Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 9 Comments on Facebook Introduces Oculus Quest 2 Standalone VR headset Powered by Snapdragon XR2 SoC

Facebook Introduces Oculus Quest 2 Standalone VR headset Powered by Snapdragon XR2 SoC

Virtual reality headsets used to have to be connected to computers for optimal performance while gaming, and several years ago, most standalone VR headsets were only good to play some videos. But technology has evolved, and with the launch of Snapdragon XR2 powered Oculus Quest 2 standalone VR headset available for pre-order for $299, Facebook has decided to completely leave the PC-only VR headset business. Oculus Quest 2 specifications: SoC – Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 platform with AI acceleration capability similar to Snapdragon 865 System Memory – 6GB RAM Storage – 64GB or 256GB flash Display Dual 1832 x 1920 pixel (per eye) display @ 90 Hz IPD Adjustment – 58mm, 63mm or 68mm Audio Integrated speakers and microphone, 3.5 mm audio jack Connectivity – WiFi, Bluetooth (but no audio support due to latency) Tracking Technology – Oculus Insight inside-out 6-DoF tracking with motion controllers USB – USB-C cable for charging Battery – Good for 2 to 3 hours Dimensions – …

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Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 14 Comments on Pinephone Multiboot Image Boots 13 Different Linux Distributions

Pinephone Multiboot Image Boots 13 Different Linux Distributions

You’ve certainly heard about dual-boot systems with Windows and Linux, and possibly about triple-boot systems with an extra OS like Chromium OS or Android, but pine64’s forum user Megous has gone much further with a multiboot image for Pinephone able to boot 13 different Linux distributions! You’d think the image would occupy a lot of space on the device, but since all 13 distributions share the same Linux 5.9 kernel, all 13 operating systems fit on the internal eMMC flash or a MicroSD card with 8GB or greater capacity. The image is based on the p-boot bootloader allowing you to select the distribution of your choice and supports all PinePhones from the Braveheart Edition to the most recent revisions with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage. So what Linux distributions are supported by the multiboot image exactly? Here’s the list: Arch Linux Arm 2020-09-08 Lune OS 0.113 Maemo Leste 20200906 Mobian 20200912 KDE Neon 20200912-132511 pmOS / fbkeyboard 2020-09-11 pmOS / …

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Posted on by Ian W MORRISON (Linuxium) - 6 Comments on Intel NUC 9 Extreme “Ghost Canyon” Kit – NUC9i9QNX Review

Intel NUC 9 Extreme “Ghost Canyon” Kit – NUC9i9QNX Review

I’ve previously written about Intel’s (relatively) new NUC 9 range of mini PCs and now I am following up with my experiences of having bought one. Whilst I’ll cover some performance metrics from both Windows and Ubuntu I’ll also discuss the benefits and drawbacks of using either OS together with a comparison of gaming, thermals, and power usage as well as a brief look at overclocking potential and implications together with highlighting the issues encountered. NUC9i9QNX Hardware Overview The model I purchased and will be reviewing here is the NUC9i9QNX from Intel’s Ghost Canyon lineup and is formally known as the Intel NUC 9 Extreme Kit – NUC9i9QNX. It contains a “Compute Element” with an i9-9980HK which is an eight-core 16-thread 2.40 GHz processor boosting to 5.00 GHz with Intel’s UHD Graphics 630. The full specifications of the NUC9i9QNX include: The NUC9i9QNX is sold as a kit which essentially means barebones as it consists of a case containing a baseboard, …

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Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 7 Comments on Allwinner T5 Processor to Power Android 10 and Linux Multi-Camera Infotainment Systems

Allwinner T5 Processor to Power Android 10 and Linux Multi-Camera Infotainment Systems

Allwinner T-series processors are designed for transportation applications such as automotive infotainment systems, smart rear-view mirrors, and navigation systems. The Zhuhai-based company has now added a new T-series processor to its website with Allwinner T5 processor featuring four Cortex-A53 cores and a Mali-G31 MP2 GPU that’s a nice upgrade to the Mali-400 MP2/4 GPUs used in their other automotive processors. Allwinner T5 specifications: CPU – Quad-core Arm [email protected] GPU – Arm Mali G31 MP2 with support for OpenGL ES 3.2/2.0/1.0, Vulkan 1.1, OpenCL 2.0 Memory I/F – 32-bit DDR4/DDR3/DDR3L/LPDDR3/LPDDR4 interface up to 4GB Storage I/F SD3.0/eMMC5.0 interface 8-bit Nand flash interface with maximum 80-bit/1KB ECC Video Engine Video decoder H.265 MP decoder up to 4K @ 60fps H.264 BL/MP/HP decoder up to 4K @ 30fps VP9 decoder up to 4K @ 60fps AVS2 decoder up to 4K @ 60fps Multi-format 1080p60 video playback including VP8, MPEG1/2 SP/MP, MPEG4 SP/ASP, AVS+/AVS JIZHUN, VC1 SP/MP Video encoder -H.264 encoder up to 4K …

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Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 1 Comment on Android 11 Release – People-centric Communication and “Pixel-First” Features

Android 11 Release – People-centric Communication and “Pixel-First” Features

Six months have passed since Android 11 developer preview was released in February and at the time we noted enhancements for foldables and 5G, new call-screening APIs, new media & camera capabilities including animated HEIF support, as well as machine learning improvements. Google has now officially released Android 11 that is currently rolling out to select Google Pixel, OnePlus, Xiaomi, OPPO, and Realme phones. More phones will be upgraded/supported in the future, and Google also introduced some Pixel-first features that will (initially?) end up on Pixel phones exclusively. All Android 11 phones will support chat bubbles to message on top of other applications, built-in screen & audio, wireless Android Auto support with compatible cars, one-time permission for increased privacy, and more. But Google may have changed strategy trying to make Pixel phones more attractive to prospective buyers and increase sales as the Android 11 release comes with the following Pixel-exclusive features: Live View with Location Sharing in Google Maps – …

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Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments on Nubia Watch Comes with a 4-inch AMOLED Flexible Display (Crowdfunding)

Nubia Watch Comes with a 4-inch AMOLED Flexible Display (Crowdfunding)

We previously covered Nubia–α wearable “smartphone” in 2018. The device was basically a smartwatch with a long curved display, and at the time was at the prototype/design stage. There’s now a similar, but more refined Snapdragon Wear 2100 powered Nubia Watch with a 4.01-inch AMOLED flexible display that has recently launched on Kickstarter. It’s unclear whether it’s related to the older prototype, as the company claims to have conceptualized the watch in October 2019. Nubia Watch hardware specifications: SoC – Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 (8909Q) quad-core Cortex A7 processor with Adreno 304 GPU System Memory – 1GB RAM Storage – 8GB storage Display – 4.01-inch AMOLED flexible 2-point touchscreen display with 960 x 192 resolution covered with Schott glass Connectivity Bluetooth 4.1 GNSS – GPS, GLONASS, Beidou Sensors – Accelerometer & gyroscope, pressure sensor, heart-rate sensor, geomagnetic sensor Misc – Power button Battery – 425 mAh Lithium battery good for up to 7 days (power saving mode) or 36 hours …

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Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 4 Comments on CrowPi2 Raspberry Pi 4 Education Laptop Review

CrowPi2 Raspberry Pi 4 Education Laptop Review

I started my review of CrowPi2 Raspberry Pi 4 Learning Kit a while ago and at the time I showed content from the kit and its first boot. I’ve now spent more time with this very special Raspberry Pi 4 laptop and will focus this review on the education part, namely CrowPi2 software, but will also look at thermal cooling under stress with and without a fan, and try to install another Raspberry Pi compatible board inside the laptop shell. CrowPi2 Education Software It’s quite important to read the user manual before getting started as there are a few non-intuitive steps you may have to take. First I assume the wireless keyboard would just connect after pressing the power button, but it did not. The user manual explains the RF dongle is inside the mouse, and once you connect it you’ll be able to use the keyboard that has some battery charge out of the box, and can be charged …

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Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments on IP67 Rugged GMSL2 Camera Works with NVIDIA Jetson Devkits

IP67 Rugged GMSL2 Camera Works with NVIDIA Jetson Devkits

e-con Systems has launched an industrial-grade GMSL2 Full HD camera and a deserializer interface board for NVIDIA Jetson AGX Xavier / TX2 Developer Kits. The STURDeCAM20 camera is waterproof with an IP67 rating and ships with a 15-meter coaxial cable with a FAKRA connector, while STURDeCAM20_CUXVR camera kit adds a GMSL deserializer board supporting up to 6 STURDeCAM20 cameras. STURDeCAM20 camera specifications: 2MP camera module with S-mount lens holder Gigabit Multimedia Serial Link 2 (GMSL2) interface with IP67 certified FAKRA connector On-board ISP High Dynamic Range (HDR) and Uncompressed UYVY streaming support Supported resolutions & frame rates VGA (640 x 480) @ 60 fps QHD (960 x 540) @ 58 fps HD (1280 X 720) @ 45 fps 960p (1280 x 960) @ 34 fps FHD (1920 x 1080) @ 30 fps Supply Voltage – 5 to 15V with +/- 5% tolerance Dimensions – 42 x 42 mm (aluminium enclosure) Power Consumption – 0.78W to 2.196W Temperature Range – -40°C …

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