Little Snitch (yes, that Little Snitch) just released a Linux version. If you've ever wondered what your apps are getting up to in the background, you can find out – and block any that are too chatty!
KDE receives grant to help improve QA infrastructure for Plasma and KDE Linux, as well as bolster its PIM capabilities.
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/05/kde-sovereign-tech-fund-grant?v2
What's new in Ubuntu 26.04 LTS versus 24.04 LTS?
You better grab a coffee for this, as with 4 releases over 2 years, there's 1 huge cumulative update heading your way
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/04/ubuntu-26-04-lts-changes-since-24-04?v1
Firefox 150 arrives this week with a solid set of improvements, including oft-requested GTK emoji picker support.
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS is now available to download, with Linux 7.0, GNOME 50 and plenty of other changes.
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/04/ubuntu-26-04-lts-released?v1
Orion is a GTK4/libadwaita WebKit browser that isn't GNOME Web, made by Kagi (of paid search engine fame).
An 'early beta' is now available for testing. While it's early days - missing features ahoy – the bones are solid.
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/03/orion-for-linux-beta-release?v
Content blocker and download manager have been added to Orion for Linux, the WebKitGTK browser by paid search engine Kagi.
The new beta, v0.3.0, is available to download publicly for testing.
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/05/orion-for-linux-public-beta?v1
ICMYI: Someone created a GTK4 version of Rhythmbox music player (written, ofc, in Rust).
Called Tributary (it's a tribute), it also supports Jellyfin, Plex and other streaming integration.
Worth checking out if Rhythmbox is your groove (sorry/not sorry), but its aging GTK3 codebase isn't.
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/04/tributary-music-player-gtk4?v1
Firefox is adding a feature you'll actually want to use: Split View. It lets you see two websites side-by-side in a single tab.
It's still a WIP, but if you run Firefox 146 you can try it out.
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2025/12/enable-firefox-split-view-feature?v1
Framework aimed to build a 'MacBook Pro for Linux', which their new 13 Pro arguably achieves – haptic touchpad and LTPS display with in-cell touch.
Better yet, it's also Ubuntu Certified.
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/04/framework-13-pro-ubuntu-certified?v1
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS Beta is now available to download and test, ahead of next month's stable release.
GNOME 50, Linux 7.0 (RC), 2 new default apps, a controversial change to folder icons and plenty more.
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/03/ubuntu-26-04-beta-is-now-available-to-download?v1
I do like a bit of bling 👀.
Dynamic Music Pill GNOME extension embeds a visually slick media controller in your desktop panel (or dock), with album art, waveforms and track info.
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/02/dynamic-music-pill-gnome-panel-media-controller?v
A 'no echo' mode has been added to sudo in Ubuntu 26.04. It lets you hide password asterisks (visual feedback) when you type your sudo password.
Press TAB to toggle between feedback (shows asterisks) and no echo (no feedback).
GIF demo below shows the default visible behaviour first, then I re-run a sudo command and activate no echo mode with TAB (no password feedback).
ICYMI: Ubuntu 26.10 (the one after the one that's released on Thursday) has received its official codename.
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/04/ubuntu-26-10-codename-confirmed?v1
A 'sustained, cross-border' DDoS attack on Canonical service has taken Ubuntu websites, Snap Store and Launchpad offline. https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/05/ubuntu-websites-ddos-attack
Firefox 149 is out with free built-in VPN (albeit a 'gradual' roll out), nifty tab-split view and XDG portal support on Linux.
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/03/firefox-149-released-tab-split-free-vpn
Zorin OS 18.1 is out! First point release brings Linux 6.17, improved multitasking and other tweaks.
Plus, a new version of Zorin OS Lite, an Xfce-based edition aimed at older devices, is available – the first in the 18.x series. Sweet!
Details: https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/04/zorin-os-18-1-released
Linux 7.0 has been released (don't get excited by the shiny new version number, mind).
What's new? As ever, a lot – swap performance boosts, Intel TSX re-enabled on 10th gen and newer Intel CPUs, more legacy AMD GPU driver buffs and, on a quirky note, support for the Rock Band 4 Bluetooth guitar!
More details ⤵
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/04/linux-7-0-kernel-features
From FreeCAD to Vivaldi's new 'follower tabs' (nifty feature, that), I recap a crop of Linux app releases in March you might have missed…
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/04/linux-release-roundup-march-2026
gThumb is getting a GTK4 makeover and it's barely recognisable. Alpha builds available for the curious…
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/05/gthumb-gtk4-port-redesign?v1
Firefox's new 'Smart Window' mode is taking shape in development builds, so I had a play around in a beta build.
It revamped the browser UI to a prompt-based browsing experience, powered by your choice of LLM – OpenAI, Alibaba or Google – with your tabs, searches, questions and entire browsing history all handled on each company's servers...
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/03/firefox-smart-window-hands-on?v1
I've not covered the TDF/Collabora "sitch" as it's been big on implication, short on specifics (not much to write about when half the story is unsaid – the drama llamas have managed fine sans full details, ofc 🦙).
TDF's latest post/salvo puts names on things.
It's not the Netflix mini-series of battling egos and board coups some pictured, more cosy procurement arrangements that breached non-profit law, and an impasse on sorting it out…
…which led to a falling out.
https://blog.documentfoundation.org/blog/2026/04/05/lets-put-an-end-to-the-speculation/
Installing Ghostty on Ubuntu 26.04 LTS is now an 'apt install' away, nice.
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/04/ghostty-terminal-ubuntu-26-04-apt-install
I know, I know: what's available for one social media site isn't going to be popular with users on t'other, but it's cool, mmkay?
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/04/skyscraper-bluesky-terminal-client-linux?v1
Fastmail users can now download an official desktop app, available for Linux via Flathub. Spoiler: it is Electron.
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2025/10/fastmail-desktop-app-for-linux?v1
Desktop singalongs just got real easy, as the Dynamic Music Pill GNOME Extension is now able to show real-time synced lyrics.
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/04/lyrics-feature-dynamic-music-pill-extension
'Tis the season for novelties! 🎅🏻
Remember desktop pets from the 90s? Gnomelets revives the vibes for Linux – and added a new Santa option this week.
Animated Santas raining down, landing on your window titlebars, leaping around your desktop. Festive frivolity at its finest/most annoying.
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2025/12/santa-desktop-pet-ubuntu-gnomelets
I was pleased to hear BenQ now provide a Linux version of its Display Pilot 2 software!
The app is used to control/configure some of the extra bells and whistles on its 'RD' series of programmer monitors.
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/03/benq-display-pilot-2-linux
MZLA Technologies has announced an open-source AI client to bolster 'digital sovereignty' in enterprises and organisations.
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/04/mozilla-thunderbolt-ai-client?v1
Kapitano is a ClamAV frontend for Linux that scans files for malware, ideal if you want to check Windows files safely on the Ubuntu desktop.
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2025/06/kapitano-linux-clamav-antivirus-scanner
Mozilla's TABS API helps developers build AI agents to automate web tasks, and interested users can now sign up for access.
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2025/11/mozilla-tabs-api-ai-web-agents
