Sparkling gems and new releases from the world of Free and Open Source Software
Mobile notifications
KDE Connect
I've mentioned KDE Connect before, and recent developments mean it's becoming one of KDE's best features. KDE Connect is an applet and background service for your desktop, but it's also an open source app for your Android phone. Installed either via Google Play or F-Droid, the Android app connects to your desktop whenever both your computer and phone are connected to the same network, although you do need to accept a PIN first for authentication. After both devices are connected, which happens automatically and transparently after the first synchronization, you can now see lots of information from your phone and perform lots of new actions. Things you can see include battery status, any notifications from your phone (enabled separately), and the phone's filesystem. You can transfer files, send and receive files in either direction, and make your phone ring if you need to find it. You can use your phone as both a keyboard and a touchpad, which is an excellent option for presentations or remote control, and you can share the "copy and paste" clipboard with either device or PC, which is great for URLs and passwords. You can even run commands remotely, which is good for shutting down your PC from the kitchen.
New in the latest release, you can also reply to SMS notifications from your desktop. This feels like the modern age of integrated devices, and it's genuinely useful. It means you can keep your phone plugged in somewhere and still send messages and access its core features. To get this feature to work, I needed to delete all our old configuration files in the ~/.config/kdeconnect
directory and re-sync devices, but this could have been because I'd iterated over many old versions during development. After a restart, KDE Connect is faultless and highly recommended.
Project Website
https://community.kde.org/KDEConnect
Android navigation
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Canonical Releases Ubuntu 24.04
After a brief pause because of the XZ vulnerability, Ubuntu 24.04 is now available for install.
-
Linux Servers Targeted by Akira Ransomware
A group of bad actors who have already extorted $42 million have their sights set on the Linux platform.
-
TUXEDO Computers Unveils Linux Laptop Featuring AMD Ryzen CPU
This latest release is the first laptop to include the new CPU from Ryzen and Linux preinstalled.
-
XZ Gets the All-Clear
The back door xz vulnerability has been officially reverted for Fedora 40 and versions 38 and 39 were never affected.
-
Canonical Collaborates with Qualcomm on New Venture
This new joint effort is geared toward bringing Ubuntu and Ubuntu Core to Qualcomm-powered devices.
-
Kodi 21.0 Open-Source Entertainment Hub Released
After a year of development, the award-winning Kodi cross-platform, media center software is now available with many new additions and improvements.
-
Linux Usage Increases in Two Key Areas
If market share is your thing, you'll be happy to know that Linux is on the rise in two areas that, if they keep climbing, could have serious meaning for Linux's future.
-
Vulnerability Discovered in xz Libraries
An urgent alert for Fedora 40 has been posted and users should pay attention.
-
Canonical Bumps LTS Support to 12 years
If you're worried that your Ubuntu LTS release won't be supported long enough to last, Canonical has a surprise for you in the form of 12 years of security coverage.
-
Fedora 40 Beta Released Soon
With the official release of Fedora 40 coming in April, it's almost time to download the beta and see what's new.