The Amarok 2.7 release delivers nearly 500 bug fixes, and an impressive list of new features. Here I will be reviewing some of the latest features after experimenting with 2.7 for a few days. Installation instructions for Ubuntu 12.10 are provided for anyone who would like to try this version.
Amarok will now use Nepomuk to retrieve data from your system. This includes metadata, and even track information. With this change Amarok will even display ratings and artist information when browsing audio files inside the Dolphin file manager. This feature must enable using the Nepomuk collection plug-in.
Nepomuk will index several directories on your system, however some private directories will be left out. Many configuration directories will also be excluded to increase the speed of indexing. Indexing is performed in the background without any interaction from the user. After your tracks get indexed they will automatically appear in Amarok in a single collection, even scattered throughout multiple directories.
Ratings and other statistics can now be synchronized between connected media devices, your internal library, and even Last.fm. When two different statistics get detected from different locations you will be prompted with a dialog box asking which source you would like to use. If conflicts are not resolved they will simply be ignored.
Users can toggle statistic synchronization on or off from the metadata tab inside the Amarok preferences window. Users are able to choose which statistics they would like to have synchronized, and from which sources.
Here are some of the other fun new features introduced for Amarok 2.7.
The 2.7 version of the Amarok music player even features a new Amarok store. This utility will help users manage their Amazon downloads. Users are also able to add items to their shopping cart directly through the Amarok interface.
Presets for your automatically generated playlists will now be saved magically when closing Amarok. They are then remembered when Amarok is restarted. The size limit of 100 for generated playlists has been removed. Users are now able to set a file size for automatic playlists.
Tip: There is a new version of the Amarok Handbook available as well. Download the Handbook to learn more about the Amarok media player today.
Any users of Ubuntu or its derivatives are able to install the latest version of Amarok using the commands below.
First add the PPA to your sources list with the following command.
$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports
You should now update your system to reflect the recent changes.
$ sudo apt-get update
Amarok can now be installed with the command seen below.
$ sudo apt-get install amarok
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