Ubuntu previews new release
With just a month to go, the Ubuntu team has announced a beta of the soon to be released Ubuntu 8.10. Also known as Intrepid Ibex, the latest release of the popular Linux distribution includes better 3G support for mobile users as well as better hot-pluggable hardware.
With portability and the increase in mobile broadband in mind, 8.10 beta includes support for GSM/CDMA 3G connections in the revamped Network Manager 0.7. Users can choose between normal PPP/PPPoE connections and mobile 3G ones.
On the desktop front, Intrepid beta includes the recently-released Gnome 2.24 desktop which includes a number of new features including Ekiga 3.0 for VoIP, tabbed file management and Empathy, a new instant messaging tool.
The beta also includes X.Org 7.4, also a new release, which includes much better support for hot-pluggable input devices such as tablets, keyboards, and mice.
A quirky new feature included in this release is a new addition to the User Switcher panel applet. It allows a user to start a new temporary guest session which has no password but restricted access. The intention is that users can temporarily allow others to use their machine without compromising their own session.
The Kubuntu version of the release includes the latest KDE desktop, version 4.1.2, version 3.0 of the Adept package manager and much-improved support for multimedia keyboards in KMix.
Downloads of Ubuntu 8.10 beta can be found on the Intrepid Beta website (http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/intrepid/beta).
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