Stefan Etienne | The VergeThe Verge is about technology and how it makes us feel. Founded in 2011, we offer our audience everything from breaking news to reviews to award-winning features and investigations, on our site, in video, and in podcasts.2022-03-10T20:04:31+00:00https://www.theverge.com/authors/stefan-etienne/rsshttps://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/verge-rss-large_80b47e.png?w=150&h=150&crop=1Stefan EtienneAlice Jovanée<![CDATA[How to play Steam games in any room of your house]]>https://www.theverge.com/22962051/steam-games-remote-play-windows-ios-android-macos-streaming2022-03-10T15:04:31-05:002022-03-10T15:04:31-05:00
What happens if you’re gaming on your desktop Windows PC but want to continue the game from a different part of the house — or even out of the house? If you’re using Steam, Valve’s PC gaming destination, you can get around the first part of this dilemma by using Steam Link, an in-home game streaming solution that uses your local network. And now, there’s a way around the second as well — with some caveats.
While the recent release of the Steam Deck has provided gamers with a new way to play games away from their desktop, the Steam Link feature lets you stream your games from anywhere using an Android or Apple device with an internet connection (R.I.P Steam Link Box). Even though Steam Link has been out of beta for some time, the service can still be an uphill battle even for power users, so don’t be surprised if you experience inconsistent connectivity or performance.
So, let’s get started on setting up Steam game streaming from one desktop to another or between your desktop and your mobile device.
Make sure you’ve got a good router or wired ethernet
This should maybe go without saying, but your network needs to be robust — if your Wi-Fi is weak, slow, congested, or there’s too much interference, you won’t see great results. With a wired ethernet connection on both ends, Steam streaming can feel practically seamless inside your own home, but it can be completely unplayable with a poor wireless link. Just keep that in mind.
Setting up your Steam client apps for streaming
Before you do any streaming (in-home or otherwise), you’ll probably want to download or update to the latest version of the Steam desktop client for the best experience. If you want to stream games to your phone, download the Steam link client to your Android or Apple device. If you’re streaming to another Windows MacOS computer, all you need is to have the latest Steam client installed there as well, with no additional software required.
If you’re streaming to a mobile device, go to the Steam Link app settings on your phone and select “Other Computer.” A four-digit PIN will appear on your screen that you’ll enter on the desktop to complete the pairing process. If you’re using two PCs, you won’t need to pair them in order to stream in-home; just sign in to the same account on the same network.
Using the desktop Steam client, from the “Remote Play” menu, select “Pair Steam Link,” and then enter the code seen on your phone. Make sure you’re on the same network and follow the setup wizard until the pairing process is complete.
At this point, you could start streaming, but first, I’d recommend that you set a four-digit PIN to secure your connection between any remote apps and your PC. After all, you’re handing full remote control over your computer to another device, so you should practice good security measures. Here’s how to set a PIN for Steam Link:
On the same “Remote Play” settings page from earlier, select the “Set Security Code” button.
Next, set a four-digit PIN by entering it into both fields, then click on the “OK” button.
From now on, whenever you attempt to stream in-home or remotely, you’ll be required to enter the PIN.
You’re finally through the setup process! As long as you stay logged in to both Steam clients, you should be able to quickly use Steam Link streaming when you’re on your own local network — or over the public internet, from your phone. More on that below.
How to stream games remotely using Steam Link
First, you’re going to need an internet connection with excellent upload speeds. Even if Comcast is giving you 150Mbps down, 5Mbps uploads aren’t going to cut it when you’re uploading a high-res video stream to the cloud.
Assuming you’ve got that connection and your devices are paired (see earlier steps), you can start streaming games over the internet.
For streaming from mobile, start up the Steam Link app and select the computer you added earlier.
Select “Start Playing,” enter your four-digit PIN, and press “Connect.” Assuming your host PC isn’t asleep, it should transition to Steam Big Picture mode while simultaneously delivering a stream to your phone. In my experience, there is a slight delay in camera and input controls when used over an LTE connection on mobile, but that can vary depending on your network and location.
Additionally, you can select different control methods within the Steam Link mobile app. From the start screen of the app, tap on Settings, followed by “Controller.” From here, you can stick with Steam’s surprisingly robust and customizable touch input or pair a controller to your phone that the host PC will recognize.
How to stream games in-home using Steam Link
Streaming games on your in-home network is basically identical to streaming over the internet. You simply need to be logged in to Steam (using the same account and network) on both devices, whether they be mobile or desktop.
With your host Windows or PC (where the game streams from) and your stream destination (Android phone, another PC, etc.) set up, simply select a game from your library on the receiving device. On Windows or macOS desktops, this would involve going to your game library and clicking “Stream” on any of your games. On the Steam Link app, simply hit the “Start Playing” button.
Both the host PC and receiver should now display identical streams of the game in question.
Update March 7th, 2021, 2:20PM ET: This article was originally published on April 3rd, 2019; the directions and the screenshots have been updated.
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Stefan EtienneAlice Jovanée<![CDATA[How to upgrade your Nintendo Switch storage and migrate your games]]>https://www.theverge.com/22960596/upgrade-nintendo-switch-oled-storage-saves-games-transfer-microsd-card2022-03-04T14:47:00-05:002022-03-04T14:47:00-05:00
The Nintendo Switch only comes with 32GB of internal storage, which is minuscule if you plan on having more than just a handful of games and apps downloaded to your handheld console. The solution is to use a microSD card to expand the Switch’s storage. But what’s the easiest way to do that? And if you already have a microSD card and want to use a new one with more capacity, how do you migrate your files? Don’t worry; we’ll walk you through it all.
Before you begin, it’s always a good idea to back up your games to a desktop computer using a microSD card. Of course, any title downloaded from the Nintendo eShop (they’re tied to your account) can be archived and downloaded again directly, if needed. But it takes a lot longer to download your whole library; having a local copy will save time.
Game saves (like your completed run of The Master Trials in Breath of the Wild) are saved locally to the Switch’s internal memory. As long as you archive and don’t delete game data on the Switch, you won’t lose your valuable saved data.
To get started, you’ll need: a computer (the OS doesn’t matter as long as you have storage space), a microSD card adapter (if your computer doesn’t have a microSD slot), and finally, a microSD card. Nintendo recommends using a single microSD card that’s UHS-I (Ultra High Speed Phase I) compliant, with transfer speeds of 60 to 95 MB/s; the higher, the better. Don’t use multiple microSD cards with different games on the same Switch because that can cause conflicts.
The setup process should be performed in handheld mode (i.e., not docked) alongside your computer since you will require access to the storage slot underneath the kickstand. This process is the same regardless of whether you’re performing this with the original Nintendo Switch or the newer OLED model.
Move your games from the Switch to a microSD card
If you don’t have a microSD card already installed and your Switch’s internal memory is full, here’s how you can migrate the data to a microSD card. To test this, I moved Super Smash Bros. Ultimate from local storage to a 128GB microSD SanDisk microSDXC UHS-I card for Nintendo Switch.
Turn off your Switch by holding down the power button, scrolling down to Power Options, and then selecting Turn Off.
Turn the handheld over, then lift the kickstand next to the right Joy-Con controller. Underneath the plastic stand, you’ll find a microSD card slot.
Insert your new microSD card into the slot. You should hear a slight click once it’s securely docked.
Power on your Nintendo Switch. Navigate to the System Settings gear icon on the bottom right and press the “A” button (or double-tap with your finger).
Scroll down (using the touchscreen or Joy-Con controller) to select Data Management. Your cursor will transition to the storage management screen.
Navigate to and select Manage Software, right beneath Quick Archive.
From here, you can peruse the list and figure out which games / apps are stored locally and which are stored on the microSD card. There is no straightforward transfer tool between the Switch’s internal storage and the microSD card, so you have to archive your game(s) first — one game at a time.
Once you’ve decided which game(s) you want to migrate, highlight and select the first one from the list.
From the game data information screen, scroll down to Archive Software and select it. A confirmation pop-up should appear warning that the game data will be archived; however, your saved data and game icon will remain on the Switch’s home screen. Confirm your selection by hitting Archive.
There’s an alternative method for game archiving: Instead, highlight the game in question on your home screen, hit the “+” button on the right Joy-Con, scroll down to Manage Software, then select Archive Software. Finally, confirm your selection by hitting Archive from within the pop-up.
Either way, now press the Home button on the right Joy-Con to go to the home screen. From there, navigate to the game icon that you just archived. Hit the “A” button so that a confirmation pop-up appears. Confirm it by pressing Download, then wait for the download to finish.
Press the Home button again for the home screen, then navigate to the System Settings page like you did earlier. Head down to Data Management, then navigate to the game that you just downloaded. You should see the storage amount immediately next to the microSD card icon, right underneath the game / app title.
Repeat as necessary for each game that you want to download straight to the microSD card. Future purchases and downloads will correctly route to the microSD card instead of the internal storage.
Move games on your existing microSD card to another one
If you already have a microSD card installed and want to swap it for, say, a faster or larger card, then you’ll need a computer (with a microSD slot or adapter) to back up your files.
Turn off your Nintendo Switch by holding the power button, selecting Power Options, and then selecting Turn Off. Eject your old microSD card (located underneath the kickstand on the right-hand side) by gently pressing down on it; it should pop out easily.
Insert the microSD card into your computer’s slot or into an adapter connected to your system. (If you don’t already have an adapter, you can try something like the SanDisk MobileMate USB 3.0 PCard Reader because it also doubles as an SD card adapter). Once the microSD card is recognized, head to File Explorer on Windows or Finder on a Mac. You should see the mounted USB device as a form of external storage (its name depends on your hardware). Within the drive, there should be a folder named Nintendo. Your precious files are inside!
Highlight the “Nintendo” folder, then drag and drop it to your desktop. Once it’s highlighted, you can also hit the Ctrl + C keys on Windows or the cmd + C keys on a Mac to copy the folder. To paste it to your desktop, press Ctrl + V on Windows or cmd + V on a Mac. Wait for the folder to transfer to your computer — since it contains several folders and files, it’s usually more than a few gigabytes in size.
Now that all your game files are backed up to your computer, you can remove the microSD card from the slot (or the adapter).
Swap your old microSD card for the new one, inserting it into your computer’s slot or the adapter. Head to your File Explorer or Finder and navigate to the mounted storage device. Since the new card is empty, you naturally won’t see any folders or files.
Copy the “Nintendo” folder you saved to your desktop, transferring them over to the new microSD card as is (don’t change any file names or folders). You can drag and drop or use the copy / paste function.
Wait for the transfer to finish. Remove the adapter from your computer’s port or the microSD card from the slot.
Insert your new microSD card into the powered-off Switch’s card slot.
Turn on your Switch. Navigate to System Settings > Data Management > Manage Software one more time. Scroll through the list, making sure that your games were successfully migrated to the microSD card.
You can also clearly tell the files are on the card by glancing at the Free Space indicator on the right-hand side, underneath System Memory.
In the event that your files didn’t successfully transfer to the new microSD card or aren’t recognized by the Switch, you can always delete the transferred files from the card using your computer’s file manager. You’ll have to re-download the games / apps from the Nintendo eShop, using the Nintendo account they’re associated with. If they don’t automatically save to your microSD card, use the archive and download trick we described earlier.
There you have it! You’ve successfully migrated your Switch files from one microSD card to another and / or added a microSD to expand your game library.
Update March 4th: This article was originally published on March 8th, 2019, and was updated to explain that the process is the same for the Nintendo Switch OLED and that the storage for the Nintendo Switch Lite can’t be upgraded.
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Stefan Etienne<![CDATA[The Verge guide to Android]]>https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/18/98492/best-android-phones-user-guide-how-to-pixel-galaxy-moto-htc2021-10-20T14:18:35-04:002021-10-20T14:18:35-04:00
Google never stops issuing updates to its Android OS (well, unless your phone is old enough to have outlived its update period), and it has recently introduced its latest upgrade: Android 12.
As always, the new OS is coming to Google’s Pixel phones first, and when it does come to Samsung and other Android devices, it will probably be tweaked somewhat by the manufacturer. But whether you have uploaded Android 12 into your Pixel or are still using Android 11 on another phone, we’ve assembled a guide that will help you make the most of your mobile life.
The Verge guide to Androidis a comprehensive resource that will help you learn how to use your Android phone’s best features and further educate you about this popular and flexible mobile operating system. We’ve separated out some of the new features found in Android 12, but you can also check out Android 101 and Hardware Help for tips that will apply to the majority of Android phones.
Everything you need to know about Android
We have advice and step-by-step instructions for beginners and experts. Our how-tos can teach you everything you need to know about some of your phone’s more advanced features. Take a look around and learn how to use Google Pay, send texts from your web browser, take screenshots, and even install Fortnite (which isn’t as easy as it sounds).
Be sure to check back regularly, as we’ll be updating The Verge guide to Androidwith new articles and tips over time.
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Stefan Etienne<![CDATA[The Verge Guide to the iPhone]]>https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/21/97206/iphone-user-guide-how-to-ios-tips2021-09-21T10:00:30-04:002021-09-21T10:00:30-04:00
The Verge guide to the iPhoneis a comprehensive list of how-tos that will help you be the best iPhone user you can be. Buying a new iPhone 13? Looking forward to iOS 16? Or carefully sticking with iOS 15 for now? We’ve got helpful hints for you.
If you want to upgrade to the latest iPhone, we’ll explain the difference between the various models, tell you how to sell or trade in your old phone, and teach you how to wipe all of your personal information when you do hand it over.
We offer you tips and tricks on how to make the most of your phone and the apps that populate it. Want to move all of your data to your brand-new phone? Need to replace a failing battery? Nervous about installing the latest version of iOS before it’s completely safe? Here is step-by-step advice to help you get to where you need to go.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR IPHONE
If you already have an iPhone or you just want to increase your knowledge of using iOS, our how-tos can teach you everything you need to know (or already knew) about some of your phone’s more advanced features.
And don’t worry, you can always come back to this page, just in case you can’t finish reading the whole guide in one sitting.
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Stefan EtienneBarbara Krasnoff<![CDATA[How to use a two-factor security key]]>https://www.theverge.com/22458935/two-factor-security-key-how-to-yubico2021-06-09T09:30:00-04:002021-06-09T09:30:00-04:00
Two-factor authentication is a good way to add an extra layer of security to online accounts. It requires the use of your smartphone, however, which is not only inconvenient, but can be a problem if your phone is lost or breached. Hardware security keys can offer an additional layer of security to password-protected online accounts and, in turn, your identity. They’re also not hard to install. Here’s how to set them up for your Google account, Facebook, and Twitter.
Security keys can connect to your system using USB-A, USB-C, Lightning, or NFC, and they’re small enough to be carried on a keychain (with the exception of Yubico’s 5C Nano key, which is so small that it’s safest when kept in your computer’s USB port). They use a variety of authentication standards: FIDO2, U2F, smart card, OTP, and OpenPGP 3.
When you insert a security key into your computer or connect one wirelessly, your browser issues a challenge to the key, which includes the domain name of the specific site you are trying to access. The key then cryptographically signs and allows the challenge, logging you in to the service.
Many sites support U2F security keys, including Twitter, Facebook, Google, Instagram, GitHub, Dropbox, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Microsoft account services, Nintendo, Okta, and Reddit. The best thing to do is to check the website of your security key of choice and see which services are supported — for example, here’s a link to the apps supported by YubiKeys.
A setup process is necessary before you can use a security key. After that, securely accessing your online profile on a site is a simple matter of entering your password, inserting the key, and tapping the button.
Keep in mind that you can’t copy, migrate, or save security-key data between keys (even if the keys are the same model). That is by design, so keys can’t be easily duplicated and used elsewhere. If you lose your security key, you can use two-factor authentication on your cellphone or an authenticator app. Then, if you want to use a new key, you will have to go through the process of reauthorizing your accounts all over again.
Which security key should I use?
Several brand choices are available. Yubico, one of the developers of the FIDO U2F authentication standard, sells several different versions. Google sells its own U2F key, called the Titan, which comes in three versions: USB-C, USB-A / NFC, or Bluetooth / NFC / USB. Other U2F keys include Kensington’s USB-A fingerprint-supporting key, and the Thetis USB-A key.
For this how-to, we used the YubiKey 5C NFC security key, which fits into a USB-C port but also works with phones via NFC. The process is pretty similar for all hardware security keys, though.
Pairing a key with your Google account
In order to use a security key with your Google account (or any account), you need to have already set up two-factor authentication.
Log in to your Google account, and select your profile icon in the upper-right corner. Then choose “Manage your Google Account.”
In the left-hand menu, click on “Security.” Scroll down until you see “Signing in to Google.” Click on the “2-step Verification” link. At this point, you may need to sign in to your account again.
Scroll down until you see the “Add more second steps to verify it’s you” heading. Look for the “Security Key” option and click on “Add Security Key.”
A pop-up box will list your options, which include devices that have built-in security keys and the option to use an external security key. Select “USB or Bluetooth / External security key.”
You’ll see a box telling you to make sure the key is nearby but not plugged in. You’ll also see an option to use only the security key as part of Google’s Advanced Protection Program (which is for users with “high visibility and sensitive information”). Assuming you don’t fall into that category, click “Next.”
The next box lets you register your security key. Insert your key into your computer port. Press the button on the key, then click “Allow” once you see the Chrome pop-up asking to read the make and model of your key.
Give your key a name.
Now you’re set! You can come back to your Google account’s 2FA page to rename or remove your key.
Pairing a key with your Twitter account
Log in to your Twitter account and click on “More” in the left-hand column. Select “Settings and privacy” from the menu.
Under the “Settings” heading, select “Security and account access” > “Security” > “Two-factor authentication.”
You’ll see three choices: “Text message,” “Authentication app,” and “Security key.” Click on “Security key.” You’ll probably be asked for your password at this point.
Select “Start.”
Insert your security key into your computer’s port, then press the key’s button.
The window should refresh to say, “Security key found.” Type in a name for your key and click “Next.”
The window will now read “You’re all set.” It will also give you a single-use backup code to use if you don’t have access to any of your other log-in methods. Copy that code and put it somewhere safe.
If you’ve changed your mind and want to remove the security key, go back to the “Two-factor authentication” page and select “Manage security keys.”
Click on the name of the key, and then choose “Delete key.” You’ll need to enter your password and verify that you want to delete the key.
Pairing a key with your Facebook account
Log in to your Facebook account. Click on the triangle icon on the upper-right corner and select “Settings & Privacy” > “Settings.”
Now you’re at “General Account Settings.” Select the “Security and Login” link from the left sidebar.
Scroll down until you see the section labeled “Two-Factor Authentication.” Click “Edit” on the “Use two-factor authentication” option. You may be asked for your password.
If you don’t have 2FA set up, you’ll be given three choices: “Authentication App,” “Text Message (SMS),” and “Security Key.” It’s recommended that you use an authenticator app as your primary security, but if you prefer, you can just click on “Security Key.”
If you do have 2FA set up, then you’ll find the “Security Key” option under “Add a Backup Method.”
Either way, you’ll get a pop-up box; click on “Register Security Key.” You’ll be instructed to insert your security key and press its button.
And that’s it. If you don’t use 2FA, you’ll now be asked for the security key if you log in from an unrecognized device or browser. If you do, you can use your key if you don’t have access to your authentication app.
If you no longer want to use the key, go back to “Two-Factor Authentication,” find “Security Key” under “Your Security Method,” and click on “Manage my keys.”
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Stefan EtienneCameron Faulkner<![CDATA[How to stream your gaming sessions]]>https://www.theverge.com/2018/7/19/17581510/how-to-stream-gaming-twitch-youtube-mixer2020-04-06T15:50:35-04:002020-04-06T15:50:35-04:00
Update 3:45PM ET, April 6th:Added a link to Streamlabs’ new OBS software for macOS, which recently launched. Also, this post has been updated to reflect that Windows Game Bar no longer allows broadcasting.
Video game streaming is something many enthusiast and casual players want to partake in, but getting a stream up and running on your preferred gaming platform can be a chore. Streaming gameplay involves sharing the games you play and your reactions in real time with a remote audience. It’s like bringing the entire internet into your game room while you’re trying to beat that last boss.
Currently, the most popular streaming platform in the world is Twitch, but there’s competition in the form of YouTube Gaming on mobile devices and Mixer, a Microsoft-owned streaming service used for Xbox and Windows.
Here’s how to stream your gameplay from any device you might be playing on, whether it’s a PC, the Xbox One, a PlayStation 4, a Nintendo Switch, or even Android or iOS. The only thing I won’t be able to teach you is how to get better at video games and / or be entertaining. That requires practice.
Before we dive into the specific setups for each platform, here are the most basic prerequisites for starting a stream, no matter what you’re gaming on: a gaming device, an external microphone or gaming headset, a webcam, a fast internet connection (both upload and download), Twitch / YouTube Gaming / Mixer accounts, and, obviously, at least one game title.
Windows PC
Streaming with Twitch
If you’re trying to reach a large audience (or be discovered and find the love of your life), your best bet is Twitch. Be prepared: if you want to broadcast your video game sessions to the biggest game streaming service in the world, you’re going to have to install a couple apps.
First, you have to sign up for a Twitch account and copy your stream key, a unique code that’s used to link and stream to your profile from the free broadcasting apps Twitch recommends. (Be sure not to share it.)
Now, decide whether or not you want a “basic” stream, which consists of a live video capture of whatever you’re playing, in-game audio, and your webcam and microphone. In that case, you can download a simple broadcasting app like Open Broadcast Software (OBS). It’s a powerful app, despite not having the prettiest user interface. Once installed, you’ll be prompted to enter your stream key so that OBS can communicate with your Twitch channel and actually, you know, stream something.
From there, you can select your source if you want OBS to stream from a specific window, your whole desktop, or whenever it detects a full-screen app (a game). Other options like audio levels, stream quality, and the like are available from the sub-menus.
If you want a more “professional Twitch partner” aesthetic, I’d recommend downloading Streamlabs’ version of OBS instead. It’s also open-source software, but it has a much more user-friendly interface for beginners and overlay templates for donations, branding, Twitch emotes, and even transition animations. Streamlabs recently launched a version of its OBS software for macOS.
The setup wizard is simpler than the bare-bones OBS app, but you’ll still have access to relevant information, like desired stream quality, video, and audio sources. Once you’ve gone through the setup process, you can hit the “stream” button and go live with all of your customizations ready for every broadcast.
It’s a great app that requires some experimenting, but the results are worth it. After all, you want to become the next Ninja, don’t you?
Streaming with Mixer
Streaming directly from a Windows gaming PC to Mixer, Microsoft’s broadcasting service that competes with Twitch, used to be very simple. All that you had to do was launch the Windows Game Bar by pressing Windows key + G, and hit Broadcast to start. Microsoft has since removed that feature from its Game Bar, and now, streaming to Mixer is much like streaming to Twitch. Which is to say, the fastest, easiest way to do that is by using the same software that’s mentioned above, Streamlabs’ OBS, to get going.
You’ll first need to sign up for a Mixer account via its website. Once you’ve done that, you can sign into the account through Streamlabs OBS, which offers native integration. Part way through the setup, you’ll be asked to input a stream key. Currently, Mixer will create one in less than 24 hours for you to input. After that, you’ll be able to stream from your Windows 10 or macOS computer.
Xbox One
Streaming with Mixer
Due to Microsoft’s acquisition and integration of the video game streaming service Mixer, it’s included as the default streaming option for both Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs. On the Xbox One, Mixer has a clear advantage over Twitch because it’s more tightly integrated into the Xbox OS and supports third-party USB microphones and cameras. Twitch does not.
If you don’t yet have a Mixer account, I’d suggest getting on a PC or Mac and signing up via the website instead. It’s a far less painful experience than using the Xbox’s on-screen keyboard.
Once your account is set up, start streaming with Mixer by starting a game, holding down the Xbox button, moving right to the Broadcast tab, and clicking “Start broadcast.” The app wizard will provide options if you want a second player to join you, adjusting broadcast quality, having your mic / camera on or off, and so on. From there, you can hit the “B” button and begin your game session.
Streaming with Twitch
To get Twitch working on the Xbox One, there are a few more steps. First, you’ll have to stop by the Microsoft Store and download the Twitch app. Once that’s taken care of, open the app, and you’ll be greeted by a unique code that needs to be entered on the desktop via your Twitch admin account.
Now’s the time to sign up for Twitch via the website on a Windows 10 or macOS computer, if you haven’t already. After that, you can head back the Xbox One to opt to stream with Twitch from the app, instead of Mixer. Keep in mind: you won’t be able to use a camera over USB other than a Kinect (which has been discontinued). It’s far from ideal, but it’s doable.
PlayStation 4
Streaming with Twitch
Perhaps the PlayStation 4 is the easiest way to start streaming because the DualShock controller includes a dedicated “Share” button.
To start streaming for the first time, press the “Share” button on your controller, followed by “Broadcast gameplay,” select Twitch (the service offered), and then link your Twitch account information on the website using a PC or Mac. To capture your reactions while playing, you’ll need Sony’s PlayStation Eye camera. The video settings menu lets you customize the image box that overlays your gameplay.
Once that’s done, you’ll have to repeat a few of the steps again: press the “Share” button, then “Broadcast gameplay,” select your preferred service, title the broadcast, decide if you want comments enabled, in-game commentary (open-mic), set a video quality, and finally select “Start broadcasting.” To end the stream, hit the “Share” button again.
Streaming with YouTube
To stream your gameplay to YouTube, hit the “Share” button on your DualShock controller, select YouTube, and enter your login details. Also mirroring the Twitch method, if you want to add a face reaction camera to your YouTube stream, you’ll still need to buy a PlayStation Eye camera.
Once you’ve signed-in, tweak your broadcast settings like quality, stream title, and comments before you hit the “Start Broadcasting” button to kick off the stream.
Nintendo Switch
Hold your horses, Link
So you want to stream from your Nintendo Switch right out of the box? Too bad, there’s no official support for streaming to third-party services like Twitch and YouTube Gaming. It is possible to set up a stream. But to pull it off, you’ll need to buy an external HD capture card, which will have to be connected to a PC andyour Switch dock.
Furthermore, you can only stream when in docked mode, so take that into account as well.
A capture card I’d recommend is Elgato’s HD60 ($179), which you can also use with a PS4 or Xbox One. From there, you’ll need to install broadcasting software on your PC that supports the capture card you bought, like OBS or XSplit.
From within either broadcasting app, you’ll have to select your source (the capture card with your Switch docked in), add your stream key, set broadcast details like video quality and a title, and hit the broadcast button to start streaming.
Of the current-generation gaming consoles, Nintendo has made the Switch the hardest to stream and reach an audience with by far.
Android
The YouTube Gaming route
It’s surprisingly easy to start streaming mobile games from your Android phone to YouTube. First, download the YouTube Gaming app from the Play Store, select the broadcast button, and select your preferred stream quality (720p HD or 480p). From there, the app will ask you if you want to locally record your gameplay or stream it live to YouTube.
Once you’ve gone through the initial setup, choose the game you’re streaming (or scroll to the bottom and expand the list to just filter apps you have installed). Give your stream a title, description, and copy the share link to send out over your preferred social media.
Now, you can return to the game of your choice, where you’ll notice an overlay that includes shortcuts to settings, muting your microphone, turning your front-facing camera on / off, comments, and, of course, the centered stream button.
(An important note:anything you do on-screen will be broadcast to your viewers, including texts, passwords, and any personal information that you’d rather keep private. In this case, I’d recommend using your Android phone’s “Do Not Disturb” mode to avoid interrupting your stream and spilling your beans.)
The Twitch route
As with the Nintendo Switch, it’s difficult to stream gameplay from an Android phone onto Twitch. First, sign up for a Twitch account from a computer. Next, you’ll need to pay the Settings app a visit, go to “About Phone,” tap your build number 10 times so you can unlock Developer Options, and from within the dev options list, turn on USB debugging.
Next, while you may not have to spend money on an external HD capture card, you will have to find a decent app for displaying your phone screen in a window on your computer. Vysor is an app that’s free to download and try out, but the quality is subpar. Instead, get the $10 annual subscription, which gives you control over bitrate and resolution, then thank me later.
Now that you’ve got USB debugging enabled, an app to display your phone screen on your PC, and a Twitch account (with stream key), you’ll have one more thing to do: download OBS for your desktop. From the OBS app, you can link your Twitch account, webcam, microphone, and a video source (the Vysor desktop app). Finally, you’ll be able to hit “broadcast” and stream to Twitch from your Android phone.
The Mixer route
If you want to stream gameplay to the most interactive of the streaming services, then you can start by downloading the Mixer Creator app from the Play Store. Next, in order to access the app, you’ll need to link your Mixer account with a Microsoft account. Start by creating a Mixer account via the website, going into Account Settings, and clicking a grey “Link your Microsoft account” button on the top right. Enter your Microsoft login and you’ll be able to access the Mixer Creator app.
Now to actually start streaming, tap the pink broadcast icon at the bottom of the screen. You’ll be taken to a preview screen where you can switch between camera streaming or on-screen streaming of what you’re playing.
iOS
The Mobcrush (YouTube, Twitch, Facebook etc.) route
If you want to stream Fortnite from your iPhone, for example, you’ll need to go into Settings and enable Screen Recording (which is available for iOS 11+ devices). Next, download the Mobcrush app from the App Store, which allows you to reroute your screen recording to the app and then to Twitch.
While I dislike that Mocbrush requires you to create an account to use the app, you can sign on with your Google, Twitter, or Facebook accounts. Keep in mind: if you’re using your Facebook account to sign in, Mocbrush can automatically link to Facebook’s game streaming (if you want to go that route). Whichever sign-in method you use to log into Mocbrush, you’ll have to separately link a streaming service, like your Twitch account (with your stream key).
However, we’re trying to stream Fortnite on iOS to Twitch, so head to the Control Center and hold down the screen recording icon, which will give you the option to choose a supported app on your phone. Select Mocbrush, enable your iPhone’s “Do Not Disturb” mode, set your stream title, and hit the button to broadcast.
To stream your iOS gameplay to YouTube, you can mirror the setup process outlined for Twitch but instead, log-in with you Google account, select YouTube as your preferred streaming service, set a broadcast title, save your changes, and you’ll be set.
The Mixer Route
Start by downloading the Mixer Creator app from the App Store. Next, you’ll need to link your Mixer account with a Microsoft account in order to access it. Start by creating a Mixer account via the website, then going into your Account Settings, and clicking the grey “Link your Microsoft account” button on the top right. Enter your Microsoft detail and you’ll be set.
Now to start your stream, tap the pink broadcast icon at the bottom of the screen. You’ll be taken to a preview screen where you can switch between streaming from your cameras or an on-screen broadcast of what you’re seeing.
The ReplayKit route
Apple’s ReplayKit solution allows you to live stream supported iOS apps and games, but it has stricter requirements. Every app that uses ReplayKit to stream has slightly different steps to get the ball rolling, but they all involve a dedicated share or capture button that you can look for that links to a streaming service.
For example, if you want to use ReplayKit to live stream to YouTube, you need at least 100 subscribers and the latest version of the app. If you’d like to stream to Twitch, you’ll still need an app or game that supports it, like Asphalt 8: Airborne.
Also, don’t forget to enable “Do Not Disturb” mode. You don’t want notification banners to get in the way of kicking off your mobile gaming career.
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Stefan Etienne<![CDATA[How to view your notification history on Android]]>https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/19/18001608/android-notification-history-how-to-view2020-04-02T16:57:53-04:002020-04-02T16:57:53-04:00
If you’ve used Android for quite some time, it’s likely you’ve mistakenly swiped away a notification or two for one reason or another. Maybe you’re swiping in a hurry, or you accidentally cleared everything in the notification drawer without meaning to, or maybe you just wonder where all your notifications go and if there’s a historical list of them after you’ve dismissed them.
But don’t worry. You can find everything from missed messages, emails, app updates, and even system messages in the stock Notification Log option — if your phone can access it.
How to find your Notification Log
Long-press anywhere on your home screen.
Select “Widgets” from the pop-up menu.
Scroll down and long-press the “Settings” widget, then place it on your home screen.
You’ll get a list of features that the Settings shortcut can access. Tap “Notification Log.”
Tap the widget and scroll through your past notifications.
What if I can’t find the Notification Log?
Every Android phone may not have the stock Notification Log. I tested this shortcut on the Google Pixel 2 XL, Pixel 3, and Razer Phone 2 — all phones with stock or near-stock versions of Android. The Samsung Galaxy S9 and LG G7 didn’t have the log listed anywhere within Android’s system settings. But if your phone doesn’t offer the log, there is a workaround for this, as written up by Rita El Khoury on Android Police.
For phones that don’t have the default log (or if you want a more user-friendly experience), you can also download Unnotification. The app brings back your last dismissed notification, as well as your notification history. You can find the app on the Play Store.
Update April 2nd, 2020, 4:50PM ET: This article was originally published on October 19th, 2018, and it has been updated to slightly change the directions and to link directly to the review of Unnotifcation.
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Stefan Etienne<![CDATA[How to control the lighting of your Logitech peripherals]]>https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/22/18412185/logitech-lightsync-lighting-peripherals-control-how-to-g-hub-rgb-led2019-04-22T11:44:24-04:002019-04-22T11:44:24-04:00
Nearly every gaming peripheral is equipped with RGB lighting, and Logitech’s G gaming brand is no different. Last year, the company redesigned its Logitech Control Center (LCC) app, which allows you to fully control its gaming equipment, and it gave the app a new name in the process: the Logitech G Hub.
If you are a fan of RGB lighting, then here’s how to control the LED technology, which Logitech calls LightSync, in your peripherals. This guide also covers how to apply color presets that aren’t distracting, how to create your own custom lighting configurations, and how to sync all of your peripherals to the same lighting scheme. If you’re not a fan of RGB lighting, then I’ll also walk you through how to shut everything off.
After all, not all of us want strobing lights on our keyboards when we’re working.
What you’ll need
A LightSync-compatible Logitech peripheral (keyboard, mouse, headset, mouse pad, etc.)
The Logitech G Hub app (required for LightSync control, hardware updates, and management)
A bit of patience
How to get started
The very first step in controlling your LightSync lighting requires you to download the Logitech G Hub for Mac or Windows PCs. The G Hub is Logitech’s official hardware management application for its peripherals. I’d recommend keeping G Hub pinned to your Windows task bar or macOS dock so you can have quicker access.
Once you install the G Hub, you’ll come across a few prompts that refer to changelogs or a guided tour. You can skip these if you want to get straight to the customization process.
Logitech’s G peripherals — the G stands for “gaming” — vary in terms of the variety of effects and detail. In general, they rank in this order (most to least options): keyboards, mice, speakers, headsets, and genre-specific controllers (wheels, joysticks, etc.). For demonstration purposes, I’ll be testing some LightSync effects with a Logitech G513 keyboard, which has per-key RGB lighting and can display a wide range of colors and effects.
Change your light presets
Using your LightSync-compatible Logitech keyboard, select your keyboard from the main app screen, then make sure you’ve selected the LightSync tab, which you can click on the top left sidebar.
Within that tab, you can turn off the backlight completely, use the Freestyle mode to paint over specific keys or areas with your cursor, or select Animations for some intriguing (if distracting) light shows. To control keyboard brightness on the G513, you’ll have to use the physical Fn + F7 keys to toggle between off and four different brightness settings.
From the Presets “Effects” drop-down menu, you can select any one of the listed effects to see what they do. I’d suggest you play around with the presets to find out which you like most (and which could give possibly you a headache).
If you’d like to sync your lighting preset across your other Logitech G devices, just select the “Sync Lighting Options” button underneath the image of your peripheral.
Create your own lighting presets
With a bit of experimenting, you can create your own custom LightSync effects. The following instructions outline some of the basic G Hub Freestyle controls to give you a better idea of what they do and how you can use them to create custom effects.
From the “LightSync” tab, select “Freestyle.” You’ll see options in the sidebar that allow you to use the “Color Brush” to digitally paint over specific keys, “Quick Color” options that automatically highlight the WASD keys, number key row, function key row, modifier keys, and the arrow keys. You can also select and save different effects by clicking and using the “Effect” drop-down menu.
If you want an animated LightSync effect, navigate to and click on the “Animations” tab. From here, you’ll see an “Effect” drop-down that includes several preset effects. A few examples include: “Contrastic” for alternating colors between zones; “Verticool,” which blends warm and cold colors vertically; and “Ocean Wave,” which uses blue and brown / white keys to initiate tides crashing on a sandy beach.
You can also control the cycle process by clicking on the “Cycle” drop-down and selecting “Reverse Cycle,” “Cycle,” “Bounce,” or “Random.” A speed slider sitting right below the keyboard visual on the app allows you to control the speed of the given effect in milliseconds.
There’s a lot of room for customization here, even though it may seem daunting at first. Play around with the options so you can get comfortable creating your own effects later on.
Create your own light presets
Using the G513 keyboard, I’m going to show you how I created my own simple effect that highlights some of the keys I use in-game. Let’s say that we don’t want to start off with an animated keyboard effect. Click on “Freestyle” instead of “Animations” for a static effect.
Next, use “Color Brush” to select a color from the color picker; you can also enter your own HTML hex color code. In this example, I’ve chosen a dark blue, and I will then click on the “Fill A Group” button, allowing me to select a group of keys instead of manually “painting” each one. In this case, I’ve selected the “WASD” keys, which are usually reserved for character movement. You can try to do the same, or select your own color and group of keys.
You should see the changes reflected in real time. There’s no need to save your preset; as long as you have an effect selected from the “Effect” drop-down and keep the LightSync tab on the “FreeStyle” option, it’ll stay intact.
What if you wanted to create an animated LightSync effect instead? Just select the “Animations” tab to get started. Select one of the preset effects from the “Effect” drop-down. For this how-to, I’m picking “Contrastic” because of its slow but satisfying juxtaposition of colors and preset frames that covers most of the G513’s keys.
This next part is a bit tricky because it’s easy to miss the button. Instead of clicking the “Contrastic” effect, move your cursor to the right of the effect’s name. Now click on the small window icon to display a pop-up that allows you to control the animated effect.
For my version of “Contrastic,” I’m going to select the first frame from the slider, seen underneath the live visual representation of the G513 keyboard. Frames in the “Contrastic” effect include different groups of colors that appear as the animation is displayed on a loop. For this demonstration, I’m only editing the first couple of frames, so I’ve selected the first frame seen in the slider.
Looking at the left sidebar, I’m going to select and automatically paint 85 of the G513’s keys in hot pink. Afterward, I’m going to select a sky blue for 47 keys, followed by a deep purple for the remainder.
I’d also like to tweak the speed of the animation, so I’m moving the “Default Speed” slider to the left, so it will last only 480 milliseconds. Also, I’d like to keep the “Cycle” method, so I left it at its default setting within the drop-down.
Now that I’m finished painting the keys, I click on the blue “Save” button. Again, as long as the “Animations” and “Contrastic” options are selected, my G513 keyboard will continue to display my custom effect.
Sharing custom LightSync profiles with the G Hub Community
If you want, you could also share your custom LightSync profiles with the Logitech G Hub Community, per approval via email. To start, select the small share button, immediately right of the effect’s name in the “Animations” tab.
Once the sharing pop-up appears, you can set a custom name for your effect, add tags, and add a description. Next, hit the blue “Publish” button at the bottom of the window. (Make sure you sign into your Logitech account since you have to submit the effect for review before it’s shared.) Afterward, a pop-up will alert you that Logitech will reach out via email if your effect was approved for showcasing in the G Hub Community.
While you wait for your submission to be reviewed, you can check out other users’ G Hub profiles. To do so, start from the G Hub’s main screen (you can always get there by clicking the white “G” logo in the upper left corner). Next, click on the “Gaming Profiles” box near the bottom of the window. From here, you can search for, browse, and download effects for different Logitech G peripherals.
Congrats! Now you should be able to control your LightSync lighting for all of your Logitech G peripherals, create custom effects, submit them for review, and download other user’s profiles uploaded to the G Hub Community.
Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. For more information, see our ethics policy.
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Stefan Etienne<![CDATA[15 game streaming services you can try before Google Stadia arrives]]>https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/18/18274498/game-streaming-services-pc-mac-ps4-android-cloud-google-stadia2019-04-18T11:03:16-04:002019-04-18T11:03:16-04:00
Streaming games from remote internet servers could be the future of the video game industry — or part of that future, anyhow. By removing the need to own a PC or console to play the latest, most demanding blockbuster games, the medium as a whole could become more accessible. That is, if you have a good internet connection. Google’s recent announcement of its Stadia game service has thrust this idea back into the spotlight, and when it launches later this year, it might be an interesting option for both newcomers and seasoned gamers who are curious about streaming games over the internet. But it’s hardly the first cloud gaming platform to debut.
If you’re interested in streaming your own desktop PC games to your PC, Mac, phone, tablet, or console, you can try one of a variety of cloud gaming and in-home streaming options today. (Some of them are free!) If you’d prefer to stream games that you don’t already own, a few companies already have Netflix-like catalogs of games you can stream before Google Stadia arrives on the scene.
The current cloud gaming marketplace is populated by recognizable gaming brands like Steam, Nvidia, and Sony. Alongside the big names is a gallery of startups that claim to have their own proprietary tech. While some game streaming technologies are free to try, others require a credit card, making them less desirable if you’re just looking to dip your toe in the water. And I’d recommend dipping a toe to start because your mileage will vary widely depending on how close you are to a company’s servers and the quality of your home network.
Here are the easiest ways to get a taste of what cloud gaming is like.
Stream games you already own inside your house
Even if you don’t have an excellent internet connection — merely a good Wi-Fi router and an Xbox, PlayStation and / or PC — you can still sling games around your home in much the same way a cloud gaming service like Google Stadia will when it launches later this year.
Because the games come from your own library and you don’t have to pay for server time by the month or hour, it’s the easiest and most straightforward way to try streaming games right now.
Steam Link
Valve’s Steam Link has been around for a few years, and its free in-home streaming solution is one of the best and most reliable out there. You can stream games installed on one of your home computers (Mac, Windows, Linux) to practically any other desktop, laptop, phone, or tablet on the same network while using a controller or a mouse and keyboard. Plug in an HDMI cable, and you can easily sling that content to a TV, too.
To get it working, you need two machines (a PC or Android device) to be logged into your Steam account at the same time, adding the new machine to your account with an approval code. Once you have a game installed on your host PC, all you have to do is head to your library, select the installed game’s “Stream” option, and proceed from there. You can also stream your computer’s desktop in a pinch.
Sony’s PS4 Remote Play feature allows you to stream and control your entire PS4 experience from your Mac or Windows PC, as well as iPhones, iPads and some Sony Xperia phones. The app and service are free, so all you need to get started is a PS4, DualShock 4 controller, and at least a 15 Mbps connection, according to Sony. It’s fairly straightforward, only requiring you to install a desktop app and then make a quick trip over to your console’s settings to pair both systems using your Wi-Fi network. You can adjust the quality settings, too — up to 1080p and 60 fps if you’ve got a PS4 Pro.
After everything is set up, you can control the stream quality (up to 1080p at 60 fps), play games from your PC by controlling your Xbox remotely, chat with other players using in-game audio chat, and even use an Oculus Rift to generate a virtual room and giant flatscreen to immerse yourself in the gameplay.
Remotr
Similar to the Steam In-Home Streaming, the free game streaming platform Remotr works by using your gaming PC’s library and processing power to deliver a stream to an Android device, iPhone, a tablet, or another computer. But Remotr requires you to install not one, but two dedicated apps (one for the host and another for the receiver) to get it working. One cool feature is local network support for couch co-op games. If you’re firing up a party game like Castle Crashers, you can have up to three friends use their phones or tablets as controllers, each with their own screen.
If you fulfill the requirements and follow the setup guide, it’s another way to stream smooth, relatively low-latency game sessions from your host machine without relying on some distant data center that you’d have to pay for monthly.
Rainway
Rainway is a game streaming service that allows you to remotely stream games from your preexisting Steam, Origin, Battle.net, or uPlay libraries, and its claim to fame is the web: you can stream games directly to a web browser window, as well as Mac or Windows PCs or Android phones, with an iOS version planned for a later date. Rainway makes sense if you want to stream games like you would with Steam Link, but you don’t want to sign into multiple machines with your Steam user credentials.
The desktop app features plenty of settings you can tweak, including what quality you’d like the stream to be, which GPU to use for encoding, and which of your monitors you’d like to pull the game stream from if you have multiple monitors set up.
It’s free, so it’s worth a shot if you’re curious but don’t want to invest in a game streaming platform quite yet.
Nvidia GameStream (and Moonlight)
If you’ve got a relatively recent Nvidia graphics card, there’s a pretty nifty way to try in-home streaming (or even over the internet) to practically any platform under the sun: the unofficial Moonlight app for Nvidia’s GameStream platform.
Originally, GameStream only worked if you owned a $179 Nvidia Shield TV set-top box — or the old, discontinued Shield Tablet or Shield Portable, all of which still work — but the Moonlight open-source project brings it to Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome OS, and even Amazon’s Fire OS devices. Again, you’ll need an Nvidia GeForce card, plus the free GeForce Experience app, but then it’s just a matter of pairing your device of choice to your gaming PC with a four-digit PIN.
Nvidia’s GameStream has been around even longer than Steam In-Home Streaming, and it’s felt nearly as good in our tests.
HP Omen Game Stream
If you own one of the three supported HP Omen gaming PCs, the Omen Game Steam app is one last way to stream games from your host PC to other Windows 10 PCs on your home Wi-Fi network. Simply hop onto your Omen computer, download HP’s required drivers, install the Omen Command Center on your non-gaming PC, and then start gaming. It’s simple enough.
Stream a Netflix-like catalog of games to practically any device
Here’s where it gets interesting. With a true cloud gaming platform, you can stream blockbuster games directly from remote servers, removing the inconvenience of acquiring the latest graphics card or a whole new gaming PC. The catch is that you needa fast internet connection with a home located near the data center that will be rendering your game stream to avoid lag overcoming your game. Different cloud gaming services have different internet speed requirements, but you may need more than 20 Mbps to stream at 1080p, and you’ll need a low ping (the time it takes for a server to respond to your request) to avoid the game lagging behind your button presses.
For a fee, of course
Some of these true cloud gaming services are trickier to start using because they require an invite-only beta or they ask for a credit card before offering you a free trial (assuming they offer one at all). Still, these services are what you should aim for if you want to unlock a remote library of blockbuster games for your phone, tablet, or computer that you can play anywhere your internet allows.
PlayStation Now
If you want to know what a cloud game streaming service would be like on a console and a PC, perhaps give PlayStation Now a shot. Sony offers a seven-day free trial (credit card required) so you can get started without having to pay the $19.99 monthly subscription fee. PS Now includes more than 750 PS4, PS3, and PS2 games (over 275 of those are PS4 games), with more being added every month.
It’s an impressive, functional archive of Sony’s best classic PlayStation games, including the original God of War series, The Last of Us, and Uncharted, and it also brings more contemporary titles like NBA 2K18 and For Honor. Since PS Now can be used on a Windows PC, it also serves as an emulator of sorts for PC players who have a spare DualShock 4 controller. (You can’t use other gamepads.)
However, like any of the currently available game streaming services, there are faults. For example, Sony’s support page says that PS Now streams are capped at 720p resolution, which is sub-par no matter how you spin it. It’s a particularly annoying issue because cloud gaming generally feels a little low-res to begin with (due to artifacting in the compressed video stream), and starting at 720p makes the experience worse.
Jump
If you don’t care for big-budget titles and instead prefer indie games, then the Jump indie game service might be up your alley. Simply put, Jump is an on-demand indie game subscription service. It has 100-plus indie games in its catalog, it includes unlimited access (some streaming platforms attach time limits), and it costs $4.99 a month. Also, it’s promising to see that Jump still prioritizes low-latency gameplay, just like the more expensive services, yet it still values being an indie games service.
Jump can “stream” indie games to you, but it doesn’t offer one of the key benefits of a game streaming service — playing graphically intensive games without requiring powerful hardware — because it doesn’t work quite the same way. Instead of the servers handling the entire workload, your PC takes on some of the data in order to run the game.
It’s definitely worth checking out since you might discover a new favorite game by an indie developer. And isn’t discovery the best part about gaming?
Vortex
This is a game streaming service without a free trial, so I’m less keen on recommending it. But if you’re curious, Vortex costs $9.99 per month for an 89-game subscription that includes Apex Legends, Rainbow Six: Siege,and a bunch of other popular titles. However, a number of games in Vortex’s library require you to own them in order to play. In the case of Steam games, Vortex verifies your license ownership by checking your Steam profile (assuming it’s public).
You can stream games using Vortex to an Android phone, Windows PC, or the Chrome browser over your Wi-Fi or wired internet connection with at least 10 Mbps download speed.
Between the limitations to the service — namely around Steam games —and the lack of a free trial, Vortex might not be the best service for newcomers to try out.
Stream games you own across the internet
This is the most technical and advanced option; this is for the power users. These services don’t offer a catalog of games. Instead, they let you play games you already own on an extremely powerful, cloud-based gaming PC.
Some of these services literally let you rent a virtual Windows gaming PC in the cloud, so you can download at high speeds, install, and play games on a virtual desktop as you would normally. This is especially useful to Mac users, who are excluded from most PC games or don’t have properly optimized versions available.
GeForce Now
Nvidia’s desktop game streaming platform is in beta, and it has been since October 2017. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth looking into — particularly since it’s free during the beta, as long as you own compatible games. GeForce Now is a game streaming and PC virtualization service that basically lets you click to instantly install your own Steam and Battle.net titles on a powerful remote PC that lives in a network of servers across North America and Europe. Not every game works, but Nvidia’s 500-plus supported titles include crowd-pleasers like Counter-Strike and brand-new titles like Sekiro.
By utilizing its own Tesla graphics cards, Nvidia’s servers can push games to Mac, PC, and Nvidia Shield players at a solid 1080p resolution and 60 frames per second. Nvidia also has plans to eventually switch to the new RTX Server so that features like ray tracing and DLSS can be enabled for supported games streamed on GeForce Now.
But you might just have to wait for a free beta invite. As Nvidia says on its site: “Entry into the beta will vary depending on geographic location and space.”
In my tests, I’ve found that Steam Link Anywhere is decent if you’re playing on a fast LTE or Wi-Fi connection using your phone and you have great internet upload speeds at home for your host PC. However, there are some issues with certain Wi-Fi networks and regional carriers, which Valve reps tell me they’re working on fixing.
Right now, Valve is being somewhat cryptic about the exact requirements for Steam Link Anywhere. According to the beta page, you need to have “a good upload speed and [that] your Steam Link device has a good network connection.” Once you get past that, all you need is a Windows PC to host the games, plus the Steam beta client running on an Android device or the ill-fated Steam Link box.
There’s no indication as to when Valve’s game streaming service will exit beta or if it will have additional features, but it’s out there for you to try for free.
Shadow by Blade
You might not have heard of Shadow, but it’s a real cloud game streaming service based in the United States. Like other similar platforms, Shadow works by giving you a virtualized computer with the means to play 3D games. Currently, Shadow is operational in 38 out of the 50 states, with more on the way.
Shadow is subscription-based, so you can subscribe for $34.95 per month or $29.95 monthly with a year-long commitment. Unfortunately, you have to select one of those paid plans to gain access to the month-long “trial,” which I think is a bit underhanded. Blade promises to send you a reminder three days before you get charged for the next month of service, but since there’s no way to demo it for free, I’d say tread carefully.
Blade, Shadow’s parent company, is also selling a game streaming console alongside the subscription named the Shadow Ghost. It’s capable of outputting video at 4K resolution at a 60Hz refresh rate or 1080p HD at 144Hz. Regarding pricing, it’s $139.95 for the hardware — which is pricey — but who said cloud gaming was cheap?
Playkey
A game streaming service based out of Russia, Playkey is a data center-powered game streaming solution that requires you to bring the games you want to play. You can test it out by subscribing, then sign-in with your own Steam, Battle.net, Origin, or uPlay account to have games in your digital library streamed in 1080p at 60 fps to your computer.
Unfortunately, while Playkey used to offer a trial period, that offer seems to have been removed from its site, which makes me even more skeptical about recommending its service. My other concern is that Playkey lacks servers in North and South America; its servers are in Frankfurt, London, and Moscow. To make up for its shortcomings, Playkey’s network is decentralized, so anyone with a GTX 1080 (or better) can host and contribute to the overall computing power of the network.
Pricing is time-based on a monthly pay cycle, with a 70-hour plan available for $35, 200 hours for $40, or unlimited gameplay for $45. However, if you don’t have any games, you can purchase the full games through Playkey, stream them, and then play them locally as you would on a regular gaming PC.
Parsec
What if you wanted to try cloud game streaming on a per-hour basis? Parsec can now stream for free from your own gaming PC, but it’s also got different cloud-based servers that you can rent at different cost tiers, powered by Amazon Web Services or Paperspace data centers that are located near New York City, San Francisco, and Amsterdam. If you are located near or in those cities, it might be a good idea to opt for the Paperspace option.
However, games are a time-consuming activity that I think Parsec’s own website sums up pretty well: “If you play more than 8-10 hours of games each week and you want the best experience possible, you should still build / buy your own gaming PC.” It’s evident that Parsec is warning you about the costs over time.
Like other cloud game streaming services, Parsec offers 60 fps, low-latency gameplay over the internet, including a desktop app and an experimental web client.
More to come
Now, you should hopefully have a few different options within easy reach if you want to try streaming games for yourself. But the free and trial services listed here don’t necessarily represent what’s possible once big players like Microsoft, Google, and maybe Amazon join the fray. These big internet businesses have the scale and existing infrastructure that existing cloud gaming companies can only dream of, and competing services may be forced to stay competitive by adding new features or data centers, too.
The dream of being able to reliably stream and play games from anywhere in the world might not be that far-fetched in the years to come.
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Correction, 6:00 PM ET: PS4 Remote Play is capable of up to 1080p and 60 fps streaming on a PS4 Pro, not 1080p and 30 fps.
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Stefan Etienne<![CDATA[Apple’s latest macOS software update may have made your new MacBook Air brighter]]>https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/16/18410721/apple-macos-10-14-4-update-macbook-air-new-brighter-software2019-04-16T13:43:18-04:002019-04-16T13:43:18-04:00
Apple’s latest macOS software update may have made your 2018 MacBook Air’s display brighter. Those who eventually install the update might be pleasantly surprised to find that their laptop’s Retina display is suddenly 100 nits brighter than it was before, for a new total of 400 nits brightness.
The brightness change has been confirmed by users on Reddit and MacRumors; Apple’s recent macOS 10.14.4 update released on March 25th “corrects the default screen brightness” of the newest MacBook Air models. Apple has also updated the new MacBook Air’s technical specifications page to note that the laptop’s Retina display has a 400 nit max brightness, up from the 300 nits or so that other tech publications and reviewers noted in their systems prior to the late-March macOS update.
Brightness was one of the main issues we had with the Air’s new Retina display when we reviewed it last fall. Hopefully the new macOS update will visibly address that problem.
