Companion For Linux

Usually, watching something like a video, or a stream while working is pretty much associated with slacking off. However, if done right, watching something while working can actually improve one's productivity.

The main issue is not how distracting watching something on YouTube might be, but rather creating the perfect setting so that it doesn't become overly distracting.

This can be done with various extensions such as Picture-in-Picture designed by Google that allows you to watch videos in a floating window.

Still, despite it being very useful, it's not a perfect solution, as you still need to access the browser each time you want to adjust the volume or switch to another video, and so forth.

That's exactly why Companion was created.

A smart, little, always-on-top mini browser

Companion (or Compy as the developer also calls it) is a mini-browser to pin on top of any other desktop apps. This way, you can enjoy a live stream or a YouTube video while working or while doing other non-work-related tasks.

The first thing that strikes you when launching Companion is the minimalistic GUI. All you get is an address bar, three buttons (Back, Forward and Home). There's another button in the upper-left corner that allows you to goggle the always-on-top mode on or off, and that's about it.

Currently, it supports Twitch, YouTube and Soundcloud, and possibly other similar services, but do note that DisneyPlus and Netflix don't work (DRM-related issues).

Verdict

Companion should, in theory, offer you a bit more flexibility when compared to other browser add-ons designed with the same goal in mind.

Clearly, it's not designed to handle all the day-to-day tasks most of us have come to appreciate about modern browsers. It's also not particularly lightweight, and it lacks security features. These facts might not be a deal-breaker, but it's definitely something you need to be aware of.