Snippets: 22nd February 2013

PlayStation 4 wrap up, 100 second Oscar film, Singapore’s new coins

Snippets: 22nd February 2013
Snippets: 22nd February 2013

The PlayStation 4 was announced… well some of it anyways. Here’s everything you need to know in 2 minutes. Oscar film nominees are usually really long movies but a 100 second nominee this year has broken the trend. Enter PES’s Fresh Guacamole, a short animated film that you simply have to watch. Singapore will be replacing 28 year old coins with a new batch in mid 2013. The new batch is the third set of designs in the relatively short history of Singapore coins. The processor wars are starting to take a foothold and the lines are drawn firmly between Intel and ARM. Here is what consumers stand to gain from such competition. Pope Benedict XVI stepped down citing health concerns in midst of surprise and shock. However, leaked documents may show a bigger picture of what the soon-to-be-retired leader of the Catholic church was facing.

 

#1: PlayStation 4 – What We Know (For Now)

The Playstation 4 has landed. Well, not actually. The only hardware revealed were the specifications of the new device and an updated controller. What many anticipated was going to be a big launch event turned into a more of a teaser announcement with titles lined up and a look into what Sony has in mind for Vita and PS integration. If you missed the announcement, you can get up to date quickly here. [via Polygon]

 

#2: The 100 Second Oscar Film Nominee

What films that are nominees for the Oscars have in common is that they are really long. Well, the nomination of ‘Fresh Guacamole’ has broken the trend. The film lasts a mere 1 min 40 seconds much less than its 2 hour plus counterparts. Created by PES, this short animated film is brilliantly put together as it narrates society and life via a simple mechanism of cooking. [via YouTube]

 

#3: New Coins for Singapore

Are you getting sick of the coins you’ve had since 1985? Well, this was the only set of Singaporean coins I have handled personally. All of that changes in the middle of this year. The third series of coins will be launched in mid 2013 focusing on updating its design and making it a little easier to use for those with visual disabilities. Featuring the Esplanade on 5 cent coins, HDB flats on 10 cent coins, Changi Airport on 20 cents, PSA on 50 cents and the Merlion on a dollar, the design is simple and good looking. Don’t horde your old coins though, it won’t reach any value of worth during our lifetime. [via ChannelNewsAsia]

 

#4: An ARM’s Race with Intel

There are far more important battles in the tech industry besides the usual Google, Microsoft and Apple mud slings. ARM came to fore in the mobile generation which saw the beefier but battery sapping x86 chips being left behind. Now with Intel pushing a revamped Atom and the launch of Haswell later this year, ARM has a battle on its hands. This editorial takes a reflective look on the ARM-Intel race from a consumer’s perspective. [via Engadget]

 

#5: Leaked Documents Depict Fractured Vatican

Pope Benedict XVI is the first pope in over 600 years to step down and much interest has surrounded this unusual move. Well, leaked documents now show that he was a very much unhappy pope with difficulties in moving the Catholic church towards to his vision. The Washington Post takes a good look at the battle lines and what may be a difficult starting point for the next pope. [via The Washington Post]