Ubuntu 14.04's Second Beta Out Now!

This is the last beta of Canonical's open source operating system.

The second beta releases of the Ubuntu 14.04 development cycle are now available for Lubuntu, Xubuntu, Kubuntu and Ubuntu GNOME as well as the regular version of Ubuntu. Their stable releases are due to come out on 17 April.

The latest betas of Lubuntu, Ubuntu GNOME and Xubuntu all bring along a bunch of new bug fixes and offer significant stability improvements when compared with its predecessor. Of the extended family, Kubuntu 14.04 Beta 2 comes with a better set of more visible changes. The KDE Applications 4.13 Beta 3 boast of a host of improvements in its various application stacks. Meanwhile, the Muon Software Centre continues to be refined in terms of stability. 

Earlier, Ubuntu’s extended family introduced the first beta releases of the 14.04. Kubuntu 14.04 Beta 1 came with an improved Plasma Network Manager, new touchpad configuration tools. Android notifications could be easily received on the desktop using the KDE Connect app thanks to its addition to the software centre. Ubuntu GNOME 14.04 Beta 1 users were given the choice to install additional apps from the Software Centre such as Weather, Maps and Photos apps. Xubuntu 14.04 Beta 1 introduced the Light Locker, a LightDM-based lock-screen, in place of the traditional ‘xscreensaver’. Lubuntu 14.04 Beta 1 offered minor updates including a much improved file manager. Due to be released on 17 April, Trusty Tahr is the first long-term support (LTS) build of Ubuntu in two years.