'gworldclock'-Tracking Time Can't Get Easier.

Apart from the Gnome notification area world clock ,you can use 'gworldclock' to keep track of a large number of time zones with a lot of ease.
It is very basic,light and simple application.
It can be installed from the 'Synaptic Package Manager' (search for 'gworldclock').After installation,launch it from the 'Accessories' section.
The default display shows the current system time-zone.To add a new time-zone,
click on the 'Options' menu and then 'Add Timezone'.
A new window having 'Continents','Countries' and 'Regions' tab would appear.
Make selections under these tabs to select a time-zone.You would have to configure all the three sections to add a time-zone.


Select the time display format from the 'Preferences' section,under the 'File' menu.Customized display format can also be created.


You may also "rendezvous" your time zones to a specified time and date ('Options' menu).
Make sure to 'Save Zones' ('File' menu) before exiting the program.
Developer:Drew Parsons 18 March 2005
License: Released under the General Public License (GPL) v2.0

Exaile- Play it , Enjoy it.

Exaile is another one of those music playback applications that you can install in Ubuntu from the 'Synaptic package manager'.It offers a complete package for a pretty fulfilling music playback experience.
Initial startup allows you to provide a path to your music folder.This library can also be created later from the 'Library Manager' under the 'Edit' menu.
The left sidebar of the window, maintains a list of all the albums from the library.Other tabs provide quick access to online radio,file system and custom playlists.
'Exaile' provides album art support.To set a custom image as an album art,simply right click on the album art box.
Last.Fm users can configure their service under the 'Preferences' section from the 'Edit' menu.
'Exaile' provides an inbuilt podcast support.To add a new feed,choose the 'Radio' tab from the left sidebar and right click on the 'Podcasts' folder.Just type in the feed URL and let 'Exaile' fetch your favorite podcasts.


Burn your favorite tracks and playlists right from within the 'Exaile' interface by right clicking on a track in the current 'Playlist' section (current playback section).MP3 tags can also be edited by right clicking on a track.
'Exaile' just doesn't provide an equalizer section to import equalizer settings,infact,it provides its own set of equalizers.So you do not need to import anything to "equalize" your music.



Enable the usual 'Gnome Notification Area' from the general preferences section.

'gPodder' Podacst Client

'gPodder' is a desktop podcast client for Ubuntu that allows you to download podcasts (audio/video) and also transfer them to your Mp3 players.You can also play them right away in 'gPodder' itself.
To subscribe to anew podcast feed ,simply type in the URL of the podcast in the field provided in the left sidebar of the window and click on 'Add'.'gPodder' shows complete information about an available episode.


Under the 'Preferences' menu,you can choose the default podcast playback application.
Choose the default download folder from the 'Downloads' section .'gPodder' also provides an inbuilt Bluetooth support to make life a bit more simple for you.You need to enable this support from the 'Bluetooth' section under the 'Preferences' menu.



'gPodder' can be configured to show an icon in the 'Gnome Notification Area'.If bandwidth is not something that you worry about,then you can configure 'gPodder' to auto download new episodes of your feeds .

Tracking various time-zones.

The Gnome notification area can serve as a world-clock as well.The clock that displays time and date of your location can display time and temperature of other locations as well.To configure these time zones,right click on the clock and choose 'Preferences'.Under the 'Locations' tab click on the 'ADD' button to add new locations.In the 'Location Name' field box,just start typing the name of the desired location and you'll probably get it.


Choose the units of temperature and wind speed under the 'Weather' tab.Now whenever your system gets online,click on the clock to view current time and weather situation of your locations.Br>

Analog clocks are also presented along with the information and the configured locations are marked on a map.A 'Home' icon is displayed with your original location and this can be changed by clicking on the 'set' button.

RipOff- Rip audio from your CDs

'RipOff' is a simple GTK based audio cd ripper for ubuntu.It can rip cds in proprietary as well as open-source formats.'RipOff' is pretty similar to some other applications like 'Asunder' and the 'Audio CD Extractor'.Ripping off tracks in the popular MP3 format can be a daunting task for a new Linux/Ubuntu user.


'Rip Off' makes this pretty simple.Although Mp3 support is present by default,it can be added by installing the 'rip-off-mp3' plugin from the 'Synaptic Package Manager' of ubuntu 8.10.



'RipOff' provides the usual CDDB lookup feature.Tags can also be edited manually before ripping.To choose the output format, click on the 'Edit' menu and choose the desired plugin under the 'Plugins' tab.To choose the bit rate specifications, click on the 'Preferences' button.
Under the 'Input/Output' tab,you can select the track name format and and the output folder (Click on the 'Save' button' to choose a new location).

Rhythmbox Podcast Managemant

The 'Rhythmbox Media Player' that you get with the default ubuntu installation can help you manage your podcasts.Podcasts management is an integrated feature of the 'Rhythmbox Media Player'.To manage podcasts ,simply click on the 'Podcasts' section in the left sidebar of the player and then click on 'New Podcast Feed' button.Rhythmbox also lets you download new versions of your podcasts with a single click.Podcasts are saved by default in the 'Home' directory.


To change the download location,open 'Preferences' under the 'Edit' menu and find relevant options under the 'Podcasts' tab.

Cool 'Icepodder' podcast management.

'Icepodder' lets you to subscribe to your favorite podcasts and download them with ease.It has a pretty "cool" interface.To get you started,some podcast feeds are provided by default.To add a new feed,click on the 'Tools' menu and then on 'Add a Feed'.Just provide the feed URL in a window that follows and get ready for some listening pleasure.'Icepodder' updates all your feeds in two modes:'Catch-up' and 'Check all' (under the 'Tools' menu).'Check all' looks for updates of all the subscribed feeds and 'Catch-Up' skips all but the top item in each feed.
A download scheduler is also provided that allows you to schedule the feed updates and downloads.'Icepodder' can be scheduled to update feeds after a particular interval of time or at specific times.It all gets pretty easy with 'Icepodder'.


Feeds can also be imported or exported through OMPL files under the 'File' menu.'Preferences' can also be set under the 'File' menu.Here,you can configure the default download location,enable an option to play podcats right after download and also choose the default podcast player.


'Icepodder' provides an efficient feed management system and can be installed using this Debian package.Launch it from the 'Sound and Video' menu.

Ubuntu Wet Tiles

Get Your 'Sysinfo'.

'Sysinfo' claims to help you know your system better.
Install 'Sysinfo' from the 'Synaptic Package Manager'(section-utilities (universe)).Launch it from the 'System Tools' menu.
Five different categories provided on the left provide relevant system information.
'System' gives the details about the OS,Xorg version and also displays system uptime.
'CPU' provides the details of the CPU model name and frequency.


For RAM and Swap info,checkout the 'Memory' section and for the hard disk details select the 'Storage' section.
The 'Hardware' section is the most detailed section.Use the drop down menu provided at the top right to select a device (motherboard,sound card,graphics card and network) .Corresponding to the device selected,relevant information is be displayed.


Configure 'Preferences' under the 'Edit' menu.Enable or disable the initial animation ,select the start section here.'Sysinfo' can also save system details in a simple text file.Use the 'File' menu to save the system information as a text file.

Get a cross platform 'Gorilla' for your passwords.

'Password Gorilla' can help you manage all your passwords that you you forget again and again.It is a cross platform application which is a boon if you switch between different OSs.The interface and fonts of 'Password Gorilla' might not please you but that is not really what matters here.Install this application from the 'Synaptic Package Manager' and launch from the 'Accessories' menu.Even with the first run of the program, you would be asked to open a database.Simply click on the 'Cancel' button to enter the main program.


To create a new database of passwords ,click on 'New' in the 'File' menu.You will be asked to provide a master password for the database.To create a new login account within a database, click on the 'Login' menu.A new window allowing you to provide a title , URL ,username and password would appear.Additional notes can also be provided.A random password can also be generated here.Save the database before exiting the program.


Now whenever you require your passwords ,simply open the corresponding database and copy usernames and passwords to clipboard and paste them in their respective fields.This feature of 'Password Manager' makes it pretty safe to use it in the presence of others.
Open 'Preferences' from the 'File' menu to provide the default time after which the clipboard should be cleared.This is set to 0 (never) by default.



It is also important to clear clipboard as quickly as possible.For random password generation,edit he 'Password Policy',that allows you to configure the kind of passwords that are generated.



If you forget the master password ,then things can turn pretty bad.

Tweak Ubuntu Easily.

The latest version of 'Ubuntu Tweak' is fully loaded with features that make it easier for you to work in Ubuntu.Now you can install applications and even remove unneeded packages to free your disk with 'Ubuntu Tweak'.
'Ubuntu Tweak' can be installed using a debian package.Launch it from the 'System Tools' menu.
The left side of the 'Ubuntu Tweak' window provides a listing of the categories of various options available.
Under the 'Computer' section, you get to view the system information.No editing options are provided here.It displays the information about the host and distribution.
The 'Application' section allows you to install new applications.This section is itself divided among three sub-sections of "Add/Remove","Third Party Sources" and "Package Cleaner".The "Add/Remove" lists a lot of packages but provides no details regarding them.To use the "Third Party Sources", you need to firstly provide the system password."Package Cleaner" clears the package cache.


Under the "Startup" section,you can enable a splash screen for system startup.Some other options related to session control are also provided here."Auto Start" allows to enable or disable automatic program starups.This can also be done easily from the 'session' menu under 'Preferences'.
Change your desktop behavior under the 'Desktop' section.Here,you can rename your 'Home' and 'Trash' directories.There is an option provided to use the 'Home' folder as the 'Desktop' folder.
With the other sub-sections under 'Desktop',you can tweak compiz and window decoration settings.The 'Gnome' section provides options to disable the 'Recent Documents' list and also configure the notification-daemon pop up location.Now you get to change the panel logo also.Br>

Under the 'Personal' section, you can manage templates ,scripts and shortcut keys.
System security options are provided under the 'System' section.The 'Run Application' dialog can be locked from this section.
This small application provides you options to configure almost the whole system.Grab the debian package by clicking here.

'GNOME Transfer Manger' for dial-up connections.

'Gnome Transfer manager' is a download manager designed especially to work on dial-up networks.It has all the features of a usual download manager.It allows users to download multiple files simultaneously from the web.Downloads can be paused at any moment and file transfer can be retrieved once connected to the internet.It performs all its tasks using 'wget' download manager as its back-end.


GTM is available in the 'Synaptic Package Manager'.Search for 'gtm' and mark for installation.Launch it from the 'Internet' menu.Start a new download by clicking on the first button in the toolbar.Simply provide the download URL and start downloading.
To configure the default download directory and proxy servers,click on the 'Settings' menu and open 'Preferences'.

Manage appointments and meetings with 'Dates'.

'Dates' is a very small and lightweight calendar for Gnome with pretty straightforward interface.Designed primarily for hand held devices and PDAs ,it works well on Gnome too and can be installed from the 'Synaptic Package Manager'.It can be used to schedule appointments and meetings.Launch 'Dates' from the 'Office' menu.The default view is that of that the current day.To schedule a new event,just double click anywhere in the rows of the window or use the 'New' button at the bottom of the window.


The scheduled time is turned blue.Event timing can be edited by simply dragging the blue shaded portion from the bottom right corner.


'Dates' also provides zooming options.

Ubuntu Red Hot!

Click on the image to download the 'Ubuntu Red Hot' wallpaper.

Manage Your Contacts With The 'Rubrica Addressbook' for GNOME.

Manage all your contacts with the 'Rubrica' for GNOME to maintain a nice addressbook.Rubrica provides you enough options to create a highly efficient and simple addressbook.With this addressbook,you can categorize your contacts into a number of groups like 'favorites','hot contacts','friends','university' and even 'free software'.There are a total of 19 groups to choose from.
Install 'Rubrica' from the 'Synaptic Package Manager' ( Miscellaneous - Graphical(universe)).Launch 'Rubrica Addressbook' from the 'Office' menu.
To create a new contact you need to create a new card.Click on the 'Modifica' menu to create a new personal or company card.A new window allowing you to enter contact fields would appear.
Rubrica stores names,web urls,email addresses,telephone numbers,job data,a photograph and even some additional notes.Thus 'Rubrica Addressbook' maintains a pretty detailed contact.Card labels and groups can be edited under the first tab.


To view a contact choose a group from the 'Groups' column and then click on the card label.
Under the 'Modifica' tab ,you can configure preferences.Here ,you get to choose the web browser to handle URLs,an email client for handling emails.An option to launch Ekiga on clicking a telephone number is also provided.



Use 'Rubrica Addressbok' and give your feedback in the comments section.

Organize your music with the 'Audio Tag Tool'

To maintain a nicely organized music library,you need to properly tag your MP3s and OGG files.
'Audio Tag Tool' is a package that can tag your music.It has a very simple and nice GUI.Install 'Audio Tag Tool' from the 'Synaptic Package Manager' (search for 'tagtool' in the Multimedia Universe repository).After installation ,launch it from the 'Sound and Video' menu.Load MP3 or OGG files in the 'Working Directory'.


You can tag these files individually as well as in a group.Five tabs are provided on the right side of the window.The first tab allows you to tag an individual file and the second tab allows you to tag a group of files.
The other three tabs allow you to clear tags ,configure the file name format and create play lists.
Once you fill in all the required fields , click on 'Go' button provided at the bottom of the window.A drop down menu present along with the 'Go' button allows you to apply the tag fields to all the files of the directory or only the selected files.
'Audio Tag Tool' can create ID3 v1 and ID3 v2 tags.You can choose between the two formats from the 'ID3 Preferences' section under the 'Settings' menu.Your music player may support a particular ID3 version so check with the reference before applying tags and transferring music.'Character Conversions' can help you in easily removing the underscore symbol found in the names of the music files.You can change all underscores to white spaces and vice-verse.An option of converting case is also provided.



The only disappointment is probably the absence of an album art field.
So have a nicely organized music collection with 'Audio Tag Tool'.

Scan Documents In PDF

To save a scanned document as a PDF file you can use 'gscan2pdf'.It provides an easy to use GUI to aid the process of converting a scanned document to PDF.
This package is available in the 'universe' repository of ubuntu.Install it from the 'Synaptic Package Manager'.
Launch 'gscan2pdf' from the 'Graphics' menu.Click on the 'scan document' button on the toolbar.A window allowing you to configure your scanner appears.Under the 'Scan Options' tab you can set the paper size,choose the compression format and set the resolution.Under the 'Page Options' keep the '# Pages' to 1 and check the '#' radio button otherwise the same document would be scanned again and again.


To scan a document click on the 'Scan' button at the bottom.Once the document is scanned save it in the PDF or an image format from the 'File' menu.You can even email the document in PDF.
Use the buttons provided on the toolbar to zoom in/out of the document and rotate it by 90 or 180 degrees.
Copyright 2006--2008 Jeffrey Ratcliffe
Home Page:http://gscan2pdf.sf.net

Listen - Just Listen

The tag line of 'Listen' is 'Just Listen' but you can certainly do a lot more than just listening to your music.
'Listen' music player for Gnome is a great way to 'Listen ' to your music.
Get instant artist,album or song information from 'Wikipedia' and discover similar songs from 'LastFm' as you enjoy your music.
Checkout the column right in the middle of the window.It gives you direct access to 'Wikipedia','LastFm'.The 'Context' section of this column maintains three play lists of 'Favorite albums','Favorite songs' and 'Last played songs'.All these play lists are maintained depending on your listening habits.The 'Lyrics' section provides you the lyrics of the current song being played.Data for lyrics can be fetched from lyrc.com.ar or leoslyrics.com.Browse your folders and files from the 'Filesystem' section.


Maintaining album covers with 'Listen' is very simple.Just right click on the album art window to apply a custom album art or find it online.Left click on the window to get an enlarged view of the album art.


Click on the 'View' menu to enable the 'Party mode' or press CTR + H.'Party mode' provides a full screen view of the music player.
To configure 'Listen' ,click on the 'Music' menu and open the 'Preferences' section.If you want a splash screen with the startup then enable it under the 'Startup' section.
To enable the 'LastFm' support,you need to provide your user name and password under the 'Audioscrobbler' tab.'Listen' also provides the visualisation support that can be enabled from the 'Behavior' section under the 'General' tab.


One of the problems that you might encounter with 'Listen' could be that the playback slider might not work.If it works for you,please do let us know.
Install 'Listen' from the 'Synaptic Package Manager'.