16,000,000 colours..... What the heck is up with THAT???
By James72
@James72 (26790)
Australia
September 21, 2009 10:20am CST
I'm sitting here flicking through a technology magazine while waiting for my Wife to get ready 'cos we're heading out for a few hours..... There's a mobile handset in there that's boasting 16,000,000 colours! How many friggin' colours does a mobile phone screen need ya reckon? I would've thought that 5 - 6,000,000 would've been just fine and dandy, but NO, they've gone and thrown in another 10,000,000 or so for free! What a bargain! 
Personally I blame the paint companies for this. They couldn't just stick with the standard red, yellow, pink and green etc and had to go for the "burnt sunset", "canary vomit", "baby butt" and "nature's snot" angles instead when it comes to colour definitions. What the heck is up with that too? You can't head on down the store and buy a tin of white paint anymore, no Sir! Instead you'll be asked if you want "egg shell", "milky way" or "polar bear scrote"!
Is it just me, or do you think all of this is overkill here? How many colours does YOUR mobile phone have then? Are your walls painted blue or did you go for the "smurf sweat"? Say anything you like really, I've vented and I'm feeling much better for it thanks.....
Personally I blame the paint companies for this. They couldn't just stick with the standard red, yellow, pink and green etc and had to go for the "burnt sunset", "canary vomit", "baby butt" and "nature's snot" angles instead when it comes to colour definitions. What the heck is up with that too? You can't head on down the store and buy a tin of white paint anymore, no Sir! Instead you'll be asked if you want "egg shell", "milky way" or "polar bear scrote"!
Is it just me, or do you think all of this is overkill here? How many colours does YOUR mobile phone have then? Are your walls painted blue or did you go for the "smurf sweat"? Say anything you like really, I've vented and I'm feeling much better for it thanks.....7 people like this
17 responses
@busybren (258)
• United States
21 Sep 09
That just goes to show, how much effort people put into distracting our minds from the real issues. What the heck does one need with a phone that can show a number of different colors. Whoopty doooooo! Now that we can switch to off white then egg white, let's fix taxes being raised or health care benefits for elders. LoL Come on!
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
24 Sep 09
Sounds like somebody at the paint shop had a little to much time on their hands when inventing all those colors..I think they should just use the most popular colors and be done with it. Life is hard enough as it is without trying to decide on a color that is hardly a shade lighter then the last..sounds like you been ditching mylot almost as much as me..but I need to get back and get busy with 624 emails from mylot alone to wade through..Hope all is well..take care..
1 person likes this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
24 Sep 09
Sorry Alice Yeah it says you sent on the 18th.. so far I gotten to the 22nd..good lord if they were that many colors..I think we were all go nuts deciding on a color.
I try to not do mylot when I have my slump days..cause I have always thought if You don't have something good to say..stay away..and I just wasn't feeling it..and my mom also brought me a few bags of my favorite type of books so I was reading them to keep me occupied in my down time. I have walked a litle but usually mostly when little sis is here to walk with me.
1 person likes this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
26 Sep 09
I do that too..I have come to mylot to get cheered up..but just some days I like to take a rest from the computer.. and other days I think joining facebook ruined me..With all those farms and yoville..farkle and other things to do there I find myself there more and more shying away from checking my mail and getting things done I need to. I have 4 farms..farm pals,barn buddy,farmville and farmtown.. I need to give up 2 atleast.. I can spend 4-8 hours just doing farm stuff and other games on facebook.
1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
24 Sep 09
Good Lord, imagine if there WERE this many paint colour options at the hardware store??? 
At least for now it's limited to digital mediums. As for the mylot ditching, I kinda had me a bit of a slump I think and just couldn't find the energy to get on here as per usual. I'm trying to find a healthy balance now, so I'll still be around, just not as often! That's a heck of a lot of emails there too Becca, so don't forget to stop for meal breaks! 
lol
At least for now it's limited to digital mediums. As for the mylot ditching, I kinda had me a bit of a slump I think and just couldn't find the energy to get on here as per usual. I'm trying to find a healthy balance now, so I'll still be around, just not as often! That's a heck of a lot of emails there too Becca, so don't forget to stop for meal breaks! lol
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
22 Sep 09
With so mnay shades of colors I would probably go for black and white. Even at the risk of being a dull, outdated moron I would risk and love it. I have always loved my black and white shades. Two basic colors can do wonders! And then rainbow would be just fine. I can always explore my creativity mixing and matching.
And why the heck would I want so 16 and so many zeroes of shades!!?? They are probably boasting about the different micro shades of the basic colors and when someone would want to choose a theme color he would have a heart break for not being able to choose that one color which is just a micro shade similar to the one he has chosen!! How more patheric it could get! 
1 person likes this
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
22 Sep 09
O was about to write about this grey shade but you beat me there! I have had a tough time selecting one steel grey photo WOODEN frame in IKEA. They gave me a catalogue of gryes, greys and more greys..
1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
22 Sep 09
Oh but there's not just black and white anymore mimpi! We're blessed with 3,000,000+ shades of grey! I remember the days of the rainbow spectrum.... Red and yellow and pick and green, orange and purple and blue.... What the heck happened? Did these base colours kick off a breeding program??? Micro shades, macro shades, middle shades..... It's getting silly alright! 
I remember the days of the rainbow spectrum.... Red and yellow and pick and green, orange and purple and blue.... What the heck happened? Did these base colours kick off a breeding program??? Micro shades, macro shades, middle shades..... It's getting silly alright! 
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
21 Sep 09
Oh yes! Now scratch'n'sniff paint I could handle! You have to love those pin head sized screens too. 16,000,000 colours and you can't even see 'em if you're over 40! I like the sound of that brown colour option by the way. I almost bought a 5 litre can of "Skid Mark" once, but I opted for a chainsaw instead. I've always preferred mass destruction over interior decorating.
You have to love those pin head sized screens too. 16,000,000 colours and you can't even see 'em if you're over 40! I like the sound of that brown colour option by the way. I almost bought a 5 litre can of "Skid Mark" once, but I opted for a chainsaw instead. I've always preferred mass destruction over interior decorating.
@hotsummer (13837)
• Philippines
21 Sep 09
i too have no idea. i am actually saving enough money for this cellphone. it says that it has up to 16 million colors too in the screen. i am actually excited for that 16 million colors. cause i like colors and beautiful screen. i just hope that i won't be disappointed when i buy this million colors cellphone. but i wonder if our eyes can really detect the difference of color as we can detect not much difference in colors not unless it is too obvious like from red to white we know the difference.
1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
21 Sep 09
I think you're right here in questioning whether or not our eyes would be able to detect so many colour differences! I doubt very much whether our brains could come even close to deciphering all the different shades and tones they must have to come up with to reach 16,000,000! There's no question that the screen resolution must be fantastic, but are there really that many colours you think?
@hotsummer (13837)
• Philippines
21 Sep 09
since we can't really detect as to how many colors there are in the screen. sometimes i wonder if that is only way to make us buy their stuff and we end up believing we are actually have those 16,000,000 colors but in fact they are actually way less than that. and just like they are just fooling us and after all we would not notice it if they lied with their facts as no one can verify . and it will not much difference ha ha. before my cellphone has i think 160,000 colors. it looks great, i wish to compare that with this 16 M colors in their screen resolution . but i think that it will not be a big difference.
1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
21 Sep 09
I would hope there'd be a significant difference! How ould someone possibly confirm that there are indeed 16,000,000 colours anyway Who on earth quality controls things like that and how the heck do they do tests to confirm that it's a fact? I sure wouldn't want that job! Imagine if you started counting, got distracted and then had to start again!
I sure wouldn't want that job! Imagine if you started counting, got distracted and then had to start again! 
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
24 Sep 09
Heya Bala! 
"Stately White" and it's a light brown??? It's complete and utter madness I tell ya, MADNESS! One day I want to buy a tin of blue paint that's actually red! Yep, it's a lifetime goal and I WILL realise it one day. You're most welcome too mate and I;m happy that you finally managed to get this off your chest.
"Stately White" and it's a light brown??? It's complete and utter madness I tell ya, MADNESS! One day I want to buy a tin of blue paint that's actually red! Yep, it's a lifetime goal and I WILL realise it one day. You're most welcome too mate and I;m happy that you finally managed to get this off your chest. 
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
22 Sep 09
Where do 16,000,000 colors come from?
Your computer creates color from the 3 primary colors red, green and blue. Some typical high resolution color cards use 8 bit or 256 shades of each primary color. 256 X 256 X 256 = 16,777,216. That's your actual number of colors for a 16 million color screen.
1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
22 Sep 09
Heya RYBD! Wow, it feels like forever since we crossed paths? I think the last time was when we were discussing Obama with bones through his nose? Thanks for providing the mathematical deconstruction on how the number's derived here. When you put it this way, it actually stacks up quite simply! God knows how we'd possibly recognise most of them with the human eye, but they're there at least! lol.
Thanks for providing the mathematical deconstruction on how the number's derived here. When you put it this way, it actually stacks up quite simply! God knows how we'd possibly recognise most of them with the human eye, but they're there at least! lol.
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
22 Sep 09
Hold out the pencil, tell him it's red and then kiss him on the forehead! Easy! lol. Yes, I guess there's job opportunities there. I wonder how many colour responsibilites they give to each employee then? Seeing as there are 16,000,000 shades here, they'd have to employ a few I reckon!
lol. Yes, I guess there's job opportunities there. I wonder how many colour responsibilites they give to each employee then? Seeing as there are 16,000,000 shades here, they'd have to employ a few I reckon!
@sconibear (8016)
• United States
21 Sep 09
Do they have non-digested corn kernel in the trash digging bear's poop yellow???
I'm thinking about painting the bedroom and it would go great with my owl that ate the rotten mouse vomit green bed sheets.
1 person likes this
@candaceb87 (1362)
• Canada
22 Sep 09
OMG I so went to check my preferences and I have allowed mature content then I scrolled down a little further only to see it wasn't me LOL!
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
22 Sep 09
hi james just so they dont ever paint my room here at GoldCrest the color of our hall. I would have to say it resembles a babys poo in that odd yellow color the little ones get, and then a darker orangish glow that looks like the sky over ca wild fires a smoked up orange so ugly it hurts your eyes and above this they have hung a fake stylized Japanese fan in those same ugly ugly ugly colors.yuckville. its just sickening to look at for one who dislikes those sick odd colors.yuck.oh
yes to be stuylish they gave the whole fan a pearlized finish.completely ugly.
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
22 Sep 09
Heya Hatley! Jeez, they even used a colour in the name of the place you're living! At least it's a pretty standard colour and they didn't call it something like "Glistening Bear Tooth Crest"! They've chosen one heck of a colour scheme in there though? It sounds more like a guest room in Willy Wonka's CHocolate Factory! They styled it up with pearl though yes? Well ain't that something! At least they didn't whack in a bit of oyster too.....
They've chosen one heck of a colour scheme in there though? It sounds more like a guest room in Willy Wonka's CHocolate Factory! They styled it up with pearl though yes? Well ain't that something! At least they didn't whack in a bit of oyster too..... 
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
22 Sep 09
My phone has 262 colours, apparently...I cannot see all those colours on a tiny screen therefore the 262 sounds impressive but makes no sense and as far as 16 million different colours what the...??? We need to touch up our bathroom but I don’t remember if the colour was Banana or Golden Corn...I have no idea how different these shades are, we’ll know when it’s on the wall, I guess…
1 person likes this
@savak03 (6684)
• United States
28 Sep 09
I'm so glad you feel better. If I stopped to contemplate all those colors I would have a migraine. Actually it is pretty lost on me anyway. I'm pretty good with the primary colors but when you stat splitting hairs on the tints I am mostly color blind.
1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
28 Sep 09
I've never tried to split hairs on a tint before, is it difficult? I'm assuming that it would be very difficult indeed and time consuming as well! Personally I prefer to cut corners on pastels, but that's just me..... I prefer High School colours over Primary ones too and relate to them so much better.
I'm assuming that it would be very difficult indeed and time consuming as well! Personally I prefer to cut corners on pastels, but that's just me..... I prefer High School colours over Primary ones too and relate to them so much better.
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
21 Sep 09
Hi James, all my walls are white and thank you for showing such an interest in them. When they get repainted I'll choose white again. They could well end up a different colour but I won't choose it. My chap has one of these fancy new machines for mixing paint colours togther to produce off white, or gone off white, or white with a hint of white, so if he balls up an order up in hardware land I could end up with white with a touch of embarrassment on my walls. I suppose I could just be really original and tell him I need x number of tins of white but he wouldn't enjoy that as much.
I just picked up the mobile which is my alarm clock to check the colour of that for you. It is black plastic and when you press the green button the screen goes green, very co ordinated. It took me weeks before I realised it had to be charged up so I don't think I'd want to be messing around with colour changes, I'll just stick with one and be really untrendy.
1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
21 Sep 09
Hi Thea! I'm mightily impressed with your attitude towards colour I must say! I'm equally impressed by your chap's ownership of a paint mixing machine that's able to take white to exciting new levels of white. I've always wanted one of those contraptions that converts water into various forms of water, but the cost has always been beyond me. 
I remember reading once that adding a single drop of jet black paint to a litre of white paint will actually make it even whiter! What's up with that you reckon? It sounds like your mobile phone is a doozy too. I have an iPhone and it does all sorts of wonderful crap. My favourite functions are taking and receiving calls. I'm so happy I paid all that money for it.
I'm equally impressed by your chap's ownership of a paint mixing machine that's able to take white to exciting new levels of white. I've always wanted one of those contraptions that converts water into various forms of water, but the cost has always been beyond me. I remember reading once that adding a single drop of jet black paint to a litre of white paint will actually make it even whiter! What's up with that you reckon? It sounds like your mobile phone is a doozy too. I have an iPhone and it does all sorts of wonderful crap. My favourite functions are taking and receiving calls. I'm so happy I paid all that money for it.@James72 (26790)
• Australia
21 Sep 09
I can't stand breaking down on mountains and especially if I have a car full of white wind machines. It's for this very reason that I live somewhere flat that rarely blows a gale. The downside is that I've appeared to have said goodbye to rain as well. I have no idea what I'm gonna do with all the umbrella's I ordered on ebay???
It's for this very reason that I live somewhere flat that rarely blows a gale. The downside is that I've appeared to have said goodbye to rain as well. I have no idea what I'm gonna do with all the umbrella's I ordered on ebay??? @thea09 (18305)
• Greece
21 Sep 09
All Greek houses are white inside, probably because that is the colour the hardware shops carry, unless of course they've invested in one of these new fancy machines but best to stick to white then it's easier to tell when it's time for new paint. Actually he's planning to invest in some white wind machines soon in a noble effort to have the current profits of the electric company redirected to his off shore bank. As for these mobile phone things I tell everyone not to ring it as I can't hear what they are saying anyway and I only cart it round in case i break down on a mountain.
1 person likes this
@alokn99 (5717)
• India
21 Sep 09
Duck egg blue,Hot Pink, Light Pink, Baby Pink, Neon Pink, Pale Pink,RosyBrown,LavenderBlush,CornflowerBlue.They have different nomenclatures for colors for ready mixes, for biology..Oh it goes on and on , no wonder i can't figure it out. But if they did have so many colours of the handset, would they actually make one of each ?
@agrim94 (3805)
• India
21 Sep 09
Hi james 72,
Welcome to the world of digital colours and i am sure you have seen latest cell phones from Nokia like N 97 which boast of 16 million colours. I dont know what 16 million colours means. Is it pixels per inch of the screen or actually different colours. But you are right about paint companies. now ask for give me a navy blue colour and the shopkeeper would look at you like he has seen some ghost or someone from 10th century. Now you have to work on their computer to find the right mix of colour and then order it to be made. it is such a pain in the rear and i am not getting my home painted for a long time simply because of this.
1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
21 Sep 09
Heya agrim! Yes, the phone I was reading about WAS the Nokia N97 actually! The reference I saw was purely related to the number of colours the phone could display on its screen. Pixelation was another section entirely! I think you're on the right track here with your decision not to paint anything. That's what we ALL should do and teach those paint namers a thing or two! Bring back the single name colour schemes I reckon!
The reference I saw was purely related to the number of colours the phone could display on its screen. Pixelation was another section entirely! I think you're on the right track here with your decision not to paint anything. That's what we ALL should do and teach those paint namers a thing or two! Bring back the single name colour schemes I reckon!
@bibbyboy12 (188)
• United States
21 Sep 09
I completly agree with you this is getting pretty rediculous. I mean come on I can't get a blue i get either a navy blue or a periwinkle or robins egg. Same thing with green its pine or something. When I ask for a straight color all they do is look at me funny
1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
21 Sep 09
Amen to that! Keep it simple I reckon and stop confusing the living crap out of us! Same goes for coffee..... Go to Starbucks and ask for a "coffee" and watch what happens. You may as well be speaking Swahili! No, I don't want a friggin' "mocha twisted, caramel frosted frappu-wappu-crappucino", all I want is a coffee! 
lol
Keep it simple I reckon and stop confusing the living crap out of us! Same goes for coffee..... Go to Starbucks and ask for a "coffee" and watch what happens. You may as well be speaking Swahili! No, I don't want a friggin' "mocha twisted, caramel frosted frappu-wappu-crappucino", all I want is a coffee! lol