| PlayStation App for Android goes live ahead of PlayStation 4 launch Nov 13th 2013, 07:23, by Juan Carlos Torres It looks like we’re just days away from the expected retail launch of the next-gen PlayStation 4 console. Shuhei Yoshida, who has been the Sony‘s public face for the past months, has just announced the availability of the PlayStation App on Google Play Store and iTunes app store, possibly heralding the imminent arrival of the console. 
The PlayStation app for mobile devices has been teased and previewed ever since the PlayStation 4 itself came into life in press rooms. Late last month, the app was revealed to come mid to end of November but it seems that Sony has decided to launch it early for one reason or another. Over the months, the app has been promised to do many things, with some sounding rather too good to be true. Now we finally get to see just how much of those eventually made it.   As expected, the PlayStation App simply provides a mobile extension to a player’s PlayStation Network and PlayStation 4 experience. The usual social networking features are present, allowing users to connect and chat with friends, brag about trophies, and even receive game notifications and alerts. The app will also let gamers pick up a game or add-on from the PlayStation Store and start downloading it on the PlayStation 4. It can also turn your mobile device into an on-screen keyboard for the console. And lastly, for games and apps that support it, the PlayStation App functions as a second screen for additional input.   The PlayStation App is free on Google Play Store and can be downloaded from the link below. Unfortunately, at the moment, it is unknown whether the app is compatible with other Android devices outside of Sony’s Xperia line. Download: PlayStation App on Google Play Store
SOURCE: Shuhei Yoshida |  | New Jersey seeks to penalize texting even at a stoplight Nov 13th 2013, 06:50, by Juan Carlos Torres If State Senator Richard Codey has his way, soon there will be no safe place for drivers to pull out their cellphones in New Jersey. The lawmaker has proposed legislation to extend state law against talking and texting while driving to cover even the case when the vehicle is stopped at a red light. 
Some drivers have taken refuge at stoplights to quickly check if they have an important message in order to decide whether to pull over or carry on. But even that may become illegal, as Codey suggests that it falls under the context of distracted driving. He seems to draw a similarity to the state’s current driving law, which includes being drunk even under a red light as driving under the influence (DUI). Unfortunately, it seems that the real goal isn’t as straightforward as it may seem. National Motorists Association representative for New Jersey Steve Carrellas believes that it’s all about the money and thinks the proposal is counterproductive. And Codey isn’t too shy to admit it. The goal of the legislation if to become eligible for the federal government’s Distracted Driving Grant Program, which will give states with distracted driving laws a certain amount of incentive, totaling to $17.5 million. It’s not as if New Jersey doesn’t have related laws. In fact, a bill will take effect in July next year that increases fines for using a cellphone while driving, starting from $200 to up to $600 for third time offenders, with the possibility of having licenses suspended. The proposed bill, however, has a long way to travel and Codey admits that time might not be on his side. It has first to be introduced in the assembly before it gets through both houses, all before the two-year legislative session ends. Otherwise, he has no choice but to reintroduce it as soon as possible if he wants to have it approved before July next year. VIA: Phone Scoop | | Verizon CFO admits LTE network experiencing strain in big cities Nov 13th 2013, 06:22, by Juan Carlos Torres In what seems to be a rare admission of weakness, Verizon‘s Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo confesses that its 4G LTE network is experiencing no small amount of usage pushing it beyond its capacity. This could cause LTE networks to go down to 3G in big cities like New York, San Francisco, and Chicago, where data usage is exceptionally higher. 
This is indeed a different tune from what Verizon has previously been singing, one that boasts of having the most reliable network in the country. From a technical standpoint, such a situation is only normal and to be expected, as LTE-enabled devices continue to proliferate and users continue to increase their data usage, increasing network traffic exponentially beyond what the network was initially capable of. Verizon was, however, quick to turn this slight mea culpa into a marketing opportunity. The reason for such a strain on the company’s network is because Verizon was an early adopter of LTE and has the country’s largest LTE network, with more LTE users than any other network. According to one tally, its LTE customers make up more than 60 percent of network traffic, even if it only represents a third of its customers. The good news for Verizon subscribers is that the company is not only aware of the situation but is, of course, taking steps to resolve it. From pumping in as much as $500 million in capital expenditures to investing in better technology, Verizon is expecting to rebound by the end of the year, and even get ahead of the game in 2014. VIA: CNET | |
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