Valve is currently testing a new feature on Steam Beta. The “Invite Anyone” upgrade to the existing Remote Play feature allows you, a Steam gamer, to play compatible games with any of your friends. They won’t need to set up an account on Steam to do so; they’ll just be able to hop right in after they click on a hyperlink (and install an app).

Your friend will need to have Steam Link installed on their Windows, Android, or iOS device before they click. Let's hope this expands still to MacOS and Linux.

See how it works at https://lifehacker.com/how-to-remote-play-steam-games-without-a-steam-account-1846355074

#technology #gaming #steamgames

Defeating Huawei’s draconian security measures wasn’t an easy task, but a developer named Andrey Smirnoff actually managed to decipher the bootloader unlock code generation algorithm for devices that are based on HiSilicon Kirin 960/659/655 chipsets. Apart from that, what makes PotatoNV possible is a low-level bootloader flashing method discovered by XDA Senior Member hackintosh5. The tool, which makes use of the VCOM_DOWNLOAD mode, requires users to open up the target device and access the test points on the motherboard.

With the release of PotatoNV, owners of the aforementioned Huawei and Honor devices are finally able to flash all the custom ROMs and kernels they desire. So this can mean being able to replace the Huawei software with a custom ROM like LineageOS or others, where you can optionally install the Google apps if you wanted to. Point is Huawei still gets to sell their hardware device so there is no loss to them, it just opens up additional options for users.

See https://www.xda-developers.com/huawei-honor-bootloader-unlock-potatonv/

#technology #mobile #huawei #rooting

I sometimes show a mobile screen when I record videos and have been looking for something as easy to use as Android has through their emulator. I tried a few apps but most were quite clunky, and I have now got it down to RPiPlay (Linux desktops or for a Raspberry Pi) or installing the Windows version of 5KPlayer (installs and runs perfectly if you have WINE installed on Linux).

Both will work without any apps being installed on the iOS device (just use normal screen mirroring to AirPlay) mirror the screen and audio. Control remains on the iOS device though, so you can't use the mouse to control from the Linux side. Instructions for RPiPlay are at https://github.com/FD-/RPiPlay, but it installed from AUR for me on Manjaro Linux.

#technology #ios #linux #tip

I was used to Watchmaker for some excellent 3rd party watch faces for Android WearOS but was a bit disappointed with the selection there for Apple Watch. After looking around a bit I discovered Clockology and was really impressed with some of the watch faces there.

The only issue many have, is how to install and use it properly because of Apple's idiosyncrasies, so this video does help explain that. One thing to note about the wake screen setting is the menu option has changed, so instead you long press on the watch face and choose Stay Alive.

Unfortunately many watch face groups are on Facebook but you need not login especially for the Hong Kong one, and there is also a sub reddit for Clockology.

Watch at https://youtu.be/sF2IkMPb0bE

#technology #apple #watchfaces #clockology #applewatch

Usually each component manufacturer has their own software for controlling RGB lights, with some requiring an online account to function. For Linux users, even that is not usually available since most of these applications are proprietary and Windows only. This is where OpenRGB comes in. OpenRGB is a free and open source application to control RGB lighting for a multitude of devices, independent of the manufacturer.

It's working on my Manjaro Linux using the AppImage executable. It was not detecting my USB devices though until I ran it with admin privileges. So the keyboard is working fine, but does seem I may have to patch the kernel for the fans and CPU coolers to work. That always requires some caution so don't just jump in and take that step until doing some homework on their Gitlab issues forum.

See https://www.linuxuprising.com/2021/02/openrgb-open-source-rgb-lighting.html

#technology #opensource #linux #windows #OpenRGB

Classic iPods have their fans, but they’re not built for the modern age of music streaming — except for this one, which has been turned into a Spotify player by tinkerer Guy Dupont. While it may look like an iPod from the outside, inside, it’s got a Raspberry Pi loaded with software custom-built by Dupont to interface with Spotify, while still keeping the classic iPod style. He calls it the sPot.

If you wanted to make one of these yourself, Dupont has posted all of the code you’ll need on GitHub. He also created a Hackaday page detailing the other software that’s needed to get Spotify working.

See https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2021/2/1/22260540/ipod-mod-portable-spotify-player-click-wheel-project

#technology #opensource #hardware #audio

The reason why we as consumers get held to ransom by Big Tech is because they are the one's who create walled gardens of their apps to ensure it is very difficult to leave their service and to maintain any communication with your friends or family who stay behind. They count on that sticky network effect to hold you in place.

The world was not always like this, as we see with e-mail where any app can e-mail any other app. Neither was messaging as it was also once open.

So what we need is a protocol to be broadly supported that will connect anyone to any other app supporting that open protocol, but which allows end-to-end encryption. We need apps to support it, just like Hubzilla which built in a number of plugins to allow it to communicate with Diaspora, XMPP, Fediverse, etc all from one place.

What do we do about Big Tech like Facebook, Twitter, Google, Microsoft? Well either they must be mandated by law to build in this protocol support, or we as consumers must start voting with our choices and not make use of services that are walled gardens. Our future lies in an open interoperable Internet offering privacy. The future cannot be walled gardens separating us all.

From the link below the key columns are the License (how open is it for anyone to use without cost?) and End-To-End Encryption (can I use it privately?). From these requirements we can see that the following protocols could be suitable to consider:

• Bitmessage (Desktop P2)
• Briar (P2) but Android only
• Echo
• Jami (Desktop and Mobile P2P)
• Matrix (Desktop and Mobile Federated Client-Server)
• Ricochet (Desktop P2P)
• Signal (Centralised Desktop and Mobile)
• SIMPLE (more phones with SIP?)
• Tox (Desktop and Mobile P2P)
• XMPP (Desktop and Mobile Decentralized Client-Server)

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_instant_messaging_protocols

#technology #instantmessengers #interoprability #bigtech #privacy

My list is separated into 30 separate categories to help find your area of interest whether it is networking, security, messengers, video editing, education, etc. It is also backed up to the Wayback Machine for future reference.

I update this page as and when something new of interest crosses my path so there are usually bi-weekly or monthly updates.

See https://gadgeteer.co.za/opensourcesoftware

#opensource #technology #alternativesto

This open source software allows you to fairly easily model your home (or other buildings) to help you visualise interior home design changes and to export to both photorealistic stills and videos. I've used it twice for alterations to our house and I show how I've used it.

If you profit from selling services around this software please consider donating to the project, it's the right thing to do.

Watch my video at https://youtu.be/sGxGp7miSEg

#technology #opensource #FOS #homedesign #interiordesign