Top cool things about the PS4 UI.
Ever since the first release of the PlayStation 4 in 2013, yes, it's already been that long,
there have already been a number of improvements and
overall to the aspects of the console.
Some are cosmetic and some are technical, but all have been adding up to what people
have been asking for.
From the inclusion of HDR visuals to the redesigned menu, the PS4 has been slowly getting better.
In this list that's really gonna be stretching the definitions of the words 'cool' and 'things,'
we'll cover some neat-o things about the PS4's user interface across all of its patches and
upgrades.
Number one, the most noticeable and welcome feature to the latest upgrade is the overhauled
PlayStation menu.
What once used to be a slow loading screen that stopped everything you were doing is
now a sleek side window that is like a control panel now.
You can do everything from it like adjust the settings during your Spotify play or other
ways thanks to its customized feature.
If you use your PS4 to broadcast your gameplay, you can quickly add it to your menu and not
have to deal with digging through your library to
find the correct apps.
Controller settings like your life bar brightness are more thorough and can be just as easily
accessed through the redesigned menu.
Number two, every time you start an app, it moves to the front of the line in your user
interface, pushing games and other apps you still use into the back and
eventually out of the main screen altogether.
If you want to avoid the slight chill you get when you think something might be deleted,
you can add everything to folders now.
Once added, games can be organized, the folder can be named, and keeping multiple folders
doesn't complicate or confuse the user interface.
Not only is this handy, keeping everything you want on the front page, it also looks
like an added feature that will do more good than being an unnecessary addition to a trying
system.
Number three, keeping track of your trophies, friends, and even browsing the PlayStation
store can be done through your phone.
This isn't new, but it is still one of the best features of any system.
You can even go even further and make your profile picture whatever you want it to be,
even if you uploaded from your phone.
Play songs from Spotify from your phone, search YouTube, message friends, and do a
small number of other things at half the ease of just doing it from your PlayStation.
The app still needs a lot of work and can be frustrating at most but the fact that we
can control systems in our homes from miles away with our phones is amazing.
There are a few small surprises in life, but coming home to a new game ready to play is
definitely one of them.
If you're one of the people who constantly look over your trophies and pine over all
the ones you haven't gotten yet, being able to do so from the
convenience and comfort of yours or someone else's bathroom is made even easier.
The future is incredible.
Number four, the select button is dead and replaced with
the PS4 share button.
While still wholly forgetful, its practicality has been made better thanks to its new adjustable
settings.
You can set up the share button to screenshot automatically with one click or double tap
to start and stop recording video.
It's a better alternative than pulling yourself out of the game mid-session to wait to tell
the console that you just want to save the screenshot.
It used to be time-consuming and overly complicated.
Now it's less time-consuming and you can make it as complicated
as you like.
I still want the select button back.
Number five, almost everything is customizable, even though you can get still new and dynamic
things from the PlayStation Store.
The new update gets us even more options to pick from.
You can also change your profile page even more, the cover picture that sits behind your
profile picture can be selected through your capture gallery.
You can also include pictures that you want to add to the media player and your phone
again.
So if you want a picture of the cat holding the satanic bible as your cover picture, make
it happen.
It's not really a new, uh, piece of information, but it's still cool and adds for another layer
of customization PlayStation brand isn't exactly known for.
You also know that the screen doesn't have to be blue.
Number six, now that the PlayStation VR is out, you can bring the entire screen with
you wherever you go.
If you decide you want to move or lay down while playing, looking out of frame
or holding the option button re-centers your screen so you can game comfortably.
Or as comfortably as you can be with the Space Age visor sitting on your head.
It's nice to have your technology cater to you before you ultimately end up catering
to your technology.
And that's our list.
It's hard finding new and inventive ways to use the PS4 user interface, but if you know
something we don't, let us know in the comments below.
I don't know what else there is to say about the PS4 UI, it's a lot better than it's ever
been, but there are still some things I'd like to see added and some I even want to
see removed.
Write in the comments about what features you can do without.
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Thanks for watching.