Ubuntu / Linux news and application reviews.

Access Blocked Websites In Censored Regions With Lantern

Lantern is a free, open source internet censorship circumvention software that was created to "give users fast access to the blocked Internet". The application is available for desktops (Linux, Windows, Mac) and Android.

Update: Lantern no longer provides free unlimited usage (the code is still open source). Now you get 800 MB each month, and to get unlimited data, you'll need to pay $27 (USD) for 1 year or $48 (USD) for 2 years (these are special launch prices and may go up).

Lantern unblock websites

Rhythmbox Alternative Toolbar Plugin 0.17.1 Released With Options To Use Dark Theme And Vertical Categories

Alternative Toobar is a plugin that enhances the Rhythmbox play controls and interface, including optional headerbars for GNOME-based desktops.

Rhythmbox Alternative Toolbar
Rhythmbox with Alternative Toobar 0.17.1 with the new dark theme option enabled (using Adwaita theme / headerbars / GNOME Shell)

Temporarily Disable Notifications In Ubuntu (w/ Unity 7) With NoNotifications Indicator

NoNotifications is a simple indicator for Ubuntu (Unity 7) that allows you to temporarily suppress NotifyOSD notifications. The tool is useful for presentations, when working, and so on, to prevent unwanted notifications from getting in your way or distracting you.

Ubuntu Unity do not disturb nonotifications

Tool To Display Keystrokes In Screencasts `Screenkey` 0.9 Released [PPA]

Screenkey is a tool which displays key presses on the screen, useful for screencasts.

Screenkey Ubuntu

Limited Time Offer To Get Insync Plus For Free (Unofficial Google Drive Client)

Update: the promotion has expired however, I'm not removing this article because it also contains a fix for an issue some of you may encounter in Ubuntu 16.04 (and probably other Linux distributions as well).

Insync is an unofficial Google Drive client available for Linux, Window and Mac. The application is not free (well, except for the next 51 hours): it costs $25 per Google account (one-time fee), along with plans for 3 Google accounts and business.

Insync Ubuntu

For the next 51 hours, you can get an Insync Plus account (for one Google account) for free. Simply sign up using THIS link with your @gmail.com or @googlemail.com account. Unfortunately, this doesn't apply to Google apps users.

After signing up, download, install and login using your Gmail account on the Insync app within the next 24 hours to activate your free Insync Plus account.

WebTorrent Desktop 0.4.0 Released With Subtitles Support, More

WebTorrent Desktop was updated to version 0.4.0 recently, receiving subtitles support, new "Create torrent" page and more.

WebTorrent Desktop Linux

For those not familiar with WebTorrent Desktop, this is a simple open source BitTorrent client that lets you stream torrents to your desktop, as well as to AirPlay, Chromecast and DLNA devices.

New Version Of Linux Email Client `Geary` Released [PPA]

Geary is an email client that uses a simple, modern interface, especially created for GNOME 3. Geary 0.11.0, released today, includes new features, improved server compatibility and network reliability, and various bug fixes.

Geary email client GNOME Shell
Geary 0.11.0 in Ubuntu GNOME (GNOME Shell) 16.04

How To Get A Global Menu In Xubuntu 16.04 Or Lubuntu 16.04 (Using TopMenu)

You may also want to see: Alternative Global Menu For MATE And Xfce: Vala Panel AppMenu [PPA]

TopMenu (a global menu for MATE, Xfce and LXDE panels) is available in the official Ubuntu 16.04 repositories and it works great in Ubuntu MATE 16.04, but it doesn't work in Xubuntu 16.04 and Lubuntu 16.04 by simply installing the panel applet package.

Here's how to get TopMenu to work in Xubuntu 16.04 and Lubuntu 16.04, using the official packages, with a minor tweak.

Test SMPlayer Version Includes HiDPI Support, Option To Send Video To Extended Display, More

An article posted on the SMPlayer blog yesterday points out some of the new features that will be available in the next SMPlayer version, like support for high DPI screens, an option to send the video to the second screen while controlling the application from the primary screen and more.

You can try this SMPlayer version right now in Ubuntu, Debian 8, Fedora (22 and 23), openSUSE (13.2, 42.1 and Tumbleweed) and Windows. See the instructions and links below.

SMPlayer testing

Markdown And reStructuredText Editor `ReText` Sees New Release

ReText is an editor for Markdown and reStructuredText which features live preview, tabs, math formulas support and it can export to PDF, ODT and HTML.

ReText

Parental Control App Timekpr (Fork) 0.3.6 Released With Ubuntu 16.04, 16.10 And 17.04 Support

Timekpr is a parental control application that can be used to track and control the computer usage. Using it, you can limit an user's login time duration and access hours or lock accounts with a click.

Timekpr parental control

The Timekpr development stopped a while back, but it was later continued with a fork, called Timekpr-Revived, which works with recent Ubuntu versions.

Customize NotifyOSD Notification Bubbles In Ubuntu 16.04 (Xenial Xerus)

Sukochev Roman's (Leolik) patched NotifyOSD PPA adds extra features on top of the Ubuntu NotifyOSD notifications, like closing the notifications on click, option to move the notifications to a different screen corner, configurable colors for both the notification background and text, and much more.

Ubuntu configurable notification bubble

Easily Create Your Own Numix-Based GTK Themes With Oomox

Oomox is a tool used to generate color variations of the popular Numix GTK 2/3 theme.

Oomox