Linux Format - UK (2019-12)

http://www.linuxformat.com

Samsung kills ‘Linux on DeX’

Samsung has ended its Linux on DeX project that

enabled you to run the OS on a smartphone

SMARTPHONES

OPINION

GAMING

ne of the best features of Sony’s

PlayStation 4 console is the ability to

stream games from the console to

PCs and laptops. However, only Windows and

macOS are officially supported. The good news

is that there’s now a way for Linux users to

stream their PS4 games to their PCs, with the

release of Chiaki, a free and open source PS

Remote Play client for Linux (and also macOS

and Windows).

It comes with pretty much all the features

that the official client has, including congestion

control to ensure the best possible streaming

quality and experience depending on network

conditions, bitrate control, Touchpad support

Chiaki is an open-source PS4 Remote Play client for Linux.

amsung has ended its Linux on DeX

beta trial, and it will no longer provide

support on future operating systems.

The DeX feature of certain Samsung

smartphones enables users to plug their handset

into a monitor or dock and use it as a PC, with

mouse and keyboard support, as well as a

desktop-like operating system, based on Android.

The project (www.linuxondex.com) allowed

people to run a full version of Linux on top of

DeX, effectively turning smartphones into

powerful portable PCs.

However, despite its promising premise,

Samsung has sent an email to beta users saying

that “Unfortunately, we are announcing the end

of our beta program, and will no longer provide

support on future OS and device releases.” It

looks like the forthcoming release of Android 10

has hastened Samsung’s decision, as it says that

“Linux on DeX will not be supported on Android

10 Beta. Once you update your device to Android

OS 10, you will not be able to perform a version

rollback to Android Pie.”

However, there is no reference to the beta

ending on the project’s home page, and you can

even still sign up for it if you have a compatible

Well, I’m told the last

couple of months’

payment anomalies have

been resolved, so perhaps

by Samhain I’ll be able to

eat again. Meanwhile, it

seems I was remiss in my

distro selections for LXF256.

Off went the disc to the

replicators, and then a

couple of weeks later

CodeLinSoft announced

that the Condres OS project

was shutting up shop.

Even if we had time,

there’s no way the higher-

ups would authorise the

costs of making a

replacement disc, so we had

no choice but to run with it.

It’s hard work maintaining a

Linux distro, and this sort of

thing happens a lot with

‘one-person distros’, but we

really thought Condres had

a future.

“Beware of that which

claims to make Arch easy”

is the moral of the story. If

you’ve already installed

Condres and you’re feeling

brave, there are some

instructions on the website

for switching to pure Arch.

The good news is that this

month’s selections (Ubuntu

and NixOS) aren’t going to

shut down overnight (er,

probably not, anyway – Ed).

And that there are a whole

bunch of exciting releases

that will grace our disc in

the coming months,

including but not limited to

Fedora, Mint, and

elementary OS.

for the DualShock 4 controller, configurable key

bindings and remote wakeup of the console. So

far, it’s been getting very positive word of mouth

from people who have used it, who appreciate

the simplicity of the system – you just need to

enter your PSN ID (which you create when you

first buy a PS4) and set up a few things, and you

should be good to go.

Some users are even saying that performance

is better than the official version. To download

Chiaki and for more information on setting up

the software, head to http://bit.ly/

LXF257Chiaki. It might be a good idea to do

this before Sony nixes the unofficial project,

as it almost certainly will eventually.

PS4 game streaming

comes to Linux

BACK IN

THE GAME

O

S

device – including the Note 9, S9, S10, Tab S5e

and Tab S4. So if you’re eager to try it out, you

may be still able to use Linux on DeX, but once

you upgrade to Android 10 when it comes out,

you’ll no longer be able to use it.

Samsung’s move is disappointing but

perhaps not unexpected, as it has not made any

major updates to the project during the beta

phase, and up till now only Ubuntu 16.04 has

been offered as an official system image.

DeX allows you to use a Samsung smartphone as a PC-like

device. Sadly, its support of Linux seems to have ended.

Jonni Bidwell

was having some time off, but

it didn’t seem to have a very

calming effect on his brain.

http://www.techradar.com/pro/linux December 2019 LXF257 7

NEWSDESK

Samsung kills ‘Linux on DeX’

SamsunghasendeditsLinuxonDeXprojectthat

enabledyoutoruntheOSona smartphone

SMARTPHONES

OPINION

GAMING

neofthebestfeaturesofSony’s
PlayStation4 consoleistheabilityto
streamgamesfromtheconsoleto
PCsandlaptops.However,onlyWindowsand
macOSareofficiallysupported.Thegoodnews
isthatthere’snowa wayforLinuxusersto
streamtheirPS4gamestotheirPCs,withthe
releaseofChiaki, a freeandopensourcePS
RemotePlayclientforLinux(andalsomacOS
andWindows).
It comeswithprettymuchallthefeatures
thattheofficialclienthas,includingcongestion
controltoensurethebestpossiblestreaming
qualityandexperiencedependingonnetwork
conditions,bitratecontrol,Touchpadsupport

Chiakiisanopen-sourcePS4RemotePlayclientforLinux.

amsunghasendeditsLinuxonDeX
betatrial,andit willnolongerprovide
supportonfutureoperatingsystems.
TheDeXfeatureofcertainSamsung
smartphonesenablesuserstoplugtheirhandset
intoa monitorordockanduseit asa PC,with
mouseandkeyboardsupport,aswellasa
desktop-likeoperatingsystem,basedonAndroid.
Theproject(www.linuxondex.com) allowed
peopletoruna fullversionofLinuxontopof
DeX,effectivelyturningsmartphonesinto
powerfulportablePCs.
However,despiteitspromisingpremise,
Samsunghassentanemailtobetauserssaying
that“Unfortunately,weareannouncingtheend
ofourbetaprogram,andwillnolongerprovide
supportonfutureOSanddevicereleases.”It
looksliketheforthcomingreleaseofAndroid 10
hashastenedSamsung’sdecision,asit saysthat
“LinuxonDeXwillnotbesupportedonAndroid
10 Beta.OnceyouupdateyourdevicetoAndroid
OS10,youwillnotbeabletoperforma version
rollbacktoAndroidPie.”
However,thereisnoreferencetothebeta
endingontheproject’shomepage,andyoucan
evenstillsignupforit if youhavea compatible

Well,I’mtoldthelast

coupleofmonths’

paymentanomalieshave

beenresolved,soperhaps

bySamhainI’llbeableto

eatagain.Meanwhile,it

seemsI wasremissinmy

distroselectionsforLXF256.

Offwentthedisctothe

replicators,andthena

coupleofweekslater

CodeLinSoftannounced

thattheCondresOSproject

wasshuttingupshop.

Evenif wehadtime,

there’snowaythehigher-

upswouldauthorisethe

costsofmakinga

replacementdisc,sowehad

nochoicebuttorunwithit.

It’shardworkmaintaininga

Linuxdistro,andthissortof

thinghappensa lotwith

‘one-persondistros’,butwe

reallythoughtCondreshad

a future.

“Bewareofthatwhich

claimstomakeArcheasy”

isthemoralofthestory.If

you’vealreadyinstalled

Condresandyou’refeeling

brave,therearesome

instructionsonthewebsite

forswitchingtopureArch.

Thegoodnewsisthatthis

month’sselections(Ubuntu

andNixOS)aren’tgoingto

shutdownovernight(er,

probablynot,anyway– Ed).

Andthattherearea whole

bunchofexcitingreleases

thatwillgraceourdiscin

thecomingmonths,

includingbutnotlimitedto

Fedora,Mint,and

elementaryOS.

fortheDualShock4 controller,configurablekey

bindingsandremotewakeupoftheconsole.So

far,it’sbeengettingverypositivewordofmouth

frompeoplewhohaveusedit,whoappreciate

thesimplicityofthesystem– youjustneedto

enteryourPSNID(whichyoucreatewhenyou

firstbuya PS4)andsetupa fewthings,andyou

shouldbegoodtogo.

Someusersareevensayingthatperformance

isbetterthantheofficialversion.Todownload

Chiakiandformoreinformationonsettingup

thesoftware,headtohttp://bit.ly/

LXF257Chiaki. It mightbea goodideatodo

thisbeforeSonynixestheunofficialproject,

asit almostcertainlywilleventually.

PS4 game streaming

comes to Linux

BACK IN

THE GAME

O

S

device– includingtheNote9,S9,S10,TabS5e

andTabS4.Soif you’reeagertotryit out,you

maybestillabletouseLinuxonDeX,butonce

youupgradetoAndroid 10 whenit comesout,

you’llnolongerbeabletouseit.

Samsung’smoveisdisappointingbut

perhapsnotunexpected,asit hasnotmadeany

majorupdatestotheprojectduringthebeta

phase,anduptillnowonlyUbuntu16.04has

beenofferedasanofficialsystemimage.

DeXallowsyoutousea Samsungsmartphoneasa PC-like

device.Sadly,itssupportofLinuxseemstohaveended.

JonniBidwell

washavingsometimeoff,but

it didn’tseemtohavea very

calmingeffectonhisbrain.

http://www.techradar.com/pro/linux December 2019 LXF257 7

NEWSDESK