Month: February 2020

Manjaro 19.0

“We are happy to publish another stable release of Manjaro Linux, named Kyria.

The Xfce edition remains our flagship offering and has received the attention it deserves. Only a few can claim to offer such a polished, integrated and leading-edge Xfce experience. With this release we ship Xfce 4.14 and have mostly focused on polishing the user experience with the desktop and window manager. Also we have switched to a new theme called Matcha. A new feature Display-Profiles allows you to store one or more profiles for your preferred display configuration. We also have implemented auto-application of profiles when new displays are connected.

Our KDE edition provides the powerful, mature and feature-rich Plasma 5.17 desktop environment with a unique look-and-feel, which we completely re-designed for this release. The full set of Breath2-themes includes light and dark versions, animated splash-screen, Konsole profiles, Yakuake skins and many more little details. We have rounded off text editor Kate with some additional color schemes and offer Plasma-Simplemenu as an alternative to the traditional Kickoff-Launcher. With a wide selection of latest KDE-Apps 19.12.2 and other applications Manjaro-KDE aims to be a versatile and elegant environment ready for all your everyday needs.

In Gnome edition which is based on version 3.34 series, we also have included a visual refresh for several applications and the desktop itself. The background selection settings also received a redesign, making it easier to select custom backgrounds. By default we added our own dynamic wallpaper that changes throughout the day. GNOME 3.34 also introduces custom folders in the application overview: Simply drag an application icon on top of another to create a folder. Folders are automatically removed again when all icons have been dragged out. With a simpler desktop layout we gain more stability. Our new Gnome-Layout-Switcher enables you to change your desktop layout easily with preset layouts mimicking popular operating systems. Available layouts are: Manjaro, Vanilla Gnome, Mate/Gnome2, Traditional Desktop/Windows, Modern Desktop/MacOs, Unity/Ubuntu Theme. We also automatically change between dark and light theme when Nightlight is triggered. A new theme for the login screen and the addition of Feral’s Gamemode round up our Gnome edition.

Kernel 5.4 LTS is used for this release, such as the latest drivers available to date. Relative to the last installation media release, our tools have been improved and polished.

Pamac 9.3 series received a few updates. With a more robust and reliable transaction backend our update process should be much smoother now. Also we improved package sorting by relevance in our GTK-UI. Enhancing our package management we have enabled snap and flatpak support by default. You can now install snaps or flatpaks very easily, with our new tool Bauh and make use of a larger selection of the latest Linux applications.

We hope you enjoy this release and let us know what you think of Kyria.”

This camera looks pretty good, I am looking forward to trying it out! The software that comes with it, even hass some pretty decent switching and image insert features for multi-cam usage!

Logitech has a brand new webcam for streamers, and you can mount it vertically

PC Gamer – By: Joanna Nelius – “I’ve favored Logitech’s C920 for years for its simplicity and picture quality. It’s been my go-to webcam for both streaming and office meetings, but I’ve always found it annoying that I couldn’t mount it in a number of different positions on my monitor bezel. The new webcam Logitech launched today, the StreamCam, is everything the C920 is and more, but for a lot more money.

You can mount it either horizontally or vertically, rotate it on multiple axes, and tilt it down at a full 90-degree angle. It also comes with a second mount base should you want to mount the StreamCam to a tabletop tripod instead of your monitor, and is fully supported by XSplit and OBS. It also features auto-framing and image stabilization to reduce camera shake should you accidentally bump your knee into your desk.

That’s just the start of things to love about the StreamCam, but of course it doesn’t come cheap: $170, $100 more than the C920 and $70 more than the C922 and Razer’s Kiyo. (You do get a three-month XSplit premium subscription thrown in for free if you buy the StreamCam from Logitech’s website.)

Here’s a quick rundown of the specs:

• Max resolution: 1080p/60fps in Mjpeg (motion jpeg)
• Focus/Exposure: Smart Auto
• FOV: 78 degrees
• Connection: USB-C 3.1
• Microphone: Stereo / Dual Mono
• Lens: f/2.0 – focal length 3.7mm

Compared to the C920, C922, and Razer’s Kiyo, you can stream at a faster framerate and higher resolution—and of course the StreamCam has vertical video, a two axis mount, and the option to use the built in microphone in a dual mono mode, which the other webcams don’t.

But what stands out to here is the f-number. F/2.0 is a wide maximum aperture, so the StreamCam could be used in low light situations and still churn out a decent image. We were able to briefly test it under soft room lighting, and the resulting image looked well-lit and balanced.

However, you might want to think about getting a good secondary light source if you don’t already have one anyway. Unlike Razer’s Kiyo, the StreamCam does not have a built in light. Not having a good light source could cause a dip in framerate since the aperture needs to open wider to let more light in. If you care more about framerate over exposure, you might not get a perfect 60fps in super low light situations.

The StreamCam also opts for a USB-C connection instead of a USB-A. This isn’t a huge issue if you have a motherboard that was made in the last couple of years, as most come with a USB-C port, but if you don’t have one you can still use Logitech’s new webcam. You’ll just need a USB-C to USB-A 3.0 adapter, and you can usually find a two-pack for around $10.

While there is no 4K option like the Brio, it doesn’t always make sense to stream in 4K, which makes the StreamCam a good choice for anyone with a C920 or C922 looking for something with more features.

Logitech also revamped its Capture software to include a Dark Mode, new scene effects, and live text overlays. You can also adjust the white balance and other image settings, as well as prioritize frame rate or exposure in the software. To get access to some scene effects, however, you will need to create a free account via Logitech Capture and sign in. You can download the software for free here. (MacOS support is coming soon.)”

Doesn’t it annoy you? How Netflix will autoplay thumbnails of shows? It did me! Now, there is a way to fix it!

1) Sign into your Netflix account on the web.
2) Click your profile photo in the upper right and choose “Manage Profiles.”
3) Choose the profile you want to disable autoplay on. Beneath the options for your profile name, language, and parental controls, you’ll see a section for autoplay controls.

Disable that sucker! Whew! Now, it won’t start running and there will be peace again!