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.
