Paint might not seem like the heaviest component to consider when building a large device like an airplane, but its mass can add up. Now, a new and lightweight substance could provide a welcome substitute: Two material scientists from Kobe University, Fujii Minoru and Sugimoto Hiroshi, have discovered nanospheres that are near-invisible silicone crystals. The particles can reflect light thanks to very large and efficient scattering, research published in the journal of ACS Applied Nano Matter details. The result could mean covering a surface in vibrant color while only adding 10 percent of the weight that paint would bring, Fast Company reports.
This reduction could have a tremendous impact on factors such as cost and carbon dioxide produced. Simply put, a plane must use more fuel as its weight goes up, thus directly increasing the amount of money airlines spend (and then charge customers), along with the quantity of fuel burned as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Minoru and Hiroshi's discovery focuses on structural rather than pigment color to exhibit and maintain hues. The former absorbs wavelengths while reflecting the ones the human eye picks up. Structural colors, on the other hand, are "intense and bright colors result from the interaction of light with periodic micro- and nanostructures that cause color by interference, coherent scattering, or diffraction," according to the Encyclopedia of Nanotechnology.
The team's work follows previous research in which they were able to build nanocrystals to a specific size. Then came the creation of colloquial suspension, which keeps the crystalline silicon nanoparticles mixed with supporting liquid rather than separating. At present, the color of the nanosphere-based ink varies as the team changes the nanocrystals' sizes. Larger particles create warm hues like red, while smaller particles display cooler tones like blue. These shades should remain identical no matter the angle at which a person sees them.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/scientists-develop-nanosphere-paint-that-could-reduce-planes-carbon-dioxide-emissions-134733040.html?src=rss
When it comes to finding information online, the tools we use can make a huge difference in our efficiency and effectiveness. Two notable options in the realm of search technology are Perplexity AI and Google Gemini Advanced. These platforms are at the cutting edge of search engine development, each offering a unique set of features […]
Xiaomi just couldn't wait until MWC to unveil its latest Leica-endorsed flagship phone. Following the 12S Ultra and 13 Ultra, Xiaomi is finally catching up with the competition by picking up Sony's second-gen 1-inch mobile camera sensor, the LYT-900, for its brand new 14 Ultra flagship phone. This marks the second device to don this crème de la crème of imaging silicons, after Oppo's Hasselblad-tuned Find X7 Ultra from early January. That said, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra does have a slight edge with its faster main variable aperture at up to f/1.63, beating the Find X7 Ultra's f/1.8 — on paper, at least.
With the exception of the faster f/2.5 aperture on the new 120mm periscope shooter, the remaining three Summilux rear cameras are almost identical to the previous set, and they are still powered by a Sony IMX858 sensor each. The biggest change in this field is the new Xiaomi AISP neural chip, which claims to be the world's first AI large-model computational platform for photography. This leverages four large models — "FusionLM," "ToneLM," "ColorLM" and "PortraitLM" — to fine-tune results, especially with digital zoom at 30x or more.
Xiaomi
The 14 Ultra also packs some surprises in the battery, durability and connectivity categories. As seen in the super-slim Mix Fold 3 and Honor Magic V2, the 14 Ultra is Xiaomi's first candybar to jump onto the silicon carbon cell bandwagon, in order to pack 5,300mAh of juice into a space that's 8 percent smaller. Xiaomi claims that compared to the previous model, you get 17-percent more stamina with this battery upgrade. To replenish the battery, you get both 90W of wired fast charging and 80W of wireless fast charging — these take 12.5 minutes and 20 minutes to reach 50 percent, respectively.
Going along with the "Year of the Dragon" theme, Xiaomi claims that the 14 Ultra's "Dragon Armor" structure has double the bending resistance, thanks to its special "6M42" aluminum alloy mid-frame (supposedly crafted with a better grip as well). The Chinese brand even claims that this part is 8-percent stronger than the iPhone 15 Pro's titanium frame." aluminum alloy mid-frame (supposedly crafted with a better grip as well). The Chinese brand even claims that this part is 8-percent stronger than the iPhone 15 Pro's titanium frame, but it decided to offer a more premium titanium version as well.
Xiaomi
This metallic frame is complemented by a "Dragon Crystal" glass — shielding the 6.73-inch AMOLED screen (3,200 x 1,440 120Hz; made by TCL CSOT) — with apparently 10 times more drop resistance. Xiaomi also touts its new vegan leather material, which has been certified by SGS to have six times more wear resistance, has more dirt resistance and is less prone to yellowing due to ultraviolet rays — an important breakthrough particularly for the white version. But if you prefer something shiny, the 14 Ultra is also available in a blue "Dragon Crystal" ceramic flavor, which resembles ceramic but isn't as heavy — it only weighs 5 grams more than its vegan leather counterpart. Regardless of the cover material, this device has IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.
Much like the 14 and 14 Pro from October (and the SU7 electric sedan's in-car entertainment system), the 14 Ultra runs on Xiaomi's Android-based HyperOS, and it's powered by Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. This is cooled by a dual-loop vapor chamber, which also sucks heat out of the camera modules. The processor is backed by Xiaomi's new proprietary chip, the Surge T1, which apparently boosts cellular connectivity by up to 37 percent, as well as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections by up to 16 percent.
Xiaomi
This device also supports two-way satellite calling and texting, now with 60-percent faster satellite locking and 29-percent faster satellite connection. As a bonus, when you're lost, you can send your location data along with vital signs from your wearable device — presumably exclusive to one of the latest Xiaomi watches or smart bands. Sadly, these satellite features are likely limited to China for now.
We'll likely be hearing about the Xiaomi 14 Ultra's global launch at MWC next week, but for now, we can refer to the Chinese pre-order pricing. The vegan leather and ceramic variants all start from 6,499 yuan (about $900) for the 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage configuration, and max out at 7,799 yuan ($1,080) with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. These will be available for retail from February 27. The titanium version with dark gray vegan leather is based on the top configuration but costs an extra 1,000 yuan ($140), and it won't be available until March 12.
Xiaomi
Likes its predecessor, the 14 Ultra has an optional photography kit with a shutter button grip that adds an extra 1,500mAh of power. The upgrade this time is the new video recording button, along with a customizable jog dial. You can get this accessory for 699 yuan ($100) as a bundle with the phone.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/xiaomi-14-ultra-combines-a-1-inch-camera-sensor-with-four-ai-imaging-models-131127654.html?src=rss
In the ever-evolving realm of smartphones, Samsung is set to redefine innovation with its latest offering, the Galaxy Z Fold 6. A recent video leak has shed light on what tech enthusiasts and users alike can expect from this highly anticipated device, marking a significant shift in design and functionality from its predecessors. If you’ve […]
Meta’s Oversight Board is expanding its purview to include Threads. The group announced that Threads users will now be able to appeal Meta’s content moderation decisions, giving the independent group the ability to influence policies for Meta’s newest app.
It’s a notable expansion for the Oversight Board, which up until now has weighed in on content moderation issues related to Facebook and Instagram posts. “Having independent accountability early on for a new app such as Threads is vitally important.,” board co-chair Helle Thorning-Schmidt said in a statement.
According to the Oversight Board, user appeals on Threads will function similarly to how they do on Instagram and Facebook. When users have “exhausted” Meta’s internal process, they’ll be able to request a review from the Oversight Board. Under the rules established when the board was formed, Meta is required to implement the board's decisions regarding specific posts, but isn’t obligated to adhere to its policy recommendations.
Adding Threads’ content moderation to the board’s scope underscores the growing influence of the Twitter-like app that launched last summer. Threads has already grown to 130 million users and Mark Zuckerberg has speculated that it could one day reach a billion users.
Officially, Threads has the same rules as Instagram. But Meta has already encountered some pushback from users over its policies for recommending content. Threads currently blocks search terms related to COVID-19 and other “potentially sensitive” topics. The company also raised some eyebrows when it said last week that it wouldn’t recommend accounts that post too much political content unless users choose to opt-in to such suggestions.
Regardless of whether the board ends up weighing in on those choices, it will likely be some time before Threads users see any changes as the result of the board’s recommendations. The Oversight Board only accepts a tiny fraction of user appeals, and it can take several weeks or months for the group to make a decision, and many more months for Meta to change any of its rules as a result of the guidance. (The board can, in some cases, expedite the process.)
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/metas-oversight-board-will-now-hear-appeals-from-threads-users-too-130003273.html?src=rss
The Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC) has recently unveiled a new high-performance computing (HPC) cluster named Cardinal, which is poised to significantly enhance AI processing power for artificial intelligence (AI) research and education. Developed in partnership with industry giants Intel, Dell Technologies, and Nvidia, Cardinal represents a major step forward in the computational resources available to […]
If you’re currently in school or university, then you know how important the right set of stationery designs is. You need to have a collection of stationery designs that provide you with value and make your everyday tasks easy to complete with efficiency. These are the objects that are gonna help you get through your day, and directly or indirectly affect your productivity. It’s imperative to have a collection that lets you work easily, efficiently, and effectively. From an everlasting all-metal pencil to minimal Japanese drawing pads – these are the modern stationery designs you need to meet your modern stationery needs at school.
1. Pen Fan
Called the Pen Fan, this nifty and unique stationery design is a must-have school supply. It is designed to be a cross between a Pantone shade card, and a stationery set, accommodating 8 different flat-head sketch pens in a nifty, compact, and pretty easy-to-carry set.
Why is it noteworthy?
The various flat pens are interconnected, creating a cute little Japanese-fan-style layout that proudly showcases all 8 colors, letting you pick and choose from them. The pens are detachable, and you can easily snap on and off the pens, to create a palette that caters to you.
What we like
Easy-to-carry portable set
Reduces the risk of losing any of the pens
What we dislike
There are only 8 colors to pick from, which can be limiting. There could have been more color options
2. Everlasting Metal Pencil
If you’re looking for a pencil to carry to school, you could consider the Everlasting Metal Pencil. It is a Wacom-like style with a tip that doesn’t need to be sharpened or replaced. It is a unique and one-of-a-kind pen that lets you focus on the task at hand – whether it is writing, drawing, sketching, etc.
The pencil’s octagonal shaft is built from aluminum, and it has a special alloy core. This may make you feel that it might just leave heavy grooves on your paper, but it draws like a real pencil, without the tip getting worn down, even after dozens of marks. It’s a great tool for school, where you constantly need to be scrolling or sketching something away.
What we like
Features a metal core, not a clay or charcoal one, so it wears away quite slowly, and might even outlive you
What we dislike
If you’re someone who uses smudging techniques at school, this pencil isn’t recommended, as it doesn’t smear or smudge like normal graphite
3. Japanese Drawing Pad
If you’re a true stationery connoisseur, then you are well aware of the value and beauty of Japanese paper. It’s a wonderful material that has been revered by artists and designers for its quality. And if you want to take some lovely Japanese paper to school with you, then you could get your hands on the Japanese Drawing Pad.
The Japanese Drawing Pad is a premium-quality pad that freely lets you jot down your thoughts, and sketch out your innovative ideas without the worry of accidentally damaging the durable paper fibers. The Drawing Pad is a catalyst for the explosion and outpouring of your exciting and vivid ideas. It creates a smooth, cohesive, and engaging writing/sketching experience for you.
What we like
The Drawing Pad is microperforated, making the sheets of paper easy to tear and separate from the pad
It is available in different sizes and colors, letting you pick the pad that meets your stationery needs
What we dislike
The aesthetics of the pad are quite simple, and it seems like an ordinary pad with no USP. But its high quality and value can only be experienced, not simply seen
4. Bowl Sharpener
Designed by Jiachun LV, this adorable Bowl Sharpener is shaped like a cute little soup bowl. The base of the bowl includes a sharper opening, through which you can slip in the pencil, and sharpen it. As you sharpen the pencil, the pencil shavings and residue are collected in the bowl, creating an interesting visual.
Why is it noteworthy?
If you sharpen colored pencils in the bowl, then the multicolored shavings create a beautiful visual. Since all the shavings and residue are collected in the bowl, it is quite easy to throw them away, and they don’t fall or scatter anywhere, causing a little mess.
What we like
Collects the shavings in one place, and no shavings go astray
Minimalist form and pastel color options add an adorable touch to your desk
What we dislike
It is larger than typical sharpeners and isn’t an easy design to carry around
5. Gravity Pen
Called the Gravity Pen, this unique pen is the perfect sidekick to carry to school with you. It places the center of gravity closer to your fingers, creating a cohesive writing experience for you, where the pen is easy to hold and easy to make agile strokes with. It has a larger grip than the barrel, creating more space for a comfortable hold.
The grip has a faceted form, making the pen easy to hold, while providing a more stable grip. The Gravity Pen has a super ergonomic design since it was designed using the smart application of physics and minimalist design principles. It is a no-fuss and no-nonsense stationery design!
What we like
Ergonomic design that is easy to hold with a sturdy grip
A durable and lightweight body that is easy to carry around
What we dislike
There isn’t a variety of color options to choose from, limited choice of product
6. Serenity Pen Stand
A pen is one of the essentials we need to carry when we’re at school. However, a pen can be quite easy to lose, and if you’re always losing track of your prized pen, then you could procure the Serenity Pen Stand. It is a minimal design with a metallic hint designed to hold your pen upright, keeping it ready for you to use!
The Serenity pen stand ensures you always have easy access to your pen, safeguarding it, and ensuring you never lose it. Made using aluminum and copper, it forms a well-balanced cylinder, that adds a pop of subtle color and character to your study desk.
What we like
Features a heavy copper bottom that lowers the center of gravity, offering it a stable form
Sleek minimal design that is easy to carry and set up
What we dislike
The pen stand is quite small in size and could be easily misplaced if not handled carefully
There isn’t availability in different color options, you are limited
7. ForeverPen
Dubbed the ForeverPen, this pen is made of Ti + Ag, and it sits neatly on your keys! It resolves the issue of you needing a pen and never being able to find one. It is said to be the world’s smallest inkless pen, and it never needs refilling. In fact, it is not just a simple pen, you can even write underwater with it, or open boxes!
Why is it noteworthy?
The pen is made from specialist Silver composite, combined with the choice of material you choose. It is only one inch in length, but strong enough to jot down all your notes, while also letting you slide open packages and boxes, and prying open lids.
What we like
Portable and easy-to-carry design
Multifunctional tool that can be used as much more than just a pen
What we dislike
Not well-suited for users with big hands, can be difficult for them to hold and use it
Since it is quite tiny, you can easily lose or misplace it
8. The Horizon Helvetica®
If you’ve come across the Horizon Helvetica®, then you know that it is an artist-oriented piece of EDC that is designed to be an interesting alternative to conventional stationery kits. It is said to be one of the most creative-oriented EDC multitools on the market!
Why is it noteworthy?
It has a credit-card-shaped form that lets you sketch and doodle, form grids and circles for drawings, measure distances, and angles, and even feature a dedicated measuring scale for pixels and picas! It is also an excellent tool for graphic and interface designers who can utilize it to create UI sketch prototypes on paper.
What we like
Using the tool you can sketch, ideate, plan, and measure anywhere
Portable and easy-to-carry design
What we dislike
It is only available in metal, there are no other material options
9. ColorPik Pen
Meet the ColorPik Pen – a super cool and extraordinary pen that accommodates 16 million colors! With the ColorPik Pen, you don’t need to buy different pens, you can simply use it and have fun with an unlimited number of colors. You simply need to scan the item whose color you want to imitate, and then doodle with it.
Why is it noteworthy?
The ColorPik Pen uses a smart color, that is light fast, and water resistant, and can’t just be weathered away. You can control the texture and dimension for writing by selecting any of the multiple tips, allowing you to beautifully and write as well as draw.
What we like
Combines 16 million colors into one nifty pen
Features re-fillable smart cartridges
What we dislike
10. World Clock
Do you ever find yourself lagging in school, not able to complete your tasks in the expected duration?! Well, this is where this unique clock design comes in, but with a twist. The World Clock isn’t your typical desk clock, and has a dodecagonal shape, with only one hand on its clean minimalist face.
The design and form of the World Clock is intentional, as it gives you the right information about your country, but also some additional and fun details on the time in other parts of the world. One quick look and you can instantly tell the hour, while a closer inspection will tell you which quarter of the hour it is.
What we like
The 12 sides of the clock have individual markings for a city that represents a particular timezone
In the dynamic arena of cybersecurity, the stakes are high and the adversaries are relentless. The latest insights from IBM’s X-Force Threat Intelligence Index Report for 2024 provide a crucial glimpse into the cyber threats that dominated the previous year. For anyone with a stake in the digital world, these findings are not just informative; […]
In the big Nintendo Direct presentation yesterday, we learned of two of the four Xbox titles Microsoft said would appear on “the other consoles.” One of them is Pentiment, coming to Nintendo Switch, PS4 and PS5, well, today.
The critically acclaimedPentiment has been an Xbox, PC and Xbox Cloud exclusive since launch in late 2022. It has an eye-catching animated historical art style — and is delightfully niche. The game’s director, Josh Sawyer, said creating and launching a game like this would never have been possible without Game Pass, which, as Kris Holt notes, makes it an unusual pick to be transferred to other platforms. Xbox boss Phil Spencer said earlier this month the titles hopping platforms had all been on Xbox and PC for at least a year and had hit their “full potential” on those platforms.
The other game coming to other consoles is Grounded — pretty much Honey I Shrunk the Kids, the game — and will land April 16. Microsoft also later confirmed that Hi-Fi Rush and Sea of Thievesare coming to PlayStation 5.
There’s a Borderlands movie coming out, and we have our very first teaser trailer. This footage gives us a glimpse of all of the major characters. Cate Blanchett is taking a nice fat paycheck starring as the famously short-tempered Lilith, who’s searching for a mysterious vault. Comedian Kevin Hart portrays the mercenary Roland, and Jamie Lee Curtis plays the scientist Dr. Tannis, who featured in all three games. Also, you can’t have a video game adaptation without Jack Black, it seems.
Apple has launched a new iPhone app, offering real-time stats for a number of major sports leagues. Once you’ve installed Apple Sports, you can set your favorite team and get a trove of data on your lock screen in the live activities box when the team is playing. The app is free and available in the US, UK and Canada for basketball, hockey and soccer. The company said other sports, including baseball and football, will debut when new seasons kick off.
Staff disregarded Musk’s directive to provide outsiders with “full access to everything.”
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) concluded Elon Musk ordered Twitter (now X) employees to take actions that would have violated FTC rules on consumer data privacy and security. Twitter security employees “took appropriate measures to protect consumers’ private information,” likely sparing Musk’s company from government repercussions. FTC chair Lina Khan wrote: “Ultimately, the third-party individuals did not receive direct access to Twitter’s systems, but instead worked with other company employees who accessed the systems on the individuals’ behalf.”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-these-are-the-first-xbox-exclusive-games-heading-to-switch-and-ps5-121538895.html?src=rss
Micron Technology, Inc. has expanded its Crucial Pro Series with the introduction of new high-performance memory and the fastest Gen 5 SSD. The Crucial DDR5 Pro Memory: Overclocking Edition and the Crucial T705 SSD are designed to meet the needs of gamers, professionals, and enthusiasts seeking advanced computing capabilities. Crucial DDR5 Pro Memory: Overclocking Edition […]
