Apple : New MacBook Pro 13-inch spotted with 10th-generation Ice Lake |
- New MacBook Pro 13-inch spotted with 10th-generation Ice Lake
- Motorola Razr vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip
- England vs Ireland live stream: how to watch Six Nations 2020 rugby online from anywhere
- Leicester v Man City live stream: how to watch Premier League football online from anywhere
- Bethesda has removed its games from Nvidia GeForce Now
- Wales vs France live stream: how to watch Six Nations 2020 rugby online from anywhere
- Apple, Samsung and others planning 65W fast charging tech this year
- The latest Amazon Fire Tablet deals can save you up to $50 this weekend
- What can the Samsung Galaxy S20 tell us about the Galaxy Note 20?
- Italy vs Scotland live stream: how to watch Six Nations 2020 rugby online from anywhere
- A new Star Wars movie is reportedly in the works, and it has a director (updated)
- Bose Home Speaker deals offer big sound for less this weekend
- What Sony's history of backward compatibility tells us about PS5
- Apex Legends players can return to Kings Canyon this weekend
- Android 11 could let you double-tap the back of your Pixel to launch apps
- Inventor of copy and paste dies at 74
- Post Office's broadband deal is the cheapest in the UK this weekend
- Our big Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra camera test: 100x zoom, 108MP photos and 40MP selfies
- Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 2 release date, news and updates
| New MacBook Pro 13-inch spotted with 10th-generation Ice Lake Posted: 22 Feb 2020 02:14 PM PST It looks like Apple has plans to give the MacBook Pro 13-inch a considerable power boost in 2020. And, it’s about darn time, especially since 8th-generation Intel Core processors are aging at this point, especially on a premium laptop. A 3DMark Time Spy benchmark, recently leaked by @_rogame on Twitter, shows a new 13-inch MacBook Pro boasting marked performance improvements over 2019’s second highest configuration. If you’re not familiar with this serial leaker, he was responsible for uncovering a Geekbench 4 benchmark of the 16-inch MacBook Pro boasting the Radeon 5500M graphics card before it came out. So, you know this is coming from a reliable source. The unreleased 13-inch MacBook Pro model is fitted with an Intel Core i7-1068NG7 processor with a 2.3GHz base clock, Turbo Boost up to 4.1GHz clocks and a TDP of 28W. Based on an earlier tweet, it also boasts 32GB of memory and 2TB of storage (SSD). It’s worth noting that the i7-1068NG7 could be a variant of the i7-1068G7, which Wccftech.com praises as the best performing mobile chip in the Ice Lake U family.
Improvements all aroundIf we were to go by this leak, we could be looking at a 13-inch MacBook Pro with a respectable boost in power. The benchmark pitted the i7 model against a 2019 MacBook Pro 13-inch with an 8th-generation Intel Core i5-8279U with 2.4GHz base, maximum Turbo frequency of 4.1GHz and a TDP of 28W. And, it shows the i7 having a 12% lead over the i5 in CPU testing and about a 29% increase in graphics performance. It’s unclear whether it has the same Iris Plus 655 graphics or is armed with a more powerful next-generation GPU. However, the presence of 32GB RAM could indicate that there might be more options for the 13-inch MacBook Pro 2020 in terms of memory. Currently, you can only upgrade to 16GB from 8GB. This is great news for folks who need more power, but want something more portable than the 16-inch MacBook Pro, however impressive it may be. There’s one other thing to note here: the i5 model is only the second highest configuration in the 2019 model. So, we’re wondering why this benchmark isn’t pitting the 10th-generation i7 with the highest one, which boasts 8th-generation i7 chip. It’s something to think about, especially if rumors about a 14-inch MacBook Pro – with suitably slim bezels but only slightly bigger chassis – are actually true. At the very least, we’re hoping that the 2020 entry-level MacBook Pro will, in fact, drop the awful Butterfly switches and adopt the 16-inch’s Scissor switches, which are by far the “best keyboard we’ve used on a MacBook.” We won’t have to wait long to find out. If we were to go by Apple’s recent EEC filings and the fact that the 2019 MacBook Pro 13-inch was refreshed back in July 2019, we’ll be seeing the 2020 model soon. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Motorola Razr vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip Posted: 22 Feb 2020 01:00 PM PST 2020 has started with a bang as a pair of clamshell foldables have hit the market nearly simultaneously to duel over which is the better device. In one corner, the throwback Motorola Razr, and in the other, the surprise Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. Typically, our versus pieces pick apart very similar phones to reveal granular but crucial differences. With the Razr and Z Flip, those differences are far more apparent. In general, the Z Flip has higher specs and a sharper display, while the Razr has a more svelte, distinct look. What’s this mean? That the clamshell foldable smartphone is still very much in its infancy, and both of these particular devices were first to market – and were built in different labs that didn’t inform each other’s design. So while we might feel more strongly about one over the other, they’re distinct approaches to the challenge of constructing a typical smartphone that can fold in half. So without further pontificating, here’s exactly how the Motorola Razr and Samsung Z Flip differ, section by section. Motorola Razr vs. Samsung Z Flip price analysisThe Motorola Razr was revealed in November 2019, and despite delays due to supply issues, became the first foldable to hit the market when it launched on February 6, 2020 in the US. The Samsung Z Flip very quickly followed, with an introduction at Samsung Unpacked on February 11, 2020 and a release on February 14. By simple price comparison, the Razr costs more at $1,499 (around £1,350, AU$2699) than the Z Flip, which retails for $1,380 / £1,300 (around AU$2,050). For phones with little if any bonus functionality, this is a steep pricetag. It’s not too far away from the Samsung Galaxy Fold, which $1,980 / £1,900 / AU$2,900 That’s not the whole story: the Razr is available exclusively from carriers in the US and UK (Verizon and EE, respectively), while it will be available in Australia on February 24 from JB HiFi and Telstra. The Samsung Z Flip enjoyed a wider US release on AT&T and Sprint as well as retailers like Best Buy and Samsung’s website, Motorola Razr vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip designThe similarities between both devices – clamshell foldables with an interior display about the size of a typical smartphone – belie their very real differences, in both design and use. Let’s start with the obvious. Yes, both phones fold closed into a footprint about half the size of your typical smartphone, making them easier to fit in small pockets. That makes them thicker, though the Razr is the thinner of the two. That’s because Motorola opted to revive the original Razr v3’s design: a sleek phone with a shorter top end that folds into the scalloped “chin” at the bottom. It’s definitely a throwback look, and while its spring-loaded hinges let it snap open and closed, there’s too much tension to keep the phone open at any other angle. Not so with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. This phone can stay open at pretty much any angle, and there’s even additional functionality when used in this way, essentially splitting the display into two parts for, say, hands-free selfies. That’s representative of their user experience philosophies. The Razr is meant to be used open or closed, with a Quick Look mini screen for selfies and checking time or notifications. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip can be used at a variety of angles, so its exterior display is very small, mostly used for time and basic media controls – though it will preview your closed-phone selfies. The last big thing to point out: the Razr is more compact, but it also lacks a SIM/microSD slot, meaning you’re stuck with the included 128GB of storage. The Samsung Z Flip has a SIM slot but, again, no microSD slot. As far as fingerprint sensors, the Razr’s chin-mounted scanner is erratic and only really registers if the finger’s exactly upright. The Z Flip’s side-mounted sensor located in the power button, imported wholesale from the Samsung Galaxy S10e, feels more forgiving in reading fingerprints, Motorola Razr vs. Samsung Z Flip displayAnother contentious battleground for foldables is, well, their foldable display. As clamshell devices, both the Razr and Z Flip have interior screens that unfold into lengths comparable to a standard smartphone display. It’s their material that makes a difference. The Razr is a plastic 6.2-inch P-OLED display, much like that found on the Samsung Galaxy Fold. It’s thin, and you can feel the hinge and phone surfaces underneath when running a finger over it. It operates just like a display on any other smartphone, though its width results in a narrow 2,142 x 876 pixel resolution, which we found is so slim that video was capped at 720p on YouTube. The Z Flip has a larger 6.7-inch AMOLED display - and as Samsung claims, it’s made of an ultra-thin flexible glass, which is a development that phonemakers have been chasing to produce a superior foldable device. But that claim is in question, given that teardowns like those by JerryRigEverything have suffered grooves and scratches from duller materials much like a plastic display. Durability is also a question for the Razr. In order to fold flat, it has a unique design that tucks the display into the hinge. After some time and a few folds, audible creaks emit every time the device is popped open. It’s not exactly an indicator of quality, but it is worrisome - and something the Z Flip doesn’t do. You will pay a bit of a price for the privilege to fold: both phones have different protective measures around their main displays that get in the way of the interface. The Razr’s thick chin makes it a bit annoying to access any bottom-mounted navigation options, while the Z Flip’s thick bumper plastic (first implemented in the revised Galaxy Fold to stop users from peeling off the screen protector) actually gets in the way of buttons or the navigation bar. Finally, there’s the front screens. When folded up, both devices have small-to-tiny glass displays for checking the time, seeing notifications, and previewing selfies. The Razr has a much bigger 2.7-inch (600 x 800) screen, which works well enough, while the Z Flip’s 1.1-inch (300 x 112) screen is barely enough to track time - though you can use it to preview a selfie if you don’t mind squinting. Motorola Razr vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip camerasBoth devices follow the same strategy: a main camera setup that can be used for selfies when the phone is closed (via the aforementioned mini screens), but which will primarily take photos while the phone is open. The Motorola Razr’s single 16MP f/1.7 camera takes decent selfies, though we found it tough to focus front-facing shots through the mini-display. Fully open, the camera performed well in daylight and unremarkably in low-light, though its Night Vision mode helped. Its smattering of other modes are typical of Motorola, with the fun but niche-appealing Cinemagraph and Spot Color rounding out the more typical panorama and slow-motion video. The Galaxy Z Flip wins out - on paper, at least, as supply shortages have meant we haven’t gotten our hands on the phone for longer than a 24-hour review period. But its dual 12MP f/1.8 main + 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide lenses make it a superior package, especially given how well a very similar lens duo worked in the Samsung Galaxy S10e. Both devices also have smaller front-facing cameras at the top of their internal displays - for video chatting, say, or just to take a selfie while the screen is open. The Razr’s 5MP f/2.0 lens is fine and clear enough, though we’d expect a bit clearer shots from the 10MP f/2.4 shooter on the Z Flip. Based on experience with previously-released phones from both brands, we’re willing to bet the Z Flip outperforms the Razr in terms of camera performance. But it’s not as much of a blowout as before given how much Motorola handsets’ cameras have improved. Motorola Razr vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip performanceOn paper, this versus will be a pretty clean comparison: the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is a more powerful phone, full stop. The Motorola Razr still has respectable specs, but they’re more in line with mid-range phones, not pricey flagships. It packs a Snapdragon 710 processor, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of non-expandable storage. In our testing, this was enough for typical use, web browsing, watching media, and gaming. The lower-than-expected chipset and RAM didn’t seem to hold the phone back. The Z Flip, on the other hand, packs the Snapdragon 855 Plus chipset, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage - and on-device space might be its biggest advantage, given neither device can be bought in bigger configurations, nor can they expand via microSD. If that wasn’t enough, the Z Flip comes with Android 10 out of the box, which is to be expected for any phone launching in 2020. But the Razr comes with Android 9, missing out on universal dark mode and new navigation options - some of which Motorola has added to the Razr as custom additions anyway, but not quite the same. Motorola Razr vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip batteryIn another consequence of design, the Motorola Razr comes with a smaller 2,510mAh battery than the Galaxy Z Flip’s 3,300mAh capacity. We haven’t gotten to test the Z Flip, but those sheer numbers lead us to expect longer battery life. That’s not a difference in layout, per se: both phones pack batteries in the top and bottom halves of the phone, per iFixit’s Motorola Razr and Galaxy Z Flip teardowns. We can only presume it’s a choice to pack as much in the available space, and the Z Flip seems to have more space. Neither phone has terribly fast charging - the Z Flip maxes out at 15W versus the 18W for the Razr - but Samsung’s foldable does have the option to wirelessly charge, which Motorola’s does not. ConclusionWhile the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip outshines the Motorola Razr in several (but not all) categories, we should restate that clamshell foldables are in their early days. These are two designs that approach the problem - how can smartphones fold? - from two different directions. At the end of the day, that’s exciting. Competition lowers prices, spurs innovation, and trims away what we dislike. While both the Razr and Z Flip have things we like, including basic foldability and some neat features that take advantage of the format, there are still things we want, like better battery life, expandable storage and a headphone jack (always have to ask). Hopefully that’s enough information to help anyone who’s picking between these foldables, but it’s also a look into the future of phones. In the coming years, we wouldn’t be surprised if folding functionality comes to cheaper and cheaper phones until it’s a standard perk that doesn’t push typical smartphone functionality up to premium prices.
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| England vs Ireland live stream: how to watch Six Nations 2020 rugby online from anywhere Posted: 22 Feb 2020 10:35 AM PST Having returned to winning ways with a narrow victory against Scotland, England face what is likely to be their most difficult challenge of their 2020 Six Nations campaign so far - a visit from the Irish. To make sure you catch every minute of this unmissable game, be sure to follow our England vs Ireland live stream guide to watch it from wherever you are. Ireland head to Twickenham on the back of two wins from two, their most recent being a battling win over tournament favourites Wales in Dublin. As well as maintaining their Grand Slam credentials, Andy Farrell's unbeaten side will also be looking to make amends for last season's 20-32 defeat to England at the Aviva Stadium. Eddie Jones’ side look set to be boosted by the availability of Manu Tuilagi and Henry Slade. The home side will, however, have to do without Anthony Watson thanks to a calf injury, while Mako Vunipola has had to pull out of the match for family reasons. There's mixed news for Ireland on the injury front with Caelan Doris and Will Addison set to be available for selection, while Garry Ringrose remains sidelined with a hand injury. It looks set to a tight affair at Twickenham and you can watch this Six Nations clash in its entirety - in some places for free - by following our England vs Ireland live stream guide below.
How to live stream England vs Ireland in the UK for freeHow to watch a Six Nations live stream when you're not in your countryIf you're away from home and outside of your home country, then you're going to run into problems when trying to stream coverage of the Six Nations from your native broadcaster as its likely to be location restricted. Thankfully, you'll still be able to watch all the action - all you need to do is make use of a VPN. Simply download and install the software or an app from one of the many VPN services out there. These will spoof your computer into thinking that you're in your home nation, allowing you to enjoy your regular broadcaster's coverage (so long as you comply with the broadcaster's Ts&Cs). So no need to search the internet for a link to a dodgy stream from a suspect website. Live stream England vs Ireland in AustraliaLive stream England vs Australia in New ZealandWatch the rugby union in Canada via a live stream for FREEHow to watch an England vs Ireland live stream online in the USThis posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Leicester v Man City live stream: how to watch Premier League football online from anywhere Posted: 22 Feb 2020 09:22 AM PST With Liverpool’s lead at the top of the Premier League seemingly now unassailable, a more competitive battle for the runners-up spot is now playing out between these two sides. That's why it's no surprise you're eager to learn how to get a Leicester vs Man City live stream today - no matter where in the world you happen to be. Leicester boss Brendan Rogers will be keen to arrest a slide which has seen his team win just once in the last five outings. While any fears that the threat of UEFA’s Champions League ban on Man City would effect Pep Guardiola’s side on the pitch were allayed on Wednesday with their routine 2-0 win over West Ham. Guardiola will be wanting a similar performance here at the King Power, however with a potentially season-defining Champions League clash with Real Madrid in mid-week, it’ll be interesting to see what sort of side he puts out for this fixture. The Foxes will have to make do without the suspended Hamza Choudhury, after the midfielder was sent off late in their match against Wolves. There is positive news for the home side, with Wilfred Ndidi set to be fully fit following his recent absence thanks to a knee injury. Man City look set to be without Spanish magician David SIlva, who was forced off in the second half in City’s win against West Ham. So expect to be former home-team hero Riyad Mahrez play some kind of part in this one. You can watch all of the action as it happens by checking out our Leicester v Manchester City live stream guide below.
Use a VPN to watch Premier League football from outside your countryIf you're abroad this weekend but still want to watch your home coverage, you'll need a VPN to do so. That's because your normal coverage will be geo-blocked. It's really easy to do and stops you having to tune in to some dodgy stream you've heard about on Reddit. How to stream Leicester v Man City live in the UKHow to watch Leicester City v Manchester City US live streamHow to watch a Premier League live stream in CanadaHow to live stream Leicester v Man City in AustraliaHow to watch Leicester City v Man City: New Zealand live streamHow to live stream Leicester City v Man City in IndiaThis posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Bethesda has removed its games from Nvidia GeForce Now Posted: 22 Feb 2020 08:27 AM PST In a fresh blow for Nvidia's fledgling GeForce Now cloud streaming platform, Bethesda has removed its games from the service. In a post on the Nvidia forums, an official representative listed exactly which games are being withdrawn and it seems to be all of them but one: Wolfenstein Youngblood. The full list of removed titles is as follows:
Teething problemsThe exact reason for Bethesda's withdrawal is unclear but it's not a great look for GeForce Now, especially so soon after Activision Blizzard removed its games from the service just over a week ago.
Activision's withdrawal turned out to be due to a "misunderstanding" on Nvidia's part, with Nvidia stating “Activision Blizzard has been a fantastic partner during the GeForce Now beta, which we took to include the free trial period for our founders' membership. Recognising the misunderstanding, we removed their games from our service, with hope we can work with them to re-enable these, and more, in the future.” It's not been confirmed if Bethesda's decision has been made for similar reasons. As GeForce Now has launched for everyone after many years in development, it now has two tiers available to users. One tier is free while the other, called the Founder's Edition, costs £4.99 / €5.49 / $4.99 per month following a 90 day free trial period. It seems to be the transition from a free beta-mode service to a paid one that's causing issues with publishers. Though Nvidia hasn't addressed the removal of Bethesda's titles specifically just yet, it has already warned users in another blog post that they might see some games leave GeForce Now as it shifted from free to paid, though it expected instances of this to be "few and far between". "This trial is an important transitional period where gamers, developers and publishers can try the premium experience with minimal commitment while we continue to refine our offering," Nvidia explained. "As we approach a paid service, some publishers may choose to remove games before the trial period ends. Ultimately, they maintain control over their content and decide whether the game you purchase includes streaming on GeForce NOW. Meanwhile, others will bring games back as they continue to realize GeForce NOW’s value." Regardless of the warning, many users aren't exactly pleased with the news that so many big name titles are suddenly unavailable to them, especially those who have purchased these games specifically to use on the GeForce Now platform. Nvidia, for its part, is requesting that its users be "patient" as it works through the teething period, stating that it aims to make "as many games available as possible". It's not all bad news for GeForce Now, though. As we noted in our review, at the moment Nvidia has an accessibility advantage over its competition in that it already has a free tier available to players without the need for any upfront cost. In addition, although games are being pulled, GeForce Now is still getting some big wins like the recently announced support for Cyberpunk 2077 when it launches in September. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Wales vs France live stream: how to watch Six Nations 2020 rugby online from anywhere Posted: 22 Feb 2020 08:15 AM PST With Wales' hopes of consecutive Grand Slam Six Nations titles falling apart in their game week 2 clash with Ireland in Dublin, they'll be hoping to get back to winning ways at home to France today. It's a huge 2020 Six Nations game for both teams and one you'll be able to watch live no matter where you are in the world by following our Wales vs France live stream guide below. France followed up their opening week win over England with another victory against Italy, but it was a far less impressive performance, and one they'll be looking to improve upon in Cardiff. There's likely to be big changes to Wayne Pivac's starting line up with Dan Biggar and Josh Adams’ involvement in doubt thanks to injuries sustained in Dublin. French coach Fabien Galthie also looks likely to ring the changes following his side's below par performance against Italy, with Sekou Makalou, Cyril Cazeaux, Baptiste Couilloud and Julien Heriteau all set to be on the sidelines for this match. With both teams keen to improve upon their most recent outing, expect a tight game at the Principality. The great news is that this match is free-to-air in the UK, so you can tune in to an Wales vs France live stream for free if you're there. For all your other viewing options, keep on reading.
How to live stream Wales vs France in the UK for freeLive stream the Six Nations when you're not in your countryIf you're travelling outside of your home country - whether that be the UK or anywhere else - and try to start streaming the rugby via your regular native broadcaster, you'll likely run into problems as the broadcast will be location restricted. There's no need to miss the action, however. Help is at hand in the form of a VPN - simply download and install the software or an app from one of the many VPN services out there to trick your computer into thinking that it's back home. That way you can enjoy your home coverage (so long as you comply with the broadcaster's TS&Cs), without using an illegal stream from a risky source. Live stream Wales vs France in AustraliaLive stream Wales vs France in New ZealandLive stream the rugby union in Canada - for FREEHow to watch an Wales vs France live stream online in the US
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| Apple, Samsung and others planning 65W fast charging tech this year Posted: 22 Feb 2020 06:30 AM PST Manufacturers including Apple, Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi and Oppo are planning to unveil power chargers based on GaN (gallium nitride) technology this year, potentially offering support for fast charging up to 65W. The news comes from a report in IT Home, so don't take this as official confirmation just yet, but if it is true then we could be charging out gadgets at a substantially faster rate in the not-too-distant future. GaN chargers are more efficient and smaller, and require less components than their silicon counterparts. It should also mean more versatile chargers that are able to power up a broader range of devices over USB-C.
As with most emerging tech, it's been the high cost of manufacturing that has kept GaN chargers out of mainstream use up until this point. However, companies are now working out ways of getting these chargers into the hands of consumers at a reasonable price. When a GaN comes togetherPlenty of GaN devices were on show at CES 2020, a sure sign that the technology is ready to make a breakthrough over the next 12 months. You can already buy some third-party chargers based on GaN. Xiaomi already has a GaN charger on the market in fact, which works with the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro phone to charge up its battery from zero to full in 45 minutes (you'll still need a phone or laptop that supports the faster rate of course). As for what companies like Apple and Samsung might be planning to do with the technology, that remains to be seen. The fastest charger Apple currently sells with its iPhones is the 18W one bundled with the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. The new report gives no indication of when we might expect these new GaN chargers to appear, but we don't think we'll be waiting too long, considering products with the technology built in are already on the market. Via MacRumors This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The latest Amazon Fire Tablet deals can save you up to $50 this weekend Posted: 22 Feb 2020 06:26 AM PST Cheap Amazon Fire Tablet deals are back and offering up to $50 off Fire devices this weekend. That means big savings on cheap tablets - perfect for light work or on the go streaming, reading, and listening. We're seeing big savings across the Fire Tablet range right now, with additional savings on Kids Editions as well, starting at just $59.99. These bumper case protected cheap Amazon Fire Tablets offer a safe tablet experience designed around parental controls and screen time management, plus they come with a two year worry-free guarantee. The cheapest Amazon Fire Tablet deals we're seeing this weekend are on the Fire 7 tablet, up for just $39.99 right now. Or, upgrade to one of the HD models like the Amazon Fire HD 8 or 10 and you're picking up a larger display, often with faster processing and bigger storage. You'll find $20 off in the latest Amazon Fire HD 8 deals (now just $59.99) and a $40 saving on the most powerful model, the Amazon Fire HD 10 bringing it down to $109.99. These Amazon Fire Tablet deals offer fantastic savings on a range of different models, so whatever you're looking for, you'll find excellent prices today. Check out all the latest Amazon Fire Tablet prices if you're looking for more. Not in the US? Scroll down for the best Amazon Fire Tablet deals where you are. The latest cheap Amazon Fire Tablet dealsThe latest cheap Amazon Fire Tablet Kids Edition dealsIf you're shopping for cheap Amazon Fire Tablet deals for the kids, you'll be happy to know that there are plenty of features on the discounted Kids Editions geared towards parental controls and concerns. Not only do you get those two years of no questions asked replacements, but the Kids Editions also come with a year of FreeTime Unlimited. This subscription service provides access to all the entertainment content you could ask for and puts a stop to the threat of unexpected micro-transactions. We're tracking all the latest Amazon Fire Tablet prices here on TechRadar, but we're also keeping an eye on the best cheap iPad prices in case you're after something with a bit more power. Or, you can always check out the latest Samsung tablet sales. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| What can the Samsung Galaxy S20 tell us about the Galaxy Note 20? Posted: 22 Feb 2020 05:00 AM PST In mid-February the Samsung Galaxy S20 series of smartphones was launched, revealing Samsung’s vision for smartphones in 2020. While we may see some of the features from the top-end Galaxy S20 devices reach the budget Galaxy A devices, and possibly the Galaxy Tab S tablets, Samsung’s other big phones of the year are set to be the Galaxy Note 20 devices, likely launched around August, and they're the most obvious candidates for Samsung's top-end tech. The Samsung Galaxy Note phones come with S Pen styluses and top-end price tags, as they’re designed more for professionals and creatives than the standard Galaxy S smartphones. We haven’t heard that much about the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 yet, neither leaks and rumors nor officially confirmed features, but if we take a close look at the Galaxy S20 phones we could make a few predictions anyway. All aboard the 5G trainSamsung's doubling down on 5G While there was only one Samsung Galaxy S10 5G phone, the Galaxy S20, S20 Plus and S20 Ultra are all 5G (well, there are 4G versions of the first two in certain markets, but their proliferation doesn’t seem widespread). This shows Samsung is committing to a 5G future, and that means it’s highly likely that each model of Galaxy Note 20 will come with 5G. It’s worth pointing out that the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10 Plus both had 5G versions, but not all regions got the 5G versions of both, and the 4G versions proved much more popular generally. Yet if Samsung continues its 5G push it’s possible there won't be a 4G version at all for the Galaxy Note 20, at least in most markets. Camera features over specsThe Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra with its massive camera bump on the rear While the Samsung Galaxy S20 cameras received moderate hardware upgrades from their Galaxy S10 predecessors, most of the photography improvements - outside the S20 Ultra - took the form of new software and features. The Samsung Galaxy S20 has loads of tricks, like Single Take (which captures a picture from all its lenses at once), 8K video recording, and 30x digital zoom (thanks to plenty of cropping on the 3x optical zoom). Old popular modes are back too, such as Live Focus and Live Focus video, which from our experience are the shooting modes you’ll end up using most, at least if you like shooting people frequently. The increase of photography and video modes, despite the relatively similar camera hardware (forgetting the Galaxy S20 Ultra, which has some high-res sensors), suggests Samsung is focusing on post-processing software and cool tricks and features most of all. Perhaps, then, we could see the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 come with largely similar cameras to before, but a new suite of modes and options that change how you take pictures. A focus on screen qualityThe Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus with its bright display Instead of Samsung bigging up its new cameras at the Galaxy S20 launch, it spent much of its time talking about screen quality. The Galaxy S20 devices have WQHD+ displays with 120Hz refresh rates, some of the highest pixel-per-inch counts of any Samsung phone, and HDR10+. This focus on displays is something we’ve seen echoed by other companies in 2020, so Samsung is certainly not alone, but it’s something we’d certainly expect to see in the Galaxy Note 20 phones too. The Galaxy Note 10 Plus was QHD+ but the basic Note 10 was ‘only’ FHD+, both with 60Hz refresh rates. Compared to lots of phones they had amazing displays, but the Galaxy S20 series runs rings around them in terms of quality. Perhaps we’ll see the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 series bump up the refresh rate to 144Hz, as we’ve heard some gaming phones are starting to, and it’s possible one of the models could have a 4K display like the Sony Xperia 1 - though that big a bump in resolution is less likely. Regardless, whatever new tech Samsung has up its sleeves, we expect to be blown away. Super-size meThe Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is a pretty big beast There was no ‘Lite’ or ‘E’ version of the Samsung Galaxy S20, and people who wanted a budget version of the flagship had to settle for the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite or a similar Galaxy A device. However, Samsung did put out a super-huge S20 in the form of the Galaxy S20 Ultra. The Galaxy S20 Ultra is bigger than its non-Ultra counterparts, with a more impressive camera array and a bigger battery, reserved for those who have plenty of money to spend on a new smartphone. So if Samsung is focusing on big, top-end phones instead of budget models, we could see a Galaxy Note 20 Ultra or something similar – perhaps a stylus-laden device that crosses the bridge from phone to tablet. This would arguably have a more broad swathe of use cases, with the S Pen stylus making it a genuine pocket tablet in its own right. Sticking with the punch-holeSamsung Galaxy S10 Plus with its two front-facing cameras When the Samsung Galaxy S10 devices came out with their punch-hole cut-out front-facing cameras, the company stated it was already planning to drop the feature as soon as possible. One year on, not only is the company still using the design feature, it’s perfecting it by making it smaller, and adding it to its budget devices as well as its top-end ones. The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 devices debuted the position of punch-hole that the Galaxy S20s use, and it really looks like Samsung is sticking with the feature for the foreseeable future. Therefore, we’d expect to see the new Galaxy Note 20 devices stick with the punch-hole and keep it in that central position. Saying that, rumors point to the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 dropping its predecessor's large notch and instead debuting Samsung’s first under-screen cameras, and that phone is expected to launch alongside the Note phones. It’s certainly possible, then, that the Notes could use this technology too, but we’re not holding our breath for it just yet. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Italy vs Scotland live stream: how to watch Six Nations 2020 rugby online from anywhere Posted: 22 Feb 2020 04:18 AM PST The third weekend of the 2020 Six Nations brings together two teams who may yet again be fighting things out to avoid the wooden spoon. Don't miss a moment of the action, no matter where you are in the world, with our Six Nations 2020 Italy vs Scotland live stream guide. Scotland gave a good account of themselves in trying conditions against England at Murrayfield in their last Six Nations clash but lost 6-13 a closely-contested game. Coach Gregor Townsend will be looking for more of the same at the Stadio Olimpico against an Italy side that has not won a game in the Six Nations in five years. Townsend will likely keep favour with the majority of the side that did so well against England, but Matt Fagerson, Sam Skinner both look set to be included in the squad. Similarly, Italian interim head coach Franco Smith will likely keep faith with much of the side that managed to frustrate France for long periods of their last match. The last time the Azzurri tasted victory in the tournament was against the Scots in 2015, and Saturday's game will certainly be viewed by the Italians as providing their best opportunity of ending that drought. If you're a rugby fan in the UK you'll be relived to hear this game and the rest of the Six Nations will be broadcast free-to-air across the region, so you can tune in to a Italy vs Scotland live stream without the need for any sort of subscription. For all your other viewing options, keep on reading.
How to live stream Italy vs Scotland in the UK for freeHow to live stream the Six Nations when you're not in your countryIf you're abroad and outside of your home country, trying to live stream your regular native broadcaster's coverage of the Six Nations isn't likely to be possible as the stream will be location restricted. Fear not, however, as you'll still be able to watch all the action by using a VPN. All you need to do is download and install the software or an app from one of the many VPN services out there that will spoof your computer into thinking that it's located home. This means you'll be able to enjoy your home coverage (so long as you comply with the broadcaster's Ts&Cs), without having to hunt around dodgy websites for an illegal stream. Live stream Italy vs Scotland in AustraliaLive stream Italy vs Scotland in New ZealandWatch the rugby union in Canada via a live stream for FREEHow to watch an Italy vs Scotland live stream online in the USThis posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| A new Star Wars movie is reportedly in the works, and it has a director (updated) Posted: 22 Feb 2020 03:40 AM PST Update: The Exegol element of Deadline's story has been refuted by Borys Kit, who broke THR's report on the film. We've kept a few references to the planet in our story below just for clarity, but otherwise expect the movie to be set elsewhere. Original story: The existence of a new Star Wars movie has been reported by multiple outlets, and it's apparently set on the Sith planet of Exegol. The unnamed film could come to either Disney Plus or theater screens, and it's reportedly got both a writer and a director attached already. THR was the first to break the news, explaining that JD Dillard, the director of acclaimed 2016 sci-fi picture Sleight, is down to make this new movie. Matt Owens, a writer who worked on the shows Luke Cage and Agents of Shield, is apparently scripting it. Deadline then published a report that mentioned the Exegol detail. This hasn't been officially confirmed or announced by Lucasfilm, so keep that in mind. There's not much more to the story right now, other than it's apparently not associated with the Star Wars movie being produced by Marvel CCO Kevin Feige, or Rian Johnson's previously-announced new trilogy of movies. As both outlets note, it's plausible that any new Star Wars movie could be considered for Disney Plus, given how massively successful The Mandalorian has been on the platform. The next Star Wars theatrical movie officially on the schedule is releasing on December 16, 2022. We don't know what that film is yet, or who's directing it. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Bose Home Speaker deals offer big sound for less this weekend Posted: 22 Feb 2020 03:10 AM PST Bose speaker deals are a great way to save cash on usually expensive premium audio. Bose are renowned for their powerful sound, leading the charge in high-quality listening across their range of headphones and speaker systems. This weekend, you can save on one of the most impressive Bose speakers out there - the Bose Home Speaker 500. This Bose speaker deal currently comes in at $299 / £339 - a good $100 discount in the US and around £60 off in the UK. That's a fantastic price for an outstanding audio system, with two custom drivers pointed in opposite directions to create immersive, room-filling audio whatever the track. There's plenty of Bose smarts inside this speaker, but you'll also find your voice assistant of choice stashed away in the sleek shell as well. If you're looking to spend slightly less, but still want that trusted Bose name and smart assistant functionality included, you'll want to take a look at some cheaper Bose speaker deals. The successor to the 500, the Bose Home Speaker 300, is also available for less across the US and UK this weekend. You'll find it for as little as $199 / £199 right now, making it an excellent pick up if you're just looking for a cheap Bose speaker deal. The audio won't hold up to the quality of the 500 model, but unless you're an audiophile obsessed with finding the best sound out there, that's not likely to matter - the Bose 300 doesn't have bad sound quality by any stretch. Plus, there's plenty of tech inside this cheap Bose speaker working to make your smart assistant experience even better. The result is a clean interaction with excellent voice pickup rarely found on speakers that can reach these levels of volume. These cheap Bose speaker deals offer some fantastic prices on smart home audio right now, but if you're looking for something in their older range, or something more portable, why not check out all the latest Bose speaker prices. Today's best Bose Home Speaker deals in the US
Today's best Bose Home Speaker deals in the UKLooking for more models? You'll find plenty of the best Bose speaker prices right here on TechRadar, but we're also tracking the best Amazon Echo deals and the latest Apple HomePod sales as well. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| What Sony's history of backward compatibility tells us about PS5 Posted: 22 Feb 2020 03:00 AM PST So, the PS5 is on its way, and it’s going head-to-head with the equally next-gen Xbox Series X console. And while it’s tempting to look at the hefty PS4 sales figures as a sign that Sony’s dominance will continue, there is one area that the Xbox One clearly overtook, and that’s backward compatibility. What’s that, you ask? Backward compatibility is the ability of a console to play games published on prior platforms. Given how many games are published these days, its a slightly more daunting task than it used to be, and it’s telling that Sony largely wiped its hands of that kind of functionality years ago – even as Microsoft ensured its Xbox One consoles were still capable of playing hundreds of Xbox 360 titles. There’s a clear financial incentive to not supporting backward compatibility: if a gamer can’t use an old disc on a new console, they’re often likely to buy the game afresh, and often paying more than before for a remastered version that’s been optimized for superior hardware. For those of us without oodles of cash to spend, though, it can feel mean-spirited. And the issue of backward compatibility has clearly struck a chord with Sony in some way, as we know the PS5 will feature a whole load of backward compatibility for PS4 games. That’s exciting, of course: it means you won’t be scrabbling around for PS5 games to play when you get the next-gen console into your home. Just stick in a disc or load a downloaded game from your PS4 library! Sony’s history of backward compatibility, however, doesn’t necessarily inspire confidence that this trend is set to last – or that you’re getting quite what you might be hoping for. PS2: technical difficultiesThe PS2 remains to this day the world's bestselling console, by any manufacturer. Having launched in 2000, it went on to have unprecedented success – and it probably didn’t hurt that the original PS2 could play most of the PS1 games published on the prior console. There were a smattering of PS1 games that didn’t make the transition seamlessly, with bugs and glitches affecting titles such as Final Fantasy Anthology, Monkey Hero, and Mortal Kombat Trilogy (via PlayStation). But the philosophy was clear: you shouldn’t need to say goodbye to your favorite games for good, or not have a way to play them again if your old console went kaput. The PS2 Slim, however, changed things. Ensuring old games work on newer consoles requires work, and that workload was getting bigger the longer developers were pushing out games for the console, and the more that the PlayStation platform’s architecture changed with each new machine. The Slim version of the console, released in 2004, had an ever bigger list of titles it struggled to play, including Worms and various NHL games from the PS1, and even some PS2 titles such as Tomorrow Never Dies and Tiger Woods PGA Tour (via PlayStation). There were plenty of new games being released, of course, but these issues paved the way for Sony’s acceptance that not every game would make its way onto a new console. PS3: the beginning of the endYou may not remember this, but the PS3 had pretty excellent backward compatibility – for its original 20GB and 60GB models at least. These models played most PS1 and PS2 discs, bridging three different generations of games, along with the option to download these titles on the PlayStation Store – a first for Sony’s consoles on both counts. However, this compatibility wasn’t cheap, and did drive up the cost of the console – requiring dedicated hardware parts to read the PS2 discs, not to mention increased time spent on development of the console. Part of the reason the successive PS3 Slim was smaller and cheaper was the removal of this functionality, which paved the way for the current generation console’s stance on backward compatibility: don’t do it at all. PS4: streaming service, not fan serviceThat’s right: the PS4 did not (and does not) support PS3 discs, or any before it. This is partially due to Sony’s interest in game streaming, with its paid PS Now service enabled subscribers to access a library of several hundred legacy titles without having to own a disc or keep space for them on a hard drive. That’s all fine in theory, but the service hasn’t been without its problems, and doesn’t get around the issue of gamers having to pay to replay games they’ve already owned before. PS5: an uncertain futureWhat does all this mean? We know the PS5 will have backward compatibility for the majority of PS4 games, meaning your discs and downloads won’t be consigned to history… yet. But Sony’s previous pattern suggests this might get technically harder to keep up, as well as financially inadvisable – especially if it wants to really push its PS Now streaming service in the long term. It’s possible that a mid-cycle upgrade (say, a PS5 Slim) may drop some of this functionality, or backwards compatibility itself could be hidden behind a paywall, either packaged within PS Plus or as a standalone purchase. This might be naysaying, as the PS5 will also be the most powerful console Sony has built, and that might mean it doesn’t run into the same problems as previous generations of hardware. But if we take a long term view of the PlayStation console, we can’t be sure that backward compatibility will be both available and free forever on the PS5.
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| Apex Legends players can return to Kings Canyon this weekend Posted: 22 Feb 2020 02:31 AM PST Respawn is taking Apex Legends players back in time this weekend by bringing back the game's original Kings Canyon map for a limited period. Apex Legends may only be just over a year old but across the game’s first two seasons we watched the Kings Canyon map evolve before it was replaced in October 2019 with a brand new map, World’s Edge, which is still in play now. One of the best things about live service games like Apex Legends is that they keep things fresh with regular updates that herald new challenges, items and even maps. But sometimes you can’t help but get nostalgic for the old stuff, the original game that grabbed your attention in the first place. Long live Kings Canyon
So those that have missed the Kings Canyon map will be glad to know that for a limited period, between February 21 and February 24, it's returning to Apex Legends in its untouched Season 1 form for unranked matches. Unlike previous restorations of the Kings Canyon map, this one isn’t in a different form or part of a themed event, it's just the old map you remember. Those who don’t miss Kings Canyon at all or are more than happy with the current set up will be glad to know that World’s Edge is still available across this weekend as well. Players are able to access it as part of a separate playlist. This could actually be a good opportunity for ranked players to refresh their memories before Kings Canyon comes back as the setting for the next half of the game’s Ranked Series Split which will run from March 24 until May 5.
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| Android 11 could let you double-tap the back of your Pixel to launch apps Posted: 22 Feb 2020 02:30 AM PST The first Developer Preview of Android 11 continues to reveal new features that Google has in the pipeline for its mobile operating system – including a new gesture where you could double-tap the back of your Pixel phone to launch apps and actions. The feature isn't properly enabled yet but has been spotted in the Android 11 code by XDA Developers. As with any feature in this Developer Preview, it may get tweaked or removed altogether before the software gets a full and official release. Apparently "Columbus" is the codename for this new gesture, and a double-tap on the back of a compatible Google Pixel handset could, for example, launch the Google Assistant or the phone camera, or pause any audio that's currently playing.
Other references embedded in the code suggest this is indeed a Google Pixel exclusive, though it may roll out to other phones further down the line. We probably won't hear anything from Google about the double-tap feature until Google IO 2020 gets underway on May 12. Tap, squeeze, waveThe new gesture system doesn't require any special hardware – it just uses the accelerometer and gyroscope sensors that can be found in every phone to judge when you're double-tapping the back of the handset. According to XDA Developers, the double-tap can also dismiss timers, snooze alarms, unpin notifications, or trigger an action specified by the user. It looks as though you'll be able to configure this to do pretty much anything you like. Google has form for this sort of Pixel-exclusive gesture: every Pixel since the Pixel 2 has supported Active Edge (squeeze the sides of the phone to carry out an action), while the latest Pixel 4 phones support Motion Sense (wave above the phone to skip media tracks, silence alarms and more). There's likely to be plenty more from Android 11 in the coming weeks and months – Google is planning another two Developer Preview releases and then three Beta releases (which will be much easier to install for the average user). This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Inventor of copy and paste dies at 74 Posted: 22 Feb 2020 01:58 AM PST Computer scientist Larry Tesler, bets known for inventing the computer concepts of cut, copy and paste, has passed away at age 74. Tesler was born in New York in 1945 and he studied computer science at Stanford. After graduation, he worked in the university's genetics and computer science departments before becoming a research assistant at the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. In 1973, Tesler joined Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) and this is where he developed cut, copy and paste. These concepts were instrumental in the development of text editors and early computer operating systems.
While cut, copy and paste were developed at PARC, the research center is more well known for its early work on graphical user interfaces and using a mouse to navigate them because Apple co-founder Steve Jobs used many of its ideas as inspiration for Apple's products. In fact, Tesler was even part of some of Jobs' visits to Xerox. Modeless computingIn addition to creating cut, copy and paste, Tesler was also a big proponent of a concept called “modeless” computing. Basically modeless computing revolves around the idea that a program should not have different “modes” where a user's input works differently depending on which mode they're in. According to Tesler's personal website, he and a colleague named Tim Mott developed the idea while working on the Gypsy text editor back at PARC. He was such a big believer in modeless computing that the URL of his site is actually nomodes.com. Tesler joined Apple in 1980 and he worked at the company until 1997 where he eventually rose to the role of Chief Scientist. During that time, he worked on a number of products including the Macintosh, QuickTime, Lisa and even the Newton tablet. The Macintosh and Lisa were the first personal computers ever to include cut, copy and paste functionality as a result of Tesler's involvement in their development. After leaving Apple in 1997, Tesler had several short stints at a number of other big companies including Amazon, Yahoo!, 23andMe and others. Tesler's contribution to computing won't be forgotten any time soon as the concepts of cut, copy and paste have become fundamental to how we use computers and even smartphones today.
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| Post Office's broadband deal is the cheapest in the UK this weekend Posted: 22 Feb 2020 01:52 AM PST Costing absolutely nothing upfront and just £15.90 a month - the Post Office's current broadband deal is the cheapest you can get in the British Isles. Just take a look at our broadband comparison if you want proof! This is ideal for anyone looking to save big and isn't too concerned with speeds, with the average clocking in at 11Mb. It's very simply the best cheap broadband deal currently available, with your monthly bills coming in at less than £16 a month. So if you're ready to bag this cheap broadband deal from a well-known provider, scroll down to see this deal in full. Or, if you still want a great price but the Post Office isn't the provider for you - why not consult our fibre broadband deals guide for speedier options. For example, lesser-known Origin has got a broadband deal for £17.99/pm with average download speeds of 36Mb. We have more information on some of this weekend's most eye-catching broadband deals further down this page. The super cheap Post Office broadband deal in full:What other broadband deals are available?When it comes to cheap ADSL broadband, this is definitely one of the best options out there, but that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of other awesome options too. If you're looking for something faster and don't mind paying a bit more - then Vodafone's Superfast Fibre 2 could be the way to go. With this broadband deal you'd be paying just £23.95 a month for average speeds of 63Mb! And you even end up saving another couple of quid a month if your mobile is with the company. BT just dropped the price of its Superfast Fibre plan, too, meaning the provider's price for that plan has never been lower at £27.99 a month to get average speeds of 50Mb. Or if you fancy a freebie then Plusnet is an excellent choice right now, costing a mere £22.99 a month you would get average speeds of 36Mb and a whopping £75 cashback!
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| Our big Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra camera test: 100x zoom, 108MP photos and 40MP selfies Posted: 22 Feb 2020 01:13 AM PST We don't have to tell you that the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra camera is incredible – the 50 photos we're including in this camera deep dive speak for themselves. We tested the S20 Ultra 100x telephoto lens, which Samsung calls 'Space Zoom', and have our first thoughts on that. We've got photo samples from shooting on a tripod as well as while handheld; most importantly, we put the phone's photos side-by-side with those shot by top competitors (the likes of Apple, Google, OnePlus). As you can tell, we're taking our Galaxy S20 Ultra camera very seriously: Yeah, we're kind of nuts when it comes to properly testing smartphone cameras. The photo comparison gallery is below, however, if you have specific requests for a comparison or shot scenario, ask us about it on Twitter. We'll try to update this ongoing S20 Ultra camera review with answers. Yes, we'll include the S20 and S20 Plus as comparisons when we get those phones in for review, too. For now, we've photo galleries on multiple pages (to break up the photos that will load, not to annoy you with multiple pages, we swear!) showing the results of the following S20 Ultra camera modes:
Now onto the Galaxy S20 Ultra photo comparison gallery below. So how's that Galaxy S20 100x 'Space Zoom'?What's it like in 'Space Zoom'? That's the No. 1 question we had when we first did our Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra unboxing and fired up the camera. In a few words: impressive, but not always useable at the maximum 100x times zoom level. Samsung's folded lens, similar to the Huawei P30 Pro's periscope lens, sits sideways inside the smartphone to give it extra room and uses a mirror to turn 90 degrees and take shots out of the back of the phone. Otherwise, you wouldn't be getting to extreme zoom levels with a thin smartphone. Using a tripod for this first test, here are the results, starting with 1x (no zoom) and going to 2x, 10x, 30x and 100x, then back down to 0.5x for the ultra-wide. Edit: We went back and re-did our testing to include both day and night to see what happens when more shadows creep in. The S20 Ultra camera at 100x isn't something you'd post to Instagram – it's almost a stylized hand-drawn version of what New York City's Grand Central Terminal clock looks like. But this is close to what 10x digital zoom looks like on Samsung's competitors. Essentially, Samsung's camera is making 10x optical hybrid zoom fairly useable when that's the maximum digital zoom on many of its rivals (and its own previous cameras). Even 4x and 30x (which are preset zoom levels on the camera UI) are usable in the right scenarios (read: good lighting conditions and with a steady hand or tripod), while the 100x zoom feels like a neat tech demo and similar to the quality of 10x digital zoom on other phones cameras. Besides the S20 Ultra, here's what we've includedLooking at the Galaxy S20 Ultra camera's photos is helpful, but examining them alone isn't good enough for our testing. So we've included several of Samsung's rivals and two of last year's Samsung phones in many of the scenarios. Here's what we've included and why:
S20 Ultra vs last year's big Samsung phonesS20 Ultra vs much cheaper phonesNow onto the Galaxy S20 Ultra 'Live Focus' mode, which is Samsung calls its portrait mode, and more comparisons to tell how Samsung's new phone stacks up to its competitors. There's a lot of hype attached to the 108MP camera on the Galaxy S20 Ultra (which is exclusive to the Ultra, by the way), and it does in fact offer a bit more detail, according to our comparison tests. The same goes for the 40MP selfie camera. But we're not sure if we're going to use it as much as we thought, at least not for the reason we original thought, which was to immediately get better photos and selfies. Here's where we think 108MP and 40MP selfie photos will be useful: Let's take a look: 108MP cameraAt first, we noticed few differences between a 108MP and default 12MP photos from the Galaxy S20 Ultra – especially when we looked on the new phone's 6.9-inch screen and on various computer monitors. We don't have one of the 8K Samsung TVs we saw at CES or Samsung's The Wall TV to test it out on something much, much larger. But then we started cropping-in on a few example photos. Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra – 108MP main camera photo Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra – 12MP main camera photo So far the two versions look similar, but let's take that ex-employee example and run with it. Someone leaves the company just after a promotional workplace photo is taken (happens all of the time), and that person can easily be cropped out. S20 Ultra – cropped 108MP photo Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra – cropped 12MP photo Workplace photo saved – and our cropped S20 Ultra camera examples shows less quality loss from the 108MP version, with more noticeable oversharpening in the 12MP version. Thankfully, both Aaron (right) and Andrew (middle) are still very much part of Future. Thanks for posing, guys. Wait, now we want a photo of the magazines in the background and forgot to take one. There's going to be even more distortion punching in that far, but the 108MP handles it better. Galaxy S20 Ultra – 108MP cropped photo of magazines Galaxy S20 Ultra – 12MP cropped photo of magazines When we crop to look at a single magazine cover, both begin to degrade in quality, but we can at least read all of the text on the version that was originally 108MP. Just look at the text underneath 'Windsors'. So cropping in anywhere on a photo could give you an entirely new subject without distortion – or at least not as much distortion as normal. Look at the bottles at this sleepy New York City diner in the top left corner. Again, they look the same in both photos, until you crop in. Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra – 108MP main camera photo Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra – 12MP main camera photo All of a sudden, the 108MP version (which was about 11.6MB) showed the labels a bit better. Look for the word 'Silver' on the second bottle from the left. You can still read that on the 108MP version, but it's blurry on the 12MP version. Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra – cropped 108MP photo Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra – cropped 12MP photo Now, take this example, and imagine having a wide landscape photo of a city street. You'll be able to isolate a single taxi in the distance into its own photo, like you were taking a 12MP photo of that taxi from the very beginning. So, will you get better photos at 108MP? That all depends on what you plan to do with them. Closer subjects exhibit fewer differences – the cups have a bit more reflection in the 108MP cropped version than the 12MP cropped version, and if you were to zoom in further on the 'Warning' sign, the smaller text is somewhat legible in the 108MP shot. Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra – 108MP photo cropped-in Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra – 12MP photo cropped-in Yes, you could always use the 48MP telephoto lens to capture distant subjects, but what the 108MP camera does is give you more control after the shutter button in pressed. 40MP selfie cameraNow, onto the 40MP selfie camera. We did appreciate the wider field of view in the special 40MP mode. But overall? It won't make your selfies look that much better if you don't intend to crop them in. It's a small difference, but when you want to cut someone out of a selfie photo, this may be useful in a real-life scenario if you want to maintain the highest quality. Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 40MP selfie camera A crop of that same Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 40MP selfie photo (notice the gleam in the eye) Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 10MP selfie camera A crop of that same Samsung Galaxy S20 10MP selfie photo (notice the loss of detail when we crop in?) Samsung Galaxy S20 'Live Focus' portrait modeWe're still testing the Samsung's portrait mode, and the fact that the S20 Ultra has Time of Flight cameras (something missing on the normal S20), meaning it should be able to better sense depth and differentiate the foreground from the background. That's not always the case, as the S20 Ultra looks about as good as the Note 10 in our sample photos when it comes to determining the edges. However, our mobile editor, David Lumb, looks sharper in the S20 Ultra photos. And, for what it's worth, Samsung has consistently had 'the most fun' camera to use with its filters like Color Point (the selective back and white filter), even if it wasn't always 'the best' camera. This year, it could claim both titles. Galaxy S20 Ultra's biggest rivals in portrait modeEvery phonemaker does it differently, with some leaning into the bokeh (background blur) more than others. These phones also vary in how much they crop in to get that effect, so you may have to stand further back from your subject than you would to capture a normal. Really, it comes down to taste, though, we have have another set of portrait photos examples coming soon. Watch this page. iPhone 11 Pro Max portrait camera Google Pixel 4 portrait camera Last year's Samsung phonesSamsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus portrait camera S20 Ultra vs cheap phonesOnePlus 7 Pro portrait camera The OnePlus 7 Pro softened David's face in every attempt in this mode, so while we liked the OnePlus 3x telephoto camera, the portrait mode left something to be desired. Google Pixel 3a portrait camera For a camera phone that's $1,000 cheaper than the S20 Ultra, the Google Pixel 3a isn't bad by any stretch. Upgraded normal selfie photos comparisonWe're almost ready to call it: the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is poised to have the best selfie camera we've seen yet, according to our early testing. It's not the 40MP hype, though – you have to specifically select that in the UI anyway and the 40MP version is not really meant for dark environments due to the smaller size of individual pixels. It's the fact that our faces are well lit, colors pop nicely but not aggressively, and the camera UI is so easy to use compared to those of several other smartphones out there. We have a bit more to say about the group selfies UI, too, but here are the front-facing camera photos – note we are very cold in this pictures, but we do it for you. Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 10MP selfie camera How do S20 Ultra selfies compare to Samsung's rivals?iPhone 11 Pro Max selfie camera Google Pixel 4 selfie camera S20 Ultra vs last year's big Samsung phonesSamsung Galaxy S10 camera Samsung Galaxy S10 5G selfie camera (because it has a depth sensor, the S10 doesn't) Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus selfie camera S20 Ultra selfie camera vs cheap phonesOnePlus 7 Pro selfie camera Google Pixel 3a selfie camera Better group selfie camera UIHere's something we haven't noticed in other smartphone cameras before: you can zoom out for group selfies (OK, that's been in the Google Pixel 3, iPhone 11, and S10 series, etc), or you can have the camera do it for you based on face detection. That's right, pointing S20 Ultra front-facing camera at multiple friends will uncrop the front-facing camera in an effort to fit everyone in. Yet if you're taking a photo alone, it remains set to that more intimate zoomed-in perspective (note: the wide selfie is not actually a separate wide camera like on the Pixel 3, Samsung just crops selfies a bit more than it has to by default). It's a smart effect that other phonemakers have been including, but they make you manually press a button to get it to work. This is one less thing to worry about when trying to grab a quick selfie photo with several friends. We took more photo comparisons of the main and ultra-wide cameras to see how the camera mode captures more of what you want – which it does, but only sometimes. There's still some natural distortion and moving subjects have prone to blur more than on the main camera. But in the right scenario, you can really take advantage of Samsung's wide 120-degree field of view. More to come on with daytime ultra-wide photos in the next few hours. That main and ultra-wide cameraSamsung Galaxy S20 Ultra main camera Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra ultra-wide camera How does the S20 main and wide cameras compare to its rivals?iPhone 11 Pro Max main camera iPhone 11 Pro Max ultra-wide camera Google Pixel 4 main camera Oh, that's right – no ultra-wide camera on the Pixel 4 S20 Ultra vs last year's big Samsung phonesSamsung Galaxy S10 main camera Samsung Galaxy S10 ultra-wide camera Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus main camera Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus ultra-wide camera S20 Ultra vs cheap phonesOnePlus 7 Pro main camera OnePlus 7 Pro ultra-wide camera Google Pixel 3a main camera Nope, Google didn't make an ultra-wide camera here either Handheld S20 Ultra telephoto lens shotsSo, in the first test, we used a tripod to take the best possible shots on a the 'Space Zoom' setting. While shooting, we noticed New York City taxis whizzing by us on Park Avenue were creating tiny vibrations that affected the zoom. But really, we wanted to see what the camera was like while shooting handheld, because people will naturally use it that way. Here are our samples – this time from zoomed-in to zoomed-out. Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra camera (Pub gallery) Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra camera (bacon gallery) S20 Ultra camera testing continuesCongratulations, you've reached the end of our Samsung Galaxy S20 camera test – so far. We're going to be adding more photos and comparison shots over the weekend in order to determine whether or not the S20 Ultra has the best camera on any smartphone and, if it is better, by how much? Have any special requests for types of shots? Want a specific comparison to a phone? No we don't have the S20 and S20 Plus yet, but those will be coming in future tests. If so, hit us up on Twitter. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 2 release date, news and updates Posted: 22 Feb 2020 01:07 AM PST Since its launch in 2017, Fortnite has been a worldwide phenomenon and its headline-making move into a second chapter in October 2019 was only further confirmation of that. After Epic Games dumped its beloved game world into a massive black hole, leaving players without warning, assurance, or confirmation of what was to come next, it came back with its biggest update ever: Fortnite Chapter 2. Fortnite Chapter 2 brought plenty of tweaks and, most significantly, a brand new map for players to explore. As with everything, though, what was new became old and after one of Fortnite's longest seasons to date, players are glad to see that Chapter 2's second season has arrived with a new theme and some wonderful weirdness. What is Fortnite?Fortnite is one of the biggest video games of all time – and that’s not hyperbole. Since its launch in 2017, millions of players have tuned in to the free-to-play battle royale game, which sees 100 players duke it out to be the last one standing. All battle royale games take place on the same map – known as ‘the island’ – though Epic Games tends to tweak its exact features and geography for each new Season, or for timed events and alternative game modes. With a fun, cartoon style, blend of shooting and building mechanics, and accessible gameplay – with a fiercely competitive goal for each 1 v 100 game – it’s not hard to see why Fortnite has been so popular and permeated pop culture so broadly, with hordes of young’uns, teenagers, and adults all chipping in to give the game a try. Yes, even Drake plays it. There’s a campaign mode called Save The World, though it’s not usually what people refer to when they talk about Fortnite. What is Fortnite Chapter Two?Back in 2019, Fortnite had a reboot of sorts. Players were given a rude awakening on Sunday 13 October, when a massive black hole destroyed the game's island map and shut down all of the battle royale servers. It came at the end of a long-winded sci-fi plot that will likely only make sense to players who have been with the game for a significant amount of time – but what’s important is that the game disappeared, allowing Epic to make a completely fresh start with Fortnite Chapter 2, Season 1, rather than the Season 11 continuation that many expected. The new chapter brought some notable changes to Fortnite as well as a brand new map for players to explore. Now, we've entered this new chapter's second season which is proving to be a little more exciting than the first. When will Season 2 of Fortnite Chapter 2 start?The second season of Fortnite Chapter 2 will began on Thursday, February 20 2020. Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 2: what's new?It turns out that Epic's desire to keep things quiet before the launch of Season 2 was kind of appropriate since its overarching theme has now emerged to be spies and secret agents and its official title is Top Secret. So what's new in this fresh season? Well, hop in the battle tour bus and let us take you through it. Covert Factions In line with the secret agent theme, the game has some new factions called Ghost and Shadow. These factions have taken over the island and brought new locations with them as well as challenges, bosses and henchmen for you to contend with as well as your fellow players. It looks as though players will be able to choose which faction they want to join up with in order to complete Limited Time Operations that will decide the fate of the island. How that will come about remains unclear. Map Changes As expected, the map changes in Season 2 aren't quite on the same scale as the changes we saw to the map when the brand new chapter launched. But there are still some new locations to visit, tied to those aforementioned factions. There are five locations in total, each with its own Agent character tied to it: The Shark, The Yacht, The Agency, The Rig and Grotto. All of these locations are spy missions in themselves as they're teeming with henchmen and bosses to fight but taking the time to infiltrate them will garner high level rewards behind locked chests and doors as well as in special vaults. New Weapons and Items New weapons are tied to the season's five new Agent characters who appear as bosses of sorts to fight. You can pick up their weapons and ID cards when you defeat them and get access to their vault. Their weapons are Brutus’ Minigun, Meowscle’s Peow Peow Rifle, Midas’ Drum Gun, Skye’s Assault Rifle and TNTin’s Ka-Boo Bow. Aside from these more limited weapons, those unvaulted for this new season are the Boom Bow, Heavy Sniper Rifle, Remote Explosives, Grappler, Drum Gun and the Sword. Henchmen in the game will also drop rare variants of some weapons when you defeat them including the Suppressed Assault Rifle, Suppressed Submachine Gun, Suppressed Sniper Rifle, Suppressed Pistol and Minigun. Naturally there are also some spy gadgets to play with. These include a Sneaky Snowman, Invisibility Powerup, Smoke Grenade and Decoys, which are throwables which create a copy of your character to distract your enemies. Deadpool Challenges In the game's revamped lobby you'll find, through an air vent, Deadpool's lair. Inside there's a note about a Deadpool battle bus as well as a computer to track the game's new weekly Deadpool challenges. Maya Maya is a new character skin for the game but she's far more customisable than any Fortnite has had before. You can customize up to ten elements of her in order to create a somewhat unique skin to you. Cutomizable elements include her hair, tattoos, clothes, face paint and accessories. Each week there'll be a new part of her to customize with associated challenges. The catch is, to bring any of her customizations into the game you'll need to lock them in permanently, no changes. That means if you want her to have a cohesive look, it might be worth waiting until you've unlocked all of the options before you lock any of them in. New Battle Pass New season means a new battle pass and you can pick this one up for 950 V-bucks. It's the usual affair with challenges and rewards to unlock as you grind up to level 100. Rewards include V-bucks, special characters and skins, accessories and weapon wraps amongst other exclusive bits of loot. Where can I play Fortnite?Fortnite is a free-to-play game available to download on Android and iOS mobile, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Epic makes it money through optional purchases of skins and customizable items, though they are purely cosmetic and won’t improve your chances of winning – notwithstanding the ability of your sick outfit to intimidate other players.
Can I play Fortnite on mobile?Yes you can! Well, maybe. After months of waiting, Fortnite is finally on both iOS and Android, though you'll need a phone that can actually run the game. iOS users can download straight from the App Store. As long as you're using iOS 11 on iPhone 6S/SE, iPad Mini 4, iPad Air 2, iPad 2017, iPad Pro devices or later you'll be fine. Oh, and you'll need an internet connection, naturally. Fortnite also hit Android phones and finally came out of beta in October 2018. You can see the full list of phones – and how to find the Fortnite Installer – on our Fortnite on Android page. Is it the full game? It is the full Fortnite game. There are some small differences: it’s not quite as visually impressive as it is on more powerful devices, the controls are touchscreen, and a lot of audio cues have been made visual so you can play comfortably in public without the need for headphones. But you won’t be missing out on any key features. What's the deal with cross-play? A sweet deal is what it is. While previously Xbox One and PS4 owners couldn't play the game together, Sony's U-turn on the matter means that now everyone across Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android can all take part in the crossfire. So if you've got friends that prefer PC, others that prefer console and you're off on holiday with your mobile, that's no reason for the fun to stop. There's also cross-progression. So, if you're logged into your Fortnite account on mobile and you later log into your console to play there, everything you did on mobile later that day is carried over. Sounds great, how do I get it? We have a guide on how to get Fortnite on mobile on TechRadar and we're constantly updating it with the latest rollout news. If your device isn't there yet, keep checking back and one day it probably will be. What's a Fortnite Battle Pass?The Battle Pass is a purchasable item in Fortnite that gives you access to exclusive in-game rewards. As players complete daily challenges and level up their rank, they earn Battle Stars which can then be used to unlock Tiers in their Battle Pass. Each new Tier you unlock will bring both Free and Premium rewards. Everyone who has a Battle Pass will get the Free reward they unlock, but only Premium Pass holders will get the Premium reward. Battle Pass Premium can only be purchased with in-game V bucks and not with real money. You can purchase a Battle Pass for around £7/$10 in the Battle Pass tab of the game’s menu. Twitch Prime benefits Those who use Twitch Prime and play Fortnite will be glad to know that they have access to free loot right now. Those with a Prime account can claim the Fortnite Twitch Prime Pack and the Fortnite Twitch Prime Pack 2 which include a host of cosmetic items and are available across all platforms. The first pack includes two exclusive gliders and outfits: the Havoc Outfit and Back Bling, plus the Sub Commander Outfit and Slipstream Glider. The second pack contains three exclusive items for Fortnite’s Battle Royale mode including the camouflage-heavy Trailblazer Outfit, the True North Back Bling, and the Tenderizer Pickaxe. There’s also a brand new dance emote for those that like the dance floor as much as the battleground. The packs can only be claimed on a single platform, but they can be shared across PC/console and mobile as long as you use the same Epic account across these platforms. You can’t however, share your loot across PS4 and Xbox One even if you are using the same Epic account. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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In this manner my pal Wesley Virgin's report begins with this shocking and controversial VIDEO.
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