When the Apple Watch first launched back in 2015, there were 10 Watch faces. Now, there are more than 50. The newest among these is the Snoopy Watch face, designed in conjunction with the Charles Schulz Studio. The Independent sat down to talk to Gary Butcher, human interface designer at Apple, Eric Charles from Apple Watch product marketing and Paige Braddock, chief creative officer at Charles M Schulz Creative Associates to discover everything about the new Watch face. This is not the first time Snoopy has been on watches and he’s even appeared on high-end models like the Omega Speedmaster. As Eric Charles explains, “There’s a deep horological legacy of Snoopy appearing on watch faces from his early as the 1950s, and on Apple Watch, we’ve been able to bring Snoopy to life in whole new ways.” There 148 different animations for the Watch, which would run for 12 minutes if you played them one after the other; it’s tempting to try. They were all developed from an intense brainstorming session. Braddock, who was hired back in 1999 by Charles Schulz himself to work as an illustrator at the studio, reveals the creative dynamic: “Both Apple and peanuts have strong identities and a strong desire to connect in an authentic way with fans. “At the Schulz studio, we wanted to be authentic to Snoopy’s DNA and simultaneously explore the Apple Watch technology. Everyone knows that Peanuts is a comic strip that exists in a different decade: there are no smart phones or iPads in the comic strip. “But with mutual respect, it is possible to coexist as a modern tech company and a comic strip with a rich historic legacy. I always feel like a true collaboration is not one thing eclipsing the other, it’s finding a balance and working with contributors’ strengths.” As Braddock points out, there’s something about Snoopy for the Watch that’s a great fit. “If you look at a comic strip like this, it’s basically a four-panel storyboard. Even the aspect ratio from the comic to the watch face is almost the same. We sourced numerous animated sequences directly from Schulz’s original comic strips.” Snoopy’s look has evolved over the decades, from the fifties when he walked on all fours, to the sixties when he discovered he could do it on two legs. The shape of his canine head also changed. The collaborators had to decide whether the animation should be two-dimensional like the comic strip or 3D like the Snoopy Show. This led to a style that looks anything but electronic. Braddock again: “Ultimately, we chose to keep the watch animations as close as possible to the original Schulz drawings. Charles Schulz had a very specific and rare pin nib that he used. It was a nib that you had to dip in the ink bottle each time to fill it with ink and it meant he could create a varied line from thin to thick. “This sort of active drawing gives the character life. It’s obvious when you see these drawings that they’re handmade and not digital, and this is the feel that we wanted to preserve in the Watch animations.” But then Apple’s engineering kicks in. When you look at Snoopy on the Watch face, there’s a level of subtlety that you only notice after a while. Sometimes his activity is based on the weather, sometimes on what you’re doing. For instance, when you go swimming, so does Snoopy. Sometimes he even interacts with the Watch face itself, specifically with the minute hand. Gary Butcher expands on this: “One of the things we were especially excited to do is to have Snoopy and Woodstock interact with the minute hand of the watch. He can lean on it, He can throw things that bounce off of it. He can kick it when he wants to be fed. And he can jump up on it to wave to Woodstock on the other side.” This is one of the things that might mean you find yourself checking the time more than you actually need to. One time, he’ll peep out from behind the minute hand, his body magically hidden. Next, he’ll be skating and bounce off the minute hand because it’s in just the wrong place. Another time, a flying Woodstock will drop a bone for a recumbent Snoopy, which will bounce off the minute hand into his mouth. Then… look, you’re going to have to discover these things for yourself. On your birthday, Snoopy will celebrate. He’ll decorate his dog house for Christmas, or dress up for Halloween. In the creative process, they realised that with a little ingenuity, they could make these animations appear at different times. “To maximise the chances you’ll see those animations,” Butcher says, “we figured out we could simply rotate certain animations. I say simply rotate but under the hood is a really sophisticated scene layout engine being driven by an equally sophisticated decision engine.” Sometimes the rotation only needs to affect certain frames of the animation. If Snoopy is standing on the minute hand, he’s affected only when he’s up top, and his free fall into leaves below is unchanged and he falls naturally downwards, otherwise he’d shoot off sideways. “Each animation is only five seconds long, but by looping the whole animation or even just a few frames at the end, We’re able to keep certain scenes alive for much longer,” Butcher says. There’s more detail yet. Look closely and you’ll see the backgrounds are made up of dots – just the way it used to look in newsprint. Monday to Saturday has a half-tone dot background, but then bursts into colour for Sundays, again, just like it appeared in newspapers. This is called the Sunday Surprise. Eric Charles comments, “What I love about the way we’ve designed this watch face is that you may never see all of them. Because I live in California, I may not see the winter animations. I may never see the icy ones. I hopefully will never see the stormy ones either.” The team wanted to surprise and delight. Charles goes on to explain that they sought to find more and more content, all day long: “Those two words, surprise and delight, were basically the mantra of how we looked at this project. A certain animation can show up at 10.09 but when you raise your wrist again and it is still 10.09, what else can we serve you? What else can we present to you?” The mission to present Snoopy to the world was key to the endeavour, it seems. Paige Braddock says, “I don’t want the generation that uses modern devices to miss out on this really fantastic character. And I think Apple Watch is a bridge for some of those fans to discover – or rediscover – Snoopy.” Read More The Apple Watch has a major issue but Apple is working on a fix Don’t believe your eyes: how tech is changing photography forever Police to trial use of drones as first responders to emergencies Don’t believe your eyes: how tech is changing photography forever Police to trial use of drones as first responders to emergencies SpaceX launches world’s most powerful rocket – and then it disappears

Zoom Video Communications Inc. raised its profit and sales forecast for the fiscal year, a positive sign for

RALEIGH, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 12, 2023--

Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and more make 90min's 2022/23 Premier League team of the season.

A Japanese town says it has agreed to a geological study to determine its suitability as an interim storage site for spent nuclear fuel

Erik ten Hag has admitted Manchester United’s new-look midfield must click quickly after a stuttering start in Monday’s victory over Wolves. Raphael Varane’s 76th-minute header gave United three points at Old Trafford, but Wolves were worth at least a point after registering 23 shots at goal and being denied a stoppage-time penalty that even Premier League referees’ boss Jon Moss later acknowledged should have been given. Much of the focus was put on an underwhelming display from United’s engine room after the match. Ten Hag disputed suggestions that Casemiro had been left isolated as both Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount pushed forward, but he admitted much better is needed away to Tottenham on Saturday. “It’s a new midfield and we have step up there,” he said. “We have to improve in possession. We were absolutely not good. “It had to do with our rules and principles and we did not match those rules and principles in possession and then you do not get a good game. “Also the players made so many unforced errors and we were below our standards from what we are used to and what our players are capable of. “We have already seen in pre-season we can do much better and we’ve seen last year they can do much better so I’m sure they will improve quickly.” Making his Premier League debut for United after a £60million move from Chelsea, Mount struggled to make an impression and was replaced by Christian Eriksen in the 68th minute, with the Dane providing more defensive cover alongside Casemiro. But Ten Hag believes Mount, who played in advanced positions for Chelsea, can adapt to a deeper role in much the same way as Eriksen did after joining from Brentford last summer. “I think he can and already we have seen it in pre-season,” Ten Hag said. “We have to work on many facts of our game, the midfield and the cooperation in how we have to set it. “I’m sure we will get it. It’s not coming overnight but if it was easy, everyone could do it. “Christian Eriksen came in and had the same thing, it was the first time in his life he played in a deep role. That was the ambition from Christian and it’s also the ambition from Mason to be more multi-functional. “It will not come overnight. There is a process we have to go through but I’m sure with his game intelligence, he has the technical abilities and also he is efficient with the ball. He knows how to deal with the ball. “He has the dynamics and he has the mentality. All the ingredients are there to do it.” New goalkeeper Andre Onana emerged from his Premier League debut with a clean sheet, but was lucky not to concede a penalty when he clattered into Sasa Kalajdzic without claiming the ball late on. I will encourage it, I like it when players are proactive, to be on the front foot. That is the type of player we need Erik ten Hag But Ten Hag said he had no problem with the Cameroon international’s approach to the game. “I think he is very proactive and that is what we want,” he said. “We want proactive players but of course he has to manage himself as well, when to be proactive and when to be more passive. “I will encourage it, I like it when players are proactive, to be on the front foot. That is the type of player we need.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Big transfer fees no guarantee for Chelsea starting spot – Mauricio Pochettino Ange Postecoglou promises to bring Spurs fans joy after Nick Cave inspiration Top seed Iga Swiatek fights back to reach Western and Southern Open semi-finals

Working in the sweltering heat of the Brazilian Amazon, Jose Diogo scales a tree and harvests a cluster of black berries: acai, the trendy "superfood" reshaping the world's biggest...

Every morning, thousands of construction workers in Qatar start their day by soaking their uniforms in water. The

Major winner Cameron Smith fired a seven-under-par 63 to grab a share of the lead after the first round of the...

Theres a new Battle Royale due in town, and its name is Warzone 2. The sequel to the acclaimed Call of Duty War Zone has scant few concrete detail available, but there have been numerous leaks regarding some of the new features available in the sequel.

Former Manchester United winger and Wales manager Ryan Giggs is “relieved” at being cleared of domestic violence allegations made by his ex-girlfriend after charges were dropped. Kate Greville told police and lawyers she did not want to go through the ordeal of a second trial after jurors failed to reach verdicts in the high-profile first trial last year, Manchester Crown Court heard. Giggs, 49, was not in court on Tuesday as lawyers said there was no longer any realistic prospect of conviction and it was not in the public interest for Giggs to go on trial for a second time over allegations made by Greville and her sister Emma. Peter Wright KC, prosecuting, offered no evidence against Giggs at the 20-minute hearing as the allegations were formally dropped. Judge Hilary Manley entered “not guilty” verdicts on the charges of coercive and controlling behaviour and assault against Kate Greville and common assault of her sister. Giggs had been accused of controlling behaviour over a three-year period involving Greville. He was also accused of assault by “losing control” and headbutting Kate Greville and the common assault of Emma Greville by elbowing her in the jaw, during a row at his home in Worsley, Greater Manchester, on November 1 2020. Giggs denied the offences and underwent a month-long trial, ending last August when the jury failed to reach any verdicts, and a retrial was scheduled to begin on July 31. But on Tuesday, prosecutor Peter Wright KC told Manchester Crown Court that the case had been considered at the highest levels at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and a decision had been made not to proceed with a second trial. Wright said Giggs’ ex-girlfriend Greville had “indicated an unwillingness” to give evidence in a retrial as giving evidence in the first trial had “taken its toll” on her and her sister Emma. Wright said: “This is not a decision taken lightly.” Chris Daw KC, defending Giggs, said: “Mr Giggs is deeply relieved the prosecution has finally come to an end after almost three years in which he’s been fighting throughout to clear his name. “He has always been innocent of these charges – there’s been very, very many lies told about him in court.” At a series of hearings earlier this year, the court was told of difficulties the prosecution had faced in proceeding with the retrial. These included Kate Greville’s reluctance to now go through with a second trial. Earlier this month, Wright, at a court hearing which could not be reported at the time, said: “What she (Greville) has indicated is a wish not to give evidence by reason of her own mental and physical wellbeing, so seriously affected by the process. “You may recollect at the previous trial for example she gave evidence over a considerable period of time, cross-examined for what was three days, and during the course of that process she was both visibly distressed, weary, and expressed the view that she had felt violated by the defendant’s conduct and in giving evidence while maintaining her account, demonstrating a growing frustration in terms of the process. “I make the observation, a general observation, ambivalence on the part of complainants in these circumstances is not an unknown phenomenon to the courts.” Judge Manley told the prosecutor the question of whether Greville was willing to co-operate or not had to be decided. She added: “The position can’t continue indefinitely.” Wright said: “This is a matter that’s been considered at a senior level both regionally and nationally within the CPS, notwithstanding any objective assessment of the seriousness of the allegations. “What is underlying this is the further general principal consideration of the prosecution of the alleged abusive men so far as coercive and controlling behaviour is considered, the wearing down of complainants, is not to be interpreted by the public and by men as a passport to an acquittal – is that underlying question of considerable public interest that we are continuing with.” But Daw, defending Giggs, told the hearing: “As it stands, the prosecution has no case. “The position we submit is: what matters is the interests of justice. “What we have here is an attempt to cobble together a case built on hearsay and an unwilling witness almost three years after the event. “This is not about the public interest.” A spokeswoman for the CPS said: “At all stages we keep cases under careful review, to ensure our legal test is met. This means there must be a realistic prospect of conviction based upon the available evidence and a prosecution is in the public interest. “We have determined there is no longer sufficient evidence available to proceed in respect of the controlling or coercive behaviour charge and that it is no longer in the public interest to prosecute the remaining assault charges. “This decision was made following detailed discussions with Greater Manchester Police and consultation with the complainants. At no stage has she indicated that the account she gave either in her witness statement, ABE interview (achieving best evidence, the police interview during criminal investigation) or at trial, was untrue Peter Wright KC, prosecuting “It is not the function of the CPS to decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offence, but to make fair, independent and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges for the criminal court to consider.” During Giggs’ time at Old Trafford, Manchester United won 13 Premier League titles, two Champions League trophies, four FA Cups and three League Cups. Giggs stood down as Wales manager following a period of leave since November 2020. He won 64 caps for Wales and is co-owner of Sky Bet League Two side Salford. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Manchester United agree deal with Inter Milan for goalkeeper Andre Onana Can England beat the weather to level Ashes series? Fourth Test talking points England may need weather check and bolder approach in fourth Test – Ben Stokes

TL;DR: As of June 25, get the 2023 Exams Digest 2023 All-in-One CompTIA & IT