Sharing on the PlayStation 4

Sharing on the PlayStation 4

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.

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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.

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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.

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How to upgrade or replace your PS4's hard drive

How to upgrade or replace your PS4's hard drive

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.

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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.

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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.

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How to set up parental controls on the Xbox One

How to set up parental controls on the Xbox One

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.

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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.

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iPhone 6 vs Samsung Galaxy S6

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.

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T-Mobile ditches static coverage map

T-Mobile ditches static coverage map

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.

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