Xbox One vs. PS4

Gizmag compares the specs (and other features) of the Sony PS4 and Microsoft Xbox One

Typically, E3 is all about new game announcements. Though we still had a few of those this year, 2013 was more about hardware: the Xbox One and PS4. Both push the technical boundaries of gaming consoles, offer their own mixes of strengths and weaknesses, and release at around the same time. So how do you choose? Allow Gizmag to lend a hand, as we compare the specs (and other features) of the Microsoft Xbox One and Sony PlayStation 4.

Storage

Both consoles sport 500 GB internal hard drives. In terms of future-proofing, though, the PS4 might be the better choice. Like the PS3, it will let you upgrade the hard drive. The Xbox won't.

There is one option for expanding your Xbox One storage though. It lets you attach an external hard drive via USB. You can do everything with that drive that you can with the internal one.

We don't yet know whether the PS4 lets you use USB drives for storage, but we do know that it has two USB 3.0 ports.

RAM

Both systems have 8 GB of RAM. The PS4's GDDR5 memory, however, is faster than the Xbox's DDR3 RAM. Will this be something that you actually notice in day-to-day use? It's still too early to say.

Processor

AMD cashed in on this generation of gaming consoles, as it provides the octa-core processors for both the Xbox One and PS4.

Graphics

Both consoles also feature AMD Radeon GPUs, which are integrated into their respective Accelerated Processing Units (APUs).

This is obviously a simple visual that doesn't begin to tell the full story, but that's only because we don't yet know the full story. Developers will need time to tinker around with both consoles, and we might not even have a definitive "graphics winner" a year after both consoles have been on the market.

One thing worth keeping an eye on is how easy or hard it is to develop for each console. Last generation, the PS3 was, on a specs level, graphically superior to the Xbox 360. But the Xbox 360 was easier to develop for and port to. Thus side-by-side comparisons of cross-platform games often favored the Xbox.

You'll want to take this with many grains of salt, but there have been early whispers that the PS4 is a joy to develop for. It might not sound like much now, but software can make or break hardware. This could be an encouraging sign for the PS4.

Having said that, we spent some time with both unreleased consoles during E3. The early games we saw on both systems look terrific, with graphics that are roughly in line with recent PC games.

Size

Unless you're cramped for space under your TV, this probably won't be a deal-breaker one way or the other. But, for what it's worth, the Xbox One is the bigger console. In terms of surface area, it's 21 percent larger than the new PlayStation. And that isn't counting the new Kinect, which ships with every new Xbox One.

Note that the Xbox One's listed dimensions aren't official, but are based on some clever calculations (based on the USB port) by PSMania.

Discs played

Last time around, the PS3 had a big leg up on the Xbox 360, in that it played Blu-ray discs. No worries with either next-gen console, as (unsurprisingly) both will play your Blu-rays and DVDs.

Game formats

Neither Sony or Microsoft had the gall to go digital download only (probably a wise decision). Both systems will play physical discs as well as downloaded games.

Backwards compatibility

Sorry, Xbox 360 and PS3 owners. None of your old games will play on your next-gen console.

Sony might offer cloud-streamed PS3 games at some point down the road. But, even if that does happen, be prepared to pay for your old games all over again.

Used game blocking

For many customers, this category might trump all others. Microsoft is giving game publishers the option to either block or charge a fee for used game activations on the Xbox One.

The PS4's used game policy is the same as the PS3's. PS4 game publishers have the option of using Online Passes, which can restrict online or multiplayer portions of a game to the original owner. But, unlike the Xbox One, the PS4 will not block used game discs altogether.

Many gamers are miffed at Microsoft's policy here. Will the backlash be enough to tip the scales in Sony's favor? Only time will tell.

Internet requirements

Microsoft is going all-in on DRM with the Xbox One. In addition to the used game issue, the console also requires an internet connection once every 24 hours. Go more than a day without going online, and you won't be able to play your games.

Default controllers

Look familiar? Both next-gen controllers borrow heavily from their respective predecessors. We handled both of them at E3, and they only feel slightly different in hand. Both feel a bit lighter (particularly the PS4's DualShock 4) and more comfortably contoured for hands.

The biggest addition is the DualShock 4's touchpad. Similar to the one on the back of the Vita, it supports multitouch, and will give developers a new toy to play with.

The new DualShock also loses the Start and Select buttons. They get replaced by a new Options button. The Xbox One's controller also loses Back and Start. Its replacements are Menu and View, which might end up serving similar functions.

Motion control

Sony didn't emphasize the PS4's motion controls during E3. We do know that the PS4's Move and Camera (formerly PlayStation Eye) will be sold separately. The PS4's DualShock 4 also includes some baked-in motion control. Our initial impression, though, is that none of it is in the same league as the Kinect 2.

As we already mentioned, Kinect will ship with every Xbox One. In a private demonstration with Microsoft at E3, we caught a glimpse of the new Kinect's capabilities. The level of precision here is like nothing any other current gaming console can give you. Imagine pointing your finger at something on the screen, and having the sensor know exactly what you were indicating. This could open all sorts of doors for developers (hopefully not just of the gimmicky kind).

Voice control

Alongside the Kinect 2's motion control, it also lets users control certain things via voice. This includes elements of games, system functions, and live TV.

Sony hasn't mentioned any similar functionality in the PS4, though the PlayStation Camera does have a built-in microphone.

Live TV integration

Speaking of live TV, this is a big area that Microsoft focused on with the Xbox One. Steve Ballmer and company don't want this to be an extension of the traditional gaming console. This is Microsoft's attempt to own the 21st century living room.

From the in-person demo we saw at E3, it looks promising. We're talking voice control, gesture control, seamless multitasking, notifications ... in many ways, the Xbox One is what some of us expected from the long-rumored and unannounced Apple TV set. We believe the Xbox One has a chance to be a real game-changer in this respect.

Both consoles will, of course, also let you watch streaming services like Netflix and Hulu Plus.

Release date

Microsoft was a little more specific with the Xbox One's November release date, but both consoles should ship at around the same time. We're guessing October or November for the PS4.

Pricing

The PS4 costs US$100 less than the Xbox One. But remember that the Xbox One ships with Kinect. The PS4's motion accessories (PS Move and PlayStation Camera) not only aren't on par with Kinect 2, but they're also sold separately. So, depending on your priorities, pricing may or may not be an advantage for the PS4.

Wrap-up

Like most of these comparisons that we do, the "winner" will depend on what you're looking for. If you're excited about futuristic gesture and voice control, then the Xbox One looks likely to be your champion. If you want your console to be the center of all of your living room entertainment, then you'll also want to look at the Xbox.

Our initial view is that the PS4 might be better at being a classic gaming console. We're basing this mostly on the DRM factor. If you're buying your next console for traditional, controller-laden, hardcore gaming, then Sony will let you do that with less restrictions. You can buy used games and take your console on vacations where you don't have internet access, without any concerns.

Of course this comparison is far from complete. There are still many unknowns, and we've yet to see side-by-side comparisons of cross-platform games. And, like we already mentioned, developers will need time to do their thing.

The picture of these two next-gen systems is gradually forming, but that image will continue to evolve. Stay tuned for more as this is far from the last word on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

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Robots take a pounding for Ford test drivers

Ford's robotic testing system drives trucks and vans over test tracks without human drivers

Self-driving cars seem like they’ll be on our roads any day now, but what about self-testing cars that can drive themselves around insanely destructive tracks? Engineers at Ford’s Michigan Proving Grounds in Romeo, Michigan, say that they've come up with the industry’s first robotic test system designed to drive trucks and vans over roads that are intended to put a decade of wear on a van in ten minutes.

We’re used to seeing videos of crash tests where vehicles are demolished and dummies are thrown about, and researchers have spent decades figuring out ways to carry out safety testing in such a way that all the variables are controlled without the vehicle being utterly destroyed. But road testing for day to day driving has become just as intense, with cars and other vehicles being put through torture tests designed to expose them to ten years of abuse while only traveling a short distance. They clomp over cement blocks, climb impossible grades and run over massive cobbles, metal grates, rough gravel, mud pits and oversized speed bumps that can literally shake a van to pieces.

According to Ford, all of its trucks must pass this battery of durability tests before declared fit for sale. The trouble is that test drivers can be only exposed to such forces for a limited period of time as this workout can shake them to pieces. Some testing scenarios involve conditions so arduous that drivers are limited to only one run a day.

Ford’s answer is a new way of testing trucks and vans that replaces the driver with a robot. A pilot program is underway at the Michigan Proving Grounds in Romeo to test the company’s new 2014 Transit van on torturous surfaces with names like Silver Creek, Power Hop Hill and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

“The challenge is completing testing to meet vehicle development time lines while keeping our drivers comfortable. Robotic testing allows us to do both,” says Dave Payne, manager, vehicle development operations. “We accelerate durability testing while simultaneously increasing the productivity of our other programs by redeploying drivers to those areas, such as noise level and vehicle dynamics testing.”

Ford engineers worked in collaboration with the Utah-based Autonomous Solutions Inc. to come up with the software and components for robotic systems to operate the test vehicle. The technology consists of a robotic control module that handles vehicle steering, acceleration and braking. It runs autonomously according to a pre-programmed course while tracked by GPS and cameras. An operator at central control handles up to eight vehicles simultaneously. If one goes off course, the operator can correct it or stop it and restart the test. The system also has the ability to sense pedestrians and other vehicles and stop automatically if necessary.

“The goal here was not to develop a truly autonomous vehicle that can drive itself on city streets,” says Payne. “Our objective was to create a test track solution that allows for this type of intense testing that could take our vehicles to the most extreme limits of their engineering while ensuring the safety of all involved.”

Ford says that the new system not only allows them to use the drivers’ time more efficiently while sparing them a rattling, but that it has other advantages, such as accelerated testing, the ability to stage an unlimited number of repeat tests, and the development of tougher tests and vehicles.

The video below shows the robotic testing system in action.

Source: Ford

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Apple e-book trial: How the case has unfolded so far

There have been a lot of developments in the U.S. Justice Department's case against Apple in the trial's first two weeks. Check out our reporter's notebook for the latest.

Apple's e-book pricing trial has brought its fair share of funny moments and tense exchanges.

The Justice Department, which initially sued Apple and a handful of the nation's largest publishers slightly more than a year ago, contends Apple forced publishers to move to a model that artificially inflated the prices of digital books and hurt consumers. Apple has argued that it wasn't trying to change in the industry and that it was only trying to secure the best deal for itself.

With two weeks down and one week to go, most of the key witnesses have testified. There is no jury, so at the end of this coming week, Judge Denise Cote will have all the evidence to make her decision.

CNET has been there every step of the way, but in case you haven't followed every update, here's a recap of some of the trial highlights:

Documents, documents, and even more documents
The DOJ's case against Apple, as well as Apple's defense, largely hinges on e-mails and phone call records between executives at Apple, book publishers, and Amazon. Both sides have hundreds of documents that they're using to support their cases.

One government chart, casually referred to in court as the "spider web," shows the number of calls between book publisher CEOs in December and January, the time they were negotiating with Apple about its iBookstore. The DOJ has used the chart as evidence that the publishers were talking and working together to collectively change e-book pricing. The DOJ also made a similar chart to show calls between publishers and Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of software and services.

Apple, meanwhile, has argued various e-mails were taken out of context, and it has presented its own items to show Apple wasn't colluding with the publishers.

If there's one thing CNET has learned from this trial, it's never put anything sensitive in writing.

Opening arguments
The trial kicked off June 3 in the district court of lower Manhattan. In opening arguments, the Justice Department said it would prove that Apple was the ringleader in a scheme to push digital book publishers toward raising their prices and that the conspiracy forced Amazon to change its e-book sales model. Apple, meanwhile, argued that its executives simply were using standard negotiation tactics to secure the best possible deal for Apple and its users.

Both gave a glimpse into what they'd be talking about in the upcoming weeks.

The DOJ created a "spider web" showing calls between CEOs of book publishers.

(Credit: U.S. Department of Justice)

Has the judge already made up her mind?
Before the trial even started, Judge Cote offered to share her initial thoughts with Apple and the DOJ. Unfortunately for Apple, Cote said that based on the evidence submitted, she believed Apple to be at fault.

Apple attorney Orin Snyder brought those comments up shortly after he started his opening statement, asking Cote to "hit the delete button on any tentative view that might exist in the court's mind today."

Cote almost immediately cut off Snyder, saying that she only gave the opinion because both sides agreed to it, and that she wouldn't consider any documents as evidence until they're officially submitted. She noted that Apple had months to think about whether it wanted a tentative view, and her view was just that -- tentative.

"This isn't a vote about whether I like Apple or anyone else does," Cote told both sides. "The deck isn't stacked against Apple. ... You have my firm commitment ... that I will do my very best to follow the law."

Cote in recent days in the trial seemed to be coming around to Apple's arguments that it didn't force publishers to change their deals with Amazon.

Publishing bigwigs
CEOs of some of the country's biggest publishers have taken the stand in the trial. Penguin Group USA CEO David Shanks, Simon & Schuster CEO Carolyn Reidy, Harper Collins CEO Brian Murray, Macmillan CEO John Sargent, and Hachette CEO David Young have all testified about negotiations with Apple, as well as their relationships with Amazon. (Note: Simon & Schuster is owned by CNET parent company CBS.)

All believed Amazon's $9.99 pricing to be too low, and all wanted a way to change it. The CEOs have testified that they didn't believe they did anything wrong, but each company reached a deal with the DOJ to settle the government's suit against them.

Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet software and services, arrives at court in Manhattan with an Apple attorney on Thursday.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Eddy Cue's "minion"
Perhaps the funniest moment of the trial came during testimony by Simon & Schuster's Reidy. The DOJ presented e-mails between Reidy and her boss, CBS CEO Les Moonves, that talked about Reidy's conversations with Apple. She had initially met with Eddy Cue, but his deputy, Keith Moerer, later handled many conversations. Reidy told Moonves, via e-mail, that "A representative of Apple (not the head guy, but one of his minions) came to New York at the end of week before last to meet with all of the major publishers."

Moerer, Apple's corporate representative in the trial, was in the courtroom when the comments were discussed.

"Sorry, Mr. Moerer," Judge Cote said as people seated in the courtroom looked at Moerer and laughed.

"Yes, my apologies," Reidy said. "That's just what I was thinking, your Honor."

"We're all minions from some perspective, even me," Cote responded.

Publishers call Amazon a bully
It may be Apple on trial, but Amazon's name comes up nearly as often. The company dominated the e-book market at the time Apple was forming iBooks, and publishers were worried about Amazon's low pricing. After reaching deals with Apple, all of the publishers changed their terms to in what in the industry is known as an agency model, where they set the pricing. Under the previous wholesale model, Amazon had set the prices, which were at $9.99 for the latest books.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs, now deceased, announced the first iPad in January 2010.

(Credit: James Martin/CNET)

Those conversations with Amazon weren't easy, the publishers testified, and Amazon even threatened them. The publishers portrayed themselves as victims of Amazon, and Apple attempted to draw parallels between itself and Amazon, showing that the different nuances of their respective deals are par for the course in the industry, and not a conspiracy to inflate prices.

"They yelled and screamed and threatened," Penguin's Shanks said during his testimony the first week of the trial. "It was a very unpleasant meeting."

And Simon & Schuster's Reidy said Amazon threatened to stop selling her company's physical books along with its digital books.

Amazon, meanwhile, portrayed itself as the victim, forced into agreements it never wanted.

Insight into content deal negotiations
Apple, Amazon, and other big tech giants are understandably tight-lipped about their deal-making process. The trial has provided unprecedented insight into their wheeling and dealing. Apple has tried to show its actions are normal steps that all companies take when negotiating deals, and it has said reaching deals with publishers wasn't easy.

Some notable insights we've learned about Apple's tactics:

• Apple's dealmakers -- Cue, Moerer, and attorney Kevin Saul -- had only a couple of months to reach deals with publishers for iBooks. Cue testified he got the go-ahead from Jobs for iBooks in November 2009, and he had to have the deals done by the late-January iPad announcement.
• Apple commonly tells companies that "the train is leaving the station" to get them to sign deals. It often says how many companies have already signed on, and it will tell companies who else it's talking to.
• Apple typically pursues similar deals with all companies, saying it wants to give big and small companies "a level playing field."

Apple hammers Google
The most tense and "Law and Order"-like moment of the trial came on the last day of the first week. Apple started to pick away at the DOJ's claim that the tech giant conspired to inflate e-book prices by repeatedly and rapidly firing questions at a key Google witness.

The tactic paid off for lead Apple attorney Snyder, who began to wear down on Thomas Turvey, director of strategic relationships for Google. Turvey appeared increasingly frazzled and frustrated as the afternoon went on.

The Apple e-books price fixing trial is being argued in district court in Manhattan.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

During his testimony, Turvey admitted that he couldn't remember which publishing executives he spoke to, the circumstances around those conversations, or any helpful details. He offered few specifics and kept referring to his written testimony.

"You can't recall the single name of anyone at a single publisher?" Snyder asked.

"No," Turvey said, which became a common response.

Smoking gun or just a draft e-mail?
The DOJ in Week 2 of the trial presented an e-mail from Jobs that it said showed Apple required publishers to change their contracts with Amazon. In the message, Jobs responded to price tiers suggested by Cue:

"I can live with this, as long as they move Amazon to the agent model too for new releases for the first year. If they don't, I'm not sure we can be competitive..."

However, Apple's attorneys said the e-mail was simply a draft that had never been sent. Instead, they cited another version of the same e-mail, where Jobs said the following:

"I can live with this as long as they also agree to the other things you told me you can get: The retail price they will set for any book will be the LOWER of the applicable 'iTunes' price below OR the lowest wholesale price they offer the book at to anyone else, with our wholesale price being 70% of such price."

It's unclear whether both messages were drafts, or if one actually was sent. CNET has heard there are actually many drafts of that same message, but we'll have to see if they're presented in court. Apple attorney Snyder is likely to bring up the message during Cue's questioning Monday.

Eddy Cue
Cue is one of the most vital witnesses in the trial. He served as Jobs' right-hand man for nearly two decades, securing deals that helped Apple dominate markets such as music. The Justice Department has portrayed Cue as the "chief ringleader of the conspiracy" to control e-book pricing, and it has said his testimony would show Apple colluded with the publishers to boost digital book prices and hurt rivals such as Amazon. Conversely, Apple's attorneys are counting on Cue to reinforce their defense that Apple's actions simply were standard negotiation tactics.

During his testimony Thursday, Cue admitted that Apple's deals with publishers caused e-book prices to rise, and he wasn't surprised when Amazon had to change its business terms with publishers.

The Justice Department also tried to show that Apple didn't care if consumers had to pay $12.99 or $14.99 for e-books instead of $9.99, but Cue disputed such comments.

"Our consumers were protected by my price points," he said. "I thought we were going to treat our consumers very, very fairly."

Apple's questioning of Cue started Thursday afternoon but will resume next week.

Splitting up the music and book markets
Another tidbit from Cue's testimony is that Apple considered making a deal with Amazon to split up the digital book and music markets. Apple would get music, while Amazon would get books. That would have been a very big no-no in the eyes of the government, but Apple never actually pursued that deal.

The absentee witness -- Steve Jobs
Jobs may have died nearly two years ago, but his public and private comments have played a big role in the case. Along with the draft e-mail the DOJ presented, government attorneys also have cited comments Jobs made to The Wall Street Journal that book prices would be the same at Apple, Amazon, and other retailers, and remarks Jobs made to his biographer, Walter Isaacson:

Amazon screwed it up. It paid the wholesale price for some books, but started selling them below cost at $9.99. The publishers hated that--they thought it would trash their ability to sell hardcover books at $28. So before Apple even got on the scene, some booksellers were starting to withhold books from Amazon. So we told the publishers, "We'll go to the agency model, where you set the price, and we get our 30%, and yes, the customer pays a little more, but that's what you want anyway." But we also asked for a guarantee that if anybody else is selling the books cheaper than we are, then we can sell them at the lower price too. So they went to Amazon and said, "You're going to sign an agency contract or we're not going to give you the books."

Apple, meanwhile, has argued that it's difficult to interpret someone who can no longer explain himself. And Apple's attorneys -- as well as Cue -- have said the government has misinterpreted what Jobs actually meant.

What's up next week?

• Cue's back on the hot seat -- Although the seat won't be quite that hot, as it's Apple's lead attorney now questioning the executive. The judge has tended to ask questions of each witness, and she's likely to have a few for Cue.
• More experts and defense witnesses -- A debate has been going on during the trial about whether digital book prices did in fact rise after the iBookstore launched. Apple's attorneys have argued that pricing has fallen, but the Justice Department has said prices spiked "dramatically" after Apple's entry into the market. Both sides are presenting their own experts to back their claims.
• The DOJ is expected to rest its case after Cue's testimony is complete. After that, Apple is expected to call a couple of experts, as well as Theresa Horner, vice president of digital content at Barnes & Noble; and Robert McDonald, head of Apple's U.S. iBookstore.
• Closing arguments -- These are scheduled for Thursday and represent each side's last chance to make its case.

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Halo combines canister stove and fuel cell charger

The Halo is a backpacking stove with built-in fuel cell charger for charging mobile devices

Point Source Power, the company responsible for the Voto, is looking to extend its product line with the Halo. Where the Voto is a fuel cell charger that works with an open fire, the Halo is a gas canister backpacking stove with built-in fuel cell charger and dual USB ports.

The Voto is aimed at both outdoor enthusiasts and those in the developing world, two groups that are likely to use fire for cooking, boiling water, etc. While the Voto covers many outdoor users, it doesn't cover those in areas with fire restrictions. Backpackers, boaters and other travelers entering these areas would have no use for a fire-powered charging system.

Stoves, on the other hand, tend to be permissible even where open fires are not. The Halo looks like a typical backpacking stove but it includes a fuel cell that produces 1 Amp of electricity by combining hydrogen in the flame with oxygen in the air. The device comes with a pot stand for cooking and can cook and charge at the same time, similar to the biomass-fueled BioLite stove.

The Halo is a compact, 12-oz (340-g) package that includes the wedge-shaped charging module and circular fuel cell component. The butane/propane canisters common in camping and backpacking work as fuel. It offers two USB ports for charging multiple devices at once.

Point Source Power's CEO and co-founder Craig Jacobson told us that the Halo charges at comparable speeds to other USB chargers and uses fuel at a rate comparable to other backpacking stoves. The device also offers a charge-only setting that fires up to about a third of full cooking power.

Point Source Power is trying to raise funds through Kickstarter to develop the device and is offering the Halo for pledges starting at US$79. If the funding goal is reached, the company hopes to have them shipping by October.

Source: Point Source Power via Kickstarter

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Best Samsung Galaxy S4 cases

Looking for a new case for your GS4? Here are CNET's current top choices.

Speck brings its usual assortment of cases to the GS4.

(Credit: Speck Products)

iPhone owners have always had a variety of cases and covers to choose from, but the Samsung Galaxy S3 and S4 are among the few ultrapopular Android smartphones that have spurred cottage industries of cases and covers.

In boiling down the best of what's currently out there, I tried to provide a good mix of well-designed, affordable cases with more-expensive models that offer some unique attributes.

One thing to watch for when buying cases these days is that you can come across pricier products from better-known brands that sell under unknown brand names for much less (yes, factories in China are churning these out and the same reference designs appear to be available for purchase for whomever comes along and buys them).

While higher-end cases tend to cost from $30 to $50, perfectly good cases can be had for less than $10 shipped.

Of course, when it comes to protective cases, personal taste is a big factor (and plenty of people don't bother with them), and we may have missed a few that you think should have been included. We'll be updating this list as more products arrive, so feel free to make any suggestions or criticize our picks in the comments section below.

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California man uses iPhone GPS to track down thieves

A GPS tracking system saves the day, again. One man uses it to find his stolen bag full of valuables, including his laptop, iPad, and iPhone.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Smartphone thieves beware. If you steal an iPhone, the owner can track you. That's what a California man did when robbed of his laptop, iPhone and iPad, according to a recent court case.

Three men accosted Enner Mendoza, a resident of Anaheim, Calif., last year. They pressed a hard object to the back of his neck and demanded his belongings. After taking his messenger bag, which contained his tech valuables as well as his watch and wallet, the thieves got in their gold sedan and drove away, laughing.

But, it seems Mendoza got the last laugh.

He quickly returned home, called the police, and started tracking his iPhone through a GPS tracking program on his computer. He gave the location to the authorities who found the car at a liquor store in a neighboring city. The cops found the stolen goods, along with a fake handgun and the suspects, in the car.

This isn't the first time GPS has saved the day, but smartphone thefts are becoming more common. The devices are valuable, and easy to grab and run off with. It happens so often in New York that the police department there as a dedicated unit just for Apple devices.

Officials on both coasts see it as a public safety issue and recently called on the smartphone industry to add a "kill switch" option to phones. This would make phones useless if lost or stolen, reducing their value to thieves.

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Dead Rising 3

I was not a big fan of Dead Rising 2 because it seemed like a game that had lost its way. The team at Blue Castle Games says they realize that and has shifted some of the focus for Dead Rising 3, the upcoming Xbox One exclusive.

Dead Rising 3 puts zombies first, making them the star of the game instead of the ridiculous ways you can customize your character. Sure, that side of the game is still in there, but the focus this time will be capturing the mood of a zombie apocalypse. Dead Rising 3 is grittier, gloomier and way more intense. Did I mention it's the size of Dead Rising 1 and 2 combined and some?

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