Category: 4. Technology

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• Samsung’s rugged tablet built for frontline industries has dual batteries and 5G support
• It includes a stylus, 8 years of Android updates, and can run without a battery
• First review praises long battery life, strong durability, and enterprise-ready hardware design

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Samsung’s Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro is a rugged tablet built for demanding work environments. Introduced alongside the Galaxy XCover7 Pro back in April 2025, the new device is designed to meet the demanding needs of industries like logistics, construction, and field service.

The Tab Active5 Pro comes equipped with a 5G-capable Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor, improved display brightness up to 600 nits, and enhanced audio clarity with intelligent noise filtering.

If you’re running Linux on 30-plus year old hardware, lend me your ears: in recent weeks the Linux kernel has been updated to no longer support Intel 486 and 586 processors. Here’s why it’s happening, and how you can check the CPU in your device.

Why Certain CPUs Are Losing Support

The latest versions of the Linux kernel, the software that undergirds all Linux distributions, no longer support 80486 (or i486) and several “Pentium” 586 (i586) processors essentially because of the work involved in their continued support. The people who develop the Linux kernel are, well, people. It was getting increasingly burdensome to maintain compatibility, and the workload was outweighing the benefit, especially when you consider how few people actually still use the processors now considered to be ancient.

Linus Torvalds, inventor of the Linux kernel, noted this as an issue back in 2022, and it was only with the May release of kernel 6.15 that the change was actually made.

Support for these processors amounted to 15,000 lines of code that is all now removed in the latest kernels and no longer requires maintenance from developers. Without that code, the Linux kernel installed on one of these CPUs isn’t going to work, and you’re going to be stuck with a very old brick of a computer.

Is Your CPU on the Chopping Block?

That leads us to whether you need to worry about the continued support of your computer. The short answer is: almost certainly no.

The processors we’re talking about debuted in the late 80s and mid-90s. That said, i486 processors were still being sold as late as 2007. If the computer you’re using is any newer than that, then you have nothing to worry about and can happily keep using Linux on your computer for the foreseeable future.

If you aren’t sure when your computer was made, though, and you suspect it could contain one of the doomed processors, then there are a few ways to check the CPU name. Either way, this will a good, simple exercise in getting comfortable with the terminal.

First, you can use the uname command with the -p or –processor option to see your processor’s type.

uname -p

Regrettably, I don’t have one of those seasoned processors to test this command on. You can see in my quite modern computer’s output the result is “x86_64”, indicating it has an x86 architecture with 64-bit computing capabilities. If I were using one of the CPUs being dropped, my research tells me the output would say something like “i486” or “i586”.

Another method is to use the lscpu command to get the model name and other info about the installed CPU.

lscpu

The top entry for your processor info will show the architecture, which would be i486 or i586 if it’s one of the unlucky ones.

You may have had to scroll up the terminal to find that info, though. As always, there are more efficient ways to do things in the Linux terminal. You can filter directly for your architecture name using the grep command.

lscpu | grep 'Arch'

Of course, there are usually graphical ways to check the processor. For example, on my KDE Plasma desktop, I can launch the Settings app and look at System Administration > About this System, and it will show me a processor name.

Let’s be realistic, though: if you’re using a processor from the 80s or mid-90s, you aren’t running a recent edition of the Plasma desktop environment. Any graphical desktop at all may be out of the question for you. Still, knowing where to find this info can come in handy in a lot of situations, like when buying or selling a used device.

Is It Time for an Upgrade?

If you’re one of the few folks using one of these CPUs, there’s good news and bad news. The good news is, unless you live on the bleeding edge of software, it’ll be a while until kernel 6.15 reaches you. Most Linux distros don’t come with the absolute latest kernel.

For example, I just installed the latest version of Debian Linux, and at the time of writing it’s still using kernel version 6.1.

However, just because a kernel version officially supports a processor doesn’t mean the distribution supplying it does. In fact, Debian dropped support for i486 and i586 CPUs almost a decade ago. If you happen to have an i386 processor, though, we still recommend Debian Linux because it’s one of the few distros that still maintains support for i386 CPUs.

Fortunately for i486 and i586 folks, at least two distros out there haven’t left you behind just yet. Slackware and Knoppix both still claim to support i486 processors and newer. I can’t speak from experience about how well they work in practice, but they’re both Linux distros well-established in the community, having been around since at least the early 2000s.

Whenever you do have to replace your ancient hardware, though, and you don’t want to pay market price just to have a computer, I recommend checking out thrift stores and online marketplaces for deals on used but still usable computers. A “new” retro PC build can be a lot of fun, and maybe easier than you think.

The best time to get a TV is either during one of Amazon’s Prime Day events or around Black Friday. The latter is a long way away, but the former is already upon us despite not having officially started yet.

If you’re in the market for a new TV, you can get the Hisense 55U65QF QLED TV for $477. This TV typically retails for $799, making this a tremendous deal for anyone looking for a good TV with Amazon’s reliable Fire TV interface under the hood. Hisense has rapidly become a maker of some of the best TVs on the market.

While we haven’t done a full review of this TV, we did go hands-on (and eyes-on) with the Hisense U65QF, which is the larger 65″ version (which is also on sale for $661 if you want a larger display).

“As far as Amazon Fire TVs go, the Hisense U6QF is shaping up to be one of the best, if not the best Fire TV ever made,” said Tom’s Guide Managing Editor, TV and AV, Nick Pino, in his hands-on impressions.

Pino also said, “I can’t believe I’m actually tempted to buy an Amazon Fire TV.” Considering the incredible range of expensive TVs he tests daily, his even thinking about getting a budget-friendly TV like this shows just how good Hisense’s offering is.

“If you’re set on the Fire TV platform because of its smart home integration or because you genuinely like Amazon’s ecosphere of products, then I can’t imagine you’ll find a better option coming out in 2025,” Pino wrote as he wrapped up his time with the TV.

While not a top-of-the-line TV, the features it offers rival those of many more expensive models on the market, making it a worthwhile choice for anyone who isn’t willing to sacrifice quality to save a few bucks.

There is no better time to shop for laptops on Amazon than Prime Day. As the biggest shopping event of the year for the retailer, Prime Day is when Amazon slashes prices on everything – even going as far as selling best-selling items at a loss.

This year, the Dell 15-inch 3530 laptop (Intel 10-Core i5-1334U, 1TB PCIe SSD, 32GB DDR4 RAM) is the best example of just how low these prices can go: You can pick up this beast of a machine right now for only $649, a whopping 73% off its regular price of $2,399. That’s a discount of $1,750, and it makes this the best deal of all the Prime Day laptop sales. Even better, you don’t have to be a Prime member to snag this deal.

See at Amazon

Perfect Laptop For Day Use

You’ll enjoy a 13th generation Intel Core i5-1334U processor which features 10 cores that (unexpectedly) outperform the i7-1250U in the majority of tasks. That means snappy and responsive performance when you’re multitasking or running demanding programs. Paired with a spacious 32GB of DDR4 RAM, this Dell laptop can handle demanding workloads and have multiple applications open in the background without slowing down.

It also comes with a massive 1TB PCIe SSD which gives you instant boot-up times, quick file transfers and plenty of space for all of your files. The SSD also helps to keep the laptop quiet and power-efficient with less heat and noise than traditional hard drives. The 15-inch full HD screen provides a clear image with a 120Hz refresh rate, and everything from spreadsheets to streamed video appears smooth.

With WiFi and Bluetooth built-in, it’s easy to get online and connect your favorite wireless peripherals. The laptop has a number of ports including HDMI and USB Type-C (with an adapter), so you can hook up external monitors, storage, and more. The integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics are more than capable of handling daily visual tasks. You also get a built-in webcam.

This Dell 15 3530 laptop comes with Windows 11 Pro, and offers a secure and modern operating system that’s ready to work or play straight out of the box. The non-backlit keyboard has a 10-key numeric keypad and it is ideal for anyone who works with numbers or prefers a full keyboard layout. Weighing in at only 2,200 grams (approximately 4.85 pounds) and under an inch in depth, it’s light enough to carry wherever life takes you.

With Prime Day deals like this, stock is sure to move fast so don’t wait too long to grab yours before this offer disappears.

See at Amazon

HF‑11 Hypercar Revs to 12,000 RPM and Swaps Between Gas and Electric originally appeared on Autoblog.

In a world dominated by hybrid hypercars built by billion-dollar conglomerates, the Oil Stain Lab HF‑11 is a welcome oddity. It’s the creation of two Ukrainian-American brothers, Nikita and Iliya Bridan — ex-Honda, Cadillac and Genesis designers — who decided the only way to scratch their creative itch was to build a 12,000 rpm, dual-drivetrain, 2,000-pound hypercar out of sheer obsession.

Only 25 will be made. Each one costs at least $1.85 million, or $2.3 million if you want both powertrains.

View the 3 images of this gallery on the original article

Twin Madness: Flat‑Six Or EV, Or Both

The HF‑11 is about choice. Buyers can spec a 4.6-liter naturally aspirated flat-six making 600 hp, or step up to the unhinged 5.0-liter twin-turbo flat-six good for a staggering 1,200 hp — all mounted in the middle of a carbon monocoque and sending power to the rear wheels. Both are available with a six-speed manual or a seven-speed sequential box. That alone would be enough for most small-volume hypercars.

But this isn’t most hypercars.

Oil Stain Lab is also building a fully electric version with around 850 hp, and here’s the twist: thanks to a modular subframe system, owners can swap between the ICE and EV powertrains. That’s right — one car, two wildly different personalities, depending on the day, track, or mood.

12,000 RPM And 2,000 lbs

Despite the turbocharged flat-six having “just” six cylinders, it’s designed to scream all the way to 12,000 rpm. When combined with the car’s 910 kg weight, the HF‑11 promises a power-to-weight ratio that puts it well ahead of the Bugatti Chiron and toe-to-toe with the Gordon Murray T.50.

Performance claims remain vague — understandable for a car still in development — but 0–60mph in the low 3s seems conservative. Top speed? Unofficially, well beyond 200mph.

View the 4 images of this gallery on the original article

Inside The Machine

Step into the HF-11 and you’ll find a cockpit that looks like it was designed by a watchmaker having a nervous breakdown inside an F1 wind tunnel. The entire cabin is draped in carbon weave, from the exposed monocoque to the sculpted centre console — not just for weight savings, but sheer visual drama. There’s no touchscreen, no voice assistant, and certainly no cupholders. What you get instead is a bank of heavy-duty toggle switches, rotary dials, and knurled metal knobs straight out of a Cold War fighter jet.

The shifter itself is a skeletal work of art: part titanium sculpture, part ballistic missile trigger. Above it, the triple-pod analogue dash recalls classic Porsche GT racers, but everything else feels raw, functional, and unapologetically mechanical. Even the starter switch appears to be mounted inside a billet aluminium pod held together with titanium struts. It’s less interior, more exoskeleton.

There’s suede where you need it and structure where you don’t. The HF-11 doesn’t try to coddle you. It tries to connect you — to the drivetrain, to the chassis, and to the road. If you want ambient lighting and a Spotify playlist, look elsewhere. This thing was built to be felt, not filtered.

A Real Car, Built By Real People

The HF‑11’s styling feels familiar but alien. It riffs on classic Porsche silhouettes — there are shades of Carrera GT, 962, even 917 — but everything is dialed up to 11. Giant rear diffusers, razor-edge front wings, and track-ready aero components all scream performance. Yet, inside, it’s raw, stripped-back, and mechanical. Think Group C meets bespoke hot rod.

What makes the HF‑11 more than a concept car with delusions of grandeur is the pedigree behind it. The Bridan twins were involved in cars that sold in the millions, but they’re chasing purity now. Their mission: build the “ultimate human-scale hypercar,” one with minimal electronics, obsessive focus, and mechanical soul.

They already made waves with the viral Half-11, a chopped-up Porsche homage that earned cult status. The HF‑11 is its spiritual evolution — faster, crazier, and far more complete.

This isn’t just an ambitious spec sheet. It’s two engineers turning decades of experience and design frustration into an unfiltered, track-ready love letter to speed. And whether it sells out or implodes spectacularly, it deserves to be noticed.

HF‑11 Hypercar Revs to 12,000 RPM and Swaps Between Gas and Electric first appeared on Autoblog on Jul 6, 2025

This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.

Apple and Samsung smartphones have often been called identical in many ways, and to an extent that is very true: modern flagship phones don’t differ much in power and cameras. However, two separate reports have come in from reputable sources about the Galaxy S26, and it seems that it will differ in one key aspect compared to the iPhone 17.The reports, courtesy of two reliable sources, pertain to both companies’ upcoming flagship products: the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and the iPhone 17 Pro Max. While previous reports have alleged that the next Pro Max will increase in thickness, these new reports add on to that and reveal that the Ultra will be even slimmer.

From what I can tell, Samsung is applying its design philosophy for the Galaxy S25 Edge to its top tier model, while Apple is opting for more battery space instead.

If current rumors (not confirmed reports) are anything to go by, then the iPhone 17 Pro Max will come with a 5,000 mAh battery. However, so will the S26 Ultra, with some predicting that Samsung may finally use denser battery technology to achieve the same capacity in less space.

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‘The best advice I can give’

In a LinkedIn post that garnered widespread attention after being shared by game developer Brandon Sheffield on the social network Bluesky, Matt Turnbull, a senior producer at Xbox, wrote: “I know these types of tools engender strong feelings in people, but I’d be remiss in not trying to offer the best advice I can under the circumstances.”

According to him, he has recently been exploring ways to integrate AI-based tools, such as ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, to help laid-off workers deal with the emotional and cognitive burden that comes with losing a job.

Turnbull explained that he created a collection of prompts that could ease the burden on those feeling overwhelmed. Among other things, he suggested using AI as a personal career coach—asking it to help identify new job directions, improve résumés, or even rewrite the “About Me” section on LinkedIn.

Some of Turnbull’s recommendations include ready-made texts that can be sent to former colleagues or industry contacts, such as: “Hey, just wanted to let you know I’m exploring new opportunities,” or a message expressing interest in a new job.

But the moment the post veered into the almost surreal came in a section Turnbull titled “Emotional Clarity and Self-Confidence.” There, he suggested turning to emotionless AI tools to help cope with feelings of worthlessness. One recommended prompt: “I’m struggling with imposter syndrome after being laid off. Can you help me reframe this experience in a way that reminds me what I’m good at?”

The backlash was swift

Perhaps Turnbull’s comments might have been received differently under other circumstances. There’s been talk about the benefits of consulting AI tools, even in the realm of mental health support (though typically with tools specifically designed for this purpose, rather than general-purpose chatbots like ChatGPT). But given the current situation at Microsoft and Xbox, many found the advice tone-deaf.

The original post has since been deleted and is no longer viewable on LinkedIn. However, on Bluesky, the responses came quickly and harshly. One commenter wrote, “Gross.” Another added, “This is completely detached from reality. I’m sure he meant well, but what the hell was he thinking?”

Turnbull himself acknowledged that “these tools provoke strong emotions in people”—a statement that could be seen as disconnected, especially considering the intensity of criticism facing a company that simultaneously pushes the development and adoption of AI while conducting wave after wave of mass layoffs.

At a time when many view artificial intelligence as a threat to jobs, human creativity, and even mental health, the suggestion to use it as a support tool for freshly laid-off workers—especially when coming from a top company executive—felt to many like insensitivity, or worse: mockery of the unfortunate.

Switching to a new operating system can feel like a daunting task, especially when you have to learn a whole new paradigm for how to use your computer. However, things really aren’t as dire as they might seem before you start, and there are tools you can use to make your transition easier. I’ve used Windows all my life, but after recently spending time with Ubuntu, I also wanted something that would make window management as easy as FancyZones does on Windows 11.

Enter Tiling Shell, a window management tool that’s pretty much just an Ubuntu version of FancyZones. This GNOME extension quickly became one of the most important tools on my PC, just as FancyZones tends to be on Windows, and it works wonderfully.

Installing GNOME extensions

You need to set up things a bit first

First things first, Tiling Shell is a GNOME extension, and you have to set that up first. GNOME extensions are a very important part of the Ubuntu experience for me, but it takes a little bit of work to get them going. Initially, I installed extensions through my web browser using the browser plug-in, but the experience isn’t the best in my experience.

Instead, I recommend installing the GNOME Extensions manager app, which provides a dedicated UI for installing and managing your installed extensions. All you need to do to get started is run this command in the terminal:

sudo apt install gnome-shell-extension-manager

The extension manager will show up on your app list, and then you can find Tiling Shell through there to install it. It’s fairly easy, all things considered.

Easily manage and choose layouts

Tiling Shell is available at a moment’s notice

Once it’s installed, Tiling Shell lives in the menu bar along the top of your screen, making it even easier to use than FancyZones, which would require you to open the app. By clicking the Tiling Shell icon, you can instantly switch between the available layouts. Tiling Shell provides a few by default, but you also get a button for editing them or creating a while new one, so you can create the perfect layout for you.

Creating and editing layouts is also fairly easy. Once you get started, just click anywhere along the screen to create a new horizontal split in the current area. To create a vertical split, hold Ctrl on the keyboard while clicking the mouse. This lets you easily create the perfect setup for your specific needs and wants, and you can also resize areas more precisely once you’ve created the split, so you can get things just right.

I actually have a very basic use case for this. I usually create two main areas of the same size on my 32:9 monitor, then create a third smaller area on the far right of the screen so I can have my messaging apps there, whether it’s Slack or Beeper. This is the perfect workflow for me, and while it’s not overly complex, it can only really be done with a tool like Tiling Shell, so it’s completely indispensable to me.

However, depending on the size and resolution of your monitor, you may want to go a lot crazier with this, and that’s where the real magic lies. Ubuntu has a decently capable window manager, but much like Windows 11, it requires dragging windows to the edges of the screen, and there are only so many combinations you can have. Tiling Shell gives you a ton more flexibility and the ability to quickly snap apps into a specific area of the current layout, so it’s a huge step up.

You’ll need to change some settings

There will be some conflicts

As I just mentioned, Ubuntu does offer a tiled window manager out of the box that’s quite similar to Windows, albeit far more responsive. That sounds like a good thing, but I did find myself accidentally triggering it while trying to use Tiling Shell, which caused some conflicts between the two.

To make things easier on yourself, I recommend changing a couple of settings. First, in Tiling Shell itself, I would scroll down and disable the option to drag windows to the screen edges to resize them. Despite being shown here, this feature actually seems to tie into Ubuntu’s built-in window management feature, and it interferes with the behavior I’d expect from FancyZones.

Once you’ve changed this setting, go into the Ubuntu Settings app and open the Multitasking section to make sure the Active Edges feature is also turned off. If both settings are off, you can now use your preferred layout for pinning apps far more easily without accidentally triggering a different tiling system.

Tiling Shell makes Ubuntu nearly perfect for me

I’ve talked at length about how FancyZones or an equivalent tool is absolutely essential to how I use my desktop PC, so the fact that Tiling Shell exists and works as well as it does is fantastic for me. With this, I can use my PC basically just as well as I would on Windows, and it really doesn’t hold me back from having a great experience. This and other tools can help make sure your transition away from Windows goes smoothly, so I can’t recommend it enough.

While the Apple Watch SE is the brand’s most affordable smartwatch, it makes a few concessions to reach that price. At 40mm or 44mm, its display is slightly smaller than its more expensive counterparts, and it lacks some of the advanced health sensors found on the Apple Watch Series 10 and Ultra 2. However, for most users looking for solid performance and essential health features at a budget-friendly price, the SE remains a very worthwhile choice.