Hotot is a desktop client for Twitter (and Identica) and is open source and multi-platform. Run it on Ubuntu linux, Windows, Mac and Chrome. If you are getting tired of having 30+ tabs open in your web browser for various web based apps, something like Hotot might be just the app you’re looking for.

We’ve done a few other Twitter client reviews in the past, but new ones come around which really trump the older ones. For example Hotot is much lighter than Gwibber. Hotot also has a nicer GUI (although thats opinion, but it is very nice). And who doesnt like the fact you can have multiple Twitter accounts stored in Hotot? Ive got my blog account, my personal account & my business account.

While our example above only shows one column, you do have the ability to stretch Hotot and view 2 or 3 columns at once. There are a ton of other features too. Four themes are available including “New Hope”, “Classic”, “Iron Heart” and “Bare”. The default is “New Hope”, which you see above. You can also build your own themes.

OK, I wont bore you. lets get right down to it…

• multi platform
• nice GUI
• four themes
• real time updating
• multi columns
• notifications
• image service integration
• threaded conversations
• preview images & videos
• extension support

There is even an indicator applet with all of the basics…

To install the newest version of Hotot on your system, input this command into a terminal…

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:hotot-team; sudo apt-get update; sudo apt-get install hotot

This should add the repository, update the rep list and install Hotot on your system.

We’ve done some spring cleaning around here (OK, OK its summer already!) and we hope you like the new site design. There were a number of changes we really have wanted to do for some time. The old website was too dark and heavy so our first goal was to make it light and airy. I think this has been accomplished. The real focus should be on the articles and not be distracted by the design of the site. We want content to be king here, so the Ubuntu font has been incorporated throughout the new site design as well as larger font sizes for easier reading of the articles.

Also incorporated into the site is the main control center at the top right. Several links and even a search is easy to find and make use of.

If you like an article please take the time to share it on Facebook and Twitter, share it on Google+ and submit it to Reddit. We know we have been lacking in recent days with articles, so this will be our next focus.

Speaking of articles, we have over 500+ Ubuntu related articles that will interest you. Try using the search tab at the top right and type something in like “backgammon” or “mahjongg” or whatever you might want. If we have it, the search will find it.

There still might be some tweaks yet on the site, so if you come across something, please let us know, thank you!

The Ubuntu Conference built into SCaLE10x was a great success yesterday here in Los Angeles. We live tweeted the event all day. You can view the tweets via our twitter account or read them down below. The Southern California Linux Expo is still going today and tomorrow with an huge expo floor featuring all sorts of linux related booths as well as the Ubuntu booth run by Ubuntu California Team.

Turpial is a microblogging client for social sites and networks such as Twitter and Identi.ca.

In the beginning it was Facebook, and then it became Twitter. We know, many of us are tired of following or, worse, joining the latest fashionable social network. Let’s face it though, Twitter is pretty cool, and there is no reason not to use a cool software to read what your friends have to say or to say things to your friends. That’s what Turpial is, a very cool software, lightweight and fully integrated with Twitter and Identi.ca APIs, which lets even the users with very old machines to join and enjoy those popular social networks. And there is even more. Turpial is fully integrated with the notification system of your Ubuntu system and flawlessly work together with the GUI you are using. Even the interface is great and everything you may need to make efficient use of Twitter can be easily reached with a click. URl shorteners, uploading photos, reply and retweet functions and even a three-column interface to follow more than one discussion at once are the great features offered by Turpial.

I myself am quite a Twitter maniac, there is no way to keep me away from tweets and birds and Turpial, which makes the aforementioned bird quite light, has been quite a help. If Twitter is your cup of tea, then go install it and then come back to thank me for telling you about such a wonderful software. Turpial feels much much lighter then Gwibber and has never crashed on me. Unfortunately, Gwibber has crashed so many times, I refuse to use it anymore. Thankfully Turpial is far better!

Turpial, unlike most of the software we review, comes under the term of BSD license, which lets you do anything you want with the code, you may want (if you are feeling really evil and egoistic) even close the code and redistribute your closed-source version of the software.

Turpial can be installed from the Software Center, search for Turpial and click on “install”. If its not available for you there, you can install the PPA repository which will keep your Turpial always updated. Open a terminal window and type:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:effie-jayx/turpial


and then…

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install turpial

For installing on other linux distros go here:


http://turpial.org.ve/downloads/

We have added a couple new items to the very top. You can now easily access our Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, IRC channel, RSS feed and email links.

Please let us know your feelings regarding the new site design, both good or bad. We need all the input and advice you can offer. Is there something we can improve on? Something you notice is missing? Perhaps there is something we can remove? Let us know!

Dont forget to become our friend down at the bottom left and dont forget to follow us on our Twitter page http://www.twitter.com/iheartubuntu to keep up with our latest news.

Ahhh! Dont forget to tweet us @iheartubuntu and get the word out! Thanks!

You can now get our Twitter updates via SMS by texting follow iheartubuntu to 40404 in the United States

Codes for other countries:

Canada use code 21212
United Kingdom 86444
Ireland use code 51210
India use code 53000