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View Full Version : How to turn your PS4 or Xbox One into much more than a games console



alanjg007
06-05-2015, 07:52 PM
Both the Xbox One and Sony PS4 are pricey gadgets, but you can do a whole lot more than just play games with them. They can turn your telly into a smart TV, stream your movie collection or play through Spotify playlists - you can even order pizza by shouting at your Xbox! So read on to find out how to turn your console into something a lot smarter than just a gaming gadget.

Call for pizza!

The Xbox One is capable of loads of cool things, but it's the ability to order pizza without even pressing a button that really impresses. In the middle of an intense gaming battle? Using the Domino's Pizza app, you'll be able to shout "Domino's, feed me!" at your Xbox, and the app will automatically open to let you order food. And when hunger has sapped your ability to speak, you can even wave your arms like a loonie, using the Xbox?s Kinect to scoop ingredients to create your perfect pizza.

Stream live TV to your smartphone or tablet

Is somebody else in your house hogging the TV? If you can't bear to miss the next episode of The Gadget Show, you'll be able to watch it live on your smartphone or tablet thanks to Microsoft's digital TV tuner and SmartGlass. The tuner hooks up to the USB port on your Xbox, picking up free-to-air channels and enabling the TV functionality on your Xbox One. Better yet, it works alongside SmartGlass, and you'll be able to stream live TV straight from your Xbox One to your Windows, iOS or Android devices, meaning you'll never need to miss the show again.

Xbox One

Turn your telly into a smart TV

SmartGlass isn't just handy for catching live TV on your phone either, and with a little help from the app you'll also be able to use your blower to actually control your Xbox. It can make things a lot easier when navigating the Xbox dashboard, but more importantly it's also a massive improvement when you're browsing the web - it's certainly a lot easier to type in web addresses or create posts using the keyboard on your phone than it is using the controller on your Xbox! Throw in features like pinch-to-zoom, and it helps to turn your TV into something that's both smart and easier than ever to control - the wide range of apps don?t hurt either!

Stream video to your PS4 with Plex

Download Plex for your PS4, and you'll be able to stream your favourite films from other connected gadgets in your home. Plex puts all your movies and TV collections into an easy to access library, and in turn you'll be able to stream content across your home network and straight to your PS4. If you've ever tried streaming anything from your home library to your PlayStation before you?ll likely have suffered a bit of a headache - it just can?t do it. Luckily, Plex is here to save the day, and it also has companion apps for tablets, phones and the Xbox One too.

PS4

Control your PS4 by voice

There's nothing better than being able to mutter things at your console, having it respond to your every whim without even having to lift a finger, and the Sony PS4 actually supports voice control without needing to buy the official PS4 camera. Instead, you'll be able to use any connected microphone. All you'll need to do is go into the settings, tap System and then select the Operate PS4 with Voice option and you?ll soon be talking your way through menus with ease.

Use PlayStation Music to listen to tunes through your TV

If you've got decent speakers hooked up to your TV, it makes sense to take full advantage, and you can use your Sony PS4 to stream music from Spotify thanks to Sony's PlayStation Music service. Once logged in you'll be able to enjoy music from your playlists, and you'll also be able to play music in the background while you play. Better yet, it's also easy to control what's going on with your smartphone thanks to Spotify Connect, letting you skip songs, search for new music or just pause tracks while you make a cuppa.

source (http://gadgetshow.channel5.com/news/how-turn-your-ps4-or-xbox-one-much-more-games-console)