Zorin OS has always been known as one of the beginner-focused Linux distros out there. Yes, it may not be the most popular – but it sure is a good distribution specially for Windows migrants.
A few years back, I remember, a friend of mine always insisted me to install Zorin OS. Personally, I didn’t like the UI back then. But, now that Zorin OS 15 is here – I have more reasons to get it installed as my primary OS.
Fret not, in this article, we’ll talk about everything that you need to know.
New Features in Zorin 15
Let’s see the major changes in the latest release of Zorin. Zorin 15 is based on Ubuntu 18.04.2 and thus it brings the performance improvement under the hood. Other than that, there are several UI (User Interface) improvements.
Zorin Connect
Zorin OS 15’s main highlight is – Zorin Connect. If you have an Android device, you are in for a treat. Similar to PushBullet, Zorin Connect integrates your phone with the desktop experience.
You get to sync your smartphone’s notifications on your desktop while also being able to reply to it. Heck, you can also reply to the SMS messages and view those conversations.
In addition to these, you get the following abilities:
- Share files and web links between devices
- Use your phone as a remote control for your computer
- Control media playback on your computer from your phone, and pause playback automatically when a phone call arrives
As mentioned in their official announcement post, the data transmission will be on your local network and no data will be transmitted to the cloud. To access Zorin Connect, navigate your way through – Zorin menu > System Tools > Zorin Connect.
Get ZORIN CONNECT ON PLAY STORE
New Desktop Theme (with dark mode!)
I’m all in when someone mentions “Dark Mode” or “Dark Theme”. For me, this is the best thing that comes baked in with Zorin OS 15.
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It’s so pleasing to my eyes when I enable the dark mode on anything, you with me?
Not just a dark theme, the UI is a lot cleaner and intuitive with subtle new animations. You can find all the settings from the Zorin Appearance app built-in.
Adaptive Background & Night Light
You get an option to let the background adapt according to the brightness of the environment every hour of the day. Also, you can find the night mode if you don’t want the blue light to stress your eyes.
To do app
I always wanted this to happen so that I don’t have to use a separate service that offers a Linux client to add my tasks. It’s good to see a built-in app with integration support for Google Tasks and Todoist.
There’s More?
Yes! Other major changes include the support for Flatpak, a touch layout for convertible laptops, a DND mode, and some redesigned apps (Settings, Libre Office) to give you better user experience.
If you want the detailed list of changes along with the minor improvements, you can follow the announcement post. If you are already a Zorin user, you would notice that they have refreshed their website with a new look as well.
Download Zorin OS 15
Note: Direct upgrades from Zorin OS 12 to 15 – without needing to re-install the operating system – will be available later this year.
In case you didn’t know, there are three versions of Zorin OS – Ultimate, Core, and the Lite version.
If you want to support the devs and the project while unlocking the full potential of Zorin OS, you should get the ultimate edition for $39.
If you just want the essentials, the core edition will do just fine (which you can download for free). In either case, if you have an old computer, the lite version is the one to go with.
What do you think of Zorin 15?
I’m definitely going to give it a try as my primary OS – fingers crossed. What about you? What do you think about the latest release? Feel free to let us know in the comments below.