Galaxy S9/S9+ with 128GB and 256GB of storage available for pre-order May 1

Both variants will be sold exclusively through Samsung.com.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ are great smartphones, and with 64GB of internal storage and microSD support, offer plenty of space for all your local files. If you find yourself needing more room, however, Samsung’s got you covered with newly announced 128GB and 256GB versions of both phones.

These versions of the S9 and S9+ have all the same specs and features we already know from the handsets, with the exception that the 64GB of storage has been upgraded to 128GB and 256GB. The processor, display, cameras, and everything else remains the same. Plus, even with the increased storage, you can still expand them up to 400GB with a microSD card.

Pricing for the new and old models is as follows:

• Samsung Galaxy S9 w/ 64 GB — $719.99
• Samsung Galaxy S9 w/ 128GB — $769.99
• Samsung Galaxy S9 w/ 256GB — $819.99
• Samsung Galaxy S9+ w/ 64GB — $839.99
• Samsung Galaxy S9+ w/ 128GB — $889.99
• Samsung Galaxy S9+ w/ 256GB — $939.99

Samsung’s charging an extra $50 per each storage upgrade, and considering that you’re doubling the amount of space with each bump up, that’s not a bad deal at all.

The 128GB and 256GB S9 and S9+ will be available for pre-order beginning May 1 and will officially launch on May 18. For whatever reason, these versions will only be sold through Samsung.com and not at your local carrier store.

Additionally, anyone that pre-orders the new units or buys an existing S9/S9+ between May 1 and May 17 can get a free pair of Gear IconX (2018) wireless earbuds or purchase the Gear S3 Frontier for just $99 (normally $350)

See at Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+

• Galaxy S9 review: A great phone for the masses
• Galaxy S9 and S9+: Everything you need to know!
• Complete Galaxy S9 and S9+ specs
• Galaxy S9 vs. Google Pixel 2: Which should you buy?
• Galaxy S9 vs. Galaxy S8: Should you upgrade?
• Join our Galaxy S9 forums

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Camera maker DxO Labs files for bankruptcy

DxO Labs, maker of the DxO One camera attachment and PhotoLab, FilmPack and ViewPoint photo software, has filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection, PetaPixel reports. The company did so on March 7th and DxO Labs says it’s now undergoing a restructuring of its business. “We are very confident that this procedure, which should not last for more than a few more weeks, will not affect our customers in any way,” the company said in a statement. The bankruptcy won’t apply to the camera testing and rating company DxOMark, which was spun off from DxO Labs last September.

To emphasize its point that customers shouldn’t worry, DxO also announced two product releases. In June, it will release a free update of its PhotoLab software, which will include improved local correction features and support for seven additional cameras. Also in June, DxO will release a new version of the Nik Software Collection, which it bought from Google last year.

Via: PetaPixel

Source: DxO Labs

Apple Maps Vehicles Have Now Collected Street View Data in Over 40 States and 10 Countries

Apple Maps vehicles equipped with LiDAR equipment have now surveyed at least 41 states in the United States, with recent areas including Maine and Iowa, as the fleet of vans continue to collect mapping data across the country.

The vehicles first took to the streets in major American cities like New York in 2015, and they have since traveled to Croatia, France, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Apple periodically updates a list of locations where the vehicles will be collecting data on its website.

Apple’s page notes that it will “blur faces and license plates on collected images prior to publication,” suggesting that the company is working on a feature similar to Google’s Street View for Apple Maps.

Back in 2015, Mark Gurman reported that Apple planned to launch a 3D street view feature, based on a combination of its existing Flyover mode with street-level data. He also said the data would help Apple shift to an in-house mapping database by 2018, reducing its reliance on third-party sources like TomTom.

At the time, Gurman said Apple did not believe that Google’s classic Street View interfaces were intuitive to users, and as a result, he said the company was exploring new ways to present that kind of imagery.

Google launched Street View way back in 2007, so if Apple is truly working on its own competing feature, then it will presumably have points of differences. Otherwise, it is certainly possible that the vehicle-collected data will only be used for storefront imagery or other underlying mapping improvements.

When Apple’s fleet of vans first hit the streets, it was speculated they could be the basis of an Apple Car. But those rumors quieted down after the vans were labeled with Apple Maps decals, and because Apple has shifted towards testing self-driving software with Lexus 450h SUVs near its headquarters in California.

It’s too early to say when Apple will fully take advantage of the data it has collected, but with parts of at least 80 percent of the United States now surveyed, the fruits of the labor could be witnessed sooner rather than later.

Tags: Apple Maps, Apple Maps vehicles
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