80 LEVEL·20wEngineer Plays DOOM on Labubu
Engineer Hairo Satoh created a custom gaming device by embedding PlayStation hardware into a Labubu doll, complete with a screen for a face and hand-squeeze controllers. The creation successfully runs DOOM, controlled by squeezing the doll's hands to navigate and shoot. This joins a growing list of unconventional devices capable of running the classic game, from Blender icons to PDF files.
Jeff Geerling·20wRaspberry Pi is cheaper than a Mini PC again (that's not good)
Raspberry Pi 5 and N100 Mini PCs have both increased in price due to RAM shortages, now costing around $247 for comparable configurations (16GB RAM, 512GB NVMe). A year ago, the Mini PC was $159 and the Pi 5 was $208. The author suggests 2026 will focus on repurposing used hardware and finding value in lower-spec options like the 1GB Pi 5 model under $50 or Pi Zero 2W at $15, as memory prices are unlikely to drop soon due to AI demand.
omg! ubuntu!·20wNew Dell XPS 14 and 16 Announced, Ubuntu Version Coming This Year
Dell has revived its XPS laptop brand at CES 2026 with redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch models. The XPS 14 will be available with Ubuntu 24.04 LTS later this year. Both models are thinner (14.6mm) and lighter than predecessors, featuring Intel Core Ultra Series CPUs with Arc iGPUs, improved thermal systems, physical function keys, and modular components for easier repairs. Display options include tandem OLED or 2K LCD with variable refresh rates. The XPS 14 starts at $2050 and XPS 16 at $2200, with limited configurations available from January 6th and broader options from February.
Hackaday·17wPi Compute Module Powers Fully Open Smartphone
The Spirit smartphone project uses a Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 as its core processor, combined with off-the-shelf components including a 5.5" LCD display, a Quectel EG25-GL LTE/GPS module for cellular connectivity, and a 3D-printable enclosure. The design emphasizes modularity with swappable components like the display, camera, and compute module. While the carrier board and enclosure designs are still evolving, the project aims to create a fully open-source smartphone using readily available hardware modules, with active community development ongoing.
Hackaday·18wRAM Prices Got You Down? Try DDR3. Seriously!
With modern RAM prices skyrocketing, DDR3 memory presents a viable budget alternative for gaming PCs. Testing shows that systems built with 12-15 year old DDR3-supporting motherboards (x79 and z97 chipsets) paired with modern graphics cards can run current games at playable framerates. The z97 chipset with Haswell processors is recommended for better compatibility with modern games requiring AVX2 instructions. DDR3 costs less than $1/GB, making maxed-out configurations affordable despite slower transfer speeds compared to DDR5.
Phys.org·18wBuilding the world's first open-source quantum computer
Researchers at the University of Waterloo launched Open Quantum Design (OQD), a non-profit organization offering the world's first open-source, full-stack quantum computer. The platform uses ion-trapping technology and provides shared access to hardware, electronics, and software layers. With over 30 software contributors and partnerships with organizations like Xanadu and the Unitary Foundation, OQD aims to accelerate quantum computing development through collaboration rather than competition. The initiative addresses bottlenecks in algorithm testing by providing real hardware access to developers and theorists, while training the next generation of quantum experts.
The Verge·20wRGB is the next big thing in OLED gaming monitors
LG Display and Samsung Display are introducing RGB stripe subpixel arrangements in their OLED gaming monitor panels, replacing previous layouts like Pentile and triangular patterns. This vertical RGB stripe structure significantly improves text clarity, particularly on ultrawide monitors, making them better suited for text-intensive tasks like coding and document editing. Samsung Display has begun mass production of 34-inch 360Hz QD-OLED panels with V-Stripe technology, while LG Display is launching 27-inch 4K RGB stripe panels with 240Hz refresh rates. LG is also advancing Primary RGB Tandem 2.0 technology to boost OLED brightness up to 1,500 nits for monitors and 4,500 nits for TVs, addressing one of OLED's traditional weaknesses compared to competing display technologies.
omg! ubuntu!·18wWill Intel’s Core 3 Replicate the N100’s Budget Mini-PC Success?
Intel's upcoming Core 3 (Wildcat Lake) chips aim to succeed the popular N100 processor in the budget computing market. Built on Intel's 18A process node, the Core 3 features a hybrid six-core design (2 P-cores, 4 E-cores), LPDDR5X-6800 memory support, and improved thermal management. While offering better performance than the N100, the Core 3's success will depend on pricing—the N100 became popular not just for adequate performance, but for exceptional value, powering mini-PCs and single-board computers at prices as low as $60. Intel hasn't announced pricing or a firm release date beyond "expected in 2026." Linux support is already in development with kernel 6.18, Mesa 25.3, and GCC 16 optimizations.
TechLinked·20wLaptops Are So Back...
Dell admits AI PCs failed to resonate with consumers and revives the XPS brand after a failed rebrand. Wi-Fi 8 products are already appearing despite the standard not releasing until 2028. Storage manufacturers showcase innovative designs including upgradeable external SSDs and hybrid devices. Nvidia may restart RTX 3060 production due to memory shortages, while AMD considers reintroducing AM4 products. The upcoming James Bond game lists non-existent hardware in its system requirements. XAI faces global investigations over deepfake generation, and Samsung receives a restraining order over alleged TV screenshot capture without consent.
Hacker News·17wTech is Fun Again: The Tech Monoculture is Finally Breaking
The tech industry is experiencing a shift away from device consolidation and platform monopolies toward diverse, single-purpose hardware and niche products. After decades of convergence where smartphones absorbed most gadget functionality, consumers are now gravitating toward specialized devices like e-paper displays, film cameras, retro gaming hardware, and wearables. This trend is driven by nostalgia, burnout from algorithmic curation, antitrust pressure on big tech, lower barriers to entry for hardware startups, and growing dissatisfaction with bloated platforms and subscription models. The result is a healthier market with more personality, choice, and design-forward alternatives reminiscent of the 90s and early 2000s tech landscape.
DuckDB·20wDuckDB on LoongArch
DuckDB was successfully compiled and tested on the LoongArch CPU architecture (Loongson 3A6000) using a MOREFINE M700S device. While DuckDB's unit tests passed without issues, TPC-H benchmark performance showed the system running approximately 10 times slower than an M3 Max MacBook Pro. The compilation required minimal patches, demonstrating DuckDB's portability across CPU architectures. Performance limitations are attributed to older toolchains (GCC 8.3, Linux kernel 4.19) and less mature optimization for the LoongArch platform compared to established x86/ARM ecosystems.