Getting the most out of your Gaming Console - Tips and Tricks!

You’ve torn off the wrapping and now it sits before you; your new console is a wonder to behold.  You’ve read the reviews and you know what it can do.  All you want to do now is start playing, but hold on a minute, this is a device that has so many more facets than the previous generation; are you sure that you are really getting the most out of your console?

The Xbox One has been designed as more of a total entertainment system than the PS4, but they both have a swag of tips and tricks that can make using them a far more immersive experience.  Before you just play it, see what other things you can do with it.  For example:

Get free games for Xbox One.  The Xbox store has loads to download, and with many games in beta form, you get to try before you actually commit to spending a significant amount on it.  Some games need a gold account while others are completely free, but all of them are likely to give you a good idea of what you will be getting.

Use your smartphone as a keyboard on PS4.  Entering text strings has always been a bit laborious, even with a dedicated keyboard, but now you can pair your smartphone with your console using the same PSN ID number, you can use your phone to input text on the second screen option.  Just hit the keyboard icon and you are away.

Stream games to your PS Vita.  Inputting text is not the only thing that you can do with a paired PSN ID; you can stream whatever game is spinning on the PS4 to your PS Vita handheld console, so Destiny in the bath is a distinct possibility.

Show the world your best bits.  Xbox One has a wonderful side app that allows you to record and save the last thirty seconds of gameplay, so if you’ve just performed a full 720 double kickflip and Pop shove it, you just yell ‘Record it!’ at your One and save it to prove the fact to unbelieving friends.

Get your Save Games anywhere.  With an internet connection, you can access your save games from any Xbox One console, as all of them are saved to cloud storage.  That means that if you can access the cloud, you can also reach your save points, so pick up where you were round your friend’s house!

Share your feats online with PS4.  The Sony console has both Ustream and Twitch installed you can share your gaming adventures with friends over the internet.  The built-in share button allows you to either stream your gameplay on either of the platforms, or add straight from the PS4 camera.  Depending upon which game you are playing, connected viewers are also able to add commentary on your exploits.

Play your PS4 Games on Xbox One.  While it’s not an ideal situation, you can connect your PlayStation through your Xbox via the HDMI connector.  Not sure what advantages it brings but hell, it’s exciting!

 The new generation consoles have so much to offer in terms of connectivity and apps that it would take ages to cover them all.  Some aspects are better than others, but you can be sure that you will continue to be amazed for some time to come.