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Fill Ubuntu Console With Hollywood Melodrama Technobabble

Last updated: March 17, 2020

Want to make your Ubuntu look like a busy-looking console? Hollywood is a utility that will split your console into a multiple panes of genuine technobabble, perfectly suitable for any Hollywood geek melodrama. It is particularly suitable on any number of computer consoles in the background of any excellent schlock technothriller.

Hollywood is open source software, created by Dustin Kirkland in 2014 and has been used by NBC News, on Saturday Night Live, in cybersecurity commercials for Experian, Full Frontal by Samantha Bee, Map Men, and magazine articles such as this one from Texas A&M University.

How to Install Hollywood in Ubuntu:

Hollywood is available in Ubuntu main repositories, though it’s always old.

The Hollywood PPA contains the latest packages for Ubuntu 16.04, Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 19.10, and Ubuntu 20.04.

1.) Open terminal from system application menu, then run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:hollywood/ppa

Type user password (no asterisk feedback) when it prompts and hit Enter to continue.

2.) Then refresh system package cache and install the utility via following 2 commands:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install --install-recommends hollywood

To start hollywood, run command hollywodd either in terminal (toggle fullscreen mode vi F11) or TTY console (Ctrl+Alt+F3). And stop it via Ctrl+C.

Uninstall:

To remove the PPA, either use Software & Updates utility or run command in terminal:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:hollywood/ppa

To remove Hollywood utility, run command:

sudo apt remove hollywood
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Internet Radio Player Shortwave 1.0 Released (Howto Install)

Last updated: March 15, 2020

Shortwave, an internet radio player desktop application for Linux, released its first stable version 1.0 today. Here’s how to install it in Ubuntu 18.04 and higher.

Shortwave is a new desktop radio app for Linux built with Rust. It provides access to a station database with over 25,000 stations. It features:

  • Create your own library where you can add your favourite stations
  • Easily search and discover new radio stations
  • Automatic recognition of songs, with the possibility to save them individually
  • Responsive application layout, compatible for small and large screens
  • Play audio on supported network devices (e.g. Google Chromecasts)
  • Seamless integration into the GNOME desktop environment
  • Import stations from Gradio.

How to install Shortwave in Ubuntu:

For Ubuntu 18.04 and higher, Shortwave radio player can be easily installed via Flatpak from flathub repository.

First do following steps to setup flathub repository if you’re first time installing a flatpak package in Ubuntu:

1.) Open terminal either from system application menu or by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard. When it opens, run command:

sudo apt install flatpak

2.) Add the flathub repository which hosts the flatpak package:

flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

Then install Shortwave flatpak package via command:

flatpak install flathub de.haeckerfelix.Shortwave

Once installed, launch the internet radio player from your system application menu and enjoy!

(Optional) To remove Shortwave, simply run command in terminal:

flatpak uninstall de.haeckerfelix.Shortwave
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Mechvibes: Play Mechanical Keyboard Sounds When You Type

Last updated: March 8, 2020

Mechvibes is a desktop application that plays mechanical keyboard key-press sound when your type on your keyboard.

It’s a side project that I made for myself since when I use my own mechanical keyboard at late night or in the office and my parents and my coworkers hate that a lot because the sound of the keyboard is very loud (especially in quiet places). So if you are facing this issue just like me then this product is for you!

With Mechvibes, you can:

  • Set custom keyboard sound set by recording any sound you like
  • Use your laptop keyboard or non-mechanical keyboard at work and still hear your loved sound.
  • Use this app as any purpose as you want

How to Install Mechvibes in Ubuntu:

The software can be easily installed in Ubuntu 18.04 and higher via Snap package in Ubuntu Software utility.

Once installed, launch the software from system application menu. And you may read the official document about Mechvibes Editor.

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Colorpicker: Mininal But Complete Color Picker App

Last updated: March 6, 2020

There are quite a few color picker applications for Ubuntu Linux. Colorpicker is another one written with Electron, and works in Linux, Windows, and Mac OS.

The colorpicker tool features:

  • pin app window to the foreground.
  • A picker opens an eyedropper to pick a color from your desktop
  • Colorsbook, a color manager
  • show three bar of shading — hue bar, natural bar and lightness bar
  • Toggle Opacity range
  • Show colors from the clipboard

How to Install ColorPicker in Ubuntu:

The software is available in Ubuntu Software as Snap package (runs in sandbox). Simply search for and install colorpicker app and enjoy!

If you prefer .deb or .appimage, go to the Github releases page:

Colorpick Github

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Delta Chat – Telegram / Whatsapp Like Messenger over Email

Last updated: March 2, 2020

Delta Chat is a free open-source Telegram or Whatsapp like messenger that works on Linux, Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android.

Delta Chat doesn’t have its own servers but uses the most massive and diverse open messaging system ever: the existing e-mail server network.

Chat with anyone if you know their e-mail address, no need for them to install the software! All you need is a standard e-mail account.

Download Delta Chat:

The software offers deb, appimage, and flatpak packages for downloading on its website:

Delta Chat Download

Install the messenger, login via your Email address and enjoy!

For Gmail, you’ll need to turn on “Less secure app access” in account settings > security web page.

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Notable – Markdown based Note-taking App for Linux

Last updated: February 23, 2020

Notable is an open-source Markdown-based note-taking application that works in Linux, Mac OS, and Windows.

Notes are written and rendered in GitHub Flavored Markdown, no WYSIWYG, no account required, no proprietary formats, and the app isn’t bloated.

Notable has a pretty user interface and it features:

  • Markdown editor, the same one VS Code uses.
  • Notes and attachments stored locally on your disk
  • Dark theme support.
  • Zen mode that provides a minimalistic editing and reading experience
  • Import Evernote and Boostnote notes
  • Export notes to Markdown, HTML or PDF.
  • Fuzzy search, attachments, synchronization with Dropbox, and more.

How to Install Notable in Ubuntu:

Although Notable Snap package is available in Ubuntu Software, it’s recommended to download the .deb from the link below:

Notable Releases (.deb)

Scroll down a little, click download the ‘notable_x.x.x_amd64.deb‘ packages, then install it either via Gdebi package installer or simply double click on the deb.

Finally open the software from your system application menu and enjoy!

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Remote Touchpad: Control Mouse & Keyboard from Your Phone

Last updated: April 24, 2024

Remote Touchpad is an open-source utility allows to remote control the mouse and keyboard connected to your computer from the web browser of a smartphone or any other device with a touchscreen.

Remote Touchpad supports Flatpak’s RemoteDesktop portal (experimental), Windows and X11.

Simply run the utility on your machine. It outputs an URL along with QR code in a terminal window. To take control open the displayed URL or scan the QR code in your phone.

The utility is available as Snap package. You can simply search for and install remote touchpad in Ubuntu Software:

It also available to install via Flatpak package, see the Flathub repository.

Once installed, launch the utility from your system application menu.

Then go to the displayer URL or scan the QR code in your phone and enjoy!

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Install Ephemeral web browser Easily via Snap in Ubuntu

Last updated: April 24, 2024

UPDATE: Ephemeral DISCONTINUED since 2022. And, it’s no longer available in Ubuntu Software as Snap package.

Ephemeral, a private-by-default, always-incognito browser for elementary OS, now can be easily installed in Ubuntu 18.04 and higher via Snap package.

Ephemeral is a stripped down private browser that’s perfect for avoiding persistent cookies or web trackers. Close the window and all traces of your browsing are removed from your device.

Ephemeral is developed by Cassidy James Blaede, co-founder & CXO at elementary, Inc. It is designed and developed on and for elementary OS. And the community build Snap package made it available to install in Ubuntu.

To install Ephemeral web browser in Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 19.04, Ubuntu 20.04, open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command:

snap install ephemeral

The software package should also be available in Ubuntu Software, though I don’t see it in my case.

Once you installed the web browser, launch it from system application menu and enjoy!

To remove Ephemeral web browser, run command:

snap remove ephemeral
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Tunic – Install Ubuntu from Running Windows without USB

Last updated: April 24, 2024

Want to install Ubuntu on your computer but don’t have an USB drive on your hand? An open-source tool Tunic may help.

Tunic is a tool that can install Ubuntu or Linux Mint over or alongside an existing Windows install, straight from Windows, without requiring to boot from external media like a flash drive or making BIOS configuration changes.

The software asks all questions at beginning, so you don’t have to babysit the install. It supports Linux Mint, Ubuntu, and most official Ubuntu flavors. And all the process is automated, it downloads the iso image, installs Grub with Secure Boot support, alculates Linux equivalent values for your Windows locale and user account, and finally reboots and runs the installer.

Features of Tunic include:

  • Shrink C: volume to make space for Linux, so you can dual boot them.
  • Disables Windows fast start.
  • Provide tools to assist with freeing up space for Linux.

And, requirements include:

  • 64-bit Windows 10
  • Single drive hosting the C: volume
  • 4 GB RAM or higher.
  • At least 15 GB of free disk space
  • UEFI
  • Administrator user permissions
  • Internet access for downloading iso image.

As a new project, it may have bugs! BACKUP your data before getting started! For more about Tunic, as well as the download link, go to its project page in Github.

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Gotify-Indicator: Send & Receive Messages in Ubuntu Desktop

Last updated: May 14, 2024

Gotify Indicator is a simple tool in the system tray area to send and receive messages via your own Gotify server.

Gotify is a server that can send and receive messages. It works as a push notifications server. It’s a free open-source tool written in Go language, and features a web UI, allowing to sending messages via a REST-API, subscribing/receiving messages via a web socket connection, and managing users, clients and applications.

Gotify also features iOS and Android app, a command line tool for pushing messages. While, Gotify-Indicator is a third-party indicator for Gotify in the Linux Desktop. With it you can send and receive messages directly from your computer. So you can send messages to other devices that are connected to the same server.

How to Install Gotify indicator in Ubuntu:

NOTE: The PPA package support until Ubuntu 22.04, check the PPA link below.

The developer maintains the software packages in the PPA repository for Ubuntu 16.04, Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 20.04, and Ubuntu 22.04.

1.) Open terminal either by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard or by searching for ‘terminal’ from application menu. When it opens, run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:atareao/atareao

Type user password when it prompts and hit Enter to continue.

2.) Then install the tool via command:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install gotify-indicator

Once installed, open it from your system application launcher and you’ll see the indicator in system tray area. Setup the notification sending and receiving service (see top picture) and enjoy!

Uninstall:

To remove the PPA as well as the software package, run commands in terminal one by one:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:atareao/atareao

sudo apt remove gotify-indicator
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