# The Bryant Review
> Technology for Human Beings. We tell human stories at the intersection of tech and culture. Free software, gaming, movies, music, TV, and the industries that have colonized our lives.
Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. Use `/llms-full.txt` for consolidated page and post context.
Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`).

## Pages
- [About](https://gardinerbryant.com/about-67ef2f4e2647d3001bbfa715.md)
- [The Bryant Review](https://gardinerbryant.com/about.md) - Our Mission Welcome to "The Bryant Review," a publication that focuses on Technology For Human Beings. Our aim is to cover the tech that excites and liberates us, advocate for digital rights, and evangelize Free and Open Source software. We stand for empowering end users, documenting software histo…
- [Affiliate Links](https://gardinerbryant.com/affiliate-links.md) - Here on The Bryant Review, we often talk about products (like games, accessories, and the like) as well as services that we use. When we do, we may links to these products and services using a special type of link known as an "affiliate." If you make a purchase using our affiliate links, we will ge…
- [Analytics Dashboard](https://gardinerbryant.com/analytics-dashboard.md) - See the real-time views of The Bryant Review.
- [Content Warnings](https://gardinerbryant.com/content-warnings.md) - At The Bryant Review, we believe that you have a right to be proactive in, and make informed decisions about, the things you consume online. From time to time, we may publish articles that contain mature subject matter including sensitive topics. Therefore, we're now including a generic content war…
- [Code of Ethics](https://gardinerbryant.com/ethics.md) - TL;DR * The Bryant Review's articles are 100% human-written. We do not publish AI slop and pass it off as our own work. Ever. * We may quote AI-generated content for illustrative purposes. In such an event, we will mark said content as such. * We do cover software projects which use generative AI f…
- [Links](https://gardinerbryant.com/links.md) - * Matrix * Email * Affiliate Links * Support * My Work * Podcast * mastodon Mastodon * Bluesky * Subscribeto.me Peertube * pixelfed Pixelfed * Hire Me
- [New All Access Member](https://gardinerbryant.com/member-all-access.md)
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- [Redeem Your Complementary Premium Access](https://gardinerbryant.com/redeem-your-complementary-premium-access.md) - If you're a member of my Patreon, you get complementary access to this site! How to redeem your access Getting your complementary access to The Bryant Review can take different forms depending on when you signed up. New Patrons Within moments of making your pledge on Patreon, you will automatically…
- [Sponsorships](https://gardinerbryant.com/sponsorships.md) - Here at The Bryant Review, the mission is simple: provide you with insightful, high-quality stories about Technology for Human Beings. I recognize that you come to the site for reviews and perspectives that add genuine value to your experience online. And while this is the personal effort of myself…
- [Daily Sums](https://gardinerbryant.com/sums.md) - Daily Sums is a daily number puzzle. Score points while sharpening your math skills in this fun, addictive game presented by The Bryant Review!
- [Our Matrix Rules](https://gardinerbryant.com/tbr-matrix-room.md) - Thanks for your interest in joining the official Bryant Review Matrix room! Free and open source is about one thing: ensuring the rights of all users, everywhere. This means four things: 1. Privacy 2. Dignity 3. Autonomy 4. Ownership In our Matrix room, we are providing a space that's welcoming to…
- [The Bryant Review Style Guide](https://gardinerbryant.com/the-bryant-review-style-guide.md) - I'm publishing my musings on writing style and article formatting here. If you're a guest contributor or writer here, that's great! If not, that's great too! My thoughts on style and formatting are by no means set in stone. I encourage you to use your best judgement when writing articles. My aim fo…
- [Uppercase: A daily word puzzle by The Bryant Review](https://gardinerbryant.com/uppercase.md) - Uppercase * Daily Puzzle * Previous Puzzles... * Options Sound Effects Volume Change the sound effect volume Enable Music Enable music in the main menu Keyboard Layout Pick a keyboard layout (requires reset) Qwerty Dvorak Azerty Workman Alphabetical Previous Puzzles More... Guesses: N Join our Disc…

## Posts
- [Ben Folds Five](https://gardinerbryant.com/ben-folds-five.md) - You know what they say about rock stars, right? Every rock star secretly wants to be a comedian, and every comedian wants to be a rock star. Well, Ben Folds Five is what happens if Billy Joel went punk and started emulating Weird Al. The confluence of rock and comedy. And after 14 years, they're go…
- [Farewell, BioWare: The End of an RPG Giant](https://gardinerbryant.com/farewell-bioware-the-end-of-an-rpg-giant.md) - From Neverwinter Nights and Dragon Age: Origins to Mass Effect 2, BioWare helped define a generation of role-playing games. Its closure may not be entirely surprising, but that doesn't make it any less sad.
- [Hands on With The Retroid Pocket Duo; A Little More Magic This Time](https://gardinerbryant.com/hands-on-with-the-retroid-pocket-duo.md) - With excellent DS and 3DS emulation, beautiful AMOLED displays and enough power to explore well beyond Nintendo's handhelds, Retroid finds a lovely balance.
- ["It’s not slop if it works."](https://gardinerbryant.com/its-not-slop-if-it-works.md) - I read the title of this article in the comments of an AI-coded Steam Deck plugin. I had to do a double take and nearly got whiplash. A comment like that is staggering in its implications. I had a major sense of déjà vu. I’ve seen this movie before, the ending is never about what got built. It's al…
- [The Unlikely Story of Yabadabadoo, and Bringing Sega Saturn Games to the Miyoo Mini](https://gardinerbryant.com/the-unlikely-story-of-yabadabadoo-and-bringing-sega-saturn-games-to-the-miyoo-mini.md) - How a broken handheld, a love of Sakura Wars, and an unconventional approach to AI-assisted development led WillHasStyles to push one of the smallest retro handhelds well beyond its expected capabilities
- [What If Video Games Came on VHS? One Modder Is Finding Out](https://gardinerbryant.com/what-if-video-games-came-on-vhs.md) - Inspired by a forgotten 1980s console, one creator is using VHS tapes to build wonderfully strange, interactive versions of Doom and Super Mario Bros.
- [StackExchange blocked my home IP address](https://gardinerbryant.com/stackexchange-blocked-my-home-ip-address.md) - So. They blocked my static, residential IP address. And before you say "did you check that you're not using a VPN?" Yes. Of course I did! The question is: Why? The answer: Who knows? I only learned this had happened a few days ago because I visited their website via a Kagi search result. Then I was…
- [Taking the Seeds Out: Inside SeedlessDS and Its Quest for Better DS Emulation on Handhelds](https://gardinerbryant.com/taking-the-seeds-out-inside-seedlessds.md) - Talking to SapphireRhodonite about building SeedlessDS, making dual-screen emulation feel right, and why modest handhelds still deserve a great Nintendo DS experience.
- [Epic announced Fortnite for Linux](https://gardinerbryant.com/epic-announced-fortnite-for-linux.md) - (No, I'm not kidding)
- [Uppercase gets more refinements!](https://gardinerbryant.com/uppercase-gets-some-refinements.md) - This new build, version 067f0b7a, includes some exciting changes! Find a free puzzle in this article and experience the update for yourself!
- [Linux users (often) disappoint me](https://gardinerbryant.com/linux-users-often-disappoint-me.md) - I'm a Linux user. I am a huge fan of free and open source software in general. For the most part, FOSS is all I use and it's all I want to use (with a few rare exceptions). I also have empathy and a solid theory of mind. Sadly, I can't say the same for many of my fellow Linux users. Allow me to exp…
- [Can we talk about Brütal Legend for a minute?](https://gardinerbryant.com/can-we-talk-about-brutal-legend-for-a-minute.md) - Or "that time Jack Black starred in an RTS larping as a God of War clone."
- [How a Missing Headphone Jack Became the Monk GTR](https://gardinerbryant.com/how-a-missing-headphone-jack-became-the-monk-gtr.md) - Wild Lee of Venture Electronics and Russ from Retro Game Corps on old games, good sound, and the unlikely collaboration behind a $10 pair of earbuds
- [The Flock in your pocket](https://gardinerbryant.com/the-flock-in-your-pocket.md) - It's great that we all agree Flock cameras are bad. But you have something just as terrible in your pocket. And it has been there for years.
- [One Card to Rule Them All: How spruceOS Learned to Live Everywhere](https://gardinerbryant.com/one-card-to-rule-them-all-how-spruceos-learned.md) - spruceOS 4.5.0 adds new handhelds, offline RetroAchievements and another pile of features, but the more interesting story is how a little project that began on the Miyoo A30 became something you can carry from one handheld to another.
- [Is 'free' costing us freedom?](https://gardinerbryant.com/is-free-costing-us-freedom.md) - How free-as-in-cost, AI-generated software and changing incentives could leave us with less control over our computers
- [The rage is justified, but it's also misdirected](https://gardinerbryant.com/the-rage-is-justified-but-completely-misdirected.md) - The frontier LLM models didn't decide how they were trained. Nor did they direct the marketing bullshit that surrounds them. People did. Be mad at them.
- [100 Episodes of Off The Console](https://gardinerbryant.com/100-episodes-of-off-the-console.md) - This week, Off The Console celebrates 100 episodes. I couldn't be more excited. If you didn't know Off The Console is my weekly podcast that I record with my friends James and Hi-Tech Lo-Life. You can subscribe to us via RSS and/or on YouTube. We also have a Discord server and a Patreon. In this ar…
- [Slot Wants Your RG SP to Feel Like 2003 Again](https://gardinerbryant.com/slot-wants-your-rg-sp-to-feel-like-2003-again.md) - Developer K-Wall on burnout, nostalgia, deliberately bad menus, and building a firmware around the feeling of owning a Game Boy Advance SP
- [Uppercase's Competitive Edge](https://gardinerbryant.com/making-uppercase-more-competitive-october-3rd-2026.md) - Build 83e0f9cd is live and it's the biggest update yet for Uppercase! From new scoring mechanics to keyboard shortcuts, new and exciting animations, and more! Check it out!
- [In defense of Edward Sharpe](https://gardinerbryant.com/in-defense-of-edward-sharpe.md) - Last month some blue checkmark on Twitter caused a kerfuffle by saying that Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zero's "Home" was the worst song ever made. Admittedly, I wouldn't normally do you dirty by talking about anything that's going on on 𝕏 (derogatory). However, I cannot let this besmirchment of…
- [Hands-On with Retroid Pocket Duo Lite; Not Quite Magic, But Close](https://gardinerbryant.com/hands-on-with-retroid-pocket-duo-lite-not-quite-magic-but-close.md) - Retroid gets the feel of two-screen gaming right, even if the hardware occasionally reminds you where the compromises were made.
- [TortOS Wants to Make Your TrimUI Brick Feel Like a Collection Again](https://gardinerbryant.com/tortos-wants-to-make-your-trimui-brick-feel-like-a-collection.md) - Geekstrada on building a fast, focused custom firmware, rediscovering Cover Flow, and giving music a proper home on the TrimUI Brick
- [The WipEout Game You Had to Buy a Movie to Play](https://gardinerbryant.com/the-wipeout-game-you-had-to-buy-a-movie-to-play.md) - In 2005, Sony bundled a playable version of WipEout Pure with its UMD release of Stealth. It was an unusual experiment in turning the PSP's movie format into something more than a way to watch films
- [Turning Handheld Buttons Into Precision Hardware](https://gardinerbryant.com/turning-handheld-buttons-into-precision-hardware.md) - Vincent Lee of GetBetterButtons on ergonomics, aluminium, obsessive prototyping and making handheld controls better
- [Massive Uppercase update!](https://gardinerbryant.com/massive-uppercase-update.md) - Build c7ea4ea9 Uppercase is a really fun game I built specifically for The Bryant Review. I released it about two weeks ago and folks seem to have really taken to it! I've spent my free time over the last few days working on a new build. What's new in the latest version of Uppercase? Great question…
- [OpenAI KNOWS that their AIs are theft. Here's how we hold them accountable.](https://gardinerbryant.com/openai-knows-that-their-ais-are-theft-heres-how-we-hold-them-accountable.md) - To the tune of "Paranoid Android" by Radiohead
- [Week in Review](https://gardinerbryant.com/week-in-review-24.md)
- [Inside Azahar: Interviewing the Duo Keeping the 3DS Alive Through Emulation](https://gardinerbryant.com/inside-azahar-interviewing-the-duo-keeping-the-3ds-alive.md) - OpenSauce and PabloMK7 on building Azahar, preserving the 3DS, and the new wave of dual-screen handhelds
- [What fictional band would you want to see live?](https://gardinerbryant.com/what-fictional-band-would-you-want-to-see-live.md) - The other night Emily asked me "What fictional band would you want to see?" And it got me thinking. After some thoughtful consideration, I answered her. We had a nice little discussion and then I was like, "oh, maybe this would be a fun article." I jotted my ideas down and then invited her and Dash…
- [Getting banned and unbanned from Bilibili on Day 1](https://gardinerbryant.com/getting-banned-and-unbanned-from-bilibili-on-day-1.md) - It's... an interesting conundrum to be banned and unbanned within 24 hours
- [The Anbernic RG DS Plus Is The Best DS Handheld Yet](https://gardinerbryant.com/the-anbernic-rg-ds-plus-is-the-best-ds-handheld-yet.md) - Anbernic's second take on a dedicated Nintendo DS handheld refines almost everything I loved about the original, and somehow still manages to be incredibly affordable.
- [We finally know the price of the Steam Frame!](https://gardinerbryant.com/we-finally-know-the-price-of-the-steam-frame.md) - It's not as bad as I thought it was going to be!
- [Play Spyro the Dragon on SteamOS](https://gardinerbryant.com/play-spyro-the-dragon-on-steamos.md) - This new Spyro the Dragon decomp project makes playing this title easy and fun!
- [Week in Review - September 13th](https://gardinerbryant.com/week-in-review-september-13th.md)
- [New Uppercase Build](https://gardinerbryant.com/uppercase-build-08408ba2.md) - Build 08408ba2 is now live! This update includes the following awesome changes!
- [Here's how I built the ultimate DIY Steam Machine](https://gardinerbryant.com/i-built-my-own-steam-machine.md) - The Steam Deck? I get it. It's a handheld device that would be pretty tricky to replicate on my own. The thermals, the price-to-performance, the battery life. For a handheld, it's an intricate balancing act where each concern is as important as the next. But on a desktop? Where we're not power-limi…
- [Looks like I'm gonna have to buy this new Homestar Runner board game!](https://gardinerbryant.com/looks-like-im-gonna-have-to-buy-this-new-homestar-runner-board-game.md) - That's a Dangeresque reference. Be warned. This post is mostly an excuse to employ my vast repository Homestar Runner quotes.
- [Harvest Moon + Stranger Things? And it Works??](https://gardinerbryant.com/harvest-moon-stranger-things-and-it-works.md) - Welcome to Elderfield doesn't begin with its player character learning their dead grandfather has given them a farm, either. Refreshing. You're already a resident of Elderfield, and you don't even have farmland at your house, but I'm getting ahead of myself.
- [I built an amazing DIY Steam Machine](https://gardinerbryant.com/i-built-an-amazing-diy-steam-machine.md)
- [Retroid Pocket Duo: Everything Retroid Has Told Me About Its New Dual-Screen Handhelds](https://gardinerbryant.com/everything-retroid-has-told-me.md) - Dual-screen handhelds have had something of a resurgence over the past year. Nintendo arguably had its heyday with the concept in the 2000s, first with the Nintendo DS and later the 3DS, but for years the idea of carrying two screens in your pocket felt like something that belonged firmly to Ninten…
- [My latest game might be my best yet!](https://gardinerbryant.com/my-latest-game-might-be-my-best-yet.md) - I've built a fun little game that features a new, hand-crafted word puzzle every single day! Building this game took me about three and a half weeks and I've had an absolute blast putting it together! It's loosely inspired by Hang Man and it has been so much fun watching other people play it. So, i…
- [How Halo Became a Game Boy Color Game: An Interview With Halo: Combat Devolved Creator Mike Miller](https://gardinerbryant.com/how-halo-became-a-game-boy-color-game.md) - Mike Miller discusses recreating Halo: Combat Evolved on Nintendo's humble handheld, from technical limitations to the creative liberties needed to make it work.
- [Week in Review](https://gardinerbryant.com/week-in-review-23.md)
- [Sleepless nights](https://gardinerbryant.com/sleepless-nights.md)
- [Setting up S3-compatible Object Storage for our self-hosted Ghost site.](https://gardinerbryant.com/upgrading-our-infrastructure.md) - Or: why was it so difficult to find the information I needed?
- [Audacity 4.0 is awesome (and still a little buggy)](https://gardinerbryant.com/audacity-4-0-is-awesome-and-still-a-little-buggy.md) - Audacity 4.0 is amazing. It just released a few moments ago and I'm living for this! I've been hotly anticipating its release for years at this point. It's a complete front-end rework of the Audacity codebase that you know and love. Fully re-implemented in QT, version four-point-oh brings so many g…
- [Hands-on with the Anbernic RG 55G1; Anbernic's Snapdragon Gamble](https://gardinerbryant.com/hands-on-with-the-anbernic-rg-55g1.md) - Anbernic's first Snapdragon-powered handheld is beautifully designed, comfortable to use and capable, but the G1 Gen 2's weak GPU makes a starting-from $150 price harder to justify.
- [OpenTS: A new community re-creation of Tiberian Sun](https://gardinerbryant.com/opents-a-new-community-re-creation-of-tiberian-sun.md) - I'm an enormous Command & Conquer fan. Part management sim, part Civilization, all strategy. The franchise has some absolute classics. From Tiberian Dawn, Red Alert, Red Alert 2, and even up through Generals and C&C 3... the series is comprised of hit after hit. My personal favorite? The third entr…
- [RetroDECK's big plans for the future.](https://gardinerbryant.com/retrodecks-big-plans-for-the-future.md) - Our friends over at RetroDECK just published their latest blog post and it was quite the read! Their original post covers a broad range of topics. Including one of the developers reaching trip to Shenzen, China to meet with hardware vendors. The post also includes development updates, and a call fo…
- [Retroid Pocket 6 12GB: Four More Gigabytes, A Lot More Ambition](https://gardinerbryant.com/retroid-pocket-6-12gb-four-more-gigabytes.md) - I spoke to the developers behind Eden, GameNative, ARMSX2 and ARMSX3, and Retroid themselves, to find out where 12GB actually makes a difference
- [Leaf Developers Geekstrada and Helaas: The Full Interview](https://gardinerbryant.com/leaf-developers-the-full-interview.md) - I sat down with Geekstrada and Helaas, the developers behind Leaf, to talk about the project, its origins, development, and where it might go next.
- [Pro Wrestling Taught Me What a Real Hero Looks Like](https://gardinerbryant.com/he-taught-me-what-a-real-hero-looks-like.md) - I've been having a rough go of it lately. My girlfriend sought to comfort me. But this story requires some context...
- [Turning Leather Into a Home for Handhelds](https://gardinerbryant.com/turning-leather-into-a-home-for-handhelds.md) - Chi of Mō Corner on crafting bespoke cases for the RG Rotate and the joy of making something by hand
- [Making the Anbernic RG Rotate Your Own](https://gardinerbryant.com/making-the-anbernic-rg-rotate-your-own.md) - The RG Rotate was already one of Anbernic's most distinctive handhelds. Since launch, its community has built an equally distinctive collection of software, accessories and wonderfully strange additions around it.
- [Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks | Read a Romance Month](https://gardinerbryant.com/morbidly-yours-by-ivy-fairbanks-read-a-romance-month.md) - If you're anything like me, you're a sucker for a good romance. And you've also got a bit of a morbid fascination. Not exactly a "peanut butter and chocolate" type of combination, but we all contain multitudes, don't we? But as I was checking out our friend Bookshop.org's Read a Romance Month sale,…
- [This is the biggest update Bazzite has ever seen.](https://gardinerbryant.com/this-is-the-biggest-update-bazzite-has-ever-seen.md) - Bazzite is one of the coolest Linux operating systems out there. It's what I chose for my DIY Steam Machine – which I'll be covering soon so make sure you get subscribed – and it's partially the reason I've become a Fedora convert recently. So it should be no surprise that their latest update, Bazz…
- [Steam Machine Review - More Than The Sum Of Its Parts](https://gardinerbryant.com/steam-machine-review-more-than-the-sum-of-its-parts.md) - Valve finally did it
- [It can't keep up with the Steam Deck: The Geekom IT13 Max](https://gardinerbryant.com/it-cant-keep-up-with-the-steam-deck-the-geekom-it13-max.md) - The Geekom IT13 Max is a delicious slice of the NUC cake... as long as you know what you're biting into. Though it uses a quote-unquote "last gen" CPU, it is an attractive deal for clear-eyed and informed buyers. Admittedly, I've had a blast testing this out – even though contemporary AAA gaming is…
- [Building Cocoon: An Interview with the Development Team](https://gardinerbryant.com/building-cocoon-an-interview-with-the-devs.md) - The developers behind Cocoon talk about the project's origins, its distinctive design and sound, the challenges of building for dual-screen handhelds, and where the project goes after its Metamorphosis.
- [Our recommendations for Steam's Pins & Pegs Fest!](https://gardinerbryant.com/our-recommendations-for-steams-pins-pegs-fest.md) - Valve's Pins & Pegs Fest is live right now with a bunch of exciting titles that are on sale. The criteria for this sale is pretty straightforward. Games must include any of the following mechanics: * Pinball * Games inspired by pachinko or bagatelle * Bowling * Brick breaker This is super cool and…
- [Week in Review](https://gardinerbryant.com/week-in-review-22.md)
- [Making Buttons Into Little Pieces of Art](https://gardinerbryant.com/making-buttons-into-little-pieces-of-art.md) - A full conversation with MagiGamer about resin, glitter, customization and falling in love with the AYN Thor
- [The AYN Thor Lite Has Become Something Much Bigger Than AYN Built](https://gardinerbryant.com/the-ayn-thor-lite-revisited.md) - From Cocoon and iiSU to custom buttons, skins and emulation, the community is giving AYN's cheapest Thor a life of its own
- [8 things I learned from my diabetes diagnosis](https://gardinerbryant.com/8-things-i-learned-from-my-diabetes-diagnosis.md) - My diagnosis story was crazy. I was misdiagnosed as a type 2 and, consequently, the treatments did nothing for me. I was walking 4+ miles a day on the treadmill just to bring my A1C down from ~10.5 to ~8.9 over a year and a half. There was so much shame and fear associated with being a type 2 diabe…
- [This book has tropes... but what about the plot?](https://gardinerbryant.com/tropification-in-fiction.md) - Tropes are a lot of fun, and there are certain ones I'm a sucker for, but I worry that fiction will soon be watered down by them if it hasn't already been. Ever feel like you're reading the same book over and over again?
- [Structural Integrity Report - July/August 2026](https://gardinerbryant.com/structural-integrity-report-july-august-2026.md)
- [Inside Swiff: An Interview with NaviVani on Bringing Flash Games Back to Android](https://gardinerbryant.com/inside-swiff-an-interview-with-navivani.md) - From childhood memories to the RG Rotate, the developer behind Swiff explains why the lost games of the early web still matter.
- [Linux for Mac Users](https://gardinerbryant.com/linux-for-mac-users.md) - Six months into ditching my Mac for Linux. Here's what's working, what's not, and what might get there soon.
- [Week in Review](https://gardinerbryant.com/week-in-review-21.md)
- [The PSPunk Q&A: The Full Conversation Behind the Story](https://gardinerbryant.com/the-pspunk-q-a-the-full-conversation.md)
- [This "designer" just plagiarized my work and tried to sell it back to me.](https://gardinerbryant.com/this-youtube-thumbnail-designer-just-plagiarized-my-work-and-tried-to-sell-it-back-to-me.md)
- [Hands On with the Anbernic RG SP; The Game Boy Advance SP Reimagined](https://gardinerbryant.com/hands-on-with-the-anbernic-rg-sp.md) - Anbernic finally delivers the Game Boy Advance SP that nostalgia always imagined.
- [Fields of Mistria 1.0 Just Came Out and I am Being Totally Normal About it](https://gardinerbryant.com/fields-of-mistria-1-0-just-came-out-and-i-am-being-totally-normal-about-it.md) - My first in-game day after the full release, plus a couple helpful tips for new players.
- [The smartwatch that doesn't spy on you: Pebble Time 2 review](https://gardinerbryant.com/hands-on-with-the-pebble-time-2-2.md) - The most gadget-y of gadgets that at once satisfies my nostalgia, my love of FOSS, and my desire to tinker.
- [Community Spotlight: Gamma and Anbernic](https://gardinerbryant.com/community-spotlight-gamma-and-anbernic.md) - How one Anbernic device sparked a project that would go on to help thousands of players.
- [Hands-on with the Pebble Time 2](https://gardinerbryant.com/hands-on-with-the-pebble-time-2.md) - In this exclusive video, I share my thoughts on Pebble's highest-end smartwatch while unboxing the device and testing it out.
- [No screen is safe](https://gardinerbryant.com/no-screen-is-safe.md) - In a gratuitous display of violation of consent, BMW forced their way into their driver's luxury vehicles to play an ad on their dashboards. That's not a dystopian nightmare – that's the lived dystopian reality. Got this commercial in my car today as part of the Spider-Man - Brand New Day campaign…
- [Week in Review](https://gardinerbryant.com/week-in-review-20.md)
- [The People Still Keeping the PSP Alive: PSPunk](https://gardinerbryant.com/the-people-still-keeping-the-psp-alive-pspunk.md) - How one fan's passion project became a home for guides, homebrew and preserving the knowledge behind Sony's iconic handheld.
- [Despite its flaws, Keet seems pretty cool.](https://gardinerbryant.com/despite-its-flaws-keet-seems-pretty-cool.md) - If you told me you had never heard of Keet before, I wouldn't be surprised. Keet is the kind of technology that runs contrary to everything the modern tech industry – not to mention regulators – want. So it's no wonder there isn't a ton of fanfare around the technology. Keet is a fully distributed…
- [AI companies are now destroying warehouses full of rare books](https://gardinerbryant.com/ai-companies-are-now-destroying-warehouses-full-of-rare-books.md) - The damage caused by the AI regime has yet to be fully realized.
- [GOG Galaxy on Linux in active development](https://gardinerbryant.com/gog-galaxy-on-linux-in-active-development.md) - For quite some time, GOG has distributed Linux clients for many of their games. While many of them are games wrapped in a native build of DOSbox, there are a number of titles with actual Linux support. Either way, it wouldn't be controversial to say that Linux gaming is quickly becoming the standar…
- [A Few Months Later: Talking with Cannoli's Creator](https://gardinerbryant.com/a-few-months-later-talking-with-cannoli.md) - From new users to new hardware, K-Wall reflects on Cannoli's biggest months yet and what comes next.
- [Hands on with the Retroid Pocket Nova; A custom OLED love letter to 4:3 gaming](https://gardinerbryant.com/hands-on-with-the-retroid-pocket-nova.md) - A 4:3 OLED screen, sixth-generation console power and Retroid's most refined handheld design yet.
- [This compelling new feature just landed in Brave and Firefox](https://gardinerbryant.com/this-compelling-new-feature-just-landed-in-brave-and-firefox.md) - Brave and Firefox have made containers first class citizens. What are they? How do they work? And how can they improve your online experience?
- [Six months with the Eversense 365.](https://gardinerbryant.com/six-months-with-the-eversense-365.md) - The highs, the lows, and what I wish I'd known...
- [Week in Review](https://gardinerbryant.com/week-in-review-19.md)
- [Hands On With The Hidizs AP30 Music Boy; A Game Boy-Inspired Music Player With Audiophile Ambitions](https://gardinerbryant.com/hands-on-with-the-hidizs-ap30-music-boy.md) - A tiny Linux-powered Hi-Fi player with physical controls, a whale on its back, Tetris inside, and far more personality than I expected.
- [The digital rentiers are scared](https://gardinerbryant.com/the-digital-rentiers-are-scared.md) - They're also determined to inflict their AI-powered caste system on us all. We can – and must – stop them.
- [Is Denuvo's Dominance Finally Beginning to Crack?](https://gardinerbryant.com/is-denuvos-dominance-finally-beginning-to-crack.md) - A new hypervisor-based bypass method, demonstrated extensively within the Linux gaming community using Proton and Wine, has emerged
- [ZimaBoard2: The Full Review](https://gardinerbryant.com/zimaboard2-the-full-review.md) - The ZimaBoard 2 is a great, low power NAS for enthusiasts, DIYers, hobbyists, and folks looking to start dabbling with self-hosted at home. I've been playing around with it for quite some time (thanks to IceWhale for sending it over to me to review) and I'm happy to note that it's a very fun device…
- [Hands-On With the TRIMUI Brick Pro: A Better Handheld, but Not a Faster One](https://gardinerbryant.com/hands-on-with-the-trimui-brick-pro-a-better-handheld-not-a-faster-one.md) - TRIMUI's latest vertical handheld keeps the same processor but adds a larger display, Hall effect thumbsticks and a refined design.
- [A Modern Setup Guide for the PSP-2000 (Jailbreak, Plugins, and More)](https://gardinerbryant.com/a-modern-setup-guide-for-the-psp-2000-jailbreak.md) - Giving Sony's legendary handheld a second life with modern storage, custom firmware, and a fresh setup
- [PC Gaming's Superpower: Preservation](https://gardinerbryant.com/pc-gamings-superpower-preservation.md) - "Play has no limits" is just marketing spin. The PC is the true eternal games' platform.
- [Zima Board 2 Unboxing & First Impressions](https://gardinerbryant.com/zima-board-2-unboxing-first-impressions.md) - Last week IceWhale sent me their Zima Board 2 NAS device. I had a ton of fun (and discovered the ports on my gigabit network switch is dead) with this device. Check this out. [Fixed audio]
- [Week in Review](https://gardinerbryant.com/week-in-review-18.md)
- [Keeping Physical Gaming Alive](https://gardinerbryant.com/keeping-physical-gaming-alive.md) - Why physical game releases still matter in an increasingly digital world
- [WeatherMaster, Open Source, and the Future of Android; An Interview with Pranshul](https://gardinerbryant.com/weathermaster-open-source-and-the-future-of-android.md) - When I recently interviewed DocWolle about his work on open-source Android, one thing became immediately clear: some of the most interesting developers aren't working inside giant companies or chasing millions of downloads. They're building software because they genuinely want to solve problems, sh…
- [In Honor and Observance of the Semiquincentennial](https://gardinerbryant.com/in-honor-of-the-semiquincentennial.md) - Tomorrow is Independence Day here in the United States. It's a day when we celebrate the Declaration of Independence and the formation of our nation. Where we, as a people, assumed our sovereign political destiny from the tyrant King George III, and his sycophants, and forged our future in search o…
- [PlayStation's coming for your library](https://gardinerbryant.com/sonys-coming-for-your-library.md) - Sony's ending production of physical, disc-based games. This is literally *game over* for PlayStation. The rest of the industry isn't far behind.
- [MS runs in my family, so I got tested.](https://gardinerbryant.com/ms-runs-in-my-family-so-i-got-tested.md) - This week I was subjected to a battery of tests to check for early signs of Multiple Sclerosis. Then, something very unexpected happened...
- [They wants to ban social media for kids. Because they lack courage.](https://gardinerbryant.com/they-wants-to-ban-social-media-for-kids-because-they-lack-courage.md) - For ages, psychological addictions have led to both mental illness and social maladies. Gambling, binge eating/food addiction, compulsive body modification and tattoos, risk/thrillseeking, pornography, and chemical dependencies... the list goes on and on. To varying degrees we can – and should – ta…
- [Weaponized Fonts](https://gardinerbryant.com/weaponized-fonts.md) - Ambiguity is the enemy of security. An ambiguous font? It's a recipe for disaster.
- [Week in Review](https://gardinerbryant.com/week-in-review-17.md)
- [F-Droid and the Future of Open-Source Android; An Interview with DocWolle](https://gardinerbryant.com/f-droid-and-the-future-of-open-source.md) - Talking open-source software, Android's future, AI, and the philosophy behind a prolific F-Droid developer
- [Afterplay and the Push Toward a Steam for Retro Games: An Interview](https://gardinerbryant.com/afterplay-and-the-push-toward-a-steam-for-retro-games.md) - Patrick and James discuss the origins, challenges, and future of Afterplay’s browser-based retro gaming platform
- [Rejuvenating a Microsoft Surface Book w/ NixOS](https://gardinerbryant.com/rejuvenating-a-microsoft-surface-book-w-nixos.md) - Why a Surface Book? Well, I found this one at a yard sale many moons ago. I paid next to nothing for it. I love the design and I especially love the gorgeous 16:10 display. Also, it does the neat party trick of separating the screen half from the keyboard/trackpad half and becoming a tablet! Plus,…
- [How to completely ditch the Amazon store](https://gardinerbryant.com/you-dont-have-to-shop-on-amazon.md) - Or: go shopping somewhere else, buy consciously, and feel better for it.
- [The Other Side of Android: My Favorite F-Droid Apps](https://gardinerbryant.com/the-other-side-of-android-my-favorite-f-droid-apps.md) - Time to look beyond the Play Store
- [The Steam Machine's pricing and purchasing details announced](https://gardinerbryant.com/the-steam-machine-pricing-and-purchasing-details-announced.md) - Yikes.
- [Week in Review](https://gardinerbryant.com/week-in-review-16.md)
- [Pine State Railroad Cooperative](https://gardinerbryant.com/pine-state-railroad-cooperative.md) - I was on my usual walk the other day; one I take every morning. It's a stroll down to the end of my street where I loop around the Commons by the Post Office and then jog home. It's an overwhelmingly peaceful trek that's far too often punctuated by awful, noisy, polluting car traffic. Almost every…
- [Some of Android's Most Interesting Games Aren't Just on the Play Store](https://gardinerbryant.com/some-of-androids-most-interesting-games.md) - When I read about gaming on Android phones (the “native” kind, not emulation!), the posts and comments usually revolves around big-budget ports, blockbuster mobile releases, and increasingly powerful hardware. Games like Red Dead Redemption, Subnautica, and Tomb Raider are pretty damn clear indicat…
- [Installing NixOS on a Microsoft Surface Book for the thrill](https://gardinerbryant.com/installing-nixos-on-a-microsoft-surface-book-for-thrill.md) - In this premium video, you'll find my (lightly edited) experience with installing & configuring NixOS on a Microsoft Surface Book from 2016. It's kinda remarkable just how capable this device still is when it's not being weighed down by Windows 10.
- [Commodore Callback is the devolution your brainrot needs.](https://gardinerbryant.com/commodore-callback-is-the-devolution-your-brainrot-needs.md) - I'm stoked for this.
- [Before Adult Swim: The Curious Case of Space Ghost Coast to Coast](https://gardinerbryant.com/before-adult-swim-the-curious-case-of-space-ghost-coast-to-coast.md)
- [Buying a PSP from Japan: One Fault, One Easy Fix](https://gardinerbryant.com/buying-a-psp-from-japan.md) - You might know by now, if you’ve been keeping up with my articles this year, that I’ve become rather obsessed with Sony’s PSP. What started as a fascination purely with the hardware design has turned into a firm belief that playing games on their original hardware really does have something special…
- [Solve the Steam Next Fest's AI Problem with this extension!](https://gardinerbryant.com/solve-the-steam-next-fests-ai-problem-with-this-extension.md) - A new challenge for one of Valve's best Steam events and a new solution!
- [Star Fox 64 is being remade. Again. Let's talk about the soundtrack.](https://gardinerbryant.com/star-fox-64-is-being-remade-again-lets-talk-about-the-soundtrack.md) - Hopefully this is just the beginning of a franchise revival.
- [100% Discounts on Steam](https://gardinerbryant.com/100-discounts-on-steam.md) - I've noticed some game developers have been offering some of their back catalog for free on Steam lately. Well, not offering them for free directly. They're putting the game on sale for 100% off. I wanted to take a second a call out a few of these games that are being sold for zero cost. Eets Eets…
- [Nextcloud Hub 26 Spring & Euro-Office: What's New, What's Cool, and How to Upgrade!](https://gardinerbryant.com/nextcloud-hub-26-spring-euro-office-whats-new-whats-cool-and-how-to-upgrade.md)
- [The Quiet Modder Behind Some of Handheld Gaming's Most Interesting Hardware Hacks](https://gardinerbryant.com/the-quiet-modder-behind-hardware-hacks-2.md) - From RAM upgrades and storage mods to Steam Deck and ROG Ally experiments, e1000 has spent years pushing handheld hardware beyond what manufacturers thought possible
- [Week in Review](https://gardinerbryant.com/week-in-review-15.md)
- [I love Jellyfin but it has flaws. Let's talk about them.](https://gardinerbryant.com/jellyfin-has-flaws-lets-talk-about-them.md) - I love Jellyfin. I've talked about it here on The Review many times. Before I was a Jellyfin user, though, I was a Plex guy. See, I've never been keen on the idea of streaming services. You know the ones: Netflix, Hulu, CBS All Access Paramount Plus, HBO Now HBO Max Max, Disney+, Crunchyroll, Amazo…
- [Hammers Without Handles](https://gardinerbryant.com/hammers-without-handles-linux-ux-sucks.md) - The Linux user experience we have? It's not the one we deserve.
- [Of Course I've Been Playing Paralives Early Access](https://gardinerbryant.com/of-course-ive-been-playing-paralives-early-access.md) - Since this is early access, I'm well-aware and well-informed that this is not going to be the full and polished version of the game. Obviously. I've been taking things with a grain of salt and I've honestly had a really positive experience so far.
- [An Unusually Light Week - Week in Review](https://gardinerbryant.com/week-in-review-14.md)
- [When Other Games Chased Polygons, Blade Runner Chased Atmosphere](https://gardinerbryant.com/when-other-games-chased-polygons.md) - "You wake up one day and find it's all been a dream..."
- [LTT Linux Challenge Episode 3 Reaction](https://gardinerbryant.com/ltt-linux-challenge-episode-3-reaction.md)
- [Steam Deck price hike](https://gardinerbryant.com/steam-deck-price-hike.md) - The new price of the Steam Deck signals that the Steam Machine might be even more expensive than we thought.
- [Fixing Retro Gaming's Save Problem: Talking With The Creator Of 1Retro](https://gardinerbryant.com/fixing-retro-gamings-save-problem.md) - Sometimes the best projects begin with the developer feeling frustrated. For Hans, that frustration was losing saves, manually moving files between devices, and trying to keep an increasingly complicated retro gaming setup organized across MiSTer FPGA, handhelds, PCs, and original hardware. What st…
- [The Definitive Guide to PSP Emulation on any SteamOS device](https://gardinerbryant.com/the-definitive-guide-to-psp-emulation-on-any-steamos-device.md) - Steam Deck, Steam Machine, Steam Frame, or even the Legion Go S! Heck, this should work with Bazzite, too!
- [Week in Review](https://gardinerbryant.com/week-in-review-13.md)
- [Steam Deck Software in 2026: Checking In With The Developers Behind The Ecosystem](https://gardinerbryant.com/steam-deck-software-in-2026.md) - The Steam Deck has been around for a few years now. In handheld terms, that's long enough for the ecosystem to settle, communities form, projects to grow up, and for the people building software around a platform to figure out what works, what doesn't and where things might be heading next. Despite…
- [Hands-On with the Retroid Pocket Classic; A Love Letter to the Game Boy Era](https://gardinerbryant.com/hands-on-with-the-retroid-pocket.md) - A modern handheld with a nostalgic heart
- [Plex's Lifetime Pass is (basically) dead. Here's how to switch to Jellyfin.](https://gardinerbryant.com/plexs-lifetime-pass-is-basically-dead-heres-how-to-switch-to-jellyfin.md) - And you can even keep your data intact!
- [Umami 3.1 is amazing!](https://gardinerbryant.com/umami-3-1-is-amazing.md) - A new update with new features is here!
- [Star Trek TNG: Redemption (S04E26)](https://gardinerbryant.com/its-not-the-destination-its-the-trek-redemption-tng-e04s26-2.md) - While Lursa and B'Etor were comically evil, mustache-twirling, obvious villains for the time... their treachery and despotic self-interest is all-too-recognizable in the context of the modern day.
- [Week in Review](https://gardinerbryant.com/week-in-review-12.md)
- [Hands On with the Anbernic RG Rotate: Weird, Unique, and Instantly My Favorite](https://gardinerbryant.com/hands-on-with-the-anbernic-rg-rotate.md) - At some point, 'practicality' stops being the interesting question. What's left is how identical everything has become. I've been thinking about that a lot lately, because most of the devices I carry now (phone, earbuds, handhelds, whatever) all blur into the same familiar slab of glass and design.…
- [The Cemu Security PSA and Why RetroDECK’s Approach Suddenly Makes a Lot of Sense](https://gardinerbryant.com/the-cemu-security-psa-and-why-retrodecks.md) - A recent security incident involving Cemu (software to emulate Wii U games and applications on PC) has been circulating in the emulation space, after compromised Linux AppImage and Ubuntu package builds were distributed for a short window between May 6 and May 12. The official PSA outlines what hap…
- [I no longer believe in progress...](https://gardinerbryant.com/i-no-longer-believe-in-progress.md) - Hear me out. I think you'll agree.
- [A World Beneath the Surface: Aquatic Ambience and Its Legacy](https://gardinerbryant.com/a-world-beneath-the-surface-aquatic-ambience-and-its-legacy.md) - A look back at the Donkey Kong Country track that defined underwater music.
- [When you love your in-laws: Our vacation to Florida](https://gardinerbryant.com/vacation-to-florida-2026.md) - I had a blast with Emily and her family!
- [A Fortnight Worth of Content | Week in Review](https://gardinerbryant.com/week-in-review-11.md)
- [Happy Mothers Day](https://gardinerbryant.com/happy-mothers-day.md)
- [Stepping Away from Streaming with the Snowsky Echo Digital Audio Player](https://gardinerbryant.com/stepping-away-from-streaming-with-the-snowsky-echo.md) - I’ve already spent some time stepping away from streaming with another digital audio player, but the Snowsky Echo sits in a slightly different space. Where something like the Innioasis Y1 leans heavily into affordable nostalgia as a concept, the Echo feels more like an attempt to refine it, to take…
- [Valve's importing "Consoles" now!](https://gardinerbryant.com/valves-importing-consoles-now.md) - According to shipping manifests, Valve's importing some 50 tons of consoles just one day after the Steam Controller sold out!
- [Going hands-on with Valve's new Steam Controller](https://gardinerbryant.com/steam-controller-2026-review.md) - My first impressions, review, and testing!
- [Stepping Away from Streaming with the Innioasis Y1 Digital Audio Player](https://gardinerbryant.com/stepping-away-from-streaming.md) - I've spent the last year or so slowly replacing the everything-machine in my pocket with devices that do one thing and do it well. A BOOX e-reader for books. Retro handheld consoles for games. An automatic watch that tells time and nothing else. So when I started looking for a way to carry high-fid…
- [Exclusive: Steam Controller Raw Footage](https://gardinerbryant.com/exclusive-steam-controller-raw-footage.md)
- [You Don’t Look Like a Gamer: On Toxicity, Gatekeeping, and Women Who Share Their Gaming Lives Online](https://gardinerbryant.com/you-dont-look-like-a-gamer.md) - There’s often a reaction that appears whenever women publicly share that they play games. It’s not always overt hostility. Sometimes it’s framed as jokes, disbelief, or mild condescension. Other times it slips into something more direct: questioning authenticity, mocking interest, or redirecting at…
- [All Games Must Be Preserved](https://gardinerbryant.com/all-games-must-be-preserved.md) - Stop Killing Games... Immediately!
- [Building EmuLnk: Turning the Second Screen Into Something More](https://gardinerbryant.com/building-emulnk.md) - If you’re anything like me, the recent wave of dual-screen retro handhelds feels like a return to the Nintendo DS era. You pick up something like the AYN Thor and, for a moment, it all clicks! Two displays, stacked, full of potential. But then you start using it for anything that isn’t a dual-scree…
- [The Blender × Anthropic thing is an overreaction, but also not at all.](https://gardinerbryant.com/the-blender-x-anthropic-thing-is-an-overreaction-but-also-not-at-all.md) - Let me explain...
- [Into the Woods - My Diagnosis Story](https://gardinerbryant.com/into-the-woods-my-diagnosis-story.md) - In a weird way, what helped me feel a little better was my ER doctor bluntly saying, "I don't know why they told you to come here." There was a pretty good reason, it turns out, but we're getting ahead of ourselves.
- [The Steam Machine Media Center?](https://gardinerbryant.com/the-steam-machine-media-center.md) - An ideal scenario?
- [Week in Review](https://gardinerbryant.com/week-in-review-10.md)
- [The Full Interview Behind Songo#5’s Expansion Across Firmware and Android](https://gardinerbryant.com/the-full-interview-behind-songo-5s-expansion-across-firmware-and-android.md)
- [From Optional App to Built-In: Songo#5’s Expansion Across Firmware and Android](https://gardinerbryant.com/from-optional-app-to-built-in-songo-5s-expansion-across-firmware-and-android.md) - Now shipping with Spruce and soon muOS, Songo#5 is moving from a standalone music player to a default part of handheld firmware ecosystems, with an Android port on the horizon
- [Autistic Masking saved my life](https://gardinerbryant.com/autistic-masking-saved-my-life.md) - I won't apologize for playing the unconscious game that we're designed to play.
- [Preview of my next video](https://gardinerbryant.com/preview-of-my-next-video.md)
- [“Just Play”: The Story Behind RetroHrai!](https://gardinerbryant.com/just-play-the-story-behind-retrohrai.md) - In a space becoming increasingly crowded with emulation frontends (each promising the “perfect” way to organize and launch your games) it takes something genuinely different to stand out. RetroHrai!, to me, is one of those rare projects that’s managed to do exactly that, earning a growing following…
- [“I genuinely feel GameNative could replace handheld PCs like the Steam Deck” — Inside Android’s Fastest-Moving Gaming Project, GameNative](https://gardinerbryant.com/i-genuinely-feel-gamenative-could-replace-handheld-pcs.md) - In recent years, the idea of running full PC games on an Android phone sat in this weird purgatory between wishful thinking and compromise. You had streaming services that lived or died by your Wi-Fi signal, stripped-down mobile ports that might feel like a hollow apology, or niche emulation hacks…
- [No more excuses, it's time to switch to Linux](https://gardinerbryant.com/no-more-excuses-its-time-to-switch-to-linux.md) - It's 2026 and friction parity now approaches 1. All things considered, what does that mean? Well, I came up with this term a little while ago after talking about this very concept for years. Friction parity is the idea that no OS is perfect, just familiar. Mac fans, born-and-raised Windows Native,…
- [Documenting the Unknown: Inside the PlayStation Dev Wiki](https://gardinerbryant.com/documenting-the-unknown-inside-the-playstation-dev-wiki.md) - There’s an assumption about the internet. That once something is online, it stays there forever. In reality, the opposite is often true. Forums disappear. File hosts shut down. Guides vanish. And with them, decades of hard-earned knowledge quietly slip away. That’s the problem Derf has been working…
- [Wishbone was one of the best kids shows ever made](https://gardinerbryant.com/wishbone-was-one-of-the-best-kids-shows-ever-made-and-theyre-making-a-documentary-about-it.md) - And now they're making a documentary about it!
- [Week in Review](https://gardinerbryant.com/week-in-review-9.md)

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