The last few months have seen several leaks that suggest the next Xbox will require an "always on" broadband connection as a way to counter both piracy and used game sales. Microsoft isn't commenting, but the news -- if true -- is angering a lot of possible customers with they botched launches of Diablo 3 and SimCity (both requiring always-on connections) freshly in mind. Another source this week told gaming blog Kotaku that the next Box will indeed need a persistent connection to run games and apps, and that a troubleshooter launches if a user is offline for a set amount of time:As already noted, it remains unclear if Microsoft intends to ban used games, but demanding an always-on broadband connection to play games you own presents all manner of obvious issues. In addition to the leaks to news outlets, developers seem to be strongly hinting that the always-on requirement is a done deal.

To make matters worse for itself, Microsoft Studios creative director Adam Orth took to Twitter this week to mock those concerned about the always-on demand. Orth stated he "doesn't get the drama" about devices simply not working without connectivity, and that "those people should definitely get with the times and get the Internet." The comments seem to suggest a certain tone deafness to the issue, though Microsoft's certain to be less glib in May when the console is officially announced and -- assuming the rumors are true -- the backlash begins in earnest.

Update Orth has since proclaimed that he was just trolling a friend, though that doesn't make Microsoft's idea any less problematic -- and he wasn't quite quick enough to prevent himself from becoming a meme.

According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, Apple is getting ready to fire up production of two new iPhone models: an updated successor to the iPhone 5, and a smaller, cheaper iPhone to be aimed squarely at more cost-conscious users. Details are scarce, though sources tell the Journal the iPhone 5 successor (iPhone 5S?) should start production in the second quarter for a summer launch. The less-expensive iPhone also being produced may come in a variety of colors but will likely use "a different casing from the higher-end iPhone" and possibly come in a variety of colors.

According to a new survey by the Fiber to the Home Council, running a fiber to the home network isn't just great for consumers and businesses looking for more bandwidth, but it can save a medium or small scale telco up to 20% in savings annually. "On average, respondents estimated those savings to be 20.4 percent, largely because of a decrease in ongoing repair and maintenance," says the group.

According to the Council (which is comprised of companies selling fiber gear), the number of homes that can access FTTH networks has jumped 17.6 percent over the last year to 22.7 million. Granted most small to mid-sized telcos aren't installing fiber -- not because they don't realize potential cost savings, but because they either don't have the funds to do so, or there's such pathetic competition across their footprint there's simply nothing driving them to.

The ACLU recently uncovered heavy government use of devices known as "stingrays," which allow law enforcement to trick a user's cell phone to connect to a spoofed device instead of a tower for the purposes of data collection. As Wired explores, the Department of Justice is under fire for using these devices without informing Judges about either the devices, or the fact they could collect data from uninvolved third parties.

Sprint and Softbank are promising lawmakers that they won't use network gear from Chinese vendor Huawei as apparent conditions for SoftBank's acquisition of Sprint. According to the New York Times, the companies are promising they'll also avoid using Huawei gear in Clearwire's network as well.

Comcast's new X1 set top box will soon arrive in its eighth market: Washington DC, and Comcast says the box will arrive in "every major city" in 2013. The Pace made device is a QAM/IP hybrid set top that brings a lot of IP-based functionality to users already seen in set tops deployed by telcoTV competitors (widgets ahoy). First launched in Boston in mid-2012, the device is also being marketed primarily to new triple play customers in Colorado Springs; Atlanta and Augusta, Ga.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; San Francisco; and the Philadelphia area. The company is also cooking up an "X2" upgrade that will featured a revamped GUI, as well as potentially cloud-based storage.

Sony's new Xperia ZL smartphone is coming to the United States -- but at a steep unsubsidized price since the company has yet to partner with a wireless carrier to sell the device. Pre-orders began today via the Sony store in two flavors.

Ars Technica offers up an interesting read on how the folks planning the San Francisco Forty Niners new stadium claim they'll be installing a Wi-Fi network capable of connecting all 68,500 stadium attendees simultaneously -- with no bandwidth caps for anyone. The designers plan to embed access points literally everywhere, then use eight non-overlapping 20MHz channels in the 5GHz range. The designers get a little less confident when asked if all 68,500 attendees can still connect to the network if the majority of them are using 2.4GHz-only devices, but note that problem should be less of one by the time the stadium's done in 2014.

Rumors surrounding the next Xbox suggest that the game console may require a constantly running broadband connection to function -- in addition to banning used games. Leaked screenshots of an Xbox Development Kit (XDK) for Microsoft's next-generation console (currently code-named "Durago") strongly suggest that game installations to the hard drive will be mandatory, after which "play from the optical drive will not be supported."

The last few round of rumors have collectively suggested that Microsoft could be cooking up some incredibly dumb new ideas for their new console:

Lately there has been a lot of justified focus on the fact that customers should have the right to legally unlock cell phones they own without having to get approval from your carrier. But with more than half a billion Internet connected devices now in U.S.

A new marketing promotion by AT&T offers new U-Verse users their choice of any number of Wi-Fi connected tech gear (valued up to $350). According to AT&T, they're now offering new U-Verse broadband the choice of an Xbox 360, Sonos Play 3, Kindle Fire or Nexus 7 tablet -- if they also bundle U-Verse voice or TV service. Stop the Cap directs our attention to the fact that the fine print on another version of the press release states users could be waiting up to 34 weeks after their account goes live to receive a "reward notification," and then the actual devices are sent another 23 weeks after that.

Update: We've confirmed with AT&T that the reconstituted press release linked above forgot rather important hyphens. Times should be a much more sane 3-4 weeks, then 2-3 weeks.

Samsung last night took the wraps off of the new Galaxy S4, though most details of the new device had already leaked ahead of the company's launch. The S4 sports a larger 5-inch, 1080p Super HD AMOLED display, a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel front camera, a Samsung Exynos 5 or Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor (depending where you live), 2GB of RAM, a 2,600mAh battery, and 16, 32, or 64GB storage options.

Images of Samsung's new Galaxy S4 seem to be leaking from multiple corners of the Internet ahead of the device's official unveiling tomorrow. Details and images posted to the Chinese forum 52Samsung note the device features a smaller bezel, a larger 5-inch display, 2GB of RAM, a 1920×1080 display, and runs Android 4.2.1.

AT&T This week announced that the carrier will begin offering the new Blackberry Z10 on March 22 for $200 with a two-year contract. T-Mobile meanwhile made the Z10 available for pre-order for business customers starting yesterday for $250 on a two-year Classic plan. Verizon says they'll also be offering the Z10 for $200 with a two-year contract, but has yet to specify a release date. Sprint will be the only one of the big four major carriers to not offer the device at launch, but reports have emerged noting that they will offer a "2.0" version of the Z10 sometime during the second half of this year.

TiVo this week announced that they've launched the new TiVo Mini extender box, which allows users to watch recorded and live content streamed from your main TiVo, to any additional room(s) in the home. Dave Zatz has posted a review of the new $100 device, noting the device has snappy performance and lets users save a little money if they're currently using multiple CableCARDs. The device does however lack dynamic tuner allocation (meaning your TiVo Premiere it's connected to can only record 3 simultaneous programs), and comes with an annoying additional service fees: either $6 a month -- or $150 for a lifetime of usage.

In August of last year Google announced they'd be acquiring Motorola Mobility, which includes both Motorola's wireless and set top box units (and 17,000 wireless patents), for a cool $12.5 billion. At the time, Google proclaimed that the deal would "supercharge the entire Android ecosystem for the benefit of consumers, partners and developers."

So far that hasn't come close to happening, with layoffs and legal fisticuffs being the most interesting thing the company has done with the property.

Last week the White House responded to complaints that cell phone unlocking is now illegal by effectively punting the issue to Congress, with various politicians now scurrying to get their names in lights with new laws making cell unlocking legal again. While it's unclear if any of these bills will succeed, AT&T for one says its users don't have to worry.

If you live in the United States, you may be familiar with the common sentiment that you generally cannot take your favorite cellular enabled device (tablet, smartphone, Sony PlayStation Vita, etc.) and use it on any carrier you like. With GSM carriers, this is referred to as a SIM lock.

Earlier this week the White House responded to complaints that cell phone unlocking is now illegal by effectively punting the problem to a bickering, often incompetent Congress and a timid FCC. With politicians hoping to ride popular sentiment, several bills have now been proposed to deal with the issue.

In late January, unlocking your cellphone technically became illegal after the Librarian of Congress removed it from the DMCA exception list last year. It remains legal for you to jailbreak your phone, but you can't unlock it unless you get your carrier's permission.