Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Enthusiasts have Turned the Nintendo Switch into a Functional Linux Tablet (theverge.com)

Posted by msmash on from the had-to-be-done dept.

An anonymous reader shares a report: A couple of weeks ago, the fail0verflow hacking collective showed a still image on Twitter of a Nintendo Switch booting Linux. They're one of a small handful of hacker teams who are teasing exploits of the Nvidia Tegra hardware inside the Switch. But now fail0verflow has video of a full-on Linux distro running on the hacked Switch, complete with touchscreen support, a fully operational web browser, and even a GPU-powered demo application. On Twitter, fail0verflow claims the bug they're exploiting to sidestep the Switch's security can't be patched on currently released hardware, and doesn't require a modchip. But as for now there aren't any details on how to do this yourself at home.

96 comments

  1. Re:Ho-hum. by mark-t · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Could *YOU* have done it?

    --
    File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
  2. Re:Ho-hum. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    But think of the possibilities!

    Now that it has a standard OS, you can run emulators on it, maybe even a Switch emulator!

  3. Re: Ho-hum. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm pretty sure a depressingly serious comment on slashdot wasn't fail0verflow's primary motivation. If you can get a web-browser working, you can give negative comments. This post is not remotely interesting.

  4. The new Wii by Juju · · Score: 3, Insightful

    This is going to be the new Wii in terms of homebrew and cracked games.
    Remember the Homebrew channel? The way you could plug a hard disk and have the graphical interface to play all your "backup" games?

    I am sure Nintendo are currently very worried about this and will try to get the hardware patched ASAP.

    --
    Black holes occur when God divides by zero.
    1. Re:The new Wii by Anubis+IV · · Score: 4, Informative

      According to earlier reports, they can’t patch it. The problem is in the SoC itself, meaning they’d need to a new hardware revision in order to issue a “patch”. Any existing Switches are, and will forever be, exploitable by this tactic.

    2. Re:The new Wii by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Patching" the hardware costs millions in that technology, in NRE costs.

      Patching hardware is not like patching software where you can just "push out" an update.

      The ASIC rom needs to be redone, that alone can cost 250k in mask costs, plus ROM compiler license costs, software costs, simulation costs, hardware/software co-simulation costs.

      This is not some java or C# crapplet that needs updating, this is a 16nm SOC where changing a single BIT can costs easily 250k in mask fees.

    3. Re:The new Wii by Juju · · Score: 1

      I know, this is going to turn down to be a major headache for Nintendo!

      I remember how they clamped down on the Zelda "Epona" bug, and were patching the OS to close all software attack vectors. They even modified the soldering of the chip to counter modchips... But they are not going to have it that easy this time.

      But if they don't do it, they risk selling a lot of consoles, but hardly any game. I am sure they are already trying to find a way to patch it. Maybe, keeping some online aspect that will check if the system was hacked will be part of the solution.

      --
      Black holes occur when God divides by zero.
    4. Re:The new Wii by BlueStrat · · Score: 1

      I am sure Nintendo are currently very worried about this and will try to get the hardware patched ASAP.

      Well, they could tell current owners they must exchange their old Switch for a new hardware-patched version and after some amount of time push a 'bricking' update out to the older vulnerable Switch versions to disable them.

      Strat

      --
      Progressivism (aka US 'Liberalism'): Ideas so good they need a police/surveillance-state to enforce.
    5. Re:The new Wii by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I only buy systems once they're completely hackable. Nintendo gains money by not fighting this, as I will buy the system and some onsale games that are less effort to setup than pirated ones.

    6. Re:The new Wii by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      nah, remember Nintendo does not subsidize the Switch price and most people have bought it for the exclusive IP... the majority of the buyers have never heard of homebrew or "backup" games, even on Wii

    7. Re:The new Wii by ctilsie242 · · Score: 1

      I wonder why Nintendo doesn't embrace this functionality. It possibly will sell more tablets, and it doesn't aid piracy. I wish they had this built in from the get-go.

    8. Re:The new Wii by HalAtWork · · Score: 1

      Personally I hope piracy does not ruin the platform, and cause developers to hesitate when they want to release unique games that are tuned well to the Switch. With pervasive piracy we may end up with just shovelware.

      --
      Twinstiq, game news
    9. Re:The new Wii by Khyber · · Score: 2

      "after some amount of time push a 'bricking' update out to the older vulnerable Switch versions to disable them"

      That would be quite illegal and definitely actionable in court. Intentional destruction of property.

      --
      Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
    10. Re:The new Wii by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I think you are confusing “Nintendo gains money” with you and seven or eight other folks who buy hackable consoles and pirate games. Honestly, even if there are 250,000 of you that would only consider buying it now (hint: there’s less than that), you aren’t really on their radar in terms of revenue projection. They’re content to try to stop guys like you, and sell tens of millions of units to regular folk. I’m not disparaging you (except for the piracy, of course, that’s wrong) - it’s just Slashdot hackers aren’t really as big an audience as we all wish we were.

    11. Re:The new Wii by Scoth · · Score: 4, Informative

      Laws are pretty picky about destroying property. That would be a bad thing.

      The main options would be:
      1. Release a "New Switch" that all future games require. This would shut out a huge number of legitimate existing purchasers who have no interest in the hacking though, and Nintendo probably wouldn't want to institute a voluntary recall program. That'd be a mess.
      2. Release firmwares and games that don't necessarily prevent this, but detect/undo/refuse to run on modified systems. This would be a cat and mouse game, much as it was on the Wii with various attempts to remove Homebrew channel.
      3. Do little to nothing, knowing that the number of people who actually do this are going to be small.

      It'll mostly depend on the difficulty and danger of doing it. The 3DS mods are pretty tricky for a lot of the average users, and while it's easier and safer now for most of the system's life it took very specific firmware versions and a lot of tricky steps to do to enable piracy. Wii was fairly easy on the whole bit still took a few steps. On the other hand, Dreamcast piracy just took a cheap burned disc and was a much bigger problem. We'll just have to see how it goes.

    12. Re:The new Wii by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Someone's been bitten by the jealousy bug"

      I know, envy != jealousy. Just quoting.

    13. Re:The new Wii by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Piracy is no good news for Nintendo. However, their systems are the only ones that get a profit from selling hardware. + sold units = + money.

    14. Re: The new Wii by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You know that there were about 25% as many mod chips for PlayStation as there were units sold, right?

    15. Re:The new Wii by Mattcelt · · Score: 1

      (hint: there's less than that)

      Source, please. I have exactly the same mindset as the parent, and will now consider purchasing a Switch, which I would not have done otherwise.

      It wouldn't be a stretch to think that sales would be bolstered by 2.5% (1/40th the number of Switches that have already been sold) by this news, thanks to people like us.

      Just because you don't think the way we do doesn't mean there aren't many others who do.

    16. Re:The new Wii by mamono · · Score: 1

      Because they make no money on the consoles, they are loss leaders. So if a bunch of people just ran out and bought the consoles with no intention of purchasing any games, Nintendo loses money. If they really wanted to monetize it they would have to do something similar to the Linksys WRT54G. Release a slightly higher-priced version with the ability to "hack" the OS.

    17. Re:The new Wii by darkain · · Score: 1

      Don't worry, SCO is all over them lawsuits against Linux!

    18. Re:The new Wii by tlhIngan · · Score: 2

      1. Release a "New Switch" that all future games require. This would shut out a huge number of legitimate existing purchasers who have no interest in the hacking though, and Nintendo probably wouldn't want to institute a voluntary recall program. That'd be a mess.

      No, you go and fix the SoC, and update the switch to use it for now. You leave the original 10M or whatever they sold alone - 90% of the users will be blissfully unaware, and the 5% you just leave it as the cost of doing business.

      It's too early for a "new switch", so that option is out. Maybe in 2020 Nintendo might release a New Switch.

      Nintendo is about to offer an online gaming thing, and if you do it right, you can actually detect modified systems. After all, the Xbox360 was modded to support pirated games, but you can never put that console online because Xbox Live would detect the modified system and ban you. This got to be a big problem because it meant a lot of used systems were unable to go online. So it's possible to have a compromised system that's still able to be secure.

      Of course, if Nintendo were better, they'd realize they are doing what Microsoft did on the original Xbox - by not cooperating with the Linux folks, the inadvertently caused a team effect - the Xbox Linux folks, the Homebrew folks, and the piracy folks all gathered together to figure out ways to break into the Xbox. Microsoft realized this, and realized the Homebrew folks are probably the most technically oriented of the lot (if they can code against something they have no documentation for, they will have the skills to break your security systems), which is why they did the whole XNA thing and now UWP. If you want to homebrew for Xbox, Microsoft is more than willing to let you do it and provide the official channels. And if it's good, Microsoft will let you officially sell it.

      Sony learned this the hard way when they closed off their PS3 Linux support - suddenly homebrewers were left out and quickly got to work breaking the new PS3 security systems. And now they're close to breaking the PS4 - they've already got an old firmware broken (and heavily exploited for piracy).

      If Nintendo was smart, they'd embrace the hacking, thank them for their work, and have a semi-official way to do that. If they were really good, they'd toss a way for people to write Switch games too. Doing this will basically sap all the knowledgeable people into doing their thing, leaving the piracy folks starved for talent.

    19. Re:The new Wii by arth1 · · Score: 1

      It wouldn't be a stretch to think that sales would be bolstered by 2.5% (1/40th the number of Switches that have already been sold) by this news, thanks to people like us.

      Oh, that would be a HUGE stretch. People buy the Switch to easily play games. You and people like you aren't even a blip on the radar compared to all the parents who buy a Switch for their kids, or teens who buy it to play specific games.

      And if you think they'll still play games with Linux, consider that Steam, which has a client especially for Linux and more than 3000 games for Linux only has 0.41% users with Linux according to the latest survey. That's the market share when actively trying to get Linux users.

    20. Re:The new Wii by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wait, do you actually think there are 250,000 people who have put off buying a switch because it was not hackable / unable to run linux?

      If there are more than 200 such people I'd be extremely surprised.

    21. Re:The new Wii by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's not something nintendo would do, they would probably phase out silently the old hardware encouraging people to buy a slightly more expensive "updated" hardware or bundle a software exclusive on the new hardware to make people buy the new one... something like they do with the 3DS.

    22. Re:The new Wii by MightyYar · · Score: 1

      They don't need to "brick" it, simply make new games incompatible with it. Or, you can trade it in for a brand new one which supports all games.

      --
      W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
    23. Re:The new Wii by sconeu · · Score: 1

      "after some amount of time push a 'bricking' update out to the older vulnerable Switch versions to disable them"

      That would be quite illegal and definitely actionable in court. Intentional destruction of property.

      Unless your corporation's name is Sony.

      Rootkit (made it impossible to access CD-R)
      PS-3 Firmware Update (you can't boot linux any more)

      --
      General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
    24. Re:The new Wii by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yea, I entered hacking the Wii and 3DS at almost basically opposite ends of the lifetime of the device. For the Wii, it was at the end with Letterbomb. For the 3DS, it was at the 9.2 mark where you could downgrade the System Settings app to use the DS Profile exploit. Now for the 3DS, it's still not as easy as the Wii but it's as safe if not safer--depends on if you can install bootmii or not.

      In related news, there's also news the PS Vita has finally gotten a 3.67 hack. It sounds like the actual release won't be until the PS Vita is officially dead for Sony--so no more firmware updates--or about a year passes. Even if the specific exploit is never released, the knowledge it exists but not the details does show there is some value to insecurity by obscurity. :)

    25. Re:The new Wii by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, you go and fix the SoC, and update the switch to use it for now.

      AFAIK, the SoC in question is the Nvidia GPU used. It, like the 3DS IIRC, is able to bypass CPU memory protections because it has sufficient RAM access. They did try to limit the access more for the Switch, I believe, but it still was not made remotely sufficient for the task. So, yes, Nintendo can demand Nvidia sell them a fixed GPU, but that's a non-trivial matter given the nature of the vulnerability. Odds are good the GPU has that ability because it nominally needs it to function, so it would require a substantial amount of work to actually put in protections. Either that or the fix is easy and Nvidia is just complete idiots. *shrug*

      Of course, if Nintendo were better, they'd realize they are doing what Microsoft did on the original Xbox - by not cooperating with the Linux folks, the inadvertently caused a team effect - the Xbox Linux folks, the Homebrew folks, and the piracy folks all gathered together to figure out ways to break into the Xbox.

      That's a pretty unfair representation of the situation. The reason the Xbox was broken so relatively quickly because it was a relatively cheap PC with an OS based on Windows* that could be hooked up to the TV. This made it a desirable target as a media center in both the horsepower department but also in the relative easy of porting code. Add to that this was at the peak of the whole anti-trust suit for Microsoft and Bush's refusal to push forward with a breakup of Microsoft or really any serious punshiment against them. It was know they were losing money on the sale of every Xbox they sold, so it's little wonder that some Linux activists would push to turn an Xbox into a Linux box.

      Sony learned this the hard way when they closed off their PS3 Linux support - suddenly homebrewers were left out and quickly got to work breaking the new PS3 security systems.

      A similar but different thing. Sony lured people into buying PS3s for Linux--presumably along with PS3 gaming--and then dropped OtherOS support. Again, they gave Linux activists a reason to install Linux on the PS3, Sony be damned.

      If Nintendo was smart, they'd embrace the hacking, thank them for their work, and have a semi-official way to do that. If they were really good, they'd toss a way for people to write Switch games too. Doing this will basically sap all the knowledgeable people into doing their thing, leaving the piracy folks starved for talent.

      I don't disagree with this, but for a different reason. If Nintendo gave a sanctioned way to launch homebrew, then the people who try to find a way to launch homebrew would no longer have an interest in hacking the system. The vast majority of the people who are hacking these consoles are spending most their time on said consoles JUST hacking the consoles. They're not writing much homebrew--unless it's to better faciliate homebrew luanching--nor playing games--which means piracy is out as a motivation. Meanwhile, Nintendo can't give a way to run homebrew because then companies would release ad sponsored software and totally bypass Nintendo's licensing system--a system that gives Nintendo control on the number and quality of games as well as a substantial cut of the profits on all games sold.

      Simply math is that so long as Nintendo is getting a 30% cut on all game sales, then piracy due to bypassing their protections would have to reach about that level before they'd ever consider some sort of homebrew system. The same goes for MS and Sony. The most Nintendo might do is, like MS did, offer a different licensing scheme for smaller game developers so they'll be more inclined to work within their regime rather than try to make money through homebrew--something that without proper sanctioning would be really hard on a console. The real reason for that, then, is to lure developers towards their platfor

    26. Re: The new Wii by MrPeach · · Score: 1

      Not if the can patch the metal layer.

    27. Re:The new Wii by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nintendo are famous from making money on every console sold, starting from release day.

    28. Re:The new Wii by geminidomino · · Score: 1

      I bought one recently (a little late; it's on 3.0.1) and put it on top of my closet. Supposedly there's a TrustZone exploit that's effective up to that version (since I'm not holding my breath for F0's bootrom exploit to appear any time soon), and you can't hack downgraded firmware into the Switch like with the 3DS. It was a bit of a gamble, but I had a minor windfall and figured "why not?" Worst case scenario, it never gets hacked, and I give it to my brother's kids and become Uncle Hero.

  5. Re:Ho-hum. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Not quite. Consoles (and other walled garden hardware) are usually locked into only running signed software, something difficult to bypass by design. Consoles are usually even more uptight about this in an effort to curb piracy.

    Besides, you have to reverse engineer drivers for any custom hardware. It appears that the Switch has off-the-shelf hardware from Nvidia, though, this probably makes things much easier since drivers are out there.

    Both factors make it much harder to port Linux against the manufacturer's will. It's far from trivial, and even among technically capable people, few have the knowledge and skills.

  6. No point by SmaryJerry · · Score: 2

    Switch hardware is extremely overpriced. You could get or make similar tablet for under $100 easily. The only purpose of this would be to play the games also but it canâ(TM)t do that.

    1. Re:No point by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How? I couldn't get under 130 €, trying to improvise something similar with less power.

    2. Re:No point by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The switch looks a lot like the Nvidia Shield tablet. Same processor. They could have done this same thing with the Shield really. Since the Shield runs android it would probably have been easier too.

    3. Re:No point by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      100% floss? I thought all handheld devices were proprietary junk.

    4. Re:No point by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He couldn't, he thinks the Switch is just a tablet with some generic piece of junk controller thrown in the box.

    5. Re:No point by pots · · Score: 1

      The Shield Tablet uses the Tegra K1, the Switch uses the newer Tegra X1. Also, even though the Shield is now a few years old I still can't seem to find one for much less than $200, without a controller. The Switch looks like a steal by comparison.

  7. Re:They do this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    But don't work on a real Photoshop alternative or a systemD alternative.

    i don't know about systemD, but I know about GIMP... a free image editing software that does pretty much the same thing...

  8. Hahahahah. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Fucking no, not unless you're a gimp using the GIMP for the equivalent of MS Paint.

  9. Re:Ho-hum. by FatdogHaiku · · Score: 1

    But think of the possibilities!

    Now that it has a standard OS, you can run emulators on it, maybe even a Switch emulator!

    OK, but only if it's written in Javascript...
    Hey, it's not like there's no precedent!
    https://github.com/fcambus/jsemu

    --
    You have the right to remain sentient. If you give up the right to remain sentient, you will be elected to public office
  10. true hacking by ra66itman · · Score: 3, Insightful

    this is what true hacking is, taking something and getting it to do something better or that it was not designed to do,Most likely, they will claim it is exploiting and do a hardware mod to stop this,I remember when someone found a way to put Linux on a Playstation. I know of at least one person/company who bought a dozen Play stations and used them as a array processor.

    1. Re:true hacking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

      Yes. And it should be illegal. In many cases it already is. Laws should be enforced and, should the need arise, new laws should be made. Make no mistake: in the Information Age computers are weapons and should be regulated as such.

    2. Re:true hacking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I own the hardware, so I don't need your DRM'd software. No laws broke.

    3. Re:true hacking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Computers are not weapons any more than an electric tea pot is a weapon.
      Turning a childs toy into a tablet is as harmless as it gets.

      The real weapon are the gullible sheeple that follow the directions of the u.s. government and corporations.
      The real weapon are all the retarded masses reading information on a mobile phone, while being completely disconnected from reality.
      The real weapon is to foist censorship on people because you are too weak to handle hurt feelings.

      Real laws should be enforced. Laws created by the government or corporations which violates the rights of We The People should never be followed.
      If you pay for something, it is yours no matter what any person, place, or thing tells you.

    4. Re:true hacking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I remember reading about the PS3 being stacked for something.
      https://phys.org/news/2010-12-air-playstation-3s-supercomputer.html

    5. Re:true hacking by ra66itman · · Score: 1

      well you have to be careful, some Items have a clause in them that you only get unlimited use of the item,but it remains the property of the company. so if they want to forbid you from doing self repairs/upgrades/etc they can.

    6. Re:true hacking by ra66itman · · Score: 1

      my friend a hard time convincing the purchasing department that this was for research. I once had to buy a 1 oz bar of gold, we took it and dissolved in HCL to create gold chloride. which was use as a coating in laminated material.so we could xray the item and see the layers where the layers came apart

    7. Re:true hacking by sconeu · · Score: 1

      I remember when someone found a way to put Linux on a Playstation

      You mean the US Air Force? https://phys.org/news/2010-12-air-playstation-3s-supercomputer.html

      --
      General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
    8. Re:true hacking by Gojira+Shipi-Taro · · Score: 1

      Such a clause would be entirely illegal in the EU at the very least.

      It would also be suicide for Nintendo.

      --
      "Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. I'm fucked."; ~ Donald J. Trump
    9. Re:true hacking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      yes

  11. Imagine a Beowulf cluster of Switches by doggo1939 · · Score: 1

    Imagine a Beowulf cluster of these.

    1. Re:Imagine a Beowulf cluster of Switches by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      One day I am going to google what a "Beowulf cluster" looks like. But that day has not come...

    2. Re:Imagine a Beowulf cluster of Switches by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "One day I am going to google what a "Beowulf cluster" looks like. But that day has not come..."
      Now you don't have to :
      http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Beowulf+cluster

  12. But by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Does it run linux?

    *ducks*

  13. This is stupid. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    If these guys were really smart, they'd port Windows 10 to the Switch so we could play our entire Steam library on the go. But noooo, they're dumb and only want to use stupid command line Linux.

    1. Re: This is stupid. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're so ignorant my brain hurts.

    2. Re: This is stupid. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm going to be a kinder and say that you need to read up on how open source software works :)

    3. Re: This is stupid. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Microsoft says Windows is Windows, and all Windows games run on all Windows devices! That's why we have Halo on Windows Phone, but you wouldn't know that because you're using shitty Linux Android.

    4. Re:This is stupid. by darkain · · Score: 1

      I was given an Intel Joule (SoC designed for high end drones), didn't have much use for it, so I put Ubuntu on it. Intalled Steam of Linux, and then Rocket League. So yeah, it may not be the full library, but Steam on Linux certainly does have its games! (Though the Joule is still x86 based, not ARM, so in reality there are probably 0 games that would work)

  14. OH YES by GameboyRMH · · Score: 3, Funny

    I might actually buy a Nintendo Switch now. If they get it to run "homebrew" games, that'll just be icing on the cake. I do want to try that new Zelda game.

    --
    "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    1. Re: OH YES by MrPeach · · Score: 1

      Cemu will run it just fine, if you have a decently powered PC.

    2. Re: OH YES by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      Interesting, I'll have to give that a try!

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
  15. Russian troll by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You must be a Russian troll working for Adobe.

    The Internet Research Institute is more and more desperate after having lost its main customer Trump.

  16. I've been looking for a good Linux tablet by HalAtWork · · Score: 2

    This is nice, I have a Switch and would like to experiment with this, it has a powerful chipset.

    I am looking for a good Linux tablet that is reasonably repairable and has a battery that isn't too hard to replace, but unfortunately a lot of common ARM Android tablets can't install Linux natively and seem to require a VM with VNC. There are also not many reviews of x86 tablets from a Linux perspective.

    Maybe this will be with a look, it seems to perform well and support hardware features.

    --
    Twinstiq, game news
    1. Re:I've been looking for a good Linux tablet by ruir · · Score: 1

      Switch has a powerful chipset? Cannot understand if you are being dumb or ironic...

    2. Re:I've been looking for a good Linux tablet by HalAtWork · · Score: 1

      That's ok

      --
      Twinstiq, game news
    3. Re:I've been looking for a good Linux tablet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It can probably run the nvidia proprietary driver, with an option for a weaksauce free 3D driver, so..

      I don't see what else you'd use on real linux, save an Intel-based tablet! which likely has a better CPU, but worse GPU.
      Uniquely, the Switch is also designed to be used with no clocks throttling.

    4. Re:I've been looking for a good Linux tablet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Could you recommend a good x86 Linux tablet with good battery life and works well with open drivers with all features supported?

    5. Re:I've been looking for a good Linux tablet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is nice, I have a Switch and would like to experiment with this, it has a powerful chipset.

      I am looking for a good Linux tablet that is reasonably repairable and has a battery that isn't too hard to replace, but unfortunately a lot of common ARM Android tablets can't install Linux natively and seem to require a VM with VNC. There are also not many reviews of x86 tablets from a Linux perspective.

      Maybe this will be with a look, it seems to perform well and support hardware features.

      The elephant in the room is here is that the video in the article clearly shows smooth kde plasma desktop with fully functional touch gesture controls and touch keyboard working with chromium. Wireless seems to work and brightness controls etc...

      EXCUSE ME but when did this happen?!
      (People here are talking about this like it would be a proof of concept text console boot and nothing more)

    6. Re:I've been looking for a good Linux tablet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't know, really, I just mostly stayed out of tablets and phones in general

      But Librem 11 might do! perhaps $1000+, "11" means 11.6" widescreen, not out yet.

      For something much cheaper, smaller perhaps the most bland and Chinese hardware would cause the least trouble but I won't bet the bank on that.
      Or maybe get a good one from a good vendor.. pay for the upgrade to Windows 10 Pro (if that's actually an option) and install WSL. There's some stuff with 4GB/128GB. Maybe the devil in person cooked up that.

    7. Re:I've been looking for a good Linux tablet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Damn that's a lot, and quite big, I was hoping for a ~$300 7" option

      WSL doesn't let me run GUI apps and a Cinnamon desktop

    8. Re:I've been looking for a good Linux tablet by HalAtWork · · Score: 1

      Exactly, that's got my interest

      --
      Twinstiq, game news
  17. You do this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    But don't work on the next great novel.

  18. LOL. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    All three people who care must be thrilled.

  19. Congrats Nintendo. Now I'll Buy a Switch! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I want to own the HW that I buy. It's not about pirating; it's about accessing third-party SW and maybe even writing my own programs. Just checking your weight on a Wii Balance Board is a lot faster with Homebrew than with Wii Sports.

    Homebrew just did Nintendo a favor.

  20. Dock? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Does the switch still work with the dock in this state? If so, I can see quite a few more uses out of the switch other than homebrew.

  21. Nice by XSportSeeker · · Score: 1

    The next million system seller.
    If they can install a Linux distro in it with everything working, they probably can install Android on it too, which means replacing cheap-o Android tablets that a whole ton of kids want/have.
    I was kinda hoping Nintendo would release a revised hardware soon-ish, but I don't think it'll happen... they are selling it enough already the way it is now.

  22. Re:Ho-hum. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    seems trivial

  23. What a waste by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You turned a $300 console into a $100 tablet. Great job fellas. Now take this Ferrari GTS and turn it into a Pinto.

    1. Re:What a waste by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So, where can I buy an off-the-shelf tablet that runs real Linux and not some dopey, outdated bullshit Android?

  24. Yet they are different by micahraleigh · · Score: 1

    One is something people are using and buying.

    The other is not.

    Reminds me of the study where children were shown to have reached for organic food when it was inside McDonalds packaging and the media proclaimed, "Oh we just need to change the packaging!"

  25. Re:Ho-hum. by darkain · · Score: 1

    I'm not sure about the Switch, but on the DS, everything is encrypted, including the communication between the DS game cards and the CPU. Yes, Nintendo is absolutely all about security. They lock the hell out of their hardware. The only difference this time around is that they left it in the hands of nVidia rather than doing it themselves.

  26. The wild irony is that... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ... you can't do that on most supposedly general purpose tablets.

    Hopefully some vendors may notice.

  27. No, and that's the point. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This doesn't showcase the improvement of Linux; rather, this showcases the decline of personal computing.

    1. Re:No, and that's the point. by mark-t · · Score: 1

      I think that it more showcases the technical skill of the people who pulled it off more than anything about Linux, specifically.,

      --
      File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
  28. Stragange definition of "functional" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    To me (and most around the world) functional means that it can do the stuff you want it to do.

    Just loading an OS (any OS) and just having a minimalistic, barely working display without being able to do anything useful with it is not "being functional".

    Get it to run a good number of useful Linux programs, then you can claim the use of the word functional.

    1. Re:Stragange definition of "functional" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Did you watch the video? They have a desktop environment and browse the web on Chromium for heaven's sake. How much more functional do you want?!

  29. How surprising. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You missed the point.

  30. Re:Ho-hum. by geminidomino · · Score: 1

    Nah. They're serious about security, sure; they're just not terribly *good* at it. Every Ninty console since the Wii and/or DSi (not sure which came first, but applies to both) has had vulnerabilities that went deep enough to allow for custom firmware and homebrew to be developed. Every version of the 3DS up to and including the latest "New 2DS" has a bootrom bug baked right into the hardware (ostensibly, the Switch has one, too, according to Fail0verflow, but I won't be convinced until it's released). The big difference with the switch is that it was announced early in the lifespan, so a future hardware revision will probably address it.