All posts tagged: installed

I installed a browser on my smart TV, and it changed how I use it

I installed a browser on my smart TV, and it changed how I use it

Published by skeptic

Smart TVs aren’t the most ideal devices to browse the web on, mainly because typing is slow and navigation feels awkward. The problem, though, is not just the TV remote but also the built-in browser. Most of them are clunky, difficult to navigate, and lack the features you’d want while browsing from the comfort of your couch. TV Bro is different. It’s a free, open-source browser that doesn’t force a desktop-style browsing on your TV. Instead, it’s built specifically for TVs and has every feature you might need, from voice search and bookmarks to built-in ad-blocking. After trying it, I’ve found myself browsing on my TV more instead of avoiding it altogether. Related If your TV has Bluetooth, you need to install this free app This app makes the TV experience so much smoother Finally, a browser that’s designed for your TV remote Designed for your couch, not your desk Pankil Shah / MakeUseOfCredit: Pankil Shah / MakeUseOf Most TV browsers I’ve tried feel like they were built for a keyboard and mouse, then awkwardly dropped …

I installed a Linux gaming distro and got better frame rates than Windows on the same PC

I installed a Linux gaming distro and got better frame rates than Windows on the same PC

Published by skeptic

Every year, someone declares it’s finally the year of the Linux desktop, and every year, the internet moves on without much changing. But something feels different lately. More people are ditching Windows on their daily machines for gaming, and the hardware support has gotten to a point where it’s hard to find a real excuse not to try it. For gaming specifically, I think we’re already there. Related I made the switch to Steam OS on my ROG Ally X and haven’t looked back Being reunited with SteamOS has never felt better, especially on the ROG Ally X The actual numbers, on the same hardware More is better Raghav Sethi/MakeUseOfCredit: Raghav Sethi/MakeUseOf I’ve been running CachyOS for a while now, and it is by far my favorite Linux distro yet, especially for gaming. It ships packages compiled specifically for your CPU architecture, and comes with custom schedulers and kernels designed to squeeze every bit of performance out of your hardware. In most games, CachyOS is right there with Windows, and sometimes it just beats it outright. …

I installed NixOS on my gaming handheld and immediately regretted it

I installed NixOS on my gaming handheld and immediately regretted it

Published by skeptic

Linux comes in many different flavors and distributions. Each distro kind of does its own thing, but most are derivatives of a parent distribution. NixOS is different. It’s a Linux distribution that targets reproducibility using an extensive configuration that remains (mostly) universal across all builds. Which should be a tinkerer’s dream, all things considered. Being drawn to NixOS, I booted up a fresh installation medium and got ready to install on a very unlikely candidate — my Lenovo Legion Go (Gen 1) handheld. While the installation went off without a hitch, configuring the other aspects, such as the game mode switcher, was an entirely different story altogether. Related I own 3 PC gaming handhelds, and this is the one I barely use Until Linux gets serious about multiplayer gaming, my Steam Deck will collect dust while I play on my Windows gaming handhelds instead. Installing NixOS Dead simple using the official ISO Installing NixOS on the Lenovo Legion Go was surprisingly straightforward. All I had to do was boot from a USB Drive (with NixOS …

I installed Linux on my Pixel and turned it into a pocket workstation

I installed Linux on my Pixel and turned it into a pocket workstation

Published by skeptic

Your phone already does a lot. It takes calls, sends messages, lets you browse the internet, and just about everything else. But modern Android phones are blurring the lines between what a smartphone and a proper computer can do, so if you’re feeling your phone is a little limited for what you want to do, there’s a solution. I installed a full Linux desktop on my Pixel 9a, and not only is it buttery smooth, but it’s also quite capable. I ended up turning my Pixel into a pocket workstation, and the result was a device way more capable than I gave it credit for. Why bother putting Linux on a Pixel? Sometimes, Android just isn’t enough anymore Desktop-class ARM boards have been in the news for a while now. The hype got me thinking; if these boards can run full Linux distros, why not my phone? Modern Pixels already have plenty of RAM, fast storage, and solid GPUs. What they don’t have is a traditional desktop environment or the usual Linux tooling laid out …

I installed Linux for someone who would never do it themselves

I installed Linux for someone who would never do it themselves

Published by skeptic

There’s a very specific kind of person who doesn’t just dislike technology. They’ve quietly declared emotional independence from it. They don’t want to optimize anything. They don’t want to “learn a system.” They don’t care what’s under the hood as long as it doesn’t start screaming at them mid-task. If a device asks too many questions, its first instinct is not curiosity, but betrayal. So, naturally, I installed Linux for one of them. Not as some grand evangelism project. I wasn’t trying to convert anyone. This wasn’t “welcome to the future.” This was more like, “Here, try this, and please don’t hate me.” No terminal, no tweaks, and certainly no secret keyboard shortcuts whispered like forbidden knowledge. Just Linux Mint, with Cinnamon. Placed in front of them like a normal, boring computer. And then I did the hardest thing you can do as a Linux user: shut up. First impressions mattered more than anything If it feels weird in five minutes, it’s already dead Screenshot by Raghav Sethi – NAR You don’t get a grace …

This friendly robot just installed 100 MW of solar power

This friendly robot just installed 100 MW of solar power

Published by skeptic

In one of the largest real-world demonstrations of construction robots being used at utility-scale solar construction so far, a Maximo robot has completed the successful installation of 100 MW of solar capacity at the sprawling AES Bellefield solar complex. After completing the first half of the Bellefield complex last summer, Maximo engineers went into a higher gear, with the latest version 3.0 robots consistently surpassing an installation rate of one module per minute, with construction crews installing as many as 24 solar panel modules per hour, per person. If that sounds fast, that’s because it is. At full tilt, the latest Maximo robot-equipped crews have nearly doubled the output of traditional installation methods at similar solar locations throughout Southern California. “Reaching 100 MW is an important milestone for Maximo and for the role robotics can play in solar construction,” explains Chris Shelton, president of Maximo. “It demonstrates that field robotics can move beyond experimentation and deliver consistent results at utility scale. As solar deployment continues to accelerate globally, technologies that improve installation speed, quality and reliability …

I should’ve installed this smart TV launcher years ago

I should’ve installed this smart TV launcher years ago

Published by skeptic

Your TV’s home screen shouldn’t feel like a billboard. And yet, that’s exactly what Android TV and Google TV often turn into. All you see is ads and random recommendations, which make it harder to get to the streaming apps you actually want to use. Sure, you could use the Apps-Only Mode to cut down on the noise, but it’s not without its own limitations. A better solution is to use a third-party app like AT4K Launcher. It’s a free app that replaces the cluttered interface with a clean, app-first layout that makes navigation feel so much better. Now that I’ve used it for a week, my only regret is not discovering it sooner. OS Android TV Pricing model Free, Premium version available AT4K Launcher brings order to chaos A simpler, Apple TV-style interface Screenshot by Pankil Shah — No attribution required The default launcher on Android TV or Google TV has a lot going for it. As soon as you land on it, you’re greeted with content recommendations right at the top. More often …

Cancer nurse turned archbishop installed as first female Church of England leader

Cancer nurse turned archbishop installed as first female Church of England leader

Published by Sam Flores

A former cancer nurse who became a priest at the age of 40 is to become archbishop of Canterbury, publicly celebrating her election as the first woman to lead the Church of England. Although she was nominated in January, the ceremony marks the symbolic start of her public ministry. Her appointment has been criticised by conservative voices in the Church, who continue to oppose the possibility for women to be priests at all. FRANCE 24’s Bénédicte Paviot breaks it down for us. Keywords for this article Source link

I installed ChromeOS on my 9-year-old MacBook Air, and it actually works

I installed ChromeOS on my 9-year-old MacBook Air, and it actually works

Published by skeptic

My 2017 MacBook Air had been sitting in a cabinet, fully functional but effectively retired. macOS had outgrown the hardware — not because the laptop broke, but because the 128GB drive had hit a wall. Apple’s macOS installers need a meaningful amount of free space just to stage. On a 128GB drive, after years of normal use, that room simply doesn’t exist. With the M5 MacBook Air on my radar as an eventual replacement for my 2019 Intel MacBook Pro — the Air is a much better fit for the work I actually do than the Pro — I figured the 2017 machine deserved one last look before it became e-waste. ChromeOS Flex seemed like a stretch on hardware this old. It wasn’t. The MacBook Air wasn’t broken — macOS just outgrew it A storage ceiling it couldn’t climb past The 128GB SSD that came with this MacBook Air was manageable when I bought it. Years later, it wasn’t. macOS update installers are large, and they need headroom well beyond just the installer file itself. …

I installed a full Linux desktop on my Android phone and it’s buttery smooth

I installed a full Linux desktop on my Android phone and it’s buttery smooth

Published by skeptic

I’ve been messing around with Android for years, but seeing the processor that’s used in small Linux boxes running Android kept nagging me with a question: what if I install a full Linux desktop on my Android phone? Android has taken some steps in this direction and there’s now a new, built-in Linux terminal on Android. However, it’s still in early development and not quite as useful as a full desktop environment. So I decided to install a full Linux desktop on my Android, and it performs better than I expected. What’s actually running on your phone? You’re not replacing Android, you’re piggybacking on it Image taken by Yadullah Abidi | No attribution required. First, let’s set some expectations. You’re not dual-booting, you’re not flashing a ROM, and you’re not rooting your phone. Modern Android phones already ship with a Linux kernel under the hood, and tools like Termux combined with proot-distro can install a full Debian or Ubuntu distro on top of that. You add Termux X11 to the mix, which adds a real …