’80s game designers had to cheat their way to color graphics
We take powerful computer graphics for granted nowadays, to the point where we complain when 4K games won’t play at 60fps. But YouTube’s iBookGuy showed how tough designers had it back in the 80s just to make color graphics work, period, on 16K machines of the day. They had to use a variety of workarounds just to get 16 colors on a 320 x 200 screen, as that would normally eat up your entire 16K of RAM right there. Developers for machines like the NES and Commodore 64 resorted to dividing the screen into “cells” that could each hold only two colors, a trick that used up just 9K of memory.
That meant designers had to be creative to make graphics look good — in the image above, for instance, there isn’t a single 8 x 8 cell with more than two colors. Another trick designers used was to divide elements into “sprites” that operated independently of other screen graphics. Nintendo’s Mario, for instance, was actually built from four individual sprites. There’s plenty more info in the easy to follow video (below), and he promised more episodes down the road.
Via:
Boing Boing
Source:
The iBook Guy
Tags: 16K, 8-bit, 80s, ComputerGraphics, TheiBookGuy, video
iPad Pro Likely to Ship With iOS 9.1, Suggesting No September Launch Alongside iPhone
Earlier this week, we saw hints of Apple’s work on iOS 9.1 in the MacRumors visitor logs, speculating Apple had begun work on the update as a way to test features on the much-rumored 12.9-inch “iPad Pro” or the iPad mini 4 ahead of production. As it turns out, we were correct.
This morning, analytics company AppSee found an “iPad6,8” with a resolution of 2,732 x 2,048 in its logs. We asked AppSee to check what version of iOS the iPad had installed on it, and as it turns out, it’s running iOS 9.1, suggesting Apple’s work on iOS 9.1 coincides with the development of the iPad Pro.
iOS 9.1 on the large-screened tablet in AppSee‘s logs suggests that’s the operating system the iPad Pro will ship with, which rules out the possibility of a launch in September alongside the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus. Both iOS 9.1 and the iPad Pro will likely be unveiled at a separate event later in the year.
Rumors this morning have also suggested the iPad Pro will be entering mass production in September or October, pointing towards a late October or November launch date. It’s possible Apple plans to stick to the same October iPad unveiling timeline it’s used for the past several years, introducing the iPad Pro in mid-October and shipping it at the end of the month.
It is not clear what will be introduced in iOS 9.1, but the iPad Pro includes several features that could require a dedicated update, such as a pressure sensitive Force Touch display, a stylus, and a USB-C port that could support peripheral devices.
Apple’s 12.9-inch iPad Pro will be the first major new addition to the iPad lineup since the iPad mini was unveiled in 2012. At 12.9 inches, it’s significantly larger than the 9.7-inch iPad Air 2, and could bring a much-needed boost to Apple’s flagging iPad sales.
Daily Calculator Free: a customizable calculator short on functionality (App Review)
For this review, we have Daily Calculator Free, a calculator with many whom have come before it and surely many whom will come after it. It has a lot of competition out there, including the various calculators that are pre-installed by OEMs. Ultimately, the purpose of such an app is to solve calculations ranging from the basic addition, division, and so on to possibly more complex computations involving trigonometry and exponents.
Setup
Daily Calculator Free’s setup is simple. Download and install the app from Google Play, and open it. You’ll be presented with the following (main screen) after a short prompt, which I’ll explain in the next section.
The default layout and theme for Daily Calculator Free.
Features and Functions
The app is able to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, key for any calculator. Also, there are buttons for percents, entry clearing, and manipulations for calculations stored in its memory.
Next, the prompt I mentioned explains two commands a user can perform within the calculation window. A tap on this window reveals calculations stored in memory. Meanwhile, a long press copies the latest answer to the clipboard.
To get to the app’s preferences, click the icon of the three dots in the top left-hand corner. Options here include touch vibration, keypad layouts, and themes.
Themes appear to be the main appeal of Daily Calculator Free. There currently are 12 of them to choose from, half of which are a variation of “Material.” I assume this means they closely follow the aesthetic of Material design. Meanwhile, the others are based on “Original.”
The Material – Amber theme
The Original – Blue theme
Although I thought these themes were well-made, this didn’t change my opinion of the app’s functionality. And as a calculator, it lacks in this regard. For example, LG’s take on the G3 has commands for pi, trigonometry, logarithms, exponents, and more. Not everyone is going to need this, I understand. However, it’s nice to have just in case, especially when it usually is given for free.
What We Like
- Customizable layout and display format
- Theme selection
What We Don’t Like
- Only has basic arithmetic of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
Overall, I believe Daily Calculator Free is okay. The ability to change the layout, theme, and so on is a nice addition, but it is not necessary with calculator apps. Instead, the most important goal is to give it as much functionality because a calculator is a tool, more than anything else. And in this saturated market of calculator apps, this one does not stand out as having the most functionality.
The post Daily Calculator Free: a customizable calculator short on functionality (App Review) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Pocket Casts for Android version 5.2 update brings Nearby tab to help discover new podcasts
Pocket Casts, one of our favorite podcast apps here at Android Authority, has just received a big update to version 5.2, which is rolling out now in the Google Play Store. Alongside a handful of bug fixes, version 5.2 of the app brings a new Nearby tab that will allow users to easily discover what other folks around them are listening to.
The Nearby tab can be found in the Discover section of the app. Once you navigate to the new tab, you’ll need to grant Pocket Casts access to your device’s Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections, which will allow it to communicate with other Nearby devices. The Nearby tab is powered by Google’s recently-announced Nearby API that lets mobile devices communicate with one another based on proximity.
Once you opt-in to the Nearby feature, Pocket Casts will begin searching for other Android Pocket Casts users around you. If anyone is close by, you’ll be able to see what they’re listening to. You can even subscribe to their podcasts right from the Nearby page.
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If you’re interested, take a look at the full changelog below to get all of the details:
- Have you ever wondered what podcasts the people around you listen to? Your friends? Classmates? Even those pesky co-workers of yours? Well wonder no more! Open the Discover section, tap on Nearby, get them to do the same and find out. Warning: may cause relationship breakups.
- Fixes:
- Animation issues with the play/pause button in the mini player
- You can now download an episode that is streaming from the episode overflow menu
- Fixed issue with grid and missing artwork
- Download issues
The update is now rolling out in the Google Play Store, so head to the link below to grab the latest version!
HTC in process of selling Shanghai factory
With the tough financial position HTC finds itself in these days, CEO Cher Wang is being pressed into some tough decisions about how to keep the company afloat. Earlier this month the company announced it was cutting about 15% of its workforce and would scale back its model lineup. Those changes mean HTC may not need quite as much factory capacity, a fact that Wang is using as an opportunity. According to new reports, HTC is in the process of selling a facility located in Shanghai to one of its Chinese competitors.
Terms of the deal are not known, but the facility was built in 2009 at a cost of $32.2 million. The facility is 146,667 square meters in size (approximately 1.5 million square feet) and houses two production lines. Depending on how the deal goes, we may not know how much cash the sale will infuse HTC with until their next quarterly financial report is released.
source: mobile-dad.com
via: GSM Dome
Come comment on this article: HTC in process of selling Shanghai factory
Sony Xperia J1 Compact: The Phantom Pain Edition coming to Japan on September 3
Sony’s Xperia J1 Compact: Phantom Pain Edition was made official today in Japan, with a set release date of September 2, a day after Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is available to buy on the PC and consoles.
Keep in mind that this is the same device released in Japan back in March, only now, it’s being designed after the much-anticipated Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, a title extremely popular among the Japanese community.
It features the same 4.3-inch 1280 x 720 display, a Snapdragon 800 chipset, a quad-core 2.2GHz processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, a 20.7-megapixel camera, a 2.2-megapixel front-facing camera, and a 2,300mAh battery.
Besides that, the only real differences you will see is a lot of bundled software content related to Metal Gear Solid V, such as a art book in PDF format, a voucher to purchase web comics, and so on.
The device will sell for 59,800 yen, which translates to about $480 USD. There’s no doubt that this particular edition will be limited to Asian markets. However, you’ll no doubt be able to get your hands on it through unofficial channels, such as eBay.
It’s not as likely to see as much attention as the Galaxy S6 Edge: Iron Man Edition saw, but it’s still a nice looking device from Sony.
source: Sony
via: G for Games
Come comment on this article: Sony Xperia J1 Compact: The Phantom Pain Edition coming to Japan on September 3
[TA Deals] Now is your chance to win a Nexus 6 and Nexus 9!
There are a lot of Android phones and tablets roaming the world — each has its own identity and offers a different experience. Most people, though, never get to enjoy Android in its cleanest form because Google does not sell and promote Nexus devices with large scale. Google relies upon consumers finding Nexus devices on their own compared to Samsung, LG, and HTC spending millions of dollars on marketing to get noticed. So have you ever wanted to get a Nexus phone or tablet but the price turned you off? Then head over to Talk Android Deals because that’s where you can win both a Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 for free.
Here’s how to enter on the giveaway page:
- Submit your email address and click ENTER NOW (Make sure it’s valid as this is where we’ll contact the winner)
- After entering your email address above, share on Twitter for additional entries. The more your friends and followers enter, the more entries you receive. Good luck!
- Be sure to register with a valid email address so we can contact you if you win
- Limit one registration per person – registering more than one email address will result in disqualification from this giveaway
Come comment on this article: [TA Deals] Now is your chance to win a Nexus 6 and Nexus 9!
Indian airport now runs entirely on solar power
If humanity is to survive, it’s going to have to embrace alternative forms of energy and ditch carbon at double-quick speed. India’s making a pretty big stride in that direction after declaring Cochin International Airport as the world’s first facility of its kind that runs entirely on solar power. All of the airport’s energy requirements are met thanks to a roof-mounted installation on the terminal, as well as a solar plant beside the cargo warehouse. The plant comprises 46,150 panels that spread across 45 acres and generates 12MW — with any excess power being pushed back into the local grid. Over the next 25 years, it’s expected to save roughly 300,000 metric tons of carbon, which is a start.
Filed under:
Transportation
Via:
Economic Times, Time
Source:
Cochin International Airport
Tags: Airport, Carbon, ClimateChange, Co2, CochinInternationalAirport, Green, SolarPower
Dear Veronica: Cuff links and communication!
Hello everyone! This week, we tackle fashion for the very first time! Our main question comes to us from my friend Patrick Norton of TekThing, and answered by Evan Wolkenstein, creator of StyleForDorks.com. You can head over there to read his entire post on cufflinks and how they’re worn!
We also talk about our favorite communication tool here at Engadget, Slack, and I dole out some virtual hugs. It’s all good. Remember, you can subscribe to the show on iTunes or via RSS, and keep sending in those questions on Twitter using #DearVeronica, or via email. See you next time!
Tags: dearveronica, fashion, PatrickNorton, slack, veronicabelmont, video
LinkedIn’s Lookup app finds co-workers with the right skills
LinkedIn doesn’t just want to help you find a job or a new hire — it thinks it can contribute even after you’re gainfully employed. The company’s new LinkedIn Lookup app for iPhones (there’s no mention of Android yet) helps you find and contact co-workers using criteria ranging from names to skill sets. That could be particularly handy if you’re trying to find someone outside your department with the right experience, or if you’re just curious about that new CEO. Think of Lookup as a lightweight, inter-office social network. It won’t replace Facebook or group chat systems like Slack, but it could be the easiest way to introduce yourself to your fellow staffers.
Via:
The Next Web
Source:
LinkedIn Official Blog, App Store
Tags: app, career, employment, internet, ios, iphone, jobs, linkedin, linkedinlookup, mobilepostcross, work
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