Technology

• KDE has a campaign to persuade Windows 10 users to switch to Linux
• The desktop environment maker accuses Microsoft of ‘tech extortion’ with the end of support deadline for Windows 10
• There are serious environmental concerns here, but at the same time, the language used in this campaign is going too far

As Windows 10 comes nearer to its End of Life – and we’re getting quite close now – there’s a growing movement attempting to persuade those who can’t (or won’t) switch to Windows 11 to migrate to Linux instead.

Recently we saw the ‘End of 10’ project, which is a group of Linux enthusiasts urging folks to switch to one of the flavors (known as distros) of that operating system as an alternative to Microsoft.

And now, Windows Latest flagged up that we’ve got ‘KDE for Windows 10 Exiles’ which is, shall we say, a bit more full-on in its attempts to persuade people to defect to Linux.

If you’re wondering what KDE is, it makes a desktop environment called Plasma which comes preinstalled with some of the best Linux distros (and can be installed with others, too).

The portal on the official KDE website doesn’t pull any punches, as we’re told: “Running Windows 10 on your computer? On October 14 Microsoft wants to turn it into junk.

“It may seem like it continues to work after that date for a bit, but when Microsoft stops support for Windows 10, your perfectly good computer will be officially obsolete.”

KDE then points out that if it’s unpatched, which is what happens when support ceases, Windows 10 is insecure, and you open yourself to being hacked, adding that also: “New versions of your apps will not run, but Microsoft will still block you from upgrading to the next version of Windows until you buy the new computer they decide.

“You will be forced to spend your hard-earned cash and will be unwillingly polluting the earth and water as your old machine rots in a landfill. The air will also be polluted with the emissions that come from manufacturing and shipping a new device you don’t really need.”

(Image credit: Microsoft)Analysis: Firing the big guns

Ouch, in a word. That’s quite the heavy cannon fire aimed at Microsoft. Indeed, the KDE website accuses Microsoft of leveraging a form of ‘tech extortion’ here – but is this fair? Not really, no, but it’s not entirely baseless either.

The anger is coming from the fact that Windows 11’s heftier system requirements mean that some Windows 10 PCs simply can’t have the newer OS, because their CPU is too old (or they don’t have TPM 2.0, a security feature).

This could be an impossible issue to resolve with a laptop (where the hardware can’t be replaced at all), and perhaps even super-tricky on a desktop PC (you may end up upgrading basically everything, which might be well beyond the abilities of many owners, or not make any sense cost-wise).

That enforcement of a loftier PC spec is done for what Microsoft argues is (primarily) security improvements with Windows 11, and it’s a move that many organizations have criticized because it’s likely to push a whole heap of computers onto the scrapheap. This is where the stark images of landfill come into play, and this is a looking environmental disaster on the tech front, I wouldn’t argue against that.

Can Linux rescue your old PC from that fate? Well, yes it can, though it’s not quite as simple as that. For less tech-savvy users, a move to Linux will be a complex process where they may wonder where to even begin (picking a good Linux distro for beginners, or perhaps one that’s similar to Windows, would be a start).

And I can’t pretend there aren’t serious shortcomings with Linux in some ways: it’s a whole new interface to learn, some of the apps you’ve spent money on may not work with the OS, and certainly some games won’t run (at all).

There are brick walls that may be run up against, including potential hardware or driver issues – and for a less experienced computer user, that’s going to be a whole lot to cope with, only relying on online support from the community to get them through. (Although I must admit, the Linux community cannot be faulted for their helpfulness).

I’ve covered this ground before, but for somewhat more experienced Windows 10 users, a switch to Linux could be a viable enough way to keep old hardware alive. For the less confident tech types out there, though, maybe not so much.

As for calling out Microsoft for extortion – well, that’s going too far. Windows is a paid OS, and as such, it won’t last forever. Windows 10 has been around for a decade, so really, that’s hardly bad value for money – especially seeing as a fair few folks got the upgrade for free, anyway. You can also pay for another year of support for Windows 10, and it doesn’t cost a whole lot.

If I was to chuck stones at Microsoft’s Windows greenhouse, it would be for including promotional activity in a paid-for OS, not charging for the software in the first place. That is a serious frustration with Windows. It’d also be nice to have the option of extended support for consumers that’s longer than a year, too (while that could still happen, Microsoft hasn’t said it will yet).

It’s worth noting that some folks who work on KDE were part of the End of 10 project, and there’s a link across to the latter website, too. So, it’d appear that KDE really is making a big play to capitalize on disgruntled types who feel Microsoft is being unfair with its Windows 11 system requirements, and that’s fair enough.

However, I think it’d be wise to rein in some of the language and the way this campaign is angled here.

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• Several possible iOS 19 features have been rumored
• These includes polls and automatic translations in the Messages app
• The Notes app might let you export in Markdown, and Music could be getting animated album artwork on the lock screen

iOS 19 is expected to be a major visual overhaul for the operating system, and it may even include a new naming scheme, with the update possibly set to be called iOS 26 instead.

But as well as these big changes there are sure to also be smaller updates, and some possible ones have now been shared by 9to5Mac.

According to the site, the Messages app will be getting two new features. For one thing, it will apparently add support for polls, and may even use Apple Intelligence to suggest polls based on the context of a conversation.

The other feature apparently coming to Messages is automatic translation of incoming and outgoing messages. So if someone messages you in a language other than your phone’s system language, it will arrive translated, and likewise if you message someone in something other than their native language, they’ll receive a translation.

The iPhone 16e (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)Getting animated

The Music app is also said to be getting a new feature in the form of animated album art that can be displayed on the lock screen. You can already see animated album art within the Music app, but with iOS 19 it will apparently be possible to display this on the lock screen too.

Finally on the iOS 19 front, the Notes app is apparently gaining the ability to export notes in Markdown.

9to5Mac also claims that CarPlay is getting an overhauled UI that will see it look more like iOS 19 (which itself is also expected to be overhauled).

All of this should of course be taken with a pinch of salt, but Apple is expected to unveil iOS 19 on June 9 at WWDC 2025, so we should know exactly what the company has planned for its software soon.

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• Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC cost £249 / $299 (about AU$520)
• Adaptive noise cancellation and THX Spatial Audio with head tracking
• Up to 60 hours listening time; Bluetooth 5.3 with LE Audio

If you're going to compete with the likes of Sony and Bose for the title of best ANC headphones, you need to bring your A game, and ideally a bag with a skull on it. And Skullcandy has done exactly that with its new Aviator 900 ANC headphones.

Where rivals tend to offer a case, Skullcandy has gone for the more fashionable cross-body bag pictured below. And where rivals offer some form of spatial audio, Skullcandy's gone for THX Spatial Audio with head tracking.

The bag feels like a genuinely useful and practical addition, while also being a more fashionable option, so it's maybe a win all round.

These aren't the first Skullcandy Aviator headphones: the previous model, relreased in 2010, was something of a hit among celebrities and influencers. This new model takes the same retro aesthetic but brings it bang up to date.

Where rivals offer a carrying case, Skullcandy has a bag with a skull on it (Image credit: Skullcandy)Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC: key features and pricing

The noise cancellation here is adaptive, with six microphones analyzing the audio around you, and with ANC on you can get a very respectable 50 hours of listening; with ANC off that rises to 60-plus hours. Rapid charging will give you four extra hours from a 10-minute charge.

Bluetooth is 5.3 with LE Audio and multi-point pairing, and there's a low latency mode for gaming and watching video. Google Fast Pair and Google Finder are both supported.

The Aviator 900 ANC headphones include personalized audio via Mimi, and they also come with three EQ presets and a customizable 5-band EQ. You can customize the button functions via the companion app, and there's Spotify Tap support for instant access to your Spotify tunes.

These are Skullcandy's most premium headphones yet, we're told, but they're not priced too expensive: the list price is $299 / £249 / €299 / about AU$520.

That puts them in competition with the Sony WH-1000XM5 and the Bose QuietComfort Headphones – though they're still less premium-priced than the $399 / £349 of the new Sony WH-1000XM6.

We look forward to seeing if they can stand up to those headphones when it comes to performance – but when it comes to features and design, they're off to a good start.

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• Polar's new fitness tracker is targeting users that want a slightly smaller footprint
• The Grit X2 is intended to offer many of the features from the Grit X2 Pro at a lower price point
• It's packed with sensors, as well as offline map functionality

It would be fair to say that many of the best fitness trackers right now are so comprehensive that it's tricky for anyone to break new ground.

That means most devices launching in 2025 are evolutionary, rather than revolutionary, falling into one of two categories. They're either adding small tweaks to preceding models, creating more premium versions, or they work to lower the price where possible by slimming down to democratize the technology.

Polar, a company well-versed in incremental improvements, has managed to go down both routes with its new Polar Grit X2. The latest rugged smartwatch is aiming to be more "affordable, durable, and compact" than the Polar Grit X2 Pro, and launches today, June 4 for £399 (around $540 / AU$835), in the UK and EU, with US and other regions to be added.

A strong first impression

The Polar Grit X2 offers a 1.28 inch AMOLED panel, smaller than the Grit X2 pro's 1.39-inch, with the same sapphire crystal glass and stainless steel bezel for durability. This watch will be ideal for Polar fans with smaller wrists, looking for a slimmer, lighter adventure companion.

It meets military-grade 810H standards, meaning it should withstand "extreme temperatures, high altitudes, shock, and immersion" according to Polar.

Polar has long been pushing its navigation features, and that's not changing here. The Grit X2 gains the Grit X2 Pro's full-color, offline topographic maps to help with getting from A to B, or finding your way back if you get off the path.

This is particularly good as it slots within the same price point as this year's Garmin Instinct 3, an excellent adventure watch that's sadly missing full-color, topographical maps. Polar's managed to undercut Garmin here.

Polar Elixir health monitoring technology

(Image credit: Polar )

Polar Elixir, the company's 'most advanced biosensing platform to date' includes a fourth-generation optical heart rate sensor, ECG, blood oxygen monitoring, and skin temperature updates, and the company says it'll be getting new features in lockstep with the Grit X2 Pro.

“Outdoor sports are thriving like never before – and it's women who are leading that growth", Sander Werring, CEO of Polar Electro explained via press release.

"Yet the market still lacks well-designed outdoor watches that truly cater to those seeking a more compact fit. Too often, designs are bulky or lack essential features."

"With the launch of Grit X2, we address this long-standing gap, delivering premium functionality in a streamlined design, built to move with a new generation of adventurers."

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• Samsung has teased an 'Ultra' foldable
• It sounds like this could launch soon, so we might see a Galaxy Z Fold 7 Ultra alongside the company's other 2025 foldables
• Expect bigger screens, better cameras, and lots of AI

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is currently Samsung’s most expensive widely available phone, but this year the company might launch something even pricier than the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. That's right: Samsung has strongly hinted that a Galaxy Z Fold 7 Ultra is on the way.

In a new post on its newsroom, Samsung talks about introducing an "Ultra-experience" with a foldable form factor, and while the company doesn’t get specific about when such a product might launch, it concludes by saying “the Ultra experience is ready to unfold”, which suggests it’s coming soon.

That could mean we’ll see the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Ultra launch alongside the standard Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, both of which are expected to land in July.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)Bigger and better

But what would a Galaxy Z Fold 7 Ultra entail? Samsung doesn’t get super specific here either, but it does mention “bigger screens, better cameras and new ways to connect and create,” as well as “industry-leading hardware, cutting-edge performance and seamless AI integration optimized for the foldable format.”

And there’s a GIF included that shows the outline of a foldable phone, though the form factor appears much like that of the Galaxy Z Fold 6.

However, while this all basically confirms that Samsung is working on an Ultra-level foldable, it’s possible that these features will instead come to the standard Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. After all, that’s rumored to have a new 200MP camera, bigger screens, and more power, so it could potentially be considered an ‘Ultra’ phone in itself.

So, it could be that we’ll still see just one new Z Fold model this year, a product with Ultra-level upgrades that may or may not have 'Ultra' in its name.

Alternatively, we might get both a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Ultra – though in that case, it’s unclear whether all the previous Galaxy Z Fold 7 leaks we’ve seen are actually about that phone or whether some are about the Z Fold 7 Ultra instead.

Either way, it seems likely that at least one of Samsung’s upcoming foldables will be a big upgrade on what we’ve seen before.

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• HPE patches eight flaws in StoreOnce platform
• Among the flaws is a critical severity authentication bypass
• There are no workarounds and users are advised to patch up

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has revealed patches for a number of dangerous flaws affecting its data backup and recovery solution, StoreOnce, including a critical-severity bug which allows threat actors to gain full access to the vulnerable system without user interaction.

The bug is tracked as CVE-2025-37093, and is described as an authentication bypass flaw stemming from improper authentication handling. It has a severity score of 9.8/10 (critical) and could potentially be abused to compromise system integrity, allow threat actors to access sensitive data, and lead to different disruptions and availability issues.

Crooks could use it to deploy ransomware, steal sensitive data, or move laterally throughout the target network.

Eight flaws patched

In HPE’s advisory, the company said all versions prior to 4.3.11 were vulnerable, and has urged users to update their software as soon as possible.

There are no other mitigations or workarounds, so if you can’t update your instance immediately, it would be best to remove the product until you can patch it.

The issues were reportedly discovered seven months ago but apparently no one abused it in the wild so far.

In total, HPE patched eight flaws this time around. While the authentication bypass is the most severe one, others are potentially dangerous, as well.

Here is a list of other seven flaws HPE fixed in version 4.3.11:

CVE-2025-37089 – Remote Code Execution
CVE-2025-37090 – Server-Side Request Forgery
CVE-2025-37091 – Remote Code Execution
CVE-2025-37092 – Remote Code Execution
CVE-2025-37094 – Directory Traversal Arbitrary File Deletion
CVE-2025-37095 – Directory Traversal Information Disclosure
CVE-2025-37096 – Remote Code Execution

HPE StoreOnce is a disk-based backup and recovery system that uses data deduplication to reduce storage needs.It is usually used by enterprises, government agencies, and mid-sized businesses with complex IT environments.

StoreOnce supports integration with other backup and enterprise software, such as HPE Data Protector, Veeam, Veritas NetBackup, Commvault, and Microsoft Data Protection Manager. It also connects with cloud storage through HPE Cloud Bank Storage.

Via BleepingComputer

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