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You're here because you want to know what the best smartphone tripods of 2020 are so far, and that's exactly what you'll find right here. Smartphones have made massive inroads into camera tech, and a quality smartphone tripod can really help produce professional-looking images and video. While many of the best camera phones come with optical image stabilisation and help smooth out unwanted camera shake, there will always be times when more stable support is needed. Whether you want to shoot a piece to camera without the arm-outstretched vlogging look, or capture a long exposure photo in low light, it’s a good idea to attach your phone to a tripod. But don't worry, this doesn't mean lugging a tripod the size of the Eiffel tower around (although if that is what you're after, browse our best tripods article). There are plenty of ultra-compact tripods on the market designed specifically for phones. And the best ones are so compact, they can sit on a table top, each tripod leg being around 20cm long, folding down to the size of a 500ml water bottle. Jump down for how to choose the best smartphone tripod The best smartphone tripods available now Our pick of the best smartphone tripods right now is the Manfrotto PIXI Mini Tripod Kit with universal smartphone clamp. Manfrotto’s PIXI mini tripods have been around for several years and have established a reputation for good quality at a reasonable price. The particular version is a two-part kit comprised of a PIXI Mini tripod and Manfrotto’s Universal Smartphone Clamp. This simple, spring-loaded clamp can accommodate a phone up to 84mm wide – more than enough for even a phablet-sized device like a Galaxy Note 10. The clamp’s grippy jaws hold your phone securely, and the clamp itself attaches to a small ball head atop the PIXI tripod, making it easy to tilt your phone up or down for high or low-angle shots, though only with the phone mounted horizontally. You can also detach the clamp and mount a lightweight interchangeable lens camera to the ball head instead, increasing the tripod’s versatility. And when it’s time to get on the move, fold the tripod’s legs together and they form an ergonomic handle that makes handheld vlogging much more stable and comfortable. Joby’s GorillaPod Mobile Rig looks more like a stick figure than a typical tripod, thanks to its arm-like supports on either side of the phone holder. These can be used to mount compact LED lights or a separate microphone, helping you boost the quality of your footage. The GorillaPod’s extra-flexible legs allow you to instantly bend them to any angle for effortless set-up, and you can even wrap the legs around objects like railings for extra variety in shot compositions and framing. Your phone is held securely in Joby’s GripTight PRO Phone mount. This uses a single locking knob to simultaneously secure your phone and to switch between horizontal and vertical positioning – an option lacking in many clamps - though the do-it-all knob means it’s possible to accidentally release your phone when you only want to rotate it. The clamp is mounted on a tilt hinge for extra framing flexibility, and above the holder is a cold-shoe-type mount ideal for attaching a compact shotgun mic. Next in our roundup of the best smartphone tripods is the Joby GripTight PRO TelePod. The trouble with most mini tripods is that they have to be perched on a table if you need extra height, but that’s not always an option. The TelePod can stand tall thanks to its nifty telescoping centre column, which extends up to 79cm. It’s a clever trick, though the three tripod legs are still as short as those on a typical tabletop tripod, meaning it’s not the most stable phone support when your phone is balancing high up. Alternatively, you can take hold of your phone and use the TelePod as a monopod support to keep your phone level when recording panning shots. Not only that, but the tripod legs can fold together to form a handle, then, with the centre column outstretched, you’ve got a good quality selfie stick. Joby even includes a Bluetooth remote so you can control your iPhone or Android phone’s camera not just when it’s on the end of the selfie stick, but from up to 90 feet away. The supplied phone holder is Joby’s feature-packed GripTight PRO Phone mount that compliments the TelePod well, with its extensive adjustment and quality build. The smaller sibling of the Joby GripTight PRO TelePod, the Joby GorillaPod Mobile Mini is still a great option for a lot of smartphone camera enthusiasts. First of all, weighing at 32 grams, this is not going to slow you down, and with its diminutive size, it take up a lot of room either. It's the cheapest tripod that Joby currently make, but it includes the companies trademark flexible legs, made with several moveable joints. Because of this, you can stand the Joby GorillaPod Mobile Mini up exactly like a mini table-top tripod, or attach it to something with its wrap-around legs. For less than $20/£20, it will come with a phone mount too, so you're good to go from the off. If you're looking for an extremely portable, convenient (yet small) tripod, this is a fantastic option. If you like the sound of the Joby TelePod’s tripod and selfie stick versatility, but are less keen on its hefty price tag, Benro may have the answer with its BK10. It performs the same tripod-to-selfie stick transformation for a fraction of the cost, yet it’s still made by a well-respected tripod brand and feels much better made than the bargain price would suggest. With the telescopic centre column outstretched, your phone can rise up to 91cm off the deck, though as you’d imagine, balancing your phone this high when the tripod’s legs are so short is a bit precarious. You can’t have everything at this price, and Benro’s phone clamp is very basic. It does hold reasonably securely though, and while it won’t rotate between horizontal and vertical orientation, the tripod’s compact ball head will let you do this. Somehow Benro has also managed to throw in a Bluetooth trigger for remote camera control, and its 30-metre range is easily enough for most shooting scenarios. The last, but not least, to feature on our best smartphone tripods 2020 list, is kind of a big deal! Most phone tripods are so small they end up compromised in terms of support, especially when you use a phone tripod for regular shoots. Manfrotto's Compact Light Smart smartphone tripod has no such drawbacks, as it combines a smartphone clamp holder with a full-size travel tripod, just as you’d use for an interchangeable lens camera. This enables a genuinely usable 131cm max shooting height, as each leg of the tripod has four sections so they spread far wider than the single-section legs on a standard tabletop tripod, significantly boosting stability. Naturally this does mean that at 39cm long when packed, this isn’t the most compact phone support out there, but it is very small for a ‘proper’ tripod, and at only 840g, it’s also extremely light for its size. The included phone holder isn’t as fancy as the clamp you get with a Joby GorillaPod Mobile Rig, but it does the job, and the same can be said of the basic ball head, which also allows your phone to rotate through 90-degrees to shoot in portrait mode. Factor the price, which is less than some tricked-up tabletop tripods, and this Manfrotto support certainly gives you a lot for the money. How to choose the best smartphone tripod A phone tripod is only as good as the mechanism it uses to hold your phone. Whereas a traditional camera will have a dedicated tripod mounting point, nowadays you’re lucky if there's a headphone jack on your phone. This means a smartphone tripod will usually be bundled with a mounting clamp that grips your phone, similar to a phone holder for your car. All the tripods on this list come bundled with a phone holder, so they’re ready to use. What’s more, phone tripod manufacturers also recognise that today’s phones are much wider than those from a few years ago, so you should be able to mount even the widest XL/+/Max-sized devices with ease. Read more: The best photo apps and photo-editing software 6 expert smartphone photography tips The best smartphone in 2019: be more creative on the move View the full article

We can safely call this decade a decade of startups. Small and big, local and international, teams of every size and scale pop up each day, offering products to benefit the community. Some of them come and go, while others …View the full article

The Russian spy group, a.k.a. BlackEnergy, is actively compromising Exim mail servers via a critical security vulnerability. View the full article

For many professional creatives, having a laptop that doesn't just help you unleash your creativity, but also speeds up your creative workflow is essential. It means you’ll be able to easily hit deadlines, and by working faster, you can take on more work. If you’re looking for the ultimate creativity and productivity machine, then, the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo is the perfect choice for you – and it can prove to be a real game-changer that can transform your creative workflow. For a start, it’s one of the most powerful laptops in the world, with Nvidia’s latest and greatest RTX-capable graphics cards installed. These amazing GPUs allow the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo to accomplish intensive graphical tasks, such as 4K video editing and 3D rendering, incredibly quickly, and offers a big speed boost to your workflow. For 3D animators and modellers, Nvidia RTX GPUs also allow you to add advanced ray tracing lighting effects to make your creations look even more realistic. Also packing a high-end 9th Generation Intel® Core™ i9 processor and bags of RAM, the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo is also a killer multi-tasker, allowing you to power through tasks both creative and professional. Gone are the days where you have to leave your laptop alone while it struggles to complete a single task. Thanks to the super-poerful hardware in the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo, you can keep on working on it while it completes those tasks in the background. Those features alone would make the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo a formidable productivity machine for any creative, but this unique laptop has another trick up its sleeve: dual 4K displays. That’s right. As well as having a stunning 15.6-inch OLED 4K screen, the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo has a second 14-inch 4K touch display, known as the Screenpad Plus, above the keyboard. This second screen is a revolution when it comes to boosting your creative workflow. Not only can you use the second screen to display additional applications – such as an email app – giving you more space to work on the main screen, but you can also move tools from certain creative apps, onto the Screenpad Plus. This gives you quick and easy access to your most-used tools, while freeing up more screen real estate on the main screen. For digital artists, the Screenpad Plus can transform into a sketchpad with the included stylus, allowing you to instantly draw, paint and doodle digitally. The main 15.6-inch screen is no slouch, either. As well as offering stunning 4K resolutions, it’s also Pantone and DCPI-3 validated, which means colours are vibrant and – most importantly – accurate. By packing the kind of power you’d usually see in a desktop PC, with two gorgeous screens, into a portable laptop body, the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo really is a game-changer when it comes to boosting your creative workflow. View the full article

We've loved seeing examples of the creative community coming together during lockdown, and this latest cartoon project is a truly heartwarming example. A psychologist and a cartoonist have come together to capture the one moment key workers are most looking forward to when lockdown ends, and the results are delightful. Last month, psychologist Kevin Dutton asked key workers to share the moment or memory that's currently keeping them going, and cartoonist Rob Murray is now illustrating them each inside a bottle. #BottleMoments has seen Murray capture over 50 moments inside bottles, and they're guaranteed to raise a smile. If they inspire you to get drawing, our how to draw guides will keep your skills as sharp as your pencil. Dutton is currently sharing Murray's efforts on Twitter, along with a quote from each key worker themselves. Moments captured so far include postponed weddings, delayed travel plans and lots of family reunions, including this care home worker who can't wait to visit her own nan: "As a cartoonist working for magazines and newspapers, you spend most of your time poking fun at situations," Murray told Good Morning Britain. "The positive thing about this project is that it is about normal people, and their normal lives." "The major theme is connection," Dutton added. "It shows us that as a society, the DNA of what gets us through is being together." Murray's cartoon pencil style is perfect for capturing these often simple moments of togetherness – the drawings are a touching token of appreciation and hope for key workers during a time of great hardship and courage. Placing the moments in a bottle is an inspired touch, capturing them and almost turning them into timeless vignettes. Key workers can share the moment they're most looking forward to with the hashtag #BottleMoments – and it might just get bottled up by Dutton and Murray. Other recent displays of solidarity within the creative community have included Rob Biddulph's free drawing lessons for kids. Rob recently attempted to break the world record for the largest online art lesson with over 10,000 viewers (he's still waiting for the official result). For more inspiring examples, check out our best free resources for creatives stuck at home. Keep reading: Burger King’s genius Social Distancing Whopper will make your eyes water Your Fujifilm camera is now an ultra-HD webcam for video calls Is this the ultimate working from home setup (or the stuff of nightmares)? View the full article

Known for its problem-solving approach, Lego has tackled one of the most universal problems facing workers at the moment by creating a tongue-in-cheek guide to working from home. The step-by-step picture guide will teach you exactly how to handle the unique challenges of WFH, and how to "be awesome" at it. Recreating the on-point vibe of an office (remember those?) within the comfort of your home involves remembering to get dressed, sitting properly at your desk (no dining chairs allowed – see our best office chairs if you're struggling with this), personalising your desk and then remaining on task at all times. It's a lot to take on, but following Lego's guide should see you right. If all this Lego talk has whet your appetite, you can head over to our best Lego City sets guide. But first, let's take a closer look at Lego's WFH instructions... Dress appropriately The first step is to dress appropriately. 'Appropriate' in this case, is to take on the strategy of newsreaders everywhere (we assume). Your top half is all that matters here. As long as you don't stand up during your video call, you can follow the Minifigure's lead as he models a business-ready top half and more-than-casual-Friday lower body attire. Follow proper ergonomics Next, get your build on and recreate the ergonomics of your office set-up. Lego has created a stable structure to rest a laptop on, and we're sure those Lego books fit together more solidly than our wobbly tower would. And if the tower of books won't cut it, here's our pick of the best desks around right now. Personalise Now it's time to soften things up with some personal touches. Lego's idea of personalising your desk seems to involve adding a looming picture of your boss on your left (it might help to keep you on track), and an interloper visitor on your desk (pretty accurate in our case). Start working And finally, to work. Which may be easier said than done, of course. As Lego suggests, that picture of your boss is totally expendable when the inevitable procrastination begins. And how is your cat meant to resist that mouse, anyway? So, if you're not totally happy with your WFH set up, perhaps Lego has given you the tools to get it right – heart patterned underwear and all. We certainly send our thanks to Lego for making light of a tricky work/life situation. Getting creative with a WFH set up is widespread during lockdown, as we saw with this ultimate work from home set up that divided opinion recently. And it isn't only work-from-homers that are unleashing design creativity in the time of COVID-19. This optician now has a perspex screen in the shape of a pair of glasses to shield its reception staff, which has taken the internet by storm. Read more: How to work from home more productively This is what Banksy working from home looks like The best office stationery for working from home View the full article

The DDoS group sets itself apart by using exploits -- but it doesn't always pan out. View the full article

Attackers compromised six Cisco VIRL-PE servers that are affected by critical SaltStack vulnerabilities. View the full article

While the iPhone 12 is still yet to be released, some seem to have forgotten about it already as new leaks today speculate what the iPhone 13 could look like. It might be over a year away from release, but the iPhone 13 is set to feature one camera to rule them all. By which, we mean four. According to a regular Apple-leaker by the name of, er, Fudge, the iPhone 13 could contain the first four-camera setup in an iPhone. It could also feature a LiDAR scanner (currently only found in the 2020 iPad Pro), making it a portable AR powerhouse – great for choosing your next sofa. The iPhone has been a permanent fixture in our round up of the best camera phones, with the 12 looking likely to bump the 11 off the top spot any time now. But if these iPhone 13 camera leaks are anything to go by, its younger sibling won'tlast long in poll position. Browse iPhones at Apple.com But, as we mentioned already, the iPhone 12 isn't even out yet, so let's step back for a second. The iPhone 12 rumours suggest significantly improved cameras over the current iPhone 11, including enhanced autofocus and zoom. It will, however, allegedly contain a mere three cameras. Not only could the iPhone 13 contain a feature a whole extra lens, but two of its cameras could rock massive 64MB sensors. Fudge also shared a rough layout for the device: While it'll come as no surprise to anybody that the iPhone 13 will feature a better camera than the iPhone 12, it could open up huge possibilities for creatives and photographers on the move. With its countless photo editing apps, the iPhone is already a superb device for photographers, but could the iPhone 13 become the first to rival your DSLR? Time will tell, but our best camera guide is safe from smartphones for now. Fudge reminds us that, as with all leaks, these should be taken with a huge pinch of salt. But with the rate that smartphone photography has advanced over the last few years, it's easy to get carried away by what the next few years could bring. While this is all very exciting, the iPhone 11 Pro's camera is still seriously impressive. If you want the best iPhone camera available right now, check out the best deals below. Keep reading: Your Fujifilm camera is now an ultra-HD webcam for video calls You can now get retro iPhone app icons – and you'll want them all right now You won't believe what Apple's next MacBook might look like View the full article

Microsoft has warned on a new breed of patient ransomware attacks that lurk in networks for weeks before striking. View the full article

CorelDRAW Graphics Suite has recently had an exciting update, giving designers game-changing collaboration tools and sophisticated AI enhancements, not to mention a performance boost that makes it faster and easier to create flawless designs while streamlining the entire creative process. With these new capabilities, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2020 sets a new standard for productivity, power and collaboration, making it more tempting than ever before. But if you're unsure whether CorelDRAW is for you, or are concerned about making the switch from other software, fear not. Here's why CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2020 is a powerful tool to add to your design arsenal. Collaborate more efficiently Make comments and annotations is now easier than ever Collaborating on your designs is now easier, as clients and colleagues can annotate and comment directly onto your CorelDRAW files. Removing the time wasted on back and forth emails, a mess of attachments, and patched together workflow solutions, Corel has delivered a fast and simple way to get everyone on the same page (literally), thanks to the new cloud-based CorelDRAW.app. And even though users now have the ability to add comments and mock up their ideas directly in your file, sharing your work in this way doesn't mean compromising the integrity of your design, as with Dynamic Text Co-editing, you control which elements can be changed. You can set design elements such as font size, colour and image placement so they can't be moved, while allowing your collaborators to make text edits. Keeping track of changes and approving work is also simple, as CorelDRAW supports Single Sign-On (SSO) to Microsoft Office 365 and G Suite accounts, meaning that teams can manage their files in Google Drive and SharePoint. With Cloud-based versioning and a simple approval process utilising CorelDRAW.app, long email chains are now a thing of the past. These new CorelDRAW.app collaboration features are included with CorelDRAW Graphics Suite subscriptions and enterprise licences. As part of its response to the Covid-19 situation, Corel has also extended this functionality to all CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2019 and CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2020 users for a limited time, ensuring that designers can enjoy these new, powerful ways to stay connected at a time when working together brings extra challenges. Stay streets ahead of the competition Create all this and more with CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2020 Unlike other creative software, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2020 offers a number of flexible ways to license the product. Users can choose a monthly subscription, or pay a one-off fee to own their software licence outright. The suite is good value for money, too. When you subscribe to CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2020, you get Corel's signature vector editing software, CorelDRAW, together with Corel Photo-Paint. It’s good to note that CorelDRAW supports vector illustration and page layout in a single app, so there’s no need to switch between separate products (like Illustrator and InDesign) to manage this workflow. Best yet, this complete package is available for around the cost of Adobe Illustrator CC alone (as a single app on an annual plan). Use multiple Apple and Windows devices CorelDRAW in Windows Both macOS and Windows users can benefit from the new CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2020, with optimised suites that make the most of both platforms. Windows users can make quick adjustments in the Touch workspace, and work with a stylus on compatible tablets, while Mac aficionados can enjoy native apps with their own unique look and feel that support their favorite macOS features including Sidecar, TouchBar on MacBook Pro, and more. With all this, why not give CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2020 a try? Sign up for a free trial today. View the full article

Chrome and Firefox are modern web browsers that have built-in tools to help developers edit pages and fix problems directly in the browser. Chrome has its developer tools and Firefox has its developer tools. Both have many overlapping features and some unique features. In …View the full article

As lockdown restrictions begin to ease in certain countries across the world, brands are facing a new challenge: how to promote the reopening of their stores and restaurants while also encouraging social distancing. While some have opted for simple, informative messaging, Burger King Italy has chosen a more humorous approach – and it's right on the nose. The brand recently introduced a new Social Distancing Whopper. It is, quite simply, a Whopper with extra onions (three times extra, to be precise), and it promises "to keep people away from you". It isn't quite as medically sound as a face mask (our where to buy a face mask guide has you covered there), but this tongue-in-cheek ad is one of the more creative takes we've seen on social distancing. The concept, created by agency Wunderman Thompson, is actually available to buy in Burger King's Italian restaurants. One US YouTuber asked his local Burger King to recreate the dish, and described it as "the most pungent taste" he has ever experienced. A success, then. The Social Distancing Whopper isn't Burger King's only creative response to the need for social distancing – it is now offering huge cardboard crowns (above) to diners at its German restaurants. And while these creations are obviously designed to raise a smile rather than offering genuine protection, there's a level of ingenuity and design that raises them above mere opportunism (unlike McDonald's's disastrous social distancing logo). We've loved seeing creative responses to the 'new normal', such as one optician's eye-catching safety screen. And if all of this makes you feel like unleashing your own creativity, learning how to make a face mask is one sure fire way of combining safety and style. Read more: Your Fujifilm camera is now an ultra-HD webcam for video calls Is this the ultimate working from home setup (or the stuff of nightmares)? You can now get retro iPhone app icons – and you'll want them all right now View the full article

One of the best techniques to have in your toolkit is designing with type on and around images. But it can also be one of the toughest concepts to pull off successfully. You have to have the right photo, a …View the full article

The way an image is edited in post-production sets the tone of how it will be perceived. If you're looking for breathtaking and unique treatments for your upcoming photo projects, you've come to the right place. Spark new inspiration and let your imagination run free with 7000+ Professional Lightroom Presets and create beautiful final images efficiently and effectively. Best yet, the complete package is only $39. Compatible with Lightroom 6 and Creative Cloud on both Mac and PC, this bundle brought to you by asset powerhouse Eldamar Studio packs a punch no matter what type of mood or look you are aiming to create. Choose from over 7000 presets compatible with both RAW and JPG images and pick from overlay categories such as fashion, food photography, black and white, family portraits, cinematography, and so much more. Want to upgrade your photography production? Check out our Photoshop tutorials, and these amazing photo editing apps. Or why not invest in one of the best laptops for photo editing? Enjoy endless possibilities With theme-specific Lightroom presets for a distinctive feel or mood, you'll have endless possibilities for projects of all kinds, no matter the size. You'll have access to presets in themes such as dark and moody Halloween, fairy tale romance, cold glow winter, magic forest, analog film, and so much more. There are also simple treatments such as color correcting, and Instagram Lightroom presets for any type of photo, making it a great bundle no matter what your editing style is. This complete pack comes complete with lifetime access, making it a vast overlay asset library to have for photographers and graphic designers of all calibers. While other preset bundles have licensing rights that usually expire or have to be renewed over time, this package includes a commercial license with unlimited access. Great for the never-stop-creating designer, the license never expires and allows you to use the elements time and time again for web or print projects. With updates to the presets included in the bundle, you'll always be kept up to date with the latest and greatest content available and be informed if any new preset categories or overlays are added. The possibilities are endless. While this professional Lightroom preset bundle is typically sold for $69, it is currently price-dropped for a limited time only to $39. Start planning your next photo session or graphic design project and take your editing possibilities to the next level with thousands of ready to go Lightroom presets geared toward any genre. *Prices subject to change. Software not included. Read more: The best video editing apps in 2020 The best monitors for photo editing in 2020 Video editing software: The 17 best tools for 2020 View the full article

There are various sights we're all getting used to as part of the 'new normal', from face masks to two metre markings all over shop floors. Speaking of shops, another common feature is protective screens in front of counters. These are usually a simple sheet of perspex, but as one Redditor has shown, safety doesn't have to look dull. Created for his wife's opticians office in Washington, Alan Brendon's design (below) is based on, you guessed it, a pair of glasses. Hanging neatly above the shop counter, the oversized specs offer protection for two cashiers (one per lens). It's one of the most creative solutions to safety we've seen (check out our guide to where to buy a face mask for more stylish protection). Needless to say, the 'safety glasses' have proved a huge hit on Reddit. "Awesome design and great execution!" one commenter exclaimed. Others were quick to ask the important questions: "Do customers look all blurry if your wife comes out from behind them?" The creator has been generous enough to explain the process of making the specs. "After measuring the front desk carefully I created it in Illustrator and sent the lenses and temple detail to a local sign maker to custom cut. I cut the rest of the frame from a piece of half-inch plywood, glued it up and spray painted it black. We wanted to bring a little bit of fun to this very not fun situation." He's even shared the Illustrator file for anyone who wants it. Better get that Creative Cloud plan sorted, then. If you fancy putting your own creative stamp on the world right now but don't happen to own an opticians' office, don't despair – you can always learn how to make a face mask. And if you want to indulge in the inspiring creativity of others during these strange times, check out the best free resources for creatives stuck at home. Read more: Your Fujifilm camera is now an ultra-HD webcam for video calls Is this the ultimate working from home setup (or the stuff of nightmares)? You can now get retro iPhone app icons – and you'll want them all right now View the full article

If you've been working from home for the past few weeks, you're probably no stranger to video calls. From straightening the living room to throwing on your best shirt (trousers optional), we've all experienced the frantic rush to look your best for that all-important conference. But if your built-in webcam isn't up to scratch, what's the point? Enter Fujifilm. The camera manufacturer has released new software as well as a tutorial (below), letting users turn their mirrorless cameras into an ultra-high quality webcam. While we wouldn't for a second suggest buying a mirrorless camera just for video calls (our where to buy a webcam guide is full of affordable options), if you have one lying around, you could be about to seriously up your Zoom game. And if you don't have one lying around, our best camera for creatives guide will soon fix that. All you need is a USB cable, and the new Fujifilm X webcam software. Oh, and a Fujifilm camera. The free app is compatible with the X-H1, X-Pro2, X-Pro3, X-T2, X-T3, X-T4, and all GFX cameras. If you already own any of these, then you're now also the proud owner of a very high quality webcam – perhaps even a $10,000, 100MB one if you're lucky enough to own the ridiculously high-spec GFX 100. And why shouldn't your next Zoom catch-up look like a Hollywood blockbuster? Spot the difference There is, unfortunately, some bad news – the software is currently only available for Windows. Mac users are currently out of luck, much to the disappointment of the majority of commenters on Fujifilm's tutorial. Hopefully it'll take notice and make the software available to all as soon as possible. Fancy picking up one of Fujifilm's incredible webcams (sorry, cameras)? Take a look at today's best deals below. Read more: Is this the ultimate working from home setup (or the stuff of nightmares)? You can now get retro iPhone app icons – and you'll want them all right now You won't believe what Apple's next MacBook might look like View the full article

Now is the perfect time to increase your reading, both for pleasure and to up your creative skills. Creative Bloq is the online presence for two industry leading magazines – Imagine FX and 3D World – we've got an amazing offer that'll save you money on a subscription. Not only can you save up to 68 per cent on the usual RRP of a magazine subscription but our code will get you an extra 20 per cent off the sale price, too. There's never been a better time to dive in. Which magazine is right for you? Well, if you're potty about digital painting and drawing, Imagine FX will be a real treat, while CG artists will love 3D World. Keep reading to find out more about the amazing offers available right now, plus more information on exactly what you'll find in each magazine. Below, we've shown the prices for quarterly digital & print subscriptions, which qualify for the 20 per cent bundle discounts, but there are also big savings to be had on digital/print only subscriptions – and yearly subscriptions, too! Read more: The best laptops for 3D modelling in 2020 The best Apple Pencil alternatives in 2020 The best drawing tablet: Our pick of the best graphics tablets in 2020 View the full article

Prepare to be impressed by the AMD Ryzen 3950X processor. We certainly were when Chillblast sent us a workstation with AMD’s affordable 16-core wonder chip in it. With specs that should make this processor one of the best out there, we couldn't wait to try it out. The ongoing rise of AMD technology is the single biggest story in PC hardware right now, which is why we’re looking at yet another workstation with an AMD processor this month. Keep reading for our full opinion. Need a new laptop primed for 3D work? See our pick of the best laptops for 3D modelling right now. AMD Ryzen 3950X review: Price Ryzen 3950X is particularly interesting because it has 16 physical CPU cores and can run 32 threads at once, with an (approximate) UK retail price of £749. That’s well below the level Intel has consistently charged for its most high-end chips for years. Until now, those high prices had ensured workstations with more than eight processor cores were simply out of reach for most of us in the CG industry. The total cost of the full Chillblast system, equipped with a Quadro RTX 4000 graphics card, 32GB of DDR4 memory, 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD comes to £3,279, which is still £450 less than a rig based around Intel’s 10th-generation platform, which has already had price cuts to make it much more affordable than the previous generation. Intel may lose out on value but one area where it still (just) has a lead is in instructions per cycle, which does affect certain areas of software performance. AMD Ryzen 3950X review: Design and features 3D software has plenty to gain from processors with more CPU cores. All the popular CPU-based renderers are carefully multi-threaded to offer an approximate linear performance improvement from additional CPU cores. Renders complete twice as fast on an eight-core processor as on a quad-core chip. A 16- core chip is twice as fast again so that extra hardware can mean a final render of a scene with exceptionally detailed lighting and many millions of polygons is reduced by hours. The high core count is not the only interesting thing about the 3.5GHz (4.7GHz Turbo) Ryzen 3950X processor. AMD is reaping the rewards from the flexibility of its Zen 2 architecture and how manufacturing partner TSMC has managed to beat Intel to 7nm fabrication, allowing them to keep the TDP within a manageable limit of 105W. That’s particularly good news for customers too. The Ryzen 3950X does not require an expensive high-end motherboard with a special chipset. It can be used in nearly all existing Socket AM4 motherboards, although some might need a firmware update. Ryzen 3950X review: Performance As mentioned before, Intel just has the edge in some performance aspects. For the Ryzen 3950X, our results show the 3950X breaking all records whenever software is multi-threaded, but not every application takes advantage of those extra cores. The 3950X storms ahead in Blender CPU rendering and Cinebench but in SPECViewPerf, which relies on graphics card performance, the Intel Core i9 9900K just edges ahead, even if it’s only by a small margin. But we’d still pick the 3950X every time. Sixteen CPU cores gives you real flexibility to tackle seriously heavy-duty computing tasks. AMD deserves considerable praise for its exceptional technical achievement here. But before you join the queue of eager buyers itching to purchase this processor, be advised that AMD has further tricks up its sleeve. A brand new Threadripper chip with 32 processor cores is set for imminent launch too and it’s public knowledge that a mind blowing 64-core Threadripper product is coming in the next 12 months. Ryzen 3950X review: Should you buy it? The Ryzen 3950X is the best AMD processor ever, for its efficiency and affordability as much as its capability and puts the company well in front of its arch rival for the first time in over a decade. Based on the 3D performance it offers for the money, it’s instantly become our top recommendation for any workstation. This content originally appeared in 3D World magazine. Read more: How to sell your 3D assets online View the full article

If, like countless others, you've found yourself working from home lately, you'll know the importance of getting your workstation right. From the best office chair to the best desk, finding the right kit is essential for your productivity and comfort. One Apple fanatic has shared photos of his own setup, which has been years in the making. It includes a 43-inch TV (as well as a secondary monitor), Apple's HomePod speaker, various wireless chargers for iPhones and AirPods, and a rather creative neon lighting display. And the whole setup is powered by the tiny Mac Mini – proving that a little can go a long way. Take a look at the full setup below. The setup belongs to medical student Zach Hicks, who shared it with Cult of Mac. Our favourite aspect of it? No wires. Not a single cable can be seen in Hicks' setup, thanks to some seriously impressive cable management – presumably on the underside of the desk. The real estate afforded of the two screens and the clutter-free desk itself no doubt allows for some serious, distraction-free productivity. If you're after a sweet screen setup like Hicks, check out our best monitors for Mac. That said, someone needs to tell Hicks to tone down those lights. The green-and-pink neon effect would leave us feeling like we're catching up on emails inside a nightclub. Whether that sounds like a dream or a nightmare is up to you. Thankfully, they're Phillips Hue lamps – so something more tasteful is just a few iPhone taps away. Plus, if it's a un-cluttered aesthetic Hicks is going for, we're not sure about the empty Apple boxes adorning the shelves. He calls them a visual reminder of his journey to build this dream setup, but if our own workstation was constantly reminding us how great our workstation was, we're not sure we'd get any work done. We'd love to know what's in those plastic boxes Still, we've no doubt that, in time, the empty packing will be replaced with certificates and awards from Hicks' distinguished medical career. Aside from the boxes and lamps, we're looking at a pretty impressive setup. If you're inspired to fix up your own workstation, our guide to working from home has you covered. Read more: You can now get retro iPhone app icons – and you'll want them all right now Is this what iOS 14 will look like? (We really hope so) You won't believe what Apple's next MacBook might look like View the full article

Tired, frustrated, lacking motivation? You’re not alone, especially right now. But mindfulness is a psychological technique that can help. It involves refocusing yourself on the present moment; on what’s happening both inside your body and in your external surroundings. And the aim is to help you feel calmer and more balanced, both physically and emotionally. Mindfulness is commonly used in clinical psychology today to help treat depression and anxiety. Mindfulness is not a complete cure for any of these things, but many people find it useful in lifting their mood and providing a new perspective. Want to dip your toe in the water? In this post, we suggest some basic mindfulness activities you can do at home, which are easy and risk-free to try. Meanwhile, if you’d like to study mindfulness in more depth, you’ll find information on accredited courses here, and you can also check out our roundup of mindfulness apps. 01. Mindful breathing Focus on your breathing and let all other thoughts float away Mindfulness is all about focusing your mind on the fundamentals, and letting everything else just fade away into the background. So one of the most effective activities you can do is mindful breathing. This involves simply focusing your attention on the air coming in and out of your body as you inhale and exhale. Ideally you’ll be sitting, but if that’s not possible then standing or lying down are also good options. Begin by closing your eyes and taking one deep breath, then continue to breathe naturally. Merely observe each breath, rather than trying to control it, and start to empty your mind of all other thoughts. However, if your mind wanders or you’re distracted by, for example, noise from next door, don’t let it bother you but just accept that it’s happening. There’s no set time for doing breathing exercises, but around 10 minutes is a good ballpark to aim for first-timers. More importantly, it’s widely believed that making mindful breathing a regular habit makes it much more effective. 02. 4-7-8 breathing Finding mindful breathing difficult? It's widely believed that spending more time on the out-breath than the in-breath can help relax you. So you might want to try, for example, the 4-7-8 breathing activity. This involves breathing in through the nose for four seconds, holding your breath for seven seconds, and then exhaling through the mouth for eight seconds. Do this for up to four cycles, all the while focusing on your breathing and emptying your mind of all other worries. This should help you to get yourself relaxed and 'in the zone', and then try breathing normally after that. 03. The 5-4-3-2-1 exercise Mindfulness is all about feeling connected to the present moment, and so one of the most popular approaches is the 5-4-3-2-1 exercise, which engages all five of your senses at once. This is a particularly useful activity for when you feel anxious and unable to unwind. Begin by closing your eyes, slowing your breathing, and paying attention to the breath coming in and out of your body. Once you’re more relaxed, look around you and identity five random things you can see, whether that be a mirror, a pair of glasses, or a bird at the window. You don’t need to dwell on them, just acknowledge them. The next step is to similarly identify four things you can touch, and imagine doing so. This might be something on your body, such as your hair, or something external, such as a table. Again, you don’t actually have to touch them; just acknowledge them. The third step is to think of three things you can hear. Then, two things you can smell. The last step is to thing of one thing you can currently taste. 04. S.T.O.P. S.T.O.P mean you Stop what you're doing, Take a breath, Observe, and then Proceed Anxiety is not the only things that can prevent us from being creative and productive in our work. Other mental states such as being distracted, feeling bored or even being excited can make it difficult to focus and get things done. One mindfulness activity that can help is described by the acronym: S.T.O.P. S stands for 'Stop what you’re doing'. That means not just stopping the action (eg. editing images in Photoshop) but stopping your thoughts and feelings about it too. T stands for 'Take a breath'. That means, as before, slowing your breathing and focusing on the air coming in and out of your body. O stands for 'Observe'. That means noticing what’s going on with your body and mind. Is your fist clenched or relaxed? Is your mood happy or sad? P stands for 'Proceed'. Now your mind and body are focused and aware, you can now turn your attention to the world around you. Consider what you’ve just learned about yourself, and how you can use that information to proceed with the task in hand. 05. Conscious observation The conscious observation technique is just what it sounds like. You pick an object, any object: it could be an apple, a book, a cup, for example. Hold it in your hands, and then observe its shape, its texture, its weight, and so on. The important thing is not to analyse or think about any of this too intensely: just absorb everything about the object and let it fill your mind. This activity should give you a subtle but powerful feeling of being 'in the moment'. A related activity is conscious listening, where you observe a piece of relaxing music, or the sounds of nature, in a similar way. 06. Visualisation Visualisation is about generating images in your mind to influence your mental and physical state. For instance, if you’re struggling with the stress of a three-month creative project, it can be helpful to visualise the day when you finish and hand over your completed work. Visualisation is often used by sports teams to help them focus on winning, by picturing victory in their mind's eye. To practise visualisation, start by concentrating on your breath and clearing your mind of all distractions. Now start to generate a basic image in your mind. In this case, it might be going for a walk in the sunshine after finishing your creative project and feeling the relief of everything being completed to the client’s satisfaction. Then, with each breath you take, let the image or concept become more detailed. Think about the sights, the sounds and the smells you might experience, and how it will all make you feel. 07. Colouring in Colouring can be a mindful activity if approached in the right way Colouring in is often described as a mindful activity, and it can be... but only if you approach it the right way. For example, if you view it as a task to be completed to perfection, then it may turn out to be the opposite of relaxing (if your hand slips and you accidentally go over the lines, for example). If, however, you view colouring in as being purely about the process rather than the end goal, it can be successfully practised as a mindful activity. Indeed, colouring in has long played a key role in the mindfulness movement, such as within the mandala tradition of Buddhism. To give mindful colouring in a try, check out these free colouring templates from Adobe. 08. Mindful eating Mindful eating basically means eating in a mindful way, and can be especially useful for anyone who suffers from eating disorders, cravings, bingeing, food addiction or any other unhealthy relationship with food. Mindful eating means eating slowly, in a quiet place that’s free from distraction (so not, for example in front of the TV). It’s also about engaging all your senses, and fully acknowledging the smells, sights and tastes of the food. This helps you to listen to your body’s signals that tell you when you’re full and it’s time to stop eating, preventing you from either eating too much or being undernourished. 09. Naming your emotions We all experience difficult emotions that can be overwhelming. One technique that can help is to label them, according to the maxim: 'name it and you tame it'. Again, this is best done when you are in a mindful state. Sit in a relaxed position, close your eyes, focus on your breathing, and empty your mind. As you relax, notice which emotions come to the forefront of your mind. Try to identify the most powerful one, and give it a name. Now repeat this name three times in a gentle voice, either inwardly or out loud, depending on what you are comfortable with. For example: 'Sadness, sadness, sadness' or 'worry, worry, worry'. Shift between cycles of breathing and cycles of repeating the emotion until you are more accepting of what you are feeling, and more centred, physically and mentally. Read more: 9 ways to focus a wandering mind 10 brilliant ebooks that won't cost you a penny 20 creative projects to get involved with right now View the full article

2020 has been a strange and uncertain year, to say the least. But what is sure, is that creativity connects us all and is doing so in ways like never before. Enforced isolation has seen the creative community come out in force online, connecting daily at Adobe Live on Behance – and you can join in too. A livestream of creative content, Adobe Live offers artists and designers the opportunity to connect, share ideas, be inspired and celebrate creativity, all in one place. No matter what your creative discipline – graphic designer, illustrator, animator, web designer or photographer etc – Adobe Live has something for everyone. Adobe Live: Get involved A treasure trove of creative content, Adobe Live is a great way to hone and learn new skills in popular Adobe apps, including Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects and Adobe XD. There’s everything from creative daily challenges, like creating logos and posters, to learning to draw lines and shapes and doodle therapy. Adobe Live has plenty to keep your creativity flowing, but more than anything, it’s an amazing way to connect with like-minded people at this challenging time. Each day you can tune into a livestream, where you can watch guest artists create in real-time. During the session, artists will take questions, share advice and give viewers valuable insights into their ways of working. A watch-over-the-shoulder experience, Adobe Live gives viewers an authentic experience, both inspiring and helping to ease any sense of isolation at the same time. Connect with leading creatives at Adobe Live on Behance Livestreams in the UK start at 12:00 noon BST each day, with post-event on-demand videos available in English, French and German. If you can't make the live events, don't fret, Discord is Adobe's community chat for when the streams aren't live. Here you'll often find Adobe's guests pop in to to chat after the stream, and viewers asking questions, which you are more than welcome to join in with. So what are you waiting for? Join the creative community at Adobe Live on Behance for sessions with creative leaders from all over the globe for your daily dose of inspiration. View the full article

You'd be forgiven for wondering why anyone would need to create a typeface which works across light and dark mode – surely it simply involves changing the colour from black to white? But as independent type foundry Dalton Maag's illuminating new typeface reveals, there's a little more to it than that. The rise of 'dark mode' across several operating systems and their UIs has created an unexpected challenge for those looking to create a consistent visual identity (don't forget to check out our best free fonts if you're looking for inspiration). According to Dalton Maag, white-on-black text is often subconsciously perceived as larger and bolder than the same text presented black-on-white. Enter Darkmode, a new typeface using "innovative variable font technology". Dalton Maag calls it the first retail font family to offer a ready-built solution to the problem. Darkmode offers two slightly different variants for each weight, which have been "carefully crafted to give a consistent appearance when switching between normal and inverse modes." In other words, the typeface offers two slightly different thicknesses: DarkmodeOn and DarkmodeOff (below). Dalton Maag calls Darkmode "a typeface for the UIs of today and tomorrow," which improves digital navigation, on-screen reading and will ultimately help developers to create more reactive and responsive user experiences. You can currently snap up a free trial of Darkmode on Dalton Maag's website. And if you're inspired by the amount of thought and detail that goes into font design, our font design guide is a great place to start your typographical journey. Read more: These bad logo redesigns are the best (and worst) thing you'll see all day You've probably been writing the letter 'g' wrong for years Sun-Maid tries raisin' its profile with subtle logo tweak View the full article

a malicious app installed on a device can hide behind legitimate apps. View the full article

Alongside the likes of Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty, Scrabble might not seem like the most dramatic game around. But when it comes to their beloved board game, Scrabble fans are not to be messed with – as one mobile game publisher has found out the hard way. Mobile app Scrabble Go was only released in March, but its owner Scopely has already been forced back to the drawing board after fans complained about its flashy and fussy design (that's not how you enter our best iPhone apps list), complete with vivid colours and a treasure-style reward system. Scopely has now announced that these extra features have been toned down in a new Classic mode. Scrabble Go has not been a hit with traditionalist fans The war of words began when Scrabble Go was announced as a replacement for the previous, much more traditional app, owned by EA. In a statement on Twitter (below), EA revealed that its own beloved app will be discontinued on 5 June, as Scopely now owns the Scrabble franchise. Along with countless negative app store reviews, at the heart of fans' assault on Scrabble Go is a petition to keep the EA version alive. "I want to play traditional Scrabble, please," one supporter complained, "I don't want silly graphics and things popping up all over the place." "Scrabble GO has the correct name," said another. "You install it, see that it is junk, and then you GO and uninstall it." Ouch. While fans will be sad to note that the EA version has now disappeared from app stores, they can at least take some solace from the fact that Scopely has heard their complaints. "You asked and we listened!" Scopely announced on Facebook. "We’re introducing a “Scrabble Go Classic” option that puts Classic Mode at the forefront." In this mode, features such as boosts and rewards are disabled. We're pleased to see Scopely cater for traditionalist fans as well as those who prefer, er, lots of flashing things. As board game designs go, Scrabble is as iconic as it gets, and the busy UI of Scrabble Go is a far cry from the minimalism of of its namesake. Hopefully Classic mode go some way to placate fans who want more Scrabble and less 'Go'. It doesn't look like Scopely has too much to complain about – according to BBC, Scrabble Go has been downloaded over 10 million times since launching in March. Still, there's no denying that board game fans are a force to be reckoned with – a beautifully minimal UNO concept recently became a reality, thanks (again) to a fan petition. Read More: You can now get retro iPhone app icons – and you'll want them all right now These bad logo redesigns are the best (and worst) thing you'll see all day Is this what iOS 14 will look like? (We really hope so) View the full article