Another week, and another stonkingly stellar selection of Linux apps updates have made available for us to enjoy or moan about.
In this roundup we take in a user-friendly yet powerful non-linear video editor, a niche wallpaper tool, and an incredibly versatile web browser…
Flowblade 2.0 Video Editor
A major update to the Flowblade video editor is available to download.
Flowblade 2.0 features significant interface and usability improvements, including the (much requested) option to use drag n’ drop editing style. Users can choose to use the previous workflow of ‘insert editing’.
Timeline editing in Flowblade 2.0 is also more configurable. Users can customise the default set of tools in the toolbar and assign them keyboard shortcuts from 1-9.
Among the new tools the new Keyframe tool allows on-timeline curves editing of volume and brightness keyframes; Multitrim combines trim, roll and slip into one tool; while the Cut tool now works as you’d expect.
Keyframe editing gets a big overhaul in Flowblade 2.0, notably adding buttons to allow skipping in frame increments forwards and back.
Finally, a new custom dark theme is also in use, pictured in the screenshot topping this section.
To install Flowblade 2.0 on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS and above just download the latest release from Github:
Alternatively, you can also install Flowblade as a Flatpak app available from the Flathub store.
HydraPaper Bug Fix
The useful HydraPaper app lets you set a different wallpaper on each monitor on Ubuntu and other distros that use the GNOME Shell, Budgie or MATE desktop environments.
HydraPaper 1.4.2, a minor bug fix release pushed out this week, makes a couple of improvements. adding an option to clear the cache, and the ability generate thumbnails for wallpapers saved as a PNG with alpha channel active.
A couple of bug fixes also feature.
HydraPaper is free, open source software available to download and install from Flathub:
Vivaldi 2.3
In its first update of the year the Vivaldi browser adds a truly unique tab management feature, one you won’t find in competing browsers. No, not even in Chrome!
It’s called “auto stacking” and it allows you to open links from one tab in the background but without opening another individual new tab. Instead, related pages “stack” within a single tab, letting you switch between them by hovering over the tab title and selecting the one you want from the thumbnails that appear.
Honestly, it’s a pretty difficult feature to explain, but you’ll instantly ‘get’ how it works when you see it in action — so hit play on the video above to learn more!
Vivaldi 2.3 is available to download for Windows, macOS and Linux direct from the Vivaldi website.
To try tab stacking in the latest version you need to turn it on. Head to Settings > Tabs > New Tab Position > Select “As Tab Stack With Related Tabs”.