Tired of waiting for your game update or new game download? Here's a tip to speed up your connection to Steam and spend your time playing, not waiting.
Steam
Steam defines itself as "the ultimate entertainment platform." Its software, available for PC, Mac, and mobile devices, allows people to "play, connect, [and] create." Its gaming library has more than 2,000 titles and it has approximately 40 million users. If you're one of those 40 million, you know what a pain it can be to wait for a game to update or for a new one to download -- it's not the speediest process.
Here's how to make the wait time a little less painful:
Screenshot by Nicole Cozma/CNET
Open the Steam settings page. This can be accessed by right-clicking the Steam icon in the system tray and selecting Settings from the menu that appears.
Screenshot by Nicole Cozma/CNET
In the Settings window, there will be many tabs full of all sorts of options and settings that you can play with. The settings we're interested in are under the Downloads + Cloud tab.
Screenshot by Nicole Cozma/CNET
Two of the settings here can help increase your download speed. First, make sure the drop-down labeled "Approximate speed of your Internet connection" is properly set to, well, the approximate speed of your Internet connection.
Second, play around with the Download region drop-down settings. Your best bet is going to be the closest location to you, but factors like the internet connection between you and that location or volume of traffic to that server may tip the scale in the favor of a server further away.
Adjusting these settings will require you to restart your Steam client before the changes come into effect. Hopefully you'll notice faster download speeds after the restart. If there's no change -- or worse, your connection seems slower -- play around more with the download region setting until you find a reliable, low-traffic server.
Want to prevent your kids from accessing inappropriate content? It's relatively simple thanks to Sony's advanced parental controls.
Picking up a PlayStation 4? You won't be disappointed; Sony's latest console has a great lineup of launch titles. Games like Killzone Shadow Fall, Call of Duty: Ghosts, Battlefield 4, and many others, will ensure that you're entertained for hours.
Some of these games, however, may not be appropriate for young kids. To make things easier for parents, Sony has included numerous parental controls that can prevent kids from accessing certain content, features, and games.
Sarah Tew/CNET
From the PlayStation 4's main menu, hit the up arrow and scroll over to the system settings. Next, select Parental Controls and click on the "Restrict Use of PS4 Features" option. The parental options include the ability to restrict access to certain games, Blu-ray movies, DVDs, and the Web browser. The system can also be configured to prevent other accounts from logging in.
Sarah Tew/CNET
To restrict access to certain games, open the Application tab and set a level between 1 and 11. The lower you set the level, the tighter the restriction will be. For example, a level 1 rating prevented us from playing all games, even Knack, which is rated Everyone and contains some cartoon violence.
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You should play around with the settings and find the one that's right for you and your family. A middle level should suit you well, depending on the age of your kids.
Blu-ray movies and DVDs can be restricted using the same level as games, and the Web browser can be disabled by clicking on the Internet Browser tab. Meanwhile, the User Accounts option will allow you to prevent others from creating new accounts and logging in to the system.
The passcode on the PlayStation 4 is set to 0-0-0-0 by default. I highly recommend you change it. The passcode can be changed by clicking on the "Change Passcode" option in the Parental Control settings, followed by entering your old code and creating a new one.
Parents can also create subaccounts that will have the restrictions they've created set by default. This can be done by going to Settings, clicking on Parental Controls, and selecting Sub Account Management.
You can stream PlayStation 4 games to the PlayStation Vita over a Wi-Fi network. Here's what you need to know.
From the iconic PlayStation to Blu-ray discs, Sony has changed the way we play games and consume media time and time again. The company is looking to shake things up once again with the release of the PlayStation 4. With an 8-core AMD Jaguar processor and a high-end Radeon GPU, Sony's latest console is more powerful than ever before.
Class-leading specs, however, aren't the only thing gamers should be excited about.
The PlayStation 4 includes a number of new features, such as the ability to share gameplay with friends and even play games while they are being downloaded.
Sony has also expanded the Remote Play feature that was first introduced with the PlayStation 3. Remote Play, which is arguably one of the coolest features, allows users to play PlayStation 4 games on their PlayStation Vita over a Wi-Fi network, freeing up a TV for other use.
Here's what you need to know:
The gear
The ability to remotely play games won't come cheap. In addition to a PlayStation 4 console, which costs $399, gamers will also be required to purchase a PlayStation Vita for $199, and have access to the Internet through a high-end router.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The setup
In the PlayStation 4 settings, select PS Vita Connection Settings, turn Remote Play on, and click on the "Add Device" option. A unique pairing number will then be displayed on your TV screen. From the Vita's home screen, select PS4 Link, choose Remote Play, enter the paring number from the TV, click Register, and select the "Connect to PS4" option.
Sarah Tew/CNET
After pairing is complete, the PlayStation 4's interface will be displayed on the Vita's screen. Simply select the title you wish to play and start gaming. The TV can then be switched to a new HDMI port or even turned off completely.
The games
Sony has said that it "expects that most PS4 titles will support Remote Play unless the title requires a special peripheral like PlayStation Camera," however, it will be up to specific game developers to support the feature.
Sally Neiman/CNET
The limitations
Unfortunately, Remote Play does have some limitations. A strong Internet connection and an equally strong router are a must for low latency streaming. It's also unclear how many titles will realistically support Remote Play, a flaw that crippled the feature on the PlayStation 3.
The new Share button on the DualShock 4 controller makes it easier than ever to broadcast your gaming adventures with others.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Gaming is more social than ever before. Not only are players of all ages coming together to compete online, but they are also sharing gameplay videos, tips, and tricks across social media.
Sony has made it easier to share with friends on the PlayStation 4. The company included a dedicated Share button on the new DualShock 4 controller, which gives gamers the ability to quickly take a screenshot or even broadcast gameplay to others around the world.
Sharing
A single press of the Share button will display the sharing options menu, a long press will take a screenshot that won't interrupt gameplay, and a double-press will set a start point for recording a video clip.
Sony
The sharing menu (which, when opened, will also automatically capture a screenshot) includes three options: upload a video clip, upload a screenshot, and broadcast gameplay.
Once inside the share menu, clicking the Options button on the controller will open the share settings. From here, you can tweak your video clip and broadcast settings, and even connect to various social media accounts.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Recording
The PlayStation 4 is always recording gameplay, whether you like it or not. The system will create a video clip of the previous 15 minutes of your gameplay once you hit the Share button. This clip can then be edited, saved, and shared with others from the share menu.
Audio from your microphone can be enabled on video clips by entering the share settings and selecting the video clip settings.
Broadcasting
In addition to recording videos, the PlayStation 4 can even broadcast live gameplay to services like Twitch and Ustream. Before you begin, however, you should configure the broadcast settings. Videos and audio can be recorded at low, medium, high, or best quality in the broadcast settings inside of the share menu. This option cannot be changed once a broadcast has been initiated, though.
Live recordings can also be set to include video from the optional PlayStation Camera accessory and commentary from a connected microphone, both of which can be enabled in the broadcast settings, along with the option to display viewer comments on the screen.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Once your settings are configured to your liking, simply start a game, tap the Share button, select broadcast gameplay, and choose the service you wish to stream to. As you continue the game, a small sidebar will appear on the right-hand side of your screen that will display viewer numbers and comments in real time.
Live from PlayStation
If you're interested in live streams from other gamers, click on the Live from PlayStation tab on the console's main menu. From here you will find broadcasts and colorful commentary from gamers all around the world.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Perhaps the most appealing thing about the sharing experience on the PlayStation 4 is that a PlayStation Plus membership is not required to partake in the fun. Both the Live from PlayStation content and various sharing features can be accessed by all PlayStation 4 owners.
Want a bigger hard drive in the PlayStation 4? How about a faster one? Not a problem, it's relatively simple to swap out drives in Sony's latest console. Here's how to do it.
The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are both equipped with a 2.5-inch 500GB hard drive that spins at 5,400 revolutions per minute. Only the PlayStation 4's hard drive, however, can be replaced or upgraded.
Sony previously allowed gamers to upgrade their hard drives in the PlayStation 3, and with some games taking up more than 50GB of space, we are thankful the company kept the same philosophy with the PlayStation 4.
The process is relatively simple and should only take you a couple of minutes to complete.
Here's what you need to know:
The tools The hard drive must be a 2.5-inch drive, which is the size of a normal laptop drive, have at least 160GB of space, and be no thicker than 9.5 millimeters. You will also need a USB flash drive with at least 1GB of space, a Phillips-head screwdriver, and a computer with Internet access.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The process With the console laying flat (and unplugged), apply pressure to the glossy black cover and slide it down; it should snap right off. Locate the screw with the traditional PlayStation shapes -- circle, square, triangle, X -- and remove it.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Pull the hard-drive tray out, remove the four screws that keep it in place, and replace the drive with the new one (it should be facing down with the SATA ports facing toward the opening). Secure your new drive into the tray, insert it back into the system, and replace the PlayStation screw.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Getting the cover back on can be a little tricky. Instead of sliding it in from the bottom, come from the top and snap it back into place.
The update From your computer, go to Sony's site and download the latest software update for the PlayStation 4. Connect the USB flash drive to the computer and format it to FAT32, which will erase all the data on the drive and allow it to be recognized by the console. This can be done on Windows by right-clicking the drive, selecting Format, choosing the "FAT32" option from the pull-down menu, and clicking the Start button.
Screenshot by Dan Graziano/CNET
Once complete, open the drive and create a folder titled "PS4"; inside of that folder create another one titled "UPDATE" in all caps, and place the update file inside of it.
Screenshot by Dan Graziano/CNET
The console Connect the power cord to the back of the console and plug in the HDMI port. You will also need to connect both the controller and the USB flash drive. Next, turn the console on in Safe mode by holding the power button for 7 seconds.
Click the PlayStation button on the controller when prompted to do so and scroll down to the "Initialize PS4" option. The system will then copy the update file from your drive to the console and install it.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Once installation is complete, the PlayStation 4 will restart and boot as if it were the first time you powered it on, requiring you to create an account, sign in to the PlayStation Network, and download your content.
Microsoft gives parents complete control over the content and features their kids can access on the Xbox One. Here's how to get started.
There's nothing like killing zombies in Dead Rising 3 on your new Xbox One. The violent video game is just one of a handful of launch titles that is available alongside Microsoft's new console.
While Dead Rising 3 (which was recently banned in Germany) and titles like it will offer you hours of endless and violent entertainment, they may not be games you want your kids playing.
Like Sony with the PlayStation 4, Microsoft has included various parental controls that can prevent your kids from accessing certain games and features on the Xbox One.
Setup
From the console's main menu, click on Games & Apps, scroll over to Settings, and select Privacy & Online Safety. This page will give you a variety of options for customizing your Xbox One experience, including settings for controlling your privacy and restricting inappropriate games or features.
The Xbox One's settings can also be accessed by tapping the menu button, which is represented with three horizontal lines, on the controller.
Privacy
Three default options are available -- child, teen, and adult -- for controlling privacy settings
The child defaults allow children to play and download free games, music, videos, and apps, along with making video game clips. This setting also lets kids see other profiles and communicate with friends, however a parent is required to add a new friend. Other gamers can also see when the child is online and available to play.
Sarah Tew/CNET
In addition to the child defaults, teens can see and share Kinect content, add friends, socialize in multiplayer games, and share to social networks.
The adult setting allows everyone to see your friends, game clips, and any musics, apps, and games you've enjoyed. The setting also lets others see your full profile, in addition to being notified when you come online.
All three defaults can be used as a base and customized to your liking. You can also start from scratch and create your own privacy settings.
By default, Microsoft uses your video app history to improve your experience. The company also stores your exercise information with your online profile. While there doesn't appear to be a way to disable this, Microsoft notes that the information is kept private and not shared with others.
Content Restrictions
The Content Restrictions settings can be found on the right-hand side of the Privacy & Online Safety menu. From here you can restrict access to content, features, and more. The menu consists of four options: Access to content, Web filtering, Descriptions in OneGuide, and Contact preferences.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Restrictions for games, music, movies, and apps can be found in the "Access to content" option. Unlike Sony, which uses a confusing number scale to prevent certain features, Microsoft allows content to be restricted based on age. The system can be configured to allow only appropriate content from ages 3 to 18; there is also an unrestricted option for the older crowd.
Once the restriction is set, check the "Hide listings in search, stores, and apps" box to prevent inappropriate content from appearing in search results or the Xbox Store.
The Web browser can be filtered to only allow only sites you previously approved, sites designed for children, general interest pages, access to social networks and mail services, or to simply warn on adult sites.
Sarah Tew/CNET
To block "explicitly sexual, violent or otherwise objectionable" descriptions while browsing through channels, click on the "Descriptions in OneGuide" option.
Inside of the Contact preferences you can opt-out of promotional offers from Microsoft, Xbox, and its partners.
Passkey
You must create a passkey to fully implement parental controls. Enter the settings, select the "Sign-in, Security, and Passkey" option, and create a new 6-digit passkey.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Once completed, you will have the option to require the key for signing into the system and when purchasing items from the Xbox Store. The console will also require the key to Microsoft Xbox One be entered to allow your kids to add friends or play certain games, depending on the parental settings you opted for.
iPhone 6 vs Samsung Galaxy S6: Here's the difference
These two top flagship smartphones both pack high-end designs and features to boot. Here's how they stack up against each other.
Josh Miller/CNET
Apple and Samsung's flagship phones, the iPhone 6 and Galaxy S6, are sure to dominate the smartphone world this year. Both phones are remarkably similar, in design, features and cost, but there are some telltale differences.
If you're looking to switch phones this year and have your sites on either the iPhone or Galaxy S6, we've built a handy guide of what each phone has that the other doesn't, and what both have in common.
What the Galaxy S6 has that the iPhone 6 doesn't
Wireless charging and quick charging
Like many other top Android phones, the Galaxy S6 supports wireless charging with a separate wireless charger, which you can find in many stores today. You simply place the phone on a wireless charging pad to add juice without fumbling with wires. Additionally, the S6 promises to charge quickly, so you're not waiting around for enough battery to go about your day.
Built-in heart-rate monitor
The S6's LED flash doubles as a heart-rate monitor that can also measure your blood oxygen saturation. You can use it to test your resting heart rate, or while exercising to see how hard you're pushing. Ourreal-world tests show that these kinds of heart-rate monitors aren't the most accurate, but it's nice to have the option. The iPhone 6 can measure your heart rate through the LED flash, but you'll need a third-party app to do it.
Bigger, higher resolution screen
The Galaxy S6 benefits from a large, supersharp screen that looks impressive in person and has a higher resolution than the iPhone 6. Samsung's latest has a 5.1-inch AMOLED 2,560x1,440-pixel resolution (577 ppi) screen. In contrast, the iPhone 6 has a 4.7-inch 1,344x750 IPS (326 ppi) display. If you want a five-plus-inch screen, you'll need to look at the iPhone 6 Plus, which costs an average $100 more than the iPhone 6.
A dedicated VR accessory
Looking at future tech, Samsung's got a leg up over Apple with both smartwatches and virtual reality. The Samsung Gear VR headset pairs with the Galaxy S6 to create an immersive video-watching and game-playing experience. VR might still be a bit ahead of its time, but if you're into it, you'll be able to use it with the S6.
The carrier says its new map of network coverage uses real-time data and will be updated every two weeks.
T-Mobile CTO Neville Ray, pictured here at CES 2014, says the new coverage map uses 200 million data points from customers each day.CNET/James Martin
T-Mobile is taking a new approach to the staid wireless-coverage map.
The company unveiled on Monday its "next-gen" network map, which uses real-time data collected from customers and through third-party sources such as Speedtest.net and Inrix. What makes it next gen? It isn't a static map, but one that will get updated every two weeks with new data. Customers will be able to drill down to an area of 100 square meters (Check it out here).
The network map gives consumers a chance to find out whether T-Mobile's coverage is sufficient in their area before taking a chance on the carrier. It's one of the ways T-Mobile is hoping to fight the perception that its network lags behind rivals such as AT&T and Verizon Wireless when it comes to breadth of coverage; rival maps shows significant gaps where T-Mobile isn't available. While T-Mobile offers speedy coverage in the major metropolitan areas, its coverage has traditionally fallen short in more rural territories and inside buildings.
Here is T-Mobile's coverage map for New York.T-Mobile
"This is pure, unfiltered customer data," T-Mobile Chief Technology Officer Neville Ray said, arguing that the new map offers more accurate information than any other because it uses 200 million data points culled from customers each day.
In addition to relying on third-party firms, T-Mobile collects data from customers who opt in to a program that allows the carrier to monitor the performance of their phones. The data is collected and combined anonymously, he said.
Such a map means T-Mobile's coverage -- for better or worse -- will be on full display, including where 3G and 4G LTE is or isn't available. Ray said he's okay with that, adding that he hopes to start a trend.
"We want the rest of the competition to do this," he said. "In the future, customers will demand greater visibility on all aspects of their service."
Bellevue, Wash.-based T-Mobile has been aggressive in using real-time data from customers, noting that this offers a more up-to-date indication of network performance. Other carriers point to tests conducted by research firms such as RootMetrics, which employ people to run tests with standard equipment, as a more accurate indicator. In February, RootMetrics said Verizon had the best overall performance, although it noted T-Mobile had made significant gains in network speed in the major cities.
In many areas, customers can see a little check mark showing that the customer data was verified by T-Mobile. Some areas of the map will also show average speed if it's available, Ray said.
If you're paying full price, you're doing it wrong.
South Park: The Stick of Truth may be $59.99 now, but in a few months it won't be.Ubisoft
PC gaming may be on life support, but it's definitely not dead. Indeed, plenty of the top game releases of 2013 -- BioShock: Infinite, Injustice: Gods Among Us, Saints Row IV, Tomb Raider -- were not merely for consoles.
What's more, if you're looking for good gaming on the cheap, you really have to look to the PC. Although a decent desktop (one with a reasonably powerful discrete graphics card) will probably cost you a bit more than a console, you stand to save a bundle when it comes to stocking it with games. All you have to do is follow a few simple rules.
1. Wait. If you buy a game within the first couple months of its release, you're almost certainly going to pay the full list price, or very close to it. Right now, for example, the just-released South Park: The Stick of Truth costs $59.99, while the recent reboot of Thief runs $49.99. Those are premium prices, and by exercising a little patience, you can avoid them.
For example, one year ago this month, the aforementioned BioShock: Infinite debuted with a $59.99 price tag. Today, Newegg has it on sale for $9.99 (actually, $7.99 if you apply coupon codeEMCPGPF98 at checkout). That's a savings of nearly 87 percent. And all you had to do was wait a year.
Sometimes it doesn't even take that long. Last year, barely a month after Tomb Raider made its $49.99 PC debut, Green Man Gaming ran a sale offering the game for just $20.
Needless to say, you should never buy a PC game when it first comes out. I routinely see $40-$50 titles selling for $10-$20 within months after their release, and it's not uncommon to find top-rated, high-profile games for under $10 within a year.
2. Shop around. For any game you're interested in buying, don't assume that, say, Amazon or Steam has the best price. On any given day, you might find a better deal at GameFly, GamersGate, Green Man Gaming, or another store.
Of course, you probably don't want to spend a lot of time store-hopping, searching for the game you want at each stop. Thankfully, you don't have to: price-comparison sites like CheapShark andIsThereAnyDeal will look up online prices for any given game, and even send alerts when prices drop.
Sites like GameHour will price-compare PC games for you.Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET
For example, if you simply cannot wait for South Park: Stick of Truth, CheapShark reveals that one store (GetGames) has it for 20 percent off the $59.99 list price. (I still say give it a few months, because eventually you'll be able to get it for $30, $20, or even less.)
3. Watch for bundles. In your face, console owners! PC game bundles offer the kind of bang for the buck you simply can't get with a PlayStation or an Xbox.
Outfits like Bundle Stars, Humble Bundle, and IndieGala routinely offer some amazing deals -- usually for indie games (not that there's anything wrong with those), but sometimes for well-known commercial stuff as well.
This collection of a dozen indie games costs just $4.99 at Bundle Stars.Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET
For example, earlier this year the Humble folks offered a name-your-own-price bundle of Sid Meier games. Last summer, Green Man Gaming put together a $10 Grand Theft Auto bundle, and before that the Humble Origin Bundle served up eight top-tier EA games for literally a few bucks. Come on!
A lot of these bundles give you the option of diverting some (or all) of your payment to charity -- icing on the cake, if you ask me.
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