Tech Drive-in

What's New in Ubuntu 12.04 LTS [Screenshot Tour]

noreply@blogger.com (Manuel Jose) — Fri, 11 May 2012 09:05:00 +0000

Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" was finally released few weeks ago and it truly is one of the best Ubuntu releases ever. We have been following the release pretty closely and now it's time for a brief round-up. Here is a quick screenshot tour through every single new feature that was added to latest Ubuntu 12.04 LTS.

Ubuntu 12.04 LTS features a new easily configurable Privacy menu in System Settings. More info on it can be found here.

Landscape is now integrated into Ubuntu 12.04 LTS.

Unity Keyboard Shortcuts should be familiar to you all by now. When in doubt, press and hold the Super key and you will find all the shortcuts you need right in front of you.

Unity Dash now has a brand new Video lens.

The old Home lens has been replaced by a new useful and less eyecandy lens which displays recently used applications, files and most recent downloads.

Unity Dash has quicklists support.

Home menu quicklist is another really useful addition.

HUD is default now. but don't worry, HUD haven't yet replaced menus in Ubuntu 12.04.

The new default collection of wallpapers is just brilliant. More info.

Launcher icon size can now be modified directly from Appearance window.

Default Launcher behavior changed to 'Never Hide' from 'Dodge Windows'.

Auto-hide Launcher option is now available (instead of Dodge Windows) which you can on/off directly from Appearance window. Options for modifying reveal location and reveal sensitivity also available (see above screenshot).

Revamped Ubuntu One UI.

Rhythmbox music player is the default now, replacing Banshee.

A number of essential Unity settings have now been integrated into System Settings aka GNOME Control Center.

Default Alt + Tab behavior has been changed. Initiating Alt + Tab shows you just the open windows in the current desktop and not from all the desktops like it used to be.

Unity dash and Launcher inherits the (average) color of current wallpaper. Unity Dash adds a beautiful blur effect and all these UI tweaks can be seen in Notify-OSD as well.

As you can see, Power menu settings has been totally revamped.

Proper multi-monitor support added. Access via System Setting - Displays.

Minor improvements to Sound Settings. Access directly from Sound Menu in the top panel as well as System Settings.

Tomboy and Gbrainy have also been removed (along with Banshee) from the default list of apps making Ubuntu 12.04 LTS completely Mono-free. That's it for now. We will be back with more Ubuntu 12.04 news and reviews soon. Thanks for reading and have a nice day.

EA Starts Publishing Games in Ubuntu Software Center

noreply@blogger.com (Manuel Jose) — Wed, 09 May 2012 03:17:00 +0000

EA is one of the most established names in the world of gaming. They have just published two of their browser based games - Lord of Ultima and Command & Conquer Tiberium Alliances - in Ubuntu Software Center. May not be their greatest of games but still, EA took some effort to actually publish some of its games in Ubuntu Software Center. I consider this as a welcome move and hopefully a sign of things to come.

EA Publishes Two of its Browser Based Games in Ubuntu Software Center

EA may not be the kind of company that everyone love. AS a matter of fact, EA was named America's worst company in a recent consumerist survey. But they are definitely big. And their recognition of Ubuntu (and Linux) as a viable platform for playing games can help Ubuntu and Linux community in general, in more ways than one. I know of a number of people who are still using Windows solely for playing games. If more genuine games slowly starts finding its place in Ubuntu Software Center, it is going to be a big win for the entire Linux community.

As you can also see, both the games are pretty highly rated in Ubuntu Software Center already. And they are both free too. Like most of you, I really want to believe that these are just testing-the-water phase of things and more ingenious and native games from EA are on its way. Let us all hope for a favorable outcome.

[OT] I Just Got Married!

noreply@blogger.com (Manuel Jose) — Fri, 04 May 2012 07:12:00 +0000

You might have noticed a tremendous decrease in posting frequency over the past few months (especially during April 2012). I got married on April 30th 2012 to my college sweetheart, Suji John. Since Tech Drive-in is a one-man-effort for the most part, I was just not able to keep up. Now that my ~~marriage~~ wedding is over, I can now slowly start blogging again. Thank you all for being with us and supporting my tiny little blog all this time :-)

Two Ways to Easily Upgrade to Ubuntu 12.04 LTS from Ubuntu 11.10, Ubuntu 10.04 LTS

noreply@blogger.com (Manuel Jose) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 05:25:00 +0000

Ubuntu 12.04 LTS has just been released. It is one of the most anticipated Ubuntu release ever. We will be doing a comprehensive review of Ubuntu 12.04 "Precise Pangolin" very soon. Anyway, here is how you can easily upgrade to latest Ubuntu 12.04 from Ubuntu 11.10 and earlier version of Ubuntu including Ubuntu 10.04 LTS and Ubuntu 11.04.

How to Upgrade to Ubuntu 12.04 from Ubuntu 11.10?

Method 1: Using the Ubuntu 12.04 ISO

This is the the easiest and less time consuming of the two, provided you have the downloaded Live ISO of Ubuntu 12.04 LTS. All you have to do is to burn it to a CD or USB and start the Ubuntu 12.04 installation process after booting from it.

As you can see, Ubuntu installer has automatically detected that Ubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" has been already installed in my laptop and the second option in that menu is for directly upgrading Ubuntu 11.10 to Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin".

Method 2: Using Update Manager

While in Ubuntu 11.10, launch the update manager and start checking for updates. If there are any updates to install, use the Install Updates button to install them, and press Check again after that is complete. Then, you will be prompted with the following window.

Hit Upgrade button and begin downloading required packages for upgrading to Ubuntu 12.04 LTS. This might consume a lot of time (depending on your bandwidth speeds).

How to Upgrade to Ubuntu 12.04 LTS from Ubuntu 10.04 LTS?

According to Ubuntu Engineering team, "Upgrades between LTS releases are not enabled by default until the first point release, 12.04.1, scheduled for July. It is recommended that most LTS users wait until then before upgrading to 12.04." More info here.

But if you insist on upgrading to Ubuntu 12.04 LTS from Ubuntu 10.04 LTS, this is what you need to do. Hit ALT+F2 and run "update-manager -d" (without quotes). Update manager will open up and you will be prompted with the "New release available" option.

Upcoming Elementary OS Luna's New Notification System Looks Just Perfect

noreply@blogger.com (Manuel Jose) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:23:00 +0000

Next version of Elementary OS codenamed "Luna" will be based on just released Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" and it is going to bring about a number of really interesting changes, new notification system being one of them.

Video Demo of Elementary OS's New Notification System

Elemenatry OS "Luna" has not yet been released and features like these are supposed to be polished and further improved before the final release. From the initial looks of it, I think I am going to really like the next Elementary. Also, this new notification system looks like something Ubuntu can emulate in their future releases. Notify-OSD, at the moment, looks terribly designed and executed. [Video demo by WilleoSoeurs]

3 Best Launchers for Android 4.0+ ICS

noreply@blogger.com (Manuel Jose) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:51:00 +0000

With ICS becoming available for more and more smartphones and tablets, apps specifically designed for Android 4.0+ ICS is slowly gaining foothold. Story is no different as far as Android Launchers are concerned. Though a good number of highly regarded Android launchers have not been updated for Android ICS, a number of brand new Launchers are available in Google Play Store which are made for Android 4.0+ ICS from ground-up.

Stock Android ICS launcher is really good unlike that of previous iterations of Android. So the need for alternatives is really low when compared. Anyway, Apex Launcher is a fast and highly customizable home screen replacement for Android 4.0+ ICS. It surely looks pretty without losing any of the details. Apex Launcher supports multiple drawer styles, drawer apps sorting, tablet specific optimizations, infinite and elastic scrolling, fancy transition effects, homescreen gestures etc. And the whole package in completely free too.

Install Apex Launcher for Android 4.0 ICS from Google Play Store

Nova Launcher, along with Apex Launcher, are the two most preferred Launchers for Android 4.0+ ICS. In fact, these are the only two Launchers available in Google Play Store specifically designed for ICS at the moment. Though many consider Apex as the perfect Launcher for ICS, Nova doesn't fall so far behind either in terms of overall usability or crispness. Though free version of Nova Launcher is enough to meet requirements of an average user, there is this paid, slightly more feature rich Nova Launcher Prime version also.

Install Nova Launcher Free for Android 4.0 ICS from Google Play Store

Trebuchet Launcher is the official CM9 Launcher which is still in its early stages of development. It is yet another highly regarded ICS Launcher (though it only works on Android 4.0.1+). Supported features include separate apps/widgets in drawer, show and fade scrolling indicator in homescreen and drawer, enable/disable auto-rotate, transition effects etc. to name a few. Trebuchet Launcher is not available in Google Play Store and hence you have to manually download and install the Trebuchet APK.

Detailed Instructions on Installing Trebuchet Launcher in Android 4.0.1+ ICS

Now, if you are not looking for a dedicated Android 4.0 ICS only Launcher, there are quite a number of options available. Here a quick list of top 6 Launchers for Android.

History of Ubuntu: Revisited & Updated

noreply@blogger.com (Manuel Jose) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:05:00 +0000

Ubuntu has touched the lives of many among us in different ways. I can't speak for everyone here and hence I will share a few of my experiences with Ubuntu. For me, Ubuntu was the gateway to Linux and the whole open source way of thinking. Ubuntu taught me that computers are not all about Windows OS and that there are far better alternatives than the "default" Windows desktop which you have been made to see and learn from a younger age. Lets go back in time and see how Ubuntu evolved over the years to become what it is now - a totally awesome, user friendly and fast changing Linux based distro for human beings.

[image via ubuntu wallpapers]

A Brief History of Ubuntu

A new version of Ubuntu is released every 6 months and as of Oct 2010, a total of 15 stable releases of Ubuntu has happened. Each release also has a specific code name which are made using an adjective and an animal with the same first letter (e.g. Hardy Heron, Maverick Meerkat). We will have a brief overview of each one of them below. Read on.

Ubuntu 4.10 (Warty Warthog)

Ubuntu 4.10 codenamed "Warty Warthog" marked the beginning of a new kid in the block, the first and foremost release of Ubuntu by Canonical foundation. This new Linux distro was based on Debian and aimed at giving new users a trouble free experience of Linux. This release also crucially brought the Ubuntu shipit feature where by users could get Ubuntu installation CD's mailed to their homes for free through a simple signup. Shipit was one of those important features that augmented the widespread adoption of Ubuntu.

Ubuntu 5.04 (Hoary Hedgehog)

Ubuntu 5.04 codenamed "Hoary Hedgehog" was released on 8 April 2005. From this second release onwards, massive changes started to trickle in. Ubuntu 5.04 added many new features including an update manager, upgrade notifier, readahead and grepmap, suspend, hibernate and standby support, dynamic frequency scaling for processors among many other major improvements. Ubuntu 5.04 even introduced support for installation from USB devices.

Ubuntu 5.10 (Breezy Badger)

Ubuntu 5.10 codenamed "Breezy Badger" was released on 12 October 2005, the third stable release of Ubuntu by Canonical. Ubuntu 5.10 added several new features including a graphical bootloader (Usplash), an Add/Remove Applications tool, a menu editor, an easy language selector, crucial logical volume management support, full Hewlett-Packard printer support, OEM installer support among others. More importantly, this release also brought in Launchpad integration for bug reporting and software development.

Ubuntu 6.06 LTS (Dapper Drake)

Ubuntu 6.06 LTS codenamed "Dapper Drake" was released on 1 June 2006. It was also the first Long Term Support(LTS) release. This was also the only time when the Ubuntu release cycle was slightly pushed forward by 2 months owing to all sorts of delays. Many new features were introduced including having the Live CD and Install CD merged onto one disc, a graphical installer on Live CD, a network manager for easy switching of multiple wired and wireless connections, implementation of Humanlooks theme among other improvements.

Ubuntu 6.10 (Edgy Eft)

Ubuntu 6.10 codenamed "Edgy Eft" was released on 26 October 2006, Canonical's fifth Ubuntu release. Tomboy and F-Spot became the new default applications for Ubuntu. Human theme also went through heavy modifications.

Ubuntu 7.04 (Feisty Fawn)

Ubuntu 7.04 codenamed "Feisty Fawn" was released on 19 April 2007. This release has a very special significance as far as I am concerned. Well, this was my first ever Ubuntu. I was a complete noob to the whole Linux way of life then and barely installed Ubuntu in my laptop with the help of friends and Ubuntu Forums. And the primary reason for trying out Ubuntu was Compiz to be frank. In those clogged XP-Vista days, Compiz was(and it still is) a breath of fresh air. Meanwhile, check out these stunning Compiz Experimental Plugins for a change.

Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon)

Ubuntu 7.10 codenamed "Gutsy Gibbon" released on 18 October 2007. Ubuntu 7.10 introduced Compiz Fusion as a default feature. This seventh release of Ubuntu also marked the introduction of full NTFS support.

Ubuntu 8.04 LTS (Hardy Heron)

Ubuntu 8.04 codenamed "Hardy Heron" was released on 24 April 2008. This was the second LTS version of Ubuntu. In my opinion, this release had one of the best designed Ubuntu wallpaper as default. Brasero disc burner and transmission bit torrent client were introduced during this release. Controversial Pulse Audio became the new default system sound server. This release also introduced Wubi installer using which you can install Ubuntu inside Windows without repartitioning the disk.

Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex)

Ubuntu 8.10 codenamed Intrepid Ibex was released on 30 October 2008. It was the ninth Ubuntu release and it was also one of my favorite releases. This release introduced useful Ubuntu Live USB creator application. Guest session functionality was also introduced during Intrepid Ibex release.

Ubuntu 9.04 (Jaunty Jackalope)

Ubuntu 9.04 "Jaunty Jackalope" was released on 23 April 2009. This release marked the first time that all of Ubuntu's core development moved to the Bazaar distributed revision control system which is designed to make it easier for anyone to contribute to free and open source software projects. Faster boot time was another major achievement of this release.

Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala)

Ubuntu 9.10 codenamed "Karmic Koala" released on 29 October 2009. From this release onwards, Ubuntu slowly started to shift gears. A slew of changes started to flood Ubuntu. During Ubuntu Karmic's release cycle, Canonical introduced the One Hundred Paper Cuts project, focusing developers to fix minor usability issues. This was a major move and it helped bring a lot of polish for Ubuntu in the latter releases. This release also introduced Ubuntu Software Center which went on to become the application that received enormous amount of attention later on.

Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (Lucid Lynx)

Ubuntu 10.04 codenamed "Lucid Lynx" was released on 29 April 2010. Ubuntu 10.04 "Lucid Lynx" is my favorite release to date and it brought about the biggest amount of changes ever. Ubuntu had a complete branding makeover during this release cycle. Even the brown theme was ditched for the first time for a more bright and pleasant looking "Light" inspired theme. Browse through the amount of changes Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx went through.

Ubuntu 10.10 (Maverick Meerkat)

Ubuntu 10.10 codenamed "Maverick Meerkat" was released on 10 October 2010 (10.10.10) at around 10:10 UTC. Close to the heels of Ubuntu Lucid release, Ubuntu Maverick was also packed with new features and improvements. Ubuntu Software Center became one of the applications that received maximum amount of attention. Canonical's attention to detail started showing up big time during Ubuntu 10.10 release cycle.

Ubuntu 11.04 (Natty Narwhal)

Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" was perhaps *the* most controversial Ubuntu release ever. Canonical introduced Unity shell with Ubuntu 11.04 which created quite a furore among its vast user base. Unity was Ubuntu's answer to GNOME 3.0's GNOME Shell desktop, though Ubuntu 11.04 was still based on previous GNOME 2.x.

Reactions from users was not really what Canonical would have hoped for. Unity was far less customisable when compared to good old GNOME 2.x based desktops and that was simply unacceptable to many long-term Ubuntu users.

Ubuntu 11.10 (Oneiric Ocelot)

Ubuntu 11.10 codenamed "Oneiric Ocelot" was the first GNOME 3.0 based Ubuntu release. Oneiric did not brought in sweeping changes like its predecessor did. But it does brought in a lot of polish to the controversial Unity UI. LightDM replaced GDM as Ubuntu's new default login screen. Classic Gnome Desktop was completely ditched in favor of Unity 2D during this release cycle. If you are interested, here is a quick screenshot tour of Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot.

Ubuntu 12.04 LTS (Precise Pangolin)

At the time of writing this article, Ubuntu 12.04 LTS codenamed "Precise Pangolin" is only a few weeks away from its final release. Precise has a lot to offer for those Unity users who are expecting improvements in the overall stability of the OS.

Quicklists have been introduced as a default feature for the very first time. Apart from the usual three Unity lenses (Applications, Files and Music), there is an additional Video lense too which lets you select and play videos from a variety of sources ranging from your local collection to YouTube Movies, BBC iPlayer and TED Talks to name a few. HUD is default now (don't worry, menus are still there). Default launcher behavior is set to "always visible" instead of "dodge windows". Rhythmbox is back again replacing Banshee as the default music player.

Do read our comprehensive report on what's new in Ubuntu 12.04 LTS. Special thanks to Wikipedia for screenshots of earlier versions of Ubuntu. Thank you for reading.

Synapse Launcher is Not Maintained Anymore, Might Need Your Help

noreply@blogger.com (Manuel Jose) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 05:53:00 +0000

Kupfer and Synapse are two incredibly elegant launcher applications for Ubuntu. Synapse has been my favorite for a long time now (though I have to add, I don't use it as often as I used to ever since the the arrival of Unity and GNOME Shell). Now it seems like, Synapse is not maintained anymore and might need your help.

Few days ago, I got a mail from Emre Can, an avid Tech Drive-in reader and huge Synapse fan who was trying to help Synapse developers with some ideas of his own. But he apparently got this following reply from Synapse's main developer, "I'm really sorry but we are both busy with our jobs, so at the moment we are no more active on Synapse."

So I was wondering if there is anybody out there with adequate software development skills ready to give a helping hand to Synapse developers? Synapse simply does not deserve to die. Please spread the news. Thanks for reading.

XBMC 11.0 will be Available in Default Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Precise Pangolin Repositories

noreply@blogger.com (Manuel Jose) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 05:57:00 +0000

With Boxee abandoning its support for dedicated desktop client, XBMC (upon which Boxee is actually based on) has become the unquestioned king among media center apps for Ubuntu. There is more good news for all XBMC fans. XBMC has just been accepted to official Debian repositories. This means, in all probability, you will be able to install XBMC directly from Ubuntu repos (aka Ubuntu Software Center) starting from Ubuntu 12.04 Precise Pangolin.

XBMC Inducted into Official Debian Repositories
In a recent blog post, XBMC team has announced the official induction of XBMC into Debian, thanks to the hardwork by XBMC developer Andres Mejia. This means, Debian unstable users will now be able to install XBMC without using any third-party repositories.

Many popular distros like Ubuntu and Linux Mint is actually based on Debian and sync their packages regularly. XBMC devs has succeeded in requesting a sync to Ubuntu in time to hit Ubuntu Precise Pangolin, so users of this next LTS release will be able to install XBMC from Ubuntu Software Center with just a few clicks.

Also read: Aeon Nox 2.0 theme for XBMC 11.0 "Eden" has been released.

Two New Indian Made Ultra Low Cost Android 4.0 Tablets are Grabbing Worldwide Attention

noreply@blogger.com (Manuel Jose) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 05:44:00 +0000

Google's flagship Android OS is gobbling up market share in every nook and corner of the world, and the story is no different in India as well. Now it's the turn of Android 4.0 based Tablets to take on the world. But, there are no blockbuster Andriod Tabs yet, apart from may be Kindle Fire. Two rather unknown Indian mobile phone manufacturers has just launched their first ever Android Tablets, that too based on Android 4.0 ICS. Both the products have made quite an impression among gadget lovers across the world already. Let's find out what makes these hot new ultra low-cost Android tablets potential blockbusters.

Micromax FunBook Android ICS Tablet
First in line was Micromax backed FunBook Android ICS Tablet. Micormax FunBook Tablet based on Android is powered by a 1.2 GHZ Cortex A8 processor with an internal memory of 4GB (32GB of expandable external storage also available) and 512 MB of RAM. It has also got a powerful Dual Mali 400 2D/3D graphics processor.

Micormax FunBook runs on latest Android 4.0 ICS operating system. It has got a 17.8 CMs capacitive touchscreen interface with a screen resolution of 800*480 pixels. Wi-Fi support is available along with a Micro USB port, an HDMI port and a front-facing VGA camera. As if to sweeten the deal even further, Tata Docomo 3G Dongle is bundled with the device. Only let down is its slightly under-powered 2800mAh Li-ion battery.

Price: INR 6499 (USD 127.00 approx) BUY NOW!

*Overseas deliveries not yet available, starting soon as per the website.

Karbonn Smart Tab 1
Karbonn Mobiles is Micromax's biggest competitor in the Indian market. Immediately after Micromax's launch of its first ever Android ICS based Tablet, Karbonn Mobiles made its intentions clear. They are planning to launch an even better spec'd Android 4.0 Tablet in the sub-Rs.10000 ($195 USD approximately) category. Tablet is called Smart Tab 1.

Karbonn Smart Tab 1's specifications are very similar and sometimes even better than Micormax's Funbook Android Tablet. It is also powered by a 1.2 GHz processor, has 17.8 CMs capacitive touchscreen, expandable memory (upto 32 GB), and runs latest Android version 4.0.3 ICS. But it has got a better battery (3700 mAh) and also a 2MP front facing camera, both very important differences as far as an average Tablet consumer is concerned. Interestingly they haven't mentioned anything about GPU or the availability of USB port in Smart Tab 1. But I will be surprised if they are somehow inferior/non-existent.

Karbonn Smart Tab 1 is not officially launched, hence the exact price is not available. When you look at the specs (and the price of Micormax's Funbook), it gives you the impression that Smart Tab 1 is another low-cost Tablet in the making.

Smart Tab 1 is available for pre-order at the moment. BOOK NOW!

If you are looking for an even cheaper Android based Tablet, consider Aakash and UbiSlate 7, both of them priced around $50 USD. Tablet race is only heating up and I believe, low-cost (not cheap) alternatives like Micormax Funbook and Karbonn Smart Tab 1 can play a huge role in popularizing Android based Tablets. Thanks for reading.

Ubuntu 12.04 Default Wallpapers has Arrived, Community Contributed Ones Steal the Show Yet Again!

noreply@blogger.com (Manuel Jose) — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 10:47:00 +0000

Wallpapers for upcoming Ubuntu 12.04 Precise Pangolin has just been arrived. The collection include a new official default wallpaper plus 14 other exceptionally good community contributed wallpapers as well. To put it lightly, community contributed wallpapers put the default one to shame. By far the best collection of wallpapers for Ubuntu in my opinion.

Default Ubuntu 12.04 Wallpaper

And like before, when the new ones came, old Ubuntu 11.10 wallpapers were removed. Click on the images to see them in full size. Not using Ubuntu 12.04 yet? Download wallpapers from here. If you want wallpapers from previous versions of Ubuntu, try this instead.

Top 10 Free Apps Designed for Android 4.0+ ICS

noreply@blogger.com (Manuel Jose) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 11:59:00 +0000

Android 4.0 code named Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) was released more than three months ago. Google's own Galaxy Nexus is perhaps the only device that ships with it at the moment. And because of that, there are only a handful of Android apps available whose design has been updated for Android 4.0+. That will change as time goes by. But which all are the Android apps whose design has been updated for Android 4.0 ICS at the moment? Let's find out.

Bump: Lets you share contact information and photos by simply bumping two phones together (both should have Bump installed of course and no music sharing supported at the moment).

Install Bump from Google Play Store for Free

Calculator 4.0: Advanced Calculator, Currency Converter, Measurement Converter, Mortgage Calculator, and Tip Calculator. Calculations Pro version also available.

Install Calculations 4.0 Free Version from Google Play Store

Dropbox client for Android received an update recently and its new look and feel is in tune with latest design enhancements of Android 4.0 ICS.

Install Dropbox for Android from Google Play Store

Notes for ICS is a simple note taking application with Google Tasks sync capability. It is tablet friendly and comes with widgets. Designed for ICS.

Install Notes for ICS from Google Play Store

Reddit News is a Reddit reader app for Android. It has got a beautiful Android 4.0 ICS inspired UI. Actually, there are quite a number of ICS friendly reddit apps for Android.

Install Reddit News Free for Android from Google Play Store

MX Video Player is my favorite alternative to stock video player in Android. It just plays everything and has a number of functionalities unseen in other popular videos players for Android. And it looks very native in Android 4.0 ICS environment.

Install MX Video Player for Android from Google Play Store

Rdio is an incredibly well designed online music streaming app for Android. And all its design elements are in tune with latest Android. Free trial version of the Rdio is available.

Install Rdio for Android from Google Play Store

QuickPic is perhaps the best designed picture viewer/gallery app for Android and it's free.

Install Free QuickPic for Android from Google Play Store

File Explorer is a simple file browser app for Android.

Install File Explorer App for Android from Google Play Store

Boid is a brand new Twitter application designed for Android 4.0 with ICS in mind. Boid is in its early stages of development and its already receiving rave reviews from users.

Install Boid Twitter App for Android 4.0 from Google Play Store

I have excluded official Google apps for obvious reasons. I have also deliberately excluded some other really popular apps from this list since we had already featured a number of them in our two previous articles: Most creatively designed apps for Android: Part 1 and Part 2.

Canonical Integrates Landscape with Ubuntu 12.04 LTS

noreply@blogger.com (Manuel Jose) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 09:31:00 +0000

Canonical launched Landscape system management tool without much fanfare sometime ago. Now, in a most recent update, they have integrated Landscape with Ubuntu 12.04 LTS, again without much hoopla. In line with a recent move by Canonical integrating handy Privacy Management tool into Ubuntu 12.04 LTS, this is yet another bold initiative by them.

What is Landscape?

Canonical's Landscape systems management tool helps you monitor, manage and update your entire Ubuntu infrastructure from a single interface. Features include:

Remote access: Manage all your Ubuntu machines from anywhere.

Informative graphs: Get a clear view of your IT infrastructure.

Real-time alerts: Get immediate security and system updates.

Task management: Specialist tools help you share tasks with other systems admins.

Professional support.

Landscape is now Integrated into Ubuntu 12.04 LTS
Ubuntu 12.04 LTS is a very serious release as far Canonical is concerned. And they are doing everything they can to make it the best and most functional Ubuntu version ever. Landscape integration is sure going to help Ubuntu attract more enterprise customers in the future.

There is this new 'Management Service' tool in Ubuntu 12.04's System Settings app. When you click on it, a prompt will ask if you want to install Landscape client in Ubuntu. Then there is a learn more link which will take you to the official Canonical website for Landscape.

Once installation is complete, things are pretty much self-explanatory. More Ubuntu 12.04 LTS updates and reviews are on its way. Stay tuned.

Ubuntu 12.04 Features a New Easily Configurable Privacy Menu in System Settings

noreply@blogger.com (Manuel Jose) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:38:00 +0000

I am not sure if this "new" option was already available from the beginning. I noticed it in my Ubuntu 12.04 LTS beta only recently and when I checked, it was not available in the previous Ubuntu 11.10 release either. Of all the new features that has been added to Ubuntu 12.04 LTS, I think this new 'Privacy' menu deserves a special mention.

Ubuntu 12.04's New Configurable Privacy Menu
Ubuntu 12.04's new dedicated Privacy menu has a lot going for it. Since the new Unity UI records your recent activity for better working of functionalities like Unity Dash, control of what Ubuntu is allowed to record and store becomes paramount.

As you can see, Record Activity option is set to ON by default. Also, there are options for deleting every bit of information that has been stored overtime.

You can specify the kind of files whose activities you don't want to be recorded. Optionally, you can deselect specific folders from the watch-list.

Same can be done for applications as well. You are allowed to manually select specific applications that you don't want to be recorded. As you can see, selecting applications has also been made easy since it comes sorted based on their daily activity by default.

And then there is this diagnostics tool which when activated, lets your Ubuntu send anonymous information such as error reports to Canonical automatically. Also, this option is disabled by default. I am not sure if this option will be there at all in the final release. Overall, I feel that, Canonical's new found thrust on user-privacy is a step in the right direction.

15 Most Creatively Designed Android Apps: Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Manuel Jose) — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 16:18:00 +0000

As I did promised earlier on, here is the sequel for the post that introduced you to some of most innovatively designed apps for Android. 15 more of them to be precise.

Official TED app for Android was released just a day ago. It is a cleverly designed app with ingenious additions like option for listening to the TED speech instead of watching it (which is more bandwidth friendly). Must have app for all TED lovers.

Install Free Ted App for Android from Google Play

Bump lets you share contact information and photos by simply bumping two phones together (both should have Bump installed of course and no music sharing supported at the moment).

Install Bump for Free from Google Play Shop

I am not sure if this can be categorized strictly as an app, but TSF Shell 3D is surely one of the most innovatively designed Android launcher I have tried. A bit pricey though.

Install TSF Shell 3D Launcher for Android from Google Play

Convertr is a simple unit converter app for Android.

Install Free Convertr App for Android from Google Play

CashTrack lets you to easily keep track of your money. Very handy app.

Install CashTrack for Free from Google Play Shop

Read It Later lets you save any web page or video on your phone, tablet, or browser to view later - even offline - in a neatly designed interface.

Install Read It Later Pro for Android from Google Play

Official Google+ app has impressed me from the day it was launched. Me being a regular Google+ user has a lot to do with this excellent Android app. Must try.

Install Free Google+ App for Android from Google Play

Pixlr-o-matic lets you add fun retro effects to your photos in a snap and transform your photos into cool looking vintage images. I always wondered how devs could give away such an awesome app for free. One of the most well-designed app. Period.

Install Free Pixlr-o-matic for Android from Google Play

Flightboard is an impressively designed app that lets you turn your Android device into the Arrivals and Departures board for any airport in the world. Highly rated, a bit pricey though.

Install Flightboard for Android from Google Play

Any.DO is yet another todo app with nice polished interface. Syncing with Google is seamless.

Install Free Any.DO Android App from Google Play

Skitch lets you annotate an image with arrows, shapes and text. Neatly designed totally-fun app. And it is completely free too.

Install Skitch for Free from Google Play Shop

Feedly is simple *the* best feed reader application for Android. I am yet to find anything even close to Feedly in terms of design or functionality. Integrates with Google Reader, Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook et al. And Feedly is completely free too.

Install Feedly in Android for Free from Google Play

Vlingo is perhaps the most powerful voice-powered Virtual Assistant for Android. From sending texts and emails to updating your Facebook/Twitter status to checking in with Foursquare, Vlingo does it all effortlessly. Few other Siri alternatives for Android if you are interested. Vlingo is completely free to install and use.

Install Vlingo Android Voice Assistant from Google Play

Google Maps is the best at what it does. Period. And its design is exemplary. Google Maps comes as default in most Android devices. And its entirely free.

LBE Privacy Guard is a nicely designed app, no questions about it. But it is much more than that. The app protects your privacy by controlling the permissions of each application to access your sensitive data. It even blocks malicious operations by Malwares and Trojans. LBE Privacy Guard is a free app. It requires a rooted Android device though.

Install Free LBE Privacy Guard for Android from Google Play

Oil Rush RTS Game Becomes Ubuntu's Most Downloaded Paid App in Feb 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Manuel Jose) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:50:00 +0000

Linux is no stranger to high value paid apps. But gaming has always been Linux's Achilles heel. Things are slowly changing with the arrival of a number of top-notch games into Linux through Ubuntu Software Center. Software Center may not be an Android Market in terms of quality or quantity yet, but it is definitely on its way. Here are some really interesting statistics laid out by Canonical on app downloads from Ubuntu Software Center.

Top App Downloads for Ubuntu Software Center for Feb 2012
Fun fact: Games rule the show. Though Linux has always been an OS of choice for high-end servers, computer enthusiasts n' all, it has never been an OS of choice for everyday users until the arrival of distros like Ubuntu. Games form a good majority of app downloads in Ubuntu which in itself is a testament to the fact that, normal users are adopting Linux in huge numbers. Following is a list of top apps for Ubuntu with respective Software Center download links.

Top 10 Paid Apps for Ubuntu

Top 10 Free Apps for Ubuntu

Apart from all that, we have compiled a list of top paid games for Linux ourselves. You might want to check it out too. Source for the post: Ubuntu app developer blog.

10 Most Creatively Designed Apps for Android: Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Manuel Jose) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 15:54:00 +0000

Android Market aka Google Play is growing exponentially. Over 600,000 apps of all sizes and shapes already. But what are the apps that really stand out from a design stand point? Which all are the Android apps that comes with the most beautiful UI? Let's take a peek at 10 of the most innovatively designed apps for Android (in no particular order).

Pulse News: One of the better designed news reader and news aggregator app for Android.

Install Pulse News Reader for Android from Google Play

N7 Music Player: Free music player for Android with stunning and unique new UI.

Install N7 Music Player for Android from Google Play

doubleTwist Player: Nicely executed, all-in-one music, podcast, radio, video and sync app.

Install doubleTwist for Android from Google Play for Free

News 360 for Phones: News360 gives you perspectives. You get to read news from different sources on the same topic in a nice, intuitive way. News360 for Tablets also available.

Install News360 for Android for from Google Play for Free

Reddit News is a Reddit reader app for Android. It has got a beautiful Android 4.0 ICS inspired UI. Actually, there are quite a number of very creatively designed reddit apps for Android.

Install Reddit News Free for Android from Google Play

Evernote for Android: Evernote is a free ~~and open source~~ note taking app for Android. Evernote lets you take notes, capture photos, create to-do lists and record voice reminders.

Install Free Evernote for Android from Google Play Shop

Wallbase for Android: Over a million wallpapers arranged together in a nice and intuitive UI.

Install Free Wallbase for Android from Google Play

Hipmunk: Finding the best flight and hotel made easy.

Install Free Hipmunk App for Android from Google Play

Chrome for Android (for phones and tablets) is in beta right now and is already looking great. Support for Android 4.0 ICS users only for now.

Install Google Chrome beta in Android 4.0 from Google Play

Path for Android: Simple Journal app that helps you share life with the ones you love. You can share your thoughts, the music you’re listening to, where you are, who you’re with, when you wake up and when you sleep, and even high-quality photos.

Install Free Path for Android from Google Play

That's it for now. There are quite a number of well-designed apps for Android and these are like tip of a pretty huge ice-berg. ~~We will be featuring the second part of this post soon~~. 15 More Creatively Designed Android Apps.

MComix: Really Good Comic Book Reader for Ubuntu

noreply@blogger.com (Manuel Jose) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 23:07:00 +0000

MComix is a fork of now defunct Comix project. MComix aims to add bug fixes and stability improvements to Comix project since its development came to a halt in late 2009. MComix is basically a highly customizable image viewer designed specifically to handle comic books. It can read images in ZIP, RAR, 7Zip or tar archives as well as plain image files.

How to Install MComix in Ubuntu 12.04/Ubuntu 11.10?

You need to install the following package to resolve dependencies first of all. Simply do the following in Terminal.

sudo apt-get install python-setuptools

Download the latest MComix package from Sourceforge

Extract the downloaded ZIP/tar.bz2 file and then CD into the extracted folder.

Afterwards, run the following command.

sudo python setup.py install

Now, whenever you want to launch MComix comics book reader in Ubuntu, just type 'mcomix' (without quotes) in Terminal and you are done.

Installation instructions for Windows and other flavors of Linux can be found here.

N7 Music Player for Android is a Thing of Beauty

noreply@blogger.com (Manuel Jose) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:29:00 +0000

There are plenty of music player apps for Android. But one of the issues that plague most of the popular Android music players is the fact that, they all look more or less the same. There is virtually zero innovation on the UI front. N7 Music Player changes everything. It has got a unique, user-friendly and eyecandy interface that is unlike anything we have seen so far.

N7 Music Player for Android
N7 Music Player features a rich, innovative 3D interface that visualizes your music as a single plane full of album covers. You can zoom in and out using multi-touch to see different views of your music. See this video to find out how it works.

Very creative isn't it? I have been using it for more than a week now and I believe N7 Music Player is a really worthy alternative to my favorite PowerAmp music player. And it's completely free too! Try N7 Music Player in your Android and let us know your feedback

Download N7 Music Player for Android

Install N7 Music Player for Android from Google Play Shop

Even More Screenshots

Android Market is Now Google Play, Play Shop Arrives in Android Replacing Market App

noreply@blogger.com (Manuel Jose) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 21:36:00 +0000

Ever since the Larry Page became the CEO, Google is on an aggressive consolidation mode. Google Play is the latest in a serious of such moves. Google intends to bring its movies, music, books and android apps under one umbrella via Google Play. Having said that, Google Movies, Music and Books services are currently available in US only. Hence this move might not be a significant one for a vast majority of us, at least in the short term.

Google Play Arrives

Google is also celebrating the launch Google Play by offering a number of top apps and games for Android for a pittance. Offer include games such as Dead Space, World of Goo, Osmos HD, ShadowGun and apps such as Business Calendar, SoundHound, Paper Camera, SwiftKey X Keyboard, Camera ZoomFX to name a few. 25 apps and games in total.

Limited period offer. Go grab your copy right now!

As you will notice, play.google.com is the new URL of re-branded Android Market. I for one was quite worried about all those QR Codes we have been using to link to specific Android Market pages, but they all seem working fine at the moment. Not only that, if you have recently tried to open Android Market app in your phone, Google Play prompt will pop up. And after the upgrade there won't be no Market app anymore. The new app is called Play Shop.

And if you are wondering, that is TSF Shell 3D launcher running on Android 2.3.3 powered Samsung Galaxy S2. Even with all that flashiness, TSF launcher works like magic.

First Official Release of Songbird Fork - Nightingale Music Player - Just Happened!

noreply@blogger.com (Manuel Jose) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 23:59:00 +0000

Quoting our previous article on the topic, "Not so long ago, Songbird was one of the most loved music player app among Linux users. It all changed when Songbird developers decided to stop supporting Linux and concentrate on Mac and Windows platforms. But some hardcore Songbird users were not ready to give up yet." They forked the project and after more than an year of hard work, Nightingale 1.11.0 is officially released.

What's New in Nightingale 1.11.0?

Based on the latest Songbird changes and provides better performance.

Based on the latest Gecko 1.9.2, adds a play queue.

Refreshed feather, looks a lot sleeker now.

Brand new update feature which will download and install future releases automatically.

A good number of Songbird add-ons already ported. Ported add-ons can be installed into both Nightingale and Songbird.

Tons of bug fixes.

More details and changelog can be found here.

Download First Official Release of Nightingale Music Player

Nightingale is cross-platform is can be easily installed on Windows, Mac and Linux

If you have installed earlier developer preview release of Nightingale (Nightingale 1.8 ie.) before, you need to remove it first.

Download Nightingale 1.11.0 for Windows, Mac and Linux.

Logcat Android Live Wallpaper Sure Looks Geeky!

noreply@blogger.com (Manuel Jose) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 23:18:00 +0000

We have featured quite a number of really unique Android live wallpapers before, but Logcat is of a different breed altogether. And it is very simple too. All it does is displaying Android activity log as your live wallpaper. I have to admit, it looks very geeky!

Logcat Live Wallpaper for Android

Displays the Android activity log.

Comes with several additional fonts, an 'old phosphor effect' among other options.

Full version also lets you scroll up to see previous logs.

Logcat free version also available. Try it before you purchase.

Logcat Live Wallpaper for Android (Full Version)

Install Logcat Live Wallpaper from Android Market

RetroShare: Open Source Tool to Securely Chat and Share Files with your Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Manuel Jose) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 20:42:00 +0000

Privacy and security is paramount, especially while you are communicating through internet with your near and dear ones. And then there is 'whom-to-trust' issue. Generally speaking, Open Source software has to be the most secure of them all. RetroShare seems like a good bet. It is an Open Source, cross-platform, private and secure decentralised communication platform and it even has a dedicated Ubuntu PPA repository.

RetroShare Capabilities

Server-less chat and file transfer. Sending a key to your friend by e-mail is enough to set up your own IM network.

RetroShare incorporates encrypted chat and file transfer. Nobody, not even your ISP, will be able see what files you're sharing.

Multiple simultaneous downloads/uploads.

Search and send invites to friends/family for joining RetroShare network.

GnuPG Authentication, OpenSSL Encryption.

Really well executed GUI written with Qt4 toolkit. Ubuntu system tray integration.

How to Install RetroShare in Ubuntu 11.10, Ubuntu 12.04?

If you want the latest STABLE release, do the following in Terminal.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:csoler-users/retroshare

If you ready to try out latest development snapshots of RetroShare, do this instead.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:csoler-users/retroshare-snapshots

Irrespective of which PPA you have added, do the following in Terminal afterwards.

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install retroshare

And you are done.

RetroShare clients for Windows, Mac and other Linux distros.

Random Screenshots of RetroShare

TSF Shell 3D Released: Lots of Surprises in Store!

noreply@blogger.com (Manuel Jose) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 21:15:00 +0000

Surprise No.1: Jaw-dropping price tag. I mean, how often do you see an app in Android Market priced at a staggering $17 USD apiece! I have been very eagerly waiting for the release of TSF Shell 3D Android launcher ever since it was officially announced nearly 2 months ago. So I decided to give it a try even though the price seemed to be a bit steep.

TSF Shell 3D Android Launcher

We have featured a number of really good Android launchers before, but TSF is quite different from all of them. It is unique in its approach and is not so simple to learn either. The issue is even further aggravated by the fact that, there are no clear set of instructions anywhere about TSF Shell 3D. But you have this awesome video, of course.

If not for this video, I would have asked for a refund for sure. TSF launcher works, even if it takes time to get used to. I was quite hesitant initially because of the experience I had with SPB Shell 3D Android launcher. I mean, there is nothing wrong with the launcher itself. It's just that I have a tendency to go back to simpler launchers all the time.

Moreover, SPB Shell 3D felt a lot similar to the likes of LauncherPro, Go Launcher etc. in terms of functionality. But TSF Shell 3D is unlike anything you have seen yet. It is radically different in its approach and looks really pretty too. I have been using it for several hours now and it looks like I am going to use TSF Shell launcher quite often.

I found the music widget to be quite buggy though (it is available in the Android Market separately). Flicking through your music collection is not as smooth as it should be. Hell, initiating Album preview itself seems tricky. Other than that, I am yet to find any major issues with TSF launcher. [TSF Music Widget, TSF Weather Widget]

Download TSF Shell 3D Android Launcher

Install TSF Shell 3D Launcher from Android Market

Android Makes Huge Inroads in the Indian Market, Apple Seems Uninterested

noreply@blogger.com (Manuel Jose) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 12:16:00 +0000

About an year ago, I went to a local retail store and asked about the availability of Android phones. He said they don't have 'Android' phones, but they have LG, Samsung, and Nokia phones (he also referred me to a barrage of local brands like Karbonn, Maxx and what-not). That's right, not only does the guy was unaware of 'Android', he didn't even realized that Android was not some mobile phone brand like Samsung or LG. The same store, like most other mobile stores around here, is now plastered with all sorts of advertisements featuring Android phones. That's how fast changes are happening around here.

Nokia is Fading
Nokia has a special place in the hearts and minds of Indian consumer. They have been here really long and they are the most trusted name among mobile phone manufacturers in India. One of the things that made Nokia special was its massive focus on customer service and its arsenal of mobile phones that spanned across market segments. When I was in college, everyone aspired to own a Nokia smartphone. All that is changing now. Indian mobile phone market is witnessing its biggest ever shakedown.

Having said that, Nokia is not sitting idle either. They are going all out to regain lost market share with the introduction of Lumia range of smartphones and Asha series of low-cost phones. How much this means to Nokia can be gauged from the amount of money they are pouring into advertisements lately. For the past few weeks, I have been bombarded with some sort of Nokia smartphone related advertisement in almost every TV program I watch to almost all websites I visit. Only time will tell how all this is going to pan out.

Android Starting to Gain Serious Momentum
Not so long ago, Samsung was just-another-player in the Indian market. They are now the market leaders in high-margin smartphones segment leaving Nokia in shambles. The phones that people aspire for are not Nokia branded anymore.

According to TOI, the domestic smartphone market witnessed a churn over the last few months with Samsung cornering the highest share in October 2011 in value terms. Samsung's share of 32.3% was the highest by value in the smartphone market, while rival firm Nokia led in terms of volume sales during that month. Globally too, Samsung surged past Apple to become the world's largest seller of smartphones for the third quarter of 2011.

Samsung is running the above advertisement all over the web and it says thank you to customers for making it the No.1 smartphone brand in India. Even though the ad does feature phones running Windows OS and home-grown Bada OS, everybody is aware of the fact that, Android single-handedly turned around things for Samsung in India. I will try to name some of Android based devices Samsung is currently selling in India (approximate prices in USD).

Samsung Galaxy Y S5360: Rs. 7650 ($156 USD), Samsung Galaxy Fit: Rs. 9400 ($191 USD), Samsung Galaxy Ace S5830: Rs. 12990 ($265 USD), Samsung Galaxy S LCD I9003: Rs. 18440 ($376 USD), Samsung Galaxy S Plus I9001: Rs. 20650 ($421 USD), Samsung Galaxy S II: Rs.30,900 ($610 USD), Samsung Galaxy Note N-7000: Rs. 32700 ($667 USD) etc. to name a few. Samsung now have an Android smartphone in almost *every* price range. They are apparently beating Nokia in their own game.

If 2011 proved to be a tremendous year for Samsung and Android, I expect 2012 to be even better. I don't think they have even scratched the surface. After all, India is a fast emerging country with over a billion people. If current growth trend continues, mobile phone penetration in India will reach a whopping 97% by 2014, according to market research firm iSuppli.

What is Apple doing in the Indian Market?
I have always wondered why Apple seems least interested in the Indian market. They almost always introduce their flagship devices really late in the Indian market and then, they don't even care to advertise it. Carriers like Vodafone, Aircel et al. is running iPhone 4S ads right now, but absolutely nothing officially by Apple. They just seem uninterested.

That's not all. Apple's latest iPhone 4S 16GB is offered in India at a staggering Rs.45,000 ($915 approximately) while similarly spec'd Samsung Galaxy S2 is priced at around Rs.31,000 ($610 approximately)! That is just plain unfair in my opinion. What is even more interesting is the fact that, iPhone 4S's widely publicized voice assistant feature, Siri, does not work properly in India. Apple's official India website for iPhone 4S does not even mention Siri.

Steve Job's apparent dislike for India is quite famous. In a strongly worded article published in late 2011, FirstPost.com noted: "Jobs, clearly, carried his late teens India baggage with him all his life. This is why even when he launched his world-beating products, India was nowhere in his strategic thinking. He treated India almost like a pariah market – and he ended up pricing his products higher in India than elsewhere."