In the past two years, under the dual influence of the epidemic mining, the cost of building a high-performance PC platform has remained high. More and more game parties are setting their sights on game consoles. Although the price of game consoles has also increased, the degree of impact is much lighter than that of graphics cards that can mine. We all know that most game consoles, the hardware aspect is essentially a PC, just installed on a specific system, and the main function is artificially limited to playing games.
Of course, dedicated game consoles will have some advantages over ordinary PCs, such as higher cost performance, more exclusive games, etc. In fact, despite all the limitations, many game console products, in addition to playing games, can still find a lot of "not doing business" functions, which may be beyond your imagination.
After years of continuous exploration of application scenarios and the evolution of product forms, game consoles also try to play the role of home entertainment centers in addition to the attributes of game devices. Therefore, most game consoles will have some audio-visual entertainment functions, and there are still many under careful combing.
Look at blu-ray discs
Like PS4, PS5 or Xbox have optical drive versions, in addition to inserting game discs, it is also compatible with regular Blu-ray discs, and PS5 even supports Ultra Hd Blu-ray Discs (ultraHD). Of course, having said that, there are still relatively few people who still use physical Blu-ray discs as a way to watch movies, and this function is more in line with the tastes of audiophiles. In addition, the current next-generation host, there are optical drives and without optical drives, if there is a need for this aspect, or pay attention to it.
First of all, whether it is APS or Xbox host, it can only be compatible with genuine discs, and the cost of viewing movies is still quite high; secondly, the Blu-ray disc itself may have regional restrictions, such as discs marked only with A/1 zone (North America, Central and South America, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, etc.), which can only be played on the PS host in A/1 zone, like the mainland version of the host that does not belong to A/1 zone, it cannot be normally compatible.
In addition, if you use the overseas version of the Blu-ray disc, you may face the problem of subtitles, if the disc itself does not have Chinese subtitles, if you want to use external subtitles, it is not as convenient as the computer. PS host currently does not support subtitle plug-ins, Xbox can install KODI, to achieve subtitle plug-ins, and even access nas, computer hard disk, directly use the external film and television resource library. In this sense, although Xbox's UWP application is relatively chicken, it is still much more practical than the Sony camp.
Streaming
Since it is a device that needs to be connected to a large screen, the game console can naturally become the medium of video playback, compared to the declining disc and local playback, online video and streaming media are in the limelight, and they are also eyeing home game console devices. Netflix, Disney+, YouTube have all launched Xbox and PS5, and even Apple TV+ has also launched PS5.
Relatively speaking, domestic video apps are not so common on host platforms. After all, the current stock of the National Bank of China game console is relatively not so large, Xiao Lei's personal experience, this aspect may still be the B station of the cloud audio-visual is doing well, unlike the conventional TV version, PS5 version of the B station client can directly use ordinary large members, do not need to upgrade the TV membership, which is a small benefit.
There is also a small Easter egg that the Bank of China Switch can install the Tencent Video App, and non-members watch online videos without advertising, and the overseas version does not have this benefit. However, the Screen of the Switch is 720P, and the display effect is naturally inferior to that of smartphones.
There are also many streaming music applications on the game console platform, such as Spotify supporting Xbox and PS platforms, and Apple Music landing on PS5, which can also provide background music functions.
Mining to make money?
The avid entertainment functions mentioned above are basically within the scope of normal game console manufacturers. Mining, on the other hand, is a "cult" operation that wanders in the gray area. The first thing to explain is that the current next-generation game consoles have not been substantially cracked, and the main ones that have mature cracking mechanisms are the PS4 series.
But in general, game console hacking is basically to play free pirated games, and it is not used much for it. In the case of PS4, there has not been a mature self-made system so far, so that the operation of the game console in seconds is theoretically possible, but it is not actually implemented.
Rumors about game consoles hacking mining in batches are actually onion news. The 3,800 PS4s seized in Ukraine, although it looks like a large battle, much like an underground mine, was actually used to brush FIFA game currency. Moreover, the floating-point computing power of the PS4 is roughly equivalent to that of the GTX 1050 graphics card, and the benefits of using it to mine may not be enough to cover the electricity bill.
Strange app
Theoretically, the store on the game console is not much different from the general app store, and the application developed by the developer can be listed as long as it passes the review. It's just that console stores are naturally game-oriented, but that doesn't mean that non-gaming software can't appear. Because of their existence, consoles can do a lot of things that seem bizarre.
1. Calculator
Although I don't know why there is a calculator on the game console, but the Switch is such a model, the price is not expensive, about 10 yuan. Functional, it's a familiar scientific calculator, the kind that many people in school have used. However, most mobile phones will come with their own calculators, and it is easy to buy advanced calculators. However, some netizens explained to us the magic of this calculator, which can be quickly turned on on the Switch, without the need to select users (the game usually cannot omit this step), which is a sharp tool for office fish.
2. Video clips
Cutting your own game process into video clips is already an important requirement in the game scene. Game consoles generally also offer this feature, limited by functionality, the Switch only provides 30 seconds of screen recording, and the next-generation consoleS5 and Xbox S series support it much better, up to 1 hour of recording.
PS5 also provides ShareFactory Studio for free for video editing, supports 4K HDR, and can also import pictures, videos, audio and other materials through external storage devices, which can increase commentary and special effects, although not as complete as a real video productivity tool, but it is certainly enough to meet general needs.
3. Alarm clock
The software called "AAA Clock" feels more like a plug-in, after installation, switch can display the page turning clock on the screen in real time, and the Switch can be used as an alarm clock when it is placed on the bedside, which is the use of switch OLED's new screen and bracket to the extreme. The price of $1.99 is not expensive on the Switch, but Xiao Lei also feels that it is a more chicken software, after all, so many electronic devices have alarm clocks, there is no need to install another one on the game console.
Isn't gaming machine functionality purely the trend of the times?
As we mentioned earlier, there is no essential difference between game consoles and PCs in hardware, but the unique business model limits their functions and usage scenarios. As for the magnitude of the limit, it usually depends on the commercial interests of the host manufacturer. If focusing only on the game scene can maximize commercial benefits, then manufacturers will naturally limit other functions; if it becomes an all-round entertainment device and occupies a home entertainment center to bring more revenue, Sony Microsoft will not reject the change.
The monetization model of game consoles is essentially the same as that of the App Store, that is, by building a closed walled garden that allows users to pay for content to continuously grab profits. As for whether this content is a game or not, it is actually not so important.
Moreover, as the size of the game console community gradually expands, they also become more popular from a niche, which can attract more and more developers, including software developers outside of games. Then, since it is an open platform, a variety of software that looks strange will gradually increase, so that the game console can achieve a lot of "not doing business" functions. In the early years, strange apps such as electronic scales and watermelon app appraisers in the App Store also sparked heated discussions, but soon everyone got used to it.
In fact, looking at the entire consumer electronics market, we find that specialized electronic products are gradually becoming all-round. Mobile phones that have changed from feature phones to smart phones are the most classic examples, and like the relatively niche music players, more and more Android systems have been installed and enhanced to expand; smart cars run large games, and it seems that they are no longer news.
In this process, the category boundaries between smart devices are gradually blurring. A while ago, it was revealed that Apple was developing game console products, and it is likely to be inextricably linked to existing iOS devices, and at the same time it is very different from traditional game consoles. The "impurity" of game consoles may be a microcosm of the future development trend of smart devices.