OMG! Ubuntu!

You know the drill by now: a new month rolls around, and a new version of the inimitable Mozilla Firefox rolls off the release server for us all to enjoy. And bang on cue, Firefox 125 has arrived. The big-ticket new feature in this update is URL paste suggestions: Mozilla says this feature “provides a convenient way for users to quickly visit URLs copied to the clipboard in the address bar of Fir…

I think most of us are familiar with the way that APT, the package management tool underpinning Ubuntu and all other Debian-based Linux distributions, looks and behaves. But some (much needed) visual changes are coming in the next major stable release, APT 3.0 — and they look great. Hey, don’t pretend you’re not excited by fancier looking APT print outs, my friend! One of the (many) things I lov…

If you want to relax or need to concentrate on a task at your computer then listening to ambient sounds can often help — and the best Linux app for this task just got a big update! Blanket is a free, open-source GTK4/libadwaita app that comes packaged with a variety of ambient looping sounds. These range from classic nature tracks (rain, wind, waves, birds, etc) through to environmental buzz (cof…

The Ubuntu 24.04 beta is now available to download — one week later than originally planned! Ubuntu 24.04 will become the next long-term support release (LTS) and this beta will provide developers, testers, and enthusiasts time to try it out, track down bugs, and road test its new features. Beta releases are not intended for everyday use (i.e. you’re not supposed to install it as your main OS or …

It’s always sad to see a long-standing bit of open-source software put itself out to pasture (a euphemism for going way of the dodo, which is a metaphor becoming extinct or obsolete – which is a lengthy way to open a post). A few weeks back the iconic IRC client Hexchat announced it is no longer under active development, citing a lack of manpower and will. This week the developer of ClamTk announ…

A handy new translations feature is in the works for Mozilla Firefox that should help speed up translating short snippets of text from one language to another. Firefox 118 introduced a privacy-respecting web page translation feature, and Mozilla devs have continued to improve on it in subsequent releases But sometimes you don’t need or want to translate an entire website but a snippet of text on …

A new version of Power Profiles Daemon in Ubuntu 24.04 offers power efficiency improvements for laptop users, but those with modern AMD devices may see the biggest gains. Release notes for the power-profiles-daemon package uploaded to Ubuntu 24.04 this week state that it is now “battery-state aware” and that “some drivers use a more power efficient state when using the balanced profile on battery…

If you were hoping to help test the upcoming release of Ubuntu 24.04 by way of the official beta that was due for release this week, I’ve some bad news: it’s been delayed. However, I reckon you may have expected this. Ubuntu 24.04 beta was scheduled for release on April 4, giving developers, testers, and enthusiasts several weeks to test the new features, find and report issues, check compatibili…

A slew of modernisation are set to ship in next version of Linux Mint, which will be based on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. First up, Linux Mint 22 will switch to using Pipewire as its default sound server. Most major Linux distros now use Pipewire. The tech modernises and standardises multimedia processing, is more resource efficient, improves integration between app and hardware, and works with software ma…

Pop!_OS user? You can now upgrade to Linux kernel 6.8 which has begun rolling out as a regular package update. Although the latest version of Pop!_OS is based on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS which currently tops out at Linux 6.5 back ported as a HWE from Ubuntu 23.10, the distros maker, System76, like to bring newer versions of the Linux kernel to its users, more often than Ubuntu does. The ability to get up…

8BitDo, makers of retro-themed gaming goods, have unveiled their latest nostalgia-indulging mechanical PC keyboard — and fair warning: it’s way nerdier than their NES-inspired one. The new edition is sure to press all the right buttons for geeks of a certain age as it pays visual homage to one of the most iconic home computers of all time. Yes, the indomitable Commodore 64 — a ‘bread-bin’-sized h…

Ubuntu 24.04 is switching its default webcam app from Cheese to Snapshot, a modern GTK4/libadwaita camera tool that’s part of the GNOME Core Apps set. Cheese has been part of Ubuntu’s default software lineup since 2010, having first been added in the Ubuntu 9.10 Netbook Remix owing to the rise of diminutive, underpowered laptops that included dark, dire 0.3MP webcams (webcams weren’t super common…