Ubuntu 12.04 LTS (Precise Pangolin) Beta 2 has been released

The Ubuntu team is pleased to announce the final beta release of Ubuntu
12.04 LTS (Long-Term Support) Desktop, Server, Cloud, and Core products.

Codenamed "Precise Pangolin", 12.04 continues Ubuntu's proud tradition
of integrating the latest and greatest open source technologies into a
high-quality, easy-to-use Linux distribution. The team has been hard
at work through this cycle, introducing a few new features but mostly
fixing bugs.

With Ubuntu 12.04, Kubuntu, Edubuntu, Xubuntu, Lubuntu, Mythbuntu and
Ubuntu Studio also reached Beta 2 status today.


Ubuntu Changes
--------------

Some of the key new features available since Beta 1 are:

* A new Ubuntu kernel (3.2.0-20.33) which is base on the v3.2.12
upstream Linux kernel. Changes to the default kernel flavours
have been made for 12.04 LTS.

* Updates to our new way to quickly search and access any desktop
application's and indicator's menu, called the HUD, can be
accessed by taping the Alt key and entering characters.

* LibreOffice has been updated to 3.5.1.

* Ubuntu One has a new control panel to provides an installer,
setup wizard, ability to add/remove folders to sync, and more


Please see http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/ for details.


Ubuntu Server and Cloud Images
------------------------------

* 12.04 Beta 2 is shipping the latest milestones of OpenStack Essex
(RC1), and will be upgraded to final before release.

* Zentyal as well as OpenMPI 1.5 for ARM are now available in Universe.

* KVM 1.0 on x86, which enables nested KVM by default, now allows a
virtualisation experience within cloud instances.



Ubuntu Core
-----------

Ubuntu Core is a minimal rootfs for use in the creation of custom
images, and now includes ARM hard float (armhf) images. Developers
can use Ubuntu Core as the basis for their application demonstrations,
constrained environment deployments, device support packages, and
other goals.


Kubuntu
-------

Kubuntu 12.04 Beta 2 introduces "Kubuntu Active" as a tech preview,
which is a new Ubuntu flavour designed for tablet devices.

Please see https://wiki.kubuntu.org/PrecisePangolin/Beta2/Kubuntu for
details.


Edubuntu
--------

Edubuntu 12.04 Beta 2 ships with improved translations, and updates to
the new epoptes and LTSP 5.3 releases.

For more details on what has changed in Edubuntu 12.04, please refer to
http://www.edubuntu.org.

Xubuntu
-------

Xubuntu 12.04 Beta 2 now has new branding and further appearance
tweaks have been made. On i386 hardware, the non-PAE kernel is
used to support a wider variety of machines. Pavucontrol is now
used over xfce4-mixer.

For more information about the changes in Xubuntu 12.04, please
go to http://xubuntu.org/.


Lubuntu
-------

Lubuntu 12.04 has had its artwork updated, and updates
made to LightDM.

For more information about the changes in Lubuntu 12.04,
please go to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Lubuntu.


Ubuntu Studio
-------------

Ubuntu Studio 12.04 Beta 2 live DVD now has a new low latency
kernel installed by default. There is better Pulse Audio
to JACK bridging, an improved ice1712 mixer and ... the XFCE
transition has finished!


Mythbuntu
---------

Mythbuntu 12.04 Beta 2 contains a pre-release version of MythTV 0.25,
which will be updated to final as soon as its available.


Please see http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/precise/beta2 for more details
on the above products.


About Ubuntu
------------

Ubuntu is a full-featured Linux distribution for desktops, laptops, and
servers, with a fast and easy installation and regular releases. A
tightly-integrated selection of excellent applications is included, and
an incredible variety of add-on software is just a few clicks away.

Professional technical support is available from Canonical Limited and
hundreds of other companies around the world. For more information
about support, visit http://www.ubuntu.com/support .

If you would like to help shape Ubuntu, take a look at the list of ways
you can participate at: http://www.ubuntu.com/community/participate .

Your comments, bug reports, patches and suggestions really help us to
improve this and future releases of Ubuntu. Instructions can be
found at: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs .


To Get Ubuntu 12.04 Beta 2
--------------------------

To upgrade to Ubuntu 12.04 Beta 2 from Ubuntu 11.10, follow
these instructions:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/PreciseUpgrades

Or, download Ubuntu 12.04 Beta 2 images from a location near you:

http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/download (Ubuntu and Ubuntu Server) .

In addition they can be found at the following links:

http://releases.ubuntu.com/precise/ (Ubuntu, Ubuntu Server)
http://cloud-images.ubuntu.com/releases/precise/beta-2/
(Ubuntu Cloud Images)
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/precise/beta-2/
(Ubuntu DVD, preinstalled ARM images, source)
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-core/releases/12.04/beta-2/
(Ubuntu Core)
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/netboot/12.04/ (Ubuntu Netboot)
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/kubuntu/releases/precise/beta-2/
(Kubuntu)
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/kubuntu-active/releases/precise/beta-2/
(Kubuntu Active)
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/xubuntu/releases/precise/beta-2/
(Xubuntu)
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/edubuntu/releases/precise/beta-2/
(Edubuntu)
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ubuntustudio/releases/precise/beta-2/
(Ubuntu Studio)
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/lubuntu/releases/precise/beta-2/
(Lubuntu)
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/mythbuntu/releases/precise/beta-2/
(Mythbuntu)



The final version of Ubuntu 12.04 LTS is expected to be released
on April 26, 2012.