Over the past few months the open-source firmware consulting firm 3mdeb has been porting Coreboot and AMD’s new openSIL silicon initialization library to the Gigabyte MZ33-AR1. The Gigabyte MZ33-AR1 is a broadly available motherboard that supports the latest-generation AMD EPYC 9005 “Turin” server processors. 3mdeb has been fairly successful in their quest and an early demonstrator for openSIL…
Monthly Archives: November 2025
The best Nintendo gifts for the 2025 holiday season
If you’re like us, Nintendo holds a special place in your heart thanks to iconic characters like Mario, Peach and Donkey Kong and multiple generations of best-selling consoles. But little did we know that outside of gaming hardware and accessories, there’s an ever-growing assortment of Nintendo-themed toys, clothes and decor. And it’s kind of a problem because we want all of it. So to help you figure out the best gifts for the Nintendo fan in your life, we’ve put together a big list of our favorite products that will give anyone a power-up this holiday season. Of course, if none of these quite fit the bill, you can also head over to our full list of the best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories for even more ideas.
Best Nintendo gifts
Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/the-best-nintendo-gifts-for-the-2025-holiday-season-110057620.html?src=rss
systemd-appd Is A New Component Being Planned By Flatpak Developers
Given this week’s release of Flatpak 1.17 for app sandboxing, open-source developer Sebastian Wick published a blog post on Tuesday around the latest Flatpak developments and a look ahead at some of the feature development planned. Arguably most significant of that is the plans for systemd-appd…
Laser Dance Early Access Review: The Mixed Reality Game Quest 3 Needs
A wizard arrives precisely when he means to this week with the early access release of Laser Dance in mixed reality.
The wizard in question is Cubism developer Thomas Van Bouwel and his newest creation gives reason to scan your living room with a Meta Quest 3 or 3S headset for breakthrough mixed reality gameplay in Laser Dance.
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Laser Dance clip provided by Thomas Van Bouwel
Released over two years ago now, Quest 3 was pitched as a “next-gen mixed reality device” with high quality passthrough and the promise of a new class of experience using your physical environment as the backdrop to its gameplay. We’ve seen some interesting work in this space with Starship Home, releasing last year, being one of the first examples of what a game could do with your room as a backdrop.
The Facts
What is it? Figure out how to get past the lasers to touch a button on the opposite wall. This is a mixed reality game that requires an accurate room scan to work properly and can be played with hand tracking or tracked controllers.
Platforms: Quest 3/3S
Release Date: November 6, 2025 (Early Access)
Developer/Publisher: Vanbo BV
Price: $9.99
Laser Dance is more accessible than established hits like Beat Saber, given it works with or without controllers. If you cast the view from Quest in a party setting, watching your friend crawl across the living room to avoid a low laser is likely far more engaging than watching them slice boxes. Even after Laser Dance comes off your head, there’s going to be joy in watching others dodge lasers.
Gameplay consists of getting from one end of your room to the other. The only rule is that your head, arms and spine cannot cross paths with one of the lasers. The game uses Quest’s upper body tracking to figure out where you are and you can learn through progression alone that your legs aren’t tracked. That means your legs can’t collide with the lasers, nor end your run across the room. It’s up to you whether you let that affect your strategies around the lasers or not. You can use it like people who cheat in laser tag by covering their body-worn sensors, or you can just continue to carefully step over lasers near the ground because it’s fun to imagine the system could track that danger too.
Big red buttons on opposing walls mark the start and end points of each level and you set up each playspace yourself by selecting the spots on the walls where the buttons go. As you would expect, difficulty stacks over your successive trips back and forth across the room, with lasers that move or blink in patterns you need to think about for a little bit before making your move.
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Laser Dance clip provided by Thomas Van Bouwel
Over a couple hours of play, only a couple times do I feel like the system unfairly matches my body movements to a laser, forcing me to walk back across my living room half a dozen times in a row to try again. The solution, I found with one particular level, is to crawl across my floor just a little bit further than I thought I should have been required to get past a laser colliding with my back. By the end of my time playing with only hand tracking, I find myself holding my hands up in front of my face to ensure the headset sees them and doesn’t think my elbows are behind me.
Comfort
Laser Dance adapts each level to both your room layout and body dimensions, the latter of which can be adjusted in the “accessibility” tab for the options menu. There are no artificial locomotion options, you must move directly across your environment.
You can register player height, shoulder width, and also set the lowest height you can go if mobility is an issue. Player height can be adjusted automatically, and you can also halve the speed of moving and blinking lasers.
Room-scale mixed reality was promised by Meta for Quest 3 when it released in 2023. In 2025, Laser Dance becomes the most accessible way to show why mixed reality is best in a VR headset and hand tracking is the future.
Laser Dance Around Your Furniture
I finished Laser Dance’s included early access levels without controllers in hand, sweating under the headset, after moving in my Quest 3 through spots in my home where I’ve never taken a headset and creating solid memories as I went. I’ve never experienced anything like this in a headset and, even in early access, Laser Dance becomes one of the first experiences you should drop a friend into so they can understand what’s possible in mixed reality with a Quest 3 or 3S.
Laser Dance is one of the easiest games to play ever made. It’s not endlessly replayable, at least not yet, but it belongs in most libraries and should be a go-to party game. Thomas Van Bouwel is introducing us to the idea that dodging your furniture is just part of the fun as mixed reality lasers buzz when you get too close and cut into your carpeting with murderous energy.
UploadVR normally uses a 5-Star rating system for our game reviews – you can read a breakdown of each star rating in our review guidelines. As an early access release, this review is unscored.
Trump Re-Nominates Billionaire Jared Isaacman To Run NASA
President Trump has re-nominated tech billionaire and private astronaut Jared Isaacman to lead NASA, reversing his earlier withdrawal over concerns about Isaacman’s political affiliations. CBS News reports: Mr. Trump nominated Isaacman to the Senate-confirmed post last year, but announced in late May he had decided to withdraw Isaacman after a “thorough review” of his “prior associations.” Weeks after the withdrawal, the president went further in expressing his concerns about Isaacman’s credentials. At the time, Mr. Trump acknowledged that he thought Isaacman “was very good,” but had been “surprised to learn” that Isaacman was a “blue-blooded Democrat, who had never contributed to a Republican before.” […]
Mr. Trump made no mention of his previous decision to nominate and then withdraw Isaacman in his Tuesday evening announcement of the re-nomination on his Truth Social platform. “This evening, I am pleased to nominate Jared Isaacman, an accomplished business leader, philanthropist, pilot, and astronaut, as Administrator of NASA,” Trump posted. “Jared’s passion for Space, astronaut experience, and dedication to pushing the boundaries of exploration, unlocking the mysteries of the universe, and advancing the new Space economy, make him ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new Era.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Python slithers faster by adding lazy imports that load code after startup
PEP 810 approved following lengthy debate among developer communityPython programs are set to get faster startup times with PEP 810 “Explicit lazy imports,” which allows scripts to defer loading imported libraries until they’re actually needed rather than at startup.…
Celebrating the UK’s National Engineering Day 2025
We’re happy to celebrate National Engineering Day in the UK with our friends at the Royal Academy of Engineering. Today they launch the AI-Z of Engineering, an online collection showcasing more than 100 current engineering jobs, and over 100 more engineering jobs envisaged for the future. Their aim is to inspire more young people to pursue engineering careers in areas ranging from artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics to medicine, software engineering, space, and sustainability.
Engineers shape the technologies and industries that define the future — and the systems they build affect jobs and tasks in every sector. As Sir John Lazar, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering and our Chair of Trustees, says about AI technology:
“I’m not a believer that all jobs will just disappear because of AI. If you think of a job as an assemblage of tasks, there’s no question that the tasks in your job will change because AI will work with you on a bunch of things, and this will in turn reshape your job or role. The people who will thrive through this transformation will be those who engage with curiosity, intellectual rigour, scepticism, creativity, problem-solving and teamwork – and these are the skills and attitudes that are taught by engineering and computational thinking.”
Sir John Lazar, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering and Chair of Trustees, Raspberry Pi Foundation.
Why kids still need to learn to code in the age of AI
At the Raspberry Pi Foundation, we believe AI literacy is crucial for all young people. We also believe all young people need to learn to code to be able to shape our future, where AI systems are integrated into all aspects of life. Our position paper “Why kids still need to learn to code in the age of AI” presents five reasons why:
- Even though AI tools can be used to generate code, we still need skilled human programmers to critically review that code.
- Learning to code remains the most effective way to become a skilled human programmer, and allows better understanding of how computers work and what their potential and constraints are.
- Learning to code will open up more economic opportunities, as advances in technology let us solve a wider range of problems using computers.
- Coding is a literacy that gives young people agency and a new way to express themselves, to learn, and to make sense of the world.
- Young people who learn to code now will shape the future, and we need that power to sit with young people from all backgrounds so they can design systems that serve everyone.
Our free resources for young people help them learn to code and get creative with technology to bring their ideas into the world, building their confidence. So whether your kids are just starting their coding journey, or are looking for a new challenge, you can use our resources to support them.
Understanding coding and computers is critical in many engineering roles, so inspiring kids about engineering can also motivate them to try their hand at coding.
How you can get involved with National Engineering Day
There are plenty of ways you can celebrate National Engineering Day. Inspire young people to embark on careers in engineering by sharing the AI-Z of Engineering collection with your school or college, on social media, or on your organisation’s website. The collection is a living resource that will be updated, and contributions are always welcome — both for current jobs and future ones.To find out more ways to get involved with National Engineering Day, you can go download the toolkit.
The post Celebrating the UK’s National Engineering Day 2025 appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
Space junk may have struck a Chinese crew ship in low-Earth orbit
Three Chinese astronauts were due to depart the Tiangong space station, reenter the atmosphere, and land in the remote desert of Inner Mongolia on Wednesday. Instead, officials ordered the crew to remain at the station while engineers investigate a potential problem with their landing craft.
The China Manned Space Agency, run by the country’s military, announced the change late Tuesday in a brief statement posted to Weibo, the Chinese social media platform.
“The Shenzhou 20 manned spacecraft is suspected of being impacted by small space debris,” the statement said. “Impact analysis and risk assessment are underway. To ensure the safety and health of the astronauts and the complete success of the mission, it has been decided that the Shenzhou 20 return mission, originally scheduled for November 5, will be postponed.”
How to Organize Your Streamers With Ticket Booth
No more guessing where your favorite series lives—Ticket Booth lets you keep your database of titles up to date.
The post How to Organize Your Streamers With Ticket Booth appeared first on FOSS Force.
Realize Music: Sing Relaunches The VR Self-Care Singing App Soon
Realize Music: Sing, a self-care singing app, relaunches next week on Quest.
Following an initial “soft launch” earlier this year, Realize Music: Sing by Realize Music – a studio co-founded by Devolver Digital co-founder Mike Wilson – is returning on November 13. Boasting a music catalog of over 1 million licensed tracks, it aims to amplify singing as a tool for joyful expression. While we had considerable criticisms back in February, this new release comes with a changed access model and expanded features.
Notably, you no longer need a subscription to jump in since you can now preview a selection of tracks for free, though a subscription model remains in place elsewhere for unlimited catalog access. Songs and albums are now purchasable individually, while Realize Music also promises improvements to song discovery across this library and word-by-word lyrics.
Two new gameplay modes are available that include a ‘Song Hero’ mode that sees you competing for the high scores across leaderboards, while Singadelic Mode is a non-scoring option “that turns every track into a freeform, expressive wellness experience.” New tracks will also be added weekly, too.
Realize Music states it’s aiming to create a “safe, judgment-free space to sing” with a reactive world that responds to your voice. Two new gameplay modes are available: ‘Song Hero’ sees you compete for the high scores across leaderboards, while Singadelic Mode is a non-scoring option. New tracks will also be added weekly, too.
Realize Music: Sing will relaunch on November 13 on Quest in the United States, with plans to follow in additional regions as licensing expands. An introductory offer lets you optionally subscribe for $9.99 per month for the first three months, which then increases to $14.99 per month or $119.99 per year.
How to Search in the Linux Terminal and Find Anything Fast
Use these Linux commands to quickly search and find anything from the Linux terminal, without digging through folders in a GUI file manager.
The Motorola Edge 70 is another ridiculously thin smartphone
Motorola just announced the Edge 70 smartphone, which is an ultra-thin handset that could rival the recently-launched Apple iPhone Air. It’s a bit thicker than the Air, at 5.9mm compared to 5.6mm, but the camera bump is less noticeable.
As for that camera bump, the Edge 70 features a trio of 50MP camera sensors. The main camera can capture 4K video and there’s also a front camera, an ultrawide with a macro lens and a dedicated light sensor. Like most modern smartphones, there are AI tools available for photo editing.
The frame is made from “aircraft-grade aluminum,” which is a good thing because my uncoordinated fingers will absolutely be dropping this thing within three days of owning one. Other durability features include Corning Gorilla Glass 7i and IP69 water protection.
Motorola
The phone will also have access to the company’s proprietary moto ai2 chatbot. This can do all of the usual stuff like create images and answer queries. However, Motorola also boasts that the AI can understand what’s on the screen and can point users to the correct course of action. We’ll have to wait and see how that works in real life.
This skinny handset somehow includes a massive 4800mAh battery that allows up to 50 hours of continuous use. That’s over two full days of doomscrolling without ever heading to the power outlet. As a comparison, the iPhone Air lasts anywhere from 22 to 27 hours
The Edge 70 ships with a magnetic case that can handle wireless charging and includes a Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 Mobile chipset. Motorola promises active software support and security upgrades all the way until 2031.
Given the form factor and specs, the price is actually fairly reasonable. The Edge 70 starts at £700, which breaks down to around $910 USD. It’s available for purchase right now, but there’s a spot of bad news. It’s launching in the UK and there’s no current information as to when it’ll cross the pond.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-motorola-edge-70-is-another-ridiculously-thin-smartphone-080009244.html?src=rss
China Achieves Thorium-Uranium Conversion Within Molten Salt Reactor
Longtime Slashdot reader hackingbear writes: South China Morning Post, citing Chinese state media, reported that an experimental reactor developed in the Gobi Desert by the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics has achieved thorium-to-uranium fuel conversion, paving the way for an almost endless supply of nuclear energy. It is the first time in the world that scientists have been able to acquire experimental data on thorium operations from inside a molten salt reactor according to a report by Science and Technology Daily. Thorium is much more abundant and accessible than uranium and has enormous energy potential. One mine tailings site in Inner Mongolia is estimated to hold enough of the element to power China entirely for more than 1,000 years.
At the heart of the breakthrough is a process known as in-core thorium-to-uranium conversion that transforms naturally occurring thorium-232 into uranium-233 — a fissile isotope capable of sustaining nuclear chain reactions within the reactor itself. Thorium (Th-232) is not itself fissile and so is not directly usable in a thermal neutron reactor. Thorium fuels therefore need a fissile material as a ‘driver’ so that a chain reaction (and thus supply of surplus neutrons) can be maintained. The only fissile driver options are U-233, U-235 or Pu-239. (None of these are easy to supply.) In the 1960s, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (USA) designed and built a demonstration MSR using U-233, derived externally from thorium as the main fissile driver.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
The Most Critical Linux Kernel Breaches of 2025 So Far
The Linux kernel, foundational for servers, desktops, embedded systems, and cloud infrastructure, has been under heightened scrutiny. Several vulnerabilities have been exploited in real-world attacks, targeting critical subsystems and isolation layers. In this article, we’ll walk through major examples, explain their significance, and offer actionable guidance for defenders.
The Fitbit Charge 6 Can Help You Achieve a Healthier Lifestyle at $60 off
Save 38% on the Fitbit Charge 6 fitness tracker with GPS for a limited time at Amazon.
The post The Fitbit Charge 6 Can Help You Achieve a Healthier Lifestyle at $60 off appeared first on Kotaku.
NVIDIA 580.105.08 Linux Graphics Driver Released with a New Environment Variable
NVIDIA released today the NVIDIA 580.105.08 graphics drivers for NVIDIA GPUs on Linux, BSD, and Solaris systems as a new update in the latest NVIDIA 580 series.
Segway Offloads Its Safe Ninebot Electric Scooter, Now Selling for the Price of a Basic Budget Model
This certified Segway scooter adjusts to fit kids for years with proper safety features.Réessayer
The post Segway Offloads Its Safe Ninebot Electric Scooter, Now Selling for the Price of a Basic Budget Model appeared first on Kotaku.
Google Removed 749 Million Anna’s Archive URLs From Its Search Results
Google has delisted over 749 million URLs from Anna’s Archive, a shadow library and meta-search engine for pirated books, representing 5% of all copyright takedown requests ever filed with the company. TorrentFreak reports: Google’s transparency report reveals that rightsholders asked Google to remove 784 million URLs, divided over the three main Anna’s Archive domains. A small number were rejected, mainly because Google didn’t index the reported links, resulting in 749 million confirmed removals. The comparison to sites such as The Pirate Bay isn’t fair, as Anna’s Archive has many more pages in its archive and uses multiple country-specific subdomains. This means that there’s simply more content to take down. That said, in terms of takedown activity, the site’s three domain names clearly dwarf all pirate competition.
Since Google published its first transparency report in May 2012, rightsholders have flagged 15.1 billion allegedly infringing URLs. That’s a staggering number, but the fact that 5% of the total targeted Anna’s Archive URLs is remarkable. Penguin Random House and John Wiley & Sons are the most active publishers targeting the site, but they are certainly not alone. According to Google data, more than 1,000 authors or publishers have sent DMCA notices targeting Anna’s Archive domains. Yet, there appears to be no end in sight. Rightsholders are reporting roughly 10 million new URLs per week for the popular piracy library, so there is no shortage of content to report.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Priced Like an Old Model, Amazon Quietly Dumps Its ANC Headphones
These Bose headphones pack spatial audio, 24-hour battery, and flagship-level noise cancellation together.
The post Bose QuietComfort Ultra Priced Like an Old Model, Amazon Quietly Dumps Its ANC Headphones appeared first on Kotaku.
AMD Contributes BFloat16 Support To LLVM’s SPIR-V Target
AMD software engineers continue making interesting contributions to the LLVM compiler stack around SPIR-V as the IR used by Vulkan and other Khronos APIs…