14 DAY TRIAL // The KDE Project developers have just released the fourth maintenance version of Applications and Platform 4.13, featuring a large array of improvements and new features.
The KDE developers don’t seem to take any time off and they are releasing one version after another. If they are not outing a maintenance version for the 4.12 branch or a new build for KDE Frameworks, they must be doing something for the 4.13 branch.
In this case, the KDE Software Compilation 4.13 finally reached the stable stage and it's now out for people to use. Unlike other desktop environments, like GNOME for example, it's a lot easier to get the latest version of KDE into the system you are using. The most recent builds of KDE hit the repositories quickly and in just a few days everyone is running them.
KDE 4.13 is also a fortuitous release because it arrives at the same time with Kubuntu 14.04 LTS, which integrates it. If you want to see how the newest version of KDE works and feels, all you need to do is to download the latest Kubuntu and give it a spin.
“The latest major updates to the KDE Applications are delivering new features and fixes. Kontact (the personal information manager) has been the subject of intense activity, benefiting from the improvements to KDE's Semantic Search technology and bringing new features.”
“Document viewer Okular and advanced text editor Kate have gotten interface-related and feature improvements. In the education and game areas, we introduce the new foreign speech trainer Artikulate; Marble (the desktop globe) gets support for Sun, Moon, planets, bicycle routing and nautical miles. Palapeli (the jigsaw puzzle application) has leaped to unprecedented new dimensions and capabilities,” reads the official announcement.
The new Semantic Search that has been integrated into KDE 4.13 has replaced the old solution, and most applications have already been ported.
If you are a KDE user, you might wonder why you need a new Semantic Search. The new semantic core will provide faster, more relevant results, greater stability, lower resource usage, and less data storage.
More details about this build and the changes in the 4.12 branch can be found in the official announcement, which as usual also comes with a number of updated packages and a few other smaller features.. Also, you can download the latest KDE Applications and Development Platform 4.13 sources right now from Softpedia.