Issue 27: Network Ninja: Run Safe and Smooth Networks

Meizu has now brought the fastest Ubuntu cellphone to market with the MX4 Ubuntu Edition. The phone offers an octacore CPU and a 20.7 megapixel camera; however, the MX4 also has some weaknesses.

Your privacy is threatened left, right and center. And it is not only online criminals snooping on your data, but also meddling government agencies and unscrupulous companies. Either way, there are still things you can do to fight back.

Encrypted files are always of interest to inquisitive parties. However, hardly anyone comes up with the idea that harmless-looking images could contain hidden information.

Important data can easily be protected against unauthorized access using encrypted containers. Tomb is a potential replacement for the now discontinued TrueCrypt, and it performs its job elegantly just using Linux's onboard tools and standard processes.

Those wanting to surf the Internet incognito need a lot of expertise and time to secure their system. Tails saves you much of this work and lets you be online securely and anonymously.

The Firetools graphical user interface simplifies the use of the security software Firejail and also supplies useful statistics and overviews.

The developers introduced version 2.0 of Kali Linux in mid-August. It is a distribution that specializes in system and network security. This is not limited to cosmetic changes – in fact, Kali actually features many important innovations.

Data loss is painful. But, if dealt with promptly, much of the data that has been lost can be recovered. Our tests with TestDisk and PhotoRec prove that data recovery does not require expensive software.

Po4a has all of the tools necessary for localizing documentation.

Long-running and resource-hungry programs are best deployed when the computer has nothing much to do. The loadwatch tool can make this happen.

The risk of losing data grows alongside increases in storage capacity and with the amount of data available. SystemRescueCD makes it possible in many instances to reconstruct lost data.

A short story of how new image-based updates are prepared for all the supported devices – from a single commit to the over-the-air update.

Canonical wants to leave the Debian package format behind and give Snappy Personal a new lease on life.

LibreOffice 5.0 does not come with revolutionary innovations, but this latest version of the software does offer visual and functional improvements. A closer look shows numerous changes – not least of which is better compatibility with Microsoft formats.

Using PulseAudio DLNA, you can redirect your computer's sound to a stereo system or TV via the network. Even Google's Chromecast dongle supports the latest version of the program.

Muon is the package manager for Kubuntu, an alternative to the APT package manager. We look at how the interface and the conceptual foundation for Muon have changed radically.

Like all work interfaces under Linux, the Gnome desktop offers a variety of smaller programs. One of these gems is the image viewer gThumb.

Putting together realistic models on a computer screen can be useful and fun. LeoCAD

Ubuntu 15.10 offers nearly no changes to the installation process. But, just in case you are new to Ubuntu, we'll walk you through upgrading or installing the latest release.

With NetworkManager, you can access the Internet during the Ubuntu installation process. The first step is to download updates to make your system more secure.

Ubuntu's Software Center lets you install just about anything, including free software, purchased apps, and games.

You can watch movies, play music and place calls over the Internet with ease with Ubuntu. You just have to load the right software packages onto your computer. We present some of our favorite multimedia apps.

We show you how to use VirtualBox to set up a Windows XP virtual machine on your existing Linux system.