Mobile Devices
Huawei Mate S or Nexus 6 2015?
At the IFA Berlin show today, Huawei unveiled their latest device, the successor the Huawei (Ascend) Mate 7, a beast of a phone with excellent reviews. The Huawei Mate S is the new device, although we would have expected the Huawei Mate 8 name instead. You can check out the official press release, too. With the launch, the question rises: can the Huawei Mate S have something to do with the Nexus 6 2015?
Google is supposed to launch their new Nexus line-up this month, after announcing that both LG, who made the original 2013 Nexus 5 and Huawei will be part of the new launch. The Mountain View giant hasn’t revealed much about what to expect of the new Nexus line-up, but we can take a look at the Huawei Mate S and get a good of what Huawei can do this year and what we should expect from the Nexus 6 2015.
The Huawei Mate S keeps a lot of the aesthetic of the Mate 7, but adds a lot more metal and chamfered edges to the build. The all-metal body of the device is decorated similarly to the iPhone 6 Plus and the Galaxy S6, with antennae lines slashing across the top and bottom of the phone. On the rear of the device, Huawei added a fingerprint sensor that is supposed to be as accurate as Touch ID or as Samsung’s sensor in the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. The color schemes that the Huawei Mate S will be available in are pink, gray, champagne and gold.
Since this year manufacturers were uncommonly focused on making their devices lightweight, thin and easy to use, that’s what Huawei did as well. The Huawei Mate S is a superthin phone with a lightweight, rounded body. At it thinnest point, the device measures just about 3 mm, while it passes the 7 mm mark at its thickest point. No laughing matter, as the handset turns out to be quite impressive to handle and the company seems to have nailed the design moreso than they did last year.
Last year, the Huawei Mate 7 impressed a lot of people with its specs, design and price, and that’s what the company is trying to repeat with the Huawei Mate S. The large 5.5-inch display of the device comes with an FHD resolution of 1080*1920, adding up to 401 ppi pixel density, the same as on the iPhone 6 Plus. With Sony launching the first 4K display on the Xperia Z5 Premium, it might seem odd to see a flagship device with an FHD display, but it’s for the better, trust me. The display is bright, crisp and adaptive and it looks just as good as a QHD display. The upside is that it probably won’t use as much power and will most likely become one of the best phablets in the market when judging by battery life.
But Huawei did a lot with the Huawei Mate S when it comes to one-handed use: the fingerprint sensor is not just a fingerprint sensor, instead being customizable to act as a power button, erasing notifications, placing and ending calls and more, which has not been seen on any device until now. The phone’s design and a couple of software features like the knuckle tap to open apps or take screenshots emphasize the company’s desire to make the phablet easy to use even with one hand. That’s not something one would have said about the Nexus 6 last year.
Huawei Mate S specs include an octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 935 CPU, 3 GB RAM and either 32 or 64 GB internal storage. The device also comes with a microSD card slot that doubles as a second SIM card slot which can hold cards with up to 128 GB extra storage, so expansion is entirely possible on this phone, which is a feature many Android users will appreciate. Many have said manufacturers botched up when removing microSD card support and removable batteries (Samsung, this is about you), and now they’re open to new suggestions and Huawei positioned the Huawei Mate S right in front of them.
One of the other strongpoints of the Huawei Mate S is its camera. The company added a lot of zest into the Huawei Mate S camera and so far, it sounds like one of the best options out there. On the rear, there’s a 13 MP camera that is supposed to provide the user with a DSLR-level experience and results, complete with optical image stabilization and a 4 color sensor, not to mention autofocus and a suite of features in manual mode. The front camera of the handset is made up of an 8 MP camera and a front-facing flash, which is very rare still.
The Huawei Mate S battery life has equal shots at being great and being average, as the phone uses a 2700 mAh non-removable unit. For a 5.5-inch display, that might seem a bit risky, but the company is confident that the upgraded processor and Android 5.1.1 Lollipop will do the job just fine. Unfortunately, the Huawei Mate S doesn’t come with wireless- or fast charging, which is a bummer and the only flaws that we’ve found in the phone.
Besides these features, the Huawei Mate S comes with the option of a Force Touch display, which is a very interesting concept. Availability of the Force Touch variant has not been disclosed, but we’ve managed to get the scoop when it comes to availability and pricing of the standard model. The Huawei Mate S price is set at 650 euros for the 32 GB version (~$730) and at 700 euros (~$790), which is quite expensive. The device will go on sale this month in Europe, but availability in the U.S. has not been confirmed yet.
Although the Huawei Mate S is definitely an excellent device, the company might have missed its shot because of the high price that they slapped on this phone. People in the U.S. are looking for devices that are just a bit more affordable, such as the OnePlus 2, and the $700+ price tag doesn’t look appealing at this moment. The lack of fast- and wireless charging might also be a problem for people, although that’s not that big of a deal with Huawei devices, as they tend to charge pretty fast.
With all that being said, what does the Huawei Mate S have to do with the Nexus 6 2015? Right now, nothing. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t get a little inspiration from the device and try to pinpoint what the company will be doing for Google. If the Huawei Mate S is any indication, the Nexus 6 2015 will most likely feature the same display with the optional Force Touch, the same camera and image processing module and the same design. What we expect to be changed is the CPU, which might even be a Snapdragon 820 in the Nexus 6 2015.
Other features that the Huawei Mate S might have in common with the Nexus 6 2015 include the fingerprint sensor and the software features that Huawei introduced with the phone to make one-handed use easier. These feature are almost a sure thing for the new Nexus 6 2015 after the original model last year demonstrated that a 6-inch device is too big and too difficult to use. Replacing it with a smaller, yet much more versatile screen could spell success for Google and Huawei.
Last, but not least, the Huawei Mate S gives an indication as to what kind of price we should expect from the Nexus 6 2015. While the LG-made Nexus 5 2015 will most likely be the cheaper option, with a price estimate around $500, the Nexus 5 2015 price will most likely be at around $600. We would like to be pleasantly surprised by the price, but we won’t know for sure until Google comes clean about their new Nexus line-up. Still, there’s a lot to look forward to and the Huawei Mate S demonstrated that this Chinese company knows what’s up.
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
PS5 and PS4 console game Death Stranding Director’s Cut is coming natively to the iPhone 15 Pro, demonstrating its power. The entirety of Kojima Productions’ seminal hiking sim, Resident Evil 4, Resident Evil Village, and Assassin’s Creed Mirage, will be available on your phone. Bonkers!
Tech giant: “Continuing Apple’s leadership in smartphone silicon, A17 Pro improves the entire chip, including Apple’s biggest GPU redesign. The new CPU is 10% faster with microarchitectural and design improvements, and the Neural Engine is 2x faster, powering iOS 17 features like autocorrect and Personal Voice.
According to the company, the pro-class GPU is 20% faster and unlocks new experiences with a 6-core design that boosts peak performance and energy efficiency. Hardware-accelerated ray tracing, 4x faster than software-based, gives iPhone 15 Pro smoother graphics and more immersive AR and gaming experiences. The iPhone 15 Pro brings console games to smartphones for the first time.
As with all cutting-edge Apple products, participation is expensive. The iPhone 15 Pro will cost £999/$999 at launch, and the Max model will cost £1,199/$1,199 for a 6.7″ screen. The most basic option only gives you 128GB, so you’ll need more if you want to play Death Stranding on the go.
However, the blurring of standalone consoles and mobile games is fascinating. The success of Genshin Impact, a full-fledged open world, has shown there’s a market for console-like mobile games. It will be interesting to see how Death Stranding performs on this latest iPhone generation.
The three phones have similar screens and processors, but they vary in a number of ways.
The Redmi Note series from Xiaomi has historically been the brand’s most well-liked smartphone line, providing excellent value in the entry-level market. The Redmi Note 12 series has now been unveiled by the firm in China.
The Redmi Note 12 Discovery Edition, Redmi Note 12 Pro, and Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus are the three phones we truly have this time. A flat 6.67-inch FHD+ 120Hz OLED screen, a Mediatek Dimensity 1080 5G processor, and a 16MP selfie camera are features shared by all three devices.
They both have a 3.5mm connector, NFC, IR blaster, and Wi-Fi 6 compatibility, among other things. In contrast, there are a few significant variances.
Redmi Note 12 Discovery Edition
The Note 12 Discovery Edition of the Redmi Note 12 has a 200MP HPX primary camera (f/1.65, OIS), making it possibly the most striking model. This camera can capture photographs with a resolution of 200MP, 50MP pixels (using four-in-one binning), or 12.5MP (using 16-in-one binning). Additionally, the phone offers a 2MP macro lens and an 8MP ultrawide camera.
The phone is notably different from its stablemates in that it supports 210W wired charging; according to Xiaomi, a full charge can be achieved in just nine minutes. Although you only get a 4,300mAh battery here, this high wattage comes at the expense of battery capacity.
Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus
Thought a 200MP smartphone with a larger battery would be cool? With the Pro Plus model, you get precisely that. The triple back camera system will have the same 200MP+8MP+2MP resolution as the Discovery Edition.
The Pro Plus variant, on the other hand, chooses a 5,000mAh battery and still blazing-fast 120W cable charging. Xiaomi claims that a full charge should be achieved in about 19 minutes.
Redmi Note 12 Pro
Have no interest in megapixels? The Redmi Note 12 Pro, which adds a 50MP IMX766 primary camera (f/1.88, OIS) in addition to the 8MP+2MP duo, fills this need. The Oppo Find X5 Pro and the Asus Zenfone 9 both feature flagship devices with 50MP sensors similar to this one. We therefore have high hopes that it will also produce acceptable image quality on the Note 12 Pro.
The Pro version additionally includes a 5,000mAh battery with 67W wired speeds. A 100% charge should be expected in a still quick 46 minutes.
Pricing and availability for the Redmi Note 12 series
The base 8GB/256GB variant of the Redmi Note 12 Discovery Edition costs 2,399 yuan (about $332), while the base 6GB/128GB model of the Redmi Note 12 Pro costs 1,699 yuan (about $235). Do you want Pro Plus? The 8GB/256GB variant thus has a starting price of 2,099 yuan (about $290).
Although Xiaomi acknowledged that these phones are currently limited to China, it advised us to “keep tuned” for international announcements. To be fair, the Chinese Redmi Note 11 series was very different from the international variants that debuted a few months later.
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