News
Linux Mint 21 Now Available
Linux Mint 21 has arrived and it includes some interesting updates and features that will please both new and previous users alike. One big addition is the new upgrade tool that makes it even easier to upgrade to a major version with just a few clicks of a graphical tool. The new updater displays packages that have been upgraded, as well as those that won't, and reports if any PPAs will no longer be supported in the new version.
Linux Mint 21 also ships with a new Bluetooth application, Blueman, and the BlueZ back end. This was done for two reasons. First, Blueman is a superior application. The second reason is explained by Clement Lefebvre (Linux Mint lead developer) when he said in a blog post back in March (https://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=4285):
"On the development side of things, the latest version of gnome-bluetooth introduced changes which broke compatibility with Blueberry, and its main developer isn't keen on seeing his work used outside of Gnome. Blueman on the other hand welcomed a Mint migration and is open to changes. We're currently testing Blueman and working on its integration within Linux Mint."
Other new features found in Linux Mint 21 include Timeshift becoming an official Linux Mint tool, WebP image support, better thumbnails via XAPP, new wallpapers, the including of libfuse2 and libfuse3-3 for AppImage applications, Cinnamon 5.4.2, kernel 5.15, an improved Sticky Notes app (which allows for note duplication), and a new process manager system tray app for monitoring automated tasks.
One thing the Linux Mint Developers didn't add to version 21 is systemd-oomd, which is a service that automatically manages out-of-memory issues by killing running applications. Ubuntu 22.04 introduced this feature, which has since caused numerous problems in user space. Because of this, the developers of Linux Mint opted to nix the inclusion of this feature.
Download your copy of Linux Mint 21 now (https://www.linuxmint.com/download.php).
Firefox Adds Long-Anticipated Feature
With the release of Firefox 103, a few new additions are aimed at greatly improving the experience of some users. One of the biggest additions to the open source web browser is two-finger horizontal swipe gesture support for navigating back and forward with a trackpad. This feature has been in the works for some time and is now seeing the light of day. However, there is a caveat to the new addition. The developers' goal was to have the feature fully supported with version 103; however, upon release, the only way to use the two-finger swipe gesture is to first press and hold the Alt key on your keyboard. Hopefully, somewhere in the next few updates, that requirement will be removed and the feature will work exactly as expected.
Other goodies added to Firefox 103 include highlighted required fields on PDFs, significant performance improvements for monitors with 120Hz+ refresh rates, improved Picture-in-Picture subtitles, and buttons in the Tabs toolbar can now be accessed with Tab, Tab+Shift, and keyboard arrow keys.
Several issues have also been fixed, such as preserving non-breaking spaces, WebGL performance issues, and start-up time slowdowns due to processing web content local storage.
To find out more about what's new with Firefox 103, check out the official release notes (https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/103.0/releasenotes/). As of now, this new version has yet to hit the official repositories for most distributions, but you can download it from the official Mozilla site (https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/).
System76 Oryx Pro Laptop Refreshed with a New CPU
Linux hardware vendor System76 has announced an update to their Oryx Pro laptop computer. The Oryx Pro, which is a popular option for gaming as well as artificial intelligence/machine learning, comes with a new 12th Gen Intel CPU boasting 14 cores and 20 threads running between 1.7 to 4.7GHz. System76 has also made it so you can configure the Oryx Pro with either NVIDIA RTX 3070 Ti or 3080 Ti graphics (along with the RTX 3070 and 3080 that were previously available).
The Oryx Pro includes a 15.6" or 17.3" FHD (1920x1080) matte finish display, up to 64GB dual-channel DDR4, and up to 4TB M.2 PCIe Gen4x4 internal storage. As for ports/expansion, the Oryx Pro includes 1 Thunderbolt 4, 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2, and 1 microSD card reader. The Oryx Pro battery is a 6-cell, 80Wh polymer, so you can get plenty of usage from a full charge.
The Oryx Pro base price starts at $2,199 and is available now (https://system76.com/laptops/oryp9/configure).
« Previous 1 2
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
-
So Long Neofetch and Thanks for the Info
Today is a day that every Linux user who enjoys bragging about their system(s) will mourn, as Neofetch has come to an end.
-
Ubuntu 24.04 Comes with a “Flaw"
If you're thinking you might want to upgrade from your current Ubuntu release to the latest, there's something you might want to consider before doing so.
-
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.