Google’s Tilt Brush gets new brushes, ‘Beginner Mode,’ sound effects, and more

By Christian de Looper June 26, 2018

Google launched Tilt Brush early last year as a way to offer artists tools in virtual reality. Since then, the app has been made available on a number of platforms, including the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, and has been hailed as one of the most innovative VR apps out there. Now, the company is updating Tilt Brush with a series of new features that should help make it even better than it already is.

For starters, Google has added a hefty seven new brushes, allowing users to create both new textures and new volumes. Using the new brushes, Google says that users will be able to more easily create natural-looking environments or objects. For example, the Hull Brush allows users to easily paint a 3D object just by moving the controller.

Next up is the fact that Google wants to make Tilt Brush better for users regardless of their skill level. Tilt Brush now has two modes: Beginner and advanced. Beginner limits tools a little, but it includes the core feature set that allows users to more easily start using Tilt Brush. Once users are familiar with the features, they can switch to Advanced mode.

Third is the Pin tool, which allows users to easily lock objects in space — so they won’t move around, even when artists are creating environments with a lot of objects.

A number of other tweaks have been added too. There are more sound effects to use, for example, and users can quickly recall their Mirror simply by pressing the “Recall Mirror” button right next to them. Finally, users can now quickly undo and redo brush actions by holding the controller button.

As Google continues to add new features to Tilt Brush, it’s likely that it will continue to gain in popularity among artists and graphic designers. Generally, virtual reality art hasn’t become all that popular just yet, but new VR headsets are launched every year, and more people are adopting the new platform — despite the fact that it’s still considered to be in its infancy. Still, apps like this will likely help artists get used to 3D environments, which could be very helpful going forward.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Christian de Looper

Contributor

Christian’s interest in technology began as a child in Australia, when he stumbled upon a computer at a garage sale that he…

Computing

Power up your tech game this summer with Dell’s top deals: Upgrade for a bargain

Dell Techfest and best tech on sale featured.

One of the best times to upgrade your tech stack, be it your desktop, a new laptop, or some high-resolution monitors, is when great deals are to be had. Well, I'm here to share that thanks to Dell's top deals, you can power up your tech game and have most of the summer to make it happen. Maybe you're happy with your current system or setup. That's excellent, but you're likely considering upgrading somewhere, and that's precisely what these deals are all about. Dell has a smorgasbord of deals on laptops, desktops, gaming desktops, monitors, accessories, and so much more. We'll call out a few of our favorite deals below, but for now, know that you should be shopping this sale if you're interested in anything tech-related.

What summer tech should you buy in Dell's top deals?

Computing

I love the MacBook Pro, but this Windows laptop came surprisingly close

Apple MacBook Pro 16 downward view showing keyboard and speaker.

There are some great machines in the 15-inch laptop category, which has recently been stretched to include the more common 16-inch laptop. The best among them is the Apple MacBook Pro 16, which offers fast performance for tasks like video editing and the longest battery life.

The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 is aimed not only at other 16-inch Windows laptops but also at the MacBook Pro 16. It offers many of the same benefits but at a lower price. Can it take a place at the top?
Specs and configurations

Computing

How to set an ‘Out of Office’ message in Microsoft Teams

Person using Windows 11 laptop on their lap by the window.

Many people use Microsoft Teams regularly to communicate with colleagues both inside of the office and remotely. It is considered one of the most efficient ways to ensure you can stay in contact with the people on your team, but what if you need to let people know you’re not readily available? Microsoft Teams has a method for you to set up an "Out of Office" status for your profile to let staff members know when you’ll be gone for the afternoon, for several days on vacation, or for an extended period.
Where do I go to set up my ‘Out of Office’ status for Teams?
It is important to note that your Microsoft Teams and Outlook calendars are synced. This includes your out-of-office status and automatic replies. So, whatever you set up in Microsoft Teams will reflect in Outlook. Similarly, you can set up your out-of-office status in Outlook, and it will be reflected in Teams; however, the former has a more straightforward instruction.

First, you can click on your profile icon in Teams and go directly to Schedule an out of office, as a shortcut. This will take you to the settings area where you can proceed. You can also click the three-dot icon next to your profile icon, then go to Settings > General, then scroll down to the bottom of the page. There, you'll find out-of-office settings and click Schedule.