May 2026 delivered a sizeable set of Linux software updates, including the set I’ve rounded up for your reading pleasure in this post.  The month also saw a buffet of big browser updates, including Firefox 151 with new-look new tab page, Vivaldi 8.0 with a new-look generally and a new public beta of Kagi’s Orion. Elsewhere, Ubuntu 26.04 LTS support was added to VMware Workstation (and Fusion for macOS), while open-source system cleaner BleachBit debuted a TUI for interactive command-line based spring cleaning. Below, I run through a crop of other Linux app releases that landed in May and caught my eye. […]

You're reading Linux App Release Roundup (May 2026), a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

If you haven’t check in with Ubuntu’s app prompting feature for a while, there’s more reason to do so in the latest release. Recent improvements to the snap-focused security feature, which Canonical’s Oliver Calder has shared an update on, aims to “empower users” by letting them grant apps system and hardware access at runtime rather than retrospectively. Android or iOS use similar prompts, showing screen modals asking if users if they want to “allow Acme App to access the camera” with options to deny or “only while using the app”. Nifty stuff on mobile, but on a desktop? Well, Canonical […]

You're reading Ubuntu’s app permission prompting has got a lot better, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

Installing Opera GX on Linux is now easier, with official packages available on the Canonical Snap Store and Flathub. Opera GX made its debut Linux release in March 2026, with the gaming-centric web browser porting over many of the novel features that have helped to make it a modest hit on Windows and macOS. That includes CPU, RAM and network controls provided, background sounds, themes and eye-candy like web shaders. A ‘Hot Tabs Killer’ feature automatically nukes tabs which use excessive resources (other browsers have similar features with more tactile names like ‘tab sleep’). You can install Opera GX on […]

You're reading Opera GX for Linux arrives on Flathub & Snap store, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

The Ghostty terminal is now packaged in the Ubuntu 26.04 LTS repositories – meaning for those on the new long-term support release, it’s only an apt install away. Ghostty is a fast, open-source terminal emulator for macOS and Linux (Windows support is seemingly trapped between planes), made by Mitchell Hashimoto. It’s picked up millions of users since its launch in December 2024, and has been available on Ubuntu via a community-maintained PPA, DEB and Snap packages for a while. This is its first appearance in the Ubuntu repos proper. What makes Ghostty different? “Ghostty is a fast, feature-rich, and cross-platform […]

You're reading Ghostty finally lands in the Ubuntu repos, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

If you take handwritten notes on Linux, chances are Xournal++ is something you’ve tried as its solid feature set and stylus support has earned it a loyal following amongst those who’d rather annotate PDFs or sketch equations than type. One criticism that follows it around is its interface. It’s rather pointer-led; lots of menus, buttons and tiny hit targets in toolbars. It doesn’t prevent you from doing what you opened the app to do – write, draw, scrawl and markup – but it’s not ideal. Well, that’s what a new tablet mode toolbar configuration recently merged in Xournal++‘s development builds […]

You're reading Xournal++ adds tablet-friendly toolbar mode, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

Is the classic image meme dead, or buried under an avalanche of AI slop? Memerist, a new(ish) native meme generator for Linux, emerged on Flathub recently to help dig them out. Memerist is a native (GTK4/libadwaita) app for Linux desktop. It is technically an image editor with a focused set of features, geared to those who want a convenient, local tool to quickly create and share popular memes. While the primary use case is for making memes, Memerist will open any image file. You can use it to add text and simple effects to anything – pursuit of a LOL […]

You're reading Memerist is a new desktop meme generator for Linux, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

The forecast is looking Qt for fans of open-source weather app Typhoon, the latest update to which swaps its creaking GTK3 backend for a lithe Qt 6 one. What’s interesting about this change in Typhoon 1.7.x is that it doesn’t impact the UI in any noticeable way. The app still uses a colourful, borderless window with optional transparency, and conveys weather forecast data via stark white text and glyphs. Archisman Panigrahi, Typhoon’s developer, says the Qt port was needed since GTK3 is being deprecated, but that rewriting the app in GTK4 was a non-starter given it ‘does not play well […]

You're reading Typhoon weather app clears up with Qt6 port, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

No more fighting with Wine dependencies: an unofficial Affinity v3 AppImage runs Canva's creative suite on Ubuntu via a simple, self-contained executable.

You're reading New AppImage Offers an Easier Way to Run Affinity on Ubuntu, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

Proton has launched Sheets, an encrypted spreadsheet app available to use in any browser with CSV/XLS import, real-time collaboration and more – for free!

You're reading Proton Launches Encrypted Spreadsheets (Browser-Based), a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

ONLYOFFICE 9.2 is out. The free, open-source office suite now includes a built-in AI Agent for document generation, content analysis, and more. Feature details inside.

You're reading ONLYOFFICE 9.2 Offers AI Agent to All, Adds Macro Recording, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

Ubuntu 25.10 no longer includes the Startup Applications tool, so learn how to autostart scripts and run custom commands at login with .desktop files.

You're reading How to Run Scripts and Commands at Login in Ubuntu 25.10, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

GIMP's developers have taken ownership of the Snap package on Canonical's Snap Store. The build had previously been maintained by a third-party project.

You're reading GIMP Announce Official Snap Package for Ubuntu, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

The free ONLYOFFICE productivity suite has been updated with a host of new features, including an improved PDF Editor. Details on what's new inside.

You're reading ONLYOFFICE 9.1 Released with PDF Redact Tools + More, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

Faster AI-powered face recognition and an AI powered image rotation plugin are among new features in an update to open source photo manager digiKam.

You're reading digiKam 8.7.0 Released with Improved AI Tools, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

How to easily rename audio devices on Ubuntu with the Simple Wireplumber GUI app. Replace technical audio device names with descriptive labels.

You're reading Rename Audio Devices on Ubuntu with this ‘Simple’ App, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

I won’t lie: it’s easy to add or remove startup apps, commands, and scripts in Ubuntu. Just open the Startup Applications tool, click ‘Add’, and away you go. But while Ubuntu’s utility is adequate, it’s not as user-friendly as similar tools available elsewhere. Sure, Startup Applications is equipped with the critical customisation fields a user will need to curate a set of software/services to start at login — SSH agent, VPN app, password manager, backup script, resolution tweaks, and so on — but it’s rather rote. Take the way you add an app to start at login: Ubuntu’s Startup Applications […]

You're reading Ignition is a Modern Startup Applications Utility for Linux, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

When GNOME 48 is released in March it will debut with a brand-new audio player. Per a recent merge request, Decibels graduates from GNOME Incubator to GNOME Core Apps as part of GNOME 48, making the software something GNOME recommends downstream Linux distributions include to give users a fully-featured GNOME experience. You may be familiar with or even using Decibels already. I wrote about the app in late 2023, and it’s been available to install from Flathub for almost as long. For anyone not familiar with it, Decibels is a no-frills audio player designed for the GNOME desktop (but can […]

You're reading GNOME 48 Expands Core Apps With New Audio Player, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

Removing backgrounds from video in Kdenlive, the free, open-source video editor for Linux, macOS and Windows, is about to get a whole lot easier. Developers are adding a “modern background removal tool” that uses machine learning to create object masks so you can ‘cut out’ an object, person, or item in a video clip. Real-time background removal features are common in video conferencing/chat apps like Slack. They allow a user to replace their actual backdrop (like a messy kitchen) with an alternative image or, sometimes, even a video clip. And image editing tools like GIMP and Photoshop have long been […]

You're reading Kdenlive is Adding One of Final Cut Pro’s Best Features, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

We’re seeing something of a terminal emulator renaissance of late, with developers eager to reimagine, rethink, and rewire the humble console to leverage modern hardware, GPU acceleration, containerised workflows, and (in some cases) AI/LLMs. Ghostty, a new open-source and cross-platform terminal application created by Mitchell Hashimoto (co-founder of HashiCorp) is the latest to join the fray. Hashimoto’s says he “set out to build a terminal emulator that was fast, feature-rich, and had a platform-native GUI while still being cross-platform.” The first public release materialised over Christmas, rather like a festive Dickensian spook seeking to give us a glimpse into the […]

You're reading Ghostty: New Open Source Terminal That’s Spookily Good, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.