On February 20th, the highly anticipated next-generation video game home console Sony Playstation 4 was announced to the world. It was the second new-gen console to be revealed following the launch of Wii U on 18th November last year.

Much to the disappointment of diehard PlayStation fans around the world though, the announcement didn’t seem to say enough about the new console (heck, they didn’t even reveal the casing design!).

To be fair, the revelation of some of the new features and powerful specifications did give us a heads-up on what to expect from future PS4 unveilings. In particular, the development of the new console seems to revolve around cloud-gaming, the sharing of game experiences and new methods of game interaction.

Here is a summary of 10 things you need to know about PS4 so far:

1. Spruced Up Hardware

Sony had only given a brief summary of what hardware specifications the PS4 will entail:

• A custom-designed single-chip processor by AMD
• An eight-core “Jaguar” 64-bit x86 central processing unit (CPU)
• 8GB of dedicated GDDR5 system memory that gives the system 176GB/second of bandwidth.
• A next-generation AMD graphics processing unit (GPU) Radeon-based graphics engine
• The console also comes with a built-in storage hard disk drive and the most recent USB 3.0 ports.
• The entire set looks set to wow gamers with promises of high-fidelity graphics and a performance comparable to most gaming PCs on the market.

If you haven’t got the slightest idea what these details mean, have a look at the amazing games such high specifications are able to develop. Here are a couple of trailers and gameplays from what some believe to be the launch titles: Destiny, Watch Dogs, Killzone: Shadow Fall, Deep Down, The Witness, Knack and Drive Club.

Ubisoft’s Watch Dogs

Bungie’s Destiny

2. No Price Tag Yet

Since Sony has yet to showcase the PS4’s full hardware specifications, they are also keeping mum over the exact pricing of the gaming console. The only clue they offered is this comment made by their president, Mr Shuhei Yoshida:

“The architecture choice we have made this time around has allowed us not to invest to create dedicated factories and conducting factories and things like that — so that helps in order for us to provide an affordable price to consumers."

Playstation 3 was selling for US$500-600 when it was first launched in 2006, but such pricing for PS4 is likely to deter sales. Casual gaming on smartphones and the fierce competition that PS4 is expected to face from other next-gen consoles such as the recently released Wii U (US$300) in November last year and the next Xbox console (presumably the Xbox 720), Sony is probably observing the situation before it determines the final price tag.

3. Swipes, Lights and Sharing

One of the most discussed features of the PS4 is its newly upgraded controller, the DualShock 4. At first glance, the most obvious design upgrade is the longer and more rounded handles and the addition of a touchpad just above the two toggle sticks. The latter is a two-point capacitive pad that features a click mechanism. Players can expect a new form of gaming interaction by swiping on the touchpad.

A light bar at the top of the controller shows three LEDs, indicating multiplayer modes. The differently colored lights are for easier identification during gameplay and for indicating statuses, i.e. health status of in-game characters. The lights are also expected to interact with built-in cameras (PlayStation 4 Eye) of the console to produce motion-sensing capabilities, just like the PlayStation Move. The new improved six-axis sensor (3 axis accelerometer and 3 axis gyroscope) is probably incorporated to the controller for the same purpose.

On the top right, is the Option (merging Select and Share options), and on the top-left the Share button (more on that later). The new controller also comes with a built-in speaker and a stereo headset jack at the bottom to generate quality sound effects from both the TV and the controller.

4. Enhanced Motion-Sensing Controls

It appears that the next-generation of gaming will be focusing on motion-sensing controls, what with the popularity of earlier devices like Wii Remote, Xbox 360 Kinect and PlayStation Move.

This time round, the newly developed camera device for PS4 comprises of a pair of high-sensitive cameras with impressive wide-angle lenses of 85-degree diagonal angle views, capable of determining the depth of space of the players reliably.

The high-end cameras also made possible the use of face recognition to log in to the console. Apart from that, four microphones are embedded to detect sounds and their sources accurately. These two awesome features will get players more engaged with the gaming experience by means of body movements and voices.

Not only does the PlayStation 4 Eye support the PlayStation Move controller, it also detects the latter’s motion much more acutely and accurately than its predecessor, the PlayStation Eye for PS3. This includes the newly installed lights on the controller as well for better positioning of the players.

5. Play While You Update

Just like your smartphone and tablet, PS4 enables gamers to resume his or her last game session exactly where they left off, making “immediate gameplay” possible. The “suspend mode” (a low power state) cuts down the time it takes to boot the console, load the game and finally assess your saved game. All you need to do is hit the power button again and you can continue playing from there.

This ‘immediate gameplay’ also means that the game can be updated while you’re playing it, enabling new features to be incorporated instantaneously after they have been downloaded and installed in the background. To further sweeten the deal, gamers can start playing the game after it has been purchased even before the digital title has been completely downloaded.

6. Second Screens

It looks like I was right about secondary screens for gaming in Future of Gaming: 5 Exciting Emerging Trends. PS3 was linked with PlayStation Vita through Cross-Play, and players are able to stop playing the game on one device and resume on the other.

With PS4 though, an entire game can even be streamed from the console to PS Vita over Wi-Fi networks. Sony had in fact indicated their goal of making most PS4 game titles playable on PS Vita (except perhaps those exclusively camera-based games). The capacity for “remote play” is made possible with Sony’s acquisition of Gaikai cloud technology as a game server.

Also a new update is the development of the new “PlayStation App” for Apple and Android smartphones and tablets. Players can use their handheld devices as secondary screens to supplement their gameplay.

For instance, you can be navigating your character from a first or third-person perspective on a TV screen, but using your smartphone to display your in-game map. Other possible uses include purchasing game titles on-the-go and getting them downloaded into your console at home and watching real-time gameplays of other players online.

(Image Source: The Verge)

7. Cloud Gaming

Gaikai, a cloud-based game service was recently acquired by Sony last July, leading many to believe that its upcoming PS4 will incorporate cloud gaming capabilities. True enough, Sony announced on Feb 20 that their PlayStation Network (PSN) will be integrated with Gaikai’s cloud technology.

Leveraging on the latter’s ability to render high-end games on their remote servers before streaming them to internet-connect devices, gamers are now able to play high-end games of their interest from the PlayStation Store instantaneously without needing to consider the hardware limits of their device.

Such service offers players unprecedented freedom to try out top-notch games before purchasing those that they really want from PS Store.  A friend’s game can also be streamed and you can even take over too! In theory, you can essentially stream any games you want with the only catch being that you have a fast enough internet connection. This includes older games from previous consoles. It’s probably good to note that we should be mindful of Sony’s pricing plans.

8. No Backward Compatibility

Unfortunately for existing PS3 owners, you cannot play your current PS3 games on the the new, it doesn’t support backward compatibility, at least in the native sense. Your current game discs or downloads you’ve purchased can’t be played on the new console. But these games can’t be emulated on the PS4 console or Cloud (streamed via Gaikai).

Sony had indicated their vision of setting up a PlayStation library through Gaikai with an extensive catalog of more than 3000 PS3 titles. This plan is to even extend to PS1 and PS2 games in the long-run.

9. Games in Digital Format

Following the steps of PS Vita, every PS4 game will be available in digital downloads to diversify their pricing strategy i.e. subscription models, varying membership levels. To do this, Sony is leveraging on their new Gaikai cloud-streaming technology to eventually provide gamers with unique subscription packages. We may not have the details of how these packages will be like, but one thing is likely to happen: physical disc-based products will one day become obsolete.

10. Sharing Made Simple

With the new Share button on the new controller, players can easily press it to record the last few minutes of their gameplay and upload it on social networking sites like Facebook for their friends to see. The entire process is non-intrusive: you can still continue with your game while the uploading takes place in the background.

No more having to go through the hassle of recording your moments of victories with your own recording device, compressing and decompressing the video format before successfully sharing it.

Other than Facebook, live Internet-streaming services like UStream are also integrated with the PS4 to allow for social spectating. Gamers can broadcast their gameplay and stream it in real-time to their friends; commenting is possible via live chats. If they see that you’re in trouble, they can even join in the game and assist you. At the most extreme, a ‘hand-holding’ feature allows a remote user to take control of your game (with their own controller) to get you through a challenging level!

Conclusion

There are still many questions unanswered, including the pricing of the console and online services, confirmed launch game titles, the exact release date, the final look of the console, etc. With PS4 scheduled to be released by the end of this year, it’s just a matter of months before all the crucial facts are publicized.

Freelancers aren’t just creative individuals who work on whatever vocation they’ve decided to focus on. They’re not just freelance designers, developers, writers, bloggers, etc. They’re business owners.

Owning a business means they’re essentially a one-man shop and thus have to deal with everything that falls under the operations that keep a business afloat. From finances to marketing to customer service, they handle it all.

(Image source: Fotolia)

If you are thinking of becoming a freelancer or are only dipping your toes into the pool, here’s a heads up on what else you will need to busy yourself with. I’ll also share a few handy tips that might help you along.

Basically, freelancers, regardless of their industry, are their own:

1. Accountant / Finance Manager

Freelancers are responsible for handling their own business finances. They do their own books, file taxes, spend hours agonizing over 2 cents they can’t find in their ledger and pay the price if they forget to file taxes on time.

Since most freelancers tend to ignore their taxes and their filing system is dismal, you’ll find a lot of them going crazy near tax time.

Tip: Take the time to search and invest in a good accounting system to avoid headaches and fines down the line.

2. Human Resource Manager

While you get to make the fun decisions like which client to take on and which ones to let go, you also have to be the one to get yourself to show up for work even though you have a cold. After all, you don’t get paid sick leave.

Dealing with fussy clients and hiring other freelancers for subcontracting your work etc all falls on the HR side too. It’s all on you.

Tip: There’s no getting out of this one. If you treat your clients’ right then HR issues won’t crop up often enough.

3. Public Relations Manager

Freelancers are their own PR team. No one else will wax lyrical about their work or business. They’re responsible for telling prospective clients how awesome they are, how they help their clients get success through their work and how working with them is such a breeze.

They also deal with repercussions from disgruntled clients or any other problems that come up.

Tip: Social Media is a freelancer’s favourite PR tool. Luckily, if you use social media right, it shouldn’t take more than a few minutes every day to get your PR done.

4. Marketing Team

If only work would land in our lap simply just because we are good at it, but that’s never the case. Freelancers have to actively and continuously market their business to get clients, not only when they are in need of new clients or work.

No matter how awesome our work is, clients won’t find out about it and us if we don’t market ourselves. It’s one of those daily activities that can take as much time as doing the actual work.

Tip: Instead of focusing on time-consuming marketing efforts, figure out a few smaller, easy-to-do marketing techniques that don’t take a lot of time and do them regularly.

5. Customer service Team

Thought your days of talking to customers and answering their questions and listening to their complaints were behind you? Think again. Satisfying a client is a freelancer’s No. 1 job.

If you don’t take your client’s complaints seriously, they’ll drop you like hot coals.

Tip: Clients are the lifeblood of your freelance business. Treat them like gold, go out of your way to make them happy with your work and reap the benefits of a successful client-freelancer relationship.

6. Admin Manager

If you’ve been freelancing for a while, there are probably days when you feel more like a secretary than a freelancer. If you don’t watch out, scheduling meetings, deadlines, and interviews can take up half a day.

There’s no one who can screen your calls and emails. Add filing and organizing your files to the mix and it almost feels like you have another job apart from freelancing.

Tip: This is why a lot of freelancers, get virtual assistants if they can afford to. They can’t get you coffee but they can certainly take care of scheduling and organizing your work! Alternatively, make sure you do all your filing, scheduling and organizing as it comes up. Don’t procrastinate.

7. Debt Collector

Unpaid invoices are the harsh reality of freelancing. Thankfully if you’re careful about choosing who you work with, they won’t happen often. But when they do happen, you have to be the one who hound the client to clear payments.

Tips: Make sure you have a contract in which you outline the payment terms. Send your invoices on time and charge a late fee if the invoice is not paid. In some cases, time-tracking apps can help.

8. Quality Control Manager

Sometimes, when work is plenty and deadlines are too close to each other, freelancers focus more on completing the work on time than on the quality of their work.

Since you’re working for yourself, there’s no one else who can assure the quality of your work except you.

Tip: Pencil in deadlines a couple of days before they’re actually due. This gives you enough time to go through your work and make sure that the quality is still there. Keep track of clients’ needs with their creative briefs.

9. Sales Team

Freelancers don’t sell products. They sell services – their own services at that. Every time they contact prospective clients, they’re putting on their salesman hat.

This works hand in hand with marketing but essentially it’s this team which closes the sale.

Tip: It’s their job to convince the prospective client to hire them. Not an easy job but think of the benefits. New client, more work and more money. Definitely worth the effort!

10. IT Technician

As a freelancer, there’s no one you can call and yell at if your computer crashes or your printer stops working for some mysterious reason. Freelancers are responsible for taking care of their own equipment.

If the thought frightens you, get help with the setup then always keep a backup.

Tip: Make sure you backup your files religiously, and have more than one backup! Have alternatives for everything that could possibly break down near a crucial deadline.

Wrap Up

Lastly, don’t worry if you are not a multi-tasking wizard. I’ll let you in on a little secret: most of us weren’t good multi-taskers when we started out either. We learn everything on the job, and so will you. Just keep at it and don’t give up!

There are some of us who have more than one phones to our name. One could be for work, assigned by the company we work for, and the other for our personal use, to keep track of family and friends. It’s a bit of a hassle to be carrying two phones around. The margin for error increases when you are travelling.

If however you hold an iPhone, here’s where you can use two lines in one iPhone. The SIM+, is developed by Sumchi & TJ from Digirit, and it lets you carry two SIM cards in the same iPhone.

It actually comes in as a protective casing for your iPhone 5 but with an extension that allows you to switch between two SIM cards in your iPhone.

The casing that covers the side and back part of the iPhone is made out of plastic while a layer of anodized finish aluminum covers the SIM cards portion, protecting it from external harm.

You can insert a nano SIM card in the first slot and a micro SIM card on the second slot. If you want to insert two nano SIM cards instead, this is possible as The SIM+ comes with a nano-to-micro adapter.

It takes around 45 to 60 seconds for your iPhone to detect and receive reception when you first insert the SIM cards.

Now, here is how it works. You can’t receive incoming messages or calls from both SIM cards simultaneously. A timed interval option is built into the system to let you switch between the two cards.

The SIM+ will alternate in between SIM cards to check for messages/calls.

For now, The SIM+ is only available for iPhone 5. The creator require pledges for $30,000 for the production of The SIM+, and as of right now it has up to $2400 by 39 backers. By pledging The SIM+ for $52 now, you’ll received one set of The SIM+ around May 2013, if this project gets funded through.