A group of hackers has turned a perfectly functional Nintendo Switch console into a tablet computer running Linux, for reasons that’ll likely elude tech commentators for generations.
Fail0verflow, a group specialising in console hacks, have turned the hottest games machine in the world into a fully-functioning touchscreen slate running the open source operating system.
Filed under the ‘just because we can’ category, the impressive feat brings full touchscreen support and a web browser to the Switch console. The video shows the group composing a tweet and running accelerated 3D graphics.
Related: Upcoming Switch games 2018
It seems, even if there’s no practical usage for Linux on a sought-after games console, where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Code execution is all the rage these days, but can your Switch do *this*? 😉 #switchnix pic.twitter.com/NMnBq61tOM
— fail0verflow (@fail0verflow) February 17, 2018
The group first tweeted about the hack on February 7 (via CNET), showing the Linux OS booting up on the Switch, but this is the first time we’ve seen it in action.
???? #switch pic.twitter.com/4iTjTk9D59
— fail0verflow (@fail0verflow) February 6, 2018
The group says it is exploiting a bootroom bug to bypass Nintendo’s security, but it isn’t giving away it’s methodology.
It says the bug cannot be patched on current Switch hardware and says it didn’t require a modchip to break in.
So, if you ever get tired of playing some of the best video games available anywhere, know you can always repurpose that Switch as a poor-man’s iPad.
Have you discovered any alternate uses for the Nintendo Switch? Drop us a line @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.