scrcpy, a tool to display control Android devices from the desktop, has been updated to version 2.0, receiving a major new feature: audio forwarding. But that's not all – this release also adds H265 and AV1 video codec support, along with other changes.

LocalSend is a free and open source, cross-platform alternative to AirDrop for sending files securely over the local network. The Flutter app runs on Linux, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Android / Android TV, iOS, and Fire TV / OS.

The application doesn't use any third-party servers and doesn't require an Internet connection to work. For communication in the local network, it makes use of its custom LocalSend Protocol and HTTPS encryption. The data is sent securely over HTTPS, and the TLS/SSL certificate is generated on the fly on each device.

LocalSend is new, having its first GitHub commit in December 2022, but it already packs quite a few features like the ability to send not only files but also text, automatically display nearby devices, send to multiple recipients, detailed file transfer information, received files history, Quick Save (auto accept file transfers until this is turned off), rename incoming files, and more. It cannot send folders, at least right now.

LocalSend Linux application – Receive tab

Valent is a new KDE Connect protocol implementation built on GNOME platform libraries. Compared to GSConnect, which is implemented as a GNOME Shell extension, Valent doesn't need GNOME Shell to run (it's a standalone app), so it can be used on any GTK-based desktop environment like Xfce, Budgie, Cinnamon, Pantheon, MATE, etc. Both GSConnect and Valent are developed by Andy Holmes.

Valent running on the Xfce desktop (Xubuntu)

It's important to note from the start that Valent is currently alpha software. There are missing features and bugs.

KDE Connect is created for use with KDE Plasma, but it does work on other desktop environments as well. However, you need to install quite a few KDE dependencies with it, and it doesn't integrate well with the system. This is where Valent comes in.

What can this do? Using Valent (and KDE Connect), you can:

• receive Android phone notifications on your desktop and reply to messages
• sync the clipboard between your Android or iOS device and desktop
• control music playing on your desktop from your phone
• share files between your desktop and phone, and browse your phone from the desktop
• send SMS from your desktop
• execute predefined commands from your phone to run on your desktop
• control your desktop's mouse and keyboard from the Android/iOS device
• browse your Android device filesystem from your desktop wirelessly
• and more

KDE Connect initially only supported Android devices, but it later added support for iOS. It supports fewer features on iOS though, due to limitations.

This is a screenshot of all Valent plugins, showing everything it can do when paired with an Android device: