief. De La Soul has done just that, following the passing of founding member Trugoy the Dove. This album serves as a final testament of sorts for Trugoy, as he9s heavily featured throughout. In that way, Cabin in the Sky is reminiscent of A Tribe Called Quest9s 2016 masterpiece We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service, which followed the death of rapper Phife Dawg. 
  
  Like Tribe9s modern classic, Cabin in the Sky is filled with absolute bangers. It features standout beats by DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Trugoy, Jake One and others. The rhymes are great and all three primary De La members are given time to shine. Guest rappers like Common and Nas got the memo, delivering some of their most memorable verses in years. Heck, even Giancarlo Esposito is on board as the narrator. Some reviewers have dinged this album for being too long but, come on, that9s like complaining there9s too much pizza. It9s De La Soul. — L.B.
  FKA twigs - Eusexua
  This was a really good year for new music IMO, so much that I9ve been finding it pretty difficult to think back and settle on my favorite releases. But, FKA twigs9 Eusexua undeniably did some heavy lifting for me, pretty much carrying me through the first six or so months of the year without much competition, and I9ve circled right back to it as the year closes. It9s an album that somehow seems to meet every vibe. It9ll have you in club mode and ready for a night of sweaty, filthy dancing in under three minutes, or feeling bright and upbeat like a midday walk on the first day of spring — yet it still hits when you9re having a good ol9 car cry. 
  
  "Girl Feels Good" is for sure one of my most-played songs of the year, followed closely by "Eusexua," "Perfect Stranger," "Keep It, Hold It" and "Striptease." If ever I can9t decide what I9m in the mood to listen to, I throw this album on and it doesn9t disappoint. — Cheyenne MacDonald, Weekend Editor
  Faetooth - Labyrinthine 
  Faetooth9s sophomore album, Labyrinthine, is face-melting, melancholic perfection. The band describes its sound as "fairy doom," but don9t let that first word fool you into thinking it isn9t heavy as hell. Labyrinthine goes unbelievably hard, and will have you feeling like you9re eternally wandering a cursed bog, surrounded by the wailing of the unfortunate souls who came before you. Don9t believe me? Put on "White Noise." This is really an album that should be enjoyed in its entirety, though, and I can9t individually name half the songs on it because I tend to just keep the whole thing playing on rotation. — C.M. 
  Orville Peck - Appaloosa 
  This EP is truly a testament to my ability to run my obsessions into the ground, because it only came out in mid-November and somehow landed on my most-listened wrapup for the end of the year… which was released some two weeks later. It9s front-loaded with its strongest songs, a powerful and kind of haunting trio that just flows beautifully from one into the other: "Dreaded Sundown," to "Drift Away" into "Atchafalaya" (ft. Noah Cyrus). As a fan of musicals, I also loved the inclusion of "Maybe This Time," a cover from Cabaret, especially since I was pretty bummed to have missed Peck9s stint as the Emcee in Cabaret on Broadway this summer. — C.M.
  Case 63 
  I got into an audio series kick this year, and dove into shows like Unicorn Girl, Stalked! and more. But none of the dramatized fiction I listened to in 2025 had me hooked like Case 63. Setting aside that it’s voice-acted by A-listers Julianne Moore and Oscar Isaac, which is a phenomenal pairing that won me over on star power alone. The best thing about Case 63 is its storytelling. 
  
  Moore stars as a psychologist, meeting Isaac for the first time in a prison interview. Isaac has been claiming to be a traveler of sorts, and through recorded sessions and voice notes, we hear his side of the story, as well as her reactions and ultimate involvement in the adventures. Every step of the way, particularly in the beginning, there is clear explanation as to why the exchange is being recorded. It isn’t necessary, but it’s helpful in my buying into the realism of the story. 
  
  It isn’t just the method and technical aspects of the storytelling, of course. Narratively, Case 63 is a gripping ride, and thanks to its short episodes, it’s easy to binge really quickly. There is certainly a generous use of cliffhangers to help speed things along, but I found myself eager to devour the entire series in one commute. The story continued to linger in my mind days after I finished both existing seasons, and I’m hoping the new one drops soon. If you’re looking for a quick and easy sci-fi audio series, do not miss Case 63. — Cherlynn Low, Managing Editor
  Secure Love 
  I spent a lot of time this year trying to learn more about my attachment style and how it shows up in all the relationships in my life. Between Stephanie Rigg’s On Attachment podcast, the TV show Couples Therapy and all the books on the topic of attachment styles, trauma and more, I’ve consumed them all. And while they’ve all been helpful in different ways, one podcast stuck out to me this year. It’s hosted by Julie Menanno, MA, LMFT, LCPC, creator of the @TheSecureRelationship account on Instagram and the author of Secure Love: Create a relationship that lasts a lifetime. 
  
  You can probably tell from that introduction what Menanno’s work is all about. Relationships, from the lens of attachment styles. The Secure Love Podcast doesn’t just re-deliver the same information we’ve seen published across various media and platforms, though. Each season of the podcast (it’s partway through the second as of this writing) sees Menanno work with one couple through their negative cycles, using somatic practices to help each partner understand their emotions, triggers and reactions. Because we’re listening to real people talk about real-life happenings, it’s not only easy to relate, but listeners often see themselves in these scenarios. At the start of each episode, too, Menanno reads out or plays notes from the audience, and you can see how fellow listeners have reacted. 
  
  This season, for example, my friend and some other listeners seemed to really dislike Brian, the anxious male partner in this season’s pair. While I’ve certainly found some of Brian’s ways of speaking borderline offensive, I had a lot more sympathy for him as I started seeing his traits in my loved ones. I also started to identify with his partner Bethany, who Menanno typed as having an avoidant attachment style. 
  
  As I listened to Bethany and Brian describe the reasons they got into fights and explain where they were coming from, suddenly it felt like the world made sense. I saw similar patterns and reasonings in my own relationship, as well as those of my parents, relatives and friends. 
  
  It is slightly voyeuristic to listen to something so intimate, of course, but Menanno makes it all educational rather than just entertaining. She gently interrupts parts of each episode to tell the audience why she asks certain questions or what she’s attempting to achieve by asking Brian or Bethany to sit with their difficult feelings. 
  
  I found her method familiar, as I recently started working with a somatic coach whose approach is similar to Menanno’s, which is rooted in emotion-focused therapy (EFT). Staying with uncomfortable feelings makes me want to jump out of my skin, but being able to endure them, question why they arise and then understand where they come from is crucial to helping uncover the thinking that causes them. Sometimes they’re the result of flawed logic, catastrophic thinking or a simple lack of context, but often they’re very reasonable reactions. 
  
  If you’re looking to understand yourself and your emotions a bit better, or just want to get an idea of what EFT or couples therapy sounds like, I can’t recommend The Secure Love Podcast highly enough. — C.L.
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/what-we-listened-to-in-2025-201308584.html?src=rss

• The best iPad accessories for 2026
  The best iPad accessories can make an aging tablet feel like new again, or give you additional ways to use that new slab you just bought. Whether it9s a slim folio case, an Apple Pencil, a docking station or a paper-like screen protector, there are so many iPad accessories out there that can transform how you use your tablet on a regular basis — and make your iPad last longer, too. We9ve tested a plethora of accessories over the years, and these are the best iPad accessories you can get right now.
  Table of contents
  Which iPad generation do you own??
  
  iPad cases?
  
  iPad stands and docks?
  
  iPad keyboards and mice?
  
  iPad stylus?
  
  iPad chargers?
  
  iPad screen protectors?
  Which iPad generation do you own?
  Before you splurge on a bunch of accessories, you should double check which iPad generation you own. There are a couple of ways to do this: first, you can check the back of your tablet for its model number, which will start with an “A” and end with a series of numbers. You can also go into Settings on your iPad, then General and look up the model number in the top section. If you see a series of letters and numbers with a slash (“/“) in it, just tap that to reveal the iPad’s true model number.
  
  The most important iPad details to consider before buying accessories are the charging port, screen size and Apple Pencil compatibility. Most iPads now have USB-C charging, save for the now discontinued 9th-gen iPad that still requires a Lightning cable. Make sure to double check your iPad’s screen size before buying a folio for iPad or a screen protector — especially if you have the new iPad Air 11-inch. As for the Apple Pencil, check out this guide to how to choose the right Apple Pencil (and even replacement pencil tips) to make sure you9re getting the right one for the tablet you have.
  Best iPad accessories for 2026 iPad cases
  
  
  
  iPad stands and docks
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  iPad keyboards and mice
  
  
  
  iPad stylus
  
  
  
  iPad chargers
  
  
  
  iPad screen protectors
  If you’re a heavy user of the Apple Pencil or some other stylus, you should consider getting a screen protector for your new iPad. They pull double-duty: Not only do they act as a first line of defense if your iPad goes careening onto concrete, but they can also enhance the digital drawing and writing experience. Using a stylus on an iPad is strange at first because gliding the stylus nib over a glass surface feels nothing like “normal” writing. Matte screen protectors can get closer to replicating the pen-on-paper experience, and they also prevent the stylus nib from wearing down as quickly.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-ipad-accessories-130018595.html?src=rss

• You may soon be able to change your Gmail address
  A Google support page in Hindi says the ability to change your Gmail address is on the way. The feature would allow you to replace your current @support page (translated) says that "the ability to change your Google Account email address is gradually rolling out to all users." The change was first spotted on a Google Pixel forum on Telegram and was first reported in the press by 9to5Google.
  
  Google hasn9t made a formal announcement about the change. The English version of the support page still says you usually can9t change your @gmail.com address. Up to this point, Google has only allowed address changes for non-gmail.com addresses.
  
  Engadget reached out to Google for confirmation. We9ll update this story if we hear back.
  
  When the feature (presumably) rolls out broadly, you9ll change it through your account settings. Sign in to your Google account, then go to Manage your Google account > Personal info > Google Account email. If you don9t see the option to change it, then you9ll have to wait.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/you-may-soon-be-able-to-change-your-gmail-address-165633905.html?src=rss

• LG announces line of premium gaming monitors that offer 5K visuals
  LG has revealed a new lineup of gaming monitors just ahead of CES. The UltraGear evo displays offer 5K visuals. Many incorporate on-device AI upscaling, taking some of the burden away from the GPU. 
  
  LG says the tech will let consumers skip out on some card upgrades. This could end up being extremely beneficial because the AI boom has been impacting GPU prices.
  LG
  There are three displays in the lineup so far, with more to come down the line. There9s a 39-inch OLED (39GX950B) that includes the aforementioned AI upscaling to 5K, but also algorithms for scene optimization and sound. The company says this will "refine images and audio performance for a more immersive audiovisual experience."
  
  This monitor can easily switch from the standard resolution with a refresh rate of 165Hz to a much zippier WFHD resolution with a refresh rate of 330Hz. This is supported by a 0.03ms response time. It9s curved with a 21:9 aspect ratio.
  LG
  There9s also a 27-inch MiniLED (27GM950B) in the lineup. This display has been "designed to dramatically improve blooming control", which is done by minimizing halo effects and stuffing in 2,304 local dimming zones. LG promises it "preserves fine details across bright and dark scenes alike."
  
  This one features AI algorithms for upscaling to 5K, scene optimization and sound. It can also switch between 165Hz at 5K and 330Hz at QHD, with a 1ms response time. The screen boasts a peak brightness of 1,250 nits.
  LG
  Finally, there9s the beastly 52-inch (52G930B) large-format gaming display. You didn9t read that wrong. This is a 52-inch gaming monitor. This 5K display offers a speedy 240Hz refresh rate. The 1000R curvature wraps around the peripheral, which should be great for flying sims and stuff like that.
  
  LG hasn9t released any information as to when we9ll be able to get our mitts on these displays, or how much they will cost. With all the tech on offer, it9s likely they9ll cost a pretty penny.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/lg-announces-line-of-premium-gaming-monitors-that-offer-5k-visuals-165224945.html?src=rss

• Our favorite books we read in 2025
  This was the kind of year that felt 100 years long, so who could blame us for leaning into a bit of escapism? Some of us buried our noses in books in 2025, and thankfully, there were plenty of good reads to get lost in. Here are some of the Engadget team’s top picks from the year.
  Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
  formulas, but mon dieu, I was not prepared for how rough things would be for Marguerite. 
  
  Her troubles began long before she found herself fighting for survival on a wild uninhabited island with brutal winters. From birth, nearly every happiness was undercut by more dominant forces, yet the woman never stopped moving forward. Thankfully, Goodman draws Marguerite’s character not as some tired brand of plucky heroine with grit and a wink, but as a perceptive, pragmatic being who also gives in to impulse and doesn’t have everything figured out. 
  
  Isola is beautifully rendered, from the stone chateaus to creaking ships and rough abundance of the island. Despite being set over 400 years ago, nothing feels dated. Human versus universe is an unfair battle, but I rooted for Marguerite on every page — and those pages turned quickly. — Amy Skorheim, Senior Reporter, Buying Advice
  Old Soul by Susan Barker
  This was one of the first books I read this year, and it's really stuck with me. Old Soul travels through time and all over the world, across multiple storylines to trace the devastating impact of one mysterious woman who seems to defy the rules of mortality and always leave tragedy in her wake. Barker's writing in Old Soul pulls the reader in and doesn't let go. It's an unsettling slow burn that did a great job of getting under my skin.  — C.M.
  Meet Me at the Crossroads by Megan Giddings
  If a door appeared out of nowhere, would you go through it not knowing what lies beyond or if you'd be able to return? In Meet Me at the Crossroads, seven doors pop up one day around the world, and people are unsurprisingly captivated by them. Regular people tempt fate, the ultra-wealthy plan exclusive excursions through them, religions form around their mystique. Ayanna is a teenager who was brought up in one of these religions. She's also a twin, with a sister named Olivia who she's been separated from after their parents' split. When it comes time for Ayanna to go through one of the doors as part of a ceremony, Olivia makes a last-second decision to go with her. What follows is the aftermath of that decision. Meet Me at the Crossroads is a haunting and emotional journey.  — C.M.
  Woodworking by Emily St. James
  I am a cisgender, white middle-aged man, so the experience of learning and accepting a different gender identity is something I will never fully understand. But Woodworking, the debut novel by Emily St. James, is a hilarious, tragic and ultimately hopeful look at two trans women navigating different moments of acceptance in their lives. Erica is a mid-30s high school teacher who is recently divorced and just figuring out that she’s trans, something no one else knows about her at the start. Her student, 17-year-old Abigail, is her opposite: proudly out about her identity in a way that’s uncommon and dangerous in her small, conversative town in South Dakota.
  
  Their paths intersect, and Abigail ends up in the uncomfortable and somewhat unethical role of helping Erica find herself. After all she’s confident and not afraid of who she is — but she’s also still a teenager, one dealing with massive trauma of her own. The dual look into these two protagonists, each with sections of the book narrated from their own points of view, gave me a vivid picture of the different challenges, emotions and dangers trans people face. But the unexpected community that develops around both characters plainly shows the value of living as your true self in a way that (hopefully) anyone should be able to relate to. — N.I.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/our-favorite-books-we-read-in-2025-160000704.html?src=rss

• EU OS: A Bold Step Toward Digital Sovereignty for Europe
  Image
  A new initiative, called "EU OS," has been launched to develop a Linux-based operating system tailored specifically for the public sector organizations of the European Union (EU). This community-driven project aims to address the EU's unique needs and challenges, focusing on fostering digital sovereignty, reducing dependency on external vendors, and building a secure, self-sufficient digital ecosystem.
  What Is EU OS?
  EU OS is not an entirely novel operating system. Instead, it builds upon a Linux foundation derived from Fedora, with the KDE Plasma desktop environment. It draws inspiration from previous efforts such as France's GendBuntu and Munich's LiMux, which aimed to provide Linux-based systems for public sector use. The goal remains the same: to create a standardized Linux distribution that can be adapted to different regional, national, and sector-specific needs within the EU.
  
  Rather than reinventing the wheel, EU OS focuses on standardization, offering a solid Linux foundation that can be customized according to the unique requirements of various organizations. This approach makes EU OS a practical choice for the public sector, ensuring broad compatibility and ease of implementation across diverse environments.
  The Vision Behind EU OS
  The guiding principle of EU OS is the concept of "public money – public code," ensuring that taxpayer money is used transparently and effectively. By adopting an open-source model, EU OS eliminates licensing fees, which not only lowers costs but also reduces the dependency on a select group of software vendors. This provides the EU’s public sector organizations with greater flexibility and control over their IT infrastructure, free from the constraints of vendor lock-in.
  
  Additionally, EU OS offers flexibility in terms of software migration and hardware upgrades. Organizations can adapt to new technologies and manage their IT evolution at a manageable cost, both in terms of finances and time.
  
  However, there are some concerns about the choice of Fedora as the base for EU OS. While Fedora is a solid and reliable distribution, it is backed by the United States-based Red Hat. Some argue that using European-backed projects such as openSUSE or KDE's upcoming distribution might have aligned better with the EU's goal of strengthening digital sovereignty.
  Conclusion
  EU OS marks a significant step towards Europe's digital independence by providing a robust, standardized Linux distribution for the public sector. By reducing reliance on proprietary software and vendors, it paves the way for a more flexible, cost-effective, and secure digital ecosystem. While the choice of Fedora as the base for the project has raised some questions, the overall vision of EU OS offers a promising future for Europe's public sector in the digital age.
  
  Source: It's FOSS
  European Union

• Linus Torvalds Acknowledges Missed Release of Linux 6.14 Due to Oversight
  
  Linus Torvalds Acknowledges Missed Release of Linux 6.14 Due to Oversight
  
  Linux kernel lead developer Linus Torvalds has admitted to forgetting to release version 6.14, attributing the oversight to his own lapse in memory. Torvalds is known for releasing new Linux kernel candidates and final versions on Sunday afternoons, typically accompanied by a post detailing the release. If he is unavailable due to travel or other commitments, he usually informs the community ahead of time, so users don’t worry if there’s a delay.
  
  In his post on March 16, Torvalds gave no indication that the release might be delayed, instead stating, “I expect to release the final 6.14 next weekend unless something very surprising happens.” However, Sunday, March 23rd passed without any announcement.
  
  On March 24th, Torvalds wrote in a follow-up message, “I’d love to have some good excuse for why I didn’t do the 6.14 release yesterday on my regular Sunday afternoon schedule,” adding, “But no. It’s just pure incompetence.” He further explained that while he had been clearing up unrelated tasks, he simply forgot to finalize the release. “D'oh,” he joked.
  
  Despite this minor delay, Torvalds’ track record of successfully managing the Linux kernel’s development process over the years remains strong. A single day’s delay is not critical, especially since most Linux users don't urgently need the very latest version.
  
  The new 6.14 release introduces several important features, including enhanced support for writing drivers in Rust—an ongoing topic of discussion among developers—support for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite mobile chip, a fix for the GhostWrite vulnerability in certain RISC-V processors from Alibaba’s T-Head Semiconductor, and a completed NTSYNC driver update that improves the WINE emulator’s ability to run Windows applications, particularly games, on Linux.
  
  Although the 6.14 release went smoothly aside from the delay, Torvalds expressed that version 6.15 may present more challenges due to the volume of pending pull requests. “Judging by my pending pile of pull requests, 6.15 will be much busier,” he noted.
  
  You can download the latest kernel here.
  Linus Torvalds kernel

• AerynOS 2025.03 Alpha Released with GNOME 48, Mesa 25, and Linux Kernel 6.13.8
  Image
  AerynOS 2025.03 has officially been released, introducing a variety of exciting features for Linux users. The release includes the highly anticipated GNOME 48 desktop environment, which comes with significant improvements like HDR support, dynamic triple buffering, and a Wayland color management protocol. Other updates include a battery charge limiting feature and a Wellbeing option aimed at improving user experience.
  
  This release, while still in alpha, incorporates Linux kernel 6.13.8 and the updated Mesa 25.0.2 graphics stack, alongside tools like LLVM 19.1.7 and Vulkan SDK 1.4.309.0. Additionally, the Moss package manager now integrates os-info to generate more detailed OS metadata via a JSON file.
  
  Future plans for AerynOS include automated package updates, easier rollback management, improved disk handling with Rust, and fractional scaling enabled by default. The installer has also been revamped to support full disk wipes and dynamic partitioning.
  
  Although still considered an alpha release, AerynOS 2025.03 can be downloaded and tested right now from its official website.
  
  Source: 9to5Linux
  AerynOS

• Xojo 2025r1: Big Updates for Developers with Linux ARM Support, Web Drag and Drop, and Direct App Store Publishing
  Image
  Xojo has just rolled out its latest release, Xojo 2025 Release 1, and it’s packed with features that developers have been eagerly waiting for. This major update introduces support for running Xojo on Linux ARM, including Raspberry Pi, brings drag-and-drop functionality to the Web framework, and simplifies app deployment with the ability to directly submit apps to the macOS and iOS App Stores.
  
  Here’s a quick overview of what’s new in Xojo 2025r1:
  1. Linux ARM IDE Support
  Xojo 2025r1 now allows developers to run the Xojo IDE on Linux ARM devices, including popular platforms like Raspberry Pi. This opens up a whole new world of possibilities for developers who want to create apps for ARM-based devices without the usual complexity. Whether you’re building for a Raspberry Pi or other ARM devices, this update makes it easier than ever to get started.
  2. Web Drag and Drop
  One of the standout features in this release is the addition of drag-and-drop support for web applications. Now, developers can easily drag and drop visual controls in their web projects, making it simpler to create interactive, user-friendly web applications. Plus, the WebListBox has been enhanced with support for editable cells, checkboxes, and row reordering via dragging. No JavaScript required!
  3. Direct App Store Publishing
  Xojo has also streamlined the process of publishing apps. With this update, developers can now directly submit macOS and iOS apps to App Store Connect right from the Xojo IDE. This eliminates the need for multiple steps and makes it much easier to get apps into the App Store, saving valuable time during the development process.
  4. New Desktop and Mobile Features
  This release isn’t just about web and Linux updates. Xojo 2025r1 brings some great improvements for desktop and mobile apps as well. On the desktop side, all projects now include a default window menu for macOS apps. On the mobile side, Xojo has introduced new features for Android and iOS, including support for ColorGroup and Dark Mode on Android, and a new MobileColorPicker for iOS to simplify color selection.
  5. Performance and IDE Enhancements
  Xojo’s IDE has also been improved in several key areas. There’s now an option to hide toolbar captions, and the toolbar has been made smaller on Windows. The IDE on Windows and Linux now features modern Bootstrap icons, and the Documentation window toolbar is more compact. In the code editor, developers can now quickly navigate to variable declarations with a simple Cmd/Ctrl + Double-click. Plus, performance for complex container layouts in the Layout Editor has been enhanced.
  What Does This Mean for Developers?
  Xojo 2025r1 brings significant improvements across all the platforms that Xojo supports, from desktop and mobile to web and Linux. The added Linux ARM support opens up new opportunities for Raspberry Pi and ARM-based device development, while the drag-and-drop functionality for web projects will make it easier to create modern, interactive web apps. The ability to publish directly to the App Store is a game-changer for macOS and iOS developers, reducing the friction of app distribution.
  How to Get Started
  Xojo is free for learning and development, as well as for building apps for Linux and Raspberry Pi. If you’re ready to dive into cross-platform development, paid licenses start at $99 for a single-platform desktop license, and $399 for cross-platform desktop, mobile, or web development. For professional developers who need additional resources and support, Xojo Pro and Pro Plus licenses start at $799. You can also find special pricing for educators and students.
  
  Download Xojo 2025r1 today at xojo.com.
  Final Thoughts
  With each new release, Xojo continues to make cross-platform development more accessible and efficient. The 2025r1 release is no exception, delivering key updates that simplify the development process and open up new possibilities for developers working on a variety of platforms. Whether you’re a Raspberry Pi enthusiast or a mobile app developer, Xojo 2025r1 has something for you.
  Xojo ARM

• New 'Mirrored' Network Mode Introduced in Windows Subsystem for Linux
  
  Microsoft's Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) continues to evolve with the release of WSL 2 version 0.0.2. This update introduces a set of opt-in preview features designed to enhance performance and compatibility.
  
  Key additions include "Automatic memory reclaim" which dynamically optimizes WSL's memory footprint, and "Sparse VHD" to shrink the size of the virtual hard disk file. These improvements aim to streamline resource usage.
  
  Additionally, a new "mirrored networking mode" brings expanded networking capabilities like IPv6 and multicast support. Microsoft claims this will improve VPN and LAN connectivity from both the Windows host and Linux guest. 
  
  Complementing this is a new "DNS Tunneling" feature that changes how DNS queries are resolved to avoid compatibility issues with certain network setups. According to Microsoft, this should reduce problems connecting to the internet or local network resources within WSL.
  
  Advanced firewall configuration options are also now available through Hyper-V integration. The new "autoProxy" feature ensures WSL seamlessly utilizes the Windows system proxy configuration.
  
  Microsoft states these features are currently rolling out to Windows Insiders running Windows 11 22H2 Build 22621.2359 or later. They remain opt-in previews to allow testing before final integration into WSL.
  
  By expanding WSL 2 with compelling new capabilities in areas like resource efficiency, networking, and security, Microsoft aims to make Linux on Windows more performant and compatible. This evolutionary approach based on user feedback highlights Microsoft's commitment to WSL as a key part of the Windows ecosystem.
  Windows

• Linux Threat Report: Earth Lusca Deploys Novel SprySOCKS Backdoor in Attacks on Government Entities
  
  The threat actor Earth Lusca, linked to Chinese state-sponsored hacking groups, has been observed utilizing a new Linux backdoor dubbed SprySOCKS to target government organizations globally. 
  
  As initially reported in January 2022 by Trend Micro, Earth Lusca has been active since at least 2021 conducting cyber espionage campaigns against public and private sector targets in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America. Their tactics include spear-phishing and watering hole attacks to gain initial access. Some of Earth Lusca's activities overlap with another Chinese threat cluster known as RedHotel.
  
  In new research, Trend Micro reveals Earth Lusca remains highly active, even expanding operations in the first half of 2023. Primary victims are government departments focused on foreign affairs, technology, and telecommunications. Attacks concentrate in Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and the Balkans regions. 
  
  After breaching internet-facing systems by exploiting flaws in Fortinet, GitLab, Microsoft Exchange, Telerik UI, and Zimbra software, Earth Lusca uses web shells and Cobalt Strike to move laterally. Their goal is exfiltrating documents and credentials, while also installing additional backdoors like ShadowPad and Winnti for long-term spying.
  
  The Command and Control server delivering Cobalt Strike was also found hosting SprySOCKS - an advanced backdoor not previously publicly reported. With roots in the Windows malware Trochilus, SprySOCKS contains reconnaissance, remote shell, proxy, and file operation capabilities. It communicates over TCP mimicking patterns used by a Windows trojan called RedLeaves, itself built on Trochilus.
  
  At least two SprySOCKS versions have been identified, indicating ongoing development. This novel Linux backdoor deployed by Earth Lusca highlights the increasing sophistication of Chinese state-sponsored threats. Robust patching, access controls, monitoring for unusual activities, and other proactive defenses remain essential to counter this advanced malware.
  
  The Trend Micro researchers emphasize that organizations must minimize attack surfaces, regularly update systems, and ensure robust security hygiene to interrupt the tactics, techniques, and procedures of relentless threat groups like Earth Lusca.
  Security

• Linux Kernel Faces Reduction in Long-Term Support Due to Maintenance Challenges
  
  The Linux kernel is undergoing major changes that will shape its future development and adoption, according to Jonathan Corbet, Linux kernel developer and executive editor of Linux Weekly News. Speaking at the Open Source Summit Europe, Corbet provided an update on the latest Linux kernel developments and a glimpse of what's to come.
  
  A major change on the horizon is a reduction in long-term support (LTS) for kernel versions from six years to just two years. Corbet explained that maintaining old kernel branches indefinitely is unsustainable and most users have migrated to newer versions, so there's little point in continuing six years of support. While some may grumble about shortened support lifecycles, the reality is that constantly backporting fixes to ancient kernels strains maintainers.
  
  This maintainer burnout poses a serious threat, as Corbet highlighted. Maintaining Linux is largely a volunteer effort, with only about 200 of the 2,000+ developers paid for their contributions. The endless demands on maintainers' time from fuzz testing, fixing minor bugs, and reviewing contributions takes a toll. Prominent maintainers have warned they need help to avoid collapse. Companies relying on Linux must realize giving back financially is in their interest to sustain this vital ecosystem. 
  
  The Linux kernel is also wading into waters new with the introduction of Rust code. While Rust solves many problems, it also introduces new complexities around language integration, evolving standards, and maintainer expertise. Corbet believes Rust will pass the point of no return when core features depend on it, which may occur soon with additions like Apple M1 GPU drivers. Despite skepticism in some corners, Rust's benefits likely outweigh any transition costs.
  
  On the distro front, Red Hat's decision to restrict RHEL cloning sparked community backlash. While business considerations were at play, Corbet noted technical factors too. Using older kernels with backported fixes, as RHEL does, risks creating divergent, vendor-specific branches. The Android model of tracking mainline kernel dev more closely has shown security benefits. Ultimately, Linux works best when aligned with the broader community.
  
  In closing, Corbet recalled the saying "Linux is free like a puppy is free." Using open source seems easy at first, but sustaining it long-term requires significant care and feeding. As Linux is incorporated into more critical systems, that maintenance becomes ever more crucial. The kernel changes ahead are aimed at keeping Linux healthy and vibrant for the next generation of users, businesses, and developers.
  kernel

• Linux Celebrates 32 Years with the Release of 6.6-rc2 Version
  
  Today marks the 32nd anniversary of Linus Torvalds introducing the inaugural Linux 0.01 kernel version, and celebrating this milestone, Torvalds has launched the Linux 6.6-rc2. Among the noteworthy updates are the inclusion of a feature catering to the ASUS ROG Flow X16 tablet's mode handling and the renaming of the new GenPD subsystem to pmdomain.
  
  The Linux 6.6 edition is progressing well, brimming with exciting new features that promise to enhance user experience. Early benchmarks are indicating promising results, especially on high-core-count servers, pointing to a potentially robust and efficient update in the Linux series.
  
  Here is what Linus Torvalds had to say in today's announcement:
  Another week, another -rc.I think the most notable thing about 6.6-rc2 is simply that it'sexactly 32 years to the day since the 0.01 release. And that's a roundnumber if you are a computer person.Because other than the random date, I don't see anything that reallystands out here. We've got random fixes all over, and none of it looksparticularly strange. The genpd -> pmdomain rename shows up in thediffstat, but there's no actual code changes involved (make sure touse "git diff -M" to see them as zero-line renames).And other than that, things look very normal. Sure, the architecturefixes happen to be mostly parisc this week, which isn't exactly theusual pattern, but it's also not exactly a huge amount of changes.Most of the (small) changes here are in drivers, with some tracingfixes and just random things. The shortlog below is short enough toscroll through and get a taste of what's been going on. Linus Torvalds

• Introducing Bavarder: A User-Friendly Linux Desktop App for Quick ChatGPT Interaction
  
  Want to interact with ChatGPT from your Linux desktop without using a web browser?
  
  Bavarder, a new app, allows you to do just that.
  
  Developed with Python and GTK4/libadwaita, Bavarder offers a simple concept: pose a question to ChatGPT, receive a response, and promptly copy the answer (or your inquiry) to the clipboard for pasting elsewhere.
  
  With an incredibly user-friendly interface, you won't require AI expertise (or a novice blogger) to comprehend it. Type your question in the top box, click the blue send button, and wait for a generated response to appear at the bottom. You can edit or modify your message and repeat the process as needed.
  
  During our evaluation, Bavarder employed BAI Chat, a GPT-3.5/ChatGPT API-based chatbot that's free and doesn't require signups or API keys. Future app versions will incorporate support for alternative backends, such as ChatGPT 4 and Hugging Chat, and allow users to input an API key to utilize ChatGPT3.
  
  At present, there's no option to regenerate a response (though you can resend the same question for a potentially different answer). Due to the lack of a "conversation" view, tracking a dialogue or following up on answers can be challenging — but Bavarder excels for rapid-fire questions.
  
  As with any AI, standard disclaimers apply. Responses might seem plausible but could contain inaccurate or false information. Additionally, it's relatively easy to lead these models into irrational loops, like convincing them that 2 + 2 equals 106 — so stay alert!
  
  Overall, Bavarder is an attractive app with a well-defined purpose. If you enjoy ChatGPT and similar technologies, it's worth exploring.
  ChatGPT AI

• LibreOffice 7.5.3 Released: Third Maintenance Update Brings 119 Bug Fixes to Popular Open-Source Office Suite
  
  Today, The Document Foundation unveiled the release and widespread availability of LibreOffice 7.5.3, which serves as the third maintenance update to the current LibreOffice 7.5 open-source and complimentary office suite series.
  
  Approximately five weeks after the launch of LibreOffice 7.5.2, LibreOffice 7.5.3 arrives with a new set of bug fixes for those who have successfully updated their GNU/Linux system to the LibreOffice 7.5 series.
  
  LibreOffice 7.5.3 addresses a total of 119 bugs identified by users or uncovered by LibreOffice developers. For a more comprehensive understanding of these bug fixes, consult the RC1 and RC2 changelogs.
  
  You can download LibreOffice 7.5.3 directly from the LibreOffice website��or from SourceForge as binary installers for DEB or RPM-based GNU/Linux distributions. A source tarball is also accessible for individuals who prefer to compile the software from sources or for system integrators.
  
  All users operating the LibreOffice 7.5 office suite series should promptly update their installations to the new point release, which will soon appear in the stable software repositories of your GNU/Linux distributions.
  
  In early February 2023, LibreOffice 7.5 debuted as a substantial upgrade to the widely-used open-source office suite, introducing numerous features and improvements. These enhancements encompass major upgrades to dark mode support, new application and MIME-type icons, a refined Single Toolbar UI, enhanced PDF Export, and more.
  
  Seven maintenance updates will support LibreOffice 7.5 until November 30th, 2023. The next point release, LibreOffice 7.5.4, is scheduled for early June and will include additional bug fixes.
  
  The Document Foundation once again emphasizes that the LibreOffice office suite's "Community" edition is maintained by volunteers and members of the Open Source community. For enterprise implementations, they suggest using the LibreOffice Enterprise family of applications from ecosystem partners.
  LibreOffice