The last week of September, saw the release of Gnome 3.2 and work will now begin on its next version Gnome 3.4. GNOME, the desktop environment, which went in for major overhaul with its version 3.0 is continuing to introduce updates every six months synchronous with Gnome 3’s capabilities.
The features now on Gnome 3.2 are much-improved and include some great functional- capabilities.
Likely features on Gnome 3.4
Gnome 3.4 is expected to include new features, which will make it easier for Gnome shell extensions to enable, disable and install.
The core feature will be for the development of ‘focus follows mouse’ capability, which will support starting several apps simultaneously.
The highlight of Gnome 3.4 will be its social networking integration. The new library libsocialweb, will implement Gnome 3.4 along with multi-seat provision via systemd.
HTML messages in Evolution will be greatly improved, with WebKit GtkHtml. ‘Call’ dialog will be revamped, enabling selection of webcam, microphone, video preview.
Great new features on Gnome 3.2
The new release of Gnome, version 3.2 has a host of new features, improvisations, improvements, additional translations and an updated documentation.
Ubuntu 11.10 or Oneiric Ocelot is all set for release next week and will feature the entire Gnome 3.2.
New login is emphatic and excellent. It comes with integrated features for the desktop.
Web Apps make their debut with the inclusion of the Epiphany web browser. With the inclusion of this software, users can simply save a webpage as an application and launch it from the overview mode itself.
Online Accounts is a much awaited and well developed feature that, allows all online documents such as calendars and contacts sharing with Gnome apps such as Empathy and Evolution.
Contact Management a smart new feature, greatly awaited is the Contacts capability. What actually comes is awesome management feature, which allows you to manage your contact lists from any of your accounts Empathy, Evolution, and other online apps. Contact search is now easy with direct search in overview mode
Files and Documents Manager included is another capable manager that allows you to save file and open file is extended to viewing recent open or used files in Gnome 3.2. with this manager, it is easy to locate or find file, view them and organize them for easy access and even allows retrieving, using online documents locally.
Preview built into File Manager –As the long time manager of Gnome, Nautilus on Gnome 3.2 is ramped to allow previews of a variety of files. Whether it is the movies, images, music you can now preview them in your file manager itself.
Other exhaustive feature changes include- built-in messaging; supporting Wacom graphics tablets; Touchscreen devices support; GTK +3.2 greatly improves visuals. Apple Filing Protocol or AFP is now supported. A brand new keyboard comes onscreen. Language support now extends to 50 languages and more with new and updated translations.
Gnome 3.4 release in six months
Gnome 3.4 has several expectations riding on it and will be released in the last week of March 2012.