The Yocto Project 6.0, codenamed “Wrynose”, has just been released with Linux 6.18 LTS, about two years after Yocto Project 5.0 “Scarthgap” release with Linux 6.6 LTS. Over 240 contributors submitted over 4000 commits since the previous Yocto 5.3 “Whinlatter” minor release of the popular framework used to create custom embedded Linux distributions. Yocto Wrynose is a Long Term Support (LTS) release, which will be supported until at least April 2030. The project’s developers especially highlight these 4 years of support, improved SBOM and CVE tracking features, and more secure defaults to ease compliance with the upcoming EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA). Yocto Project 6.0 highlights: Linux kernel 6.18 LTS Toolchain updates: GCC 15.2, glibc 2.43, LLVM 22.1, Go 1.26, and Rust 1.94. New bitbake-setup tool to fetch layers and setup build directories. Support for BitBake configuration fragments, which can be managed with the new bitbake-config-build command. This enables better […]
Firefly AIBOX-K3 – An Edge AI mini PC powered by SpacemiT K3 RISC-V SoC
Back in July last year, SpacemiT unveiled the SpacemiT K3 SoC. After that, we saw some system information and early benchmarks come out around January this year. The company has just officially launched the K3 Pico-ITX SBC, which is now available through various distributors. Firefly has launched its own K3 hardware with the AIBOX-K3, a complete industrial-grade RISC-V edge computing box. The AIBOX-K3 Edge AI mini PC is built around the SpacemIT Key Stone K3 octa-core processor and features an integrated AI engine that delivers up to 60 TOPS of compute performance, making it suitable for local LLM inference and edge AI applications. Firefly AIBOX-K3 specifications: SoC – SpacemiT K3 CPU 8x 64-bit RISC-V X100 “big” cores clocked up to 2.4 GHz, RVA23 compliance; 130 KDMIPS performance (similar to RK3588) 8x RISC-V A100 AI Cores with support for up to 1024-bit RVV1.0 parallel computing, optimized for matrix operations. GPU – Imagination […]
Pi Slate – A Raspberry Pi 5 handheld Linux cyberdeck with a 5-inch 1280×720 touchscreen display
We previously wrote about Carbon’s CyberT, a Blackberry-style Raspberry Pi CM4 handheld Linux cyberdeck designed for Kali Linux and penetration testing. The company, now operating under the CyberArch/Carbon Computers brand, has introduced the Pi Slate, a more powerful handheld cyberdeck designed for portable computing and security-focused applications. Built around the Raspberry Pi 5, the Pi Slate integrates a 5-inch 1280×720 touchscreen, a backlit RGB keyboard with an integrated cursor, and a 10,000 mAh battery for 3–5 hours of portable use in a compact enclosure. It supports modular expansion for HATs such as LoRa, SDR, AI accelerators, and M.2 storage, and includes cooling support, antenna mounts, and an optional modular back with a kickstand. It targets penetration testers, IT professionals, and field technicians needing a compact, preconfigured system for cybersecurity and field work. Pi Slate specifications: SBC – Raspberry Pi 5 with 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, or 16GB LPDDR4X RAM options Storage […]
My experience upgrading the BIOS of a Windows 11 mini PC (with BitLocker) in 2026
I don’t always update the BIOS of my system, but when I do, I always make sure to waste several hours doing so. Last time I did that was in 2020, but this happened again when I updated the BIOS for the Khadas Mind 2 to test it with the Mind xPlay display and Mind Graphics 2 dock. Khadas provides the BIOS with instructions to update the Mind 2 mini PC, and it’s supposed to take five minutes, but I ended up wasting two about hours… The first step is to download and extract a zip file (mind-2-bios-v1.07-260122.zip), then start the Flash_BIOS upgrade program, and finally wait for the upgrade to complete. That part went great. No problem, but when the system rebooted, I was greeted by a BitLocker window asking me to enter a recovery key to carry on with the boot process. There’s no way to avoid this, […]
ESP32-P4 security key features 2-inch touchscreen, 3,000+ password capacity (Crowdfunding)
MiixKeyPro (previously MiixKey) is a compact, offline ESP32-P4-based hardware security key and password manager that securely stores passwords, passkeys, NFC cards, and smart card credentials in a single portable device. It features a 2-inch touchscreen and is designed for users, developers, enterprises, government staff, and cybersecurity professionals who need secure offline credential management without relying on cloud services or smartphone apps. Previously, we wrote about security keys like the YubiKey and Google Titan Security Key, which are great for FIDO2 and U2F login, but they don’t have a display or user interface, so managing passwords or switching credentials usually requires a phone or computer. MiixKeyPro fixes this by adding a touchscreen and allowing the user to manage over 3,000 passwords fully offline. MiixKeyPro specifications: Main SoC – Espressif Systems ESP32-P4 CPU Dual-core 32-bit RISC-V HP (High-performance) CPU @ up to 400 MHz with AI instructions extension and single-precision FPU Single-RISC-V LP (Low-power) MCU core @ […]
Toradex Zinnia Linux IoT Gateway offers dual GbE, WiFi 5, 4G LTE, I/Os, and simplified software deployment
Toradex Zinnia is an industrial IoT gateway based on the company’s Verdin system-on-module, powered by a choice of NXP or Texas Instruments SoC, with dual Gigabit Ethernet, WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5, optional 4G LTE or 5G connectivity, a few USB ports, an I/O connectors, and a wide 9-36V power supply range. The first model is based on an NXP i.M 8M Plus SoM with 4GB LPDDR5 and 32GB eMMC flash preloaded with the company’s Torizon OS Linux distribution. Other SoM available are based on TI AM62/AM62P, NXP i.MX 8M Mini, or NXP iMX 95. The gateway targets edge AI and industrial automation, smart cities, and energy infrastructure. Toradex Zinnia specifications: SoC – NXP i.MX 8M Plus CPU – Quad-core Cortex-A53 processor @ 1.6/1.8 GHz, Arm Cortex-M7 real-time core @ 800 MHz GPU – Vivante GC7000UL OpenGL ES 1.1, 2.0, 3.0, OpenCL 1.2, Vulkan support AI accelerator – 2.3 TOPS NPU […]
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS “Resolute Raccoon” released with Linux 7.0
Canonical has just announced the release of Ubuntu 26.04 LTS “Resolute Raccoon” Linux distribution about two years after Ubuntu 24.04 LTS “Noble Numbat” was introduced. The new version of the operating system comes with the just-released Linux 7.0 kernel, GNOME 50, and a range of updates and new features. As a long-term support release, Ubuntu 26.04 LTS will be supported for 5 years until April 2031, and an Ubuntu Pro subscription provides access to ESM (Expanded Security Maintenance) updates for ten years, or until April 2036. One of the benefits of using the latest Linux 7.0 kernel is support for Intel Core Ultra Series 3 “Panther Lake” processors, including Intel Xe3 integrated graphics and the integrated NPU (Neural Processing Unit) optimizations, which may also benefit Wildcat Lake processors (aka Panther Lake Lite). Canonical also highlights TPM-backed full-disk encryption, improved support for application permission prompting, Livepatch updates for Arm-based servers, and […]
IP67-rated AI security camera feature Rockchip RV1126B or RK3576/J/M SoC for commercial, industrial, and automotive applications
Back in January 2024, Firefly released the CT36L AI smart security cameras, built around the Rockchip RV1106G2 SoC with a 0.5 TOPS NPU and Power over Ethernet (PoE) support. Now, Firefly has introduced two new AI cameras, the CQ38W-1126B and CQ38W-3576, which use a similar IP67-rated enclosure but come with much more powerful processors. Both new models no longer support PoE and instead use a 12V DC input, and they also add an RS485 interface. In terms of performance, the CQ38W-1126B is built around the Rockchip RV1126B with a 3 TOPS NPU and can run small multimodal AI models. The higher-end CQ38W-3576 features an octa-core Rockchip RK3576 with a 6 TOPS NPU, making it suitable for more demanding AI workloads, including YOLO and large language models. Both cameras are available with 3MP or 5MP sensors and come in Commercial or Industrial (J-suffix) variants. The 3576 series also adds an Automotive-grade […]









