Add a Google Now-Style Weather Applet to The Ubuntu Desktop

DeviantArt user satya164 has knocked together a Google Now-inspired theme for Conky, the popular Linux system monitor (and a whole heap more).
Unlike many Conky themes this one is light on information displayed, only showing weather and network usage.

Google Now Conky Theme on Ubuntu 13.10

But like most Conky themes it is a faff to set up.

How to Install Conky Google Now

The instructions below are for Ubuntu, but also apply to its flavours and other Ubuntu-based distributions like Linux Mint.
Before you do anything you first have to install Conky itself. If you’re reading this article on Ubuntu you can hit the button below to open an install prompt.

Ubuntu Software Center:  apt://conky-all
You may also need to grab Curl if it’s not already installed: apt://curl


Once you have fully downloaded the .Zip you need to extract it, and move the files inside to your home folder:

That’s all that’s needed to install the Conky theme. But you’ll need to edit the weather location to match that of your own:

• Go to weather.yahoo.com
• Search for your location in the weather search box (underneath forecast)
• Copy the numerical string in the URL

Now:

• Open .conkyrc in your Home folder
• Find the number: ‘2294941’
• Replace it with the numerical string you copied from the Yahoo! Weather URL
• Save

If you like the font used in the screenshot, you can grab it from Font Squirrel (for free) – but install it before launching Conky from a Terminal with the command ‘conky’.
Want Conky to open when you login to Ubuntu? You’ll need to add it to Startup Applications. 

• Open ‘startup applications’ from the Dash
• Click ‘Add’
• In both name and command fields enter ‘conky‘ (without quote marks)
• Save