Gadgets
Unpacked: Galaxy S6, S6 Edge aren’t what you expected
Today was one of the most anticipated days of the year, not only because it was the first day of Spring, officially, but because Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event was scheduled for today. The Unpacked event was highly anticipated because the South Korean company has teased their two new flagships, the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 repeatedly over the past few weeks. We’ve been anxious to see the real deal because all the teasers from Samsung were extremely promising, advertising a metal unibody, biometric fingerprint sensor, wireless charging, a completely new design, a minimized TouchWiz UI and an upgraded camera setup. If that’s wasn’t exciting enough, the company released teaser videos and photos showcasing the Galaxy S6 Edge, with dual edge displays drooping down each side of the phone. What’s not to be excited about if not two new flagships from the company that promised a complete redesign and re-orientation of their portfolio for 2015?
Today was the big day and everybody was stocked to tune into the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event in Barcelona, Spain. Tomorrow, the MWC 2015 fair will kick off and attendees will be able to actually test out the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge if they didn’t score tickets to the exclusive event. All is revealed today, as we’ve got the full scoop on the Unpacked event and what it brings forth for the year of wireless technology, according to Samsung. Even though we had extremely high expectations of both the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge and thought that maybe the smartphone manufacturer would not be able to meet those expectations, we were pleasantly surprised.
The HTC One M9 was revealed ahead of the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Event, so everybody was definitely wondering if Samsung could outdo HTC’s new smartphones that were launched ahead of the MWC 2015. We were pleasantly surprised by HTC, even though the handset was leaked days ahead of the big event. HTC execs had told us to sit tight, because they would unveil surprises and that we would be amazed and what we didn’t know about the HTC One M9.
The event started off at 18:30 CET/12:30 PM EST so we were expecting at least some neat fireworks to go off to celebrate Spring, if not the new flagships. We had heard a lot of rumors about the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge, but we were most curious about the design. After all, Samsung did give their flagship the “Project Zero” code-name last Fall and promised a complete redesign of the handset. From previously leaked images, we were expecting some sort of hybrid between Apple’s iPhone 6 design elements on the bottom of the phone, a bit of Samsung flare on the display, and a good deal of Galaxy Note Edge influences. But let’s get right into it, shall we?
The Galaxy S6 turned out to be not much different than the Galaxy S5. The totally re-imagined phone is not that interesting, as it looks like the old Galaxy S5 with a metal frame slapped onto it. That being said, it also comes with a major design flaw that most of you will criticize: a really protruding camera. Even though it’s got a new metal design, the back panel is made of Gorilla Glass 4, so it’s definitely very shiny. It’s thinner than the Galaxy S5, at 6.8 mm, and gets thinner bezels. The 5.1 inch display managed to fit into a pretty neat compact body, so we like that. The QHD display stayed, so we get more than 500 ppi pixel density on the phone. It’s a very bright phone so you’re definitely going to be able to use it outside. The color accuracy is great and right now, it seems to be the best display on the market right now.
The glossy panel on the back of the Galaxy S6 is quite a fingerprint magnet. Besides, the bottom of the phone does actually look like that of the iPhone 6, so those renders we’ve seen a few weeks ago showcasing that feature were spot-on. The fingerprint sensor has been improved, this time you don’t need to swipe on the home button, but a touch will be enough, much like TouchID. That’s a welcome improvement as the fingerprint sensor on the Galaxy S5 was pretty rowdy.
Even though the camera protrudes a lot from the back panel, it’s a pretty neat setup with a 16 MP sensor completely equipped with optical image stabilization and upgraded camera specs. You also get a wide-angle front-facing camera with a few new shortcuts you can use. Spec-wise, everything seems to be confirmed: Exynos 64 bit octa-core chipset backed by 3 GB RAM, but there’s no IP certification, which we’re pretty bummed about. Indeed, the Galaxy S6 is not waterproof like its predecessor. Moreover, there’s no microSD card slot available, and you can’t remove the back panel of the phone. You do get Qi wireless charging and an IR blaster, so that’s something. If you were hoping for good TouchWiz, nope. It’s better, but it’s not totally gone. The way in which the Galaxy S6 works seems faster, so TouchWiz has definitely been improved. Still, if you expect Android 5.0 Lollipop, it’s not that much.
The Galaxy S6 Edge doesn’t differ too much from the Galaxy S6, save for the design. The internal specs, materials, design are all the same, save for a bigger battery and a 5.1 inch display with two hanging edges. The edge display comes with a few extra features, including edge lighting, night clock, people edge and information stream. Information stream and night clock are familiar from the Note Edge, so that’s not new. The People Edge feature allows you to bring in shortcuts of your most used contacts and that’s it, you can’t customize it. Edge light just lights up the phone’s edges depending on your settings. For example, if I set pink for my mom calling, it will light up pink when my mom calls. Pretty easy, right?
Now, the big unveil did confirm most of the Galaxy S6 specs and Galaxy S6 Edge specs, but let’s see what the differences are between what we expected and what we got instead. First off, the Galaxy S6 was sure to come with a 5.1 inch QHD Super AMOLED panel, just like the Galaxy S6 Edge. Even though there was hope that Samsung would use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 CPU in their new flagships, by the end of the week, most people were sure that the companies split and that the South Korean smartphone giant would use its own octa-core Exynos chipset in the phone, coupled with 3 GB RAM and 32 or 64 GB internal storage. Android 5.0 Lollipop is a given with new launches, but we were speculating that TouchWiz would be completely revamped or replaced by Iconic UX. At the same time, judging by the many teasers Samsung released, we expected nothing less than built-in Qi wireless charging and fast charging, albeit incorporated with a smaller battery pack, even smaller than the Galaxy S5 had last year. Rumors about a biometric fingerprint sensor, much improved over the one found in the home button of the Galaxy S5 as well as rumors about a heart rate sensor, waterproof certification and a massive camera. We were hoping that the Galaxy S6 camera would incorporate a 20 MP sensor with optical image stabilization, as Samsung teased a lot of performance in the videos it released last week.
So how much of these rumors were confirmed? Most. We only got a 16 MP camera, but we did get extra 128 GB storage. TouchWiz is toned down, but not as much as we expected. No waterproof certification, which is a shame, but we do get fast charging and Qi wireless charging. The Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge will be available for purchase starting April 10. Now, we just need to find out how much these flagships will cost, but our hunch is ” a lot”. Does anybody see the Xperia Z3 – iPhone 6 – iPhone 6 Plus resemblance that I do?
Video games have transcended entertainment to become powerful tools for promoting health and wellness. One notable genre in this realm is fitness gaming, exemplified by titles like Hatsune Miku Fit Boxing, which motivates players to engage in physical activity to enhance their fitness levels. Building on this foundation, developers have ventured into women’s health with games designed to raise awareness and empower players to take control of their well-being. Here are 3 video games on women’s health that provide valuable health information and foster a sense of agency to uplift women around the world.
Tampon Run – Menstrual health
Created by Girls Who Code alumnae Andrea Gonzales and Sophie Houser in 2014, Tampon Run is an old-school 8-bit online game where the main character, Luna, lobs tampons to destroy enemies, who will confiscate the tampons if she lets them pass by. Interestingly, the concept of weaponized tampons is based on a real incident that occurred in 2013, where Texas state troopers confiscated tampons as potential projectiles, but not guns, from visitors observing a vote on abortion restrictions at the Texas State Capitol. The goal of Tampon Run is to destigmatize periods and menstrual products, which, up until recently, have not been properly studied to measure their absorbency, which underscores the need to address menstrual health so that women can get better care.
In between tossing tampons, Luna shares empowering messages about how periods are a natural part of women’s lives and should not be a source of shame or embarrassment. The game is available to play on the Tampon Run website and can be downloaded from the Apple App Store for iOS users.
PCOS Vitality – PCOS
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a complex hormonal condition and the leading cause of female infertility that affects approximately 5 to 6 million women in the US, according to the Endocrine Society. Common features of the condition include having irregular menstrual periods, hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovaries. Additionally, some studies estimate that up to 88% of women with PCOS are overweight or obese. While there are weight loss programs helping women tackle PCOS, focusing on aspects like lifestyle, symptom management, diet, and other tips for how to lose weight with PCOS, the condition itself remains grossly under-researched. For some women, it may take years to confirm that they have PCOS, as there are other disorders that mimic PCOS signs and symptoms that must be excluded.
The lack of research has extended to a lack of awareness among the general population and is what clinicians from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland are trying to address with the 2023 game PCOS Vitality. Essentially a learning tool, the game takes users through a simple obstacle course. As you click toward the finish line, you are asked simple trivia questions about PCOS. The game is free to play on Focus Games’ website.
Bound by Blood – Period poverty
Period poverty refers to the lack of regular access to period products, painkillers, or underwear during a menstrual cycle. In the US, where 16.9 million menstruating women live in poverty, two-thirds cannot afford basic menstrual products. Period poverty has also been associated with mental health issues and urinary tract infections.
Available to play on the itch.io website, Bound by Blood was created by Jessica Gates in 2017 and aims to educate players about the reality of period poverty. Users take the character of Beth, a homeless woman who wakes up in her car and realizes that she’s started her period. Players then make a series of choices to try to stay as hygienic as possible in spite of lacking resources such as menstrual products and clean restrooms. There isn’t really a way to “win” the game, and it is instead a peek into the reality of life where period products are inaccessible and how this affects women’s quality of life.
Through these games, players not only gain valuable insights into various aspects of women’s health but also find themselves actively engaged in their own well-being. As developers continue to explore this emerging field, the potential for video games to serve as educational tools and catalysts for change in healthcare remains promising
PS4 sales in the UK climbed by a shocking 633 percent year-over-year in 2023, so apparently the old system isn’t dead yet. The previous year’s very limited supply of the system is likely a major factor in this figure, since the console’s lifespan was drastically reduced because of chip shortages caused by the pandemic. Still, it’s proof that PlayStation’s original platform has unmet demand.
With the very low prices of PS4 software (both in-store and online at the PS Store), this strategy makes a lot of sense. Plus, it’s future-proof, so there’s no harm in stocking up on PS4s while new-gen pricing is still high, since if you decide to switch to a PS5 in the future, you can transfer all of your purchases across. Not to mention that the majority of new releases still come out on the PS4, with several offering free PS5 upgrades.
While the percentage rise may seem huge, real PS4 sales will probably be much lower. It’s a sign that the gadget, which is now a decade old, isn’t completely dead yet, and we expect it to keep receiving maintenance for a while longer. Of course, this is great news for Sony, because the company would rather have PS4 players playing on its last-gen gadget than none at all, even if it would love to have them upgrade to PS5.
A PS5 firmware update on a cold winter morning is unmatched. The latest PS5 system software update is 23.02–08.40.00 from Sony. Does this one add useful features or just boost system performance?
Though closer to the latter, it’s more than Sony’s favorite patch note. It fixes security issues, improves messages and usability, and boosts system software performance. Official patch notes for this 1.185GB update:
- We updated system software security
- We improved system software stability and performance
- Some screens now have better messages and usability
That’s it. PS5 gets another win to recover from its midweek slump. Do you share our enthusiasm for this firmware update? Comment below. To spice things up, make your comment rhyme.
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