I’ve had Stadia Premiere Edition for just over 6 weeks now since launch in mid November. I was hooked on the idea of Stadia ever since the original announcement from Google earlier this year, but pre-ordered pretty late as I wanted to be sure that there were going to be some worthwhile launch titles for the platform that I could play on day one. Luckily that patience paid off! I’ve been a keen gamer for years now and bought the Xbox One X in 2017 to be able to play the likes of Call of Duty and Forza Horizon 4 in the best possible quality. I usually buy my games digitally these days so the idea of Stadia instantly appealed to me with a completely digital experience. No need to purchase an expensive console, controller or any Andrew are at all if you just want to play on a PC or Mac you already own. Literally just subscribe to the service and instantly get access to purchase any of the library of games on offer.
In this post, I thought I’d cover some of the most popular questions I’ve had since getting my hands on Stadia:
Does Stadia actually work?
Short answer - Yes! To get the most out of the service you’re going to need a substantial internet connection as the quality of the stream depends almost entirely on broadband speed. Google recommends anything over 10mb/sec should enable 4K quality but in our area we’re able to access speeds of over 350mb/sec so I’ve had absolutely no issues with input lag or stream quality. My entire experience has felt like I’m playing a new console rather than anything cloud-based. I’ve been playing at home mostly but have taken my PC to my local Starbucks and managed to get a pretty decent connection with only a few blips in quality. You can also use your phone as a hotspot to use mobile data, although unless you have unlimited data i wouldn’t recommend it as Stadia will use around
What’s the deal with Stadia Pro?
Stadia Pro is the subscription element of the platform and what many thought would enable Stadia to become the “Netflix of video games” by offering customers complete access the library of games for one monthly price. In actual fact, the service gives users access to 2 free games a month (chosen by Google) which are accessible as long as you keep your Pro subscription active. Destiny 2 was the main launch title for the Pro service but as soon as you decide to unsubscribe you loose access to the game. It’s nowhere need what people were expecting but for £8.99 it’s actual a pretty good deal given the quality of the games that Google are giving you.
Aside from the Pro service, you can buy access to games in a similar way to the Microsoft and Sony digital stores, with prices on Stadia currently quite competitive. My main concern around Stadia Pro is Google’s ability to keep adding must-have games every single month to keep users subscribed. So far games like Tomb Raider and Farming Simulator have been welcome additions and were probably games I otherwise wouldn’t have picked up had they not been included, but in 2020 Google will need to add some pretty impressive titles to keep users locked into that monthly fee of £8.99.
Final Thoughts
If you’re in any doubt as to whether Google Stadia is for you then I’d recommend waiting for the base version of the experience to launch - currently touted to be sometime in “Early 2020”. This will enable you to give the service a go without investing in any hardware at all so just create an account and purchase whatever games you like to play on PC or Mac. If you’re looking to play through your TV however, you’ll need a controller and a Chromecast Ultra which will currently set you back the best part of £120 as part of the Premiere Edition set up.
The success of Stadia ultimately relies on 2 things - The quality of the games that Google can entice developers to add to the platform, and how well the service copes when thousands more customers sign up early this year when the base version becomes available. Stadia will need the likes of FIFA and Call of Duty to name but a few to join the service if there can be any longevity to the platform. I’m already pretty convinced that Stadia will replace the need for me to upgrade my current console when the new XBOX arrives in December, again assuming that triple A titles make there way onto the service. It makes way more sense to me to pay the £120 to get set up on Stadia and never worry about lack of performance or visual quality than having to pay £400+ every few years for the latest and greatest hardware.
Have you tried out Stadia yet or have any questions about the platform?
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Dreaming of buying a second-hand car? When buying a used car from a dealership or a classified ad it may be difficult to make your mind up. With tons of paperwork, hidden extras and fake ads, it's difficult to know where to turn for advice. So we’ve put together a few tips, tricks and expert advice to help you as you take the steps towards car ownership.
There are pros and cons of buying from a reputable dealership or are buying from a private sale, and both can sometimes make buying a secondhand car more hassle than it’s worth. So have a look at our comprehensive car purchasing guide to make you feel more at ease.
Many new cars are not bought outright with cash and are bought using finance or credit. To encourage drivers to take cars on finance; dealerships often incentivise them by offering deals. These deals often expire with three years and therefore this is a very common time for nearly new vehicles to be returned to the dealership in favour of a new model. As mentioned, it's also a great way to protect your wallet from car value depreciation hits as well as costly repairs once the car is more than five years' old. You also save yourself from any large depreciation hits and costly repairs.
The Basics
Make sure that you get the basics right or it might cost you dearly in the long run. You could find yourself shelling out for costly repairs, extortionate insurance and much more. Here are some general tips to consider when choosing and checking that second-hand motor.
Make Sure Your Finances Are In Order
The state of your finances could be the difference between you leaving the dealership with the car of your dreams or going home on the bus. Set aside some time to lay out your planned budget and expenditure and your ideal monthly repayment amount. Try and stick to it as best as you can as you don't want to be left with car payments that you can't afford and a big knock to your credit score. Use the internet to research the best way for you to personally finance your car- there are a multitude of options. From asking friends and family, to taking out a loan or even saving up stacks of cash from your side hustle, there's bound to be a way. Don't forget to include your down payment deposit, insurance and road tax costs in your calculations too.
Know Your Market
One of the easiest ways to keep up to date and knowledgeable about what's happening in the used car market is to get online and have a look. Head online and have a look for a Free Used Car Online Valuation to help you have all the information that you need. Hopefully, you’re now equipped with everything you will need to buy the used car of your dreams.
Always wondered if you could make money playing video games? Gaming is nothing more than a pastime for many of us – but for others it’s a livelihood. Turning gaming into an income isn’t easy. Such work is competitive and you may need a high level of skill. However, if you’re dedicated enough, you could get to make money doing the thing you love. Here are just several ways to turn gaming into an income.
Play online casino games
Online casino games are hugely popular. Earning money through these games is largely down to chance, but there are strategies to reduce the risk and lower your losses. Some casino sites offer free rounds and bonuses to new players. Using free slot machines with bonus rounds, you may be able to minimise your losses and potentially win more. Some players have earnt huge amounts simply by making use of these freebies and keeping to this strategy.
Write video game reviews
Video game reviewers are paid to play and write critiques of video games. This can be a great job for gaming enthusiasts that also love writing. Having an English or Journalism qualification could help when trying to land a job at a publication. Most game reviewers spend many years first doing small gigs at lesser known gaming blogs and magazines. There’s also the option of starting your own gaming blog and building this up until you earn money through it (although this is no easy task).
Create Youtube ‘Let’s play’ videos
Many of us watch ‘Let’s play’ videos on YouTube. Some YouTubers have made millions of dollars out of these videos. However, this involves getting millions of views and subscribers. To build up a successful channel, you need to have engaging content. Fortunately, starting a YouTube channel is easy – investing in a good quality microphone and editing software could be worthwhile, but you likely won’t need anything else.
Test video games
Another way to make money playing video games is to get into video game testing. Game developers often hire testers to help iron out bugs before releasing games to the general public. To become a video games tester, you’ll generally need a degree in computing or software development. An understanding of programming is often needed when looking for ways to find and fix bugs.
Become a professional gamer
There’s also money to be made by taking part in gaming tournaments. If you’re up for the challenge, it could be worth finding a tournament online and signing up. The bigger the tournament, the bigger the prize – although you can bet that most of the bigger tournaments will be made up of some of the world’s most highly skilled players.
If you’re a blogger, you’ll be all too aware of how difficult it can be to make money. It takes time to grow your blog enough to make money, let alone an income. However, with consistency and determination, it can be done!
That being said, you might still have weeks or months where you’re not making a lot, so it could be a good idea to look into ways you can supplement your income. Below, you’ll find some fun ways to supplement your income as a blogger. Take a look and see if you can make more money!
- Sell A Skill
Do you have a skill? Maybe you’re a talented artist, or you can write copy. You could potentially sell your skills using an online platform such as Fiverr or People Per Hour. It’s really easy to get started. Alternatively, you could sell your crafts using your own website, although setting up a real side hustle will take a substantial amount of time and this might stop you from focusing on your blog.
2. Create An Online Course
Creating an online course to go on a site like Udemy can take time, but once it’s done, you can make money from it time and time again. You could create a course based on anything: tell others how to blog or write well, show people how to knit cardigans, whatever you like!
3. Write An Ebook
If you have knowledge around a certain subject, you could write an Ebook on it. Again, this is something you can put the work into once and then make money from multiple times. Some people even like to write numerous Ebooks so they can keep on making passive income. You could write a fictional Ebook if you wanted, but it can be much harder to sell these. Either way, marketing your Ebook will be important.
4. Use Cashback Sites Cashback sites are a really simple way to have more money. Simply sign up and use them each time you go to buy something online and you can let the funds build up until you feel like withdrawing them.
5. Consider Matched Betting
Now, stay with me here. It sounds too good to be true, and so people automatically assume that it is. Matched betting can be tough to understand at first, but there are sites like Profit Accumulator that can walk you through it step by step - you can even sign up for free and make some money so you can see for yourself that it isn't a con. Of course there are drawbacks, and you do need to put time and effort into it. However, you can take advantage of free bets and make a decent amount of money when you do it right.
6. Make A YouTube Channel To Go With Your Blog
If you haven’t already got a YouTube channel, this could be a great way to make some money along side your blog. You will need to grow your YouTube channel and make regular videos, but once you monetise them you have the potential to make money from them forever.
4. Use Cashback Sites Cashback sites are a really simple way to have more money. Simply sign up and use them each time you go to buy something online and you can let the funds build up until you feel like withdrawing them.
5. Consider Matched Betting
Now, stay with me here. It sounds too good to be true, and so people automatically assume that it is. Matched betting can be tough to understand at first, but there are sites like Profit Accumulator that can walk you through it step by step - you can even sign up for free and make some money so you can see for yourself that it isn't a con. Of course there are drawbacks, and you do need to put time and effort into it. However, you can take advantage of free bets and make a decent amount of money when you do it right.
6. Make A YouTube Channel To Go With Your Blog
If you haven’t already got a YouTube channel, this could be a great way to make some money along side your blog. You will need to grow your YouTube channel and make regular videos, but once you monetise them you have the potential to make money from them forever.
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