Xbox One and PlayStation 4: Facial recognition shootout

Both the Xbox One Kinect and PlayStation 4 camera can log you in on sight, but which next-gen console does it better?

The list of similarities between the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 is long. Both systems were released in the same month after years of development, both offer many of the same apps and games, and both can use proprietary camera technology to log users in via facial recognition.
One big difference is that the Xbox One includes the Kinect camera in its $499 purchase price, while the PlayStation camera is an additional $59, on top of the $399 console.
Of course, neither of these systems are intended to secure your account -- this isn't a form of biometric security. It's more a convenient way to easily log in to different user accounts, as well as a cool show-off feature to impress your friends.

Adding a hat threw off the PlayStation camera.

PlayStation 4
On the PlayStation 4, users must create "face data" by offering different angles of one's head to the camera in a predetermined order. You can repeat the process later, in a different room, with different lights, or other variables, to give the system more data to work with.
In initial testing, the PS4 recognized me easily, just after I stepped into the view of the PlayStation camera. So far, so good.
But, lacking any other registered faces, the PS4 also started logging other people in as me, basically anyone who looked even slightly similar, including people as disparate as how-to writer Dan Graziano and David Carnoy.
We later created face data for Grazanio and Joe Kaminski, who works in the CNET Labs. After that, the system correctly identified each of us, even if we all jumped in front of the camera at once.
Wearing a hat proved especially tricky for the PS4. When I stood side by side with David Katzmaier in front of the PlayStation camera, the system identified him as "Dan Ackerman," and didn't recognize me at all.

The Xbox One Kinect camera had trouble recognizing me without my glasses. 

Xbox One
With a camera system that is not only included by default, but also more sensitive and powerful (at least on paper), the facial recognition log-in is intended as the primary way users get access to their custom dashboards and profiles on Xbox One.
The setup process is much simpler, with no posing or moving around to different spots in the room, a time-consuming process required by the original Xbox 360 Kinect. Once I created/imported my Xbox Live profile, the system recognized me almost every time I got near it, even when just casually walking past, greeting me with an onscreen welcome message. That added me to the list of recognized players at the very top of the main dashboard screen, but to actually log in, I would have to take the controller and hit the home button.
The main difference between the two systems is that the Xbox One is always keeping an eye out for known users, and it experienced none of the false positives we saw with the PS4.
Wearing a hat was no problem for the Xbox One but when I removed my eyeglasses, I was recategorized as a "guest" until I put them back on.

Surprisingly, going clean-shaven didn't faze either console. 

No beard, no problem
For one last test, I went all the way and shaved my trademark graying hipster stubble, to see if the game consoles could recognize me clean-shaven. To my surprise, both systems logged me in immediately. Apparently facial hair is easier to account for than eyeglasses or a hat. The takeaway: if you're worried about entering a mustache-growing contest for fear it will interfere with gaming, you're in the clear.

Putting the console cameras to the test
How successful were both facial recognition systems when we put them to the test by creating a profile, then trying to log in under a series of changing variables? The results are below.

Xbox One vs. PlayStation 4 facial recognition test
	Xbox One	PlayStation 4
Standard facial recognition	Pass	Pass
No eyeglasses	Fail	Pass
Wearing a hat	Pass	Fail
Clean-shaven	Pass	Pass

 

Conclusion
The cameras used by both the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 are imperfect, but considering the ease of use and the overall success rate when used without our tricky variables, it's a big step forward over the proto-version of this feature that was eventually shoehorned into the previous generation of consoles.
The ability to sign into your next-gen game console just by standing (or sitting) in front of it is one of those clever show-off features that will impress friends and family, and once you get used to it, it's hard to imagine logging in any other way. Just remember to take off your hat first.

Putting the Southwest Airlines gate-to-gate Wi-Fi to the test

Can you really connect to Wi-Fi before takeoff and stay connected all the way to your destination? That's what Southwest now promises. A first-day test of how well it worked.

(Credit: Southwest Airlines.) 

 

When I flew to Las Vegas on Southwest Airlines on Tuesday, I had to do the same old routine of turning off my electronic devices. But for my return trip on Thursday, life was dramatically different. Southwest changed to allow devices to remain on, as a new Federal Aviation Administration rule allows. It also became the first airline to allow "gate to gate" Wi-Fi. For me, it was the perfect opportunity to put that promise to the test.
Could I really connect while I was on the ground, before leaving my departure gate and maintain my Internet connection all the way to when I landed and reached the gate of my destination, John Wayne Airport in Orange County, Calif.? For the most part, yes. There was trouble at first that cleared, and things got better and better as I went on.

A rough start
My test began when I settled into my seat at 2 p.m. PT Thursday, which was the first full day of Southwest's new policy. Unlike some other airlines with Wi-Fi, Southwest's service can send and receive Internet data even when the plane is on the ground. The only barrier, until now, has been that our devices were required to be off when the airplane doors have closed, until reaching that famous 10,000-foot level.
Logging into the service on my iPad was easy. But after getting my confirmation, the data wouldn't flow. E-mail, Twitter, browsing the Web -- nothing was working. It was the same situation with my iPhone, where I'd also signed-up for the service.
We left the gate at 2:05 p.m. and were quickly stuck on a taxiway, the pilot announcing a 10- to 15-minute backlog for takeoffs because of bad weather. But by 2:24 p.m., that disappointment was eased as the data started to flow. My first tweet finally left my iPad -- a first tweet by means of a device that only days before was required to be off -- using the airplane's own Wi-Fi, while on a taxiway.
It was historic. I should have tweeted something like "One small tweet from me; one giant leap for all of us." Instead, I just noted that it was finally working:

Xbox One just as sleek (on the inside) as PlayStation 4

The folks over at iFixit dismantle the Xbox One to show that despite its bigger and bulkier appearance, Microsoft's next-gen console is just as easy to dismantle and repair as Sony's.


Though it may not be as smooth and slim as its primary competitor, the Xbox One's hardware is just as user-friendly. As illustrated in an iFixit teardown Thursday, Microsoft's all-in-one entertainment machine achieved an 8 out of 10 on the repairability scale and actually gave the teardown specialists slightly less trouble than Sony's PlayStation 4.
"Only a few tools are required to take the whole console apart. The opening procedure is similar to, but much easier than, any Xbox 360," the report reads. "Once inside, a clean, no-nonsense modular design allows the drives, fan, heat sink, wireless board, and front daughterboard to be easily replaced." When tearing down the PS4, iFixit found that it required extensive disassembly -- involving security screws instead of the Xbox One's clips -- to reach parts likely to be desperate for cleaning down the line, such as the fan.
Critics have been nearly unanimous in their negative assessment of the Xbox One's aesthetics, noting that it's taller than the PS4 -- and significantly bulkier than the Xbox 360 -- and is about as as attractive as as enormous VCR. But then again, looks aren't everything and the Xbox One is more than just a gaming machine, making its boxy appearance a fair tradeoff for anyone who finds the console's added set-top box functionality and lofty entertainment ambitions a better deal.

Sony was nice enough to give consumers its own teardown in an exclusive Wired video prior to the console's launch, which showcased a surprisingly small fan that undoubtedly gave the console more breathing room for Sony to fit in the power supply. The Xbox One, with its external power supply, sports a massive fan that suggests that that choice is a core factor in its larger appearance. It's unclear whether any heating problems early PS4 users are experiencing have anything to do with fan size.
Another key difference between the PS4 and Xbox One's innards is the hard drive. Both consoles' software now demands that players install new games to the system's HDD. However, while Sony will allow users to replace its drive, Microsoft will not and asks that players rely on external storage through its USB 3.0 port. Getting your hands on the HDD, iFixit notes, will void your warranty.
"Good news: it's a standard 2.5 inch SATA II drive," the iFixit team added. "Unknown news: we're not sure if the Xbox One will recognize unformatted SATA hard drives." That last bit could be unsettling for those daring enough to modify the Xbox One and lose its warranty in the process, as it could result in a fruitless teardown and an unusable extra HDD.
Also worth geeking out over is the Xbox One's custom system-on-chip integrated circuit, combining an AMD "Jaguar" 8-core CPU and AMD Radeon Graphics GPU in the x86 architecture now commonplace in PC gaming.

In orange: the Xbox One's custom system-on-a-chip integrated circuit that combines an AMD "Jaguar" 8-core CPU and AMD Radeon Graphics GPU.

(Credit: iFixit) 

 

Hard drive replacements aside, the Xbox One's 8 out of 10 rating proves that even with a bigger, boxier appearance, Microsoft has pulled together an impressively cohesive and user-friendly machine that will only continue to maximize its hardware down the line. iFixit's teardown is still a work in progress, so we can expect more insights soon.

Five tips for a Google Glass newbie

Becoming a Glass Explorer is an exciting time. Just as with any new device, there is a learning curve. Here's five tips to make you feel less like a n00b.

 

 

When Google provided Glass Explorers with the option to invite three friends to join the program, many users were very excited, and rightfully so. This time around Google isn't requiring new Explorers to make the journey to pick up Glass, where they would have received a hands-on demo of the headset. Instead Google is shipping Glass directly to the nominated Explorers and offering a 45-minute tutorial session through a Google+ Hangout.
Without the hands-on time with a Glass Guide sitting next to you, there are sure to be some questions after the Hangout is over. Below are five of the most common questions I see in both the Glass Community forums along with in various Google Glass Explorer groups across Google+.

iOS vs Android

 

 

Easily the biggest question for new Glass Explorers is whether or not an Android device is required to use Glass. The short answer is no, an Android device is not required.
Glass users who carry around an iPhone will be able to take advantage of most features offered by Glass, but there are some pretty big holes left in the functionality. iPhone users will not be able to take advantage of SMS messaging, turn-by-turn navigation, the no tethering requirement and screen casting to a paired device.
iPhone users will be able to use any app that simply relies on a data connection, so long as Glass is connected to Wi-Fi or an iOS device with a tethering plan. You can still send a message using Glass with an iPhone, however the message will be sent via e-mail instead of SMS.
Glass Explorers with an iPhone should use the Google Search app to better manage the Google Now content shown to them on Glass. With Google Now you can set reminders, view sports updates, weather, traffic alerts and so much more.
Android users will need to install the MyGlass companion app to take advantage of features iOS users can't. The biggest advantage of using an Android device over iOS that's not often talked about is the fact that a tethering plan is no longer required to use Glass when Wi-Fi isn't available. Google updated the MyGlass app awhile back, adding the ability for the app to handle all data throughput through the app, instead of through Bluetooth tethering. This feature alone can potentially save Glass Explorers from having to switch data plans, or spending some extra cash every month just to use Glass.
For iPhone users who are thinking about giving Android a try with Glass, I recommend picking up a Nexus 5. At the price point of $350 for the base model, and the fact it's an an unlocked device without a contract, you can't really go wrong. The return period of two weeks is more than enough time for you to judge whether or not making the switch is worth it. For those who want to give it a try but are on Verizon, any Android device running Android 4.0 and above will work.

Vignettes -

 

 

This is one of my favorite features of the camera app on Glass. A couple of months ago the ability to take a photo and have a screenshot from Glass placed in the top-right corner of the photo was added. The feature is called Vignette and is supersimple to use; you just have to remember to follow a certain order when taking a photo.
To apply the Vignette effect to a photo, the screen on Glass needs to be on. It doesn't matter which app or service you're currently viewing, it just needs to be on with information present.
Next snap a photo using the physical button on Glass itself. You will see the screen change to the camera and hear the shutter sound. Instead of swiping down to back out of the camera, tap on the touchpad to bring up the menu. The first option will be Vignette. Select it and watch as Glass takes your photo and applies the screenshot.
Vignettes are the perfect way to express what it feels and looks like to wear Glass at different times, completing different tasks. Get creative with it.

Glassware

 

Google has officially named apps on Glass Glassware. There are two different types of Glassware: Web apps or native apps. The former are what powers Google Now, Twitter, Facebook and a lot of third-party apps currently available. Native apps aren't readily available, and require you to side load the app using the command line. Google is prepping to roll out native apps in a big way, making it easy to install and manage them, but it's not quite ready yet.
When you first set up Glass you were able to activate Glassware using the MyGlass Web site. There is a healthy list of Glassware on the site, all of which is officially approved by Google. But for those who want to use some apps and services currently being developed, there are some more options.
Once in a while, give Glass-Apps.org a visit and browse through the Glassware listed on the site. Some apps are the official apps Google has already provided you access to, while others are third-party apps. Keep in mind that the current restrictions placed by Google on developers and use of the Mirror API (used to power Glassware) is pretty tight, so not all apps will work as expected (and some won't work at all due to hitting API limits).

Twitter

(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET)

Glass, of course, has Google+ social integration built right in, with the option to activate Twitter and Facebook (along with Path and Tumblr). Each service can be enabled or disabled via the MyGlass app or site.
When it comes to what tweets you'll receive on Glass, you can expect to receive any mentions and direct messages, but there's more to it than that. You may also notice you're receiving random tweets from brands or people you follow. The reason is because you have mobile alerts enabled for that particular account. With mobile alerts turned on you'll have every tweet the person sends sent directly to Glass.
You can manage this setting on an account-by-account basis by visiting the user's profile page on Twitter.com and clicking on the profile icon next to the Follow button. There you'll find an option to turn mobile notifications on or off.

Gmail

 

 

When I first started using Glass I had a lot of issues getting my Gmail account to actually send e-mails to Glass. It took some tinkering and asking my fellow Explorers what was going on, but I finally figured it out.
Any e-mails marked as important in your Gmail (or Google Apps) account will be sent to Glass.
If you're having trouble getting your messages on Glass, make sure they're being properly marked as important.
A key resource in helping you learn more about Glass and its little nuances is the Glass-Community Web site. Here Glass Explorers and Guides come together and talk everything Glass. There's a ton of information available there; be sure to take advantage of it. Any new Glass Explorers feel free to leave a comment below with other questions you may have or your initial thoughts after receiving and using Glass.

Pandora's mobile ad sales pass $100M for the quarter

The Internet's biggest radio service increased a key measure of how much revenue it gets from the commercials you hear when you listen on your mobile device, even as its bottom line turned red.

Pandora Media, the operator of the Web's top radio service, is squeezing more juice out of its mobile advertising, with revenue from the ads crossing the $100 million mark for the first time in the latest quarter.

Thursday, Pandora reported that a financial measure called RPM, which is how much revenue it gets from 1,000 ad impressions, rose again for its mobile advertising. The company's new chief executive, Brian McAndrews -- an advertising executive who joined the online radio service in September -- said the company would continue to invest aggressively, a chord his predecessor, Joe Kennedy, struck in the previous quarter, too.
Pandora in the middle of an effort to become an advertising-powered heavyweight alongside its terrestrial radio rivals, and has been bulking up with moves like hiring McAndrews, building up a local ad-sales force, and integrating into the forums that advertisers turn to to make their media buys.
It posted a loss of $1.7 million, or a penny a share, compared with a year-earlier profit of $2.1 million, or a penny a share. Stripping out unusual costs, per-share profit was a penny higher at 6 cents, hitting the upper band of the company's May forecast for 3 cents and 6 cents a share.
Revenue climbed 50 percent to $180 million, better than the company's prediction for $174 million to $179 million.
Pandora's guidance for the current quarter was in line with what analysts were expecting.
Investors were cautious about the results, with shares down 2.5 percent to $28.94 in after-hours trading, though Pandora's stock has nearly quadrupled in the last year, giving room for a pullback.

FCC considers lifting cell phone ban on planes

The U.S. agency that regulates the nation's communications networks said it will seek public comment on a proposal that will allow people to make phone calls and use mobile data in-flight.



   (Credit: Jet Blue) 

The Federal Communications Commission is considering green-lighting the use of cellphones and mobile broadband services on airplanes above 10,000 feet.
The agency, which has restricted the use of cellular devices for making phone calls or surfing the Web in-flight, is circulating a proposed rulemaking among its commissioners. The agency will introduce the item at its December open meeting, and will then allow for public comment on the proposal.
FCC chairman Tom Wheeler said Thursday that it's important for the FCC to keep up with changing technology.
"Modern technologies can deliver mobile services in the air safely and reliably, and the time is right to review our outdated and restrictive rules," he said in a statement. "I look forward to working closely with my colleagues, the FAA, and the airline industry on this review of new mobile opportunities for consumers."
The FCC's move comes just weeks after the Federal Aviation Administration said it plans to change its rules for using electronic devices in flight. The agency said it will now lift restrictions so that devices, such as e-readers and tablets, can be used during take-off and landing. But at the time, the FAA said that it would still restrict the use of cellular services in-flight, requiring users to switch their electronic gadgets to "airplane mode," which turns off the cellular radios.
The changes in the FCC rules would now make it possible for consumers to use cellular voice and data services once the aircraft reaches 10,000 feet. These devices will still need to be in airplane mode during take-off and landing.
But even though the rule changes will make it possible for these services to be accessed in-flight, the FCC will not force airlines to allow people to talk on their phones or use cellular data services while in the air. Airlines may still impose restrictions on usage. There has already been a lot of debate surrounding whether people should be allowed to make phone calls while traveling in such close quarters.
The question of whether cellphones could be used on airplanes has come up in the past at the FCC. The agency considered a similar proposal in 2004 and sought public comment. But it dropped the rule changes in 2007 after flight attendants and others lobbied against it. At the time, the FCC said that it lacked enough technical information to change the rules.
Changes to rules restricting cellular service in Europe are also changing. Last week, the European Commission adopted new rules to allow passengers to use devices with 3G and 4G data connections. Previously, the agency only allowed 2G wireless services to be used aboard flights above 3000 meters. But as it is in the U.S., airlines in Europe will ultimately decide whether passengers can use any cellular device while flying.

Does Facebook need a cemetery?

The creators of the Sanctri app believe there needs to be a separate place on Facebook to mourn the dead and honor them.


Your own Facebook memorial.

Does death disrupt your day?
By "your day," I of course mean your Facebook news feed, the place where all news happens and all feelings are expressed.
Some people feel that remembering those they loved doesn't quite harmonize with cat videos, political diatribes, and news of the latest boyfriend, job, or date.
So on Thursday they launched Sanctri, an app that gives bereaved Facebookers their own area for grief, sorrow, and remembrance.
Four million Facebook users will die this year. And Sanctri's co-founder, Jono Milner, believes: "When someone passes away, we don't know how to deal with it on Facebook."
Some might wonder why such tragedy needs to be dealt with on Facebook at all. But Milner told me: "Facebook is today's public forum. People used to pay tribute in the classifieds section of the newspapers -- now it's on Facebook. Many people want to come together to remember someone online -- especially given that we're such a mobile population these days."
Sanctri from Sanctri on Vimeo.
So on Sanctri you can create social memorials, a Lifebook, and even pledge positive actions and make charitable donations.

As Milner explained: "You're still in Facebook, but a step away from the everyday chatter. Grief just doesn't mix with photos from last night's party."
Indeed, the whole exercise uses Facebook-like terminology, but in a cemetery all of its own.
Milner told me: "You don't follow someone -- you 'remember' them. You don't 'like' something; you're moved by it."
Because its basis is Facebook, you might be wondering about the privacy controls. You can make your entry entirely public, only for public view (for instance, you can view the memorial, but not contribute) or you can keep it entirely private, only for approved viewers and contributors.
This is not a money-making venture. Milner told me: "We're just focused on providing a service and community to people that we hope will help them."
If Facebook is, indeed, the place to mourn -- as it is to do almost everything else for many -- then it's entirely understandable that you might want to "create your own environment, which is more sensitive and appropriate."
Of course, given tech's naturally competitive ways, there will be competing virtual cemeteries, with competing features. What will it say about you if you mourn in one area, rather than another?
In case you're wondering, yes, there is already a Virtual Pet Cemetery.

Sprint dead last in Consumer Reports' phone service survey

The slow process of upgrading its network has taken a toll on Sprint's service.

The Sprint innovation center in Burlingame, Calif.

 

 

Sprint is eating everyone's dust.
The nation's third-largest wireless carrier by subscriber base sank to the bottom of a survey conducted by Consumer Reports over cell phone service. Sprint scored "dismal marks" in value, voice, text messaging, and 4G reliability, according to Consumer Reports' survey released Thursday. Sprint ranked No. 2 behind Verizon Wireless a year ago.

It's the latest headache for a carrier that is going through a long and painful transformation of its network. Sprint is in the middle of upgrading its network to allow for better and faster service, but the transition has been rough on customers. As a result, many have left the carrier in the last few years.
"While the findings in the Consumer Reports' survey are disappointing, they're not necessarily surprising," said a Sprint representative. "We've asked customers during the past year to 'pardon our dust' as we build out and upgrade our network."
Sprint is hoping the rate of customer attrition will fade once the network improves. To drum up interest for its next-generation network, the company last month demonstrated Sprint Spark, its enhanced LTE network. The company said in areas where the coverage has improved, the customer satisfaction has moved up accordingly.
Verizon Wireless was once again the top-rated carrier, though Verizon recently conceded that it was facing pressures in big cities such as New York and San Francisco.
AT&T and T-Mobile scored "ho-hum" results, Consumer Reports said, but AT&T was the lone carrier to get a top rating for 4G reliability.
AT&T has been making a lot of noise about offering both the fastest and most reliable network in the nation, while T-Mobile has quickly built out its 4G LTE network to pair with its HSPA+ network.
As with previous years, smaller carriers ranked higher, with niche provider Consumer Cellular scoring best in cell phone satisfaction despite running on the same network as AT&T.
The survey also found that many customers are overpaying for their data, with 38 percent of users surveyed using half or less than half of their monthly allotment. While AT&T and Verizon have capped their data plans, Sprint and T-Mobile still offer unlimited data plans.

Encrypted messaging coming to Microsoft's Office 365 next year

New feature will automatically encrypt e-mail sent on the service, regardless of the destination. Replies and forwards of messages will also be encrypted.

 

In response to e-mail privacy concerns, Microsoft announced Thursday it will introduce message encryption for Office 365 in early 2014. 

The new feature, dubbed Office 365 Message Encryption, will allow users to send automatically encrypted e-mail to recipients outside of their own company, regardless of its destination. In addition, all replies and forwards of that original message are automatically encrypted as well.
"No matter what the destination -- Outlook.com, Yahoo, Gmail, Exchange Server, Lotus Notes, GroupWise, Squirrel Mail, you name it -- you can send sensitive business communications with an additional level of protection against unauthorized access," Shobhit Sahay, product marketing manager on the Microsoft Exchange team, wrote in an Office 365 blog post Thursday.
The feature, which is expected to debut during the first quarter of 2014, will be free to Office 365 E3 and E4 users. It will also be included in the standalone version of Windows Azure Rights Management at no extra cost.

While Microsoft is pitching the new feature as essential to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive business communications, data encryption has attracted more interest since former NSA contractor Edward Snowden leaked classified documents revealing the agency's mass collection of e-mail metadata and other Internet communications.
As such, Internet companies have increased their focus on data security. A Yahoo spokesperson said last month that the Web company would begin using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) to encrypt e-mail connections on January 8. Google has always offered Gmail users the ability to encrypt e-mail through HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) and made it the default setting in 2010.
Google also announced recently that it was employing 2,048-bit RSA encryption keys on all of its Web site security certificates, which are used to set up encrypted communications between a Web server and Web browser. Likewise, Yahoo announced earlier this week that it would encrypt all information flowing between data centers by the end of the first quarter in 2014.

Heads up Apple, here comes 64-bit Android on Intel

Chip giant demonstrates a 64-bit Android platform running on its latest Atom processors at an investor conference.

 

Dell's Venue 8 Android tablet uses an Intel chip.

(Credit: Dell) Apple's A7 chips will feel some 64-bit heat from Intel and Android next year.
Intel is readying a 64-bit Bay Trail Atom platform for Android, according to Hermann Eul, Intel's general manager, mobile and communications group, speaking at the company's investor day on Thursday.
"It's not only about Windows 64-bit, we've been talking about Android as well," Eul said.
An assistant then proceeded to demo on stage "the first ever showing of a 64-bit kernel running on Bay Trail with Android."
Eul continued. "We have 64-bit Windows shipping next quarter and, needless to say, we'll run fast to make this happen on Android as well."
Intel's Bay Trail processor -- which is currently powering a growing number of tablets and 2-in-1 devices from Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and Lenovo -- today is 64-bit but runs Windows 8.1 in 32-bit mode. That will be rectified next quarter when Bay Trail tablets run in full 64-bit Windows 8.1 mode.
Today, Android on smartphones and tablets is a 32-bit affair.
Apple garnered lots of headlines in September when it unveiled the 64-bit A7 processor -- that chip now powers the iPhone 5S, iPad Air, and iPad Mini Retina.

A slide shown Thursday by Hermann Eul, general manager, mobile and communications group at Intel.

(Credit: Intel)

Going to 64-bit allows a device to address more memory -- more than the 4GB limitation in many cases for 32-bit processors.
But that's not all. A 64-bit platform can allow data-intensive applications to handle large chunks of data more efficiently than 32-bit -- and that can have implications in gaming, for instance.
Intel won't be alone, though, making a run at Apple. A report earlier this month said Samsung will launch a flagship smartphone with a 64-bit CPU in 2014.

Verizon Wireless offers $5-a-day data for tablets

Company announces new data plan, which comes with 300MB of data capacity, for tablet and connected-device owners who want occasional access to Verizon's 4G LTE network.

Tablets are expected to be one of the hottest gadget gift items for Holiday 2013. And Verizon Wireless has a new daily data plan that will get customers hooked up to the company's 4G LTE network for $5 a day.

 

(Credit: Verizon Wireless) 

 

On Thursday, Verizon Wireless announced the introduction of a new $5-a-day data plan for customers with tablets and other Internet connected devices, such as the Samsung Galaxy camera. The new plan will let users connect to Verizon's 4G LTE data network for 24 hours with access to up to 300 megabytes worth of data.
Customers who sign up will not be charged an activation fee. And if 300MB worth of data isn't enough, customers will get an alert to allow them to purchase another 300MB worth of data for $5. It's also easy to reactivate the service after a session has expired. Customers can simply go back to their account online after their daily session has expired to sign up again.
The way it works for customers who already have a Verizon Wireless SIM card installed in their tablet or device is that when they launch their browser, they'll automatically be routed to the Verizon Wireless broadband portal. Once on this landing page, they can choose a Share Everything plan, which lets customers share data among smartphones and other devices, including tablets, and requires a monthly contract. Prepay options will also be available, including the new $5 daily plan. Customers who don't have a Verizon Wireless SIM card installed in their device will have to stop by a Verizon Wireless retail location to get one. And a representative will be able to help them activate a data plan of their choosing.
Verizon has already been offering prepaid data plans for tablets and other connected devices. But these options offer service for 30 days, and the cost is considerably more. The cheapest option for a monthly prepaid data plan is $20 for 1GB of data, which can be used for up to a month. The plan is designed so that the service will automatically renew at the end of the 30-day period and the customer's credit card is automatically charged, making it a better option for people who need access to Verizon's data network on a more regular basis.
The new $5 daily service plan is not designed for customers who want access to Verizon's data network all the time. Instead, it's intended for customers who may need LTE services only occasionally, when Wi-Fi service is not available. It may also appeal to customers who don't want to pay for daily access to a Wi-Fi network in locations such as hotels.
Verizon is not the only wireless operator going after these occasional data users. In October AT&T announced a similar plan, which also costs $5 a day. AT&T's plan offers only 250MB of data per day.