Phoenix rises from the ashes: The 10-Year-Old Samsung Galaxy S II gets a taste of Android 12… The power of Open Source!

The developer has compiled an unofficial build of LineageOS 19.0 on top of Android 12 for the GT-I9100 variant of the Galaxy S II. And despite being a very alpha work in progress, it shows a lot of promise. Most of the core hardware components, such as the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and the audio output are functional. The cellular radio is working too, which means you could flash the ROM on the device and technically use it as a backup phone, provided your carrier has yet to phase out 3G completely. Last but not least, SELinux is set as enforced in the release.
See Samsung Galaxy S II gets a taste of Android 12

#technology #samsung #LineageOS #opensource

The Samsung Galaxy S II simply refuses to die. Released back in 2011, the smartphone has now received a port of Android 12. Read on!

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/phoenix-rises-from-the-ashes-the-10-year-old-samsung-galaxy-s-ii-gets-a-taste-of-android-12-the-power-of-open-source/

Samsung Galaxy S II gets a taste of Android 12

The Samsung Galaxy S II simply refuses to die. Released back in 2011, the smartphone has now received a port of Android 12. Read on!

How to Make sudo Remember the Password for Longer using Visudo

The behaviour of sudo is configured in /etc/sudoers file and by default timeout of the sudo command is 15 minutes.
The /etc/sudoers file has a timestamp_timeout option responsible for reprompting the user for password after specific amount of time. The good news is that you can increase this number to a larger one (in minutes) by adding a string in the /etc/sudoers file. After that time sudo will ask for password again.

See How to Make sudo Remember the Password for Longer

#technology #linux #sudo #visudo

It can be annoying having to keep entering the sudo password. Here’s how you can deal with it.

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/how-to-make-sudo-remember-the-password-for-longer-using-visudo/

How to Make sudo Remember the Password for Longer

It can be annoying having to keep entering the sudo password. Here's how you can deal with it.

Python, with the Kivy framework, can produce scalable mobile apps for Android and iOS

Yes we can’t yet escape needing the correct OS to compile the code into binaries (Linux for Android, macOS for iOS) but technically one could start producing Android apps using just a cheap Raspberry Pi.
It goes to show that lack of finances does not inhibit one from being able to be creative and tap into a massive mobile ecosystem. These apps can scale according to screen size.

Yes there are excellent dedicated IDE’s for Android app development, but with something like Python, you learn a skill which you can basically compile for any platform, using the same code.

freeCodeCamp has a good 5-hour tutorial on YouTube showing how an app is built from scratch using Python with Kivy.

See How To Write Android Apps In Python? – AskPython

#technology #opensource #python #kivy #android

Want to build Android Apps in Python? More than 3 billion devices in this world run on android. That makes it one of the most or probably the most important

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/python-with-the-kivy-framework-can-produce-scalable-mobile-apps-for-android-and-ios/

How To Write Android Apps In Python? - AskPython

Want to build Android Apps in Python? More than 3 billion devices in this world run on android. That makes it one of the most or probably the most important

Withings Unveils New ‘Body Scan’ Smart Scale – It monitors segmental body composition, weight, heart rate, and vascular age, plus it can assess nerve activity and heart rhythm using a 6-lead

Apart from it really being the most advanced to date, I really like that the built-in battery lasts for a year before needing to be recharged, and health metrics are displayed on a 3.2-inch color LCD screen.
Withings is planning to launch the Body Scan scale in the second half of 2022 following FDA clearance. It will be priced at $299.95.

More info CES 2022: Withings Unveils New ‘Body Scan’ Smart Scale

#technology #health #Withings #smartscale #wellness

Withings today announced the launch of a new smart scale, the Body Scan, which is designed to track all kinds of health-related metrics. It monitors…

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/withings-unveils-new-body-scan-smart-scale-it-monitors-segmental-body-composition-weight-heart-rate-and-vascular-age-plus-it-can-assess-nerve-activity-and-heart-rhythm-using-a-6-lead/

CES 2022: Withings Unveils New 'Body Scan' Smart Scale

Withings today announced the launch of a new smart scale, the Body Scan, which is designed to track all kinds of health-related metrics. It monitors...

These are the local and international podcasts South Africans are listening to on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

This obviously excludes all the listeners who use the free alternative services such as PlayerFM, PocketCasts, etc.
Among the local podcasts favourites are Podcast and Chill with MacG, and True Crime South Africa published by Arena Holdings.

The international favourites are podcast by American comedian The Joe Rogan Experience, and new podcast by a Kenyan mom, Dear Daughter, by BBC World Services.

See South Africa’s 10 favourite podcasts right now

#technology #southafrica #podcasts

10 of South Africa’s favourite local and international podcasting streamed on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/these-are-the-local-and-international-podcasts-south-africans-are-listening-to-on-apple-podcasts-and-spotify/

South Africa’s 10 favourite podcasts right now

Rwanda’s Transition To Electric Buses – Same TCO for electric buses as diesel buses after only three years of operation (as opposed to six)

The Government of Rwanda has prioritized the transition to e-mobility to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions and improve the wellbeing of its citizens, thus contributing to achieving national and global goals. Transport contributes 13% of Rwanda’s national GHG emissions.
While the cost for the purchase of e-buses is the main deterrent for bus operators, the savings from reduced operations and maintenance are substantial and are bolstered by the current incentives in place. Furthermore, while buses only comprise 0.74% of the total number of vehicles, they nevertheless disproportionately contribute 39.1% of GHG emissions in the transport sector in Rwanda.

See Rwanda’s Transition to Electric Buses

#environment #dirtydiesel #EV #rwanda #africa

By Yizere Ange Vehicular emissions are currently the leading cause of increasing air pollution in cities in Rwanda. In recognition of the well-documented impact of air pollution on public health, the Government of Rwanda (GoR) has introduced incentives for introducing electric vehicles across all vehicle types. While electric motorcycles, cars, bicycles, and even trucks have […]

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/rwandas-transition-to-electric-buses-same-tco-for-electric-buses-as-diesel-buses-after-only-three-years-of-operation-as-opposed-to-six/?pk_campaign=feed&pk_kwd=rwandas-transition-to-electric-buses-same-tco-for-electric-buses-as-diesel-buses-after-only-three-years-of-operation-as-opposed-to-six

Rwanda’s Transition to Electric Buses

By Yizere Ange Vehicular emissions are currently the leading cause of increasing air pollution in cities in Rwanda. In recognition of the well-documented impact of air pollution on public health, the Government of Rwanda (GoR) has introduced...

7 Best Safety Razor Blades for The Most Comfortable Shave Ever – Because you have Lots of Options!

You want a quality brand that offers a sharp blade along with safety features. Longevity and consistency are elements that will give you a good shave every time, and you can find these in a quality double-edged razor blade.
In this buyer’s guide, they cover the basics of finding the right safety razor blade for you to prevent ingrown hairs, nicks, and cuts.

See 7 Best Safety Razor Blades for The Most Comfortable Shave Ever – [2021]

#wetshaving #traditionalshaving #safetyrazors #DEblades

At A Glance: Our Top 5 Picks for Safety Razor Blades Closest Shave: Astra Platinum Sharpest: Feather Longest Lasting: Personna Shark Wilkinson Sword Getting a clean, comfortable shave can be a challenge when using the wrong type of razor blade. You want a quality brand that offers a sharp blade along with safety features. Longevity […]

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/7-best-safety-razor-blades-for-the-most-comfortable-shave-ever-because-you-have-lots-of-options/

7 Best Safety Razor Blades for The Most Comfortable Shave Ever - [2021]

At A Glance: Our Top 5 Picks for Safety Razor Blades Closest Shave: Astra Platinum Sharpest: Feather Longest Lasting: Personna Shark Wilkinson Sword Getting a clean, comfortable shave can be a challenge when using the wrong type of razor blade....

Remember Google and Twitter Account Verifications… Verified Calls on the Google Phone app now available in Germany

The availability of Verified Calls seems to be in the process of rolling out, and currently is only showing up for some users. Those that have access and choose to enable it in Phone settings can start getting notices from participating businesses. When a business calls, they’ll see a screen informing them of the reason for the call, even before they pick up.
Android users are lucky enough already to have fully functional, working caller screening apps like Truecaller. On iPhone, I have to suffer through crippled versions of those apps as Apple prohibits any 3rd party from controlling the phone app (my biggest bugbear with iOS).

See Verified Calls on the Google Phone app now available in Germany

#technology #Germany #android #callscreening #robocallers

Kannst du mich jetzt hören?

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/remember-google-and-twitter-account-verifications-verified-calls-on-the-google-phone-app-now-available-in-germany/

Verified Calls on the Google Phone app now available in Germany

Kannst du mich jetzt hören?

Best smartphone cameras in the world according to the DxOMark index

As smartphones become increasingly powerful, so do their camera systems, and for many, the camera’s capability is the most critical factor to consider when buying a new smartphone.
While many people would look at a camera’s megapixel rating to determine its overall quality, this only tells part of the story.
Modern smartphone cameras use a combination of different technologies and features to improve the quality of the pictures they take.

A great and reliable way to investigate which smartphone’s camera will best suit you is to use an independent benchmark, such as those provided by DxOMark. DxOMark completes thorough testing on the camera systems of a range of smartphones to assign the front and rear cameras of each a rating.

See Best smartphone cameras in the world

#technology #photography #smartphones #smartphonecamera #DxOMark

These are the best smartphone camera systems available in 2021.

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/best-smartphone-cameras-in-the-world-according-to-the-dxomark-index/

Best smartphone cameras in the world

These are the best smartphone camera systems available in 2021.

South Africans can trade in their old iPhones for new devices and this is how much you can get

Owners of older iPhones can trade in their device when buying an iPhone 13 to get significant discounts — up to R15,000 for the iPhone 12 Pro Max. iPhone owners can also trade in their devices for store credit if they are not ready to pull the trigger on an iPhone 13 purchase.
Maybe not the absolute highest price you’ll get, but a lot safer than using Facebook Marketplace, that’s for sure.

See Trade in old iPhones — How much you can save on an iPhone 13

#technology #southafrica #iphone #tradein

Here is how much you can save when trading in an older Apple smartphone for the latest generation.

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/south-africans-can-trade-in-their-old-iphones-for-new-devices-and-this-is-how-much-you-can-get/

Trade in old iPhones — How much you can save on an iPhone 13

Here is how much you can save when trading in an older Apple smartphone for the latest generation.

You or the Kids Bored? Try Building Virtual Lego For Free

Kids pick these things up really quickly, and like Minecraft, building Lego is also really very creative and relaxing. The biggest problem is all the choices there are, as they all work a bit differently.
An interesting online option is MecaBricks, and downloadable options are Lego’s own Digital Designer (LDD) which although no longer supported can still be downloaded from their site. Other offline options are Bricklink’s Studio, and LeoCAD. Although all are Windows and / or macOS, I’ve tried two on Linux with WINE Bottles, and they run just fine.

See an article about some options at Rebrickable Help Guide: Virtual Building – A General Introduction | Rebrickable – Build with LEGO

#technology #Lego #thingstodo

Rebrickable – Build with LEGO

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/you-or-the-kids-bored-try-building-virtual-lego-for-free/

Rebrickable Help Guide: Virtual Building - A General Introduction | Rebrickable - Build with LEGO

Rebrickable - Build with LEGO

How to run Windows software on Linux easier with Bottles

Running Windows programs on Linux can be confusing and complicated. That’s where Bottles comes in. This program can make running Windows programs much more straightforward. Here’s how to use Bottles on your Linux PC.
I see it has support built-in for Lutris, Proton, DXVK, and VKD3D, which should all make free standing Windows games a lot better on Linux. Note if you already use Steam Games with Proton or Proton GE activated then you don’t need to use Bottles.

See How to run Windows software on Linux easier with Bottles

#technology #Linux #bottles #gaming

Running Windows programs on Linux can be confusing and complicated. That’s where Bottles comes in. This program can make running Windows programs much

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/how-to-run-windows-software-on-linux-easier-with-bottles/

How to run Windows software on Linux easier with Bottles

Running Windows programs on Linux can be confusing and complicated. That's where Bottles comes in. This program can make running Windows programs much

In a first-time ruling by Italian courts on open source licensing, a software vendor has lost a civil case for failing to comply with open source license requirements

The issue was that the software was redistributed without including acknowledgement of the original work, including information about changes the defendants had made to the software, and with no mention of the software’s copyright holders.
“They also proceeded with the unlawful behaviour [of] ignoring the formal termination notice,” the company added, “which is the first protection tool implemented to safeguard the developers who decide to share their code in a free form.”

See Italian Courts Find Open Source Software Terms Enforceable | If This Be Treason

#technology #opensource #FOSS #softwarelicensing #Italy

In a first-time ruling by Italian courts on open source, a software vendor has been fined for failing to comply with an open source license.

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/in-a-first-time-ruling-by-italian-courts-on-open-source-licensing-a-software-vendor-has-lost-a-civil-case-for-failing-to-comply-with-open-source-license-requirements/

The University of Costumed Heroes is an animated video telling the story of a group of heroes falling prey to the powers of proprietary software in education

Beware of supposedly “free” proprietary software offered to educational institutions.
We must reverse the trend of forsaking young people’s freedom, which has been accelerating as corporations try to capitalize on the need to establish new remote education practices. Free software not only protects the freedoms of your child or grandchild by allowing people to study the source code for any malicious functionalities, it also communicates important values like autonomy, sharing, social responsibility, and collaboration.

See The University of Costumed Heroes: A video from the FSF — Free Software Foundation — Working together for free software

#technology #FOSS #education #proprietary #FSF

People around the world are realizing their responsibility to stand for user freedom against technological injustice. Now is the time to help each other move forward to full software freedom. Without free (as in freedom) software, we cannot and will not have a free society. Your membership will help us pave a way to #UserFreedom. Join us today for…

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/the-university-of-costumed-heroes-is-an-animated-video-telling-the-story-of-a-group-of-heroes-falling-prey-to-the-powers-of-proprietary-software-in-education/

WordPress blogs can integrate with the ActivityPub protocol to Fediverse social networks

The plugin implements the ActivityPub protocol for your blog. Your readers will be able to follow your blogposts on Mastodon and other federated platforms that support ActivityPub.
The plugin works with the following federated platforms:
* Mastodon
* Pleroma
* Friendica
* HubZilla
* Pixelfed
* SocialHome
* Misskey

See ActivityPub

#technology #WordPress #activitypub #fediverse #decentralised

The ActivityPub protocol is a decentralized social networking protocol based upon the ActivityStreams 2.0 data format.

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/wordpress-blogs-can-integrate-with-the-activitypub-protocol-to-fediverse-social-networks/

ActivityPub

The ActivityPub protocol is a decentralized social networking protocol based upon the ActivityStreams 2.0 data format.

Interesting KDE Facts and Trivia that You Should Know About

The KDE has a long history. How it was conceptualized, progressed and became a winner as a “go-to” desktop for all user base. In this post, we give you some interesting facts and trivia of KDE that you may be not aware of. And it’s good to know.
See Interesting KDE Facts and Trivia that You Should Know About

#technology #Linux #KDE #trivia

We looked back in time and found out some “Kool” KDE Facts and Trivia. Here it is. The KDE has a long history. How it was conceptualized, progressed and became a winner as a “go-to” desktop for all user base. In this post, we give you some interesting facts and trivia of KDE that you…

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/interesting-kde-facts-and-trivia-that-you-should-know-about/

Interesting KDE Facts and Trivia that You Should Know About

We looked back in time and found out some “Kool” KDE Facts and Trivia. Here it is. The KDE has a long history. How it was conceptualized, progressed and became a winner as a “go-to” desktop for all user base. In this post, we give you some...

Chatwoot is an open source customer relationship platform for ticket management across various channels

Chatwoot is an open source alternative to Intercom, Zendesk, Salesforce Service Cloud, and other proprietary communications platforms.
Chatwoot supports a wide range of platforms as messaging Channels (including website widgets, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, email, and others). Integration Webhooks allows you to integrate Chatwoot into external systems so that it can send out relevant information.

Chatwoot has an integrated dashboard that gives a birds-eye view of the most important metrics, like total messages, response times, resolution times, etc.

See Try Chatwoot, an open source customer relationship platform

#technology #opensource #CRM #ticketmanagement #Chatwood

Chatwoot is an open source customer relationship platform built with Ruby and Vue.js. It was written from scratch to allow customer-relations teams to build end-to-end platforms for ticket management and support. This article looks at Chatwoot’s architecture, installation, and key features. Chatwoot’s architecture Chatwoot requires the following components to function properly:

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/chatwoot-is-an-open-source-customer-relationship-platform-for-ticket-management-across-various-channels/

Try Chatwoot, an open source customer relationship platform

Chatwoot is an open source customer relationship platform built with Ruby and Vue.js. It was written from scratch to allow customer-relations teams to build end-to-end platforms for ticket management and support. This article looks at Chatwoot's...

Cryptgeon is a secure, open source sharing note / file service inspired by PrivNote

The note can have a file attachment, and self-destructs based on either a time or view number limit. The unique link generated, is how the note contents are retrieved, so no separate passwords are needed.
Each note has a 512bit generated ID that is used to retrieve the note. Data is stored in memory and never persisted to disk. The note is then encrypted with AES in GCM mode on the client side and then sent to the server. Data is stored in memory and never persisted to disk. The server never sees the encryption key and cannot decrypt the contents of the notes even if it tried to.

See GitHub – cupcakearmy/cryptgeon: cryptgeon is a secure, open source note / file sharing service inspired by PrivNote written in rust & svelte.

#technology #encryption #security #notes #cryptgeon

cryptgeon is a secure, open source note / file sharing service inspired by PrivNote written in rust & svelte. – GitHub – cupcakearmy/cryptgeon: cryptgeon is a secure, open source note / file sh…

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/cryptgeon-is-a-secure-open-source-sharing-note-file-service-inspired-by-privnote/

GitHub - cupcakearmy/cryptgeon: cryptgeon is a secure, open source note / file sharing service inspired by PrivNote written in rust & svelte.

cryptgeon is a secure, open source note / file sharing service inspired by PrivNote written in rust & svelte. - GitHub - cupcakearmy/cryptgeon: cryptgeon is a secure, open source note / file sh...

OpenCV Tutorial demonstrates how a Python program is built to measure the distance of a hand using a single webcam

Apart from the information on how to use these Python libraries (hand recognition and tracking), it’s a very interesting exercise which shows how you build out any program piece by piece, by testing the logic at each step. This is, of course, not possible if you don’t have open source code to examine and re-use.
I love how the logic is unpacked at each stage, and it is the approach most programmers will use to simplify what can become complex as it progresses to completion. You test each stage before starting a new one, and this is where you’d notice the X measurement is not sufficient to provide accurate results, and why the diagonal measurement is more accurate. Then testing whether it is a linear relationship or not, and so you keep building up the following stages.

Although this was for hand recognition and distance interpretation, the type of approach could be followed for face tracking or anything else.

See OpenCV Knows Where Your Hand Is

#technology #opensource #programming #coding #Python

We have to say, [Murtaza]’s example game in his latest video isn’t very exciting. However, the OpenCV technique he uses to track a hand and determine its distance from a single camera i…

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/opencv-tutorial-demonstrates-how-a-python-program-is-built-to-measure-the-distance-of-a-hand-using-a-single-webcam/

OpenCV Knows Where Your Hand Is

We have to say, [Murtaza]’s example game in his latest video isn’t very exciting. However, the OpenCV technique he uses to track a hand and determine its distance from a single camera i…

Create your own animations with open source Synfig motion graphics tool for Windows, Linux and macOS

In animation, there’s an old saying that animation is easy, it’s the tweening that’s hard. In traditional animation practices established in the 1920s, key frames are drawn by a lead artist, and staff artists draw the in-between frames. This is called inbetweening, or “tweening” for short. Today, computers are often recruited for the work of inbetweening.
That’s why animation is (relatively) easy with Synfig Studio. As the animator, you only have to account for an element at the start and at the end of its movement. Synfig calculates everything else.

See Create your own animations with this open source motion graphics tool

#technology #opensource #animation #graphics

In animation, there’s an old saying that animation is easy, it’s the tweening that’s hard. In traditional animation practices established in the 1920s, key frames are drawn by a lead artist, and staff artists draw the in-between frames. This is called inbetweening, or “tweening” for short. Today, computers are often recruited for the work of inbetweening. In the words of Tony DeRose, of Pixar:

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/create-your-own-animations-with-open-source-synfig-motion-graphics-tool-for-windows-linux-and-macos/

Create your own animations with this open source motion graphics tool

In animation, there's an old saying that animation is easy, it's the tweening that's hard. In traditional animation practices established in the 1920s, key frames are drawn by a lead artist, and staff artists draw the in-between frames. This is...