gizmag

MOBILE TECHNOLOGY Moto G4 and G4 Plus review: Paying a premium for a flagship is getting harder to justify
	The Moto G4 and G4 Plus continue Motorola's most-bang-for-your-buck "G" strategy. The result is two phones that may make you think twice before buying the next iPhone or Galaxy.Read more

ENVIRONMENT Plastic bottles make for sustainable shoes and fashionable footwear
	A US footwear startup is selling new shoes that aren't new at all. Like the Adidas x Parley, Rothy's shoes are knitted using yarn made from recycled plastic bottles. They also boast carbon-free outsoles, insoles and packaging that are recycled and can be fully recycled when no longer needed.Read more

AROUND THE HOME Nest's new outdoor camera is smarter at spotting people
	Nest has added to its smart thermostat, smart smoke alarm, and smart security camera with a new Internet of Things device for outside the home. The Nest Cam Outdoor is weather proof, operates around the clock, and brings with it smarter software for spotting people when they come into view.Read more

BIOLOGY Regenerating connections between eye and brain restores vision in mice
	​Researchers have been able to restore partial vision in mice by regenerating previously severed optic-nerve cables. It’s the first time researchers have succeeded in restoring important aspects of vision in mammals, and the breakthrough could lead to future work that restores sight in the blind.Read more

SPORTS Training system for wheelchair racers simulates real-world courses
	With the Paralympics coming up in September, athletes the world over are training hard right now. Engineers at BAE Systems have come up with an indoor, computerized training system that will allow professional wheelchair racers to speed along without moving an inch.Read more

AUTOMOTIVE New Mazda 3 is similar on the surface, fresh under the skin
	Mazda found success with the release of the first Mazda 3, with the car offering performance, handling, styling and an interior that belied its budget price. Mazda is looking to continue that tradition with an updated 3 kitted out with a new torque vectoring system and more efficient diesel engines.Read more

SCIENCE Tiny, glowing Van Gogh replica created using "DNA origami"
	Art and technology is a fascinating mix, and researchers often use art to practice or demonstrate techniques that can have more practical applications later on. Researchers have recreated a mini version of Van Gogh’s The Starry Night, using precisely-folded DNA “origami” and fluorescent molecules.Read more

AUTOMOTIVE Hyundai injects a pinch of sportiness into the Elantra
	Forget about cheap and cheerful, Hyundai has made it clear it wants to push into the world of high performance. Meet the Elantra Sport, another baby-step towards sporting credibility from Korea's biggest carmaker. Read more

URBAN TRANSPORT Quadricycle concept offers convertible take on velomobiles
	With so much focus on sustainable urban transport, there are numerous vehicles that split the difference between the bicycle and the motorized vehicle. One of the latest additions to this growing category is the Schaeffler Bio-hybrid, a pedal-assist quadricycle concept with convertible roof.Read more

SCIENCE Shrimps' eye-rolling behaviour could end up in robots
	​​If you should ever see a mantis shrimp rolling its eyes, that doesn't mean it's exasperated. Instead, it may simply be utilizing its polarization vision. That's what scientists at the University of Bristol have determined, and their findings could have applications in fields such as robotics.​Read more

3D PRINTING 3D-printing pen turns bottles and bags into statues and spaceships
	A new company thinks that the plastic used by 3D-printing pens is expensive and wasteful, and is aiming to create a new kind of pen that does its thing using old plastic bottles, bags and even folders. It's called the Renegade and it's seeking backers on Kickstarter now.Read more

SPACE Restless star pushes water snow line into view
	You've likely heard of snow lines on white mountains here on Earth. But newly forming stars have a snow line too and we usually can't see it, even with our most powerful telescopes. Thanks to one particular stellar outburst however, the line was pushed far out, allowing one telescope to capture it.Read more

GOOD THINKING Could planes be insulated with super-burned bread?
	Most cooks would be dismayed if their baking bread burned, but some researchers have been busy torching loaves to create carbon foam. The lightweight material serves as a thermal insulator, electromagnetic shield and electrical conductor, and it costs, well, just about as much as a loaf of bread.Read more

URBAN TRANSPORT Tilting e-quad gets tilting trike stablemate
	E-bikes are a great alternative to a commute by car. But if you want a little more stability combined with a tight turning circle, Jack Skopinski has built an electric-assist tricycle that makes use of the same exposed tilting mechanism as his EV4 quad bike. Read more

AROUND THE HOME Robotic folding furniture makes the most of small living space
	Guided by the belief that living space, particularly in cities, has become "too expensive to be static," furniture startup Ori Systems asked itself how to fit a living room, bedroom, closet and office into a 200-300 sq ft (19-28 sq m) apartment. Its answer is shape-shifting robotic furniture.Read more

AUTOMOTIVE Entry to the Tesla Model X club gets a bit cheaper with 60D
	Tesla has opened the Falcon Wing door to Model X ownership a little bit wider, adding a 60 kWh model to the lineup. It doesn't have the same long-legged range as more expensive models, but the 60D should help bolster sales of the expensive electric SUV. Read more

AUTOMOTIVE Mercedes-Benz harnesses 3D printing for on-demand spare parts
	While companies like Local Motors are dabbling with the idea of a fully 3D-printed car, Mercedes-Benz Trucks is harnessing the on-demand benefits of producing spare parts in this way, using an environmentally friendly 3D printing process.Read more

MOTORCYCLES Motorcycle air horn delivers bigger sound from smaller package
	Four years after introducing its first ear-splitting air horn for motorcycles, Screaming Banshee has introduced the Shockwave. The new design retains the features of the original, with adjustable dual volume action and pulsating headlight coupling, offers a bigger sound in a smaller form factor.Read more

GOOD THINKING In the Faroe Islands, Street View has become Sheep View
	One of the ever-more limited places Google's Street View cars have yet to visit is the Faroe Islands. Aggrieved that her home country, which she says is "the most beautiful place on earth" is missing out, Durita Dahl Andreassen strapped a 360-degree camera to a sheep and created Sheep View 360.Read more

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Whether you're a photography person or not, you've probably still at least heard of Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom. That's because they are two of the most advanced photo editing softwares ever, and make creating and editing digital photography a whole lot of fun. This 8-course bundle will show you basic, right through to advanced techniques, to not just turn up the fun, but to arm you with the skills and know-how to edit photos like a professional. Who said work couldn't be fun, anyway?Read more