Eliana Willis

The speed of Redox OS is out of this world. Jack Wallen/ZDNETThis is a bit of a departure for me in the Linux distribution review area because Redox OS isn’t exactly a new Linux distribution. It’s an experimental, UNIX-like, general-purpose, microkernel-based OS is written in Rust. Even after a year or so in development, Redox OS is nowhere near ready for regular (if any) usage. Nevertheless, it certainly impresses me.Also: The Linux file system structure explainedNot with its looks. Redox OS is fairly average-looking.Not with the amount of pre-installed apps. Redox OS only includes a handful of apps.Not because of its stability. Being a pre 1.x release, Redox OS is not stable.What is it about this operating system that has me so intrigued? Speed.In all of my years of testing and using operating systems, I’ve never experienced anything this fast. Click on an app, and it’s instantly open… and I do mean instantly.Also: 5 top Linux text editors that aren’t vi or Emacs (and why they are my favorite)Of course, given the state this OS is in, it shouldn’t surprise you that not all the apps work. For example, the Netsurf app (web browser) opens but doesn’t do anything. After you open Netsurf, you can’t even close it (for whatever reason), nor does it render the default webpage. Redox OS also borrows from System 76’s COSMIC (which will hopefully enjoy a 1.0 release this year), by using some of its apps, such as COSMIC Terminal, COSMIC Text, and COSMIC File Manager.Still, it’s crazy how fast this thing is. I’m used to my OSes working with a certain level of speed. Pop!_OS on my Thelio desktop is a beast, but Redox OS, running as a virtual machine with limited RAM and CPU, runs circles around Pop!_OS in the speed category. More

Jason Hiner/ZDNETApple’s new sleep apnea detection has won official approval from the FDA just ahead of the release of WatchOS 11. The FDA notification, as spotted by TechCrunch, means that the agency has reviewed the safety and effectiveness of the feature and determined that the potential benefits outweigh any potential risks.The approval comes at just the right time. Apple is due to release the new versions of its respective operating systems today, including iOS 18 and WatchOS 11, both of which are required to take advantage of sleep apnea tracking. The feature will be accessible only on the Apple Watch Series 9 More

Score a Microsoft Office license now at a big discount. StackSocial Whether you’re setting up your new laptop or using a machine you’ve had for years, access to Microsoft Office is a necessity for many of us to get things done. Right now, you can buy a lifetime license to the 2019 version of Microsoft Office Professional […] More

Linux now has its own Blue Screen of Death Linux Kernel DevelopersVienna, Austria: Linus Torvalds and I are both in Vienna, which is being blasted by a storm. So, instead of looking at museums, I spent my time writing, and he spent his time releasing the Linux 6.11 kernel. Torvalds wrote, “I’m once again on the road and not in my normal timezone, but it’s Sunday afternoon here in Vienna, and 6.11 is out.” Torvalds doesn’t see this as a major release. Also: The Linux file system structure explainedHe continued, “The short log is below for anybody who wants to look at the details, but there aren’t very many patches, and the patches are all pretty small. Nothing in particular stands out — the biggest patch here is for Hyper-V Confidential Computing documentation.”Small patches, though, can have big results.Arch Linux developers and users should be pleased since The kernel now supports easily building Pacman kernel packages. Pacman — no, not the game — is Arch’s default package management system. Starting with 6.11, the “make pacman-pkg” enables developers to create native packages from the kernel tree. The command will take care of the package correctly, configuring the initramfs generation and bootloader configuration. It will also do a better job of handling uninstalls. The new package also has easy-to-install user-space application programming interfaces (API) headers.Also: I’ve used Linux for 30 years. Here are 5 reasons why I’ll never switch to Windows or MacOSThis latest version introduces several enhancements, particularly for AMD hardware users, while offering broader system improvements and new capabilities. These include: RDNA4 Graphics Support: The kernel now includes baseline support for AMD’s upcoming RDNA4 graphics architecture. This early integration bodes well for future AMD GPU releases, ensuring Linux users have day-one support.Core Performance Boost: The AMD P-State driver now includes handling for AMD Core Performance Boost. This driver gives AMD Core users more granular control over turbo and boost frequency ranges.Fast Collaborative Processor Performance Control (CPPC) Support: Overclockers who want the most power possible from their computers will be happy with this improvement to the AMD P-State driver. This feature enhances power efficiency on recent Ryzen (Zen 4) mobile processors. This can improve performance by 2-6% without increasing power consumption.AES-GCM Crypto Performance: AMD and Intel CPUs benefit from significantly faster AES-GCM encryption and decryption processing, up to 160% faster than previous versions. More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETAt its “Glowtime” iPhone event last week, Apple confirmed that its AI-powered Apple Intelligence won’t be arriving until October. Though some people have been able to test a few upcoming features via the developer betas of iOS/iPadOS 18.1 and MacOS Sequoia 15.1, most Apple users will have to wait a few more weeks.Also: Every iPhone model that can receive Apple’s iOS 18 update (and which ones won’t)Even then, you’ll need the right type of device. On the iPhone side, that means an iPhone 15 Pro More

Don’t miss this Sam’s Club membership to save big on everything from groceries to electronics. Sam’s Club/ZDNETA Sam’s Club membership will get you discounts on groceries, clothing, electronics, and just about everything else you might need. And right now, StackSocial is offering a deal that will get you a Sam’s Club membership for $15 for the year with auto-renew — down from the usual price of $50. That’s 70% off. But hurry, this deal will only last a couple of weeks before the price goes back up.Your Sam’s Club membership will work at nearly 600 US Sam’s Club locations. This deal is only open to new Sam’s Club members in the US, or those whose membership lapsed more than six months ago. The membership will expire one year from the activation date, and will automatically renew at the full price of $50 per year after that unless you cancel it. To cancel, you can visit SamsClub.com or a club or call 1-888-746-7726. To take advantage of this deal, you’ll redeem your unique code through the link above, and then sign up for the membership. Once you purchase your code, you must redeem it within 30 days. The limit is one membership per person, but you can buy an additional membership as a gift.I signed up for a similar deal for a Costco membership through StackSocial, and can confirm the process was easy, and I’d vouch for the deal. Don’t miss out on 70% off a Sam’s Club membership right now. Also: The best TV deals right now More

Prakhar Khanna/ZDNETApple first announced iOS 18 at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, one of the company’s biggest software upgrades in years. From much-awaited features in Apple Intelligence to a redesign of the Photos app, there’s a lot of new stuff for users and developers alike to dig into. With the launch of iPhone 16, we now have more clarity about the currently available features and the roadmap of upcoming AI upgrades.Also: 6 reasons why iOS 18 makes the iPhone 16 a must-upgrade for meThe latest version of iOS will make your iPhone more customizable with a personalized home screen layout, better Control Center navigation, and updates to key apps like Messages, Mail, and more. Here’s all you need to know about iOS 18 and why you should be just as excited as I am.1. Apple Intelligence on iOS 18 More

sankai/Getty Images Usually, when a software company pushes out a major new release in May, they don’t try to top it with another major new release four months later. But there’s nothing usual about the pace of innovation in the AI business. Also: 6 ways to write better ChatGPT prompts – and get the results you […] More