Samsung clears the air on red tinted Galaxy S8 displays

This was so close to being some juicy drama. Rats!

Bad news for people hoping something would go wrong with the Galaxy S8 launch and Samsung would immediately implode, those reports of Galaxy S8 displays with reddish tints to them aren’t nearly enough. Not only are these displays extremely rare outside of South Korea, but Samsung says they can be fixed with a simple re-calibration using tools already on the phone and are not an actual defect.

The color balance setting in the S8 will fix this issue, but not before breathless talk of recall came from the Korea Herald.

Industry watchers, however, agree that the display is not safety related, and there is no reason to conduct a recall of the Galaxy S8 smartphones.

As amusing as it is going to be watching every potential issue with this phone return the conversation to the Note 7 recall, this particular issue was never going to be that serious. Every phone release has a couple units that make it off the line with defects which can only be fixed by replacement, and this wasn’t even one of those situations.

This red tint thing couldn’t be more of a non-issue, and will likely become one of those things where someone leaves an S8 on the table and a friend uses color balance to give its owner a fright the next time the phone is turned on. Not saying you should behave that way, but don’t be shocked if there’s a YouTube video with this prank in the not-so-distant future.

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+

• Galaxy S8 and S8+ review!
• Galaxy S8 and S8+ specs
• Everything you need to know about the Galaxy S8’s cameras
• Get to know Samsung Bixby
• Join our Galaxy S8 forums

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Best Chrome extensions for watching video

Watching videos is better on Chrome when you use these browser extensions!

Chrome is a great browser, but it’s the apps and extensions that really make Chrome shine brighter than the competition.

If you’re addicted to watching videos — whether on YouTube, Netflix, or any other video service — we’ve got a collection of great Chrome apps and extensions designed to enhance your experience.

Update, April 19, 2017: We’ve added Video Resumer, and Floating for YouTube.

• Turn Off the Lights
• Google Cast
• VideoStream for Google Chromecast
• Flix Plus by Lifehacker
• Magic Actions for YouTube
• FasTube
• VideoResumer
• Floating for YouTube

Turn Off the Lights

There’s a reason why movie theaters turn off all the lights once the movie begins. Outside light can be distracting when you’re watching video.

Turn Off the Lights brings a touch of that cinema experience to YouTube, Vimeo, Hulu, and others by dimming everything in the browser window except for the video.

Once you’ve added the extension to Chrome, simply click the lightbulb icon next to the address bar when you’re on a video page and everything other than the video will dim to near-black. This is a fantastic feature if you’re the type to watch videos at night in a darkened room, when the brightness from the white background is most glaring. When you’re done watching your video, simply click the lightbulb icon again and the page returns to normal.

See at Chrome Web Store

Google Cast

If we’re talking about Chrome and video, it’s impossible to avoid mentioning Chromecast — it’s the handiest little disc that lets you connect your smartphone or Chrome browser to your TV via HDMI.

Google Cast is a must-have extension if you’ve got a Chromecast (and you should really get a Chromecast). It allows you to connect and stream content from your Chrome tab quick and easy to your TV. You can use it to help increase your productivity by using multiple screens, or use it to decrease your productivity by streaming YouTube or Netflix. The choice is yours, Google Cast just provides the options.

See at Chrome Web Store

VideoStream for Google Chromecast

As mentioned, one of the coolest features for Chrome is it’s integration with Chromecast via Google Cast.

VideoStream for Google Chromecast takes that feature and builds on it by converting your chrome tab into an app that allows you to load and stream local videos from your computer and stream them wirelessly to your TV.

Once you’ve got the app installed in Chrome, you’ll find it in the Apps menu just below the Back and Forward buttons. Launch VideoStream in a new tab and you’re able to load up videos from your computer or external hard drive directly into a video player in Chrome, which then allows you to cast that tab via Chromecast to your TV.

It works like magic, and means you’ll no longer have to deal with HDMI cables and adapters when you want to stream video from your computer to your TV.

See at Chrome Web Store

Flix Plus by Lifehacker

If you’re addicted to watching Netflix on your computer, then you need to check out Flix Plus by Lifehacker.

It adds a bunch of really cool features that you’ll appreciate, such as integration with Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb, and Wikipedia for ratings and information, the ability to watch a random episode from a show you love, and enhancements to browsing that include moving “My List” to the top of the page and fading out shows and movies you’ve already watched or rated.

But arguably Flix Plus’ best feature is how it hides spoiler content from episode thumbnails and synopses — especially important for when you’re watching a show for the first time. When you’re looking at a show’s episode list, all the thumbnail images and episode info will be blurred out and only viewable when you mouse over them. If you’re serious about avoiding spoilers when you’re watching a TV show, this feature alone makes Flix Plus a real winner.

See at Chrome Web Store

Magic Actions for YouTube

Looking to get more out of your YouTube experience? Magic Actions is jam packed with handy features that make YouTube easier to use.

With the extension added, you’ll see a new row of buttons just below the video window that allow you to control and customize all sorts of features for YouTube.

Some of the most notable features include the ability to control the video volume using your mouse scroll wheel, set YouTube to autoplay in HD whenever applicable, Cinema Mode, hide ads, automatically turning off those annoying video annotations — and that’s just scratching the surface.

Definitely worth taking a look, however you are required to install the Click&Clean Chrome App as well during set up. The good news is you can easily remove the app after setting up Magic Actions.

See at Chrome Web Store

FasTube

Sometimes you just want the video and nothing else. FasTube hears you, and delivers just the video — with faster load times!

As the name implies (FasTube… Fast Tube…), by loading only the video in a pop up window and ignoring the comments, thumbnails and everything else, makes videos load way faster. Like… stupid fast.

All you have to do is click the video’s thumbnail image and BAM! The video pretty much instantly plays. FasTube also provides its own version of cinema mode, a button for rotating the video, and a button for sharing. The one thing you’ll have to get used to is the pop up window, which will close the video instantly if you click anywhere else on the tab.

Oh, and if you want to see the description, comments, and related videos, all you have to do is click the video title. Pretty dang handy.

See at Chrome Store

Video Resumer

YouTube has tons of great content, and while there is plenty of bite-sized video, they also have some gems of longer documentaries. If you don’t manage to finish the entire video in a single sitting, it can be hard to remember precisely where you left off. This extension does the work for you, resuming your videos where you stopped them, and not a moment sooner.

See at Chrome Store

Floating for YouTube

Floating for YouTube means that you’ll never have to wonder where your YouTube video is playing. Instead of being a nested tab, it allows you to pop out and size the window that YouTube plays in. This is a great way to keep from losing YouTube when you have 20 tabs open and one of them is playing music.

Did we miss any killer extensions?

These are the best we could find, but maybe we missed something amazing. Share in the comments!

Galaxy S8 review: Flo’s take

Whether you’re a Mac user who can’t leave their Android phone behind or you’re curious to give the Android operating system a try, the Galaxy S8 is too pretty of a package to overlook.

It’s going to take some time before Samsung’s name isn’t immediately associated with fiery batteries. The Galaxy Note 7 fiasco wasn’t just limited to technology-centric circles; once airlines started banning it on flights, the drama reached around the globe — and back again. Late night hosts were still making jokes about it long after the device had been recalled.

But if Samsung is going to come back from its Note fiasco to win back customers who prefer something a little different than what Apple’s iPhone provides, there’s no better entry than the Galaxy S8, the company’s eighth-generation flagship smartphone.

Like the iPhone, Google Pixel, and pretty much every other high-end smartphone out there, the Galaxy S8 comes in two sizes. Whereas Samsung offered a smaller Galaxy S7 and a larger S7 edge variant last year, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ both employ edge screens; the software has also been improved, and there are neat new gimmicks that make the phone a delight to use as a daily driver.

Read more at iMore

Best Tempered Glass Screen Protectors for Moto Z Droid

These are the Droid screen protectors you’re looking for.

The most important part of any phone nowadays is its screen, so you’ll want to protect it with a high-quality screen protector. The best material for screen protectors is tempered glass, which won’t shatter into sharp, scratchy shards if it happens to break.

To protect your Moto Z Droid’s screen, check out these awesome tempered glass screen protectors.

• Supershieldz
• Dmax Armor
• Omoton
• Spigen

Supershieldz

This two-pack of tempered glass screen protectors is cut to perfectly fit your Moto Z Droid’s screen. It does have curved edges, so no screen protector will cover it completely, but they will protect the bulk of the screen from scratches.

Supershieldz promises a bubble-free adhesive to make for a smooth and easy installation process, and its screen protectors are crystal clear, so you won’t have any trouble seeing your screen or using all of its touch features to their full potential. Supershieldz are also covered in a hydrophobic and oleophobic coating, made to repel water and the oil from hands, so you won’t have to constantly wipe your phone on your shirt.

See at Amazon

Dmax Armor

Dmax Armor is another high-quality tempered glass screen protector brand that offers clear protectors that are fingerprint- and scratch-resistant. They’re easy to install, and Dmax Armor promises a bubble-free protector. In the box, you get a dust remover, screen wipe, and a lint-free dry cloth to make sure that you get your screen protector on cleanly with not bumps.

Dmax Armor a lifetime warranty, so if you notice any defects or anything, let Dmax know, and you’ll receive a replacement. The screen also has a hydrophobic coating, so water will just bead off. This is a two-pack for around $7, which is an awesome value.

See at Amazon

Omoton

Omoton’s $5 two-pack of tempered glass screen protectors almost can’t be beat. Just like most protectors, you get a laser-cut piece of tempered glass that’s made to fit your Moto Z Droid’s screen (aside from the curved edges), and it also repels water and fingerprints, thanks to its hydrophobic and oleophobic coating.

Omoton’s screen protectors are scratch-resistant, so if you have your Moto Z Droid in your pocket with some keys, you won’t pull out a phone that looks like a scratching post.

See at Amazon

Spigen

Spigen, purveyor of fine phone cases, also makes some dynamite tempered glass screen protectors. This is another two-pack that comes with a lifetime replacement warranty, so you can rest easy knowing that Spigen fully backs its products.

Like all great tempered glass screen protectors, Spigen’s come with rounded edges to prevent chipping, and the space that’s left because of the curved edges means that these protectors are compatible with an awesome Moto Z Droid case.

See at Amazon

Do you use screen protectors?

Which ones? Let us know in the comments below.

Moto Z, Moto Z Force and Moto Z Play

• Moto Z + Z Force review!
• Moto Z Play review
• The Hasselblad True Zoom is a Mod to remember
• Moto Z specs
• Moto Mods custom backs
• The latest Moto Z news
• Discuss in our Moto Z forums

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Galaxy Note 8 may be the first Samsung phone with a dual camera

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus are just over a week away from hitting shelves, but while they may be an evolution in smartphone technology when it comes to 18.5:9 screen, the camera is the same as the one that featured on the Galaxy S7 Edge. It may have a few new features the help improve photos, but ultimately, it’s the same sensor.

• Samsung Galaxy Note 8: What’s the story so far?

The Galaxy Note 8 may not have the same camera as its Note 7 predecessor though, and will instead come with a dual camera setup, the first for a Samsung phone. At least, that’s according to Ming-Chi Kuo, who is a noted tipster when it comes to making predictions about Apple’s new devices.

Kuo says the new camera will be “the most important upgrade” for the Galaxy Note 8 and will feature a 12-megapixel CIS support dual photodiode (2PD), 13-megapixel telephoto CIS, dual 6P lenses (6P lenses are made up of 6 lens elements, the idea being more elements results in better photos), dual optical image stabilisation and 3x optical zoom.

Kuo adds that he believes the Note 8’s potential dual camera will be superior to the one found on the iPhone 7 Plus, and could match the one that Apple is expected to fit to the iPhone 8 with OLED display due out later this year.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 was at one point, thought to come with a dual rear camera of its own. A leaked prototype showed a Samsung device with a dual camera in a vertical array, however company executives said Samsung saw no real value in it, at least at the time.

• This amazing picture leak could show us the Samsung Galaxy Note 8
• Samsung Galaxy Note 8 will have 4K display and Bixby voice assistant

The Galaxy Note 8 is due out sometime this year, Samsung confirmed the phone itself when it announced an upgrade program for anyone who bought a Galaxy Note 7. We’re no closer to knowing a date though, but as ever we’ll bring you all the latest news as and when we hear it.

SNES Classic Mini: Release date, games and everything you need to know about Nintendo’s next microconsole

After the incredible success of its miniature, remade NES console, Nintendo is said to be working on a follow-up; this time based on the much-loved Super Nintendo Entertainment System, or SNES for short.

A Nintendo Classic Mini: SNES is heavily tipped for release in 2017 and we’ll be queuing for one, that’s for sure.

While we await official details on the SNES Classic Mini, we present everything we know about the machine so far and speculate on what games could be included. We’ll update this feature as more details become available.

SNES Classic Mini: What is it?

Nintendo released a miniature version of its first household games console in November last year and it sold out almost immediately. The Nintendo Classic Mini: Nintendo Entertainment System (Famicom in Japan) was priced at £50 in the UK and came with 30 Nintendo games pre-installed. An included controller, shaped like the one that came with the 80s original, was included in the box and an optional second could be added for two-player games.

Apart from its size, the NES Classic Mini also included an HDMI port to connect it to a TV and clever picture upscaling technologies to ensure the 8-bit games looked good, even when expanded to fit a 55-inch or more.

Unfortunately, because it was extremely popular, gamers who didn’t manage to pre-order one prior to release were unlikely to get one for the original price. They still fetch anywhere up to £250 each on reseller sites such as eBay – five times the original retail price. Nintendo has also confirmed that it has no plans to manufacture new units in any territory.

That is more than likely because it is concentrating on a sequel instead. Like the NES was followed by the SNES in the early 90s, so too will the Classic Mini version.

Eurogamer recently reported that development of a SNES Classic Mini console is already underway. Its sources point to a similarly diminutive device hitting stores at the end of the year. This time it will sport a range of Super Nintendo (Super Famicom) titles and up the ante when it comes to graphics and audio performance, to match the 16-bit original.

• Can’t buy a NES Classic Mini? How to build your own retro console for just £50

SNES Classic Mini: Release date

Eurogamer didn’t mention an actual release in its report, just saying that the mini console should debut “in time for Christmas” this year.

That matches the release schedule of the NES Classic Mini, which hit shelves on 11 November in the UK and US. It was announced officially several months before though, with pre-orders opening on 21 July 2016 – so if Nintendo follows suit and you want to ensure you don’t miss out this time, look out for confirmations around the end of summer.

SNES Classic Mini: Price

It’s far too early to know the confirmed price of the SNES Classic Mini yet, but considering the NES version was £50, we’re almost certain the next one will be around the same ball park.

SNES Classic Mini: Games

The NES Classic Mini featured 30 games (although you could add more by hacking the machine), all accessible through a smart, easy-to-use scrollable menu system. You could also pause a game, return to the menu and pick it up again later.

All of the titles on the official release were first-party or from a few close publishers (including Bandai, Tecmo and Konami) and it is highly likely to be the same again. Here then is our wish list of 10 of the 30 or so games the SNES Classic Mini should include:

Super Mario World

Nintendo

The crown jewel in the Super Nintendo era, Super Mario World was the 2D platformer that set a very high bar few others managed to match. For many, it was the game that convinced them to buy a SNES over the rival Sega Mega Drive.

Super Mario Kart

Nintendo

Changed co-operative racing forever. The original Super Mario Kart still holds its own today as a party game guaranteed to cause a giggle or two.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Nintendo

As top-down RPGs go, A Link to the Past is one of the very best. It might ot have the fancy graphics of the Switch masterpiece of today, but it retains the spirit and scope.

Super Metroid

Nintendo

A sideways-scrolling shooter/platformer of the highest quality. It’s often been included in lists of the greatest games of all-time.

Donkey Kong Country

Nintendo

Rare’s attempt at a 2D platformer feels very different to the Mario games. It uses more chunky, clay-like characters and some clever gameplay tropes to deliver something fresh and fiendishly difficult. We fully expect at least one of the sequels to be included too.

Yoshi’s island

Nintendo

Sometimes called Super Mario World 2 but isn’t really – it’s actually a prequel to the SNES Mario classic. It also features a baby Mario riding on the back of his dinosaur chum Yoshi. It’s fun but doesn’t hold a candle to the original.

F-Zero

Nintendo

To be honest, we never really liked F-Zero that much but as a forerunner to WipEout and games like it, this needs to be included.

Pilotwings

Nintendo

One of the least known Nintendo-published SNES games just so happened to be one of our favourites. You have to complete different pilot-related tasks – such as land a plane or parachute onto a target in order to earn your “wings”.

Star Fox

Nintendo

Graphically impressive and complex for its time, this 3D space shooter is still our favourite Star Fox game ever.

Stunt Race FX

Nintendo

Like Star Fox, which was also co-developed by Argonaut Software, Stunt Race FX utilises 3D polygons rather than sprites for the most part and therefore looks a lot more advanced than the vast majority of other SNES games. 

Facebook’s plans for Oculus are finally taking shape

When Facebook bought Oculus VR for $2 billion in early 2014, it wasn’t entirely clear what Mark Zuckerberg planned to do with all of the virtual reality hardware suddenly at his fingertips. Hell, it wasn’t even clear that VR was going to be a legitimate industry: Sony hadn’t revealed the PlayStation VR yet, Google Cardboard didn’t exist, and Valve was a year away from announcing the HTC Vive headset. VR was truly in its infancy when the world’s largest social networking site strode in, promising to deliver video games and “many other experiences” on the Oculus Rift.

While we’re still waiting on the “video games” part of that promise, today Facebook launched the beta for Spaces, its first attempt at translating social networking to VR. Spaces is a digital world exclusive to the Oculus Rift that you can share with up to three other people at a time. Create a 3D avatar of yourself and hang out with digital renditions of your VR-capable friends, talking, drawing objects, exploring 360-degree films and taking photos with a selfie stick. And that’s about it.

Even though Spaces is fairly barebones and still in the early stages of development — Facebook says the beta represents 1 percent of its goal product — it’s our first glimpse at Zuckerberg’s grand VR vision. This is what Facebook wanted when it bought Oculus: selfie sticks in VR.

Seriously.

“This is really a new communication platform,” Zuckerberg wrote about VR in 2014. “By feeling truly present, you can share unbounded spaces and experiences with the people in your life. Imagine sharing not just moments with your friends online, but entire experiences and adventures.”

Facebook Spaces is precisely what Zuckerberg laid out from the beginning. It’s a way to share an experience with a friend, even if that person lives across the world, and even if your adventure is as simple as taking a photo together. Spaces lays the foundation for grander features like playing games together in VR, and its goal is clear: Blur the line between hanging out in reality and “hanging out” on Facebook (where algorithms and advertisers can more easily find you).

However, Facebook’s dream of trans-continental selfies (and ads) won’t come true if you or your friends don’t own an Oculus Rift — and chances are, you don’t. Oculus hasn’t shared actual Rift sales figures, but third-party industry trackers suggest it sold between 250,000 and 400,000 headsets in 2016. Regardless of the actual number, Facebook’s headset is firmly in last place, hundreds of thousands of units behind the HTC Vive and PlayStation VR.

Not to mention, Facebook Spaces requires users to own the Oculus Touch controllers as well — a $99 accessory that doesn’t come bundled with every Rift.

This hardware shortfall makes one aspect of today’s announcement particularly intriguing: Anyone using Spaces is able to call friends via Facebook Messenger video and talk with them inside the VR world, regardless of whether that friend has a Rift. Facebook is aware that VR can’t survive on its own right now; it has to be incorporated into our existing systems until the hardware itself is more accessible and normalized. Or, until the bulky VR headsets disappear entirely, replaced by mass-market augmented reality systems instead, like HoloLens or a functional Google Glass.

Unsurprisingly, Facebook has pounced on the AR industry as well, today announcing the Camera Effects Platform to help developers create apps that overlay objects, information and filters on the real world. This parallel focus on AR and VR isn’t an accident — in fact, both industries are a large part of Facebook’s 10-year roadmap.

Facebook is poised to combine Oculus’ hardware chops with a steady stream of camera-based AR innovation rolling in from developers across the world — and within its own walls. Facebook is preparing to take over our reality, in whatever form it eventually takes.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from F8 2017!

Xiaomi Mi 6 mimics the iPhone’s camera tricks without the bump

After the swanky limited edition Mi MIX, you’d think it’d be pretty hard for Xiaomi to top that with its next flagship phone, but the new Mi 6 unveiled today still had some tricks up its sleeve. First off, the company has revived the Mi 5’s awesome curved glass back design along with a special ceramic edition, and this time it’s complemented by a piece of 2.5D front glass panel plus two new color options: metallic blue and glossy silver. To my surprise, Xiaomi has also gone back to the more expensive stainless steel (as used on the Mi 4) instead of aluminum for the mid-frame: not only is it tougher, but it’s also more luxurious with that high-gloss finish — a much welcomed feature on the blue version’s gold-colored frame.

As per usual, Xiaomi has thrown in pretty much the best essential components for its latest flagship, though this time it’s a bit more generous than before. On top of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 chipset there’s a whopping 6GB of LPDDR4x RAM instead of starting at 4GB, a base storage option of 64GB instead of just 32GB, a denser 3,350 mAh battery and an improved under-glass fingerprint reader on the front (though unlike the one on the Mi 5s, this one is capacitive rather than ultrasonic). Based on the display units at the launch event, the Mi 6 is powered by MIUI 8 based on Android 7.1.1 which is remarkably up to date.

What’s more surprising is that the Mi 6 is Xiaomi’s first splash-proof device thanks to the added internal seals, though the company avoided the word “waterproof” throughout the keynote. Indeed, the Mi 6’s product page states that it has yet been put through such certification tests, so you’ve been warned.

After the Redmi Pro and the Mi 5s Plus, Xiaomi is once again dabbling with a dual camera setup on the Mi 6. Rather than going with the increasingly common RGB + BW sensor pairing, this time Xiaomi has taken a page out of Apple’s book to pair a wide-angle lens with a telephoto lens for this 12-megapixel camera: the former has an f/1.8 aperture plus a 1.25um sensor, whereas the latter — effectively a 2x optical zoom — has an f/2.6 aperture with a 1um sensor. However, unlike the iPhone 7 Plus, the Mi 6’s dual camera is flush with the body; plus its wide-angle lens features 4-axis optical stabilization, meaning it’ll take better photos in low-light conditions.

Xiaomi also boasted its latest beautification algorithm which claims to produce more natural looks, and there’s also a portrait mode which automatically adds a bokeh effect. As for selfies, there’s an 8-megapixel front camera which takes advantage of the new beautification software as well.

Much like its two predecessors, the Mi 6 is sticking with the relatively humble 5.15-inch 1080p display spec, which is good news for those who prefer something more ergonomic. It’s a nice LCD, too: like before, you get a 94.4-percent NTSC gamut, a brightness ranging from 600 nit all the way down to 1 nit (with 4,096 levels in between), and a blue light filter mode that actually eliminates harmful invisible blue light while delivering a more faithful color reproduction.

On the audio side, it’s worth noting that Xiaomi decided to ditch the headphone jack for the Mi 6, with the reason being it wanted to offer a cleaner look (ugh), which is why you’ll find a USB-C to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter in the box. Similarly, there’s no fancy DAC chip here to satisfy audiophiles, though the phone does have a stereo loudspeaker implementation — using the earpiece as one of the two audio channels — similar to those used on recent HTC and Huawei devices for casual video-watching.

As with pretty much all Xiaomi products, the Mi 6 will only be available in China to begin with as of April 28th, with the 64GB model priced at 2,499 yuan (about $360) and the 128GB flavor at 2,899 yuan ($420). And for an extra 100 yuan ($15) you can get the 128GB ceramic edition with 18K gold rim around the main camera lenses. Alas, CEO Lei Jun said the silver edition isn’t quite ready for mass production; it’ll apparently be months before it’s finally ready.

Source: Xiaomi

Toyota is testing a hydrogen fuel-cell powered semi

Toyota built a larger sibling for the hydrogen fuel cell powered Mirai, a semi truck. The automaker is testing a water-expelling big rig at the Port of Los Angeles that it hopes will yield data that will help build a fleet of zero-emission trucks.

Called the “Portal Project,” the study will determine how well hydrogen fuel-cell heavy duty vehicles work in a shipping environment. The truck itself will be use two Mirai fuel cell stacks and a 12kWh battery to power two motors connected to the rear wheels working in parallel. With a range of over 200 miles per fill up, the truck can haul a gross combined weight capacity 80,000 pounds.

“We think that there’s a market demand for this technology in the ports today and there are no there are no competing services to diesel solutions,” said Craig Scott national manager of Toyota’s advanced technology group.

Tony Gioiello, deputy executive director of port development for the Port of Los Angeles said “the Port of Los Angeles has been a leader in working to reduce pollution from port operations, and we’re excited at the potential for a true zero-emission heavy-duty truck to push our Clean Air Action Plan even further.”

The truck and the project are part of Toyota’s larger plan to help kick start an infrastructure for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles like the Mirai. Initially the automaker will hire its own driver to help collect data on the big rig and it’s trips. But it eventually hand the keys over to the driver of a yet-to-be-determined shipping partner.

Remembering the first ‘photo’ of a black hole

Black holes are so outlandish that the scientists who first thought them up figured they couldn’t possibly exist in reality. They form from massive, collapsed stars and are so dense that nothing can escape their gravitational pull, including light. Black holes mess with spacetime so badly that scientists have long wondered: How do these things look, exactly? We may be on the cusp of seeing one thanks to the Event Horizon Telescope, but back in 1979, Jean-Pierre Luminet created the first “image” using nothing but an early computer, lots of math and India ink.

The problem with imaging a black hole is that, by definition, they don’t emit light or radiation. Luckily, large black holes are usually next to other stars and suck away their matter, something astronomers can see. “As [gases from stars] fall towards the black hole, it becomes hotter and hotter and begins to emit radiation. This is a good source of light: the accretion rings shine and illuminate the central black hole,” writes Luminet in his e-Luminesciences blog.

The distinguishing feature of a black hole is its “event horizon” boundary, the point of no return for matter and light. At its periphery, materials sucked in from adjacent stars form an “accretion disk,” famously depicted in Interstellar (below) as two bright, perpendicular disks. That’s just an illusion, though — there’s only one disk at the equator, but the light is bent upward by the black hole’s extreme gravity (via gravitation lensing).

Luminet’s image depicts two other important phenomena not seen in Interstellar. One is the fact that the energy and light are stronger near the edge of a black hole and weaker farther out. Another is the Doppler and Einstein effects caused by the accretion disk’s rotation, which would make light appear to be brighter on one side, depending on the spin direction. In Luminet’s image, the accretion disk spins counter-clockwise, so its light approaches the viewer on the left and recedes on the right, making the left-hand side look brighter.

All that causes the black hole to be much brighter in the center and left, as depicted in Luminet’s image, but not on the “Gargantua” black hole created by Interstellar’s effects team. “A realistic image must show a strong asymmetry of the disk’s brightness, so that one side is far brighter and the other is far dimmer,” he says. (Interstellar’s black hole expert Kip Thorne was very aware of that, but director Christopher Nolan left it out so as not to confuse the audience.)

Luminet calculated all of that back in 1979 using the IBM 7040 mainframe, an early transistor computer with punch card inputs. The machine generated isolines for his image that were “directly translatable as smooth curves using the drawing software available at the time,” he told Engadget in an email.

To create the final image though, he relied on his other passion: art. Using numerical data from the computer, he drew directly on negative image paper with black India ink, placing dots more densely where the simulation showed more light. “Next, I took the negative of my negative to get the positive, the black points becoming white and the white background becoming black.”

The result is an image that still holds up and is closer to reality than the CGI done by Interstellar’s whiz kids. What’s more, subsequent computer simulations created by NASA Goddard and others still show the same defining elements — a thin “photon ring” at the center, Doppler and Einstin-shifted light and a double accretion disk caused by gravitational lensing. Not bad for someone with just punch cards and India ink.

Source: e-Luminesciences