Gadgets
Surface Pro 4 release date, specs and new design rumor round-up
Although the Microsoft Build Developer conference of the week was not as eventful as predicted, we do have a hunch that that’s not all that Microsoft has planned for May. New rumors about the Surface Pro 4 release date have come to light which make us believe that the Redmond giant truly has something up its sleeve. The Microsoft Surface Pro 3 is considered the best convertible Windows machine on the market, so there are a lot of expectations of the successor. Hopefully, the Surface Pro 4 will fix the few things that were wrong with the Surface Pro 3 and add a few neat features. Or at least that’s what the most recent rumors, as well as the more dated ones are suggesting.
The Surface Pro 4 release date is set for mid-May according to our sources, which is a bit weird seeing as a few weeks time after the Build conference don’t seem like a lot of time to get a product ready if it wasn’t for the Build conference. In any case, there has to be some truth to this rumor as everybody on the internets seems to agree with these predictions, and our sources are very confident that the company will be revealing the Surface Pro 4 before Windows 10 becomes a public release. The Windows 10 release date is not set yet, but Microsoft is thinking of August as the deadline. Since Windows 10 for Phones will also be launched at the same time, rumor has it that both desktop and mobile versions of the software will get their own hardware to go with. The Surface Pro 4 might be the laptop/convertible piece of tech and the Lumia 940 the mobile piece of tech, but something doesn’t add up.
Although it’s a bit odd to hear about a Surface Pro 4 release date set for May, we are pretty confident that it’s coming soon. Various reports from around the web are talking about Microsoft improving screen resolution, processing power, adding a neat camera and a new stylus after the purchase of N-Trig, the styli maker. We will definitely find out more about the Surface Pro 4 as we eek closer to Summer, but until then let’s see what we’ve heard about it so far. Although the Surface Pro 3 was a pretty comprehensive device, it still wasn’t as productive and versatile as people would have expected. As such, the Surface Pro 4 design is bound to be tweaked a little and there’s rumors about Microsoft going down the Lenovo path and adding a hinge-type keyboard that will come along with the device, not separately as the magnetic keyboards do when it comes to the Surface Pro 3.
There were many people annoyed by the fact that the Surface Pro 3 price was high from the get-go and yet they still had to come up with a few hundred bucks extra for accessories. Seeing as Microsoft is making Windows 10 free and heading up the alley of consumer preferences for compact gadgets for a unified price, the Surface Pro 4 will most likely be sold as a set: the convertible tablet (with a hinge mechanism or a magnetic keyboard) and the stylus all in one package for a more reasonable price of around $600 for the base model that will have a Core M processor. The more powerful Surface Pro 4 variants will get upgraded Intel i3, i5 and i7 processors, but there is also the possibility of the entire line-up being fanless. We’ll see whether performance or design will be the driving force behind the Surface Pro 4.
As the Surface Pro 3 came in with a QHD display and a fairly large screen, Microsoft will most likely keep up with that trend and improve it when releasing the Surface Pro 4. According to insider reports, the Surface Pro 4 will be available in different display configurations and with different prices for each, so that people who don’t have such a large budget can choose a Surface Pro 4 regardless of that. Customers will be able to choose the model that suits them and compromise on the things that they don’t find important. Some people don’t care that much about a high-res display, and for those there will be an FHD and a QHD resolution display available, which will lower the price. On the other hand, the more expensive Surface Pro 4 models will get high-res displays and there’s talk about 4K, of course. That more expensive model with the upgraded specs will most likely have a price tag to fit, at around $1700 tops.
One of the areas where Microsoft is putting a lot of thought in is the Surface Pro 4 design. Reportedly, the company is working to make the Surface Pro 4 thinner and lighter, all the while keeping hardware top-notch. At the same time, the kickstand and the portability will be improved and we think Microsoft is taking a page from the Lenovo design book and adding either a 360 degree hinge on the side of the convertible, or using a kickstand that can be used in more modes than just tilt, stand and hold. We’re hoping for the hinge mechanism, as we really loved that about the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro. Although the hinge thing might be a bit too much, I’m confident that there will be a big emphasis on portability with the Surface Pro 4.
Once released, the Surface Pro 4 will have to compete against newly released Chromebooks, convertible laptops, the iPad Air 2, the upcoming iPad Pro, the new MacBook and a ton of other machines from Acer, Asus and even an upcoming Nexus tablet. That means that Microsoft will have to make the Surface Pro 4 an all-in-one convertible that can satisfy any type of user. With the new features of running iOS and Android apps on Windows 10 that was demonstrated at the Build conference this week, Microsoft has a good shot at the competition. Moreover, the Surface Pro 4 will most likely take advantage of the new N-Trig acquisition and make good use of a new stylus. I’m also 100 % confident that there will be at least one USB Type C port on the convertible, if not two, alongside a slew of others, including HDMI, USB 3.0 and a microSD card reader.
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The Surface Pro 3 came out with a 5 MP main camera, but sources tell us that that will be upgraded to an 8 MP sensor on both the front and rear, which sounds pretty neat. The audio will also be improved and stereo speakers with some mysterious enhancements will be added. Otherwise, the design will largely focus on a lightweight, durable chassis like before and on thinner bezels around the display, which sounds pretty cool. So that’s all we could muster up about the Surface Pro 4, and remember to take the info with a grain of salt, as it’s not official information from Microsoft. When we do get our hands on some official beans, we’ll let you know!
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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