Release Announcement Martin Wimpress

An Ubuntu MATE 16.04.2 image for the Raspberry Pi 2 and Raspberry Pi 3 is now available for download.

Download Download Ubuntu MATE for the Raspberry Pi 2 Model B and Raspberry Pi 3 Model B. Download

The image for the Raspberry Pi 2 and Raspberry Pi 3 based on the regular Ubuntu armhf base, not the new Ubuntu “Snappy” Core, which means that the installation procedure for applications uses the traditional tools, ie apt-get .

We have done what we can to optimise the build for the Raspberry Pi 2 and Raspberry Pi 3, you can comfortably use applications such as LibreOffice, which in fact is a joy to use :-) But the microSDHC I/O throughput is a bottleneck so we highly recommend that you use a Class 6 or Class 10 microSDHC card. Ubuntu MATE 16.04 also fully support the built-in Bluetooth and Wifi on the Raspberry Pi 3 and also feature **hardware accelerated video playback in VLC and hardware accelerated decoding and encoding in ffmpeg

Ubuntu MATE 16.04.2 running on the Raspberry Pi 3

Changes

These are the changes since Ubuntu MATE 16.04 for the Raspberry Pi was release.

Performance optimised. Added automated first boot partition resizing. Optimised partition offset calculations Optimised filesystem features. Disabled unnecessary services to reduce CPU cycles and RAM requirements.

Forked and adapted raspi-config to Ubuntu. Added pi-top brightness and power-off support.

to Ubuntu. Backported MATE Desktop 1.16.1.

Backported BlueZ 5.41.

Backported ffmpeg 3.2 including Raspberry Pi hardware acceleration for MMAL decoding and OMX encoding.

3.2 including Raspberry Pi hardware acceleration for MMAL decoding and OMX encoding. Backported i2c-tools and python-smbus 3.1.2.

and 3.1.2. Updated raspberrypi-firmware to 1.20161215-1.

to 1.20161215-1. Updated pi-bluetooth to 0.1.2 including failsafe systemd units.

to 0.1.2 including failsafe systemd units. Updated gpiozero to 1.3.1. A simple API for controlling devices attached to the GPIO pins.

to 1.3.1. A simple API for controlling devices attached to the GPIO pins. Updated omxplayer to 0.3.7-git20160923-dfea8c9.

to 0.3.7-git20160923-dfea8c9. Updated nuscratch to 20160915+2.

to 20160915+2. Updated picamera to 1.12. Pure Python interface to the Raspberry Pi’s camera module.

to 1.12. Pure Python interface to the Raspberry Pi’s camera module. Updated pigpio to 1.130. Library for Raspberry Pi GPIO control.

to 1.130. Library for Raspberry Pi GPIO control. Updated python-sense-hat to 2.2.0. Sense HAT python.

to 2.2.0. Sense HAT python. Updated raspberrypi-sys-mods to 20170208, which completely replaces raspberrypi-general-mods

to 20170208, which completely replaces Updated raspi-gpio to 0.20170105. Dump the state of the BCM270x GPIOs.

to 0.20170105. Dump the state of the BCM270x GPIOs. Updated rpi.gpio to 0.6.3-1. Python GPIO module for Raspberry Pi.

to 0.6.3-1. Python GPIO module for Raspberry Pi. Updated rtimulib to 7.2.1-3. Versatile C++ and Python 9-dof, 10-dof and 11-dof IMU library.

to 7.2.1-3. Versatile C++ and Python 9-dof, 10-dof and 11-dof IMU library. Updated sonic-pi to 2.10.0.

to 2.10.0. Updated xserver-xorg-video-fbturbo to 1.20161111~122359.

to 1.20161111~122359. Updated Xorg via the LTS Enablement Stack.

Added cap1xxx; A python library designed to drive various Microchip CAP1xxx touch ICs.

Added drumhat; A python library designed to control Drum HAT.

Added envirophat; A python library designed to control Enviro pHAT.

Added explorerhat; A python library designed to control the Explorer HAT and pHAT.

Added microdotphat; A python library designed to control Micro Dot pHAT.

Added mote; A python library designed to control Mote.

Added motephat; A python library designed to control Mote pHAT.

Added pantilthat; A python library designed to control Pan-Tilt HAT.

Added pianohat; A python library designed to control Piano HAT.

Added piglow; A python library designed to drive Piglow.

Added rainbowhat; A python library designed to control Rainbow HAT.

Added scrollphat; A python library designed to control Scroll pHAT.

Added sense-emu; A client library for the Raspberry Pi Sense HAT emulator.

Added sn3218; A python library to help control the SN3218 18-channel PWM LED driver.

Added st7036; A python library to help control the ST7036 LCD driver.

Fixed first boot configuration. Ubiquity now prompts to join available WiFi networks. #1572793

Disabled SSH by default. SSH can be enabled via raspbi-config or creating a file named ssh in the /boot partition. sshguard is also automatically enabled when you enable SSH.

Reduced the image size to 5GB, down from 8GB.

Known Issues

Ubuntu MATE 16.04.2 for the Raspberry Pi is not snap compatible. We hope to have snapd compatibility in Ubuntu MATE 17.04 for the Raspberry Pi. The 32-bit and 64-bit PC version of Ubuntu MATE 16.04, or newer, are snapd compatible.

Upon completion of the first boot setup WiFi doesn’t work, at all. Reboot and WiFi will be available. #1572956

