All the News that Matters

• Ubuntu 24.04 ImageMagick Important DoS Issues USN-8007-1 CVE-2025-43965
  Several security issues were fixed in ImageMagick.

• Ubuntu 20.04 LTS MySQL Critical Security Fix USN-8006-1 CVE-2025-53040
  Several security issues were fixed in MySQL.

• Mageia 9 Subversion Key Issue Resolution Notice MGAA-2026-0009
  MGAA-2026-0009 - Updated subversion packages fix bug

• Oracle Linux 10 python3 Moderate Security Fix ELSA-2026-1828 CVE-2025-12084
  The following updated rpms for Oracle Linux 10 have been uploaded to the Unbreakable Linux Network:

• Oracle Linux 8 python3 Moderate Security Fix ELSA-2026-1631 CVE-2025-12084
  The following updated rpms for Oracle Linux 8 have been uploaded to the Unbreakable Linux Network:

• Oracle Linux 7 ELSA-2026-0926 Net-SNMP Important Out of Bound Access
  The following updated rpms for Oracle Linux 7 have been uploaded to the Unbreakable Linux Network:

• Intel Panther Lake Shows Strong Linux CPU Performance & Power Efficiency With Core Ultra X7 358H Benchmarks
  For those that have been very eager to hear about the Intel Core Ultra Series 3 "Panther Lake" performance on Linux, today's the day! Last Thursday the MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Evo laptop arrived that is powered by the Core Ultra X7 358H. Here is a look at how that Intel Core Ultra X7 358H competes for performance and power efficiency against a wide range of other laptops on an up-to-date Linux software stack in with around 300 benchmarks.

• Fish Shell 4.4 Released With Vi Mode Improvements and New Themes
  Fish Shell 4.4 introduces Vim-aligned word movements, operator counts, new color themes, and multiple interactive improvements.

• How to Install and Use Perl on Linux
  Learn how to install Perl on Linux and run your first Perl program. Discover why Perl remains a powerful choice for text processing, system administration, and web development.

• GNOME 50 Lands Virtual Monitor / Remote Desktop Improvements - Including HiDPI
  In time for next month's GNOME 50 release are some improvements merged today for the Mutter compositor code adding HiDPI and monitor mode emulation support to the screen-casting API and DevKit...

• Stop Using Outdated Docker Images – How I Used WUD to Track Container Updates
  What's Up Docker shows which Docker containers need updates, tracks versions, and lets you manage them safely through a simple dashboard.

• Sudo maintainer, handling utility for more than 30 years, is looking for support
  Many vital open source resources rely on the devotion of a few individualsIt's hard to imagine something as fundamental to computing as the sudo command becoming abandonware, yet here we are: its solitary maintainer is asking for help to keep the project alive.…

• The February 2026 Issue of the PCLinuxOS Magazine
  The PCLinuxOS Magazine staff is pleased to announce the release of the February 2026 issue.

• Dank Fedora MiracleWM & Other Fedora 44 Changes Approved
  The Fedora Engineering and Steering Committee "FESCo" has signed off on the latest batch of Fedora 44 change proposals as they work toward nearing the end of feature work for this spring update to Fedora Linux. Plus some early changes for Fedora 45 have also been granted...

• NVIDIA DLSS For Blender Under Review But Licensing Concerns Persist
  A few months ago at SIGGRAPH was a demo of Blender with NVIDIA Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) integration. The pull request is now open for landing NVIDIA DLSS support into Blender for better quality upscaling/denoising and performance but concerns persist over the licensing due to NVIDIA DLSS binaries...

• Arch Linux February ISO Is Out With Kernel, Desktop, and Security Updates
  Arch Linux has released its updated February installation ISO, bringing a new kernel, refreshed system libraries, desktop updates, and security fixes.

• Adobe Actually Won't Discontinue Animate
  Adobe is no longer planning to discontinue Adobe Animate on March 1st. From a report: In an FAQ, the company now says that Animate will now be in maintenance mode and that it has "no plans toâdiscontinue or remove access" to the app. Animate will still receive "ongoing security and bug fixes" and will still be available for "both new and existing users," but it won't get new features. Many creators expressed frustration after Adobe's original discontinuation announcement from earlier this week, and the application is still used by creators like David Firth, the person behind the animated web series Salad Fingers. Now, Adobe says that "We are committed to ensuring Animate usersâalways have access to their content regardless of the state of development of the application."
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• AMD Hints the Next-Gen Xbox Console Could Launch Next Year
  An anonymous reader shares a report: Speaking during an earnings call on Tuesday, CEO Lisa Su stated that its development of Microsoft's next-gen Xbox SoC is "progressing well to support a launch in 2027." While the comment doesn't outright confirm the next Xbox will release next year, it indicates that the Microsoft could be ready to launch soon.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Say Hello To GoogleSQL
  BrianFagioli writes: Google has quietly retired the ZetaSQL name and rebranded its open source SQL analysis and parsing project as GoogleSQL. This is not a technical change but a naming cleanup meant to align the open source code with the SQL dialect already used across Google products like BigQuery and Spanner. Internally, Google has long called the dialect GoogleSQL, even while the open source project lived under a different name. By unifying everything under GoogleSQL, Google says it wants to reduce confusion and make it clearer that the same SQL foundation is shared across its cloud services and open source tooling. The code, features, and team remain unchanged. Only the name is different. GoogleSQL is now the single label Google wants developers to recognize and use going forward.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• OpenAI's Lead Is Contracting as AI Competition Intensifies
  OpenAI's rivals are cutting into ChatGPT's lead. From a report: The top chatbot's market share fell from 69.1% to 45.3% between January 2025 and January 2026 among daily U.S. users of its mobile app. Gemini, in the same time period, rose from 14.7% to 25.1% and Grok rose from 1.6% to 15.2%. The data, obtained by Big Technology from mobile insights firm Apptopia, indicates the chatbot race has tightened meaningfully over the past year with Google's surge showing up in the numbers. Overall, the chatbot market increased 152% since last January, according to Apptopia, with ChatGPT exhibiting healthy download growth. On desktop and mobile web, a similar pattern appears, according to analytics firm Similarweb. Visits to ChatGPT went from 3.8 billion to 5.7 billion between January 2025 and January 2026, a 50% increase, while visits to Gemini went from 267.7 million to 2 billion, a 647% increase. ChatGPT is still far and away the leader in visits, but it has company in the race now.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Walmart Joins $1 Trillion Club
  Walmart's market cap surpassed $1 trillion on Tuesday, putting the largest U.S. retail chain in an exclusive club dominated by tech groups. Bloomberg adds: The Bentonville, Arkansas-based chain -- a longtime favorite of bargain-hunting consumers -- has flexed its massive scale and supplier network to keep prices low and grab market share across the income spectrum. While Walmart has maintained its appeal to households looking for value, its online offerings are drawing new, wealthier shoppers seeking convenience.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Google Home Finally Adds Support For Buttons
  An anonymous reader shares a report: Google Home users, your long nightmare is over. The platform has finally added support for buttons. The release notes for a February 2 update state that several new starter conditions for automations are now available, including "Switch or button pressed." Smart buttons are physical, programmable switches that you can press to trigger automations or control devices in your smart home, such as turning lights on or off, opening and closing shades, running a Good Night scene, or starting a robot vacuum. A great alternative to voice and app control when you want to control multiple devices, smart buttons are often wireless and generally have several ways to press them: single press, double press, and long press, meaning one button can do multiple things.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Ultra-Processed Foods Should Be Treated More Like Cigarettes Than Food, Study Says
  Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have more in common with cigarettes than with fruit or vegetables, and require far tighter regulation, according to a new report. The Guardian: UPFs and cigarettes are engineered to encourage addiction and consumption, researchers from three US universities said, pointing to the parallels in widespread health harms that link both. UPFs, which are widely available worldwide, are food products that have been industrially manufactured, often using emulsifiers or artificial colouring and flavours. The category includes soft drinks and packaged snacks such as crisps and biscuits. There are similarities in the production processes of UPFs and cigarettes, and in manufacturers' efforts to optimise the "doses" of products and how quickly they act on reward pathways in the body, according to the paper from researchers at Harvard, the University of Michigan and Duke University. They draw on data from the fields of addiction science, nutrition and public health history to make their comparisons, published on 3 February in the healthcare journal the Milbank Quarterly. The authors suggest that marketing claims on the products, such as being "low fat" or "sugar free," are "health washing" that can stall regulation, akin to the advertising of cigarette filters in the 1950s as protective innovations that "in practice offered little meaningful benefit."
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• NASA Delays Artemis II To March
  ClickOnThis writes: NASA has delayed the Artemis II launch to March of this year, after a wet dress-rehearsal uncovered a hydrogen leak. From the NASA article: During tanking, engineers spent several hours troubleshooting a liquid hydrogen leak in an interface used to route the cryogenic propellant into the rocket's core stage, putting them behind in the countdown. Attempts to resolve the issue involved stopping the flow of liquid hydrogen into the core stage, allowing the interface to warm up for the seals to reseat, and adjusting the flow of the propellant. Teams successfully filled all tanks in both the core stage and interim cryogenic propulsion stage before a team of five was sent to the launch pad to finish Orion closeout operations. Engineers conducted a first run at terminal countdown operations during the test, counting down to approximately 5 minutes left in the countdown, before the ground launch sequencer automatically stopped the countdown due to a spike in the liquid hydrogen leak rate.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Google Plots Big Expansion in India as US Restricts Visas
  Alphabet is plotting to dramatically expand its presence in India [non-paywalled source], with the possibility of taking millions of square feet in new office space in Bangalore, India's tech hub. From a report: Google's parent company has leased one office tower and purchased options on two others in Alembic City, a development in the Whitefield tech corridor, totaling 2.4 million square feet, according to people familiar with the deal. The first tower is expected to open to employees in the coming months, while construction on the remaining two is set to conclude next year. Options in the real estate industry give would-be tenants the exclusive right to rent, or in some cases buy, a property at a predetermined price within a specific time frame. It's also possible Alphabet will not exercise the option to use the additional towers. If it does take all of the space, the complex could accommodate as many as 20,000 additional staff, which could more than double the company's footprint in India, said the people, asking not to be identified because the plans aren't public. Alphabet currently employs around 14,000 in the country, out of a global workforce of roughly 190,000. [...] US President Donald Trump's visa restrictions have made it harder to bring foreign talent to America, prompting some companies to recruit more staff overseas. India has become an increasingly important place for US companies to hire, particularly in the race to dominate artificial intelligence.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• 'Vibe Coding Kills Open Source'
  Four economists across Central European University, Bielefeld University and the Kiel Institute have built a general equilibrium model of the open-source software ecosystem and concluded that vibe coding -- the increasingly common practice of letting AI agents select, assemble and modify packages on a developer's behalf -- erodes the very funding mechanism that keeps open-source projects alive. The core problem is a decoupling of usage from engagement. Tailwind CSS's npm downloads have climbed steadily, but its creator says documentation traffic is down about 40% since early 2023 and revenue has dropped close to 80%. Stack Overflow activity fell roughly 25% within six months of ChatGPT's launch. Open-source maintainers monetize through documentation visits, bug reports, and community interaction. AI agents skip all of that. The model finds that feedback loops once responsible for open source's explosive growth now run in reverse. Fewer maintainers can justify sharing code, variety shrinks, and average quality falls -- even as total usage rises. One proposed fix is a "Spotify for open source" model where AI platforms redistribute subscription revenue to maintainers based on package usage. Vibe-coded users need to contribute at least 84% of what direct users generate, or roughly 84% of all revenue must come from sources independent of how users access the software.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Celebrating the Second Year of Linux Man-Pages Maintenance Sponsorship
  Sustaining a Core Part of the Linux Ecosystem The Linux Foundation has announced a second year of sponsorship for the ongoing maintenance of the Linux manual pages (man-pages) project, led by Alejandro (Alex) Colomar. This critical initiative is made possible through the continued support of Google, Hudson River Trading, and Meta, who have renewed their [0]
  
  The post Celebrating the Second Year of Linux Man-Pages Maintenance Sponsorship appeared first on Linux.com.
  

• 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.
  

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

• This 45W Anker Nano charger with smart display is on sale for only $30
  Anker introduced a nifty little charger at CES 2026, which is a refresh of the pre-existing Nano Charger. It's already on sale for $30 on Amazon, which is a 25 percent discount.
  
  The 45W charger includes a smart display that shows real-time data like power flow, temperature and charging status. It also features "fun animations to keep things cheerful." Anker says it can recognize what's being charged and automatically adjust certain metrics to ensure a longer battery lifespan.
  
  To that end, it works with just about everything. The company advertises that this charger is a good fit for the iPhone, Apple Watch, AirPods and Samsung devices, among others. The new Nano Charger is on the smaller side, with dual folding prongs that rotate to fit most outlets.
  
  
  
  Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/this-45w-anker-nano-charger-with-smart-display-is-on-sale-for-only-30-160707474.html?src=rss

• Sonos home theater gear is on sale for up to 20 percent off right now
  Like many other companies during Super Bowl season, Sonos is discounting its home theater gear. Today, you can save $130 on the Beam (Gen 2) soundbar, bringing its price down to $369. You9ll also find deals on the flagship Arc Ultra Soundbar, Sonos subwoofers, and more.
  
  The Sonos Beam is the company9s sub-$500 soundbar. Engadget9s pick for the best midrange model, the compact speaker has impressive sound for its size. Part of that is its Dolby Atmos support. Although the soundbar lacks upward-firing speakers, it uses software tricks to compensate. Audio timing and frequency adjustments make sound seem to come from the side or slightly above.
  
  
  
  One of the biggest drawbacks is that the Beam only has one HDMI port. Regardless, that compromise may be easier to accept at Beam9s current $369 than at its usual $499.
  
  Several more home theater speakers are included in Sonos9s sale. If you have a loftier budget for a soundbar, there9s the Arc Ultra. Typically $1,099, it9s now $899. The company9s pair of subwoofers is included as well. You can get the Sub Mini for $399 (down from $499) or the Sub 4 for $759 (from $899).
  
  Although they aren9t explicitly sold as home theater products, the Era 100 ($179) and Era 300 ($379) are also included in the sale. The portable Move 2 isn9t discounted individually, but you will find it in a couple of bundles. You can check out the sale page for the complete list.
  
  Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/sonos-home-theater-gear-is-on-sale-for-up-to-20-percent-off-right-now-174053138.html?src=rss

• This 512GB Samsung P9 microSD Express card is on sale for 33 percent off
  If you9re looking to expand the storage on your Switch 2, the 512GB Samsung P9 microSD Express card is on sale right now for 33 percent off, marked down to $80 from $120. With component prices skyrocketing these days, it9s getting increasingly rare to see good storage on sale, and 512GB for $80 is a much better deal than you9ll currently find directly from Nintendo.
  
  The P9 boasts transfer speeds of up to 800MB/s, making moving games to the card that much faster. As for load times, in our testing we found that any microSD Express, the standard the Switch 2 requires, will offer roughly the same performance. This format is pretty new, so there aren9t a ton of cards on the market. As such, the P9 makes our list of best microSD cards for the Nintendo Switch 2.
  
  The P9 microSD Express is also compatible with the Steam Deck or any other gaming console that accepts the format, as well as cameras and more.
  
  
  
  Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/this-512gb-samsung-p9-microsd-express-card-is-on-sale-for-33-percent-off-143849643.html?src=rss

• How to set up an AirTag
  Apple’s AirTag makes it easy to keep tabs on everyday items like keys, bags and luggage using the Find My network. Setup is quick, requires no tools and takes just a minute or two as long as you have a compatible iPhone or iPad. Once paired, your AirTag quietly works in the background to help you locate misplaced belongings. This guide walks through how to set up an AirTag, how to name it so you can easily identify what it’s attached to and what to do if setup doesn’t go as planned.
  What you need before setting up an AirTag
  Before you begin, make sure you have the following:
  
  An iPhone or iPad signed in to your Apple Account
  
  Bluetooth enabled on that device
  
  Location Services enabled
  
  iOS or iPadOS 14.5 or later (AirTag 2nd generation requires iOS or iPadOS 26.2.1 or later)
  
  A stable Wi-Fi or cellular connection
  
  You’ll also want to ensure iCloud Keychain is enabled and that your Apple Account setup is fully completed in Settings.
  How to set up an AirTag using your iPhone or iPad
  The easiest way to set up an AirTag is directly through the on-screen setup prompt.
  
  Remove the plastic tab from your AirTag to activate the battery.
  
  Hold the AirTag near your unlocked iPhone or iPad.
  
  When the setup animation appears, tap Connect.
  
  Choose a category for your AirTag, such as Keys, Backpack or Luggage. If you select Custom Name, you can type your own label and choose an emoji.
  
  Tap Continue to link the AirTag to your Apple Account.
  
  Tap Done to finish setup.
  
  Once completed, the AirTag will appear under the Items tab in the Find My app. If you’re setting up multiple AirTags, make sure only one is near your device at a time. If more than one is detected, a notification will appear saying “More than one AirTag detected”. If this happens, move the others farther away and try again.
  How to add an AirTag using the Find My app
  If the setup animation doesn’t appear automatically, you can add an AirTag manually through Find My.
  
  Open the Find My app on your iPhone or iPad.
  
  Tap the Items tab.
  
  Tap the Add button.
  
  Select Add AirTag or Other Item (if you’re adding a compatible FindMy Network accessory).
  
  Follow the on-screen instructions to complete setup.
  
  You can add up to 32 items in Find My, including AirTags, shared items and compatible accessories. If you’ve reached the limit, you’ll need to remove an item before adding a new one.
  What to do if your AirTag won’t connect
  If setup fails or the pairing animation disappears, try the following steps:
  
  Lock your iPhone or iPad, unlock it again and wait about 15 seconds for the animation to reappear.
  
  Make sure Bluetooth and Location Services are turned on in Settings.
  
  Check that Find My has permission to use Precise Location.
  
  Ensure you’re signed in to your Apple Account and iCloud Keychain is enabled.
  
  Verify your device is running the latest version of iOS or iPadOS (iOS or iPadOS 26.2.1 or later).
  
  If the AirTag still won’t connect, the battery may need replacing. AirTags use a standard CR2032 coin cell battery, and swapping it only takes a minute. If issues persist after replacing the battery, you may need to reset the AirTag and try setup again.
  How to name and label your AirTag
  Naming your AirTag makes it much easier to identify when you’re tracking multiple items. During setup, Apple offers preset labels like Keys or Backpack, but you can customize these at any time.
  
  To rename an AirTag after setup:
  
  Open the Find My app.
  
  Tap Items and select your AirTag.
  
  Tap Add Name or Rename Item.
  
  Choose a preset label or select Custom Name.
  
  Optionally add an emoji for quick visual identification.
  
  Clear labels are especially helpful if you use AirTags for travel, work gear or shared household items.
  Apple AirTagEngadgetAttaching your AirTag to everyday items
  AirTags don’t have built-in clips or adhesive, so you’ll usually need an accessory to attach one securely. Depending on how you plan to use it, that could mean a key ring, luggage tag, wallet insert or bike mount.
  
  If you’re unsure which style works best, Engadget has rounded up the best Apple AirTag accessories, covering options for keys, bags, wallets and more. Choosing the right accessory helps ensure your AirTag stays attached and works the way you expect.
  Wrap-up
  After setup, your AirTag will automatically update its location using Apple’s Find My network. You can view its last known location, play a sound to help locate it nearby or use Precision Finding on supported iPhones to guide you directly to it. With just a few minutes of setup and a clear label, an AirTag can become a reliable way to keep track of important belongings, whether you’re at home or on the move.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/how-to-set-up-an-airtag-120000789.html?src=rss

• The best VR headsets for 2026
  Stepping into VR is about more than strapping on a headset and loading a game. The best VR headsets today are gateways to fully realized experiences, whether that’s gaming, fitness, creative work or simply spending time inside a richly rendered virtual world. As the hardware has improved, so has the sense of presence, with sharper displays, wider fields of view and tracking systems that make movement feel more natural and responsive. The result is VR that feels less like a novelty and more like a platform you can actually spend time in.
  
  That said, not every headset is built for the same function. Some prioritize ease of use and standalone play, while others demand a powerful PC in exchange for higher fidelity. Compatibility also matters more than ever, especially as VR begins to overlap with mixed reality and early smart glasses experiments. Whether you want a simple way to explore virtual spaces or a high-end rig that pushes immersion as far as possible, this guide breaks down the best VR headsets you can buy in 2026 and explains who each one is really for.
  Table of contents
  Best VR headsets for 2026?
  
  How we test VR headsets?
  
  Other VR headsets we9ve tested?
  
  VR headset FAQs?
  
  Recent updates?
  Best VR headsets for 2026
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  How we test VR headsets
  I tend to judge candidates for the best VR headset on a few basic criteria: Ergonomics, immersion and controls. It9s not that hard to shove a mobile display into a plastic headset and strap some cheap elastic headbands onto it. But it takes real design skill to craft something that9s well balanced, includes a supportive headstrap, and doesn9t feel uncomfortable after 30 minutes.
  
  My test for ergonomics is fairly simple: How long can I wear a headset until I start to feel discomfort? For the most ergonomic devices, like the Quest 3, that could easily be an hour or two. But heavier PC hardware often feels cumbersome after just 15 minutes — you won’t find those kinds of devices in our list of the best VR headsets.
  
  Immersion, meanwhile, comes from having high resolution screens with fast refresh rates, like a 120Hz refresh rate, helping users feel fully present inside a virtual world. Field of view is also a major element, as it describes how well VR screens can cover what you see. A narrow FOV makes it feel like you9re peering through a pair of binoculars, which limits your sense of “presence.” The best VR headsets aim for a wider field of view, helping virtual environments feel more natural and fully surround you.
  
  A wide field of view, on the other hand, can make it seem like you’re actually flying over the globe in Google Earth. We look at a few popular video games, like Superhot, Beat Saber and Pistol Whip, on every headset to judge how immersed we feel and how enjoyable the gaming experience is overall.
  
  The best controllers fit naturally in your hands and offer accurate tracking. The industry has basically adopted the design of Meta’s excellent touch controllers, but we9re also seeing intriguing leaps forward like Valve9s finger tracking gamepads. We judge controllers based on how easy they are to hold, how they hold up to sweaty gameplay sessions and how easily headsets can track their position in space.
  
  However, it’s important to look at a virtual reality headset’s specs as a whole, including compatibility with your existing hardware and the kind of experiences you plan to use it for. Depending on what you’re looking for in yourVR headset, you’ll want to consider factors like your PC’s CPU and graphics card if you plan to use the headset to play the best VR games. You might not need a super powerful PC, but you should check the minimum requirements for the headset you’re looking to purchase. If you’re not looking to invest in a VR headset solely for gaming, features like head tracking allow you to explore your environment just by simply moving your head in the simulator. This often results in a more immersive and realistic experience.
  Other VR headsets we’ve tested HTC Vive Focus Vision
  The Vive Focus Vision is a sleek premium standalone VR headset that can also deliver solid PC VR. But it’s also running aging hardware, it’s riddled with software issues and it’s expensive compared to the Meta Quest 3.
  Meta Quest Pro
  As great as the Meta Quest 3 is, the Quest 2 is still a very good entry-level VR headset, and it’s worth considering if it’s on sale below its current $250 list price. The Meta Quest Pro, on the the hand, is an expensive boondoggle best ignored.
  HTC Vive Pro 2
  Outside of Meta’s hardware, the HTC Vive Pro 2 remains a fantastic PC headset, but it’s far more expensive than the Valve Index, which is more comfortable and offers better audio.
  VR headset FAQs How do VR headsets work?
  At the most basic level, a VR headset is simply a high quality screen that you’re holding up to your face. For a wired headset, the actual work of rendering a game is done on either a PC or game console. For completely wireless devices, like the Meta Quest 3, that work is handled right on the headset. They rely on either external sensors, or sensors built into the headsets, to map your physical space. While you can use a traditional gamepad or keyboard and mouse in VR, they typically use motion tracking controllers to immerse you in their 3D environments.
  What VR headset is best for full body tracking?
  While we’re still waiting for a truly great haptic VR bodysuit to arrive, you can still achieve accurate body tracking with most Steam VR-compatible PC headsets. The Valve Index and HTC Vive Pro 2 both rely on room-tracking sensors that can map your body more effectively than the built-in sensors on competitors. You can also add HTC Vive Trackers to wrist and leg straps, as well as belts, for even better coverage. The Meta Quest 3 doesn’t have any easy body tracking solutions, but you can add Vive trackers when it’s plugged into your PC to mimic a Steam VR headset.
  
  Only a few experiences, like VRChat, take advantage of full body tracking at the moment. Currently there aren’t any body tracking solutions for the PlayStation VR and VR2, but we’re intrigued by the company’s Mocopi body trackers, which were really announced in Japan.
  What VR headsets are better than Oculus?
  Oculus is the previous name for Meta’s VR hardware. Currently, Meta only supports the Quest 3, Quest 3S and Quest Pro, all of which are wireless headsets. As we explain above, PC VR headsets can generally achieve better quality virtual reality, since they rely on more powerful graphics hardware.
  What VR headsets work with Xbox?
  Currently, Microsoft’s Xbox consoles don’t support any VR headsets.
  Recent updates
  November 2025: Updated to include the Apple Vision Pro M5.
  
  April 2025: Updated to include review scores for our top picks, where applicable.
  
  November 2024: Added the HTC Vive Focus Vision to the "others we tested" section.
  
  October 2024: Updated our "best cheap VR headset" top pick to be the Meta Quest 3S.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/best-vr-headsets-140012529.html?src=rss

• How to buy a GPU in 2026
  One of the toughest parts of any new computer build or upgrade is finding the right video card. In a gaming PC, the GPU is easily the most important part, and you can limit your experience by going with the wrong model. The buying process can be frustrating, especially right now with memory shortages leading to higher prices. In this guide, we9ll help you navigate the market and find the right GPU for your needs.
  It9s all about the games
  The first question to ask yourself is what kind of games do you want to play. Competitive shooters like Valorant, Overwatch and Marvel Rivals were designed to run on older hardware. As such, even entry-level GPUs like the GeForce RTX 5060 can push those games at 120 frames per second and above at 1080p (more on why that9s important in a moment).
  
  By contrast, if you want to play modern, single-player games with ray tracing and other graphical extras, you9ll need a more powerful GPU. Just how much more powerful will depend on the resolution of your monitor.
  
  A 1440p or QHD monitor has 78 percent more pixels than a 1080p screen, and a 4K display has more than twice as many pixels as a QHD panel. In short, running a game at 4K, especially at anything above 60 frames per second, is demanding, and most GPUs will need to use upscaling techniques like NVIDIA9s Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) and AMD9s FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) to push new games at high refresh rates.
  
  On the subject of resolution, it doesn9t make sense to spend a lot of money on a 4K monitor only to pair it with an inexpensive GPU. That9s a recipe for a bad experience. As you9re shopping for a new video card, you should think about the resolution and frame rate you want to play your games. If you9re in the market for both a GPU and display, be sure to check out our guide to the best gaming monitors.
  
  If your budget allows, a good bet is to buy a midrange card that can comfortably render all but the most demanding games at 1440p and at least 144 frames per second. Put another way, you want a GPU that can saturate a monitor at its native resolution and refresh rate in as many games as possible. That will give you the smoothest possible experience in terms of motion clarity, and allow you to dabble in both competitive shooters and the latest single-player games as the mood strikes you.
  Photo by Devindra Hardawar/EngadgetNVIDIA vs AMD and Intel
  One of the confusing aspects of the GPU industry are all the players involved. What you need to know is that there are three main players: AMD, Intel and NVIDIA. They design the cards you can buy, but delegate the manufacturing of them to so-called add-in board (AIB) partners like ASUS, XFX, Gigabyte and others.
  
  As you can imagine, this creates some headaches. The most annoying of which is that AMD, Intel and NVIDIA will often set recommended prices for their graphic cards, only for their partners to sell their versions of those GPUs for more than the manufacturer9s suggested retail price (MSRP). For example, NVIDIA9s website lists the RTX 5070 with a starting price of $549. On Newegg, there are no new 5070s listed at that price. The only models anywhere close to $549 are refurbished and open box specials. If you want one that comes sealed, that will cost you at least $630.
  
  As for what company you should buy your new GPU from, before 2025, NVIDIA was the undisputed king of the market. Specific GeForce cards may have not offered the best rasterization performance in their price range, but between their performance in games with ray tracing and the fact NVIDIA was ahead on features like DLSS, an RTX GPU was a safe bet.
  
  However, with this year9s RTX 50 series release (and excluding models like the RTX 5080 and 5090 where there9s no competition), it9s safe to say NVIDIA missed the mark this generation. If you9re in the market for an entry- or mid-level GPU, AMD and Intel offer better value, with cards that come with enough VRAM for now and into the future. That said, there are still a few reasons you might consider an NVIDIA GPU, starting with ray tracing.
  Ray tracing
  For decades, developers have used rasterization techniques to approximate how light behaves in the real world, and the results have been commendable. But if you know what to look for, it9s easy to see where the illusion falls apart. For that reason, real-time ray tracing has been a goal of industry for years, and in 2018 it became a reality with NVIDIA9s first RTX cards.
  
  In some games, effects like ray-traced reflections and global illumination are transformational. Unfortunately, those features are expensive to run, often coming at a significant frame rate drop without upscaling. Since ray tracing was optional in many games before 2025, you could save money by buying an AMD GPU. For example, even if the RX 7800 XT was worse at ray tracing than the RTX 4070, the former was often cheaper to buy, had more onboard VRAM and offered as good or better rasterization performance in many games.
  
  However, you can9t ignore ray tracing performance anymore. We9re starting to see releases like Doom: The Dark Ages where the tech is an integral part of a game9s rendering pipeline, and more are likely to follow in the future. Thankfully, AMD9s newest cards are much better in that regard, though you9ll still get an edge running an NVIDIA model. For that reason, if ray tracing is important to you, NVIDIA cards are still the way to go.
  Refresh rates and frame rates
  If you9re new to the world of PC gaming, it can be tricky to wrap your head around refresh rates. In short, the higher the refresh rate of a monitor, the more times it can update the image it displays on screen every second, thereby producing a smoother moving picture.
  
  For example, moving elements on a monitor with a 240Hz refresh rate will look better than on one with a 120Hz refresh rate. However, that9s dependent on your GPU being able to consistently render a game at the appropriate frame rates. In the case of a 120Hz monitor, you want a GPU with enough headroom to drive most games at 120 fps. Realistically, most video cards won9t be able to achieve that in every game, but it9s a good baseline to aim for when shopping for a new GPU.
  Frame generation
  Since the release of NVIDIA9s RTX 40-series GPU, the company has offered a feature called frame generation. As the name suggests, it allows NVIDIA9s latest video cards to generate an additional frame for every frame they render normally. With the 50-series, NVIDIA has since begun offering multi-frame generation, which gives those GPUs the ability to generate up to three additional frames for every rendered frame. AMD has its own take on the tech, as does Intel, though NVIDIA9s offering is considered superior to both due to how it handles frame pacing.
  
  Frame generation is nice to have, but it9s not the silver bullet it might seem. Enabling it will increase system latency, reducing how responsive your games feel. Somewhat unintuitively, high-end GPUs also benefit more from the tech than their entry-level counterparts since they can naturally render more frames. For that reason, it9s best to think of frame generation as a way to get the most out of a high refresh rate display.
  Upscaling and latency
  I9ve mentioned DLSS a few times already. Alongside FSR and Intel XeSS, DLSS is an example of what9s known as an image reconstruction technology. More and more, native rendering is going out of fashion in game design. With ray tracing and other modern effects enabled, even the most powerful GPUs can struggle to render a game at 1440p or 4K and a playable framerate. That’s why many developers will turn to DLSS, FSR or XeSS to eke out additional performance by upscaling a lower resolution image to QHD or UHD.
  
  Upscaling in games is nothing new. For example, the PS4 Pro used a checkerboard technique to output games in 4K. What’s different now is how modern GPUs go about it. With DLSS, NVIDIA pioneered an approach that uses machine learning to recreate an image at a higher resolution, and in the process, addressed some of the pitfalls of past upscaling methods. If you9re sensitive to these sorts of things, there9s still blur and shimmer with DLSS, FSR and XeSS, but it9s much less pronounced and can lead to significant performance gains.
  
  To DLSS, NVIDIA later added single and multi-frame generation. DLSS is only available on NVIDIA cards, and following the recent release of DLSS 4.5, widely considered to offer the best image quality. That9s another reason why you might choose an NVIDIA card over one of its competitors.
  
  However, if you decide to go with an AMD GPU, don9t feel like you9re missing out. The company recently released FSR 4. While it9s not quite on par with DLSS 4 and 4.5 in terms of support and image quality, it9s a major leap over FSR 3 and FSR 2.
  
  While on the subject of DLSS, I9ll also mention NVIDIA Reflex. It9s a latency-reducing technology NVIDIA introduced in 2020. AMD has its own version called Radeon Anti-Lag, but here again Team Green has a slight edge. If you9re serious about competitive games, Reflex can significantly reduce input lag, which will make it easier to nail your shots in Counter-Strike 2, Valorant and other shooters.
  Driver support
  Previously, one of the reasons to pick an NVIDIA GPU over the competition was the company9s solid track record of driver support. With one of the company9s video cards, you were less likely to run into stability issues and games failing to launch. At the start of 2025, NVIDIA9s drivers were abysmal, but the company has since corrected course.
  VRAM
  As you9re comparing different GPUs, especially those in the same tier, pay close attention to the amount of VRAM they offer. Many modern games will eat up as much VRAM as a GPU can offer, and if your card has a low amount, such as 8GB, you9re likely to run into a performance bottleneck.
  
  If your budget allows for it, always go for the model with more VRAM. Consider, for instance, the difference between the $379 RTX 5060 Ti 8GB and $429 RTX 5060 Ti 16GB. Spending an extra $50 is going to be a lot for some people, but it9s the difference between a card that is only adequate for many recent releases and one that will last you for a few years. In many cases, more VRAM is better.
  
  A slight caveat to this is when comparing models that have different memory bandwidths. A GPU that can access more of its memory faster can outperform one with more memory, even if it has less of it outright. Here, you9ll want to read reviews of the models you9re comparing to see how they perform in different games.
  Size and power draw
  Modern GPUs are big. Most new cards will take up at least two PCI slots on the back of your motherboard. They can also vary dramatically in length, depending on the number of fans the AIB has added to cool the PCB. To be safe, be sure to check the length of the card you want to buy against the maximum clearance listed by your case manufacturer. If you have a radiator at the front of your case, you will also need to factor the size of that in your measurements. The last thing you want is to buy a card that doesn9t fit in your case.
  
  Lastly, be sure to check the recommended power supply for the card you want. As a rule of thumb, unless you know what you9re doing, it9s best to just stick with the manufacturer9s recommendation. For instance, NVIDIA suggests pairing the RTX 5070 Ti with a 750 watt PSU. So if you9re currently running a 650 watt unit, you9ll need to factor in the price of a PSU upgrade with your new GPU.
  Devindra Hardawar for EngadgetShould you buy a used GPU?
  It depends. If you can find a deal on an old RTX 40 series GPU, then yes. NVIDIA9s RTX 50 series don9t offer greatly improved performance over their predecessors, and with most models selling for more than their suggested retail price, it9s not the best time to buy a new NVIDIA card.
  
  That said, I suspect finding a good deal on a used GPU will be difficult. Most people will know the value of what they have, and considering the current market, will probably try to get as much as they can for their old card.
  
  You may find better deals on older AMD and Intel GPUs, but I think you9re better off spending more now on a new model from one of those companies since the generational gains offered by their latest cards are much more impressive. Simply put, the 9070 XT and B580 are two of the best cards you can buy right now.
  
  Anything older than a card from NVIDIA9s 40 series or AMD9s RX 6000 family is not worth considering. Unless your budget is extremely tight or you mostly play older games, you9re much better off spending more to buy a new card that will last you longer.
  When is a good time to buy a new GPU?
  If you9ve read up to this point, you9re probably wondering if it9s even worth buying a GPU right now. The answer is (unsurprisingly) complicated. There are a handful of great cards like the Radeon RX 9060 XT and 9070 that are absolutely worth it. The problem is finding any GPU at a price approaching those set by AMD, Intel or NVIDIA.
  
  The AI boom, and in particular actions by OpenAI, have led to memory shortages. In turn, those shortages have caused the price of consumer GPUs, SSDs and RAM kits to skyrocket in recent months. As of our latest update to this guide, some models like the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti are selling for hundreds of dollars above MSPR.
  
  As such, if you own a relatively recent GPU, you9re probably best off trying to hold onto your current card until things settle down. But if your GPU isn9t cutting it anymore, you face a difficult decision: overpay now, or wait and potentially pay even more later.
  
  To make that decision easier, I9ve been maintaining a separate guide that lists a selection of GPU models you can buy close to MSPR. My goal is to update that article at least once per month, so be sure to check often.
  Best GPUs for 2026: Engadget ecommendationsEntry-level (1080p)
  As we mentioned above, if you9re only aiming to play basic competitive shooters like Valorant and Overwatch 2 in 1080p, an entry-level GPU may be all you need. While 1080p isn9t an ideal resolution when it comes to sharpness, many gamers prefer it since it9s easier to reach higher framerates. And it also helps that 1080p gaming monitors, like the AOC 24G15N 24-inch we recommend, tend to offer speedy refresh rates for between $100 and $200. When you9re zipping through matches, you likely won9t have time to take a breath and appreciate the detail from higher resolutions.
  
  Here are our recommendations for entry-level video cards:
  
  AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 8GB: Surprisingly enough, you can actually find this AMD GPU for $300. While you9ll have to live with 8GB of RAM, that9s more than enough for 1080p gaming, and it also has the benefit of DLSS 4 upscaling.
  
  AMD Radeon RX 7600: While it9s a last-gen card, the RX 7600 is still powerful enough to handle basic shooters.
  Midrange (1440p)
  While entry-level cards can dabble with 1440p gaming, it9s worth stepping up to something a bit more powerful if you actually want to achieve higher refresh rates. For most gamers, 1440p is the best balance between sharpness and high frame rates. It looks noticeably better than 1080p, and doesn9t require the horsepower overhead of 4K. (And there9s a good chance you won9t really see a visual difference with the jump to 4K.)
  
  Here are our recommendations for midrange GPUs:
  
  NVIDIA RTX 5060 Ti: Forget the disappointing RTX 5070, the 5060 Ti delivers excellent 1080p and 1440p performance. And best of all, you can still find it under $500. (Read our NVIDIA RTX 5060 Ti review.)
  
  AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB: A step up from the 8GB model we recommend above. The 16GB 9060 XT offers excellent performance across many of the latest games, and is less expensive than the 5060 Ti.
  
  AMD Radeon RX 9070: AMD surprised us all with the Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT, two midrange cards that offered similar power to and more VRAM than NVIDIA9s more expensive cards. While you won9t see the RX 9070 for its $550 launch price today, you can still snag one for a slight premium at $650. (Check out our AMD Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT review.)
  High-end (4K)
  If you want the most of what modern PC games have to offer, including 4K and all of the benefits of ray tracing, then be ready to spend big bucks on a high-end GPU. If you9re going this route, though, be sure you9re also gaming on a high-end monitor that befits these powerful GPUs.
  
  Here are our recommendations for premium GPUs:
  
  NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti: The RTX 5070 Ti surprised me with excellent 4K gaming performance for a launch price that was well below the RTX 5080. It9s the best overall NVIDIA card if you want to play in 4K at 120Hz or beyond, but it9s also the hardest to find at MSRP. (Check out our NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti review.)
  
  AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT: I already mentioned the RX 9070 XT. With shortages of the 5070 Ti, it9s the best GPU you can buy now without paying a ridiculous premium. (Check out our AMD Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT review.)
  
  NVIDIA RTX 5080: If the RTX 5070 Ti isn9t enough for you, the RTX 50809s additional power and 24GB of VRAM should suit your fancy. Just be prepared to pay around $1,500 for it, a 50 percent jump from its $999 launch price.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/how-to-buy-a-gpu-160100017.html?src=rss

• AMD suggests the next-gen Xbox will arrive in 2027
  Microsoft could launch the next-generation Xbox console sometime in 2027, AMD CEO Lisa Su has revealed during the semiconductor company’s latest earnings call. Valve is on track to start shipping its AMD-powered Steam Machine early this year, she said, while Microsoft’s development of an Xbox with a semi-custom SOC from AMD is “progressing well to support a launch in 2027.” While it doesn’t necessarily mean Microsoft is releasing a new Xbox console next year, that seems to be the company’s current goal.
  
  Xbox president Sarah Bond announced Microsoft’s multi-year partnership with AMD for its consoles in mid-2025. Based on Bond’s statement back then, Microsoft is embracing the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in future Xbox games. She also said that the companies are going to “co-engineer silicon” across devices, “in your living room and in your hands,” implying the development of future handheld consoles.
  
  Leaked documents from the FTC vs. Microsoft court battle revealed in the past that Microsoft was planning to make the next Xbox a “hybrid game platform,” which combines local hardware and cloud computing. The documents also said that Microsoft was planning to release the next Xbox in 2028. Whether the company has chosen to launch the new Xbox early remains to be seen, but it is possible when the Xbox X and S were released in 2020, and they haven’t sold as well as the Xbox One.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/amd-suggests-the-next-gen-xbox-will-arrive-in-2027-052707822.html?src=rss

• DOJ and states appeal Google monopoly ruling to push for harsher penalties against the company
  Google might have been officially ruled to have a monopoly, but we9re still a long way from figuring out exactly what that determination will change at the tech company. Today, the US Department of Justice filed notice of a plan to cross-appeal the decision last fall that Google would not be required to sell off the its Chrome browser. The agency9s Antitrust Division posted about the action on X. According to filed its own appeal over this part of its ongoing antitrust battle. Of course, the tech giant is hoping to get off the hook with fewer penalties rather than the heavier ones the DOJ is seeking.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/doj-and-states-appeal-google-monopoly-ruling-to-push-for-harsher-penalties-against-the-company-235115249.html?src=rss

• ChatGPT is back up after an outage disrupted use this afternoon
  If you had trouble using ChatGPT today, you aren9t alone. The AI chatbot experienced a partial outage for many users this afternoon, with Down Detector saw reports reaching more than 12,000 reports around the peak point of the issue today.. OpenAI issued a status update shortly after noting that "elevated error rates" were occurring for ChatGPT and Platform users. That problem was marked as resolved at 5:14PM ET.
  
  While the initial outage may be repaired, OpenAI does still have an active status alert up. It9s only for the fine-tuning component of its API service. But the end may also be in sight for that final issue, because the current statement from the company is "We have applied the mitigation and are monitoring the recovering.
  
  Another AI chatbot, Anthropic’s Claude, also experienced an outage today. It listed similar issues with "Elevated error rate on API across all Claude models." That status was resolved by 1PM ET.
  
  Update, February 3, 2025, 6:17PM ET: Updated to reflect the change in status and mention Claude outage.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/chatgpt-is-back-up-after-an-outage-disrupted-use-this-afternoon-210238686.html?src=rss

• Take-Two hit pause on the Switch 2 port of Borderlands 4
  2K owner Take-Two has paused development on Borderlands 4 for the Nintendo Switch 2, the company shared during its Q3 2026 earnings presentation. The Switch 2 port was originally planned to be released on October 3, 2025, a few weeks after the game9s September 12 launch on all other platforms, but was indefinitely delayed on September 23.
  
  "We made the difficult decision to pause development on that SKU," Q2 earnings presentation on November 6, 2025, the Switch 2 port was still listed as having a "TBA" release date. The lack of mention in the company9s Q3 presentation and Take-Two9s comment to Variety pretty much confirm that if a Switch 2 version happens, it won9t be anytime soon. The official November 19 release date is still on the books, however. Rockstar Games9 next blockbuster title was originallysupposed to be released in fall 2025, before it was delayed to May 2026 last May. The game was delayed a second and final time — at least for now — in November 2025, to its current November 2026 release date.
  
  There9s still room for another delay, but in the earnings statement Take-Two projected confidence, sharing that Rockstar would start marketing the game this summer. The franchise remains a cash cow, so it’s only natural the company would want to get the rollout of Grand Theft Auto VI right. As part of its earnings presentation, Take-Two shared that Grand Theft Auto V, which was originally released all the way back in 2013, has sold 225 million units.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/take-two-hit-pause-on-the-switch-2-port-of-borderlands-4-222546776.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