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Essential Features Your Business Laptop Needs in 2024
Selecting a business laptop that meets your needs is an important step towards business productivity. There is a huge range of business laptops on the market today, with a multitude of features designed to meet every requirement. What is a business laptop? You may think of slim, lightweight notebooks intended to be carried effortlessly by workers on their daily commute, or even rugged laptops tested to survive in harsh work environments with features such as Military Standard tested impact-resistant chassis.
With such a vast choice of makes and models available, it’s important to consider the tasks that you intend to tackle with your business laptop before you decide on any purchases. There isn’t a simple answer to the best laptop for business, but there are definitely desirable features in some business laptops that will boost productivity and provide long-term value for users, regardless of their industry. In this article we will discuss several essential features that prospective buyers should look for in a business laptop in order to boost their business productivity. Read on to discover more!
1. Long lasting battery
It may sound obvious, but the importance of choosing a business laptop with a long lasting battery cannot be overstated. Whether a laptop is predominantly used for work, gaming or just plain old general use, mobility is arguably a major factor when choosing between a desktop or a laptop. The battery gives your laptop the gift of mobility, freeing you from the shackles of working next to a power outlet.
Plugging our laptop or smartphone in to charge when we’re at home or at our office desks is second nature to many of us, but productivity on the go requires a battery that can run for an eight hour (plus) workday without charging.
Finding a power outlet is the last thing you want to worry about when meeting clients or presenting to colleagues. A business laptop with a reliable, long lasting battery will ensure that you exude professionalism and preparedness whatever the situation. What’s more, if you travel during your workday, or like to get work done on the go, a long lasting battery ensures a smooth, continuous workflow, wherever you are.
2. A good screen
Screens, of all shapes and sizes are omnipresent in our lives. Think for a minute how many different screens you have interacted with today. Regardless of the industry you work in, you’ll likely spend the majority of your workday in front of your laptop, looking at the screen. In light of this, a high quality screen is an essential feature that you should look for when choosing a business laptop.
Live to work, or work to live, you’ll want to take care of your eyes. Viewing comfort should motivate you to choose a good screen: eye strain and fatigue can impact both your health and productivity. Modern screens feature anti-glare displays while not compromising on color accuracy, letting you get on with the job without giving eye strain a second thought. A screen with adjustable, or adaptive brightness levels, and blue light reduction are also must-have features when selecting a business laptop. Screen size is also an important factor to consider, especially if you regularly collaborate and need colleagues or clients to see your screen. A business laptop with a high resolution screen with ample screen real estate and good color accuracy will contribute to user satisfaction.
https://youtu.be/Iss30fbMbkE
3. Secure hardware and software
With the convenience and connectivity that computers bring to our businesses, schools and homes, they also represent a risk to the security of our data. A data breach can have catastrophic consequences for any company, big or small. Thankfully, secured-core PCs can help to protect your data from security threats. No need to worry about buying and updating multiple antivirus programs, Windows secured-core PCs feature on-by-default security. This protects against unauthorized access to your device, while enabling secure booting and protecting from firmware vulnerabilities.
Secured-core PCs feature face and fingerprint log in security: a combination of biometric sensors and hardware-based credential storage safeguard you against phishing and similar attacks. Malware beware, for policies enabled with Hypervisor Enforced Code Integrity (HVCI) only permit signed and approved executables to run. With an all-in-one security solution, such as secured-core, your laptop health is in safe hands, leaving you to get on with your work.
4. Ports aplenty
As we mentioned above, mobility and connectivity are both key features of modern business laptops. During the course of your work day or week, you’ll likely need to connect your business laptop to a range of devices, from projectors and printers to external monitors and external drives. While there is a trend today towards a simplification of ports, with an emphasis on USB-C, there is no guarantee that the peripherals or devices you may need to connect to your business laptop will be USB-C compatible.
In light of this, ensure that your business laptop has a diverse range of ports, including USB, HDMI, VGA, and Ethernet. Being prepared for various connectivity scenarios will help with seamless connectivity, unburdened by dongles, adapters or other peripherals.
5. SSD with sufficient space
Storage should not be overlooked when selecting a business laptop. Investing in a laptop with an SSD (solid state drive) storage with plenty of space will ensure speed, efficiency, and overall system responsiveness. Go for a minimum of 256GB storage space, serious business users should aim for a minimum of 512GB. For a business user, this means a faster computer, which in turn translates to improved productivity. While laptops and desktops traditionally relied on HDDs (hard disk drives) for data storage, this technology is swiftly becoming obsolete.
SSDs are markedly faster than HDDs and lack moving parts, making them durable and less liable to mechanical failure. What’s more, the power needed to run SSDs is less than HDDs, meaning that laptop batteries can run for longer, resulting in increased productivity for business users. SSDs are a fast, efficient storage solution that can meet the requirements of today’s 24/7 on-the-go business environment, and also will help to future-proof your business laptop.
6. AI readiness
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has dramatically transformed the working world, making its integration into business operations more critical than ever. AI technologies offer significant advantages for business users, including task automation and data analysis, among others. To future-proof your business in an AI-driven world, it’s essential to consider not just the hardware but also the broader ecosystem that supports AI capabilities. This includes adopting AI-powered software solutions that enhance operational efficiency, focusing on scalable cloud services, and ensuring that your systems are flexible enough to adapt to new AI advancements. As AI continues to grow in importance across all business facets, ensuring your infrastructure is AI-compatible without over-relying on hardware upgrades is key. This approach allows for seamless integration of AI functionalities, ensuring your business remains agile and competitive in an ever-evolving technological landscape.
The takeaway
We hope that you have enjoyed this article discussing the essential features your business laptop needs in 2024. Before committing to a purchase, clarify the day-to-day tasks that you require your business laptop to handle, as well as the ideal size and weight. Often a compromise has to be made between power and portability, but the power of many slim, lightweight business laptops in 2024 may surprise you! Check out Acer’s TravelMate series, these laptops are built to adapt to and excel in today’s swiftly changing business environment.
Ensure productivity wherever you are with a long-lasting battery and a good quality screen. Secure your data with a secured-core PC, and never compromise on connectivity by having a variety of ports. Finally, make sure that your business laptop is a long-term, future-ready investment with SSD storage and AI ready hardware.
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League of Legends: New and Returning Game Modes on the Horizon
League of Legends, the ever-evolving multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) giant, is set to see a substantial wave of updates and additions in 2024. To keep the LoL experience fresh for players, Riot Games has prepared not only the return of fan-favorite game modes with significant improvements but also a roster expansion with the introduction of new champions, as well as major overhauls to the abilities, playstyles, and appearance of some established characters.
LoL Modes: Revitalizing Familiar Experiences
Arena mode, a mainstay for players who crave fast-paced, high-intensity battles, will make a comeback in the first half of 2024 with some key changes designed to elevate the gameplay experience. Most notably, the number of teams in each match will double from the original four teams of two to a massive eight teams. This translates to a chaotic clash between 16 players, offering amplified mayhem and less predictable outcomes. In addition, gamers will face different teams more often and have greater chances at redemption.
Alongside this increase in player count, the user interface (UI) is being reworked to improve the flow of information during matches. These adjustments should streamline the visual elements on the screen, making it easier to keep up with the action. Further enhancements for the Arena mode include the addition of new Augments (special power-ups), redesigned maps, and various other tweaks to keep things fresh.
The goals for Arena are to improve game-to-game variance, increase champion diversity, and encourage even more experimentation. This mode will implement more targeted changes to both gameplay and game balance, promoting the ability to play fun and over-the-top combinations, ones that wouldn’t normally work in the Summoner’s Rift battleground.
League of Legends is also known for its special, rotating game modes that provide a healthy dose of lighthearted, sometimes even absurd, fun. In the popular Ultra Rapid Fire (URF) mode, for example, which Riot Games brought back into rotation from February 7, 2024, to March 11, 2024, abilities had extremely short cooldowns, leading to an explosion of spells across the map.
https://youtu.be/szCh-DK5ZSA?si=YT3P8DjIvJ2LXGWr
Meanwhile, multiple players control the same champion in One-For-All mode, which serves as a testament to both coordination and comedic chaos. One-For-All, a limited-time game mode that typically emerges in time for April Fool’s Day, made its reappearance on March 20, 2024, and is expected to be around until mid-April 2024.
Finally, a brand-new game mode is entering development. Details surrounding this mode are limited, with Riot Games teasing a potential shift away from the core League of Legends gameplay. Clues suggest it could involve more cooperative elements or a less intense experience, offering a change of pace for players who wish to spend time with friends in a more relaxed setting.
The system requirements for League of Legends aren’t too demanding, so your gaming setup doesn’t need to be overly hard-hitting or expensive. Powerful but budget-friendly machines like Acer’s Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop or Nitro 50 Gaming Desktop are more than capable of providing an optimal LoL experience.
LoL Champions: Fresh Faces and Evolving Favorites
The already extensive roster of playable champions in League of Legends will see further growth in 2024, introducing new playstyles and lore into the game. One such addition is Smolder, an adorable baby dragon whose abilities include scorching breaths, fiery sneezes, and summoning his mom to deal extra damage to enemies or to heal him.
Ambessa Medarda, a character from Riot Games’ Netflix animated show Arcane, also joins the LoL Champions lineup in 2024. A Noxian warlord, she’s expected to be a strong, fast personality who can avoid attacks by way of extreme agility.
Another upcoming addition is a Vastayan mid-range mage, primarily designed to dominate the solo lane. Details on this Champion’s abilities, themes, and lore are currently unknown, adding an element of mystery and anticipation ahead of the eventual release.
Riot is also reworking some existing champions to revitalize their gameplay identities. The visual gameplay update (VGU) for the monster champion Skarner, for instance, includes changes in his kit and core mechanics, along with additional skills like a new Quaking effect accompanying basic attacks. Players can also expect the return of the thematic Porcelain skinline for Champions like Darius, while Champions such as Kindred and Leona will be receiving Prestige skins.
League of Legends has never shied away from remixing the gameplay experience from season to season. This year is no exception, with new modes, Champions, and thematic overhauls that Riot Games is packing into a single content cycle. Between wildly different alternate rulesets to master and fresh roster additions to explore, LoL players of all skill levels and interests should find their gaming sessions injected with novel challenges to tackle over the coming months.
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About Lalaine Capucion: Lalaine has been working as a freelance writer and editor for more than 12 years, focusing on lifestyle, travel, and wellness. When she isn’t writing, she's most likely curled up with a good book or trying out a new recipe in the kitchen. She lives in Metro Manila, Philippines.
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LinkedIn Tips: Building a Business Profile That Gets You Noticed
With over 1 billion LinkedIn users worldwide, it’s worth going the extra mile to create a standout profile on the powerful platform for networking, brand building, and career advancement. Your LinkedIn profile serves as your online business card, providing a snapshot of your skills, experience, and accomplishments. This sounds simple enough, but LinkedIn is more than just a repository of digital resumes. The platform itself is dynamic, regularly coming up with new features to help you showcase your expertise and connect with industry peers. Let’s look at actionable LinkedIn profile tips that will elevate your personal brand and get you noticed by potential clients, partners, and employers.
Craft an Impactful Headline and Summary
Your LinkedIn headline and summary are the first things people see when they visit your profile. Your headline should be concise yet descriptive, highlighting your unique value proposition. In the summary section, get creative and personal as you tell your business story. Instead of simply listing your work experience and skills, showcase your personality, express your passions, and share what makes your offerings different from the competition.
Optimize Each LinkedIn Profile Section
Every part of your LinkedIn profile provides an opportunity to demonstrate your expertise and credibility, starting with your professional profile picture and high-quality background image. When listing your experience and roles, focus on quantifiable achievements and results. Use action verbs and specific metrics to demonstrate your impact.
Skills and endorsements are another important aspect of your LinkedIn profile. Listing so many skills can come across as clunky or overwhelming, so keep them relevant to your industry and expertise. To boost your credibility, ask colleagues and clients to endorse you for these skills. You can also manage your client testimonials and endorsements by showing the ones most aligned with your expertise and career goals.
Post Multimedia Content
Adding various types of content creates a more immersive experience for visitors. Here are examples of multimedia content you can use to leave a lasting impression on your network:
* Videos: Create short clips to introduce yourself or your business, share industry-related insights, or give product demos.
* Podcasts: If you have a podcast or have been featured on one, you can share episodes or snippets on LinkedIn. This helps you reach a wider audience while demonstrating your expertise through conversations with industry leaders.
* Live Videos: Use the LinkedIn Live feature for Q&A sessions, interviews, panel discussions, or behind-the-scenes content. Broadcasting video in real time lets you engage with connections in a more interactive and authentic way.
* Documents and Presentations: Documents like case studies and reports showcase your research and expertise while providing educational content to your audience. You can also use LinkedIn SlideShare to post presentations from speaking engagements or webinars.
* Images and Infographics: Visual content such as images and infographics can help you communicate complex ideas or data in an engaging and more digestible manner. Images are also easily saved and shared.
* Event Announcements and Highlights: If you're hosting or participating in industry events, share updates and highlights on LinkedIn. Post photos, videos, or event summaries to keep your network informed and engaged.
In leveraging multimedia content on LinkedIn, choose the types of content that align with your goals and your audience’s preferences.
Engage With Connections and Followers
Building a strong network is key to your success on LinkedIn. Connect with colleagues, clients, and industry peers to expand your reach and visibility. Engage with your connections regularly by sharing relevant content, commenting on posts, and participating in discussions.
Showcase Your Thought Leadership
Posting articles and updates not only helps you establish yourself as an expert in your field, but also provides value to your audience. Share your experiences, tips, and thoughts on industry trends. Publishing consistently shows your commitment to your field and helps you build credibility with your audience.
Leverage Features Like LinkedIn Analytics
Maximize LinkedIn’s built-in tools and features. Use LinkedIn Analytics to track the performance of your profile and content. Metrics like profile views and post engagement can help you understand what resonates with your audience and how you can refine your profile. When you take LinkedIn Learning courses, you can add the course certificate to your LinkedIn profile and opt to notify your network about your new skills. You can also see if you qualify for LinkedIn’s Creator mode, which provides additional tools such as newsletters, audio events, and a “Follow” button.
Whether you’re creating educational videos for your network or contributing to LinkedIn’s collaborative articles, it helps to have productivity tools that can keep up with your brand-building and networking needs. The Acer Aspire 5 Laptop offers enhanced Wi-Fi connectivity and AI-assisted features for video calls, while the Acer Swift Go 14 Laptop is an AI-ready workhorse in a portable, thin-and-light body.
LinkedIn Profile Pitfalls: Common Mistakes to Avoid
Completing an online resume may seem straightforward, but there’s an array of common errors that can hinder your networking and personal marketing efforts. Here are some of them:
* Incomplete Profile
Many people leave out entire sections of their profile, such as missing profile pictures or blank summary sections. An incomplete profile can give the impression of being disinterested or unprofessional.
* Lack of Personalization
Using generic language or copying and pasting from your resume can make your profile seem uninspired. Personalize each section of your profile to reflect your unique skills, experiences, and personality.
* Low-quality Photo
People’s first impressions of you on LinkedIn often come from your profile photo. A poor choice of image can undermine your credibility, so make sure your profile photo is clear, professional, and appropriate for your industry.
* Overlooking Keywords
Relevant keywords are essential for optimizing your profile for LinkedIn searches. Including keywords related to your industry, skills, and expertise can improve your profile’s visibility in search results.
* Ignoring Networking Opportunities
Because LinkedIn is primarily a networking platform, it’s essential to stay engaged with your connections. Ignoring connection requests, not responding to messages, or not engaging with others’ content can limit your opportunities for networking and professional growth.
* Not Customizing Your URL
LinkedIn allows you to customize your profile URL, making it easier for people to find you. Keeping the generic URL with a string of numbers and letters can make it more challenging for others to locate your profile, so change this to a custom URL with your name.
Optimize your LinkedIn professional profile and command attention with these strategic tips, but never forget the power of authenticity. When you let your personality and genuine enthusiasm shine through in your profile, you’ll cultivate meaningful relationships and opportunities that will take your career to new heights.
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About Micah Sulit: Micah is a writer and editor with a focus on lifestyle topics like tech, wellness, and travel. She loves writing while sipping an iced mocha in a cafe, preferably one in a foreign city. She's based in Manila, Philippines.
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Exploring MiniLED vs LED Displays: Performance, Benefits, and Drawbacks
In the tech world, the debate between LED and Mini-LED technology is more than industry chatter; it's a key development in the evolution of display technology. We’ll dive into essential specs, performance metrics, and real-world applications, breaking down complex technical details into clear insights. Whether you’re deep into tech or just curious about Mini-LEDs, here's to understanding the tech behind the glow of our screens, without the fluff. This article aims to demystify these two, tracing their paths from inception to their roles in today’s market, focusing on the innovations that drive our digital displays forward.
History of LED and Mini-LED displays
The evolution of display technology from LED to Mini-LED traces back to the 1960s, with LEDs revolutionizing the way we view digital content through improved energy efficiency, brightness, and color accuracy. Mini-LED technology, emerging in the late 2010s, builds on this foundation by using smaller LEDs to enhance contrast and color depth, offering a significant leap towards achieving superior display quality. This brief history highlights the continuous innovation in display technology, moving from LEDs to the advanced capabilities of Mini-LEDs, marking a new era in high-quality digital displays.
What is LED display?
LED display technology harnesses Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) to create vibrant and efficient screens. Unlike traditional display methods that rely on backlighting, each LED in a display emits its own light, offering enhanced brightness and color accuracy. This direct emission technique reduces energy consumption and allows for thinner screen designs. LED displays are known for their longevity and reliability, making them a popular choice for everything from television screens to digital billboards.
What is Mini-LED?
Mini-LED displays refine the LED technology by using significantly smaller LEDs to backlight the screen. This reduction in size, with LEDs measuring less than 0.2 millimeters, leads to a major increase in the number of local dimming zones. This improvement allows for finer control over the brightness and darkness areas of the screen, dramatically enhancing contrast ratios and image depth. The key advantage of Mini-LEDs lies in their ability to provide near-OLED levels of contrast while maintaining the brightness and color volume that LEDs are known for. By packing thousands of Mini-LEDs into a display, manufacturers achieve a level of detail and color accuracy previously unattainable, setting a new standard for display technology with superior dynamic range and visual clarity.
LED vs. Mini-LED Displays: Technical standpoint
When comparing LED and Mini-LED technologies, key aspects such as brightness, color accuracy, contrast ratios, and energy efficiency come to the forefront. Each of these factors plays a critical role in the overall performance and suitability of the technology for various applications, from consumer electronics to professional-grade displays.
Brightness and Color Accuracy
LED displays are known for their bright output and reliable color accuracy, attributes that have made them a staple in the industry. They utilize a backlight to illuminate pixels, providing vibrant images even in well-lit environments. However, Mini-LED technology takes this a step further by incorporating thousands of tiny LEDs, offering more granular control over brightness levels across the display. This not only allows for brighter whites but also enables a more precise representation of colors, enhancing the overall visual experience.
Contrast Ratios
Contrast ratio is a critical metric for display quality, defining the range between the darkest and brightest parts of an image. Traditional LED displays achieve respectable contrast ratios through backlight dimming techniques, but they can struggle to produce true blacks. Mini-LEDs significantly improve on this aspect by allowing for localized dimming in much smaller areas, resulting in higher contrast ratios. This capability ensures deeper blacks and more distinct shadows, contributing to a richer and more immersive viewing experience.
Energy Efficiency
LEDs are celebrated for their energy efficiency compared to older lighting technologies, such as incandescent and fluorescent bulbs. Mini-LED displays build on this efficiency by optimizing the use of hundreds to thousands of smaller LEDs, which can be turned off or dimmed in specific areas to save energy. This targeted use of energy not only improves display performance but also contributes to longer battery life in portable devices and lower energy consumption in larger screens.
Reducing the Halo Effect
One of the notable advantages of Mini-LED technology is its ability to reduce the halo effect, a common issue in LED displays where bright areas bleed into darker zones, creating undesired halos around bright objects on dark backgrounds. Thanks to the smaller size of Mini-LEDs and the increased number of dimming zones, this technology can more precisely control light distribution, minimizing light bleed and effectively reducing the halo effect. This precision ensures that bright and dark areas are more accurately represented, enhancing the overall clarity and detail of the image.
LED vs. Mini-LED Displays: Consumer standpoint
From a consumer perspective, the choice between Mini-LED and traditional LED displays hinges on priorities: display quality versus cost.
Mini-LED Displays: Mini-LEDs are becoming a popular choice for consumers seeking premium viewing experiences at a mid-range price point. While OLEDs remain the top-tier option with unmatched visual quality, Mini-LEDs serve as a cost-effective alternative, offering significant improvements over traditional LEDs without the premium price of OLEDs. This positions Mini-LEDs as an attractive pick for those wanting high-end display features without the highest costs.
LED Displays: Traditional LED displays remain popular across the broader market for their affordability, reliability, brightness, and color accuracy, serving a wide range of consumer electronics from budget to mid-range devices. The widespread adoption and scalable manufacturing of LED technology have maintained low costs, positioning LEDs as a favored option for many consumers. However, compared to Mini-LEDs, LEDs don't match up in terms of contrast and black levels, making them less ideal for consumers demanding top-tier display quality for premium content and gaming.
LED vs. Mini-LED Displays: Which one should I get?
Choosing between Mini-LED and LED displays depends on your priorities: the quality of the display versus the cost.
Choose Mini-LED if:
* You prioritize display quality: Mini-LEDs offer superior contrast ratios, deeper blacks, and more precise color accuracy compared to traditional LEDs. This means you'll get a more vibrant and immersive viewing experience, especially beneficial for high-dynamic-range (HDR) content.
* You're into gaming or watch a lot of movies: The improved contrast and ability to produce deeper blacks make Mini-LED displays particularly suited for gaming and movie watching, providing a richer, more detailed picture.
* You're okay with a higher price: Mini-LED technology is generally found in more premium devices, so you'll need to be prepared to spend more compared to standard LED devices.
Choose LED if:
* You're budget-conscious: Traditional LED displays are more affordable and offer good brightness, color accuracy, and energy efficiency. They provide a solid balance between cost and quality, making them suitable for everyday use and a wide range of consumer electronics.
* You value energy efficiency: While both technologies are energy-efficient, LEDs have a longer track record of low power consumption across a variety of applications.
* You need a screen for general use: If you're not overly concerned with having the absolute best contrast ratios or deepest blacks and just need a reliable, good-quality display, LED screens are more than sufficient.
Closing statements
Concluding, the transition from LED to Mini-LED technology signifies a notable evolution in display quality, offering choices that cater to varying preferences for cost and performance. While LEDs provide affordability and efficiency, Mini-LEDs excel in delivering superior contrast and detail. Your decision should hinge on whether you value cutting-edge display quality enough to justify the higher cost of Mini-LEDs. As technology progresses, both options will continue to improve, ensuring that the future of digital displays meets a wide range of consumer needs.
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Acer eKinekt BD3: A Work Out While Working
The U.S. Department of Health recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week for adults. However, awkward or long working hours, family commitments, or lack of time may be some reasons why workers cannot hit the gym for an after-work exercise session. With smart devices reminding us of our fitness levels and step count while we work long hours at a desk job, many people are trying to maintain an active lifestyle as they work. Some options for exercise at work include standing desks, walking meetings, or packing in a gym session during lunch breaks. Many companies realize that a healthy workforce boosts workplace productivity and provides on-site wellness or fitness classes for employees.
Benefits of exercising during work
Exercising during work kills two birds with one stone by helping us keep fit while we do our daily tasks. Here are some reasons why we should incorporate exercise into our working lives.
1. Boosts heart health
One of the top ways to maintain a healthy heart is to exercise regularly. Movement increases the size of our heart chambers, reducing the effort required to send blood throughout the body. Regular exercise and a healthy diet also reduce the risk of heart issues like atrial fibrillation, which comes with a higher risk of stroke caused by a blood clot. Overall, exercise benefits all of our muscles, including our heart.
2. Promotes blood circulation
Poor blood circulation can lead to various health issues like cardiovascular disease. Regular exercise increases blood flow and helps the heart pump blood around our bodies faster. It enhances the amount of blood circulating through our bodies by up to 25%, keeping our blood vessels flexible and reducing the risk of high blood pressure.
3. Improves posture
Office jobs and sitting for long hours can cause poor posture and discomfort. Our skeletal system becomes accustomed to sitting in unnatural positions which can lead to long-term issues and reduced blood flow. The good news is that exercise and stretches help alleviate the negative impact of poor posture through improved muscle strength. In particular, exercises that focus on the back and stomach can correct poor posture.
4. Decreases brain fog
Exercise produces mood-boosting dopamine chemicals in our brains, which is why we feel good after a workout. Compare that to how we feel after a day sitting hunched over a desk, and the benefits of exercise for our brains become clear. Around 30 minutes of moderate exercise is all it takes to release proteins into the bloodstream, including those linked to improved mood and cognitive ability.
5. Reduces stress
The Mayo Clinic recommends including exercise as part of a stress management plan as it boosts endorphins and limits our fight or flight responses when faced with high-pressure situations. Reduced stress levels also put less pressure on our hearts, promoting a healthier cardiovascular system. Furthermore, increased exercise also helps improve our sleep patterns, which are often negatively impacted by stress.
6. Enhances energy levels
Sitting behind a screen all day can wreak havoc on our energy levels, particularly after lunch. Exercise sends oxygen and nutrients to our body’s tissues and boosts our overall cardiovascular system, giving us more energy to face the day. Although intense exercise sessions can make us tired, an active lifestyle helps us feel less fatigued in the long run. Ditch the energy drinks and start exercising more for enhanced energy levels, instead.
What is a desk bike?
A desk bike is a stationary bike that lets users cycle while they work. Desk bikes fit comfortably under standard-sized desks and are adjustable according to height, so users can exercise while handling the day’s to-do list. They are practical options for those working from home with limited space for gym equipment or office workers without the option of going to a gym. Bike desks are also great for those who already have an active lifestyle but want to avoid long periods of inactivity while sitting down.
Acer eKinekt BD3
The Acer eKinekt BD3 is a power-generating bike desk that supports a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. With a built-in desk, the Acer eKinekt BD3 offers an all-in-one solution for exercising while working. The eKinekt App lets users track riding duration, distance, and speed while keeping an eye on calories burned and watts generated, and their pedaling power uses kinetic energy to charge laptops and other devices, giving them the motivation to maintain movement as they work. Moreover, riders can choose between Working Mode and Sports Mode to efficiently combat the negative impacts of a sedentary lifestyle. The desk surface is closer to the chair during Working Mode, which allows users to sit up straight as they type. The desk is positioned further forward in Sports Mode, letting users lean in like they are riding a bike and boosting intensity during breaks or downtime.
Acer eKinekt BD3 Specifications
* Three USB ports
* Bag hook
* Beverage holder
* Information display detailing speed, distance, desk height, bike resistance, and power generated.
Conclusion
There are many benefits to regular exercise beyond weight loss. Reduced stress, better sleep, and improved posture are just a few reasons to get our heart rate pumping. Finding ways to incorporate regular exercise into a busy lifestyle can be challenging, especially for those with full-time jobs that include long hours with limited movement, but a desk bike may be a fitting solution. Desk bikes are stationary bikes that let workers move as they work, helping them boost their heart rate during long stints of sitting during the day. The Acer eKinekt BD3 is an all-in-one desk bike packed with features to make the working day more exciting. With the Acer eKinekt BD3, riders can use their pedal power to produce kinetic energy and charge their phones and devices, providing additional motivation to pedal faster. Get more movement in your working life with the Acer eKinekt BD3.
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Essential Photoshop Shortcuts for Faster Photo Editing
In the digital age, photo editing has become an integral part of photography, allowing artists, hobbyists, and professionals to transform their images into works of art. Adobe Photoshop stands at the forefront of this digital revolution, offering an array of tools and features unmatched in their complexity and capabilities.
But let's face it, editing photos can be time-consuming. Imagine you've just come back from a stunning photo shoot, brimming with creative ideas. You fire up Photoshop, eager to transform your raw images into masterpieces, but the slow navigation through menus starts to chip away at your enthusiasm. Between endless mouse-clicks and adjusting settings, it's easy to get bogged down in the process.
Enter Photoshop shortcuts – magical keyboard commands that bypass menus and take you straight to the tools you need. Mastering these shortcuts is the difference between painstaking editing sessions and a smooth, efficient workflow that fuels your creativity.
Refine Your Creative Process
Just as mastering Photoshop shortcuts can transform your editing workflow, so too can the right hardware elevate your creative process. With its 27-inch full HD screen, the slimline Aspire C27 All-in-One Desktop is a great all-rounder, while the Aspire 5 Laptop has two RAM banks, meaning less waiting on file renders and more time bringing your artistic visions to life. Both devices boast the processing power and speed necessary to handle complex edits and large files with ease, perfectly complementing the time-saving strategies provided by Photoshop shortcuts. It’s about creating a seamless editing experience where technology meets creativity, ensuring every tool at your disposal—software or hardware—works together to keep you in your flow.
Now that you're convinced of the power of shortcuts, let's dive into the specifics.
Basic Photoshop Shortcuts for Every Photographer
These essential shortcuts are your bread and butter for navigating the Photoshop interface and performing fundamental editing tasks.
The shortcuts listed are designed to be universal for both PC and Mac users, with slight variations depending on the operating system:
* For PC users, the "Ctrl" key is used.
* For Mac users, the "Cmd" (Command) key serves a similar function.
Tool Selection:
* V - Move Tool: The Move Tool allows you to select and reposition layers or objects within your composition.
* M - Rectangular Marquee Tool: Use this tool for creating rectangular selections around areas you wish to modify or isolate.
* B - Brush Tool: Ideal for digital painting, retouching, and color correction tasks.
* E - Eraser Tool: Removes pixels on the selected layer, allowing for corrections or creative effects.
Navigation:
* Spacebar + Drag - Hand Tool: This shortcut momentarily switches your current tool to the Hand Tool for easy navigation across your canvas.
* Z - Zoom Tool: Quickly zoom in for detailed work or out to view the entire canvas. Holding Alt/Opt while clicking with this tool zooms out.
* Ctrl/Cmd + 0 - Fit Image to Screen: Instantly adjusts your view so the entire canvas fits within your screen, optimizing workspace visibility.
* Ctrl/Cmd + + / Ctrl/Cmd + -: These shortcuts allow you to zoom in and out of your image for precise editing or overall composition evaluation.
Selection Management:
* Ctrl/Cmd + D - Deselect: Clears any active selections, returning you to a neutral editing state.
* Shift + Click - Add to Selection: While using a selection tool, this allows you to expand your selection area to include additional elements.
* Alt/Option + Click - Subtract from Selection: Useful for refining selection boundaries by removing areas from the current selection.
Editing Essentials:
* Ctrl/Cmd + J - Duplicate Layer: Quickly creates a copy of the selected layer, essential for non-destructive editing practices.
* Ctrl/Cmd + T - Free Transform: Activates transform controls for resizing, rotating, and distorting the selected layer or object. Right-clicking while in Free Transform mode offers additional transformation options such as skew, warp, and flip.
* Shift + Ctrl/Cmd + I - Invert Selection: Changes the active selection to include everything outside the current selection bounds, useful for selective adjustments or edits.
* Ctrl/Cmd + I - Invert Image Colors: Applies a negative effect to the image or selected area, reversing the colors for creative or corrective purposes.
Customizing Your Own Photoshop Shortcuts
The beauty of Photoshop is that it allows you to personalize your shortcut experience. If you're not a fan of the default key combination for a specific tool or command, here’s how you can customize it:
* Go to Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts. This will open the Keyboard Shortcuts and Menus dialog box.
* Select the category containing the shortcut you want to change (e.g., Application Menus, Panel Menus, or Tools).
* Scroll through the list to find the specific tool or command you wish to modify.
* Click in the Shortcut box for that command and then press the desired key combination on your keyboard.
* Click Accept to confirm the change. If the new shortcut you entered is already in use, Photoshop will warn you, and you can choose to overwrite the existing assignment or pick another combination.
* Once you're done, click OK to close the dialog box and apply your changes.
Shortcuts for Specific Editing Tasks
Beyond the basics, Photoshop offers a collection of shortcuts for specialized editing tasks that can significantly enhance your efficiency. Here are a few key examples:
Exposure and Levels:
* Ctrl/Cmd + L: Open the Levels Adjustment dialog to fine-tune the brightness and contrast of your image.
* Ctrl/Cmd + M: Access the Curves Adjustment dialog, a powerful tool for controlling the image's tones and colors.
Color Correction:
* Ctrl/Cmd + B: Color Balance adjustment, essential for correcting overall color casts.
* Ctrl/Cmd + U: Hue/Saturation Adjustment, allowing for vibrant color or saturation changes.
* Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + U: Desaturate, quickly converting your image or selected area to grayscale, which is helpful for focusing on value and contrast without the distraction of color.
Sharpening:
* Quickly Access the Last Used Filter: Enhancing image sharpness often involves filters like Unsharp Mask or Reduce Noise. While Photoshop doesn’t offer direct shortcuts for these filters, you can speed up your workflow by using Alt/Option + Ctrl/Cmd + F to reapply the last used filter. This is particularly useful when applying the same sharpening effect to multiple images in a row, allowing you to maintain consistency with minimal effort.
Real-Life Scenarios Where Shortcuts Save the Day
In the fast-paced world of photography and digital art, Photoshop shortcuts can be a game-changer:
* High-Volume Projects: Take a wedding album with hundreds of photos. Shortcuts like batch processing (Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + Alt/Opt + E) can merge visible layers into one, speeding up the editing process.
* Tight Deadlines: When time is in short supply, shortcuts can help you meet your deadlines. Using Ctrl/Cmd + J to duplicate layers lets you quickly try out different effects without losing valuable time.
* Experimentation: Shortcuts make it easier to test new techniques or adjustments while maintaining your flow. This encourages creativity and exploration, which is at the heart of great photo editing.
In essence, mastering Photoshop shortcuts is akin to a musician learning to play scales: it might not be the most glamorous part of the craft, but it's fundamental to performance and creativity. By incorporating these shortcuts into your workflow, you'll not only save time but also enhance your photo editing capabilities, allowing you to focus more on what truly matters—bringing your artistic vision to life.
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About Maxine Sheppard: Maxine is a writer and editor who specializes in topics ranging from travel, tech and music to wildlife and design. When not writing, you might find her driving through a national park with the radio on, loud.
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Not Your Usual LLM: What Google AI Aims to Achieve with Gemini
With promises of groundbreaking capabilities in reasoning, code generation, and multimodal understanding, Google’s Gemini sparked a wave of interest in the tech world when it was announced in December 2023. The model was developed by Deepmind, a Google subsidiary focused on AI innovations, and seemed poised to revolutionize the AI landscape. However, the initial excitement has been tempered by a lukewarm reception. Let's dive in and explore the current state of Google’s ambitious AI project.
Google's newest AI in 90 seconds | Gemini
We’ve written an introduction to Google Gemini, including its model sizes and some initial comparisons to its competitor, OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Today, we’ll take a closer look at the advanced capabilities that piqued AI enthusiasts’ attention. Here’s a summary of Gemini’s top features:
* Native Multimodality: While other AI models might require separate training for different tasks (such as processing text, code, and images), Gemini can handle various formats seamlessly. This allows it to understand complex relationships between different types of information.
* Advanced Reasoning: Google AI highlighted that Gemini outperformed human experts on the MMLU (Massive Multitask Language Understanding) benchmark, which assesses an AI’s ability across various domains, including math, physics, history, law, and medicine. This suggests that Gemini’s capabilities extend beyond simple pattern recognition. It might possess abilities to reason through problems and draw logical conclusions, making it well-suited for tasks requiring deeper understanding.
* Direct Web Access: Unlike some AI models that rely on pre-loaded data, Gemini can directly access and process information from the web in real time through Google Search and other resources. This allows it to stay up-to-date and provide more accurate results.
* Integration with Google Workspace: As a Google product, Gemini could be tightly integrated with various Google Workspace tools like Gmail, Docs, and Drive. This seamless integration could significantly enhance user productivity.
How Google AI’s Gemini Has Been Received
The promise of what Gemini could do differently and better than its competitors initially created hype in the AI space, but the model hasn’t received the warmest of welcomes. The first major red flag came in the form of a viral video demonstrating Google Gemini’s multimodal skills, which was later revealed to have been partially staged. This raised questions about Google’s transparency and cast doubt on the true capabilities of the model. Gemini was also panned for producing inaccurate images, prompting Google to apologize and put a pause on the AI’s image generation of people.
Google AI opted for a limited developer release, prioritizing feedback from technical users over large-scale public access. This strategy may have allowed for refinement before wider adoption, but it created a sense of mystery surrounding the actual user experience. The gradual rollout of Gemini’s multimodal functionalities also left developers underwhelmed by what Gemini could really do. Reviews were mixed, with some developers impressed by Gemini’s potential and others remaining cautious due to the limited information available.
There’s also been varied feedback from the public, with some users reporting errors and hallucinations in Gemini’s responses and others declaring it their new preferred platform. It seems that Gemini’s performance differs across tasks. Many people have praised the tool as an aid in writing, but reviews suggest it’s not great with coding and image generation.
Developer Access to Gemini
There now seems to be a wait-and-see approach toward Gemini, and that includes how Gemini evolves and performs in the hands of developers. The AI is accessible via Google AI Studio and Google Cloud Vertex AI. Google has also released Gemma, a family of open-source models powered by the same research and tech as Gemini. If you’re looking to build and experiment with Gemini or the Gemma models, it’s best to have an AI PC that’s designed to handle your projects and workloads efficiently, like the Acer Swift X 14 laptop. Optimized for many AI apps, it also features next-gen processors that deliver enhanced performance, speed, and graphics.
For now, Gemini’s true capabilities and impact on the AI landscape remain unclear. Only time will tell if Google’s AI model can live up to its transformative potential and if the tech giant can truly be a worthy challenger in the AI world.
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About Micah Sulit: Micah is a writer and editor with a focus on lifestyle topics like tech, wellness, and travel. She loves writing while sipping an iced mocha in a cafe, preferably one in a foreign city. She's based in Manila, Philippines.
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How to Take Care of Your OLED Monitor
What is an OLED?
An OLED, or Organic Light Emitting Diode, is a type of display technology used in screens for televisions, smartphones, and tablets, among other devices. Unlike traditional LED or LCD displays that require a backlight to illuminate pixels, OLED panels generate their own light through organic compounds that emit light when an electric current is applied. This allows OLED screens to achieve deeper blacks and higher contrast ratios, as individual pixels can be turned off completely when displaying black, leading to more vibrant colors and energy efficiency. The technology also enables more flexible and thinner display designs, contributing to the development of bendable and foldable screens.
Why should I take care of my OLED?
Taking care of an OLED display is crucial due to its unique composition and the way it produces images. The organic materials used in OLED screens are more susceptible to issues like burn-in, where static images left on the screen for long periods can become permanently imprinted on the display. Additionally, the organic compounds can degrade over time, potentially leading to color imbalances and reduced brightness. These characteristics make it essential to maintain your OLED screen properly to extend its lifespan and ensure it continues to deliver high-quality visuals. Understanding the specific needs of OLED technology can help in adopting effective care practices, which we will explore in the next section on how to take care of your OLED.
How to care for OLED monitors
1. Clean your OLED Screen
* Why: Cleaning your OLED screen is crucial for preventing dust, fingerprints, and smudges from diminishing picture quality and causing damage like scratches or discoloration. Regular cleaning not only preserves the screen's clarity but also maintains the longevity of the OLED technology.
* How: Ensure the monitor is turned off and unplugged. Let it cool to avoid streaks. Using a soft, dry microfiber cloth, gently wipe off dust and light marks. For tougher spots, slightly moisten the cloth with distilled water or a screen-specific cleaner—never spray directly on the screen. Use gentle, circular motions to clean without applying too much pressure. Let the screen air dry, or use another microfiber cloth to dry it, maintaining its condition and enhancing your viewing experience.
2. Turn Off When Not in Use
* Why: Keeping your OLED monitor on when it's not being used leads to unnecessary energy consumption and continuous wear on the organic pixels, even if the screen is displaying a screensaver or is idle.
* How: Make a habit of turning off your monitor manually when you step away for extended periods. Alternatively, configure your computer's power settings to automatically turn off the display after a certain period of inactivity.
3. Avoid Heat
* Why: Excessive heat accelerates the degradation of the organic materials in OLED displays, leading to a shorter lifespan and diminished picture quality over time.
* How: Do not place your monitor near heat sources like radiators, vents, or windows with direct sunlight. Ensure there's adequate ventilation around the monitor to dissipate heat effectively.
4. Avoid Sunlight and UV Exposure
* Why: Direct sunlight and UV exposure can cause rapid degradation and discoloration of the screen, along with increasing the risk of burn-in.
* How: Position your monitor away from windows or use curtains and blinds to block direct sunlight. Consider using UV-filtering window films if your workspace has a lot of natural light.
5. Moderate Brightness
* Why: High brightness levels can strain the organic compounds in your OLED screen, leading to faster burn-in and pixel degradation.
* How: Adjust the brightness to a comfortable level that suits your environment. Avoid maxing out the brightness setting; instead, find a balance that is easy on the eyes and conserves the screen's longevity.
6. Use True Black Background
* Why: OLED technology allows pixels to turn off completely to display true black, conserving energy and reducing pixel wear since inactive pixels do not degrade.
* How: Use a true black wallpaper and choose dark themes for your operating system and applications whenever possible.
7. Hide Desktop Icons and the Taskbar
* Why: Static images, including desktop icons and the taskbar, can cause uneven wear on the screen and increase the risk of burn-in.
* How: For desktop icons, right-click on your desktop, go to View, and uncheck "Show desktop icons." To auto-hide the taskbar, right-click on it, select Taskbar settings, and toggle on "Automatically hide the taskbar in desktop mode."
8. Lower Brightness for Work
* Why: Work-related tasks often involve static images or text that can cause burn-in if displayed at high brightness for extended periods.
* How: Adjust the brightness setting to a lower level when working, especially when dealing with documents, spreadsheets, or any application with a static interface.
9. Use HDR Judiciously
* Why: While HDR provides enhanced contrast and color depth, improper use or overly bright settings can increase the risk of burn-in.
* How: Activate HDR content only when watching compatible videos or playing games. Ensure that static HDR elements (like user interface components) are minimized and that the brightness is not set to maximum.
10. Balance HDR and ABL
* Why: Aggressive Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL) can detract from the HDR experience, but it's necessary to prevent screen damage from excessive brightness.
* How: Adjust HDR content and brightness settings to find a sweet spot where the image quality is preserved without pushing the screen to its brightness limits, thus avoiding triggering ABL too frequently.
11. Optimal Viewing Distance
* Why: Sitting at the right distance can enhance your viewing experience by making the screen seem more immersive and reducing the need for higher brightness levels.
* How: The optimal viewing distance for monitors is typically 1.5 to 2.5 times the diagonal screen size. Adjust your seating to fall within this range, enhancing both your experience and the monitor's health.
12. Dark Room for Viewing
* Why: Viewing in a dark room can make moderate brightness levels appear more vibrant, reducing the need for high brightness settings that can wear out OLED pixels faster.
* How: Control the lighting in your viewing environment by using curtains, blinds, or dimmable lights to create a darker room, optimizing the OLED display's performance and longevity.
13. Utilize Warranty
* Why: OLED burn-in or premature wear might still occur despite best practices. A warranty can provide peace of mind and financial protection against manufacturing defects or unforeseen issues.
* How: Be familiar with the terms of your monitor's warranty, especially regarding burn-in. Keep purchase documents and warranty information accessible for easy claims processing if issues arise.
Closing remarks
In conclusion, taking care of your OLED monitor is about more than just preserving its aesthetic appeal; it's a commitment to maintaining the highest possible picture quality and ensuring the longevity of cutting-edge display technology. By following the comprehensive care tips outlined—from regular cleaning and avoiding heat to managing brightness levels and utilizing true black backgrounds—you can protect your investment and enjoy an unparalleled viewing experience. OLED technology offers unparalleled depths of color, contrast, and clarity, but its organic components require mindful maintenance to prevent burn-in, degradation, and other common issues. Remember, the way you care for your OLED monitor can significantly influence its performance and lifespan. By incorporating these practices into your routine, you're not just maintaining a piece of technology; you're preserving a window into your digital world, ensuring it remains as vibrant and dynamic as the content it displays.
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Introducing: The Acer Corner Email Digest!
We're thrilled to introduce our brand new Email Digest feature designed to keep you effortlessly informed. Say goodbye to missing out on important updates and hello to curated content delivered straight to your inbox. Our Email Digest is a convenient solution tailored to your needs, ensuring you stay up-to-date without the hassle of constantly checking for new information.
With our Email Digest, you'll enjoy a plethora of benefits. Firstly, it saves you time by consolidating all the latest updates into one easily digestible email. No more scouring multiple platforms or websites for information; everything you need is neatly organized in your inbox. Secondly, it offers personalized content based on your preferences and interests, ensuring that you receive relevant updates tailored just for you. Lastly, our Email Digest keeps you in the loop even when you're on the go, ensuring you never miss out on crucial updates, announcements, or exciting news. Subscribe now and experience the convenience of staying informed effortlessly!
Get personalized content by following your favorite categories! 😉
Frequently Asked Questions
I. How do I sign up to the Email Digest?
* Go to your Notification Preferences.
* Scroll down to the Weekly Email Digest section.
* Make sure the ✅ checkbox is selected.
* You're set!
You will receive an email every Monday with the top 5 topics for the week.
II. How do I Unsubscribe from the Email Digest?
* Go to your Notification Preferences.
* Scroll down to the Weekly Email Digest section.
* Uncheck the checkbox ⬜.
You can also Unsubscribe from the "Unsubscribe from the email digest" link located in the signature section of the Email Digest.
III. How to Follow a Category?
Want to receive topics only related to a specific category?
* Go to the category you would like to receive topics in your digest
* Click on Follow
IV. How to Unfollow a Category?
To hide topics from a category:
* Open the Email Digest.
* Click on Hide Category to unfollow.
The Email Digest will continue to be sent, but it will no longer include items from a hidden category.
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Baldur's Gate 3: Modding to Go Beyond PC
Baldur's Gate 3, the critically acclaimed role-playing game (RPG) from Larian Studios, is poised to take its modding scene to the next level. With official cross-platform mod support on the horizon, players on consoles like PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S will soon be able to experience the transformative power of user-created content, a privilege previously exclusive to PC players of the game. This move marks a significant step forward for accessibility and community engagement in the RPG genre.
Posting under the handle @Cromwelp on X (formerly Twitter), Larian Studios’ director of publishing Michael Douse had this to say: “We’ve been working on a robust, cross-platform plan for mod support to be released later in year. We love our modding community and we want to support them. It’s coming.”
Online gaming communities on platforms like Reddit are abuzz with the news, expressing both excitement and reservations about issues such as asset creation and mod management. Will there be mods to reveal the Forgotten Realms or Wilderness maps? Will console players be able to take advantage of a mod that lets them skip the Nautiloid ship quest but still receive the experience and loot that the stage offers? On PCs, these are possible, especially when using computers with powerful components, such as Acer’s Nitro 17 Gaming Laptop. But on consoles, there are challenges that need to be overcome.
Roadblocks to Console Modding
While modding has long been a staple of PC gaming, bringing this feature to consoles presents a unique set of challenges. Unlike PCs, consoles have stricter hardware limitations and closed ecosystems, making it more difficult to implement user-generated content seamlessly.
One of the primary challenges of console modding lies in ensuring compatibility and stability across different hardware configurations. Unlike PCs, where users can customize their setups, consoles have standardized hardware, requiring mod developers to optimize their creations for specific platforms and to avoid performance issues on any console model. On top of that, console user interfaces (UI) are designed for controller navigation, while PC mods often utilize mouse and keyboard controls. Adapting mods for a controller-friendly UI requires additional work.
Additionally, the process of installing mods on consoles may be more restrictive compared to PCs, where players have greater freedom to manipulate game files. Console manufacturers like Sony and Microsoft often impose strict guidelines and security measures to prevent unauthorized modifications and the introduction of bugs, requiring developers to work within these constraints. This adds an extra layer of time and complexity compared to the “download and play” approach on PCs.
Benefits of Console Modding Support
Despite these challenges, introducing modding support on consoles offers myriad benefits for both players and mod developers.
For players, console modding opens a whole new world of possibilities, allowing them to enhance their gaming experience with custom content. From new quests and characters to gameplay tweaks and graphical enhancements, console modding provides players with opportunities to tailor their games to their preferences.
Furthermore, console modding fosters a sense of community and collaboration among players as they share their creations, engage with fellow enthusiasts, and contribute directly to a game’s evolution. This sense of community extends beyond the game itself, enriching the overall gaming experience and fostering long-lasting relationships among players.
For mod developers, console modding represents a lucrative opportunity to reach a wider audience and showcase their talents on a larger stage. By tapping into the console market, devs can attract new players and expand their fan base, leading to increased recognition and potential financial rewards. Cross-platform modding support could also foster collaboration between PC and console modders, leading to even more innovative creations.
Other Moddable Console Games
Console mod support is still relatively uncharted territory, with only a handful of games like Bethesda RPGs Skyrim and Fallout 4 featuring it in limited capacities so far. Other examples include:
* Farming Simulator 22 (PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S)
The latest entry in the popular agricultural sim franchise developed by GIANTS Software embraced mods on console and PC with official tools to create new maps and assets.
* Ark: Survival Ascended (PS4, Xbox One)
Developed and published by Studio Wildcard, this open-world survival hit features some light mod support on console and PC, allowing things like custom maps and total conversions that significantly change the experience.
* Cities: Skylines II (PS5, Xbox)
This city-building sim will expand to consoles in spring 2024 and, according to developer Colossal Order, “players will be able to easily explore and manage mods directly within the game, regardless of platform.”
While Larian Studios hasn't provided a concrete release date, the promise of cross-platform modding in Baldur's Gate 3 indicates a commitment to fostering a vibrant and inclusive community. The game has the potential to become a truly evergreen RPG experience, and Larian is helping push the industry in a direction where players are empowered to make their mark on games across all platforms.
Now, the big question is: Will the must-have mods for Baldur’s Gate 3 on PCs be accessible to console players? Hopefully, we’ll find out later this year.
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About Lalaine Capucion: Lalaine has been working as a freelance writer and editor for more than 12 years, focusing on lifestyle, travel, and wellness. When she isn’t writing, she's most likely curled up with a good book or trying out a new recipe in the kitchen. She lives in Metro Manila, Philippines.