Calibre 9.10 is here: This is what's new
The update includes a completely revamped user interface for the content server, brand-new web app support, and improved book searches.
The developers of open source e-book manager Calibre have announced the release of version 9.10. The eleventh update of the year, Calibre 9.10 brings some interesting visual changes and bug fixes.
What's new
- Overhauled content server look: You'll be greeted with a redesigned user interface when you open the Calibre content server. The big change is the addition of a collapsible sidebar, meant to ease navigation.
- PWA support: You can now install the content server as a web app on your device, making it feel like a dedicated app instead of just a web interface.
- This feature requires you access the content server over HTTPS.
- PWAs work in Chrome, Edge, and other Chromium browsers, plus Safari. Firefox, unfortunately, does not have full PWA support, but Mozilla's own web app implementation is available as a beta flag.
- Image compression: When editing a book, it's now possible to compress images by converting PNG and WEBP files to JPEG files. Since JPEG compression usually allows for smaller image files, this can potentially reduce the overall size of a given e-book.
What's getting better
- Saved searches: When you save a search in a book, you can now retrieve that saved search by typing individual keywords rather than the exact saved search phrase. That means you don't have to remember the exact phrase just to find your saved search.
- CSS support: Calibre's CSS library has been upgraded to support CSS Level 4 selectors. This allows for better stylesheets and fixes an issue where the "Beautify All" feature was removing Level 4 functions.
- News sources: Calibre's built-in support for reading Economist Espresso, The Week, and Horizons news publications was improved.
What's going away
- Several bugs: An issue with exporting CSV files when comments are present was addressed, and another where AI plugins disappeared from view was fixed. Several more minor fixes were added, too.
Jordan Gloor
Zooming out
Why this update matters: Calibre lets people read their e-books in an ecosystem fraught with DRM issues. Updates to the content server especially make it more accessible to those who want to host their own reading service.
My take: I don't use Calibre myself, but I appreciate the inclusion of PWA support. I find those very helpful, as they make web services feel more integrated with the desktop.
Diving in
The fineprint: To get more info on version 9.10, check out the Calibre release notes.
Get it now: Run an update on your software manager to see if Calibre 9.10 is available on your Linux system. You can also visit the official Calibre download page to learn how you can get the latest release.
