Linux-powered Serpent OS reaches its first major development milestone -- download it now!

The team behind Serpent OS has announced its Linux distro has entered alpha. The operating system, built by industry veterans with decades of experience, is a heavily engineering-led project that seeks to redefine how Linux is distributed. In the team's own words, it "represents the next evolution in Linux distributions". It offers a stateless design and atomic updates, ensuring that system changes either complete fully or roll back seamlessly if issues arise, which should guarantee reliability and stability.

The new alpha release is tailored for UEFI systems only, with secure boot support planned for future updates. For now, x86_64-v2 builds are available with GNOME and COSMIC desktop environments.

Continue reading

A hybrid approach could put your organization on cloud nine

Until recently, many organizations’ ‘cloud-first’ strategies in reality meant ‘cloud-only’ (and more specifically, public cloud). Indeed, it wasn’t really a strategy, rather more an aspiration.

However, fast forward to today and many organizations are realizing that public cloud providers can’t fully meet all their needs and priorities. In fact, most organizations will never be fully on the public cloud for a number of reasons:

Continue reading

Why you shouldn't respond to emails straight away [Q&A]

Electronic communication, whether by email or text, is by its very nature pretty instant. So when you receive a new message the temptation is always to respond to it straight away.

The trouble with that is the people you're communicating with come to always expect a quick reply. We spoke to stress management expert Julia Arndt at Peak Performance Method to discover why not responding immediately could well be better for your stress levels.

Continue reading

Trends and strategies for 2025: Building agile and efficient IT ecosystems for consumer data

As we move into 2025, the information technology landscape surrounding consumer databases is evolving rapidly.

Organizations must build ecosystems that support seamless, real-time data integration while ensuring enhanced governance and agile decision-making. Success in this environment requires robust, interoperable platforms that can adapt to technological shifts and anticipate future challenges.

Continue reading

WhatsApp is rolling out a new reaction emoji just in time for the New Year

WhatsApp reaction emoji

Reaction emoji are a quick and easy way to respond to a message in WhatsApp with an absolute minimum of effort. Whether you simply can’t be bothered to type a message, or you’re already multi-tasking several things, the option to just send a thumbs up to a message is a handy option to have.

While there is nothing to stop you from sending any emoji you want as a response, there are several default options made available for easy access -- such as a heart or a sad face in addition to the thumbs up. For some time there have been six default emoji, but now WhatsApp is adding another to the family to make a septet.

Continue reading

Report: Apple is working on a Face ID powered smart doorbell and lock

Apple looks ready to continue its foray into the smart home market with a new doorbell to rival Amazon’s Ring. Driven by Face ID, Apple’s upcoming device is set to be more than just a doorbell -- facial recognition will be used to unlock the door as well.

But if you are looking for a smart doorbell right now, Apple may not be the choice for you. The company’s work is said to be in the preliminary stages, with products unlikely to emerge until at least the tail end of 2025, but likely some time in 2026.

Continue reading

Silicon Power debuts MEM3K0E M.2 PCIe 2230 E-Key SSD

Silicon Power has introduced its first M.2 PCIe 2230 E-Key SSD, the MEM3K0E, designed for the compact and demanding needs of edge computing, robotics, and other emerging technologies. The company describes the new SSD as a flexible solution for developers looking to optimize system configurations in space-constrained environments.

The MEM3K0E follows the PCIe 3.1 standard and NVMe 1.4 protocol, making it compatible with devices featuring E-Key slots. It’s meant to act as a supplemental cache or buffer drive alongside primary M-Key storage. To handle resource-intensive tasks, it includes features like thermal throttling and a built-in voltage detector. With storage capacities ranging from 64GB to 512GB, it’s versatile enough for everything from embedded systems to performance-heavy setups.

Continue reading

How Santa Claus could transform Christmas with Linux

Santa Claus may be magical, but even the most legendary figure could benefit from some modern technological enhancements. If he adopted the Linux kernel, which powers the world’s most flexible and open-source operating systems, the jolly old man in red could take his North Pole operations to the next level. Here are five ways Linux could transform Santa’s workshop for the better.

First, Santa could use Linux for inventory management. With millions of toys being produced, stored, and delivered annually, managing his inventory must be a logistical nightmare. Linux-based solutions like Odoo or Openbravo provide powerful tools for tracking inventory, ensuring Santa’s elves never run out of key materials like wood, plastic, or glitter.

Continue reading

The latest obstacles to updating to Windows 11 24H2 are an audio bug and an Auto HDR glitch

Colorful rainbow Microsoft building logo

The number of issues standing in the way of people hoping to update their computers to Windows 11 24H2 just seems to keep on growing. The latest problems confirmed by Microsoft are an issue with Auto HDR, and another relating to Dirac Audio.

In both cases, Microsoft has implemented a compatibility safeguard hold that prevents automatic upgrades to Windows 11 24H2; the company also strongly recommends against forcing a manual upgrade because of the severity of the issues. So, what are the details?

Continue reading

ASUS NUC 14 Pro AI Windows 11 mini PC revealed with Microsoft Copilot+ and Intel Core Ultra processors

ASUS has introduced the NUC 14 Pro AI, a mini PC that incorporates Intel Core Ultra processors (Series 2) and Microsoft’s Copilot+ AI assistant. Designed to meet the demands of business, industrial, and entertainment applications, this compact device delivers enhanced AI capabilities and high performance in a space-saving form factor.

The NUC 14 Pro AI is powered by Intel Core Ultra processors, with options up to the Ultra 9 series, offering a multi-architecture design that integrates CPU, GPU, and NPU technologies. With up to 120 platform TOPS and 48 NPU TOPS, it provides notable improvements in AI performance compared to previous models, making it suitable for edge computing and IoT applications.

Continue reading

Acorn 8 for macOS debuts machine learning tools for a limited-time $19.99

While I’m primarily a Linux user, when I use macOS on my Mac mini, Acorn is my go-to image editor. It’s a great value from an independent developer and has just gotten even better with the release of Acorn 8. This update is packed with major upgrades, and best of all, it’s on sale for a limited time for $19.99, maintaining its one-time purchase model. Yes, folks, you read that right -- Acorn still isn’t subscription-based. Very nice!

One of the most exciting additions is a set of tools that harness machine learning. The new “Select Subject” and “Mask Subject” commands automatically identify and isolate the primary focus in an image, while “Remove Background” eliminates backgrounds without adding a layer mask. These features make it easier than ever to clean up and enhance photos.

Continue reading

Hisense unveils HT Saturn wireless home theater system

Hisense has introduced the HT Saturn Wireless Home Theater System at CES 2025, designed for those who enjoy movies, gaming, and music. Designed to pair with big-screen TVs, particularly those 85 inches and larger, the HT Saturn promises an immersive audio experience with features like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.

The system incorporates Hisense’s Hi-Concerto Technology, which works in tandem with the brand’s TVs. By syncing the TV’s built-in speakers with the HT Saturn, the setup creates a unified soundstage, providing a more expansive audio experience. Additionally, its Room Calibration feature automatically adjusts audio based on the acoustics of the user’s space for optimized sound performance.

Continue reading

Discover the Windows tool everyone's talking about: Flow Launcher adds powerful search and app-launching capabilities -- and then some

Flow Launcher

Jealous of macOS’s Spotlight feature? Want a more accessible -- never mind powerful and customizable -- alternative to Windows’ own dated search and app launching tools? Then Flow Launcher could be just the tool you’re looking for.

Flow Launcher, or “Flow” for short, lets you search for and open apps, files, system settings, and web pages from a single, easily accessible search bar. Triggered by a custom hotkey of your choice, it provides a seamless way to navigate your system. However, its modular design is what truly sets it apart.

Continue reading

Operational tech under attack, deepfake phishing and learning to use passkeys -- cybersecurity predictions for 2025

With a constant power struggle between attackers and defenders cybersecurity is a fast-moving area. That makes it notoriously hard to predict what might happen, but that doesn't stop us trying. Here are what some industry experts think the cybersecurity world has in store for 2025.

Sasha Gohman, VP, research at Cymulate, thinks ransomware will become obsolete. "Ransomware may become obsolete due to the fact that decrypting your important files may become a feasible task with quantum computing. On the other hand, ransomware operators may then choose to encrypt your important files with quantum-resilient encryption."

Continue reading

Europe's move toward cybersecurity sovereignty [Q&A]

Governments around the world are increasingly legislating for cybersecurity and privacy. But regions often have differing views on how this should be achieved.

We spoke to Christian Have, CTO of Logpoint, to get insight into how US surveillance laws could serve as a catalyst for Europe to take greater control over its data, pushing forward the concept of digital sovereignty.

Continue reading

© 1998-2025 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy.