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Researchers claim they've built the first 3D color hologram
Princess Leia was apparently indisposed, but Korean researchers are laying claim to the world's first 360-degree color hologram -- a floating Rubik's cube. A 16-company consortium called ETRI, led by LG Display division, has created "tabletop holographic display" that can be viewed from all angles. According to ET News, it's a true hologram and not a "pseudo hologram that make[s] 3D effects through 2D images." In other words, it's not a "Pepper's Ghost" illusion famously used for the Tupac hologram. Since the view changes when you move around it -- as if it were a real object -- it also differs from "floating 3D-movie" type holograms.
Fallout 4's greatest asset is its color palette
Of all the ways Fallout 4 outshines earlier entires in the series, the way it uses color is perhaps the most apparent. The game is a vast improvement over its predecessors in one simple way: It's loads more vibrant. In 2008's Fallout 3, nearly everything in the post-nuclear apocalyptic Washington D.C. was a sickly shade of green, a deliberate choice by the developers at Bethesda Softworks to sell an omnipresent feeling of sickness and decay (it still persists in certain places here). B-team developer Obsidian Entertainment's Fallout: New Vegas introduced a bit of chroma to its irradiated Las Vegas landscape in 2010, but it was still primarily a brown game. Bethesda's triumphant return to the Wastes is what shakes the series' palette up the most. As you'll see in the gallery below, the use of vibrant colors and a tightly defined palette serves a couple of purposes here: It differentiates one room or Boston-area landmark from the next and keeps everything in Fallout 4 looking visually fresh.
The Big Picture: NASA shows off Pluto's largest moon
As the long, slow download of data from the New Horizon's mission continues, NASA has posted some new high-res enhanced color pictures of Pluto's largest moon, Charon (shown above in the upper left corner). Other than a reddish polar region, the images also reveal a surprisingly detailed landscape with canyons, mountains and more. A video composite of images (embedded after the break) takes us flying over a canyon NASA says is four times as long as the Grand Canyon, and twice as deep. NASA says even better pictures are on the way, although with the spacecraft 3.1 billion miles away and still going, we'll be waiting a year to get everything.
Animated code art uses all of its colors just once
You probably know that the screen on your computer or phone can display millions of colors, if not more. However, have you wondered what it would look like if you tried to represent all of those colors in a single piece of art? Well, you're looking at it. Qubit researcher and math guru Mike Swarbrick Jones has posted a code-driven animation that shows all the colors in a 24-bit RGB palette exactly once. The technique (which relies on mapping colors to voxels, or 3D pixels) produces a kind of "rainbow smoke" that, as you can see in the clip below, is rather hypnotic -- it's tempting to watch it on a loop and meditate. While this won't produce a masterpiece, it's proof that a good idea and the right calculations can lead to some truly eye-catching (not to mention mind-bending) visuals.
ICYMI: Electric surfboard, '80s video app and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-143496{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-143496, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-143496{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-143496").style.display="none";}catch(e){} Today on In Case You Missed It: If Jaws has kept you out of the ocean, there's another way to experience surfing. Just pay $4,000 for the Onean Electric Surfboard and cruise lakes and rivers instead. And you can re-live the glory days of Saved by the Bell and Zumba pants with an iOS app that turns captured videos into vintage gems. And an art installation lets you sing to it and vibrates back with its own song.
Instagram tools help you tweak the colors in your photos
Instagram isn't slowing down in its bid to give you more control over your pictures. The square photo social network has updated its Android app (iOS is due in a few days) with two new tools that let you fine-tune the color of your shots. The Color tool, as the name implies, gives a tint to the highlights or shadows of your shots -- if a sunset doesn't look as good as it does in real life, you might have a chance to fix it. Fade, meanwhile, softens colors to either take the edge off or give a vintage look to your pics. They're small upgrades, but they could mean a lot if you're the sort who wants to get photos just right before you share them with others. And if these adjustments don't matter, you'll also be happy to hear that Instagram now has post notifications that alerts you when favorite users post something new.
Pebble inadvertently teases its first color smartwatch
Pebble has been hyping up an announcement on February 24th, but it looks like the company might have let the cat out of the bag a little early. Curious fans have discovered an image on Pebble's website for a color smartwatch that doesn't resemble anything from the company's existing lineup. Besides the new display, it appears to be a subtle evolution of the original Pebble rather than the higher-end Steel -- while it's wider and more rounded, there's still plenty of plastic and rubber. There aren't any clues as to what's inside, but 9to5Mac claims that the design has a new processor and a 6-axis gyroscope for motion detection. A fresh interface will play a big role, too. You only have one more day to wait, so whatever mystery is left will disappear pretty quickly.
ColorFit uses photographs to suggest colors
ColorFit is a simple app that does one thing: uses a photo you take to suggest color palettes. Using the photograph, ColorFit will suggest a set of colors ("Use this colors" [sic]) using a variety of different color schemes including triad, analogous, complementary, quad, and shades. However, that's all the app does and it doesn't even do it that well. For starters, you are invited to tap anywhere on the screen to take the picture and the spot you tap becomes the background color. Then a number of color blocks fall down from the top of the screen in one of the palette schemes provided. Once the colors are given to you they just sit there. You cannot tap them to get their RGB, Hex, Pantone, or other values. Nor can you export the results into a color palette file that you can later import into another program to use. The best you can do is to take a screen snapshot and then bring the resulting file into a graphics program and use the eye dropper to find out what the colors it chose are. If you compare this to Adobe Color CC for iPhone and iPad, or ColorSchemer for iPhone, you will find the latter are far richer (and free). And in both cases, they let you select multiple elements in a given photograph to use to create the scheme. So, I'm left asking what the point of this app is or why anyone would pay US$1.99 for it? ColorFit requires iOS 7.1 and up, works with iPhone and iPad and is optimized for iPhone 5, 6 and 6+.
Yo and the app hype machine
Yo is a notifications app where all it does is send the word "Yo" to your friends. That's it. Just "Yo." Of course, silly single-purpose apps like these are a dime a dozen -- remember those fart apps of old? -- but the thing that sets Yo apart is that it's actually attracted a whole lot of attention. More than a million dollars' worth, in fact. Yep, this seemingly frivolous app has recently raised around $1.5 million in funding, giving it a valuation close to $10 million. It's also apparently been downloaded more than 2 million times since its tongue-in-cheek April Fools' Day debut. Crazy? Well, yes, perhaps. But it's not entirely unusual. In case you need a refresher (and probably a laugh or two), here's a look at some of the more overhyped apps in the past few years. Have any other ideas? Leave a comment and let us know of any apps we've missed.
Oppo Find 7 is the world's first phone that can take 50MP photos (video)
We've seen the teasers and we've seen the leaks, so it's about time to see the real thing. Oppo has finally unveiled the Find 7 in Beijing just now, and as promised, this Android 4.3 device really can take 50-megapixel photos! But as with many things in life, there's a catch here: the sensor is actually a 13-megapixel Sony IMX214 CMOS, so it's a software trick. Still, the results we saw earlier were surprisingly good, so read on to check out how it's done and what the rest of the phone is like.
Ship painting is coming to EVE Online
For some people, the idea of painting the outside of your ship in EVE Online is pointlessly frivolous. For others, it's the cue to immediately get out some swatches and start talking about how nice a battlecruiser would look in hot pink and safety orange. The bad news for players in the latter camp is that those aren't available colors, but an early test version of ship painting will be introduced with the game's next major patch. Nine total paint schemes are being introduced: eight available for Aurum and one available via in-game acievements. This is an intentionally narrow field, as the developers want to see what kind of player interest exists and whether or not having custom-painted ships will affect play patterns. For more details on exactly how you can space-pimp your space-ride, take a look at the full rundown on the pilot program. And be sure to ask for that pink-and-orange number with the next wave.
I want a new black MacBook
There is a stark contrast between Apple's use of color on its computer hardware and its mobile devices. You can get an iPod, iPhone, and to a lesser extent, an iPad, in a number of hues, but ever since the black polycarbonate MacBook bit the dust in 2009, there's been a distinct lack of flavor in the all-aluminum notebooks. We already know Apple is fine with giving its smartphone the anodized color treatment, so why not the MacBook? In fact, I'd be happy if Apple even just offered a single additional color option for the most portable of the MacBook family, the MacBook Air. I want a black MacBook Air. Sure, Apple would probably want to name the color something silly like "Space Black," but I'd totally be willing to overlook that to get my hands on an Air with a darker personality. So why hasn't it happened yet? That's a tough question, but it's clear that Apple has captured a "look" that has become part of the brand itself. You can spot an aluminum MacBook in a crowded coffee shop without even trying, and that aesthetic has a value all its own. It's clean, sharp, and modern. That's the reason companies like Asus and Samsung shamelessly mimic Apple's notebooks. But would the option of a darker shade actually harm the brand? I don't think it would. It was once insane to consider a gold (or even a white) iPhone, and now those devices are everywhere. Apple's history is a colorful one, and I, for one, wouldn't mind seeing a bit of that come back. The easiest, smallest, most subtle step in that direction would be to offer something you've already offered in the past: a black MacBook.
Court tells AT&T's Aio to put down the magenta in T-Mobile trademark case
Any interior decorator will tell you, there's a fine line between blush and bashful. Unfortunately for Aio Wireless, the same can't be said of plum and magenta -- at least not in a court of law. T-Mobile announced today that a Federal Court in Texas has ordered the AT&T subsidiary to stop using a "plum color as a central part of its trade dress," as it is "confusingly similar" to its own trademark magenta. According to court documents, T-Mobile claims the Plum in question, Pantone 676C, is so similar to its own Pantone Process Magenta that it "dilutes its strength and likely causes confusion among consumers." The court's preliminary injunction will prevent Aio from using large swaths of the offending plum color and "confusingly similar shades" in advertising, marketing and store design. T-Mobile brought the suit against the pre-paid carrier, which is owned by its competitor AT&T, last summer, just months after its initial launch. While the difference between plum and magenta may be evident to most, court documents show that AT&T's branding company raised concerns about the shade during a vetting process that included focuses groups and extensive consideration of other carriers' color schemes.
Stratasys' new 3D printer creates multicolored flexible materials
Stratasys' has a new $330,000 3D printer, but this one has the potential to do a whole lot more than monochrome figurines. In fact, the company says it's the first machine able to create objects in colored, flexible materials. The Objet500 Connex3 3D printer uses rubber and plastic as base materials, although according to Stratasys (the company which now owns the MakerBot series) material combinations will be able to offer different levels of rigidity, transparency and opacity. Colors, meanwhile, are produced by the same mix of cyan, magenta and yellow you'll find on your inkjet printer at home -- it even comes with six palettes of rubbery "tango" colors, if you're perhaps looking to channel your '90s tastes into some tasteful flexible booties, as seen above. At the technical level, the printer can go as fine as 16-micron layers, offering a high level of detail and finish, and can pump out around 30kg of resin (that is, base material) per run. Talking to the BBC, a Stratasys spokesperson said the advanced printer could cut down industrial design prototyping times by 50 percent, although he was talking about the time from prototype to market, not printing time itself. The Objet500 Connex3 launches today, although those flexible color printing materials won't be available to buy until Q2 later this year, so hold on to those neo-boot dreams for now.
The Daily Grind: What colors do you wear?
You know what I look at a lot these days? Color combinations. I have an abundance of toddlers in my house, and with toddlers come brightly colored toys, clothes, and kitchenware. I've become fascinated with observing which color combinations are on display, mostly because I bring that newfound knowledge into MMOs when I'm trying to figure out how to dye my outfits. A good color scheme can make or break an outfit. Deep blue and bright yellow is one of my current favorite combos, although I will never say no to black-and-white simplicity. Even brown is kind of cool if paired with pink or a bright green. So for those of you who obsess with getting "just the right look" for your character when you're purchasing dyes, what colors do you end up wearing? What are your favorites? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Oppo N1 hands-on (video)
Oppo's already made quite an impression with its N1 earlier today, and now that we've gotten our hands dirty with said Android phone, we can confirm that it's just as dandy in real life. As per usual Oppo standard, the N1 comes with a solid plastic build around an aluminum alloy frame, and we dig the silky matte finish that keeps fingerprints off the body. The O-Touch panel on the back is indicated by some tiny glossy marks, without which it'd be totally invisible. It took some getting used to in order to avoid accidental camera shots, as a one-second press on the panel triggers the shutter; but otherwise, we found the design to be very handy (literally!) and natural for taking selfies. And of course, O-Touch is also great for scrolling.
Oppo N1 puts a 13MP camera on a hinge, comes with CyanogenMod extras
Oppo's been prepping its photography-centric N1 for quite some time, but at last, the teasing stops today as the company unveils its first N-Lens series device in Beijing. We're looking at a 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 phone with a 5.9-inch 1080p display, an "O-Touch" backside touch panel (for scrolling and taking photos) and a generous 3,610mAh battery, but the focus is obviously on the camera. Not only do you get a 13-megapixel imager with an f/2.0, 6-element lens plus dual LED, but it's also rotatable over 206 degrees! While THL's W11 beat the N1 to being the first phone with both a front and back 13-megapixel cameras, it's not as versatile as the latter's implementation, and it's ultimately all about the image quality. In case you're wondering, Oppo said the N1's swivel camera has passed a 100,000-time rotation test, which works out to be seven years of usage if you rotate it 40 times a day. This is quite reassuring, given that you can also activate the camera -- which takes just 0.6 seconds -- with a rotation of over 120 degrees. Oppo also boasted that its camera's been tested in over 100 scenarios, which is apparently the highest in the industry. Other features include long exposure of up to 8 seconds, an updated version of Oppo's beautification algorithm, and support for video beautification in China's popular IM app, QQ.
iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c join Three UK's lineup this Friday with unlimited 4G data
'C,' it turns out, is for color -- not cookie, or cheap or China. Yes, the pretty in pastel iPhone 5c, Sir Jony Ive's repackaged ode to Apple's last-gen iPhone, as well as the iPhone 5s will be joining Three UK's lineup starting this Friday. The operator will be offering both iDevices on a two-year plan for an initial upfront payment of £49 and £99, respectively. That means you'll still have to pony up a monthly fee for either device, the amount of which depends on the particulars of your voice and data package. Regardless of which you opt for, however, the privilege to surf Three UK's (not yet live) 4G network is included at no additional cost. And it's unlimited.
Daily Roundup: Yahoo's new logo, Kobo Aura review, Galaxy Note 3 S View cover hands-on, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Poll: Which retro iMac color would you choose for your iPhone?
With the rumor mill buzz about a plastic-shell iPhone 5C and gold-toned iPhones more frenzied than Wall Street on an average day, there's no way that Apple would merely stick to mundane neon green, eye-searing pink and bling-bling gold for the next iPhone. Now's a good time to evoke happy memories of Apple past by purchasing your next iPhone in one of these retro-iMac colors! Which one would you choose? %Poll-84224%
