NixOS has released version 23.11 of its Linux distribution, named “Tapir”. This release will receive bugfixes and security updates for seven months.

The release saw 9147 new packages and 18700 updated packages in Nixpkgs, while also removing 4015 packages to maintain the package set. The release brought 113 new modules and removed 18, adding 1565 options and removing 362 in the process. Some of the highlights of this release include FoundationDB and PostgreSQL now defaulting to major versions 7 and 15 respectively, GNOME being updated to version 45, support for WiFi6 and WPA3-SAE-PK in the hostapd package, LXD now supporting virtual machine instances, and updates to systemd, sudo-rs, glibc, and more. Additionally, new services have been added, such as MCHPRS, acme-dns, frp, river, wayfire, mautrix-whatsapp, hddfancontrol, GoToSocial, Castopod, Typesense, NS-USBLoader, Mobilizon, Anuko Time Tracker, Prometheus MySQL exporter, LibreNMS, Livebook, sitespeed-io, stalwart-mail, tang, Jool, Home Assistant Satellite, Apache Guacamole, pgBouncer, Goss, trust-dns, osquery, ebusd, systemd-sysupdate, eris-server, forgejo, infiniband, zwave-js, Honk, ferretdb, MicroBin, NNCP, FastNetMon Advanced, tuxedo-rs, certspotter, audiobookshelf, ZITADEL, exportarr, netclient, trunk-ng, virt-manager, Soft Serve, Rosenpass, c2FmZQ, preload, and more.

There have been a number of backward incompatibilities, as well as additions and improvements to the Nixpkgs library. Overall, this release brings a number of updates, new features, and improvements to the NixOS Linux distribution.

PhotoPrism, an AI-powered photos app for the decentralized web, has recently released its latest version, November 28, 2023. This app utilizes cutting-edge technologies to automatically tag and find pictures without causing any disruptions to the user. It provides the flexibility to run on a home server or in the cloud.

The service release includes various updates and fixes for recently identified issues. In addition to the existing Docker images, PhotoPrism now offers installation packages with binaries specifically designed for Linux. It is important to note that these installations require manual setup, so it is recommended for experienced users.

Here are the key improvements and updates in this release:

• Search: Enhancements to camera and lens information in the cards view details.
• Search: Fixes for rendering issues in the cards view when a lens has no model description.
• Search: Addition of a filter to find pictures based on resolution range in Megapixels (MP).
• PWA: Rectification of the list of available icon sizes in the app manifest file.
• JPEG: Addressed a regression in handling image files with EOF error.
• JPEG: Fixed indexing problems of image files with invalid color metadata.
• JPEG/PNG: Implemented a panic handler for unexpected thumbnail save errors.
• HEIC: Upgraded libheif from version 1.13.0 to 1.17.1.
• RAW: Upgraded Darktable from version 4.2.1 to 4.4.2.
• Videos: Improved performance in extracting still images for creating thumbnails.
• Vectors: Enhanced SVG conversion using RSVG instead of ImageMagick.
• Docker: Upgraded base image from Ubuntu 23.04 to 23.10 (Mantic Minotaur).
• Setup: Added installation packages in tar.gz, deb, and rpm formats.
• Security: Updated Go to the latest stable release, v1.21.4.

AOOSTAR, a Chinese PC maker known for its attractively-priced hardware, has announced that it is developing a powerful and versatile network attached storage (NAS) system set to launch early next year. The upcoming NAS will be a compact computer powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 5800U processor, featuring 8 Zen 3 CPU cores and Radeon Vega graphics, offering the performance of a decent 2021-era laptop.

What sets this NAS apart is its impressive specifications:

• 6 x 3.5 inch hard drive bays
• 6 x slots for PCIe NVMe SSDs
• 1 x 10 GbE Ethernet port
• 2 x 2.5 GbE Ethernet ports

The upcoming AOOSTAR NAS is reminiscent of the ZimaCube Pro, with its similar shape and support for up to 6 SATA connectors for 2.5 inch or 3.5 inch hard drives, as well as multiple Ethernet ports. However, the ZimaCube Pro features an Core i5-1235U processor, Thunderbolt 4 ports, and a total of four Ethernet ports. The retail price for the ZimaCube Pro is expected to be $1,199, while AOOSTAR’s NAS is expected to have a lower price tag due to the company’s focus on budget computers.

AOOSTAR does not provide software with its NAS; customers are expected to provide their own software. However, there are several compatible options, such as TrueNAS, OpenMediaVault, Unraid, or even building a CasaOS system by installing Ubuntu, Debian, or CentOS and then loading the CasaOS user interface.

While AOOSTAR’s NAS systems offer competitive pricing, some users may prefer more well-known brands like Synology or QNAP for a hassle-free experience. However, for those who have the time and interest in configuring a DIY solution, AOOSTAR’s NAS systems provide powerful features and customization options.

More details about AOOSTAR’s upcoming 6-bay NAS will be available closer to its launch.

Source: Liliputing.

Radxa has released the ROCK 3B, a “PI-CO ITX” single-board computer (SBC) that combines the benefits of Pico-ITX and Raspberry Pi form factors. The board, measuring 100x72mm, features all main ports on the rear side and supports expansion through a 40-pin Raspberry Pi-compatible GPIO header and several M.2 sockets for storage and wireless modules. The ROCK 3B is the larger brother of the ROCK 3A, a business card-sized SBC introduced in 2021. Both boards are powered by the Rockchip RK3568 SoC and support up to 8GB LPDDR4. The ROCK 3B features two gigabit Ethernet ports, an M.2 B Key socket for 4G LTE/5G cellular modules, an M.2 PCIe 3.0 x1 socket for an M.2 2280 SSD, and an M.2 Key-E socket for WiFi 6.

The specifications of the ROCK 3B include:

• SoC: Rockchip RK3568 (J)
  • CPU: Quad-core Cortex A55 processor at up to 2.0 GHz
  • GPU: Mali G52 GPU with support for OpenGL ES 1.1/2.0/3.2, OpenCL 2.0, Vulkan 1.1
  • VPU: 4Kp60 H.264/H.265/VP9 video decoder, 1080p60 H.264/H.265 video encoder
  • AI accelerator: 1 TOPS NPU; INT8/INT16/FP16/BFP16 MAC hybrid operation; support for TensorFlow, TF-lite, Pytorch, Caffe, ONNX, MXNet, Keras, Darknet
• System Memory: 2GB, 4GB, 8GB LPDDR4
• Storage: Pluggable eMMC module, MicroSD card slot, M.2 M key socket for NVMe with PCIe 3.0 x2
• Video Output: HDMI 2.0 port up to 4Kp60, 2x MIPI DSI connectors (4-lane and 2-lane), eDP connector, Touch Panel connector
• Camera: 1x MIPI CSI connector
• Audio: 3.5mm audio jack, digital audio via HDMI
• Connectivity: 2x Gigabit Ethernet ports, WiFi 6 via M.2 E key socket with PCIe 2.0 x1/SDIO/UART, 4G LTE/5G cellular via M.2 B key 3042 socket with PCIe, SATA, USB interfaces, and a SIM card socket
• USB: 2x USB 2.0 ports, 2x USB 3.0 ports (1x OTG+1x HOST)
• Expansion: Color-coded 40-pin GPIO header mostly compatible with ROCK Pi 4 and Raspberry Pi 3/4, exposing 5x UART, 1x SPI, 2x I2C, 1x PCM/I2S, 1x CAN bus, 6x PWM, 1x ADC, 6x GPIO, 1x USB 2.0, and 5V, 3.3V, and GND power signals
• Misc: RTC with connector for backup battery, IR receiver, RGB LED, Fan header, Power and recovery buttons
• Power Supply: 6V to 20V DC via USB-C port with USB PD 2.0, QC 3.0, or fixed voltage support, 5V via GPIO pin 2 or 4
• Dimensions: 100 x 75 mm (Pico-ITX and PI-CO ITX form factors)
• Certifications: CE/FCC

The Rock 3B was first unveiled in 2021 with a slightly different design, which was modified based on user feedback. The board is now available for purchase, with prices starting at $45 for the 2GB RAM version, $55 for the 4GB RAM version, and $75 for the 8GB RAM version on Arace Tech. However, it may be challenging to find compatible accessories as the website’s accessories section is not clear, and some accessories are missing.

Source: CNX Software – Embedded Systems News.

FriendlyELEC has introduced the CM3588 NAS Kit, which features the new Rockchip RK3588 board. The board comes with four M.2 Key-M sockets, each with a PCIe Gen 3 x1 interface, designed to accommodate 2280 NVMe SSDs or other M.2 PCIe modules. The CM3588 NAS Kit is equipped with the CM3588 Core system-on-module and offers a range of features. These include a 2.5GbE RJ45 connector, two HDMI 2.1 video outputs, one HDMI 2.0 video input, MIPI DSI and CSI connectors, several USB 3.0/3.1 ports, and a 40-pin GPIO header for expansion. he FriendlyELEC CM3588 NAS Kit:

System-on-Module – CM3588 Core board:

• SoC – Rockchip RK3588 with 4x Cortex-A76 cores @ up to 2.4 GHz, 4x Cortex-A55 cores @ 1.8 GHz, and an Arm Mali-G610 MP4 “Odin” GPU
• Video decoder – Supports 8Kp60 H.265, VP9, AVS2, 8Kp30 H.264 AVC/MVC, 4Kp60 AV1, 1080p60 MPEG-2/-1, VC-1, VP8
• Video encoder – Supports 8Kp30 H.265/H.264 video encoding
• AI accelerator – 6 TOPS NPU
• System Memory – 4GB, 8GB, or 16GB LPDDR4x @ 2133 MHz
• Storage – Optional 64GB eMMC flash
• Networking – Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5GbE controller
• 4x 100-pin high-density board-to-board connectors with USB 3.0/2.0, PCIe Gen 3 x4, 2.5GbE, HDMI Tx/Rx, GPIOs, etc.
• PMIC – Rockchip RK806-1 power management IC
• Dimensions – 65 x 55 mm (8-layer PCB)
• Weight – About 21 grams

Carrier board – CM3588 NAS SDK:

• Storage: Up to 4x M.2 2280 NVMe SSDs, microSD card slot, footprint for SPI flash
• Video Output: 2x HDMI 2.1 ports (up to 8Kp60 and 4Kp60), 1x DisplayPort via USB-C (up to 4Kp60), 4-lane MIPI DSI connector
• Video Input: 1x HDMI 2.0 input port (up to 4Kp60), 4-lane MIPI CSI connector
• Audio: 3.5mm audio output jack, 2-pin microphone connector, built-in PWM buzzer
• Networking: 2.5GbE RJ45 port
• USB: 2x USB 3.0 Type-A ports, 1x USB 3.0 USB-C DRP port with DisplayPort support (up to 4Kp60), 1x USB 2.0 host port
• Expansion: 4x M.2 2280 PCIe sockets (each with PCIe 3.0 x1), 40-pin GPIO header with various interfaces
• Misc: 2-pin RTC battery connector, IR receiver, fan connector, MASK button for eMMC flash update, reset button, power button, recovery mode button, user button, 4x LEDs for SSDs, 3-pin debug UART header
• Power Supply – 12V DC via power barrel jack or 2-pole terminal block
• Dimensions – 160 x 116 mm (4-layer PCB)
• Temperature Range – 0 to 70°C

The CM3588 Core module with heatsink starts at $95 and comes with 4GB RAM and no flash. The CM3588 NAS Kit, which includes the Core module with heatsink and the CM3588 NAS SDK carrier board, starts at $130. Additional accessories such as a 12V/2A power supply and a microSD card are required to boot the OS. There is also a kit option with an 8GB+64GB Core module, the carrier board, and a 12V/2A power supply for $154.89 plus shipping. The variant with 16GB RAM adds an extra $15.

Source: CNX Software – Embedded Systems News.

Uptime Kuma has recently released version 1.23.7, bringing a range of improvements, bug fixes, and security fixes to the popular server monitoring tool.

In terms of improvements, version 1.23.7 includes the ability to show the original timeout message and adds an additional 10 seconds for the abort signal. This enhancement allows users to better understand and manage timeout issues. Additionally, the error message on abort signal timeout has been improved, thanks to the contribution of @chakflying.

In the bug fixes category, Uptime Kuma has addressed a memory leak issue by ensuring the client postgresql connection is closed after rejection. This fix was made possible by the contribution of @mvaled. Furthermore, the team has decided to revert the “Restart running monitors if no heartbeat” feature, as it was causing issues from version 1.23.4 to 1.23.6.

In terms of security fixes, Uptime Kuma has taken steps to address multiple vulnerabilities. First, an XSS issue in the “Google Analytics ID” text field has been resolved, thanks to the report by @gtg2619. More details about this fix can be found in the advisory GHSA-v4v2-8h88-65qj. Additionally, the Tailscale ping has been rewritten using spawnSync, addressing a security vulnerability reported by @vaadata-pascala. Further information on this issue can be found in the advisory GHSA-hfxh-rjv7-2369. Lastly, Uptime Kuma has made certain functions, such as getGameList and testChrome, only accessible with login, improving overall system security.

Aside from these significant updates, version 1.23.7 also includes various small changes, code refactoring, and comment/documentation updates to enhance the overall user experience.