GeekSugar

Harrods' In-Store LED Light Display Tantalizes the Tastebuds

GeekSugar — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 09:06:35 PST

If you've ever been to London, visiting Harrods - one of the world's most famous department stores - is an experience in itself. Well now there's something else to tempt your eyes in this gigantic department store. . . an array of 3D-lighting window displays created by The Anemix - a Chilean lighting company.

Cool Hunting discusses how this six-panel lighting system was created for Harrods' in-store "Senses" campaign to mimic the human senses. The window displays will be up until March 28, when the Senses campaign officially ends. Have a peek at more images below.

View 5 Photos ›

Top 10 Thrilling 3D Moments in The Avengers

Anna Monette Roberts — Fri, 04 May 2012 07:00:46 PDT

Avengers fans, rest assured, you have every reason to be excited for the film's release on Friday. The visual effects in The Avengers are absolutely stunning, and the 3D rendering draws you straight into the action.

With six superheroes to follow, the action scenes are diverse and gripping, with just the right amount of near-death drama to keep you on the edge of your seat. Explosions galore, flying contraptions, rad weaponry, and battles by air and by sea, there are plenty of jaw-dropping moments thanks to the mastery of Industrial Light & Magic's visual effects. Without giving away any pertinent plot details, here are 10 scenes that 3D and effects fans can look forward to.

The massive security center that secures the tesseract cube implodes during a car chase. As tons of concrete rubble is sucked into the earth, its force nearly drags the cars down too.
The whopping 1,500-foot fleet carrier S.H.I.E.L.D. base transforms into a flying space ship. Just when you think it can't get any cooler, its reflective panels engage, making it disappear.
Thor and Iron Man (arguably the best-looking men on the team) duke it out in the woods, destroying a lot of trees in the meantime. I don't know what's more awesome: seeing Thor's thunderous strength match up against Iron Man's tech-savvy smarts, or the hilarious banter between the two.
It's the moment everyone is anticipating: when will Hulk emerge from Dr. Banner? When Dr. Banner's anger hits a climax, it only takes a few heavy, unnerving breaths before the Hulk roars his way into his monstrous size.
Trapped in a glass capsule, Thor clatters around violently as he plunges 30,000 feet into the Earth. The impact decimates the wilderness around him, yet Thor's quick recovery is glorious.

Click here to read about five more awesome scenes.

Top Trends From Heimtextil 2012

Angela Swinderman Elias — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:41:09 PST

The Editor at Large produced a fascinating trends segment from the Heimtextil 2012 Trend Show, the largest international trade fair for home and contract textiles. Retailers, designers, and decorators gathered for an overview of projected trends that fell into four themes. See which characteristics dominated this year's themes and take a peek at behind-the-scenes footage and interviews from the event!

Colour Riot

This trend is characterized by bold, vibrant technicolors inspired by nature. Rainbow hues are paired with contemporary design techniques like colorblocking, 3D manipulation, and all-over geometric patterns. The result is playful but sophisticated and incredibly modern.

Dark Lux

Feeding on a cultural fascination with vampires and other contemporary mythological creatures of darkness, this trend uses silvery metallic tones, glossy high-quality materials, and sculptural forms. The look is a fusion of masculine strength and elegance and incorporates deep burgundy and blue tones to add depth.

Craft Industry

This trend honors the aesthetics of traditional crafts but uses new technology to create a fused look. Reclaimed objects are often adapted into contemporary pieces, and weathering techniques, like oxidization, are used frequently. The effect feels slightly nostalgic but intriguingly modern.

Split Clarity

Fresh colors and touchable textures create a soothing, streamlined aesthetic that dominates this trend. Touches of warm tones are designated to materials like natural wood. Opposites, like round and linear, lightness and density, symbolize the duality of power and serenity found in nature.

Keep reading to check out behind-the-scenes interviews from the show!

Design Your Own Hi-Tech Lamp

Kelly Schwarze — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 09:49:59 PST

We're often hearing of new advances in 3D printing, but has the technology shown up in your everyday life much yet?

The 3D printed table lamp kit from i.materialise puts 3D technology and industrial design in your power. The company will provide all the software required to design a lamp within the proper dimensions yourself. Once your concept is finalized, submit the rendering back to i.materialise, and its 3D printers will get to work on a lamp shade all your own.

Included in the $260 3D table lamp kit is the lamp base, reference lamp shade for use before the 3D design is ready, and light components. For design inspiration, check out the company's examples on Flickr. Where else would you like to see 3D printing put to use?

Buzz Blabber: DiCaprio Looks Great as Gatsby

BuzzSugar — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 05:30:00 PST

BuzzSugar readers were in a tizzy about the first photos of The Great Gatsby this week - or more specifically, about how good Leonardo DiCaprio looks in the title role. That wasn't the only topic that got you talking though; fans took sides on a Harry Potter vs. Twilight debate, and Glee fans applauded the show's Christmas special. Take a look at this week's most buzzed-about topics.

The new Great Gatsby is already making us swoon

"I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS. Cannot contain myself. One of my favorite books + my all-time favorite actor!" - Gabriela Une Vie Saine
"Holy hotness! Leo looks amazingly sexy in that pic. I love the book, LOVE Leo, and all the other actors work for me, but 3D has me scared. Although, having Leo come out of the screen at me could be good." - mrsld
"I can't wait to see this! The Great Gatsby was one of the favorite books in high school. Plus, Leo and Carey is all I need to hear!" - carrothead

To see why fans think Harry Potter is better than Twilight, just

Fans agree that Deathly Hallows trumps Breaking Dawn

"Harry Potter, absolutely. The film is much better written and acted than anything in Twilight, and the Potter films have several fantastic messages throughout them." - indigo15
"I'm a fan of both series but Harry Potter has a substance Twilight never had. It's a harlequin romance for teenagers, and it's good for what it is. The Harry Potter series sets the bar for a fantasy series that translates to all readers, not just fantasy fans." - testadura67
Harry, for sure. Twilight is a guilty pleasure...something to make me feel 17 again, but Harry Potter deals with some of the fundamentals in life. Much more meaningful (and better on the big screen)." - planetkate

Glee brings the holiday cheer

"I liked I'm dating Kim Kardashian' moment. So true!"
"Kurt and Blaine's duet was so good! I enjoyed the whole show, and I really liked how the show opened with Mercedes belting out 'All I Want for Christmas is You.' I loved that the show was so light hearted last night." - kimmieb124
I also liked hearing the Blaine/Kurt duet, their voices go great together. Same goes for the "Favorite Things" presentation." - demarco11

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Daily Tech: Gollum's Right Around the Corner

GeekSugar — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 10:47:32 PST

3D Gollum street art from artist SmugOne - GeekTyrant
These video games just didn't get it - Cracked
.xxx domain names debut today - Newser
How to photograph holiday lights - Tecca
The next generation of Nissan Leaf cars will charge wirelessly - Dvice
The year's most powerful images - BuzzFeed

Video of the Day: Nokia Offers 4D Light Show With deadmau5

Kelly Schwarze — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 12:25:16 PST

The much-buzzed-about Nokia Lumia 800 is now for sale in the UK, and the company chose to celebrate the occasion in a major way yesterday. Nokia took over the Millbank Tower in London for a free electronic music performance by deadmau5, set to a light show projected across the skyscraper's looming exterior.

The 387-foot tower's 800 windows were covered in vinyl, which doubled as a canvas for the 16 projectors beaming the 3D video show from the opposite side of the Thames River. In what they call 4D technology because of what the live music and physical landscape added to the experience, the Millbank Tower pulsed, collapsed, rebuilt itself, swayed, and even served as a virtual roller coaster in perfect sync with deadmau5's track before reminding the crowd below of the Windows-based Lumia 800's arrival.

PETA Tells Mario to Ditch the Fur

Kelly Schwarze — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 05:40:07 PST

We may be excited for Super Mario 3D Land, but there's one group who certainly isn't. PETA, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, says that when Mario dons a Tanooki suit in the game, he's giving the green light to would-be fur wearers.

According to PETA: "Tanooki may be just a "suit" in Mario games, but in real life, tanuki are raccoon dogs who are skinned alive for their fur. By wearing Tanooki, Mario is sending the message that it's OK to wear fur."

Mario's use of Tanooki is nothing new. First introduced in 1988 in Super Mario Bros. 3, Mario used the Tanooki tail to fly and do spin attacks. Since tanukis hold a place in Japanese folklore associated with good fortune, it could be argued that Mario is simply harnessing the spirit of the animal.

PETA's campaign against Mario even includes a (warning) rather gruesome 8-bit online game called Super Tanooki Skin 2D that looks like a variation of the Super Mario Bros. game in which you chase Mario to reclaim Tanooki's fur. What do you think of PETA's claims? Is it another PR stunt or do you agree it encourages fur wearing?

Source: Nintendo

5 Awesome Unexpected Things to See at Coachella

Kristy Korcz — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 10:20:23 PDT

This weekend, I celebrated alongside thousands of others at the three-day Coachella Music festival. Held in Indio, California, it's one of the largest in the US with around 226,000 in attendance last year. This year, Intel sponsored my trip there - taking care of my accommodations, transportation, and nourishment - so that I could check out the Creators Project: a joint venture between Intel and Vice to promote independent artists who use technology in their art. I'll be talking more about the project in the next few days, but first: a few awesome things I wasn't expecting to find at Coachella.

Dancing robots and video games - Thanks to the Creator's Project, we were treated to home brew video games and 3D art. One artist built a computer program that allowed these robots to perform a dance routine in perfect unison. Check out the video!
A roller rink - Off the main drag of the main stage, we found a fun carnival tucked in with the Coachella campground. There was a full on roller rink (BYOS - bring your own skates), fun seesaws, swings, and an arcade. Be sure to bring lots of quarters if you ever go!

See the rest of the list after the break.

Amanda Peet on What Makeup Just Can't Disguise

Jaime Richards — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 06:00:25 PDT

With a smile like that, it's befitting that Amanda Peet has recently inked a deal as Crest 3D White's spokesperson. And with the launch of the brand's new 2-Hour Express Whitestrips ($55) and Advanced Vivid Enamel Renewal Toothpaste ($4), Amanda has been out and about talking about the impact of teeth whitening on one's appearance, along with a few other beauty tidbits. To see the rest of my interview with her, where she reveals her favorite red-carpet moment and her tricks for looking happy and healthy, just keep reading.