1. Home/
    2. Archives /
  2. App Review

Archives For App Review

Hypnotix – Watch Live TV via Linux Mint developed IPTV Player

Last updated: January 28, 2025

Want to watch live TV on Ubuntu Linux? Try Hypnotix, a new IPTV player developed by Linux Mint team.

Hypnotix is a player application which streams from IPTV providers, which can be configured via a local M3U playlists, remote M3U URLs or the Xtream API.

The player uses libmpv for video playback, and it’s configured to ship with Free-IPTV as default IPTV provider. You can easily remove it and set your own providers via software preferences dialog.

Hypnotix can handle live TV channels but also VOD libraries for movies and TV series.

Content can be organized by categories and/or seasons. And you can watch TV in either left and right mode or full-screen mode.

How to Install Hypnotix in Ubuntu:

Hypnotix is available out-of-the-box in Linux Mint 21.x, other Linux can the source code by visiting its project page:

Hypnotix in Github

Besides building from the source tarball, there’s also a third-party PPA contains the package for Ubuntu 22.04, Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 24.04. If you don’t know how to use the PPA, see this step-by-step guide instead.

In App Review
 

LosslessCut – Super Fast Tool for Trimming / Cutting Video & Audio

Last updated: April 24, 2024

No patience with common video editors (e.g., Kdenlive and Openshot) as they can take hours to export a video after trimming / cutting it? Try LosslessCut.

LosslessCut is a cross platform tool for lossless trimming / cutting of video and audio files. The software is extremely fast, it does the job in seconds without losing quality because it simply cuts the data stream and directly copies it over.

With LosslessCut, you can do:

  • Losslessly trim or cut out parts of video/audio
  • Lossless merge/concatenation of arbitrary files (identical codec parameters)
  • Lossless stream editing: Combine arbitrary tracks from multiple files
  • Losslessly extract all tracks from a file
  • Remux into any compatible output format
  • Take full-resolution snapshots from videos in JPEG/PNG format
  • Apply a per-file timecode offset in the preview
  • Change rotation/orientation metadata in videos
  • Powerful timeline with zoom and frame/keyframe jumping
  • Auto-saves per project cut segments to file
  • View ffmpeg last command log so you can modify and re-run modify recent commands on the command line
  • Give labels to cut segments
  • Segment panel showing segments with details, export/import cut segments as CSV
  • Video thumbnails and audio waveform
  • Cut out commercials from a recorded TV show
  • Replace audio track
  • Include a subtitle into a video
  • Extract audio, video, oro subtitle track from video

How to Get LosslessCut in Ubuntu:

There’s no .deb binary package for the software so far. You can either download the appimage or Linux tarball from the link below:

Download LosslessCut (under ‘Assets’)

You can choose:

  • grab the .appimage package, give executable permission in file Properties, finally run it to launch the software.
  • or download the Linux tarball, extract and run the executable file to open the video editor.

Launch Lossless Cut executable from portable Linux tarball

The software is also available in Ubuntu Software as Snap package. The package version is however lag behind.

For those OK with Linux universal Flatpak package, LosslessCut can be also installed via the flathub repository.

In App Review
 

Tootle – Lightning Fast GTK+3 Mastodon Client for Linux

Last updated: April 24, 2024

Looking for a mastodon client for Linux? Tootle is a simple free and open-source GTK-based Mastodon client with dark mode support.

NOTE: The Tootle project has discontinued! There will be no security updates and bug-fixes!

Tootle is a client for the world’s largest free, open-source, decentralized microblogging network with real-time notifications and multiple accounts support.

Mastodon is lovely crafted with power and speed in mind, resulting in a free, independent and popular alternative to the centralized social networks.

Anyone can run a server of Mastodon. Each server hosts individual user accounts, the content they produce, and the content they are subscribed. Every user can follow each other and share their posts regardless of their server.

Tootle is available in Ubuntu universe repositories since Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. You can simply open terminal and run command to install it:

sudo apt install tootle

You can also search for and install the client in Ubuntu Software. You’ll see two Tootle packages as it also available via containerized SNAP package.

Go check the package details via “source” section before installing the package.

In App Review
 

cpupower-GUI – A Simple Graphical Tool to Adjust CPU Frequency

Last updated: April 24, 2024

CPUPower-GUI is a simple graphical utility allows to change the frequency limits of your cpu and its governor.

With the tool, you can easily change the frequency settings on per CPU core basis. Just choose a profile you want to configure, then highlight each cpu core, and set its minimize and maximize frequency using the slider-bars. By default, it has only built-in “Balanced” and “Performance” profiles, but you can create your own in “Profiles” tab and set its frequency for each core as you prefer.

You can also change the cpu governor profiles, Performance and Balanced. And the profiles can be selected easily from the system tray indicator menu.

After setup your profiles, you can configure which to use on startup along with a few other options in the second Preference tab.

How to Install cpupower-gui in Ubuntu:

The software is available in Ubuntu universe repositories since Ubuntu 20.04. The package however is always old.

UPDATE: the 1.0.0 release do NOT work in Ubuntu 22.04 and higher !!

The software developer now offers the official .deb packages for downloading in the Github releases page:

Download CPUPower-GUI (under Assets)

Download and install the .deb package. Then press Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard to open terminal and install it via:

sudo apt install ./Downloads/cpupower-gui*all.deb

For Linux Mint, grab the last 3 .deb packages instead and install them using Gdeb package installer.

For the source tarball and more about the utility, go to github project page.

In App Review
 

Wonderwall – Wallaper Manager with Huge Collection of Wallpapers

Last updated: April 24, 2024

Want to get some wallpapers for your Ubuntu Desktop? Here’s a simple tool to browse, download, and apply wallpaper from huge collection of wallpapers.

Wonderwall is a simple graphical utility that allows to browse through the world’s largest collection of online 4k and Ultra HD Wallpapers.

You can search wallpapers via colors, tags, categories, resolution, popularity, views, or by just typing a keyboard in filter.

Simply click on a picture, you’ll get the menu with image details and download buttons.

For downloaded wallpapers, you can crop / scale selected wallpaper to make it fit into your screen resolution. And of course, there’s an option to set as wallpaper.

The settings window allows you to change the desktop back-end, open the download folder, change content scaling, and search settings.

How to Install Wonderwall in Ubuntu:

Wonderwall seems to be closed source software as I can’t find the source code and the developer website refers to a tech reviews website.

And the binary package is ONLY available as Snap package. You can install it easily by searching from either Ubuntu Software or App Center.

Or, press Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard to open terminal, and install the package by running command in terminal:

sudo snap install wonderwall

In App Review
 

Giara – Modern GTK Reddit App for Linux [Ubuntu PPA]

Last updated: April 24, 2024

Looking for a Reddit client for Linux desktop? Giara is a modern new GTK app for Reddit written in Python 3 with GTK.

Giara is a free open-source software created with mobile Linux in mind. It comes with most Reddit features including new text, link, media posts, search subreddits and users, up vote, down vote, post rely, dark mode support, and more.

How to Install Giara in Ubuntu:

It is recommended to install the software using flatpak package, see Giara in flathub.org.

For those prefer native DEB package, I’ve uploaded the packages into the unofficial PPA for Ubuntu 20.04 and Ubuntu 20.10.

1. Open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/giara

2. Then refresh package cache and install the app:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install giara

Note for Ubuntu 20.04, the app window border and top-bar buttons are not looking good due to old system libraries (upstream issue).

Uninstall:

To remove the PPA, either go to Software & Updates -> Other Software tab or run command in terminal:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/giara

And remove the Reddit app if you want by running command:

sudo apt remove --autoremove giara
In App Review
 

Kinto – Easily Get Mac OS Like Keybinds in Ubuntu Linux

Last updated: April 24, 2024

For Mac users want to change keybinds in Ubuntu Linux or Windows, Kinto is an easy system-wide solution with setup wizard and system tray indicator.

The software description says:

‘Type in Linux & Windows like it’s a Mac. Seamless copy and paste with all apps and terminals. The zero effort solution.‘

Kinto works for standard Windows, Apple and Chromebook keyboards. Different to most other re-mappers, it is a complete system-wide remap of your base level modifier keys.

GUI keys:

Physical Ctrl Win/Alt Alt/Cmd Spacebar
Virtual Win/Super* Alt RCtrl Spacebar

Terminal Keys:

Physical Ctrl Win/Alt Alt/Cmd Spacebar
Virtual LCtrl Alt RCtrl Spacebar

How to Install Kinto in Ubuntu:

Make sure you have python 3 installed, then follow the steps to grab the source and set it up.

1. Open terminal and run command to clone the source:

git clone https://github.com/rbreaves/kinto.git

2. Then run command to navigate to kinto folder, and run the setup.py script.

cd kinto && ./setup.py

If everything goes well, a setup wizard will pop-up

Just click on ‘Agree’ button, follow the wizard, hit Enter, and you’re done! The system tray indicator is not enabled by default, you can enable it from the File menu.

see Kinto on github.

In App Review
 

CoyIM – A GTK+ Chat Client Focus on Safety and Security

Last updated: April 24, 2024

Looking for an XMPP Jabber client for Linux? CoyIM is a free open-source GTK+ client that focus on safety and security.

CoyIM is written in Go programming language with GTK+ framework. It works on Linux, Windows, and Mac OS. The chat client has built-in support for Tor, OTR and TLS.

The Tor support allows users to become anonymous while chatting, OTR makes end-to-end encryption of communication possible, and TLS adds another layer of encryption for the communication with chat servers.

CoyIM features:

  • Support of the latest OTR.
  • Detection of Tor (if installed) and connection through it.
  • Use of Tor Onion Service for a known server.
  • Use separate Tor circuits for each account.
  • Insert random delays before connecting each account.
  • SRV lookup for the server over Tor if available.
  • Import from Pidgin, Adium, Gajim or xmpp-client.
  • Save all your configuration in an encrypted file.

How to Install CoyIM:

For Ubuntu 18.04 and Ubuntu 20.04, you can simply install the chat app from the universe repositories by running command in terminal:

sudo apt install coyim

For the latest release, as well as Windows / Mac OS packages, go to the official download page:

The Linux package is a single executable file. Simply add executable permission via file’s Properties > Permissions dialog and then run it to launch the software.

In App Review
 

MPZ – New Linux Music Player for Big Local Collections

Last updated: April 24, 2024

Looking for a Linux music player to manage large local collections? Mpz is a new open-source player that does the job.

If you like to organize your music in folders, then this player might be for you. It doesn’t try to index all the files into a library, but rather treats your files and folders as a library and provides a convenient way to create playlists directly from folders. Similar to Foobar2000’s Album List, but it’s not an attempt to clone.

The main feature is 3-columns UI allows you to quickly create playlists from folders via middle-click and switch between playlists.

Other mpz features include:

  • Built with Qt/C++ with fast and responsive native UI;
  • Supports internet radio in m3u and pls playlists formats;
  • Supports CUE sheets;
  • Supports MPRIS on Linux for remote control;
  • Configuration in 2 yaml files
  • Supports global media keys and non-global shortcuts.

How to Install mpz in Ubuntu:

The software developer maintains binary packages for Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, Fedora, openSUSE, etc, which are available to download at the link below:

For Ubuntu, grab the deb package and install it either via Gdebi or apt command in terminal:

sudo apt install ./Downloads/mpz*.deb

(Optional) To remove the music player application, run command:

sudo apt remove mpz
In App Review
 

LazPaint – Raster Image Editor Similar to Paint.Net / PaintBrush

Last updated: April 24, 2024

Looking for an image editor similar to Windows Paint.Net or Mac OS PaintBrush? LazPaint is the open-source image editor that works on Linux.

LazPaint is an image editor with layers and transparency. It’s written in Lazarus (Free Pascal) and uses BGRABitmap library. With OpenRaster format support it can interoperate with MyPaint, Gimp and Krita.

Features include:

  • Read and write a variety of file formats, including layered bitmaps and 3D files.
  • Tools: many tools are available to draw on the layers.
  • Select parts of an image with antialiasing and modify the selection as a mask.
  • View: color window, layer stack window and toolbox window.
  • Command line support.
  • Keyboard shortcuts support.

How to Install LazPaint in Ubuntu:

The image editor offers .deb packages available to download at the link below:

Just grab the latest deb package, and install it by running command in terminal:

sudo apt install ./Downloads/lazpaint*.deb

Once installed, open it from system application launcher and enjoy!

(Optional) To remove LazPaint simply run command in terminal:

sudo apt remove lazpaint
In App Review