#hardware

Linux 7.2 Drops Ancient PROFIBUS Driver: Ported From SCO Unix In 1998, Unused For Years

Linux 7.2 is removing two obsolete drivers from its source tree: the DTLK ISA speech synthesizer driver and the Applicom PROFIBUS driver. The Applicom driver was originally ported from SCO Unix in 1998, has had severe coding style issues, was broken for years in early Git history, and has no known active users. Later Applicom hardware only officially supports Windows and has been discontinued. The removals together eliminate approximately 19,500 lines of code, reducing future maintenance burden.

Orange Pi 6 CIX CD8180 12-core Arm SBC gets 2.5GbE networking, smaller form factor, drops battery support

Orange Pi 6 is a new compact SBC (90x90mm) powered by the CIX P1 (CD8180) 12-core Arm Cortex-A720/A520 SoC with up to 32GB LPDDR5 RAM. Compared to the larger Orange Pi 6 Plus, it features 2.5GbE instead of 5GbE networking, drops LiPo battery support, and comes in a smaller form factor. Key specs include dual M.2 PCIe Gen4 x4 slots, multiple display outputs, a 28.85 TOPS NPU, and support for Debian, Ubuntu, Android, Windows 11, and OpenHarmony. Pricing starts at $239 for the 8GB model, reflecting the high cost of LPDDR5 RAM, making it significantly pricier than typical Orange Pi boards.

Linux 7.2 Staging Still Working To Tame The Realtek RTL8723BS "Beast Of A Driver"

The Realtek RTL8723BS WiFi driver, added to the Linux kernel staging area back in 2017 with Linux 4.12, is still undergoing cleanup work nearly a decade later. For Linux 7.2, the staging pull request is dominated by 154 patches targeting this driver, described by Greg Kroah-Hartman as a 'beast of a driver.' The patches focus on removing function wrappers, cleaning up code, renaming functions, and eliminating unnecessary abstractions to bring the driver in line with upstream Linux WiFi driver standards. The RTL8723BS supports 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0, and the goal remains graduating it from the staging area into the formal networking subsystem.

Micron says chip shortage will "improve gradually" in 2028

Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra has stated that the AI-driven global RAM and NAND shortage will persist through 2027 and only begin to improve gradually in 2028, with no clear timeline for supply catching up to demand. The shortage stems from major chip makers — Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix — pivoting to serve hyperscaler data center demand, leaving consumer markets undersupplied. Micron posted record Q3 2026 revenue of $41.46 billion, a 346% year-on-year increase. The supply crunch is driving up prices for DDR5 RAM and SSDs, with downstream effects including higher console prices and the Steam Machine launching at $1,049.

The CPU's growing role in agentic AI infrastructure

Arm-sponsored content arguing that CPUs play a critical but underappreciated role in agentic AI infrastructure. While accelerators handle model performance, CPUs act as the control plane — managing data movement, workload scheduling, and secure isolation. Arm's Neoverse platform underpins custom silicon from AWS (Graviton), Google (Axion), Microsoft (Azure Cobalt), and NVIDIA (Grace Hopper/Blackwell), all reflecting a shift toward purpose-built Arm-based processors in cloud and AI datacenters. The piece introduces the Arm AGI CPU, built with Meta, targeting rack-level density for agentic AI deployments.

Ubuntu brings Livepatch to arm64 for rebootless kernel updates

Ubuntu vừa mở rộng tính năng Livepatch hỗ trợ kiến trúc arm64 lần đầu tiên trên Ubuntu 26.04 LTS và Ubuntu Core 26, cho phép cập nhật kernel bảo mật không cần khởi động lại. Tính năng này yêu cầu đăng ký Ubuntu Pro (miễn phí cho cá nhân trên 5 máy) và chỉ áp dụng cho kernel (không bao gồm linux-raspi, nên Raspberry Pi không hỗ trợ).

Là lập trình viên phát triển ứng dụng trên các hệ thống ARM64 như cloud công nghệ lớn (AWS, Azure, GCP), bạn nên đọc bài này để hiểu cách tối ưu hóa bảo mật hệ thống mà không cần tạm dừng hoạt động, giúp tăng hiệu suất và giảm thời gian downtime trong sản phẩm của mình.

Laser Scanning A Cave With Homebrew Gear

A maker built a custom 360-degree 3D scanning rig using an Ouster VLP-16 lidar sensor to map the interior of a cave. The sensor's native 40-degree field of view was extended to full 360-degree coverage by mounting it on a rotating shaft driven by a belt drive. The project highlights how homebrew solutions can rival expensive commercial scanners while offering hands-on learning about sensor mechanics and data processing.

Qualcomm lands Meta as first named customer for its Dragonfly data centre chips

Qualcomm announced Meta as the first named customer for its Dragonfly C1000 data centre processor at its investor day in New York. The C1000, a general-purpose server chip, won't ship until 2028, making this a forward-looking commitment. Qualcomm also unveiled the AI300 accelerator chip, with the AI200 on track for customer shipments later this year and the AI250 expected in 2027. Separately, Qualcomm confirmed its $3.9 billion all-stock acquisition of AI startup Modular, maker of the Mojo programming language and MAX inference engine — software that enables AI models to run across chips from multiple vendors, directly challenging Nvidia's CUDA lock-in. The strategic play positions Qualcomm as a multi-vendor alternative to Nvidia in AI inference infrastructure, though the company's data centre track record is thin and no benchmarks against Nvidia hardware have been published.

Qualcomm in talks to design custom chips for ByteDance

Qualcomm is in talks to provide custom chip-design services to ByteDance, TikTok's parent company. The potential deal would see Qualcomm design video processing units and inference ASICs for ByteDance, partly leveraging technology from its $2.4bn AlphaWave Semi acquisition. For Qualcomm, it represents a strategic pivot away from a shrinking smartphone market toward the booming custom ASIC business dominated by Broadcom and Marvell. For ByteDance, it fills a gap left by US export restrictions that block access to Nvidia's most powerful accelerators. No deal has been signed, and the outcome remains uncertain amid escalating US-China chip export tensions. ByteDance is simultaneously exploring chips from multiple domestic Chinese suppliers including Biren, MetaX, and Moore Threads, keeping its options deliberately diversified.

Valve admits Steam Machine is "more expensive" than it hoped

Valve thừa nhận Steam Machine có giá cao hơn dự kiến, với phiên bản cơ bản lên tới 1.049 USD. Giá thành tăng do chi phí linh kiện đắt đỏ và khan hiếm, khiến sản phẩm có nguy cơ trở thành sản phẩm ngách.

Là người phát triển game hoặc người hâm mộ công nghệ, bạn nên đọc bài này để hiểu cách Valve điều chỉnh chiến lược sản phẩm khi thị trường và chi phí thay đổi đột ngột, giúp bạn dự đoán được những thách thức trong việc phát triển và thương mại hóa sản phẩm tương lai.

A T9 Keyboard For Your Smartphone

A hardware enthusiast built a custom T9-style keypad using the physical keypad from a Nokia E52, mounted on a custom PCB with Alps SKRK tactile switches, an ESP32-C6 microcontroller, and Bluetooth connectivity. The device lets users type on modern smartphones using the classic multi-tap number key input method. A second revision improved the feel by switching to firmer 1.57 N actuation force switches.

This is why the Steam Machine costs $1,049 instead of $750: Valve had zero leverage with RAM makers

Valve buộc phải định giá Steam Machine ở mức 1.049 USD thay vì mục tiêu 750 USD do tình trạng biến động của thị trường RAM. Theo lời Pierre-Loup Griffais, các nhà cung cấp RAM đưa ra mức giá cố định hằng tháng theo kiểu "nhận hay không", khiến Valve không thể thương lượng, buộc phải chấp nhận chi phí cao hơn hoặc đối mặt với nguy cơ thiếu hụt nguồn cung RAM cho Steam Machine và Steam Deck trong tương lai.

Lập trình viên nên đọc bài này để hiểu cách các nhà sản xuất thiết bị vật lý (như Valve) phải đối mặt với những rủi ro kinh tế từ chuỗi cung ứng phần cứng, đặc biệt là khi phụ thuộc vào các nhà cung cấp RAM có quyền lực thị trường cao, ảnh hưởng đến quyết định chi phí và chiến lược sản xuất.

Reinventing the zipper

Researchers at MIT CSAIL, led by associate professor Stefanie Mueller, have developed a customizable three-sided zipper fastener inspired by a 1980s patent by William Freeman. Using custom software, users can design and 3D-print flexible plastic strips that zip together to form rigid objects in various shapes. Applications include a tent that assembles in 80 seconds, an adjustable wrist cast, and motorized robotic limbs. The design allows objects to rapidly transition between flexible and rigid states.

A Custom PCB For The Casio G-Shock

David Volovskiy phát triển một bo mạch PCB tùy chỉnh thay thế hoàn toàn cho đồng hồ Casio G-Shock, tích hợp firmware mã nguồn mở mở rộng chức năng như đo bước chân, chạy game (Blackjack, Wordle), hiển thị pha mặt trăng, tính giờ mặt trời mọc/lặn và nhiệt kế. Dự án cung cấp công cụ mô phỏng web và hiển thị LCD, đồng thời kế thừa từ dự án Sensor Watch của Joey Castillo, với cộng đồng Discord hỗ trợ người quan tâm tham gia danh sách sản xuất.

Lập trình viên nên đọc để khám phá cách kết hợp hardware đơn giản với firmware mở nguồn để tạo ra những ứng dụng thực tế, từ đó học cách tối ưu hóa thiết bị cũ bằng cách tái sử dụng và mở rộng chức năng.

DeviceTree-ACPI Hybrid Mode Proposed For Improving Linux Support On Snapdragon Laptops

Hans de Goede, now at Qualcomm, has posted an RFC patch series proposing a DeviceTree-ACPI hybrid mode for the Linux kernel. Currently, Snapdragon X Series laptops on Linux disable ACPI entirely and rely solely on Device Trees, while Windows 11 on Arm uses ACPI tables that are currently inadequate for Linux. The hybrid mode would allow Linux to partially leverage ACPI data even when booted via Device Tree. Initial testing on a Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 successfully replaced DT descriptions for keyboard and touchpad with ACPI-based instantiation. The longer-term goal is enabling future Snapdragon laptops to boot Linux using ACPI only, eliminating the complex and time-consuming process of creating and upstreaming Device Trees for each new laptop model.

Skip the cloud: this compact Ryzen AI 9 mini PC handles 8B local LLMs and it's at a special Prime Day price

The GEEKOM A9 Max mini PC is on sale for $1,189.15 during Prime Day. It features an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, 32GB DDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD, and Windows 11 Pro in a compact form factor. The 32GB RAM makes it capable of running 7B–8B local LLMs via tools like Ollama or LM Studio without relying on cloud services. It supports up to 128GB RAM and dual PCIe Gen4 SSDs up to 8TB, offering room to grow. Connectivity includes Wi-Fi 7, USB 4, dual 2.5 GbE, and HDMI 2.1. It's positioned as a compact developer workstation or home lab machine for those wanting to experiment with local AI.

Canonical announces live kernel patching for Arm64

Canonical Livepatch now supports Arm64 architecture, enabling live kernel patching without reboots or service interruption on Ubuntu 26.04 LTS and Ubuntu Core 26. The announcement details the multi-year technical journey from a 2023 gap analysis through upstream kernel contributions, toolchain improvements (GCC, objdump, Kpatch), and dedicated Arm64 build farm infrastructure. Key challenges included implementing reliable kernel stack traces (CONFIG_HAVE_RELIABLE_STACKTRACE) for Arm64 and building architecture-specific regression test suites. The feature benefits organizations managing edge devices and Arm-based cloud servers, and supports Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) compliance.

Microsoft quietly expands its Surface lineup with lower-cost 8GB Snapdragon X Plus models

Microsoft has quietly added 8GB RAM configurations to its new Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 8 lineup, powered by the Snapdragon X2 Plus chip. These entry-level models start at $849 and $949 respectively, undercutting the existing 16GB base models priced at $1,500 and $1,600. Notably, the 8GB variants do not qualify as Copilot+ PCs and are positioned as additional options for basic productivity, browsing, and entertainment — not replacements for higher-RAM configurations. The author notes the audience for 8GB Windows 11 devices is likely limited, as Windows tends to be more memory-hungry than macOS, and draws a comparison to Apple's criticized 8GB MacBook Neo.

No More Reboots During Kernel Patching for ARM64 Systems on Ubuntu

Canonical's Livepatch now supports live kernel patching on ARM64 systems without requiring a reboot, available for Ubuntu 26.04 LTS and Ubuntu Core 26. Work began in 2023 with a gap analysis revealing missing upstream ARM64 support for reliable stacktraces and toolchain gaps in GCC, objdump, and Kpatch. By early 2025, patches were being applied in test environments. Livepatch is included in Ubuntu Pro but free for personal use on up to five machines, making it most valuable for server and cloud operators who need to avoid scheduled downtime for kernel vulnerability patching.

Prime Day finally makes the $1,000 gaming PC dream real with these component discounts

Prime Day 2026 discounts have made it possible to build a capable DDR5 gaming PC for around $1,027. The proposed build centers on an AMD Ryzen 5 7600X and Nvidia RTX 5060 Ti, delivering solid 1080p and 1440p performance with DLSS 4.5 and Multi-Frame Generation support. Supporting components include a Thermalright air cooler, Gigabyte A620M motherboard, 16GB DDR5-6000 RAM, 500GB Kingston NVMe SSD, an 850W Thermaltake modular PSU, and a budget Gamdias case with ARGB fans. Compromises were made on RAM capacity and storage size, but the AM5 platform provides a clear upgrade path for future improvements.

Linux 8250/16550 UART Serial Driver Seeing Some Modernization Work In 2026

The Linux 8250/16550 UART serial driver is receiving modernization updates merged into the Linux 7.2 kernel. Changes include console flow control support, a soft lock-up fix, ACPI support for the 8250_mtk driver, removal of clock-notifier infrastructure from 8250_dw, and various code cleanups. Additionally, the long-broken synclink_gt serial driver has been removed after being marked broken since 2023 and showing no active users since 2016, trimming over 5,000 lines from the kernel.

New Hygon Model 8 "Suzhou" x86 CPU Support Appears In The GCC Compiler

GCC 17 has received upstream support for the Hygon C86-4G-M8 'Suzhou' processor, a previously unannounced Chinese x86 CPU. The Model 8 Suzhou appears to be the successor to the Model 7 'Chengdu' and belongs to the Hygon Family 18h lineup. Its ISA capabilities match Model 7, including AVX-512 and a wide range of modern x86 instruction set extensions. Details about the chip's performance and specifications remain scarce beyond what the GCC commit reveals.