Linux Weekly Daily Wednesday

Bose is walking back its SoundTouch shutdown by opening APIs and removing cloud dependencies, keeping the hardware alive for the used market. Kagi’s Orion browser is bringing a fast, WebKit-based alternative to Linux, while Linus Torvalds is embracing "vibe coding" by using Gemini to build the visualizer for his new AudioNoise guitar project. Finally, leaked retail listings for the Steam Machine suggest a $1,000 price tag, likely driven by the ongoing flash memory shortage.Get a bonus hour of LWDW plus video by supporting LWDW on a Patreon and come say Hi! In our Discord. LWDW Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/lwdw⁠LWDW Discord: ⁠https://discord.gg/uQVckr5gEZ⁠Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:23 Orange Pi 6 Plus vs GPUs05:00 BOSE open-sources SoundTouch speakers09:33 Kagi browser looking for Linux testers 14:25 Linus uses AI for Audio Noise 19:16 About those $1000 Steam Machines Links Mentioned:Bose SoundTouch End-of-Life Update https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/bose-made-the-consumer-friendly-move-to-open-source-its-soundtouch-speakers-163459024.html https://www.bose.com/soundtouch-end-of-lifeOrion Browser for Linux https://help.kagi.com/orion/misc/linux-status.html https://orionbrowser.com/Linus Torvalds’ AudioNoise https://linuxiac.com/linus-torvalds-shares-audionoise-a-personal-experiment-in-audio-dsp/ https://github.com/torvalds/AudioNoiseSteam Machine Pricing Leaks https://www.reddit.com/r/steammachine/comments/1q87sdw/leaked_steam_machine_price/ https://www.techradar.com/gaming/consoles-pc/the-latest-rumored-steam-machine-prices-arent-anywhere-near-as-bad-as-i-thought-but-im-still-fearing-the-worst

This week we're checking out Brow6el, a Sixel-capable terminal browser that brings full graphics and mouse support to the command line. We also highlight keyRGB, a bloat-free GUI that brings RGB control to WootBooks, Clevo, and System76 Linux laptops. For hardware enthusiasts, Box64 now supports Steam and Proton on the LoongArch architecture, and the new Armbian Imager simplifies the setup for "NotRaspberryPi" single-board computers.Get a bonus hour of LWDW plus video by supporting LWDW on a Patreon.LWDW Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lwdwLinks Mentioned:Brow6el: Codeberg | Hackaday ReviewkeyRGB: GitHubBox64/Loongarch: Box86 BlogArmbian Imager: Interfacing LinuxTIMESTAMPS00:00 Intro06:08 Warranty void-o-tron 900008:24 Brow6el terminal browser16:32 Key RGB for Wootware laptops 23:59 Box64 Windows emulation on Loongarch CPUs28:09 Upgrading your NotRaspberryPi™ with Armbian Imager

Pop!_OS 24.04 is out with the rust-powered COSMIC desktop! Building a Steam Machine with the Ryzen 9 HX370, securing Snaps with Snapscope, and a DIY cyberdeck with an ultrawide monitor.Come say hi in Discord! https://discord.gg/uQVckr5gEZ⁠Video and extended podcast:https://www.patreon.com/lwdwTimestamps:00:00 Intro12:59 Pop!_OS 24.0419:21 Steam hOS: Homebrew Steam Machine II28:27 Checking Snap security32:42 Cyberdeck Pi goes ultra and WIDEStory links:COSMIC POPhttps://blog.system76.com/post/pop-os-letter-from-our-founderHomebrew Steam Machinehttps://interfacinglinux.com/2025/12/15/steam-hos-picking-the-os-for-my-diy-steam-machine/Popey Snapscopehttps://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2025/12/snapscope-snap-security-vulnerability-checkerUltrawide Pihttps://www.typeframe.net/

Firefox 146 scales in fractions, AMD revives an old chipset, Ubuntu is shipping ROCm, and a beefy ARM board for Framework 13" laptops.Bonus show plus Video: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/lwdw⁠Come say hi in Discord! ⁠https://discord.gg/uQVckr5gEZ⁠⁠Topic links AMI & Canonical: https://canonical.com/blog/ubuntu-boot-in-uefi-announcementAMD Chipsets: https://videocardz.com/newz/amd-reportedly-postpones-b650-chipset-discontinuation-amid-ddr5-price-spikeFirefox 146 scaling: https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2025/12/firefox-146-release-linux-fractional-scaling-supportARM Framework :https://metacomputing.io/blogs/news/metacomputing-showcases-its-first-arm-ai-pc-at-the-cix-ecosystem-conferenceTimestamps00:00 Intro10:23 Ubuntu and AMI partnership12:55 ROCm ships with Ubuntu16:41 AMD revives B650 chipset 22:19 Firefox fractional scaling 26:43 Framework ARM laptop

This week we talk about KDE wanting to push Plasma 6.8 into Wayland only territory. We also look at the rough edges that will probably still poke users and how long X11 might hang on before it finally gets kicked out. Venn checked out the ZimaBlade 7700 DIY NAS kit with its swappable RAM and actual PCIe slot. There is a quick bit on Linux Kernel 6.18 and its updates for gaming storage and hardware. And for dessert the 1 GB Raspberry Pi 5 shows up as the cheaper option right as RAM prices decide to climb again.Live recordings plus Video: https://www.patreon.com/lwdw Come say hi in Discord! https://discord.gg/uQVckr5gEZ⁠Timestamps00:00 Intro03:38 Linus visits Linus Tech Tips07:55 Exploding PC power supply adventure 18:18 KDE is going full-Wayland 26:51 ZimaBlade 7700 DIY NAS33:24 Linux kernel 6.1839:07 New 1GB RasPi 5 and price increases Show Links KDE Wayland announcement:https://blogs.kde.org/2025/11/26/going-all-in-on-a-wayland-future/ZimaBlade 7700 DIY NAS kit:https://interfacinglinux.com/2025/12/01/zimablade-7700-diy-nas-kit/Linux Kernel 6.18 overview:https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2025/11/linux-kernel-6-18-new-features1 GB Raspberry Pi 5 announcement:https://www.raspberrypi.com/news/1gb-raspberry-pi-5-now-available-at-45-and-memory-driven-price-rises/

After almost a decade we finally have a dedicated Patreon and Discord! LibrePods bring full AirPod functionality to Linux, Ubuntu puts an extra L in long term support, and a slick open-source one handed keyboard that anyone can use.LWDW is completely listener funded. If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us on Patreon.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lwdwDiscord: https://discord.gg/uQVckr5gEZTimestamps:00:00 Intro 01:06 A turkey wedding 03:17 Sunsetting Linux Game Cast08:37 Updates for LWDW: Discord and Patreon14:24 Open-source one-handed keyboard with trackball18:42 LibrePods: AirPod support for Linux and Android 23:50 Ubuntu LTS support hits 15 years! 31:02 Shameless plug for the LWDW Patreon and Discord32:11 Game night with the TM2 Crew: Come play! TOPICSOne-Handed Keyboardhttps://blog.adafruit.com/2025/11/17/making-a-one-handed-keyboard-and-releasing-it-as-open-source-2/LibrePodshttps://github.com/kavishdevar/librepodsUbuntu LTS 15yr edition https://ubuntu.com/blog/canonical-expands-total-coverage-for-ubuntu-lts-releases-to-15-years-with-legacy-add-on

Huawei joins the Linux PC race, Orange Pi 6 hands-on, retro Pentium builds, and the OmniOne pocket PC revives the keyboard!SUPPORTPatreon ► https://www.patreon.com/lwdwTipJar ► https://streamlabs.com/linwdw/tipSOCIALVenn ► https://mast.interfacinglinux.com/@VennJill ► https://mast.linuxgamecast.com/@Jill_linuxgirlTIMESTAMPS00:00 Intro02:30 Quote-toots for Mastodon 04:14 Valve announces a new Steam Machine 06:63 Handheld retro Pentium PC11:14 OmniOne mini PC with built-in keyboard 16:52 Huawei is getting into the Linux PC business 20:27 Hands-on with the 12-core Ornage Pi 6

This week we look at Amarok’s massive 3.3 update, Creative’s modular Sound Blaster reboot, Linux running in a web browser through WebAssembly, and the endlessly expandable Intel-powered LattePanda IOTA project board.SUPPORTPatreon ► https://www.patreon.com/lwdwTipJar ► https://streamlabs.com/linwdw/tipSOCIALVenn ► https://mast.interfacinglinux.com/@VennJill ► https://mast.linuxgamecast.com/@Jill_linuxgirlTIMESTAMPS00:00 Intro07:30 Amarok goes QT6 and drops Phonon 11:56 Sound Blaster Re:Imagine runs Linux 18:57 Linux Kernel WASM booting in the browser22:50 Thoughts on the x86 Panda IOTA SBC