As the final release of Ubuntu 20.10 is fast approaching, it’s time to get tested – yes, let’s discuss the beta version!
Both developers and general users can download the new beta version of Ubuntu 20.10 to try out all the latest Groovy changes before the release of the stable version, which we look forward to at the end of October. It’s time to take a closer look at what awaits us.
This is the only beta release planned for the Groovy development cycle, and if you decide to install it, you will be able to upgrade to Ubuntu 20.10 at the very end of this month.
Ubuntu 20.10 latest beta features
Ubuntu 20.10 is based on GNOME 3.38. This is the latest stable release of the GNOME desktop environment, which has made a commendable number of changes. Which ones, you may ask.
Excellent question, experts answer.
Well, GNOME 3.38 makes it possible to rearrange icons in the application grid manually by dragging and dropping; adds page numbering to the application folders; and puts (albeit belatedly, but thank you) the restart option in the main system menu.
Now you can turn your laptop into a Wi-Fi hotspot accessible by QR code; enable battery percentage from the Settings app (no longer requires the Tweaks tool); and see upcoming calendar events in the message area under the calendar widget (a very logical placement).
The beta version also has the latest Linux kernel 5.8. Among the many upgrades, it boasts improved AMD Renoir support, added connectivity for Thunderbolt 4 on ARM devices, comes with new exFAT drivers, and improved power management.
The Ubuntu Ubiquity installer has a new icon and a new feature: integration with Active Directory (AD). AD support will help Ubuntu attract the attention of enterprise users who want to integrate the system into existing managed networks.
There are also updated versions of major open source software, such as Mozilla Firefox 81 (now with high-precision scrolling on Linux), Thunderbird 78 (with OpenPGP encryption available out of the box), and the latest version of LibreOffice 7.0.
Yes, and one small correction: the built-in screen capture tool has been simplified, which many avid screenshot enthusiasts like me will check out.
What is unusual for beta versions of Ubuntu, there are no new desktop wallpapers-at least at the time of testing and writing this post. Wallpapers aren’t the most important part of the Ubuntu release, but they help give each iteration a personality. In addition, they are always a popular topic of conversation.
So the Ubuntu 20.10 beta gives users an almost complete picture of what’s coming at the end of this month. It is unlikely that before the release of the final version, there will be some major change or a noticeable new feature, well, or if there is, it will be interesting to find out what is the reason for such a fierce delay.
Groovy is a perfection that builds on the fantastic foundations laid down in Focal Fossa. Gradually and consciously, the rough edges are polished, and the sharp corners are polished.
Although, I would like to see some bolder changes (perhaps replacing the rickety “desktop icons” extension with something juicier to begin with), I am nevertheless happy with what is being proposed. Yes, many people will say that everything is of the same type and in general “the same faces, only in profile”, but the best, as you know, is the enemy of the good, isn’t it?
Download Ubuntu 20.10 Beta
You can download Ubuntu 20.10 from the Ubuntu release server by clicking the button below, BUT first you should know that the .iso file has a whopping 2.8 gigabytes of weight, making it the fattest Ubuntu release ever.
Download Ubuntu 20.10 Beta (64-bit. iso)
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