Ubuntu / Linux news and application reviews.

Tilix (Previously Terminix) Now Available In PPA For Ubuntu 16.04, 16.10 And Linux Mint 18 [Quick Update]

Terminix GTK3 terminal emulator

Terminix (update: it's now called Tilix) was uploaded to the Debian Sid repositories recently. To make it easier to install and stay up to date with the latest Tilix versions, I used the official Debian packaging (thanks to the packagers!) and created a Terminix / Tilix PPA for Ubuntu 16.04 and Linux Mint 18.

Update: the PPA now also provides packages for Ubuntu 16.10.

How To Create And Edit Keyboard Shortcuts In Lubuntu (Openbox)

Lubuntu (which uses Openbox as its window manager) doesn't come with any graphical user interface tool to edit or create new keyboard shortcuts, and to do this, you must either edit the configuration file manually, or use xbindkeys.

Obkey keyboard shortcuts Lubuntu (Openbox)

To simplify the process, you can use Obkey, an Openbox key editor. While its user interface is not the most intuitive, it simplifies the process of editing and adding new keyboard shortcuts.

Pandora Client `Pithos` Sees New Major Release

Pithos 1.2.0 was released today and it includes a new explicit content filter option, new dialog design, along with other improvements and important bug fixes.

Pithos Pandora client

Pithos is a Pandora Radio client that integrates tightly with the desktop, providing notifications, an Ubuntu AppIndicator, MPRIS v2 support (so it integrates with the Ubuntu Sound indicator, etc.), media keys and more.

Ubuntu 15.10 (Wily Werewolf) Reaches End Of Life Today (July 28)

Quick Update: Ubuntu 15.10 (Wily Werewolf) reaches end of life today, July 28, 2016.

Ubuntu 15.10 Wily Werewolf

Ubuntu MATE 16.10 Yakkety Yak Gets A Unity HUD-Like Searchable Menu

MATE HUD, a Unity HUD-like tool that allows searching through an application's menu, was recently uploaded to the official Yakkety Yak repositories, and is available (but not enabled) by default in Ubuntu MATE 16.10.

Ubuntu MATE HUD

Access Files, Directories And Make Remote Connections From The Top Unity Bar With Rocket Menu (AppIndicator)

Rocket Menu is an AppIndicator for opening files, directories, and making connections to remote servers via Nautilus.

Rocket Menu indicator

How To Safely Remove Old Linux Kernels In Ubuntu Or Linux Mint [Quick Tip]

Old Linux kernels can take up a considerable amount of disk space. Apt ("sudo apt-get autoremove") tries to remove uneeded packages, including old Linux kernels, but it may fail to remove all of them.

Apt may fail to remove old Linux kernels when using an Ubuntu version that's under development, if you encounter THIS bug (which still occurs in Trusty), or if you've installed the kernels manually.

EncryptPad: Secure Text Editor That Protects Files With Passwords, Keys, Or Both

EncryptPad is a free and open source text editor for sensitive information, which protects files with passwords, key files, or both, available for Linux, Windows and Mac. The app can also be used to encrypt binary files, such as images, videos, and so on.

EncryptPad

Opera Developer Update Brings Built-In RSS Reader, Chromecast Support

Opera browser rss feed reader

A new Opera Developer update released today brings an interesting new feature: a built-in RSS reader.

MATE Dock Applet 0.73 Released With Redesigned Window List, Drag And Drop Support

MATE Dock Applet was updated to version 0.73 recently, getting support for rearranging dock icons via drag and drop (only for the GTK3 version), updated window list design and more.

MATE Dock Applet

Watch Twitch Using Your Favorite Video Player With Livestreamer Twitch GUI

Livestreamer Twitch GUI is a Twitch.tv browser. The application uses Livestreamer under the hood, is powered by Node.js and Chromium, and is available for Linux, Windows and Mac.

Livestreamer Twitch GUI

According to its description, the main reason behind creating this application is to allow using your favorite video player, like VLC, Totem, mpv, and others to watch Twitch.tv streams (the app even allows watching multiple streams at once) instead of Flash. 

Chat With Your Skype Friends From Pidgin With SkypeWeb Plugin (Ubuntu PPA)

`SkypeWeb Plugin for Pidgin` allows communicating with your Skype contacts using the SkypeWeb protocol. Right now, the Pidgin plugin doesn't support voice or video calls.

Developed by Eion Robb, the Skype4Pidgin developer, SkypeWeb Plugin for Pidgin has a major advantage over the old Skype4Pidgin plugin: it doesn't require Skype to run in the background.

Wmail Is A Nice Desktop App For Gmail And Google Inbox With Multi-Account Support

Wmail is a free, open source desktop client for Gmail and Google Inbox, available for Linux, Windows and Mac.

The application is built using Electron and is basically just a wrapper for the original Gmail / Google Inbox interface, on top of which it adds features like native desktop notifications, an unread email list in the tray / appindicator, support for multiple accounts and more.

WMail

GTK3 Tiling Terminal Emulator `Terminix` 1.1.0 Beta Released With UI Changes, Background Image Support

Almost two months after its first stable version, Terminix (update: Terminix is now called Tilix) 1.1.0 beta was released today, bringing UI changes, support for background images and more.

Terminix GTK3 Tiling Terminal Emulator

In case you're not familiar with Terminix, this is a GTK3 tiling terminal emulator. The application allows splitting terminals, both horizontally and vertically (which can be re-arranged using drag'n'drop), and it features options to save and restore the layouts.

LAN File Transfer Tool `NitroShare` 0.3.3 Adds Nautilus And Nemo Extensions, More

NitroShare is an application that allows transferring files over the local network, available for Linux, Windows and Mac.

NitroShare

New Skype For Linux Alpha Version Released

A new alpha version of Skype for Linux was released today.

Skype for Linux Alpha uses a responsive UI and supports sharing files, photos, and videos, and ships with a new range of emoticons.

Skype For Linux Alpha

The new version is not fully functional yet and the developers want Linux users to test the app and provide feedback: