Linux 6.5 release – Notable changes, Arm, RISC-V and MIPS architectures

Linus Torvalds has just announced the release of Linux 6.5 on the Linux Kernel Mailing List (LKML): So nothing particularly odd or scary happened this last week, so there is no excuse to delay the 6.5 release. I still have this nagging feeling that a lot of people are on vacation and that things have been quiet partly due to that. But this release has been going smoothly, so that’s probably just me being paranoid. The biggest patches this last week were literally just to our selftests. The shortlog below is obviously not the 6.5 release log, it’s purely just the last week since rc7. Anyway, this obviously means that the merge window for 6.6 starts tomorrow. I already have ~20 pull requests pending and ready to go, but before we start the next merge frenzy, please give this final release one last round of testing, ok? Linus The earlier […]

StarLite Mk V 2-in-1 Linux hybrid laptop features Processor N200 processor

Just last month, Star Labs introduced the Byte Mk II Intel Processor N200-based mini PC with a choice of Linux distributions that include Ubuntu 22.04, Linux Mint, Manjaro, Zorin OS, and others, as well as Coreboot support. The company has now introduced another Linux hardware platform powered by the Processor N200 Alder-Lake-N CPU with the StarLite Mk V 2-in-1 hybrid laptop with a 12.6-inch tablet and a detachable keyboard available in six different layouts. StarLite Mk V specifications: SoC – Intel Processor N200 quad-core processor @ up to 1.0 GHz / 3.7 GHz (Turbo) with 6MB cache, 32EU Intel HD graphics @ 750 MHz; TDP: 6W (PL2 set to 25W) System Memory – 16GB 4800MHz LPDDR5 RAM Storage – 512GB M.2 2242 PCIe Gen3 NVMe SSD (option for 1TB or 2TB); microSD card slot Display 12.6-inch 3K touchscreen IPS display with 2880 x 1920 resolution, LED backlight, 10-point touch Micro […]

Khadas Edge2 Arm mini PC

CZUR ET24 Pro book scanner review with Ubuntu 22.04 Linux

The CZUR ET24 Pro is a professional book scanner that works with Windows, macOS, and Linux, so I decided to review it in Ubuntu 22.04 since we are fans of hardware that can interface with Linux at CNX Software.

If you haven’t already, I strongly recommended reading the unboxing part of the CZUR ET24 Pro review, as we go through the specifications, show the various interfaces of the scanner, showcase the various accessories, and also try it out with the HDMI interface in presentation/preview mode. It will help you better understand the second part of the review, where we’ll connect the CZUR ET24 Pro scanner to a Ubuntu 22.04 laptop using the provided USB cable.

UniHiker review – A Linux-based STEM education platform with IoT and AI support, Micro:bit edge connector

DFRobot’s UniHiker is a STEM educational platform that was originally launched in China, but now UniHiker is now available worldwide through the DFRobot shop. The company has sent us a UniHiker sample for review, so let’s unpack the kit and learn how to use the UniHiker platform. The main component of the kit is the Linux-powered UniHiker board which features a 2.8-inch resistive touchscreen display and a BBC Micro:bit edge connector, so we can use expansion boards for the Micro:bit board. Let’s start unboxing it together. UniHiker unboxing DFRobot sent us the UniHiker platform by DHL. The package is a familiar-looking DFRobot box in orange color and comes with a plastic box to safely store the UniHiker board and accessories after use. The plastic box contains another plastic box with the board, some 3-pin and 4-pin cables for Gravity ports, and a USB Type-C cable. The UniHiker is like a […]

Allwinner A523 octa-core Cortex-A55 processor to show up in tablets, SBCs

Allwinner A523 is an octa-core Cortex-A55 processor clocked at up to 1.4/1.8GHz in big.LITTLE (DynamIQ) configuration and mainly designed for tablets with multiple display interfaces such as two 4-lane MIPI DSPI interfaces, two MIPI CSI camera interfaces, a Mali-G57 GPU, and more. But the block diagram below also shows two Gigabit Ethernet (GMAC) interfaces and HDMI 2.0 output among other interfaces meaning it will likely be used in Smart Home products as the Allwinner R828/MR828, and possibly automotive products as the Allwinner T527. I first discovered the Allwinner A523 last March via a tweet by 柚木 鉉 (GLGH_), but there was little information at that time. We now have further details about the processor and upcoming products such as the Teclast P26T, and a potential Allwinner A523 single board computer or module. Allwinner A523 preliminary specifications: CPU Application – Octa-core Arm Cortex-A55 @ in big.LITTLE configuration with four cores @ […]

MangoPi mCore-R818 module powers CyberPad 3.1-inch handheld android “tablet”

mCore-R818 is the first time that MangoPi adopts the design combination of a core-lite module and a carrier board. As its name suggests, it is an AllWinner R818 SoM whose SoC integrates an Imagination PowerVR GE8300 GPU for UI rendering, can drive MIPI DSI, LVDS, and RGB displays, as well as cameras through a MIPI CSI interface, 8MP/5MP/2MP interfaces. The Allwinner R818 system-on-module powers a feature-rich carrier board as well as an upcoming Cyberpad Android “tablet” with a 3.1-inch display. MangoPi mCore-R818 The package design of the processor itself is small, so the MCore-R818 core board is only 3x3cm in size, but still contains four components with the Allwinner R818, the eMMC flash, LPDDR4 memory, and the AXP717 PMU. MangoPi provides two hardware configurations: 2GB DDR with 16GB eMMC flash, and 4GB DDR with 32GB eMMC flash. MCore-R818 Core Lite Specifications: SoC – Allwinner R818 CPU – Quad-core Arm Cortex-A53 […]

Intel Arc Graphics Technology

Onyx BOOX Tab Ultra C 10.3-inch color E-Ink Android tablet comes with stylus support

Onyx BOOX Tab Ultra C is an Android 11 tablet with a 10.3-inch E-Ink Kaleido 3 color display with 2480 x 1860 black & white resolution, 1240 x 930 color resolution, a capacitive touchscreen and support for a stylus with 4096 levels of pressure. The tablet is an evolution of the BOOX Tab Ultra black-and-white tablet with a 4096-color E-Ink display using the latest Kaleido 3 screen that increases color saturation by 30 percent and reduces blue light reflections compared to earlier Kaleido Plus displays. BOOX Tab Ultra C specifications: SoC – Unnamed “Qualcomm Advanced” octa-core processor (likely the 2.0 GHz Snapdragon 662 octa-core Cortex-A73/A53 processor like in its black-and-white predecessor) System Memory – 4GB LPDDR4X Storage – 128GB UFS 2.1 flash, microSD card slot Display 10.3-inch Kaleido 3 (4,096 colors) Carta 1200 glass screen with flat cover-lens Resolution: B/W: 2480 x 1860 (300 ppi); color: 1240 x 930 (150 […]

Linux 6.3 release – Notable changes, Arm, RISC-V and MIPS architectures

Linux Torvalds has just announced the release of Linux 6.3 on the Linux Kernel Mailing List (LKML): It’s been a calm release this time around, and the last week was really no different. So here we are, right on schedule, with the 6.3 release out and ready for your enjoyment. That doesn’t mean that something nasty couldn’t have been lurking all these weeks, of course, but let’s just take things at face value and hope it all means that everything is fine, and it really was a nice controlled release cycle. It happens. This also obviously means the merge window for 6.4 will open tomorrow. I already have two dozen pull requests waiting for me to start doing my pulls, and I appreciate it. I expect I’ll have even more when I wake up tomorrow. But in the meantime, let’s enjoy (and test) the 6.3 release. As always, the shortlog […]

Khadas VIM4 SBC