Trending Articles, Demos and tech notes
Disk Recovery Success Using GNU ddrescue on Ubuntu Linux
Data loss remains one of the most stressful experiences a computer user can face, whether caused by hardware failure, accidental deletion, or something more sinister like ransomware. In 2026, GNU ddrescue remains the gold standard for low-level data recovery on Linux — a battle-tested tool that has been actively maintained for over two decades. This guide walks you through the full recovery workflow on Ubuntu Linux: diagnosing your drive with smartctl, visualising your disk layout with GParted, and performing the actual rescue with GNU ddrescue. Where relevant, we also cover DDRescue-GUI, a paid graphical front-end that makes the process considerably more approachable.
TL;DR — GNU ddrescue provides the most reliable way to copy as complete an image as possible from a failing drive, minimising the risk of catastrophic data loss. Before you reach for it, though, check your drive with GParted and smartctl from smartmontools. If the drive is actually healthy, you may be able to simply mount it and copy your files the normal way — no imaging required.
- Details
- Written by: Angus Fox
Read more: Disk Recovery Success Using GNU ddrescue on Ubuntu Linux
Rotating the root of trust — break-glass key rotation for a Joomla licensing system
If you sign your extension’s subscription-validation responses with an RSA key, that private key is the root of trust for every copy you’ve ever shipped. So what do you do when it might have been exfiltrated? You can’t just mint a new one and swap it in — the instant you do, every customer’s extension rejects the new signature and in our case drops to the free tier limiting functionality they paid to subscribe to.
TL:DR – This is how I rotated a possibly-compromised signing key across a live Joomla subscription system without breaking the field, plus the one design idea that made it safe.
- Details
- Written by: Angus Fox
Read more: Rotating the root of trust — break-glass key rotation for a Joomla licensing system
Five alternatives to the Google Pixel 10a, but its still the no1 choice mid range android
The Google Pixel 10a, launched in April 2026 as the latest entry in Google's celebrated mid-range line, has already generated serious buzz — and for good reason. With a brighter display, faster charging, tougher glass, and the same Tensor G4 chip as its flagship sibling, it raises the bar for what a sub-£500 Android phone can do. But the mid-range market in 2026 is more competitive than ever, so before you hit buy, it's worth knowing what else is out there.
TL:DR – The Pixel 10a is the standout choice if you're shopping for a mid-range Android right now in mid-2026. Launched on 25 April 2026, it brings a 6.3-inch P-OLED display hitting up to 2169 nits peak brightness, Gorilla Glass 7i front and back, a 5100mAh battery, and 30W wired / 10W wireless charging — all powered by the Tensor G4 chip with full Gemini AI support. At £499 it sits well below the Pixel 10 (£799) and Pixel 10 Pro (£999), and Google's enhanced trade-in promotion runs until the end of June 2026, so if you've got an old Pixel or iPhone gathering dust, now is the time to cash it in.
- Details
- Written by: Angus Fox
Read more: Five alternatives to the Google Pixel 10a, but its still the no1 choice mid range android
New rules to protect children online in the UK
The UK Government Draws a Line in the Sand on Social Media for Under-16s
On 15 June 2026, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that the United Kingdom will ban children under the age of 16 from using a range of social media platforms. The move follows one of the largest public consultations ever conducted by the current government.
TL:DR – The ban raises profound questions not just for parents and policymakers, but for anyone involved in building digital products.
- Details
- Written by: Angus Fox
MacBook Neo is the first indicator of the Ternus era
MacBook Neo Is the First Indicator of the Ternus Era
There is a particular kind of moment in Apple's history that only becomes legible in retrospect. The introduction of the original iMac in 1998 looked, to many observers at the time, like a colourful curiosity. The first MacBook Air, unveiled by Steve Jobs from a manila envelope in 2008, seemed to some like a compromised machine for a niche audience. It is only later, when the thread becomes visible, that you understand you were watching the opening statement of something much larger. The MacBook Neo looks to me to be one of those moments.
TL:DR – The MacBook Neo was launched before Ternus became CEO but it is a sign of what his tenure will be about
- Details
- Written by: Angus Fox
Read more: MacBook Neo is the first indicator of the Ternus era
Why Chrome couldn't reach my LAN web server on macOS, and why it wasn't DNS
Chrome Local Network Permission on macOS
What It Is and Why It Can Be So Hard to Diagnose
Starting with Chrome 130, Google introduced a new permission prompt that asks users whether a website should be allowed to access devices on their local network. This change aligns Chrome's behavior with the privacy goals outlined in the Private Network Access specification, a W3C proposal designed to prevent malicious websites from reaching routers, printers, smart home devices, and other hardware that sits behind a firewall.
On macOS, this permission works alongside the operating system's own network permission layer, which means users and administrators can find themselves troubleshooting problems that involve two entirely separate permission systems at once. The result is a diagnostic challenge that is easy to underestimate.
TL:DR – If you find this because Google sent you here after a few hours of staring at `ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED`, `ERR_ADDRESS_UNREACHABLE`, or `net::os_error: 65` (ENETUNREACH) when Chrome can't reach a host on your own network, scroll to "The fix" at the bottom. The first 80% of this post is the diagnostic journey, because the journey is the lesson: the obvious suspects were all innocent, and the real cause was a quietly broken state in macOS itself.
- Details
- Written by: Angus Fox
Read more: Why Chrome couldn't reach my LAN web server on macOS, and why it wasn't DNS
Rebuilding 928uk® in Flutter
After three years on FlutterFlow's managed build service, we relaunched 928uk as a hand-rewritten Flutter app this month, published to both the App Store and Google Play via their respective review processes. The work spanned several weeks and the end result is: a clean codebase, a self-hosted CI/CD pipeline, and learning a stack of small App Store-review compliance items that you only learn about by tripping over them. Here is the shape of the journey.
TL:DR – Two weeks to refactor a and publsh a mobile app in Flutter with repeatable local control of automated builds.
- Details
- Written by: Angus Fox
MacBook Pro pick of the month
The UK refurbished MacBook market continues to adjust in response to Apple’s recent M4 MacBook and MacBook Pro release. Supply is healthy, but standout deals remain elusive. This week, Amazon Renewed listings havent changed much for desirable configurations after a drop last week.
Im only including 16 GB RAM and 1 TB SSD configurations because they offer significantly better longevity and maintain higher resale value, particularly among professional users seeking balanced capability. An emerging trend worth noting appears to be the increased availability of 1 TB models which provide ample storage for most use cases and these models are rapidly becoming the new baseline for buyers.
TL:DR – My pick of the week is (MacBook Air 13-inch M2, 2022) 16 GB / 1 TB at £791 on Amazon. Theres also a great value MacBook Pro (14-inch, M1, 2021) 16 GB / 1 TB at £849. These are astonishing value! Always read the fine print and compare prices widely before deciding.
- Details
- Written by: Angus Fox
Working headless RDP with GNOME Remote Desktop on Ubuntu 25.10
Setting up GNOME Remote Desktop for headless multi-user RDP access on Ubuntu 25.10 (Questing Quokka) is trickier than it should be. This guide documents a working approach using only the software shipped with Ubuntu Desktop — no extra packages required — and uses openssl to generate TLS certificates. It covers common errors and how to resolve them, and reflects what actually works in 2026.
TL:DR – Getting this right on Ubuntu 25.04 was a frustrating experience. After several hours of digging, headless multi-user RDP on 25.10 finally works reliably, and the approach below is the result of that effort.
- Details
- Written by: Angus Fox
Read more: Working headless RDP with GNOME Remote Desktop on Ubuntu 25.10
Use an Apple Magic Mouse on Windows 11 PC
You do not have to abandon Windows just to enjoy the precision, build quality, and touch-surface elegance of the Apple Magic Mouse. I run a dedicated Windows 11 machine for client work and I like my desk accessories to be consistent across every setup, so I set about making the Magic Mouse work properly on Windows. In this guide I will walk you through connecting and fully enabling the Magic Mouse on your Windows 11 PC — including scrolling. Pick up an Apple Magic Mouse in Black or White from Amazon UK and let's get into it.
TL:DR – I resisted the Magic Mouse for years, then got one with a Mac and slowly came round to the feel and the freedom. Now I have that same experience on Windows too.
- Details
- Written by: Angus Fox
From Local Builds to Production DevOps: Automating Joomla Extension Release Management
In 2026, automated release pipelines are no longer a luxury reserved for large engineering teams — they are the baseline expectation for any serious software project. Yet a surprising number of Joomla extension developers are still shipping releases by hand, copying files over SSH, and hoping nothing was missed. This article documents how we migrated our own Joomla extension build process from manual local builds to a fully automated, Git-based release pipeline — and why, in today's environment, that shift is more important than ever.
TL:DR – Moving from a manual, error-prone release process to a robust automated pipeline takes real effort upfront, but the payoff is immediate: faster releases, fewer mistakes, and a professional workflow that scales as your extension portfolio grows.
- Details
- Written by: Angus Fox
Read more: From Local Builds to Production DevOps: Automating Joomla Extension Release Management
- Joomla Server emails via Google Workspace in 2026
- Wiring AdMob in Flutter: Eight Hashes for Two Apps
- GitHub Copilot’s Data Policy Shift: What It Means for Developers and Organisations
- Why the New Low Cost MacBook Neo is a Game Changer
- iPhone 5s 2026 iOS 12.5.8 surprise software update
- Running Gitea with Let’s Encrypt on macOS via Homebrew
- Running Homebrew Apache with Let's Encrypt SSL on macOS Tahoe
- Warning: AI guardrails are not in place.
- Improving product management productivity with AI
- Beyond the glimmer of Liquid Glass is a sparkle concealing a revolution
- New Cassette recorders in 2026
- Refactoring a Node.js app with Gemini CLI
