Applications and Projects: Jellyfin, VLC, Homey, and RISC-V

posted by Roy Schestowitz on Dec 26, 2025

• HowTo Geek ☛ Jellyfin's desktop app has new features and a new name

  Jellyfin, the self-hosted media server software, just revamped its official desktop client. The Jellyfin Media Player is now Jellyfin Desktop, with an update to Qt 6, multi-profile support, and other new features.

  Jellyfin offers a web app for media playback on desktop computers, but in 2021, the project also released an official client for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Much like Plex's desktop application, it had the same interface as the web app with many shared components, but with more extensive media format support and easy access. It's also supposed to work better with game controllers and remotes than the web client. Mac owners on Apple Silicon also have the option of installing the iPhone and iPad app from the App Store.

  The app's major v2.0 update has now arrived, complete with a new name: it's now 'Jellyfin Desktop' instead of Jellyfin Media Player. If you had the old version installed, this upgrade is also a clean slate—you have to log into your server(s) and configure your settings again.

• HowTo Geek ☛ I removed VLC's Christmas hat, here's how

  VLC, arguably the best media player around, dons a festive Santa hat every holiday season. The hat appears automatically, but you can remove it or prevent it from even appearing in the first place in just a few seconds. Here's how.

• HowTo Geek ☛ 5 open-source projects I’ll happily open my wallet for

  Much of the world runs on open-source software that is free to deploy, adapt, and incorporate into other projects. Even though this software is offered at no charge (or has a significant free option), that doesn’t mean that the projects don’t have costs associated with them.

  Here are five projects that are worth opening your wallet for.

  [...]

  RISC-V, which is pronounced “risk five,” is an open-source instruction set architecture (ISA) like ARM or x86. Unlike ARM, RISC-V doesn’t require that manufacturers who produce hardware pay for a license or agree to a restrictive licensing agreement in order to use it.

  While we’re massive fans of Raspberry Pi and other projects like it, RISC-V is different in that it is a wholly open-source hardware initiative. At a time when Raspberry Pi single-board computers are rising in price, RISC-V devices are holding steady at a lower price point. The OrangePi RV2 is a great place to start, and will set you back around $40.

• HowTo Geek ☛ Homey takes on Home Assistant with self-hosted server software

  Homey's smart home hubs are a great way to run a private and local smart home from one box. Now, the company is taking on Home Assistant with Homey Self-Hosted Server, an operating system you can run on your own hardware.

  Homey currently sells the Homey Pro and Homey Pro mini as plug-and-play smart home hubs, giving you something similar to the flexibility and customization in Home Assistant, but without learning how Docker or Linux works. The mobile apps, third-party service connections, and card-based automations are also strong selling points for Homey, depending on what your needs are for smart home automations and control.