Google releases 1,000 high-res Earth View wallpapers that can be downloaded for free

Google Earth View is getting 1,000 more images. This is the biggest update yet to the collection. The new images show off stunning sights from satellites and providing a birds-eye view of the Earth’slandscapes and oceans. The new images are optimized for today’s screens. They feature brighter colors, sharper images, and resolutions up to 4K. 

Earth View is a “collection of the most striking landscapes found in Google Earth”. Google presents the pictures in the Earth View gallery or via its Chrome extension. For reference, Earth View is a spinoff of Google Earth, which represented 3D images of Earth that uses satellite and aerial photography to present landscapes and scenes from different perspectives. 

Google says, “to prepare the final image, we optimize the color profile for the particular landscape, and export the final image in ultra-high resolution.”

Google leverages Earth View images for the Wallpapers app on Android alongside using them for Ambient Mode on idle Chromecast-connected screens, Smart Display Photo Frame and Android TVs.  Now, the total number of images available now is 2,500. 

The upgraded imagery features more locations around the globe like Greenland, Venezuela, Australia, the United States, Antarctica, and Saudi Arabia. Google worked with Ubilabs to sift through 36 million square miles of satellite imagery, while “maintaining fine camera control to get just the right shot.”

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iQOO 3 5G smartphone with Snapdragon 865 SoC to be launched on February 25

iQOO 3 has a launch date. The company has announced that its upcoming 5G smartphone will be launched on February 25. While the launch date is for the Chinese market only, it is expected to be launched in India later this month. The handset has already been confirmed to sport a quad rear camera setup with a 48MP primary sensor. Recently, iQOO 3 teaser also gave us our first look at the device's camera setup. Separately, the smartphone was spotted on Geekbench.

iQOO took to Weibo to share the launch date of its upcoming 5G smartphone. The event will take place on February 25 at 2:30 PM CST. However, we don’t know if it will be live-streamed or not. Aside from the launch date, the teaser doesn’t reveal much.

Earlier teasers have suggested that iQOO 3 will feature a 3.5mm audio jack on the top, which is supplemented by a secondary microphone. The volume rockers and a red-coloured power button will be placed on the right side. The teaser image also showcases a quad rear camera setup with an LED flash. The handset is likely to sport a 48MP primary sensor. Moreover, iQOO 3 5G is tipped to come with UFS 3.1 storage. 

The handset was also spotted on Geekbench. iQOO is listed to be powered by a chipset named “kona”, which is the codename for the Snapdragon 865 chipset. According to the listing, the iQOO 3 5G will be equipped with 12GB RAM and run on Android 10. However, as per the TENAA listing, it could come in 6GB and 8GB RAM variants. The smartphone is tipped to have an in-display fingerprint sensor and a hole-punch display design.

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Apple iPhone SE 2 cases pop up online, suggest March 2020 launch

Apple’s upcoming low-cost iPhone has been the talk of the town for many months now. Earlier this year, we learnt that Apple could release not one but two successors to the well-known iPhone SE, with the first one hitting the market sometime later this year. This launch could happen sooner than we anticipated, partly because we’re currently seeing cases for an ‘iPhone SE 2’ pop up on online retail websites such as Amazon.com and Totallee. These cases also give us an idea about the iPhone SE 2’s overall dimensions.

The case sold by Totallee suggests that the iPhone SE 2 is essentially a revamped iPhone 8 with the same 4.7-inch IPS LCD screen but updated internals, a theory many experts have made in the recent past. The case has cutouts for a single camera and flash, suggesting the lack of any modifications to the iPhone 8’s original 12MP camera setup. The case appears to support wireless charging, which could mean that Apple hasn’t removed it to economise further. The case sold on Amazon.com appears to confirm the same.

Available in Frosted Black and Frosted Clear finishes, the Totallee case for the iPhone SE 2 is currently available for pre-order at $35 apiece (Rs 2,500 approx). Shipments are expected to start on March 24, which means Apple could launch the iPhone SE 2 sometime before that. Since this isn’t verified information, we suggest you take it with a pinch of salt. The Apple iPhone 8 on which the iPhone SE 2 is expected to be based is currently on sale in India for Rs 36,999. We recommend you wait for the newer model.

The iPhone SE was launched in early 2016 and gradually dropped from the market last year. Like what is currently rumoured about the iPhone SE 2, the original iPhone SE was a reworked version of a past model—the iPhone 5s. It was introduced in the market because many users preferred the device’s compact 4-inch screen and form factor. The iPhone SE was recently updated to iOS 13, and according to reports, will be updated to iOS 14 later in the year. You can read more about that here.

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Samsung and Xbox partner to announce Forza Street for Galaxy devices

Samsung took the stage at the Galaxy Unpacked 2020 event to announce a variety of devices. On the hardware front, the company announced its new flagship Galaxy S20 trio, a clamshell foldable Galaxy Z Flip as well as Galaxy Buds+ truly wireless earphones. While the limelight was taken by devices, there was another announcement that you might have missed. Forza Street, a free-to-play racing game, is coming to Samsung's Galaxy devices. This is the first time in the Forza series that a game will be playable outside of PC and Xbox. 

Microsoft’s Turn 10 Studios launched the Forza Street in April last year. It is a free-to-play racing game for Windows 10 users. While the game was launched on Windows 10, the company had promised to release the title on both Android and iOS later in the year. The game is listed on Google Play Store for quite some time now. However, it still isn’t available for download. Now, at the Galaxy Unpacked 2020 event, Samsung showcased the game running on its latest Galaxy S20 lineup. 

“Later this Spring, Samsung partner, Microsoft, will launch its popular Forza Street in the Galaxy Store, marking the first time the game is coming to mobile.”

As per the announcement, Forza Street is expected to be made available on the Play Store later this year. According to Microsoft, the controls for the game have been streamlined for touch screen devices. It says that just like the game on PC, players will have to perfectly time the gas, brake, and boost pedals to win. Those interested can register for the game here.

"Working with partners like Samsung is an important step in our Project xCloud journey and will help make game streaming more accessible for gamers. We look forward to sharing more later this year," Microsoft said in a statement given to CNet.

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Samsung Galaxy M31 micro-site reveals key specs and launch date

Samsung is looking forward to expanding its Galaxy M-series. Introduced last year, the Galaxy M30 sold well. Now, the company is all set to launch its successor in 2020. The Galaxy M31 micro-site is live on Samsung’s website. It reveals several key specifications of the device as well as its launch date. The smartphone is also speculated to run Android 10 based on One UI 2.0.

The latest development comes from Samsung itself. The Galaxy M31 micro-site has been made live and it mentions that the device will launch on February 25 at 12 noon. Moreover, it reveals the design of the handset as well. Samsung Galaxy M31 is shown to feature a quad rear camera setup housed in a vertically-aligned rectangular camera module. On the front, the handset sports a waterdrop notch and minimal bezels. The volume rockers and power button lie on the right edge of the handset. 

The Galaxy M31 is listed to sport a 64MP primary rear camera. For reference, the Galaxy M30 had a 13MP primary shooter in its triple rear camera setup. If we go by the rumours, the smartphone may come with an 8MP secondary lens and two 5MP sensors. Further, it is tipped to sport a 32MP selfie camera. The smartphone will pack a 6000mAh battery. 

The handset will feature an FHD+ sAMOLED Infinity U Display. Samsung is rumoured to offer the Galaxy M31 in 6GB RAM + 64GB storage and 8GB RAM + 128GB storage variants. It may be powered by the Exynos 9611 chipset. It is said to have a USB Type-C port with 15W fast charging support.

Samsung will be launching the Galaxy M31 on February 25. We expect more details to emerge soon. 

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Samsung Galaxy S20 trio launched with 120Hz refresh rate, 8K video recording and more

Samsung took the stage at Unpacked 2020 to take wraps off the Galaxy S20 series. The latest flagship lineup contains three models - Galaxy S20, Galaxy 20+ and Galaxy S20 Ultra. The handsets come in both 4G and 5G variants. All three phones boast of new 120Hz refresh rate displays and 8K video recording. Alongside the flagship devices, the company also launched its clamshell foldable phone - the Galaxy Z Flip, and the Galaxy Buds truly wireless earphones

Samsung Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+ specifications

The entry-level Galaxy S20 features a 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, whereas the Galaxy S20+ comes equipped with a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. Both the smartphones sport a Quad HD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. They have an Infinity O panel with close to bezel-less design, which houses the front-facing camera. 

Samsung Galaxy S20

Depending on the region the handsets will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC or the Exynos 990 chipset. The handsets come in two RAM variants of 8GB or 12GB (5G only) with 128GB of internal storage. The Galaxy S20+ gets a 256GB and 512GB storage model as well. The storage is expandable up to 1TB via a hybrid microSD card slot. Both the smartphones are IP68 certified for dust and water resistance.

On the optics front, the Galaxy S20 comes with a triple rear camera setup: a 12MP primary lens + 12MP ultra-wide-angle lens with 120-degree FoV and an f/2.2 aperture + a 64MP telephoto camera with an f/2.0 aperture. The Galaxy S20+ has the same set of cameras, but it comes equipped with a depth sensor (making it a quad-camera). The rear camera setup features Space Zoom, which is a hybrid optic zoom of 3X, and a super-resolution zoom of up to 30X. There is also a new feature called 'Single Take’ that captures a short video, along with a photo from all the sensors, for various perspectives. On the front lies a 10MP selfie shooter.

Samsung Galaxy S20+

Samsung Galaxy S20 packs a 4000mAh battery, whereas the Galaxy S20+ comes with a 4500mAh battery. They have support for 25W fast charging (charger included in the box). Moreover, the handsets support  Fast Wireless Charging 2.0, and reverse wireless charging as well.

Both the smartphones run One UI 2.1 based on Android 10. As for the connectivity options, the handsets come equipped with dual-band Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5, NFC. They also have stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos sound.

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra specifications

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is the most premium offering from the company. It features a 6.9-inch QHD Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. While the chipset remains the same as its younger siblings, it comes with either 12GB or 16GB RAM. Storage options range from  128GB, 256GB and 512GB for both the LTE and 5G variants. The handset packs a 5000mAh battery that supports 45W fast charging, through the optional adapter.

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

The optics change as well. Apart from the wide-angle and depth cameras, the primary camera is a 108MP sensor with an f/1.8 aperture that supports OIS and PDAF. It gets a 48MP telephoto lens with an f/3.5 aperture, PDAF and OIS. The Galaxy S20 Ultra also features a new periscope-style telephoto lens, which allows it to achieve 10x hybrid optical zoom and maximum ‘Super Resolution Zoom' of up to 100x. On the front lies a 40MP selfie shooter.

Starting price of the three smartphones:

Samsung Galaxy S20 5G: $999 (approx Rs 71,300) Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G: $1,199 (approx Rs 85,500) Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra: $1,399 (approx Rs. 99,800)

We are yet to hear about India pricing or availability. 

Further, Samsung launched the Galaxy Buds truly wireless earphones. It features two-way speakers, three microphones for improved sound and voice clarity, and up to 11 hours of battery life on one charge, with the case adding another 11 hours. The ‘Galaxy Buds’ app allows the earphones to work with iOS devices as well. 

Samsung also launched the clamshell Galaxy Z Flip at the launch. You can read about it here.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is the first phone with foldable glass display: All you need to know

After numerous leaks and speculations, Samsung finally announced details of its second foldable phone at the Galaxy Unpacked 2020 event. As expected, the smartphone features a clamshell folding design, similar to the Motorola Razr. However, instead of a plastic display, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip uses a foldable glass display, which is a first in its category. The “ultra-thin glass” used on the handset is touted to withstand 200,000 folds and is said to be proprietary tech, which has been branded as “Ultra Thin Glass.” There is also a new hideaway hinge that is aimed at addressing the ingress of dust. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip specifications

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip features a 6.7-inch Full HD+ Dynamic AMOLED punch-hole display that sports a 2636 x 1080p resolution at 425ppi. There’s also a secondary cover display on the outer lid, which is a 1.1-inch Super AMOLED screen with 300 x 112p resolution. The secondary display will show notifications of missed calls, messages and can also work as a viewfinder to assist in capturing selfies using the rear cameras. The handset sports 8GB RAM and comes with 256GB of internal storage. 

The Galaxy Z Flip is powered by an unnamed 64-bit octa-core processor that can attain 2.95GHz of maximum clock speeds. In terms of optics, there are dual 12MP cameras on the back that consists of an ultra-wide-angle camera with f/2.2 aperture and an ultra-wide camera with an f/1.8 lens. The wide-angle camera supports Optical Image Stabilization. There’s also up to 8x digital zoom, HDR10+ recording support and tracking Auto Focus. The handset runs on Android 10 and is backed by a 3300mAh battery. 

Samsung has developed a new UI for the Galaxy Z Flip in collaboration with Google. It is called Flex mode UI and it’s designed for viewing images or YouTube videos. The hinge mechanism also enables ones to separately use the two halves of the screen when the phone is partially folded. Samsung says that the hinge on the phone uses special nylon fibres to prevent dust from getting inside. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip price and availability details

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is priced at $1,380 (Rs 98,400 approx) and it will go on sale in limited quantities, starting in select markets from February 14. These select markets include South Korea and the United States. The handset comes in Mirror Black and Mirror Purple colour variants but there will also be a Mirror Gold colour model as well. There’s no info on when it will be made available in India. 

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