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.
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| 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:
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Originally posted on Linux Uprising Blog.
A KDE Connect app is available on the Apple App Store. It lets iPhone & iPad users benefit from integration between their device(s) and the Linux desktop.