There are a couple of notable Linux app updates I wanted to mention on the site, so I’ve dusted off my Linux Release Roundup (LRR) format to give them some time in the spotlight.
Now, I haven’t written one of these for a few months. After publishing one in June I got 3 — THREE! — emails accusing me of “ripping off” other Linux blogs. ‘OMG’, the critics said, ‘you even use the same name!!1’.
This is a mildly frustrating thing to get because I posted the first roundup specifically titled “Linux Release Roundup” on this site back in 2017 (and omg doing news roundups goes back as far as 2010).
An advanced Google Search tells me no-other realª Linux blog used that phrase “Linux Release Roundup” before I started using it in 2017.
So I guess if I am copying someone, critics, it’s myself 😉.
On to the content.
New Release of Latte Dock
Latte Dock 0.10.0 has been released.
This highly configurable dock application for Linux desktops — though Latte Dock is aimed at KDE Plasma it can be used on Xfce, Cinnamon, etc — adds a new floating dock/panel option that lets you increase margins so that panels and docks don’t sit flush with the screen edge.
The new releases also intros support for multiple docks/panels on the same screen edge, makes background radius and shadows configurable, adds a variety of new visibility modes, and supports on-demand sidebars. Bug fixes and performance improvements also feature.
To install Latte Dock on Kubuntu or KDE Neon first check you meet the build requirements listed on the project development site. Then download Latte Dock source code from the KDE Store. The source code includes a script installer (which you should read before running) to get the app up and running.
New release of Cozy
The Cozy audiobook player for Linux desktops has a new release, and a new look.
The latest update features redesigned library and start screens, a redesigned book detail panel, and a new welcome screen on new installations.
This release also intros responsive design for the main window, beginning a new chapter (don’t groan) in mobile friendliness for this GTK audiobook manager.
Bug fixes include truncated long book and author names correctly, and ensuring that the player isn’t muted on launch.
Not familiar with Cozy? You’re in for a treat. It’s a supremely capable audiobook player built in GTK supporting DRM free audiobook formats including .mp3, .m4a, .m4b, .flac, .wav and more.
The app lets you browse your audiobooks by author, reader, or name; play audio book files (with speed control and sleep timer options); and supports multiple storage locations. The player also remembers the playback position of each book individually, which is great for picking up right where you left off.
Cozy is free, open source software developed by Julian Geywitz. Source code is available on Github. To install Cozy on Ubuntu you can use the official Flatpak build from Flathub:
Alternatively, you add install Cozy on Ubuntu 20.10 and above (only) using the official Cozy PPA. You can add this to your list of software sources from the command line like so:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:cozy-team/cozy
New release of Polychromatic
I don’t own any Razer peripherals (IANAG) but if I did then the latest release of Polychromatic would certainly be on my list of things to try this weekend.
Polychromatic is Qt frontend for OpenRazer. It lets you create, control, and manage lighting effects for Razer peripherals from the Linux desktop — cos hey: penguinistas like cool RGB setups too!
For its 0.7.0 release Polychromatic sports a rewritten and refreshed user interface (it’s no longer a hybrid web app), new capabilities, an effects editor, a revamped tray applet, and new command-line capabilities.
Polychromatic’s release note express a desire for the app be become ‘vendor agnostic’ and support devices from other companies (e.g., Logitech, Corsair, et al). However, as of writing, the app is primarily still only useful with devices supported by OpenRazer.
Want to install Polychromatic on Ubuntu? You can do so using the Polychromatic PPA. This provides packages for ubuntu 18.04 LTS and above:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:polychromatic/stable
Keep in mind that this app is not much use if you don’t own any compatible equipment (though you can use mock devices. Alas, I couldn’t get that to work for this post).
h/t Luke
If you release an app, or hear about an app release, you think more people should know about you can always get in touch using the contact form on the site, or by reaching out to me through email.
ªThere are seemingly two spam hits from 2011 and 2014 which use the term. However, on closer inspection they are domains referencing scraped post titles from recent posts through some sort of weird cache magic. I don’t claim that the idea of doing a roundup is original, but it’d be nice to NOT be chastised for continuing a series I started!