I'm an instant film fanatic. I've tried just about every instant camera that prints on instant film, instant cameras that print digital sticker prints and pocket printers that print digital photos from recent years.

But I still had no idea Fujifilm sold a pocket printer that prints your smartphone photos on mini instant film. Yep, that's on real instant film, not digital paper.

I missed the boat on the SP-1 and now the company's releasing the Instax Share SP-2 for $199.99.

The printer has a new sharper design that resembles a juice box. It's also slightly more compact and lighter. It comes in two colors: silver and gold to better match today's smartphone color trends. No rose gold, though.

Faster, higher resolution prints

There are a couple of internal improvements over the SP-1 that make the SP-2 a worthwhile upgrade.

First, the SP-2 prints 40 percent faster. It only takes 10 seconds to print out a photo over Wi-Fi from your smartphone (or tablet) compared to the SP-1's 14 seconds.

Second, printed photos have a higher resolution thanks to a new 3-color OLED printing engine: 800 x 600 resolution at 320 dots per inch (dpi). The SP-1 printed at 640 x 480 resolution at 254 dpi. And the printer now supports PNG files as well as JPEG.

And third, the Instax Share app for iOS and Android has been updated with new features like a custom filter and split-picture and collage templates. These new app features are in addition to the ability to print photos with a myriad of templates (i.e. holidays, birthdays, celebrations, etc.), print photos with real-time data (i.e. date, time, location, weather, chance of rain) and include data from select social networks like Facebook and Instagram (i.e. profile photo, number of likes, caption and hashtags).

Easy to use, except...

Using the printer itself is mostly a lovely experience. When you power the printer on, an LED lights up green and a row of 10 LED dots on the top tells you how many shots of mini instant film you have left.

There's a reprint button the side of the camera for instantly printing a duplicate to give to a friend. 

The SP-2 uses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and charges through a Micro USB cable, which is included in the box. Not included in the box is a power adapter, but your smartphone's will work fine. Battery life is rated at up to 100 prints.

The Instax Share app is easy to use. The app is split into five core sections: print from your smartphone camera roll, reprint a photo, take a photo and print, print a photo with the real-time template, and print from SNS (social networking site).

And connecting your smartphone to the SP-2 printer is as simple as connecting to it in the Wi-Fi settings.

Things get a little cumbersome when you want to print with the real-time and social media templates. You need to connect to your Internet connection first, launch those template modes, pick your photo, make your edits and/or add your text, then go back to your Wi-Fi settings and connect back to the Instax printer, and then hit print.

It's the same process of jumping between the Instax Share app to Wi-Fi settings every single time you want to use one of those cool templates that need access to the Internet. It's annoying for sure, but once you get used to it, you'll be a pro at using your recent apps feature (double-tap home button on iPhone or tap recent apps button on Android).

Such good prints

I'm not exaggerating when I say the prints are unbelievably good. They're really sharp and exposure is great. There's some color fringing along the borders that remind you the prints are on instant film, but other than that, the prints are just...wow.

There's not much in terms of filter selection (black & white and sepia are your only choices), but the templates are a whole lot of fun to use. The social media ones are especially cool since they retain the captions you originally wrote and the number of likes they got. It's weird to print and give someone a real-life version of an Instagram, but it is charming every time.

Printing photo collages is also a great way to preserve a memory without wasting film and printing them on multiple shots. Split-photo mode is really neat for sharing group photos — like a photo locket. 

To see just how sharp the SP-2 prints, I did a few shoots with it and my Instax Mini 90 instant camera. As you can see in the photo comparisons below, the prints out of my Mini 90 camera came out softer than those taken with my iPhone 6 and printed with the SP-2.

For landscape photos, though, my Mini 90 won, the photos were sharper and had better exposure. 

Your mileage will vary, but for the most part, the SP-2 prints better photos than a regular mini-instant film Instax camera.

In a few tests with the OnePlus 3, which has a 16-megapixel camera, the prints from the SP-2 were actually too high-resolution and led to a lot of visible anti-aliasing issues and moiré. My iPhone 6's 8-megapixel camera yielded a solid balance of resolution and image print quality.

Sharing is caring

Trust me when I tell you I'm not simply drinking the instant film Kool-Aid. Fujifilm's Instax Share SP-2 is wonderfully fun.

It's a little steep at $199.99, but for the image quality you get, it's totally worth it. Pricing for Fujifilm's Instax mini film fluctuates, but a 20-pack is $11.71, a 40-pack is $28.46 and a 60-pack is $37.89 on Amazon as of this writing. That's lower than normal.

Had I known about the Fujifilm's Instax Share instant film printers for your smartphone, I probably wouldn't have splurged on the Mini 90.

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

Turkey's practice of censoring the Internet and the social media channels it facilitates is an ongoing issue in the country, one that came to a head once again on Tuesday in the wake of the terrorist bombing attack on Istanbul's Ataturk Airport.

The latest reports put the number of fatalities at 41, with a number of others injured. Video of the attack as it happened, as well as images of the aftermath have been shared around the world on social media as news of the major incident spread.

However, soon after the news began to spread, the Turkish government's censorship machine revved into action. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube were blocked just a couple of hours after the attack according to Alp Toker, a tech analyst who regularly tracks censorship in Turkey.

The history of how the Turkish government censors the Internet is long and complicated enough to fill a book. And the bans don't adhere to a particular pattern. They are sudden, swift and often come off as reactionary.

A closer look at the government's censorship practices reveals just how aggressive it is when it comes to controlling the flow of online information delivered to its population of roughly 78 million, 60% percent of whom are online, according to a Reuters study.

Some of the most popular local news portals in the country are Mynet, InternetHaber, EnSonHaber and Haber7, but those news sources pale in comparison to local user interest in global social media giants like Facebook, Twitter and Youtube. These more well known Internet brands are frequent targets of the Turkish government's censorship efforts. And the local usage numbers help to explain why.

According to the 2016 Reuters Institute Digital News Report, 64% of Turkish Internet users use Facebook to discuss local political issues, with Twitter (30%) and Instagram (12%) trailing not far behind.

To combat this local desire to obtain and share information with the rest of the world, the Turkish government has over the years distinguished itself as a leading Internet censor.

In a Twitter transparency report detailing activity from July 2015 to December 2015, it was revealed that Turkey filed the most government-initiated tweet removal requests of any country, with 1,761 requests. That number was followed by Russia at 1,729, with the third most requests coming from France, at just 150 requests. In the U.S. and the UK, the requests were 3 and 1, respectively.

Similarly, Turkish authorities monitored local Facebook usage extremely closely, making numerous requests for data from the company and getting 2,078 pieces of content restricted. That number stands in stark contrast to the number of Facebook content restrictions from other countries, with Russia at 56, and the UK at 97.

But while those figures are chilling when considering free speech, they're hardly unusual when it comes to Turkey's long history of information clampdowns.

In 2011, Turkish citizens took to the streets to protest a new Internet filtering system being imposed by the government's Information and Communication Technologies Authority.

In 2014, authorities shut down access to Twitter and YouTube following leaked audio recordings of government officials discussing Syria.

In January of this year, the government blocked Facebook over content deemed offensive to the Prophet Muhammad.

In April, the government blocked YouTube, Twitter and Facebook over photographs involving a hostage situation that resulted in the death of an Istanbul prosecutor. In that case, the authorities also made efforts to prevent the images from being printed in local newspapers, once again proving that Turkey's censorship isn't limited to the Internet, but extends to all media.

And that general approach to the Internet isn't likely to change anytime soon, based on the frequent anti-social media comments from Turkey's Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. In the past, Erdoğan summed up his attitude by saying, "There is now a scourge that is called Twitter. The best examples of lies can be found there. To me, social media is the worst menace to society."

Currently, as the death toll from this week's Istanbul attack mounts, Turkey Blocks, a Twitter account that tracks censorship in the country, reports that Facebook, Twitter and YouTube all remain inaccessible from within the country.

But while the government's aggressive actions have stifled some of the voices coming out of the country, such moves haven't silenced outlets like the award winning Medyascope.tv, which uses both YouTube and Twitter's Periscope to transmit video reports about the Turkish news that might otherwise be censored.

Additionally, tech savvy users in the country are using VPNs to get around the official blocks, but the tension around the official censorship moves continue to be a sore point for many.

But a quick search on services like Twitter proves that, even in the would-be information bubble of Turkey, social media-powered information will still find its way to the people.

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

If you're unsure which political party to vote for Saturday in the Australian election, never fear: There are a multitude of online tools that can help.

There are the questionnaires created by news outlets including Fairfax Media's YourVote tool and ABC's Vote Compass, but you may have also seen ISideWith results being shared by friends in your Facebook feed.

Created by former roommates Taylor Peck and Nick Boutelier in the U.S., the platform asks a series of questions on social, economic and political issues that help you decide which party aligns best with your views. The site is operational in more than eight countries, Peck told Mashable Australia, launching in Brazil and Spain in 2016.

Founded in 2012, ISideWith got started in Australia just in time for the 2013 election. During the 2016 campaigning period, around 210,000 quizzes have been completed. 

Creating the site's recommendation engine is something of a science. To decide which questions to include in the Australian quiz, Peck said they hired freelance researchers locally in the months leading up to the election. The quiz is also optimised almost daily. If no one is answering a question, for example, or if it's considered too wonky, it will be removed.

"We look at all the analytics on our site and ask, 'People from the Greens party, which issues are they answering and which aren't they answering?' 'Are we missing a position that would identify their beliefs?'" Peck explained. "If we make one slight tweak to one question, we could go from 10 percent of our users answering the question to 95 percent."

Currently, the Australian quiz has about 32 questions for users to answer and delivers results that suggest voter alignment with the Labor Party, the Australian Greens, the Liberal Party, the Liberal Democrats and the Family First party. 

Smaller independent parties have also been added to the site's poll that asks with which party voters most identify. "Once [the smaller parties] break 1 percent of people who say they would vote for the party on our quiz, then we add them in," Peck said.

All of the data collected by ISideWith is published, depersonalised on its poll page, with specific results broken down for issues like marriage equality, foreign aid or free trade.

The site has a strict privacy policy, Peck said, and data is not sold on to third parties. "We don't use cookies, so all the data is stored with us," he explained. "We just publish it through our polls so everyone can see it." The site is funded through display advertising. 

For Peck, having a bird's eye view on elections around the world has been fascinating, with the subtle differences between electorates proving most interesting. For example, even Australian conservatives skew more to the left on social issues than in the U.S. "With economic issues, it's very similar to the Republicans here in the United States, but with social issues, it's much more liberal," he said. 

Voting is hard, so this Saturday, let the Internet help.

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

Another day, another high-profile Twitter account hacked. 

This time it's the account of Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe, whose Twitter account is apparently still under the control of an unknown hacker, who used it to send a string of pranks, including the "announcement" of a new Oculus CEO. 

The hacker, who appears to be this Twitter user,  changed Iribe's cover photo and his bio (which says "im not testing ya security im just havin a laugh" — a reference to a recent string of celebrity Twitter hacks). 

In the last tweet, posted minutes ago at the time of this writing, the hacker proclaims he'll give Iribe his Twitter back if he gets a free Oculus Rift so he can "watch porn the cool way." Somewhat crude, but not an entirely unreasonable demand. 

Just like most of the hacks we've seen over the past few weeks, this one also seems to be related to a reuse of an old password. In one tweet, the hacker reprimands Iribe for using "the same pass for 4 years."

The list of high-profile folks who had their Twitter hacked recently include Mark Zuckerberg, Drake, Katy Perry and Evan Williams. 

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

Okay, this is weird. We've seen videos in which people destroy iPhones, make fun of Apple or attempt to show what an unreleased iPhone might look like. 

Now there's a video that does all three. The concept is inherently stupid, but the implementation is technically sound. 

The video's makers, PeripateticPandas, specialize in the weird art of transforming Apple products into something else — while completely destroying them in the process. In their latest video (above), they take two iPhone 6S devices and "transform" them into an iPhone 7, based on rumors that the iPhone 7 will have two cameras, no headphone jack and a new blue color. 

Their methods are pretty drastic and involve a soldering iron, a drill, a saw, and spray paint.

Why anyone, ever, would want to do this is beyond us, unless they had two broken iPhone 6s and wanted to prank someone into thinking they had a pre-production iPhone 7. But hey, the video is there, so if you're handy with a buzzsaw...

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

Facebook announced on Wednesday it was making a significant change to the News Feed, favoring posts shared by friends and family over posts from brands and publishers.

That means when you visit Facebook on the web or on mobile, most of the stories and videos you see will be there because your Facebook friends have shared them, not because a company whose page you once "Liked" posted a story or update.

In his announcement about the change, Facebook's Adam Mosseri, vice president of product management and the News Feed, doesn't say publisher posts will be demoted because of the change, but the "friends and family come first" approach has clear implications: Since publishers (including Mashable) depend on Facebook for a significant portion of their audience, the change will affect media brands' ability to reach that audience.

For publishers, the News Feed change doesn't necessarily mean a decrease in engagement.

For those brands, the News Feed change doesn't necessarily mean a decrease in engagement. It does, however, mean publishers will likely face renewed pressure to create content that is, above all else, "shareable." That would seem to favor entertainment-based stories and viral hits above more boring-but-important news such as public policy initiatives.

From a user perspective, the change means Facebook will be an even better place to discuss stories that your friends are already talking about. Facebook will also prioritize friends' posts you interact with the most — if you like (or, better yet, love) cat videos from your cousin ever time you see them, they'll start to appear higher and higher in your feed over time.

If that sounds like how you thought the News Feed already worked, you're right, and today's change appears to be a doubling down on that philosophy, and an opportunity for Facebook to clearly state its "News Feed values" in the wake of the recent controversy over claims of muting some conservative voices over liberal ones on how Facebook curates its Trending Topics. In today's statement, Mosseri says Facebook doesn't "favor specific kinds of sources — or ideas" in the News Feed, and that the feed should both inform and entertain.

The change aims to serve that goal even better, serving up more of the stories each of its 1.6 billion users want to see and, of course, encouraging them to spend more time on Facebook. Exactly how this will affect brands and and publishers isn't fully clear, but for them, one thing certainly hasn't changed: When it comes to content, the Facebook share is king.

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

Even robots need a day off.

Jia Jia, China's most famous humanoid robot, who has the ability to blink and nod, malfunctioned on Sunday after a tedious day of work.

According to CCTV News, the lifelike Jia Jia was somewhat of a celebrity at the Summer Davos Forum, an event that's part of the World Economic Forum which is currently being held in Tianjin, China.

However, the work of greeting guests eager to get up close and personal with her, eventually took its toll on Jia Jia causing her eye movement function to stop working.

Ever the professional, the little hiccup didn't stop Jia Jia from continuing to carry out conversations with people and smiling at them.

Jia Jia made her world debut in April, and is the creation of researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in Anhui.

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

Google's new virtual reality platform is still being prepared for its debut in the fall, but in the meantime the company is leaking out small samples of what the platform can deliver. 

The latest demonstration of Daydream's power reveals a simpler way for creators to produce animations in VR.

Rather than requiring traditional skills used within 3D animation software applications, the Daydream Labs experiment allows the user to animate scenes by simply grabbing objects and moving them around.

"Instead of animating with graph editors or icons representing location, people could simply reach out, grab a virtual toy, and carry it through the scene," Rob Jagnow, a Google VR software engineer, wrote in a blog post revealing the tool on Tuesday. "These simple animations had a handmade charm that conveyed a surprising degree of emotion."

The experiment also shows how the same VR composition technique can be used to animate figures with moveable joints.

Earlier this month, the Daydream Labs team also showed off what a shared experience in Daydream's VR platform looks like, but so far there's no word on when or if these experiments will be offered directly to the public.

Along with Google's reference designs for Daydream VR headsets and controllers, the Android-powered VR platform will officially launch in the fall.

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

Googling for song lyrics has become a tiny bit easier, as Google has partnered with lyric licensing service LyricFind to display lyrics of popular songs on top of the search results. 

LyricFind announced Monday that lyrics from more than 4,000 publishers will be added to Google Search and Google Play Music. 

The exact terms of the deal weren't made public, but LyricFind CEO Darryl Ballantyne told Bloomberg the deal will bring songwriters and publishers "millions" of dollars in new revenue. 

"It’s all based on usage. Royalties are paid based on the number of times a lyric is viewed. The more it’s viewed, the more publishers get paid," Ballantyne said. 

The new feature currently works only in the U.S. but Bloomberg notes that LyricFind has licenses to display the lyrics globally as well. 

LyricFind, a Toronto-based company, licenses lyrics from "all the major" publishers, including Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV, Warner/Chappell Music Publishing and Kobalt.

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

A lot has changed since 2013.

Three years ago, it was hard to image the tech and tech-habits that are now normal today. These innovations have become intrinsic parts of our lives today and have changed so much – from the way we pay for groceries to the way we stay fit.

We decided to take a short trip down memory lane and compile the 10 most exciting tech advances that have not only revolutionised our lifestyles, but have also allowed us to live fuller lives.

1. Tracking fitness with a watch

A perfect example of when tech meets fashion, the smart watches can do anything its developers decree. It can connect to your phone and display mobile notifications, flashing up anything from texts to messaging apps, social account notifications to calendar reminders. These watches even allow owners to make calls and reply to messages using only their voice. And back in 2013, who would have thought that a watch could help you stay fit by tracking your heart rate and steps, standing time and daily activity, and reminding you to stand up regularly?

2. Experiencing something without actually being there

Virtual reality devices are so much more than funny-looking goggles. While they were initially marketed purely as a gaming device, but in their short time in our consciousness they have already offered a lot of practical uses. VR headsets are being used for making the virtual experience feel so real that you forget the computer, headgear and accessories and act exactly as we would in the real world.

Three years ago, nobody could imagine standing on Mars while wearing some intricate goggles in your kitchen. You can take virtual tours of the dream home you’ve been eyeing to buy, defend a goal for your favourite professional football team, and even help yourself overcome anxiety over public speaking.

3. Paying without having cash or cards

Mobile wallets are getting more and more popular among the youth in the India. Digital payments are moving beyond recharges – they can now pay for everything from online food delivery to cab rides to even booking a new home.

4. Sending photo messages that automatically delete themselves

In 2013, this may have sounded like a ridiculous idea, but it has become a new normal these days. The most popular social media network among teenagers, Snapchat allows users to send photo messages that automatically delete themselves shortly after being viewed. The app has kept itself fresh and interesting by expanding features such as more video and picture filters, Stories, as well as the popular face-swapping feature. It has also engaged users with the platform's Discover channels, which feature content from well-known publishers like Mashable, and debuting live coverage at widely watched TV events.

5. Being in a picture that you took yourself

Selfie was merely a buzzword in 2013, but it went on to become a cultural phenomenon within a year. These unique photos have exploded in popularity among a wide variety of people, such as business leaders, A-list celebrities and even the President of the United States.

One product that has made this photo technique even more attainable is the selfie stick, which enables you to position your smartphone beyond arms’ reach to get better photo angles. Even though in the short time they've been around they have annoyed many people, selfie-specific products aren't going anywhere. In fact, selfie drones, aka "dronies," are poised to become the next big thing.

6. Choosing the angle you want to watch an online video from

Facebook introduced a new and immersive way for sharing compelling stories by bringing the viewer inside a different world through 360 photos and videos. A 360 video allows audience to choose exactly which angle they want to see a visual. So, if you’re watching a 360 video on your laptop/ PC, you need to drag it with your cursor. On mobile devices, you can drag it using your finger – or even just by turning your device.

If you want to share a 360 photo, simply take a panorama with your phone or capture a 360-degree photo using a 360 photo app or 360 camera, and then post it on Facebook as you would a normal photo. Your friends will be able to experience the moments in 360 as if they were actually there with you, from trekking to a hilltop, to wandering through a heritage site, to attending a wedding.

7. Downloading videos at a lightning speed

Over the years, download speeds have gotten faster and faster, and the ultimate in speed these days is 4G technology. The fact that 4G is relatively new to India hasn’t affected its popularity. 4G not only boosts your upload and download speeds, but also minimises your buffering time even while streaming HD videos. After all it is five times faster than existing 3G services.

8. Creating your own movie scenes and music videos with your phone

You used to need a hefty amount of money to pull off these kind of things. Luckily, now we have Dubsmash, an app that lets you seamlessly mouth words to famous quotes and lyrics from movies or songs. This typically results in hilarious videos and provides endless hours of entertainment. You can actually choose your favourite excerpts from popular TV shows, cult movies, popular chart hits, musicals, and even operas, and star in them. You can then share the ‘dub’ via social media networks.

9. Chatting with computers through written or spoken text

Bots are simple artificial intelligence software that can converse with you to answer questions or simply natter to you in an extremely lifelike way. Most of us have used chatbots; we just don’t know them. If you have ever asked Apple's Siri or Microsoft's Cortana for a movie show time, you have conversed unknowingly with a bot. Facebook recently made its own bot news when it announced that companies will eventually be able to build and release their own chatbots into Messenger to interact with customers.

Bots are meant to make people's lives easier, but there’s still much to be learned about harnessing the technology and applying it. And we're pretty excited about the possibilities.

10. Being able to pay your mobile bill only for the services you used

Remember how most of us dreaded the idea of having a post-paid connection till about a few years ago? Receiving a bill that was way too expensive because the plan offered ‘benefits’ that were actually of no use to you was a major setback. Thankfully, now there are ways of paying for only what you need in a post-paid plan.

For example, consider Airtel’s MyPlan, which ensures you get the flexibility to opt for benefits that you need as against a pre-set benefits that you may never even use. So if you’re someone primarily using mobile apps like WhatsApp or Hike for texting, there's not point to having hundreds of free SMS in the plan. Why not have the options of trading the free SMS of the existing plan for talk time or Internet data? While we couldn't have imagined this kind of freedom three years ago, we're glad that this advancement exists now.

If there are things in this list you haven’t tried before, go ahead and try them. We hope they make your life easier and smarter.

A lot has changed since 2013.

Three years ago, it was hard to image the tech and tech-habits that are now normal today. These innovations have become intrinsic parts of our lives today and have changed so much – from the way we pay for groceries to the way we stay fit.

We decided to take a short trip down memory lane and compile the 10 most exciting tech advances that have not only revolutionised our lifestyles, but have also allowed us to live fuller lives.

1. Tracking fitness with a watch

A perfect example of when tech meets fashion, the smart watches can do anything its developers decree. It can connect to your phone and display mobile notifications, flashing up anything from texts to messaging apps, social account notifications to calendar reminders. These watches even allow owners to make calls and reply to messages using only their voice. And back in 2013, who would have thought that a watch could help you stay fit by tracking your heart rate and steps, standing time and daily activity, and reminding you to stand up regularly?

2. Experiencing something without actually being there

Virtual reality devices are so much more than funny-looking goggles. While they were initially marketed purely as a gaming device, but in their short time in our consciousness they have already offered a lot of practical uses. VR headsets are being used for making the virtual experience feel so real that you forget the computer, headgear and accessories and act exactly as we would in the real world.

Three years ago, nobody could imagine standing on Mars while wearing some intricate goggles in your kitchen. You can take virtual tours of the dream home you’ve been eyeing to buy, defend a goal for your favourite professional football team, and even help yourself overcome anxiety over public speaking.

3. Paying without having cash or cards

Mobile wallets are getting more and more popular among the youth in the India. Digital payments are moving beyond recharges – they can now pay for everything from online food delivery to cab rides to even booking a new home.

4. Sending photo messages that automatically delete themselves

In 2013, this may have sounded like a ridiculous idea, but it has become a new normal these days. The most popular social media network among teenagers, Snapchat allows users to send photo messages that automatically delete themselves shortly after being viewed. The app has kept itself fresh and interesting by expanding features such as more video and picture filters, Stories, as well as the popular face-swapping feature. It has also engaged users with the platform's Discover channels, which feature content from well-known publishers like Mashable, and debuting live coverage at widely watched TV events.

5. Being in a picture that you took yourself

Selfie was merely a buzzword in 2013, but it went on to become a cultural phenomenon within a year. These unique photos have exploded in popularity among a wide variety of people, such as business leaders, A-list celebrities and even the President of the United States.

One product that has made this photo technique even more attainable is the selfie stick, which enables you to position your smartphone beyond arms’ reach to get better photo angles. Even though in the short time they've been around they have annoyed many people, selfie-specific products aren't going anywhere. In fact, selfie drones, aka "dronies," are poised to become the next big thing.

6. Choosing the angle you want to watch an online video from

Facebook introduced a new and immersive way for sharing compelling stories by bringing the viewer inside a different world through 360 photos and videos. A 360 video allows audience to choose exactly which angle they want to see a visual. So, if you’re watching a 360 video on your laptop/ PC, you need to drag it with your cursor. On mobile devices, you can drag it using your finger – or even just by turning your device.

If you want to share a 360 photo, simply take a panorama with your phone or capture a 360-degree photo using a 360 photo app or 360 camera, and then post it on Facebook as you would a normal photo. Your friends will be able to experience the moments in 360 as if they were actually there with you, from trekking to a hilltop, to wandering through a heritage site, to attending a wedding.

7. Downloading videos at a lightning speed

Over the years, download speeds have gotten faster and faster, and the ultimate in speed these days is 4G technology. The fact that 4G is relatively new to India hasn’t affected its popularity. 4G not only boosts your upload and download speeds, but also minimises your buffering time even while streaming HD videos. After all it is five times faster than existing 3G services.

8. Creating your own movie scenes and music videos with your phone

You used to need a hefty amount of money to pull off these kind of things. Luckily, now we have Dubsmash, an app that lets you seamlessly mouth words to famous quotes and lyrics from movies or songs. This typically results in hilarious videos and provides endless hours of entertainment. You can actually choose your favourite excerpts from popular TV shows, cult movies, popular chart hits, musicals, and even operas, and star in them. You can then share the ‘dub’ via social media networks.

9. Chatting with computers through written or spoken text

Bots are simple artificial intelligence software that can converse with you to answer questions or simply natter to you in an extremely lifelike way. Most of us have used chatbots; we just don’t know them. If you have ever asked Apple's Siri or Microsoft's Cortana for a movie show time, you have conversed unknowingly with a bot. Facebook recently made its own bot news when it announced that companies will eventually be able to build and release their own chatbots into Messenger to interact with customers.

Bots are meant to make people's lives easier, but there’s still much to be learned about harnessing the technology and applying it. And we're pretty excited about the possibilities.

10. Being able to pay your mobile bill only for the services you used

Remember how most of us dreaded the idea of having a post-paid connection till about a few years ago? Receiving a bill that was way too expensive because the plan offered ‘benefits’ that were actually of no use to you was a major setback. Thankfully, now there are ways of paying for only what you need in a post-paid plan.

For example, consider Airtel’s MyPlan, which ensures you get the flexibility to opt for benefits that you need as against a pre-set benefits that you may never even use. So if you’re someone primarily using mobile apps like WhatsApp or Hike for texting, there's not point to having hundreds of free SMS in the plan. Why not have the options of trading the free SMS of the existing plan for talk time or Internet data? While we couldn't have imagined this kind of freedom three years ago, we're glad that this advancement exists now.

If there are things in this list you haven’t tried before, go ahead and try them. We hope they make your life easier and smarter.

A lot has changed since 2013.

Three years ago, it was hard to image the tech and tech-habits that are now normal today. These innovations have become intrinsic parts of our lives today and have changed so much – from the way we pay for groceries to the way we stay fit.

We decided to take a short trip down memory lane and compile the 10 most exciting tech advances that have not only revolutionised our lifestyles, but have also allowed us to live fuller lives.

1. Tracking fitness with a watch

A perfect example of when tech meets fashion, the smart watches can do anything its developers decree. It can connect to your phone and display mobile notifications, flashing up anything from texts to messaging apps, social account notifications to calendar reminders. These watches even allow owners to make calls and reply to messages using only their voice. And back in 2013, who would have thought that a watch could help you stay fit by tracking your heart rate and steps, standing time and daily activity, and reminding you to stand up regularly?

2. Experiencing something without actually being there

Virtual reality devices are so much more than funny-looking goggles. While they were initially marketed purely as a gaming device, but in their short time in our consciousness they have already offered a lot of practical uses. VR headsets are being used for making the virtual experience feel so real that you forget the computer, headgear and accessories and act exactly as we would in the real world.

Three years ago, nobody could imagine standing on Mars while wearing some intricate goggles in your kitchen. You can take virtual tours of the dream home you’ve been eyeing to buy, defend a goal for your favourite professional football team, and even help yourself overcome anxiety over public speaking.

3. Paying without having cash or cards

Mobile wallets are getting more and more popular among the youth in the India. Digital payments are moving beyond recharges – they can now pay for everything from online food delivery to cab rides to even booking a new home.

4. Sending photo messages that automatically delete themselves

In 2013, this may have sounded like a ridiculous idea, but it has become a new normal these days. The most popular social media network among teenagers, Snapchat allows users to send photo messages that automatically delete themselves shortly after being viewed. The app has kept itself fresh and interesting by expanding features such as more video and picture filters, Stories, as well as the popular face-swapping feature. It has also engaged users with the platform's Discover channels, which feature content from well-known publishers like Mashable, and debuting live coverage at widely watched TV events.

5. Being in a picture that you took yourself

Selfie was merely a buzzword in 2013, but it went on to become a cultural phenomenon within a year. These unique photos have exploded in popularity among a wide variety of people, such as business leaders, A-list celebrities and even the President of the United States.

One product that has made this photo technique even more attainable is the selfie stick, which enables you to position your smartphone beyond arms’ reach to get better photo angles. Even though in the short time they've been around they have annoyed many people, selfie-specific products aren't going anywhere. In fact, selfie drones, aka "dronies," are poised to become the next big thing.

6. Choosing the angle you want to watch an online video from

Facebook introduced a new and immersive way for sharing compelling stories by bringing the viewer inside a different world through 360 photos and videos. A 360 video allows audience to choose exactly which angle they want to see a visual. So, if you’re watching a 360 video on your laptop/ PC, you need to drag it with your cursor. On mobile devices, you can drag it using your finger – or even just by turning your device.

If you want to share a 360 photo, simply take a panorama with your phone or capture a 360-degree photo using a 360 photo app or 360 camera, and then post it on Facebook as you would a normal photo. Your friends will be able to experience the moments in 360 as if they were actually there with you, from trekking to a hilltop, to wandering through a heritage site, to attending a wedding.

7. Downloading videos at a lightning speed

Over the years, download speeds have gotten faster and faster, and the ultimate in speed these days is 4G technology. The fact that 4G is relatively new to India hasn’t affected its popularity. 4G not only boosts your upload and download speeds, but also minimises your buffering time even while streaming HD videos. After all it is five times faster than existing 3G services.

8. Creating your own movie scenes and music videos with your phone

You used to need a hefty amount of money to pull off these kind of things. Luckily, now we have Dubsmash, an app that lets you seamlessly mouth words to famous quotes and lyrics from movies or songs. This typically results in hilarious videos and provides endless hours of entertainment. You can actually choose your favourite excerpts from popular TV shows, cult movies, popular chart hits, musicals, and even operas, and star in them. You can then share the ‘dub’ via social media networks.

9. Chatting with computers through written or spoken text

Bots are simple artificial intelligence software that can converse with you to answer questions or simply natter to you in an extremely lifelike way. Most of us have used chatbots; we just don’t know them. If you have ever asked Apple's Siri or Microsoft's Cortana for a movie show time, you have conversed unknowingly with a bot. Facebook recently made its own bot news when it announced that companies will eventually be able to build and release their own chatbots into Messenger to interact with customers.

Bots are meant to make people's lives easier, but there’s still much to be learned about harnessing the technology and applying it. And we're pretty excited about the possibilities.

10. Being able to pay your mobile bill only for the services you used

Remember how most of us dreaded the idea of having a post-paid connection till about a few years ago? Receiving a bill that was way too expensive because the plan offered ‘benefits’ that were actually of no use to you was a major setback. Thankfully, now there are ways of paying for only what you need in a post-paid plan.

For example, consider Airtel’s MyPlan, which ensures you get the flexibility to opt for benefits that you need as against a pre-set benefits that you may never even use. So if you’re someone primarily using mobile apps like WhatsApp or Hike for texting, there's not point to having hundreds of free SMS in the plan. Why not have the options of trading the free SMS of the existing plan for talk time or Internet data? While we couldn't have imagined this kind of freedom three years ago, we're glad that this advancement exists now.

If there are things in this list you haven’t tried before, go ahead and try them. We hope they make your life easier and smarter.

Google is mining photos from a satellite launched in 2013 to create a better, cloud-free image of Earth from above.

The newest mosaic is an updated version of one produced in 2013. The new version was pieced together mostly using data from the Landsat 8 satellite, launched by NASA, which snaps "twice as many images as Landsat 7 does every day," according to Google.

"This new rendition of Earth uses the most recent data available — mostly from Landsat 8 — making it our freshest global mosaic to date," Chris Herwig, program manager for Google Earth Engine wrote in a blog post. 

Much of Earth is usually covered by clouds, but Google Maps combed through photo after photo to piece together the "clearest pixels" from more than 700 trillion pixels. The result is an unobstructed view of the Earth's surface with more details visible than before. 

"Our previous mosaic used imagery from Landsat 7 only, which at the time was the best imagery of its kind," Herwig said. "Unfortunately, Landsat 7 images captured after 2003 were affected by a hardware failure, resulting in large diagonal gaps of missing data."

Scientists can glean a lot from this kind of data, getting a sense of deforestation and urban development in different parts of the world.

Much of this data is freely available from the Landsat program, which has been imaging Earth's surface with various satellites since 1972. 

Landsat 8 is the newest satellite in the fleet.

You can explore the cloud-free imagery yourself either using Google Earth or through the satellite layer on Google Maps.

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

A lot has changed since 2013.

Three years ago, it was hard to image the tech and tech-habits that are now normal today. These innovations have become intrinsic parts of our lives today and have changed so much – from the way we pay for groceries to the way we stay fit.

We decided to take a short trip down memory lane and compile the 10 most exciting tech advances that have not only revolutionised our lifestyles, but have also allowed us to live fuller lives.

1. Tracking fitness with a watch

A perfect example of when tech meets fashion, the smart watches can do anything its developers decree. It can connect to your phone and display mobile notifications, flashing up anything from texts to messaging apps, social account notifications to calendar reminders. These watches even allow owners to make calls and reply to messages using only their voice. And back in 2013, who would have thought that a watch could help you stay fit by tracking your heart rate and steps, standing time and daily activity, and reminding you to stand up regularly?

2. Experiencing something without actually being there

Virtual reality devices are so much more than funny-looking goggles. While they were initially marketed purely as a gaming device, but in their short time in our consciousness they have already offered a lot of practical uses. VR headsets are being used for making the virtual experience feel so real that you forget the computer, headgear and accessories and act exactly as we would in the real world.

Three years ago, nobody could imagine standing on Mars while wearing some intricate goggles in your kitchen. You can take virtual tours of the dream home you’ve been eyeing to buy, defend a goal for your favourite professional football team, and even help yourself overcome anxiety over public speaking.

3. Paying without having cash or cards

Mobile wallets are getting more and more popular among the youth in the India. Digital payments are moving beyond recharges – they can now pay for everything from online food delivery to cab rides to even booking a new home.

4. Sending photo messages that automatically delete themselves

In 2013, this may have sounded like a ridiculous idea, but it has become a new normal these days. The most popular social media network among teenagers, Snapchat allows users to send photo messages that automatically delete themselves shortly after being viewed. The app has kept itself fresh and interesting by expanding features such as more video and picture filters, Stories, as well as the popular face-swapping feature. It has also engaged users with the platform's Discover channels, which feature content from well-known publishers like Mashable, and debuting live coverage at widely watched TV events.

5. Being in a picture that you took yourself

Selfie was merely a buzzword in 2013, but it went on to become a cultural phenomenon within a year. These unique photos have exploded in popularity among a wide variety of people, such as business leaders, A-list celebrities and even the President of the United States.

One product that has made this photo technique even more attainable is the selfie stick, which enables you to position your smartphone beyond arms’ reach to get better photo angles. Even though in the short time they've been around they have annoyed many people, selfie-specific products aren't going anywhere. In fact, selfie drones, aka "dronies," are poised to become the next big thing.

6. Choosing the angle you want to watch an online video from

Facebook introduced a new and immersive way for sharing compelling stories by bringing the viewer inside a different world through 360 photos and videos. A 360 video allows audience to choose exactly which angle they want to see a visual. So, if you’re watching a 360 video on your laptop/ PC, you need to drag it with your cursor. On mobile devices, you can drag it using your finger – or even just by turning your device.

If you want to share a 360 photo, simply take a panorama with your phone or capture a 360-degree photo using a 360 photo app or 360 camera, and then post it on Facebook as you would a normal photo. Your friends will be able to experience the moments in 360 as if they were actually there with you, from trekking to a hilltop, to wandering through a heritage site, to attending a wedding.

7. Downloading videos at a lightning speed

Over the years, download speeds have gotten faster and faster, and the ultimate in speed these days is 4G technology. The fact that 4G is relatively new to India hasn’t affected its popularity. 4G not only boosts your upload and download speeds, but also minimises your buffering time even while streaming HD videos. After all it is five times faster than existing 3G services.

8. Creating your own movie scenes and music videos with your phone

You used to need a hefty amount of money to pull off these kind of things. Luckily, now we have Dubsmash, an app that lets you seamlessly mouth words to famous quotes and lyrics from movies or songs. This typically results in hilarious videos and provides endless hours of entertainment. You can actually choose your favourite excerpts from popular TV shows, cult movies, popular chart hits, musicals, and even operas, and star in them. You can then share the ‘dub’ via social media networks.

9. Chatting with computers through written or spoken text

Bots are simple artificial intelligence software that can converse with you to answer questions or simply natter to you in an extremely lifelike way. Most of us have used chatbots; we just don’t know them. If you have ever asked Apple's Siri or Microsoft's Cortana for a movie show time, you have conversed unknowingly with a bot. Facebook recently made its own bot news when it announced that companies will eventually be able to build and release their own chatbots into Messenger to interact with customers.

Bots are meant to make people's lives easier, but there’s still much to be learned about harnessing the technology and applying it. And we're pretty excited about the possibilities.

10. Being able to pay your mobile bill only for the services you used

Remember how most of us dreaded the idea of having a post-paid connection till about a few years ago? Receiving a bill that was way too expensive because the plan offered ‘benefits’ that were actually of no use to you was a major setback. Thankfully, now there are ways of paying for only what you need in a post-paid plan.

For example, consider Airtel’s MyPlan, which ensures you get the flexibility to opt for benefits that you need as against a pre-set benefits that you may never even use. So if you’re someone primarily using mobile apps like WhatsApp or Hike for texting, there's not point to having hundreds of free SMS in the plan. Why not have the options of trading the free SMS of the existing plan for talk time or Internet data? While we couldn't have imagined this kind of freedom three years ago, we're glad that this advancement exists now.

If there are things in this list you haven’t tried before, go ahead and try them. We hope they make your life easier and smarter.

Just over a week ago, the Ford GT won its class at the 24 Hour of Le Mans race in France.

This impressive achievement came 50 years after the Ford GT40 Mark II, the predecessor to the 2017 GT, took the same checkered flag in 1966.

Commemorating both wins, Ford has created a special edition of its GT supercar called the ’66 Heritage Edition.

If the 2017 GT weren't rare enough, limited to 250 cars per year, the ’66 Heritage Edition will be even rarer still — and only offered for the 2017 model year.

Owners who select the Heritage will be able to select either a Shadow Black paint job in either gloss or matte finish. No matter the finish, the hood will be accented with a silver stripe and the carbon fiber parts of the car's body will be left exposed.

Finishing off the exterior, the hood and doors will be plastered with "#2" hood and door graphics in a color called Frozen White. Lastly, Ford will bolt up 20-inch one-piece forged aluminum wheels finished in a gold satin clear-coat with black lug nuts.

As for the interior, it's decked out with carbon fiber seats with pillowed inserts. The seats, steering wheel, instrument panel and headliner all feature Ebony leather. Mimicking the '66 race car, and perfectly complementing the leather treatment, gold accents are also added throughout the cabin.

If you want to own one of the 2017 Ford GTs, '66 Heritage Edition or otherwise, you will need to log on to Ford's website and apply — yes, apply — for the privilege. Yes, simply being able to afford to buy the $450,00 American supercar isn't enough. You need to be selected to do so, too.

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.