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Dear Newsletter Subscriber,
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Right before the New Year, we have some good news for you:
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eBlockerOS 4 now in the official Raspberry Pi Imager
We are very pleased that the Raspberry Pi Foundation has included our eBlockerOS 4 in the official Raspberry Pi Imager. The Imager is a standalone program for Windows, macOS, and Linux that allows you to download Raspberry Pi SD card images directly from the Internet and write them to an SD card – an alternative to our previous recommendation, “Balena Etcher.”
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The direct integration of our image makes installing eBlockerOS 4 even easier: Open the Imager, select Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 as the model, click on the eBlockerOS image under “Other specific-purpose OS” and select the SD card as the storage medium. Done.
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eBlockerOS 4 – recommended for all Raspberry Pi w/ min. 2 GB RAM
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The current beta version of eBlockerOS 4 runs smoothly and is completely stable. We recommend it for new users as well as anyone who already wants to switch to the Raspberry Pi 5. We have updated the download page on our website accordingly.
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Please note: eBlockerOS 4 is a 64-bit system and requires at least 2 GB RAM. Therefore, devices with less memory – for example, the “White Cubes” and Raspberry Pi 2 and 3 – can unfortunately no longer be supported.
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Easy migration to eBlockerOS 4
We have been working for some time on a simple migration function to facilitate the switch from version 3 to version 4. Since the previous configurations were not stored centrally, the implementation is much more extensive than expected – however, we plan to release the simple migration in the first quarter of 2026.
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Until then, the switch can usually be done manually without any problems: First, create a backup under eBlockerOS 3, then install the current eBlockerOS 4 beta and import the backup. Not all settings are automatically transferred, especially the parental control, VPN, and eBlocker Mobile settings. Therefore, check all configurations again after importing. Then eBlockerOS 4 is ready to go.
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Five years of eBlocker Open Source
At the end of this year, we are celebrating three milestones: eBlockerOS has been around for 10 years, our open source project is celebrating its 5th birthday, and the New Year is just around the corner.
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After the first five years as a commercial startup, our company had to file for bankruptcy due to a failed financing round. This step was very sad for us—we lost all our employees, but not our commitment to data protection.
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After all, our mission is clear: we fight against the data giants that spy on your privacy, and manipulate us with targeted ads. That's exactly why we developed eBlockerOS. Today, we are organized as a non-profit, financed exclusively by donations, and operate without hidden advertising revenue or data collection (see here how we avoid data from eBlockers).
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Despite our commitment, donations are unfortunately declining steadily, while operating costs are rising constantly. Further development is currently being carried out almost exclusively by volunteers—which is a good sign for community spirit, but the pace is still well below our expectations—as we still have many ideas for the future that we would like to implement.
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That's why we welcome additional supporters and donations so that we can continue to develop eBlockerOS. Every helping hand in development and every euro in the donation pot helps us to further realize our vision of a free internet.
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The best for last: our supporters
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eBlockerOS is not developed by AI, but by real people who share our mission: our supporters. Without their tireless dedication and expertise, we would never have come this far. We know how difficult it is to support an ambitious project on a voluntary basis alongside your job. For this, we would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks to all our supporters. You make a decisive contribution to protecting eBlocker users from data collectors and allowing them to surf the net ad-free. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
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Last but not least, a big thank you goes out to all users who support us with donations, feedback, and recommendations. Every dollar, every suggestion, and every recommendation helps us to keep going.
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Our motivation to continue developing eBlockerOS is unbroken, and we are very much looking forward to working together in 2026. Together, we will make eBlockerOS even better! 🚀
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Warm regards and a happy New Year
Boris, Christian, and the entire eBlocker team
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--
eBlocker Open Source GmbH
Hudtwalckertwiete 10
22299 Hamburg
Germany
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office@eBlocker.org
www.eBlocker.org
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Geschäftsführer/General Managers:
Dipl.-Math. Christian Bennefeld
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Sitz/Registered office: Hamburg
Register: Amtsgericht Hamburg, HRB 160491
Steuernr./TaxID: 49 / 717 / 02295
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