# Linux Action News 77

URL: /show/linux-action-news/77/
> Linus is back in charge with the whole world watching, IBM is buying Red Hat, and Pine64 says they’re working on a Plasma phone.

- Show: [Linux Action News](/show/linux-action-news/)
- Episode: 77
- Date: 2018-10-28
- Hosts: chris
- Duration: 00:24:47
- Audio: https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/dec90738-e640-45e5-b375-4573052f4bf4/518fc030-9683-4d9a-bbef-28e7602c13cc.mp3
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHK4RFHC5qw





### Episode Links

  * [Linus back in charge of the kernel](https://lkml.org/lkml/2018/10/22/184 "Linus back in charge of the kernel") — And with that, Linus, I'm handing the kernel tree back to you. You can have the joy of dealing with the merge window :)
  * [Pine64 working on a KDE phone](https://itsfoss.com/pinebook-kde-smartphone/ "Pine64 working on a KDE phone") — It’s a confirmed news that Pine64 is considering a budget Linux smartphone running KDE Plasma.
  * [HTC’s blockchain phone is ready for preorder](https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/10/23/18011280/htc-blockchain-phone-preorder-exodus-1-specs-price "HTC’s blockchain phone is ready for preorder")
  * [Firefox to suggest paid VPN service](https://blog.mozilla.org/futurereleases/2018/10/22/testing-new-ways-to-keep-you-safe-online/ "Firefox to suggest paid VPN service") — A small, random group of US-based Firefox users will be presented with an offer to purchase a monthly subscription to a VPN service that’s been vetted and approved by Mozilla. After signing up for a subscription (billed securely using payment services Stripe and Recurly) they will be able to download and install the VPN software. Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android are all supported.
  * [IBM to Acquire Red Hat](https://www.redhat.com/en/about/press-releases/ibm-acquire-red-hat-completely-changing-cloud-landscape-and-becoming-worlds-1-hybrid-cloud-provider "IBM to Acquire Red Hat") — Red Hat to operate as a distinct unit within IBM’s Hybrid Cloud team