Microsoft's Xbox One has been on the market for some time now but there is a plethora of new gamers with their hands on this shiny brand new toy.
The console has changed quite a bit in a short amount of time. The company has expanded the functionality of the console with patches, adding backward compatibility and so much more.
There are some things you'll need to know about the Xbox One and in this article, we will show you just the tips and tricks every new owner of the console should know to keep up with the little and big system changes.
Showcase Achievements
There's a simple yet cool feature that allows players to display their achievements on the Xbox One dashboard as a wallpaper. Gamers receive these achievements when accomplishing an in-game action. To show these trophies off to friends or family or just to commemorate the accomplishment follow the steps below.
When awarded the achievement gamers will also get a high-resolution image. Any of these images can be used as your dashboard wallpaper. Simply press the Xbox home button twice, scroll to Achievements, select the image you want and press the menu button. Next, choose "Set as background," and it will be set.
Xbox One Controller Does More
The Xbox One controller can actually work with a few different products and does more than just plays games. Using a USB cable or if users have the newer model controllers they can connect via Bluetooth to any Windows PC and use the controller's gamepad to work with the PC.
Stream To Windows PC
In the same realm of connecting to a Windows device, the Xbox One can also link to a Windows 10 device to stream your game to the PC. Users will need to make sure the PC and console are on the same Wi-Fi network, then enable streaming on the console. Go to Settings>Preferences and choose the "Allow game streaming to another device" option.
Gamers will then need to select the "Enable the SmartGlass connection from any SmartGlass device." On the Windows device, install the Xbox App and open it. When opened, select any game that is stored on the console to play right on your PC desktop.
Tablets And Smartphones Will Work As Xbox Keyboard
While the Xbox adds microphone support and Cortana to the console, it is still a struggle to type in any form of text on the device. Now, the gaming console is allowing for users to find a new way to type in text. First up, users will need to be using the Xbox One SmartGlass app on a smartphone or tablet and then make sure it's connected to the same Wi-Fi as the console.
Next, open the app and select the "Connect" option at the top of the screen and select the Xbox One console. When the devices are connected and the player goes to enter text on the screen, a keyboard will show in the app that will help with the problem.
Need More Memory?
For the gamers not lucky enough to grab an Xbox One S with 2TB of storage, there is another way to get more memory on your device. Heavy gamers with lots to save and download could utilize external storage, which can be connected to the Xbox console any time by using a USB cord
Simply plug the external hard drive into the USB port on the console and you're good to go!
Watch Cable Through The Xbox One
The Xbox One isn't just a high-quality gaming platform, it is also a central hub for entertainment. On top of apps, music and streaming services, users can also access their cable directly through the gaming system.
Setting this up is quite easy. On the rear of the console is an HDMI input for players to plug cable boxes directly to the gaming console. Once the plug up is done Xbox players can access their TV right from the dashboard.
Record Great Moments And Share
The Xbox One console lets gamers record their greatest moments while playing and easily share with friends and others. And what's even more beautiful is it's completely easy to do. Start by pressing the Xbox button on the controller and press X. That will capture the last 30 seconds of gameplay.
For players looking for a continuous stream of gameplay recording, they'll need to press the Xbox button>the menu button>select "Start Recording" and it'll begin. The internal hard drive on the console can record up to 10 minutes, while external hard drives can record up to an hour. Using Cortana makes it much easier, just tell the digital assistant to "Capture That" and she'll begin recording. And anyone who owns an Xbox One X can record footage at 4K.
There a few different ways to share your content. Without apps, you can upload the footage to social media using OneDrive cloud service. It is even possible to upload to YouTube using the Xbox YouTube app.
Ports And Plugs
We've already discussed that you can plug in keyboards and external hard drives using the USB ports but you can also use USB webcams. This functionality lets users Skype and video chat using their consoles. Players will also be able to show off their gaming style and show followers and friends how they play a certain game.
All Types Of Media Files
There are a couple of ways to get personal files on your Xbox One console. The easiest way is to use a USB stick and plug it into the port. It will appear on the front screen and will play with the Xbox default Media Player app.
Furthermore, gamers can set up media streaming in Windows or through apps like Plex. Another option is to copy your files into OneDrive on a computer. Then access the files through the Xbox One app.
