System76 Skips Pop!_OS 22.10 to Focus on COSMIC Desktop

ExTiX is a KDE Plasma-based Linux distribution that has recently enjoyed a new release, 22.9, which adds something special into the mix … the ability to easily install Android apps.

The ExTiX developers have added Anbox into the mix with support for Google Play Services pre-installed. Because this take on Anbox comes complete with Google Play Store integration, not only is the installation of Android apps simplified on Linux, but the apps should run more dependably and predictably.

But Android app support isn't the only bit of news for ExTiX. Before this release, the distribution was based on Deepin (which is a Chinese Linux Distribution). As of 22.9, ExTiX is now based on Ubuntu and includes a new Refacta installer along with Refracta snapshot.

The version of KDE Plasma shipping with ExTiX 22.9 is 5.24 and includes kernel 5.15 with an option to use kernel 5.19.

Do note that ExTiX 22.9 is very experimental (especially the Anbox layer). Because of this, you probably shouldn't consider 22.9 for production environments.

Download an ISO for ExTiX 22.9 (https://sourceforge.net/projects/extix/files/) and spin it up as a virtual machine to test the new features.

New Look for System76 Thelio

Carl Richell, CEO of System76, had an epiphany. He says, "I was waiting in line for a COVID test and I was staring at the wood trim in my car, wondering how long it would all take. I stared hard enough to the point where I started thinking about the wood-to-metal ratio, and how modern the design felt with only a little bit of wood."

This inspiration led Richell to cutting down on the wood veneer on System76's Thelio, not only for a sleeker, more modern look, but also to make the build process of the chassis more efficient. With a slimmer piece of wood veneer, the process takes much less precision to accomplish, which results in greater consistency and reduces the number of extrusions from four to two. The wood (as well as other materials) is sourced within the US, and for every Thelio purchased, System76 plants a tree through the National Forest Foundation.

Along with the slimmer veneer, the Thelio has picked up more color variations for the wood, which is swappable to allow users to change the look of their desktop whenever they choose. Colors include Neptune Blue, Martian Red, and Farout Pink.

Check out the new look and purchase your Thelio from the official System76 site (https://system76.com/desktops).

Ubuntu Software Store Rumored to Replace Gnome Software

A community-driven software store, named Ubuntu Software Store, has been written in Flutter and received so much positive attention that Canonical (according to this Reddit thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/xcuw55/canonical_seemingly_begins_process_to_replace/) is considering it as a replacement for Gnome Software.

The features found in Ubuntu Software Store include Snap support, dpkg/rpm support, an adaptive layout, install from file manager, remove and update software, permission manager, and search. But the most impressive aspect of Ubuntu Software Store is its speed. Unlike Gnome Software (on Ubuntu), which can be quite slow, Ubuntu Software Store is fast.

At the moment, the best way to test the new Ubuntu Software Store is via an AppImage that can be downloaded from the official Software GitHub page (https://github.com/ubuntu-flutter-community/software/releases). Because this is very much in Alpha, users shouldn't consider this new software store for production machines. However, Software is definitely in active development, with around 14 developers currently working on the project. Should you test the Alpha version, know that you'll probably run into issues. Hopefully, Software will release v1.x soon and will then be made available for those wanting to enjoy a much more performant and reliable app store on Linux.