Elements
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Adobe brings guided edits and AI animated photos to Photoshop Elements 2023
Ahead of its annual MAX event next month, Adobe has unveiled the 2023 version of its (non-subscription) Elements products.
Chemists officially add new elements to the periodic table
Kids have to memorize four new elements, now that the powers that be in the world of chemistry have expanded the periodic table. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry has accepted the official names for elements 113, 115, 117 and 118, which it recognized in late December 2015. Previously known by their unappealing placeholder names ununtrium, ununpentium, ununseptium and ununoctium, the elements have been christened Nihonium (Nh), Moscovium (Mc), Tennessine (Ts) and Oganesson (Og), respectively.
Top soccer club FC Schalke 04 signs 'League of Legends' team
When West Ham United and VfL Wolfsburg signed their first eSports players, they were surprising but understandable deals. After all, the two clubs were supporting FIFA -- a video game franchise that ties back into their normal soccer (or football, as it's known to most in the world) businesses. Now, FC Schalke 04 -- one of the top clubs in the German Bundesliga -- has bucked this trend by signing a League of Legends team instead. Formerly known as Elements, the new League squad comprises of Etienne "Steve" Michels, Hampus "Fox" Myhre, Berk "Gilius" Demir, Rasmus "MrRalleZ" Skinneholm, and Hampus "Sprattel" Abrahamsson.
Four new 'superheavy' elements added to the periodic table
Science teachers will soon be instructing their pupils to buy new textbooks or crudely add four new elements to their copy of the periodic table. The chemical substances known as 113, 115, 117 and 118 were verified on December 30th by a special team made from the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) and the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUAPAP). They've been given temporary names -- ununtrium (113), ununpentium (115), ununseptium (117) and ununoctium (118) -- before their discoverers assign permanent replacements.
A paperweight made from every 'collectible' element on Earth
Is your paperweight made of too few elements? Do you even have a paperweight? (No, not this.) We'd excuse you if you didn't, frankly. If you're in the market, though, the Element Cube is likely the one you want. As the name suggests, this is no vanilla flowers-in-glass affair. The maker claims it contains every "collectible" element on the planet (not the same as the 90-plus "natural" ones, many aren't available in practical quantities). That's 62 in total, distilled into an alloy.
Amazon launches its own line of household goods, starting with diapers
Amazon already sells diapers and wipes in bulk, but now it's looking to give Prime subscribers an option of its own. The online retailer's new Elements program will do just that, and the first two products it's selling with the so-called transparent origins are the aforementioned baby supplies. Amazon touts its ability to offer a load of info on both of the items ranging from where they were made to a detailed ingredients list. In fact, scanning the package with the outfit's app will serve up all of the info right on your mobile device, right down to the expiration date. Just like the existing diaper and wipe options, you'll be able to opt in to Subscribe and Save automatic refills to save a little coin. On a regular pack of size 3 diapers, Elements pricing is less than comparable quantities from popular all-natural brand Babyganics ($10 for 40 vs. $14 for 31). These two products appear to be just the beginning as the company's aim at "everyday essentials" could likely include cleaning products and more. Of course, we'll need to see what those other offerings are before we nix the weekly trip to Whole Foods.
Scientists confirm the existence of the heaviest element ever seen
It's tricky to verify the existence of super heavy elements; you have to fuse very short-lived materials, hope you get some useful atoms, and wait for someone else to reproduce your achievement. However, scientists at a particle accelerator lab in Germany have managed that rare feat by creating and confirming Element 117, the heaviest substance observed so far. It was produced by smashing together thousands of calcium 48 and berkelium 249 atoms, and is about 40 percent heavier than lead.
Photoshop and Premiere Elements 12 now available, learn editing preferences
Adobe's Creative Cloud not your thing? Photoshop and Premiere Elements 12 have just arrived to please your subscription-averse (and beginner-level) nature. The latest version of the outfit's photo suite features Content-Aware Move for shifting objects within a photo and having the resulting gaps filled in, the ability to correct flash reflections in animals' eyes and 64-bit support for Macs. Elements Mobile Albums are new to this release as well, and they let users view, edit and share photos on mobile devices through the firm's Revel solution. Premiere Elements boasts motion tracking to move graphics, text and effects with objects, upwards of 250 sound effects and more than 50 soundtracks that rearrange themselves to fit the length of footage. Both the video and photo editing packages sport Auto Smart Tone, which learns a user's editing preferences and serves them up in a one-click option. While both programs have picked up a healthy share of upgrades, the pricing model remains unchanged. Mac and Windows versions are now available online from Adobe for $100, or $150 when purchased in a bundle. Upgrades are set at $80 for each, or $120 when the pair are snapped up together. As for boxed copies of the software, they'll be available soon form brick-and-mortar shops and online retailers.
Touch Press The Elements for Mac -- Entertaining for Everyone
When The Elements for iPad by Touch Press came out in 2010, I was absolutely captivated by the clarity, precision and beauty of the graphics and information. It took a potentially boring topic for most of us -- the periodic table -- and brought it to life in a wonderful presentation that is suitable for everyone. The Elements for Mac is based on the book The Elements, but it is far more than a simple electronic rendering of the book. The engaging text, written by Mathematica co-creator Theodore Gray, covers most of the basics you need to know about each element in a sometimes irreverent style. The Elements for Mac is not a product limited to current students; it is a wonderful resource that delivers an entertaining evening. I recommend it as a holiday gift for anyone that likes gadgets, photography or has a passing interest in scientific topics. When the program opens, you can listen to comedian Tom Lehrer sing his 1959 song also called "The Elements." Alas, it is no longer complete because we only had 102 known elements at that time and now there are 118. For fun, I've included a couple of other periodic table songs at the end of this article under Fun Resources. The Elements for Mac includes impressive photographs by Gray and Nick Mann. Gray's entertaining sense of humor is sprinkled throughout the program, as evidenced in the introduction where he says, "The periodic table is the universal catalog of everything you can drop on your foot." The Elements for Mac expands on the iOS product by adding more than 25 videos that show chemical reactions of a number of elements and uses new fonts. It includes 3D graphics of each element and associated objects that you can rotate, spin and view at any angle. The Elements for Mac also supports the Retina display on a MacBook Pro. You can resize the windows so that you can read everything easily, and a search bar on the main page lets you quickly find elements by name. Generally, the descriptions are easy to understand and the photos include the element and examples of things in which the element exists or is used. Most of the elements include a two-page spread -- sometimes three -- and include a link to additional data furnished by the Wolfram Alpha service. The information provided includes atomic radius and weight, melting and boiling points, density, spectral lines, crystal structure and other interesting facts. Each element includes a sound link for pronunciation too. While you may not need that for lead, it came in handy for dysprosium and mendelevium. For those of you that used the Mac back in the day, The Elements navigation may feel a bit like a HyperCard stack. I tested version 1.01 of The Elements on a MacBook and an iMac, both of which are running OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion), but the app should work just fine under OS X 10.7 also. The only problem I encountered was when I changed the screen resolution using the Displays system preference. The Elements stopped responding and required a force quit and relaunch to work again. The Elements for Mac is available in 18 Languages. This is a bargain-priced program at US$19.99 in the Mac App Store. I wanted to view all the fun explosions and other videos that are the hallmark of the Mac OS version, but I could not find a complete list inside the program. But, you can watch their minute-plus marketing video below to see a few seconds of each of them. My favorite is the aluminum video. If you want a list of all the elements with videos that I found, leave a comment after the article. Fun Resources Touch Press Blog: A brief History of The Elements, 7/4/2013 The NEW Periodic Table Song, AsapSCIENCE [via Youtube], 5/13. (This is a lot of fun and covers all the elements!) Daniel Radcliffe sings The Elements Song, The Graham Norton Show [via YouTube], 12/11/10. Origin of the Periodic Table, University of Colorado Boulder. "Meet 115, the Newest Element on the Periodic Table," National Geographic, 8/23/13. Why is the Periodic Table Important? Ask.com Related TUAW Stories Daily iPad App: Nova Elements walks you through the periodic table by Kelly Hodgkins (TUAW, 6/13/13) The making of The Elements for iPad by Megan Lavey-Heaton (TUAW, 4/6/10)
Know Your Lore: The rise of the Dark Shaman
The World of Warcraft is an expansive universe. You're playing the game, you're fighting the bosses, you know the how -- but do you know the why? Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft. We had warning that this was coming. When Ragefire Chasm was given an overhaul in Mists of Pandaria, the changes didn't escape the notice of players -- but nobody really knew the extent of what was going on. Remnants of the Twilight Cult from Cataclysm could be found in the depths of Ragefire, carrying insignias that noted they were part of a new order -- not Twilight Cult, but something quite possibly far darker, called the Dark Shaman. These shaman were highlighted briefly in the novel Tides of War, as part of Garrosh's assault forces on Northwatch Hold. While the question of how they came to be seems to be fairly self-explanatory, there's a little more to the story than previously thought. It stretches all the way back to the days of Wrath of the Lich King, and the discovery of a different, new, hardy race of warriors and shaman that were far more used to doing what was necessary to survive, than what may or may not have been right.
Ultima Forever looks impressive, but may have some freemium problems
Ultima Forever is one of the weirdest brand experiments I've seen pop up on iOS so far. Ultima is, of course, one of the oldest and best-loved RPG series in video games, with over a dozen different variations and versions. And EA has decided to bring the Ultima series to iOS with Ultima Forever, which is sort of a remake or reimagining of Ultima IV, one of the most popular versions of Ultima. "Remake or reimagining" is still sort of a simplification of exactly what this game is, and even after having seen and played it at GDC last week, it's still kind of tough to put down exactly how this game is related to Ultima IV and the rest of the series. There are some quests and storylines from the old game, and the graphics are related. But some of the quests are set years in the future, as if it's a sequel to the old title. And some of the gameplay ideas are taken directly from the old game (it's a fantasy action RPG that has to do with you as a character questing up to try and become the Avatar while honing your various values like Honesty and Honor), but others are very new: There are some freemium elements to this title, and it's an MMO, so you'll see other players questing around you as you play, and you'll be able to team up with friends while taking down dungeons. In other words, Ultima Forever is a weird one. It is fun -- the game offers up a lot of really interesting content, and while the combat is tight and fun, there's also some interesting questlines to follow, and stories to discover around the world that should appeal to both old and new Ultima players. There's a nice amount of complexity in the leveling as well, with new gear to discover and equip and plenty of reputations and attributes to grind out and grow more powerful in. At the same time, however, EA has integrated some freemium elements into the game, which can get annoying very quickly. As you play through the dungeon, you earn keys, which can then be used at various points to open chests and give you a random chance at some loot. The lowest quality keys can be easy to find, and they will award you some (relatively cheap) loot. But higher quality keys are rarer, and some will need to be purchased with real money, and then used to unlock ability slots or better gear. Even in the few minutes I had to play through the game at GDC, dealing with the keys was an annoying pain, and it's frustrating that EA here isn't willing to just let players play with the game directly, instead inserting this currency mechanic at every turn. It's still too early to pass judgment on the finished title, but the keys seem like a bad mark on an otherwise very impressive game. Older Ultima players, especially, might be really disappointed to see their old memories tarnished with constant, cheap attempts to sell in-app currency. Perhaps that's too harsh, though -- the game's not done yet, and it's going to go through a thorough beta period before it finally arrives worldwide later on this summer. Hopefully, EA will tune it right, so that those who fondly remember Ultima can enjoy this celebration of it without being constantly pestered with freemium nonsense.
No Comment: Elements restaurant installs iPads for customers to play with during meals
I'm guessing most folks my age or older grew up in a house with a "no toys at the table policy"... And I'll just leave it at that. Our own Michael Grothaus snapped this pic at Elements in London. Feel free to leave your own thoughts on whether or not this is a good idea. Think back to the last time a group of friends met at a restaurant and everyone whipped out their phones. It never happens, right?
Adobe announces Photoshop and Premiere Elements 11 with new filters, more beginner-friendly UI
Earlier this year Adobe announced Photoshop CS6 with a new user interface, and now Elements, its line of beginner-level products, is getting a facelift too. The company just introduced Photoshop and Premiere Elements 11, and while the two apps include a handful of new photo- and video-editing features, the bigger story is that they're designed to be less intimidating to newbies. Both have a more readable UI, for instance, as opposed to the old theme with the dark background and low-contrast icons. Things like preview thumbnails have been brought to the forefront so that they're easier to find. Also, both pieces of software ship with a re-tooled image organizer that puts commonly used functions front and center, with lesser-used features like keyword tagging hidden in the menus. The organizer also now has Google Maps integration, so you can view your shots on a map. You can also for the first time view by event, or by the names of people tagged in photos. As for new features, Photoshop Elements is getting a series of new comic-inspired filters, including "Pen and Ink," "Graphic Novel" and, yes, "Comic." Photoshop Elements now allows European customers to upload photos to Cewe, while Premiere Elements supports Vimeo uploads. (Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, Shutterfly and SmugMug sharing were already built in.) Amateur videographers will also enjoy a series of new Hollywood-inspired filters, including Red Noir, a "Sin City"-esque effect with red accents, and "Pandora," which is meant to evoke "Avatar." Finally, you can use Time Remapping and Reverse Time to speed up footage or slow it down, respectively. Fans of the software will notice the pricing hasn't changed: the two apps cost $100 each, or $150 as a bundle. Folks who are upgrading will pay $80 a pop, or $120 for both. Look for both on Adobe's site today, with the old-fashioned boxed software hitting retailers soon.
Daily iPhone App: 10000000 is a great, complex game with a strange name
Some games pare down a core idea to something really simple and elegant, cutting everything else away until one main bit of gameplay shines through. Canabalt is probably the perfect example of that recently -- it's just one core mechanic, done very, very well. But other games go the other direction: they add on system after system after system, and the art isn't in cutting things away, but it's in joining things together, juggling all kinds of balls and knives and torches, and yet still keeping the gameplay accessible and interesting. The recently released (and strangely named) 10000000 is of the second kind: It's a game with a ton of different things going on, but its charm is that even with so much happening, you can still "get it". Essentially, the game is a match-3 title: You can slide various tiles around, trying to match up three or more of them together. But it's also got a very in-depth RPG layer on top of it -- your character runs across the top of the screen, fighting monsters, unlocking chests, and trying to repair your castle (earning up to 10,000,000 points, which is where the game's name comes from). The gameplay's balanced between what's happening with your character at the top of the screen, and the effects of what you're matching on the tiles below. There's also loot, and skills, and a meta-mechanic that has you repairing doors to open up stages, and even bosses to fight as you race through timed dungeons. It's complicated, and the biggest problem with 10000000 is that it never backs down -- you need to keep a lot of systems moving at the same time, and it's not always clear where your attention should go. But there is a nice tutorial, and the stages do smartly ramp you up in difficulty, so the RPG elements keep you feeling rewarded, even when you lose track of what you're doing. The excellent old-school graphics and music deserve a mention as well -- they look really great and retro, and the aesthetic adds a lot to the old-school arcade feel. 10000000 is a really interesting title; it could probably have been pared down just a little bit, but the game's designers do deserve praise for including what seems like every system they could think of, and juggling them as adeptly as possible. The game is available right now as a universal build for $1.99.
Archos 97 Carbon breaks cover at the FCC
Archos' recently outed 97 Carbon is the poor man's Android slate... intentionally. Part of the French outfit's low-cost Elements line, the 9.7-inch ICS tablet saw an official unveiling earlier this month and is now making an obligatory step-and-repeat at the FCC. We've already been given the full rundown on the tab's innards -- single-core 1GHz CPU, ports for HDMI-out, micro-USB, USB, dual camera setup and vacant microSD slot to complement the 16GB of storage onboard -- so there's not much new info to glean from the filings, aside from some candid lab shots. Regardless, feel free to hit up the source below to tour it all, or just navigate your way to an online retailer if you'd rather own this one IRL.
Archos raids the periodic table for new line of Android tablets, launches 97 Carbon slate
Those worried that Archos hasn't introduced a line of low-cost Android tablets in a while have reason to breathe a collective sigh of relief. The company's gearing up for the launch of its "Elements" series, beginning with this month's release of the 97 Carbon. No chipmunks this time out, sadly, but the Ice Cream Sandwich slate does sport a 9.7-inch IPS display, a 1GHz processor, HDMI out and a full-sized USB port. Also on-board are two cameras, 16GB of storage and a microSD slot, packed into a 0.45-inch thick aluminum body. The 97 Carbon runs $230 to $250. Archos is promising more entries in the "entry-level" Elements lineup, measuring seven, eight and 9.7 inches. Press info on this particular model can be found after the break.
New periodic table element names confirmed, textbook makers sigh in relief
What's in a name? If you're the general assembly of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics, then quite a lot. It's that bunch who have finally rubber-stamped the names of elements Darmstadtium (110), Roentgenium (111) and Copernicum (112) on the Periodic table. The trio are so named in honor of Darmstadt (where it was first created), Wilhelm Röntgen (discoverer of X-Rays) and Nicolaus Copernicus (explaining the universe since 1533). All three elements are "super-heavy", lab-created substances that rapidly degrade down into less interesting materials -- Copernicium-285 has a relatively long half-life of 29 seconds. The ratification went without a hitch, causing a sigh of relief amongst the textbook makers who have included the elements in the table for quite some time. Although we were hoping that element 111 would have to change its name back to the original, nearly unpronounceable unununium. [Image courtesy of the BBC / Talkback Thames]
Official WoW TCG War of the Elements card, loot information released
We've seen the leaks and the datamined information, but it's all official now -- Cryptozoic has released the WoW TCG card and loot information for the next expansion to the Worldbreaker set, War of the Elements.
Cryptozoic invites you to Darkmoon Faire Chicago this weekend, April 1-3
Cryptozoic invites all WoW and TCG players out to Darkmoon Faire Chicago this weekend, April 1-3, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. This is Cryptozoic's first Epic Con, their new traveling gaming convention for all games, not just the trading card games. There is going to be plenty of fun awaiting attendees, so hit the jump for all of the activities planned this weekend.
WoW TCG: War of the Elements worldwide release April 26
Cryptozoic has just announced that War of the Elements, the first WoW TCG Worldbreaker expansion, will be released worldwide on April 26, 2011. The expansion is being released in four languages at the same time around the world, a first for the trading card game. War of the Elements also features loot cards, as usual, for WoW players to redeem cool pets, mounts, and other in-game items from WoW TCG cards. War of the Elements will include Landros' Lichling, Fool's Gold, and the Savage Raptor mount. War of the Elements will also feature two new dragonflights: the bronze and blue flights, with respective leaders Nozdormu and Kalecgos. What is interesting is that the TCG has solidified Metzen's statement that Kalecgos would become the new leader of the Blue Dragonflight and plays up the importance of these two flights in the coming patches and content in Cataclysm. %Gallery-119621%
