Know It All Nev

On Demand Reviews – 2021

Category: How To

Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Reduce: The best way to beat Archery Challenges

Nifty Nev
Gaming, Ghost of Tsushima, Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut, How To, PlayStation 5, PS5, Sucker Punch |

Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut comes with a sake cart full of new content. Players will venture to Iki Island, where they’ll dive deeper into the backstory of clan Sakai. They’ll also gain access to several new abilities, mechanics, and challenges that will grow their legend further than the Ghost could have imagined. Archery Challenges are a new edition that has players testing their skills. Spread across Iki Island, these challenges are far more than aiming and shooting. Here’s how to beat Archery Challenges in Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut.

What are Archery Challenges?

There are eight Archery Challenges spread out across Iki Island. After completing the first challenge, you’ll unlock the Charm of Concentration, a minor Ranged Charm. The Charm of Concentration gradually increases your concentration as you level it up. Concentration is Jin’s ability to slow time and make well-placed headshots.
At each Archery Challenge, Jin will be faced with a set of red lanterns placed at different distances in front of him. He’ll have three timed milestones to beat, which you can think of as bronze, silver, and gold. Each “medal” will earn you points towards your Charm of Concentration.

Bronze: 22 seconds = 1 point
Silver: 15 seconds = 2 points
Gold: 7 seconds or less = 3 points

Sounds easy, right? Well, it’s not. Most players should be able to shoot the targets in under 15 seconds after a few tries. However, doing it in seven seconds is impossible without the right gear and settings. Even then, you’ll have to prove you’re better than Sensei Ishikawa and the legendary Tadayori himself. Here are all the best tips and tricks we can think of to win Archery Challenges in Ghost of Tsushima Directors Cut.
Unlock Tadayori’s Armor

First and foremost, you’ll need to head back to Tsushima Island and complete The Legend of Tadayori, a mythic tale available in Act I of the main story. Jin will learn the tale of a legendary archer who singlehandedly defended Azamo Bay while wearing a suit of armor blessed by the Kami. Like every other Mythic Tale, it’s a great story, and we won’t spoil it any further. However, reading ahead will spoil the end reward and what it does.
Upon completion, you’ll unlock Tadayori’s Armor, which boosts your Archery skills, particularly nock speed, reload speed, and concentration. Fully upgraded, Tadayori’s armor will increase your nock and reload speed by 30% and your concentration by two seconds. It’ll also restore 50% of the concentration meter whenever you land a headshot. However, that’s not important when it comes to Archery Challenges on Iki Island. You’ll want to upgrade Tadayori’s Armor to level three for the best results. However, it can be done with level two. Tadayori’s Armor also makes for some great archery shots in Photo Mode.
Unlock the Charm of Efficiency
Next, you’ll need to complete The Sensei and the Student, the second tale in Sensei Ishikawa’s storyline. Upon competition, you’ll unlock the Charm of Efficiency, a minor ranged charm that boosts your nock and reload speed by 15%. Combine this charm with Tadayori’s armor for a 45% boost to nock and reload speed.
Level up Charm of Concentration
Without all the luck in Tsushima on your side, you will not be achieving gold on Iki Island Archery Challenges off the bat, even with all the buffs Tadayori’s armor has to offer. Go around and level up your Charm of Concentration as much as possible by achieving silver on all eight challenges. Then, head back and use your buffed concentration time to go for gold.
Turn on aim assist and target lock

Yes, these exist, and you’ll be kicking yourself for not knowing about them. Aim assist will lock onto targets when you aim near them, and target lock allows you to cycle through targets while aiming.
To turn on aim assist: Pause > Options > Accessibility > Aim Assist > Toggle On
To turn on target lock: Pause > Options > Gameplay > Target Lock > Toggle On or Swap on Defeat
Aim assist is self-explanatory and makes Jin’s life 1,000% easier when it comes to archery. (It even works in Legends mode). To use target lock, press Up on the D-Pad to cycle between targets. If you toggle Swap on Defeat, you’ll automatically switch targets when the first one dies. For the sake of Archery Challenges, it’s best to do it manually. With aim assist on, Jin will compensate for arrow drop as long as you draw the bow all the way back. Switch targets as soon as you let go of the arrow to save precious time.
Even with both of these on, it’s still not guaranteed that you’ll switch between targets flawlessly. Sometimes, targets are too far apart, and you’ll have to aim near them again to lock on. However, once you start shooting at a cluster of targets, the target lock kicks in.
Pre-aim the right- or left-most target
With aim assist and target lock on, pre-aim the left- or right-most target while the timer counts down. As soon as it says “Go!” fire your arrow. You can even try jumping the metaphorical gun to save time. The worst that can happen for shooting too early is having to restart the challenge.
It also helps to practice how far back you must draw your bow to hit each target. If the target is closer, you may only have to draw the bow partially. Memorizing which targets need full draws will save you valuable time.
Use your Concentration ability
Even with all the right gear and aim assist, you still can’t shoot and swap between every target in seven seconds. You have to exhaust your concentration meter, and even then, you’ll find yourself hitting 7.3 or 7.1 seconds. Knowing when to use your concentration meter is key.
Shoot the first two targets without concentration. Then, trigger concentration by clicking R3 and shoot as many more targets as you can before it runs out. Once it runs out, shoot any remaining targets.
How to find Archery Challenges

Other than stumbling upon them naturally, Jin can use the Guiding Wind to bring him to the nearest undiscovered Archery Challenge on Iki Island. This new feature can be unlocked once you’ve made it to Iki Island. Under the Techniques tab, scroll down to Exploration, and unlock the Wind of Concentration ability. Make sure you have a technique point to spare.
Once unlocked, scroll back to the Map tab and press Right on the D-Pad to set a new Guiding Wind target. Select Wind of Concentration, call your horse, and head off on your Archery Challenge adventure in Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut.
We also have a separate guide on where to find every Archery Challenge on Iki Island.

Editors’ Recommendations

Read More

ESO newbie’s information: How one can get began in The Elder Scrolls On-line

Nifty Nev
ESO, Gaming, How To, mmorpg, RPG, The Elder Scrolls Online |

Despite offering hundreds of hours of content to explore, The Elder Scrolls Online is surprisingly easy to jump into. Skyrim fans, in particular, will have an accelerated learning curve to conquer, with many similarities between its single-player world and that of the MMORPG.
However, just because it’s newcomer-friendly doesn’t mean The Elder Scrolls Online is a simplistic game — in fact, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Between a unique combat system, deep crafting mechanics, multiple PvP and PvE options, and hundreds of quests, there’s a lot to wrap your head around.
If you’re looking to make the most of your first few months with The Elder Scrolls Online, here are some beginner tips and tricks to get you on the right track.
Further reading

Pick the right class

Before you can do anything else, your first task is creating a character. Thankfully, all available classes are viable options for first-time players — better yet, every weapon in the game is usable by every class, so you don’t need to worry about getting locked out of certain playstyles.
With that being said, each class offers its own unique set of abilities, and you’ll want to look at each one carefully before proceeding. ESO classes include Necromancers, Wardens, Dragonknights, Sorcerers, Nightblades, and Templars.
Once you’ve picked a class, you’re then free to level up nearly every skill in the game. Want to be a Sorcerer that uses a Greatsword? Just equip one and start slaying foes. Or perhaps you’d rather be a Heavy Armor wielding Archer — whatever you want to be, ESO gives you the freedom to craft your character however you see fit. You can also take advantage of the Skill Advisor system, which will recommend skills based on your preferred playstyle.
Learn ESO’s combat system

Combat in The Elder Scrolls Online will be familiar to anyone who has played Skyrim, although it comes with a few big twists. Namely, you’ll need to learn a technique called Weaving and understand how to toggle between weapon sets while watching cooldowns for DoTs and AoE attacks. Here’s a basic overview of what you need to know:

Light attacks: Basic attacks that deal low damage.
Heavy attacks: Deals big damage and can sometimes interrupt enemy attacks.
Skills: Unlike Skyrim, you’ll have a sizeable Skill Bar at the bottom of the screen for special attacks. From invisibility and dash attacks to arrow storms and explosive spells, this is where you’ll deal the most damage to your enemies.
Weaving: One of the best ways to increase your DPS is through Light Attack Weaving. This means you’ll want to mix a basic Light Attack in after every skill you use. Not only does this help conserve your Stamina and Magicka, but if done properly, it will speed up your attacks. There’s a lot more to it than that, but simply mixing up your attack pattern is a great place to start.
Dodging: You can avoid incoming attacks by rolling, although it’ll drain a bit of Stamina. Useful to avoid deadly AoE attacks or incoming projectiles.
Blocking: Absorb incoming attacks and reduce their damage.
Bash: Perform a Light Attack while Blocking to Bash your opponents and interrupt certain abilities.

Take your time to master these skills before moving on to more difficult content. The basics are surprisingly easy to grasp, but it’ll take a bit of time before you figure out the best way to rotate through all your abilities. If you need more guidance, you can check out this official Combat Guide from ZeniMax Online Studios.
Finish the main quests
One of the first tasks you should work toward is completing the main story. Not only will this grant you a bunch of experience, but it’ll introduce you to many of the places and faces you’ll see throughout the world of Tamriel. It’s also one of the more engaging questlines you’ll come across in the MMO genre — and it’s definitely worthy of your time.
Join the Fighters and Mages Guild
If you need to take a break from saving the world, head off into your local town, and join both the Mages and Fighters Guild. You’ll be able to join regardless of which class you choose, and they’re a welcome diversion from all the stress of being the Vestige — they’re also a great source of experience in the early game and will open up new skill lines for your perusal.
Dive into Dungeons

With the basics of combat behind you — and plenty of questing under your belt — you’re ready for your first real bit of cooperative action. The Elder Scrolls Online provides you with a robust Group Finder that’ll pair you up with three other adventurers before sending you off into one of its many Dungeons — instanced zones that see you facing off against hundreds of enemies and defeating a final boss.
The best part of Dungeons? They offer bonus experience for the first Random Dungeon of the day. At the very least, you should try to take advantage of this massive source of XP. If you happen to have an Experience Scroll — which is often passed out as daily login rewards — make sure you have it activated before diving into the Dungeon to watch your level skyrocket after completing the activity.
Outside of Dungeons, you’ll find a wealth of PvE opportunities scattered about Tamriel, including Dark Anchors, World Bosses, Trials, Arenas, and more. Feel free to dive into these at your own pace, as they have a lot to offer you in terms of experience and rewards, but with so much ground to cover, don’t feel bad putting these off until you’re a higher level.
Try your hand at Battlegrounds
No good MMORPG is complete without its fair share of PvP, and The Elder Scrolls Online has enough depth to its competitive multiplayer offerings to keep you engaged for years. Cyrodiil might be the most tempting — featuring a massive open-world and 200 player battles — but you’ll first want to dip your toes into Battlegrounds. These are small-scale conflicts that pit three teams of four against each other in a variety of matches, including twists on Capture the Flag, Deathmatch, and Territory Control.
Just like Dungeons, Battlegrounds offer bonus XP for your first match of the day. You’ll need to place first or second to earn the bonus, so pair up with a few of your friends, get a game plan together, and prepare to reap the massive XP rewards. If you don’t have a consistent group of friends online, fear not — Battlegrounds uses the same Group Finder as Dungeons to make sure you can always find a match.
Unlock Continuous Attack for faster movement

There are very few skills in The Elder Scrolls Online that are universally beneficial. With dozens of skill lines and a multitude of playstyles, each character should be specialized as you see fit. However, every character in ESO can benefit from Continuous Assault — a passive skill that grants Major Gallop and increases your Mount Speed by a staggering 30%.
To unlock Major Gallop, you’ll need to first unlock the Assault line by heading into a Cyrodiil campaign through your Menu screen. Start the basic training exercises until the Assault Skill Line is unlocked, and spend one Skill Point to learn Continuous Attack.
Not only will this come in handy during end-game PvP, but anyone doing a bit of questing will quickly appreciate the speed boost. Beyond that one skill, feel free to spec out your character as you see fit.
Begin your crafting career
By now, you’ve probably spent most of your time in Tamriel hacking away at Daedra, roaming the vast open world, or engaging in PvP combat. But much like Skyrim, there’s more to The Elder Scrolls Online than just combat — and one of the first non-combat endeavors you’ll want to undertake is crafting.
Whether you’re looking to craft jewelry, heavy armor, swords, or staves, crafting is a massive part of the ESO experience. The basics are rather straightforward — gather materials in the wild or break down unwanted gear to earn components, then forge these into a new item — and the game does a great job of walking you through the basics.
In fact, many players spend the majority of their time crafting and completing writs instead of dungeon diving — so make sure you take a few hours to explore everything it has to offer.
Upgrade your horse every day

The Elder Scrolls Online takes a unique approach to upgrading your mounts. Instead of buying faster or stronger ones from Stablemasters, you’ll instead upgrade all your mounts at once. Every 20 hours, you can head over to a stable and increase one of three stats:

Speed: Impacts mount’s top speed.
Stamina: Impacts how much damage a mount can take before you fall off.
Carrying Capacity: Adds inventory slots for your horse, extending your available storage.

Each of these can be upgraded to 60% of its base value, and it’s in your best interest to upgrade one every day. Since you can only perform a single upgrade every 20 hours, you’re looking at well over 100 days of waiting before all three are fully upgraded.
Keep in mind that mounts from the Crown Store — that is, the premium currency marketplace — might look fancy, but they don’t confer any in-game benefits. They’re beholden to the same Speed, Stamina, and Carrying Capacity stats as the rest of your stable, so don’t worry about other players getting the upper hand by throwing down real cash.
Champion Points are just the beginning

Hitting the max level of 50 is just the beginning of your ESO experience. Leveling beyond that will grant you Champion Points (CP), which can be used to level up a variety of passive abilities with a newly unlocked Constellations menu — similar to what you’ve seen in Skyrim. Stamina, Health, and Magicka can all be further improved with CP and quickly become a powerful way to specialize your build.
However, Champion Points are just one aspect of The Elder Scrolls Online‘s end-game. By the time you reach this level, you’ve likely completed the main quest — which means other Alliance stories are now open to you. You’ll also be able to take part in Veteran Dungeons and Veteran Battlegrounds — challenging new takes on older content.
Then there’s the previously mentioned Cyrodiil, Trials, Dark Anchors, and Arenas. You’ll also want to join a Guild to tackle some of the most difficult PvE and PvP content in the game. If you’d rather hang your hat and give up the life of an adventurer, you can purchase and customize dozens of homes across Tamriel or spend all your money acquiring fancy crafting recipes and selling your creations to other players.
Explore Tamriel at your own pace
No matter how you cut it, there’s a lot of ground to cover in The Elder Scrolls Online. Having been on the market for several years now, thousands of hours’ worth of content is scattered throughout its world. Take your time, tackle quests and activities that pique your interest, and slowly work your way toward level 50. This beginner’s guide is only scratching the surface of what’s available to you, but it should give you a productive way to spend your first dozen hours with the game and set you off in the right direction.

Editors’ Recommendations

Read More

Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Reduce: Tips on how to unlock Sarugami Armor

Nifty Nev
Gaming, Ghost of Tsushima, Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut, How To, PlayStation 5, PS5, Sucker Punch |

Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut made sure to include new Mythic Tales. Arguably one of the most interesting parts of the base game, Mythic Tales tell stories of Japanese folklore, sending Jin on epic quests to unlock legendary items. Gosaku’s Armor and Tadayori’s Armor are just two of many examples. New to Iki Island is the Sarugami Armor and The Legend of Black Hand Riku. Here’s how to unlock the Sarugami Armor in Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut.

The Tale of Black Hand Riku

Upon arriving on Iki Island, you’ll be free to travel anywhere you’d like. Unlike areas of Tsushima that were locked by story progression, Iki Island is wide open. However, we suggest completing the main tale called Jin from Yarikawa before embarking on Mythic Tales.
Open your Journal, tab down to Mythic Tales, and track The Legend of Black Hand Riku. Follow the Guiding Wind to the storyteller, and listen to the story of Black Hand Riku, a ruthless pirate who was overthrown by his crew. Thankfully, his cursed Sarugami armor saved his life, but the mutiny left him blind. The captain had to rely on his pet monkey to guide him to safety. Riku is starting to sound a lot like Captain Barbossa from Pirates of the Caribbean.
Jin’s journey will take him to the base of Thunderhead Cliffs and down into a dark cave on the northeast coast of Iki Island. While exploring the cave, you’ll find plenty of flaming arrows and unlit braziers. Shoot the braziers to light the path and explore the cave. You’ll pick up notes along the way, presumably written by Riku himself. The notes tell of a man who’s become one with darkness, obsessing over the treasures he’s collected. Out with Captain Barbosa, in with Gollum from The Lord of the Rings.
How to beat Black Hand Riku
Jin finally comes face to face with Riku himself, claiming to have been “reborn in the darkness.” Out with Gollum, and in with Bane, we guess. Either way, Riku uses the same moves you’ve grown accustomed to in boss fights. Like most duels, you’ll be using Stone Stance to fight. Parry blue attacks and dodge away from red ones.
Be careful when you lock swords with Riku. He’ll follow up with a quick attack that can be parried if you know it’s coming. Also, look out for a whirlwind attack, and dodge backward to get out of range.
Sarugami armor stats

Once defeated, Jin will claim Riku’s armor for himself. Its description reads, “Imbued with the power of a fearsome monkey spirit, pushing its owner to embrace risk and danger.” The description is an excellent nod to what the Sarugami armor does.
While wearing the Sarugami armor set, your regular parry is disabled, but your perfect parry becomes a chain of three attacks. The Sarugami armor, in a sense, buffs your perfect parries with the Heavenly Strike ability. Perfect dodges also damage nearby enemies. You’ll see a significant increase in your resolve gains, and your perfect parry/dodge window is broader.
Upgrading the Sarugami armor to level four increases resolve gains by a massive amount. It also broadens the perfect parry/dodge window even more and blinds enemies upon perfect dodges instead of damaging them.
So is the Sarugami worth it? Yes, but only if you level it up all the way. Furthermore, you have to be a skilled player to take advantage of it. Otherwise, you’re handicapping yourself. You’ll see how much you rely on normal parries once they’re stripped away from you. However, upgrading the Sarugami armor and opening that window a little more makes it easier to use.
What to pair with Sarugami Armor
Charm-wise, you’ll want to equip any charms that further increase your perfect parry window, overall defense, and resolve gains. Here are some good ones to use:

The Charm of Amaterasu: Killing enemies restores a moderate amount of health.
The Charm of Mashira’s Protection: When you heel, your perfect parry and dodge windows are extended for a limited time. Active for six seconds. (This charm is unique to Iki Island and can be upgraded by finding and completing Monkey Sanctuaries.)
The Charm of Broken Barriers: Breaking and enemies defense grants 15% of resolve.
The Charm of Unyielding II: Majorly reduces damage taken while at 50% health or less.
Hachiman’s Favor: Killing enemies restores a minor amount of health.

Cosmetic-wise, the Petals’ Caress headband and Mashira’s Bite sword kit match the base green color of the Sarugami Armor. You can find both of these items on Iki Island. What good is the Ghost if he isn’t looking fashionable?

Editors’ Recommendations

Read More

Is Splitgate cross-platform? Every thing we learn about cross-platform help

Nifty Nev
1047 Games, first person shooter, Gaming, How To, Splitgate, Video Games |

Splitgate is the latest craze in the first-person shooter space, and it’s easy to see why. It’s a fun, fast-paced shooter that borrows elements from Portal and Halo, effectively blending old with new. Now that Splitgate has reached a much wider audience, you might be thinking about giving it a try. Fortunately, this game is free to play and is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
Though, what about playing with friends on other platforms? After all, competitive shooters are much more fun with friends. Does Splitgate offer any sort of cross-platform support? This is a feature that has started being implemented in multiplayer games more frequently, so consumers have grown to expect it. Here, we’ll show you everything you need to know about Splitgate‘s cross-play support.
Recommended reading:

Is Splitgate cross-platform?

Thankfully, Splitgate does offer cross-play for all platforms. This means you can pair up with anyone across any platform, making it easy for everyone to play together. And you’ll want to squad up with friends, regardless of their platform, since you get bonus XP when you have others in your group. By default, cross-play is enabled, which ensures wait times are as low as possible. You can disable this feature to restrict your search to only your own platform, but keep in mind that this could greatly increase wait times.
To disable cross-play, press the Menu button from the main Splitgate screen. From here, navigate to Settings, and then tab over to Privacy, where you’ll see a checkbox for cross-play. If you uncheck it and back out to the main menu, your search will be limited to the platform you’re on. Though, we almost always recommend leaving cross-play enabled.
How to add friends from other platforms

Although Splitgate offers cross-play, adding friends from other platforms isn’t as apparent as it could be. If your friends are on your platform already, it’s quite easy to get paired up with them, but otherwise, you might need an explainer. From the main menu, you’ll notice the game features slots for each friend that can join your squad — up to four-player teams total. Under each slot, it’ll have either an X on PlayStation or A on Xbox, so press that button on your platform to go to the Friends menu.

This menu has a lot of options you can tab through, which are shown at the top. Tab over to the Add Friends section, and you’ll be able to input an ID, regardless of the player’s platform. Your ID is shown at the top of the screen, so you can give that to a friend so they can add you instead. Navigate down to Enter Your Friend’s ID, where you can type in their code to get them added.
Once you’ve added your friend(s), tab back over to the Friends sub-menu, and you can then navigate between your platform’s friend list or your general Splitgate friends list (on all platforms). Select the friend and then press Invite to Party to send them an invite. You will now be in the same squad until you disband.

Editors’ Recommendations

Read More

Easy methods to watch Xbox at Gamescom 2021 dwell stream in 4K

Nifty Nev
How To |

How to watch the Xbox live stream from Gamescom 2021: Microsoft will take the virtual stage at Gamescom with a live stream promising information about upcoming Xbox Series X/S games and Game Pass. Here’s how to watch the Xbox Gamescom broadcast.

With Gamescom back in business for 2021, Microsoft will host a 90-minute showcase on Tuesday August 24, before the event officially starts.

The company has promised updates on already-announced first-party games, as well as those from partner studios. There’s also going to be news on what Games Pass subscribers can expect in the weeks and months to come.

We can probably expect an update on games like Halo Infinite – which we just learned won’t be complete at launch – and Forza Horizon 5, both due before the end of the year.

Xbox fans have a wide-range of options for tuning into the event and the start time is convenient for Brits too! Without further ado, let’s look into how to watch the Xbox Gamescom 2021 live stream.

Microsoft will kick-start Gamescom on the eve of the show with the live stream commencing at 6:00pm UK time on Tuesday, August 24. That’ll give Brits enough time to get home from work and settle down in front of their viewing device of choosing.

Microsoft is making it pretty easy to tune into the event. It’ll be live on all of the Xbox social platforms, including Twitch, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.

If you want a proper representation of how these new games are going to look on your console, your best bet is the Xbox YouTube channel, where the event will be live streamed in 4K resolution at 60fps. Microsoft also says it’ll post the 4K version of the stream to social channels after the event.

You might like…

Microsoft has already clarified there’ll be no new games announced, but we will get some exciting updates on the titles already confirmed. That means that alongside Halo Infinite and Forza Horizon 5, we could get updates on the Bethesda RPG Starfield – due in November 2022 – and the new co-op first-person shooter Redfall which was also announced during E3 in June.

Read More

Learn how to use Amazon Echo as a doorbell chime

Nifty Nev
Alexa, Alexa doorbell, Amazon, Amazon Echo, How To, proactive evergreen, Smart Home |

Your Amazon Echo is packed with smart features that can vary based on the other smart devices you are using around your home. One capability that users may not know about is using the Echo as a doorbell chime, so whenever your doorbell is activated, your Echo will chime too, allowing you to hear it as long you’re near the smart speaker. Interested in setting that up? Here’s what you need to do.
 Step 1: Install a compatible doorbell

Amazon’s Echo — and Alexa working with it — need a compatible smart doorbell to make a connection. Without the right doorbell, none of this is possible. Amazon has a whole list of various doorbells that are compatible with Alexa, but for this particular example, we’re going to choose a Ring Video Doorbell. Ring’s doorbells are some of the best video doorbells on the market, and they work very well with Alexa, so they make for an excellent demonstration. We also have a complete guide on how to install your Ring Doorbell.
Mount your video doorbell, make sure it’s turned on, and use the video doorbell app to set it up, connect it to your Wi-Fi, and get everything in working order. Once you are satisfied, it’s time to work with your Echo.
Step 2: Enable the corresponding skill on the Alexa app

Open up your Alexa app, select the More button in the lower-right corner, and then select Skills & Games from the new list.

Now you will want to search for the corresponding Alexa Skill for your smart device. Select the Magnifying Glass in the upper-right corner, and type in “Ring,” then select the Ring skill when it appears in the results.
Note: You can also say something like, “Alexa, search for new smart devices,” to get started, but this can be a little clunky if Alexa struggles to recognize the Ring Video Doorbell at first. It’s a good idea to use the app if voice commands aren’t working as well.
Step 3: Link the two devices

Select Enable to Use on the Ring Skill. Alexa will now walk you through the steps to link your Ring Video Doorbell to your Echo, starting with having you log in to the Ring app with your Ring account information (have this handy). Follow all the prompts, and give Alexa permission to access your Ring data when asked.
When you are finished, you should see a notification that the Ring Doorbell is now linked with Alexa. However, this doesn’t always mean that your Echo is fully connected yet. Wait for about a minute, then head to the Alexa app again, select Devices, and select All Devices. Look for your Ring Video Doorbell’s name to make sure the Ring Doorbell is found and connected. If it isn’t, select the Plus Sign in the upper-right so Alexa can locate it and connect properly.
Step 4: Visit your doorbell page on the Alexa App

Since you’re already in Devices, this next step won’t take long! Select your Ring Doorbell, and examine the settings. You will see two separate sections, one for Doorbell Announcement and one for Motion Announcement. You can enable both of them if you want, but for a true doorbell chime, you will want to make sure that at least Doorbell Announcement is enabled.
Now select the option that says Doorbell Sound. Here, you can pick from a variety of different chimes that your Echo will make when the doorbell is activated. Pick your preferred option here.
Note: If you have an Echo Show model, you can also command it to show a livestream of the Ring Video Doorbell’s feed whenever you get an alert. This saves some time if you are busy around your home and don’t have your phone handy to bring up a feed there.
Step 5: Check that your Echo is ready to chime

Your Echo should be ready to act as a doorbell chime now, but there’s one last step you should take. Head back to your Alexa app home screen and select Devices again, and then select All Devices and find the Echo that you want to chime. Select Communications from the Echo menu.

Make sure that Communications itself is enabled and that Announcements are enabled. Now you should be good to go!
Step 6: Add other Alexa skills as preferred
You don’t need to do anything else to receive doorbell chimes from your Echo, but if you want to experiment, you can check out skills like Door Chimes to add new sounds to your doorbell.

Editors’ Recommendations

Read More

You’ll be able to watch Arsenal vs Chelsea throughout Premier League reside and reside on the web

Nifty Nev
How To |

How to watch Arsenal vs Chelsea: Matchday 2 of Premier League action is headlined by a London derby. Here’s how to watch Arsenal vs Chelsea live on TV and online.

The two London heavyweights appear to be on very different trajectories once again. The reigning European Champions Chelsea now have Premier League title ambitions, while Sunday’s hosts Arsenal are battling to hang on to their ‘Big 6’ status after languishing in mid-table for much of last season.

The first weekend of the season was indicative of the two clubs’ recent fortunes. Arsenal began the season with a humbling but entirely foreseeable 2-0 defeat at newly-promoted Brentford. Chelsea brushed aside Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge and now have £97.5m new signing Romelu Lukaku to call upon too.

Chelsea travel to the Emirates Stadium clear favourites to hand Mikel Arteta another defeat and add to the storm clouds gathering over the North London club. Here’s how to enjoy this always-mouthwatering Premier League clash.

Spurs vs Man City kick-off time

Arsenal vs Chelsea will kick off at 4:30pm UK time on Sunday August 22. The game takes place at the the Emirates Stadium in North London. The Arsenal faithful will be back in attendance, potentially giving The Gunners a major boost (unless they go 1-0 down and the boo boys come out).

You might like…

How to watch Arsenal vs Chelsea

Sky Sports has the rights to show this one as part of a double bill that also includes Southampton vs Manchester United. Once that game’s over, you’ll be able to tune into live coverage of Arsenal vs Chelsea on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League at 4:00pm

The game will be available in 4K for Sky Q subscribers viewers. Here’s our guide to watching the Premier League in 4K HDR this season.

You’ll need a Sky Sports subscription of sorts to watch the game. If you don’t have a standard sub’ through the satellite dish or cable platform, you can watch online via the Now streaming platform.

Sky is offering a discount of 25% on a three month subscription. It’ll be £25 a month (down from £33.99) and comes with three months of the Boost technology on the house.

Watch safely with a VPN

When you’re watching content online, it’s a good idea to boost your privacy by using a VPN to mask your IP address from would-be wrongdoers. You can read our guide to the best VPNs before streaming the Premier League.

Read More

The best way to change the look of the Safari handle bar in iOS 15

Nifty Nev
How To |

Out of all the features and tweaks introduced in iOS 15, none have courted quite so much controversy as the fiddling Apple has done to the UI in Safari.

From moving the address bar from its common position to hiding a load of shortcuts, Apple’s rejigged Safari browser in iOS 15 has not gone down well with some iOS users.

The outcry about the UI tweaks has been so feverish that in the latest betas for both iPadOS and iOS Apple has reneged on some of its changes and given us the option to make our own decisions.

So, if you’ve been wondering how to shift that pesky address bar back to its more traditional spot then you’ve come to the right place.

How to move the Safari address bar in iOS 15

First off you’ll need to be running the latest version of the iOS (or iPadOS) 15 beta, whether it’s the developer version or the freely accessible public variant. As always, it’s best to ensure you’re not installing beta software on your main device as bugs still remain at this early stage.

2. Once your device is updated, head into Settings, then scroll down to Safari.

3. In the Safari settings panel you’ll see an area devoted to Tabs, this is where you can alter where it’s positioned.

4. Tab Bar is the new style and seems to be on by default (at least on the device I am using). This is where the address bar is on the bottom of the page.

5. Selecting Single Tab will hitch the bar back up to the top and give it a much more traditional look.

6. Once you’ve made your choice simply head back to Safari and you’re done.

Which do we prefer?

Switching the position of the address bar really messed with our muscle memory for a good few weeks. Every time we opened Safari we’d think something was wrong due to the bar’s apparently invisibility, only to realise it was down there at the bottom.

After a few weeks though we got used to it, although whether it’s better or worse is still up for debate. Having the option to change is always welcome, and not particularly something we expect from Apple.

You might like…

Read More

Future 2 Past Mild: The place to seek out Xur for the weekend of August 20

Nifty Nev
Activision, Bungie, Destiny 2, Destiny 2 Guide, destiny 2: beyond light, Gaming, How To, News |

Seasoned Destiny 2 players know they can count on the elusive merchant Xur to make an appearance with special exotic items every Friday, but what’s not so clear is where you’ll be able to find him. Below, you’ll find a map with a marker that indicates where Xur is, as well as a list of his wares.

Who is Xur?
If you’re new to Destiny 2 and need a bit more information about how this works, you should know that Xur is a special vendor who sells exotic weapons and armor. Each week, he comes to the solar system with a slate of goods, including an exotic weapon and one piece of exotic armor for each character class. In Beyond Light, he now stocks items like the Five of Swords. He also offers quests to reclaim old exotic weapons you may have missed.
Where to find Xur (August 20 to 24)
The trouble with Xur is finding him. We always know when Xur will show up — at the 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET reset each Friday. The question is where Xur will be. Previously in Destiny 2, Xur’s location was marked on the map. He’s now unmarked and harder to find each weekend. Here’s where to go to track down Xur, the Agent of the Nine, as well as everything you need to know about what he’s offering this week.
Xur is fortunately pretty easy to find this week. You can find him in the Tower over in the Hangar. Run to the right side of the map and run under the building housing Future War Cult. Head to the northern edge of the map and run up the flight of stairs there. You’ll find Xur hanging out right at the top of that first staircase, next to the next flight of stairs.
Here is the exact location:

Xur’s wares for this week
Trinity Ghoul — 29 Legendary Shards: You don’t need to play Marvel’s Avengers to become Hawkeye. Trinity Ghoul is a weapon for bow and arrow tricksters. When you fire a shot, it’ll actually split into two. If you play your cards right, you can hit two enemies with one shot. If you want to keep those shots closer together for maximum damage on one target, the spread reduces when aiming down sights and pulling the bow back further.
Sanguine Alchemy (Warlock) — 23 Legendary Shards: Sanguine Alchemy is a particularly great exotic choice for Crucible enthusiasts. This chest armor is all about giving you and your fireteam “heightened senses” while standing in a rift. While standing in one, your radar will stay active while aiming down sights. You can also better track powerful enemies with this, as they’ll be visually marked even when you don’t have a line of sight on them.
Raiden Flux (Hunter) — 23 Legendary Shards: Arc Staff users will get a kick out of Raiden Flux. The exotic chest increases the damage and duration of Arc Staff after landing quick, successive kills with it. That makes it the perfect exotic for chaining together kills to maximize your super.
One-Eyed Mask (Titan) – 23 Legendary Shards: One-Eyed Mask is an exotic helmet that will basically turn your Titan into the Predator. Whenever an opponent damages you, they’ll become marked. If you can hunt down and defeat your marked enemy, you’ll gain increased damage and an overshield.
Exotic Cipher Quest — Xenology: Exotic Ciphers are items that allow players to obtain older exotic weapons. Every week, Xur will sell one exotic quest, which awards an exotic cipher. You can hold only one exotic cipher quest at a time, so make sure to clear out anything you have in progress so you can buy a new one every week. This week, players will get the Xenology quest, which requires you to clear strikes as well as win Crucible or Gambit matches.

Editors’ Recommendations

Read More

Tips on how to Construct Higher Physique Energy for Newbies at House in 2021

Nifty Nev
at home arm workouts with weights, How To, upper body workout at home |

Everyone if not most people desire to have a fit body. This desire is instigated by the advantages that are brought about by keeping fit which include; stress reduction, improved digestion, improved sex life, low chances of cancer as the body is made active, building and retaining of muscles especially when age catches up and muscle loss becomes a problem, to the ladies and men who mind their skin, it improves the skin by allowing blood circulation to the skin and last but not least it improves mental capabilities as to work out, one needs to engage the brain.

Read the full content about how to build upper body strength for beginners at home

            The upper body simply refers to the triceps, biceps, chest, back, upper part of the back, and outer shoulder. For beginners at home, they will need elaborate exercises or rather routines that are easy to master but quite effective and with low chances of injury. This is to enable them to stick to these routines as the comfort of home can be very detrimental to the exercise. What most do not understand is that one can build strength without the help of any equipment or not going to the gym. By simply manipulating the body, one can create enough resistance to grow and build muscle. Read more How to Use an Elliptical Machine to Lose Weight of 2021?
However, discipline is very paramount to achieve the ultimate goal hence the need to focus on the following; progressive overload, to build, one has to add onto something which in this case can mean increasing the number of sets or reps. Maintaining the rest periods short to increase the time of focus on the particular muscle. Making sure a set is completed to fatigue to enable the tear of the muscle and in the long-run growth of the same muscle since for growth, the muscles have to tear first and paying attention to compound movements other than isolation movements.
You May Like > Top 5 Best Whole Body Vibration Machine for Weight Loss Reviews and Guide
Here are the best upper body exercises at home for beginners:
Chest exercises at home

This can be accomplished without equipment or with equipment as simple as a dumbbell
1. Diamond pushups
            With your body in a plank position, position your hands too close together and make a diamond shape with your fingers then keeping your back flat lower your chest to touch the floor or close to the floor then press up to your initial starting position.
2. Decline press-up
            This can be made possible by a bench, chair, or stairs. Place your legs on the bench or chair or stair with your hands on the floor Infront of you. Proceed to lower your body to almost touching the floor then while squeezing your chest raise your body back to your initial starting position. For beginners, you can have two sets of 8 reps each and a 10-sec break.
3. Incline press-up
3 sets
8 reps
15sec break
From the decline press up you already have an idea of what incline press up is, place your arms apart on a bench such that they exceed your shoulder. With your legs firmly on the floor lower your chest to touch the bench then push your body to the starting position.
4. Wide push-ups
            Assume a plank position with your shoulders, hips, and spine in a straight line. to straighten your back, lengthen your spine being keen not to let your hips sag, and keep your head neutral. Then slowly bend your elbows outwards to enable your chest to descend towards and close to the floor.
The descend should be extreme in that your new chest position is below your elbows. to revert to the start-up position press into your hands. This exercise is to be done in 4 sets each of 10 reps
5. Push uphold
Starting from a push-up position, lock your legs with your hands shoulder-width apart as your back remains straight. Descend your body to a lower position to about 10cm from the ground. tightly tuck your elbows to your sides and maintain the position for 5 seconds gradually graduating to 10 seconds.
6. Dumbbell version
Dumbbell fly
            Lie on a bench with your shoulders and head supported on the same bench. Your feet should be flat on the floor with your knees bending to make a 90-degree angle with the end of the bench. Hold the dumbbell directly above your chest making sure that your palms are facing each other.
Finally, lower the weights to form an arc onto your sides and keep your back straight on the bench. Revert to the start-up position and repeat. Do this in 3 sets of 10 reps until failure
Back workout at home

1. Bird- dog
            As the name suggests, your hands should be firmly planted on the floor with your knees hip-width apart. Lift only one arm in front of you keeping them straight then in turn extend the opposite leg to the raised hand behind you.
Your raised arm and extended leg should form a 180-degree straight line. Hold this position for about 2 seconds then revert to the starting position. Compete 4 sets of 20 reps making sure to alternate the arms after each rep to ensure you focus on both sides of your back.
2. Superman
            Lie on a mat or floor with your face down and your arms outstretch and your legs straight behind you. Breath into your abdomen and flex the same muscles to prepare your core for this workout. Simultaneously raise your arms and legs let’s say to approximately 10 cm of the floor so that your body assumes a bowl shape and holds the position.
Take care to maintain your ears between your arms this is to ensure that your head is in a neutral position and is aligned to your spinal cord to eliminate any chances of strain.
3. Floor glute-ham raise
            In a kneeling position, have someone anchor your ankle to the ground firmly with both hands. For comfort and to avoid injuries, be keen to use a pad under your knees or a floor mat. Prepare to engage your glutes and abs then slowly lower your body to the floor while keeping your spine in a neutral position. Lower yourself until you can no longer control your descent then revert to the starting position using your hands and repeat
4. Plank
            This is very good for the lower back as it focuses on tightening the core. Just like push-ups, plant your hands firmly and directly below your shoulders. Ensure the hands are planted wider than the normal shoulder width. Taking care not to lock or extremely extend your knees, ground your toes into the floor and then squeeze glutes for stability. Like most exercises, the neck should always be neutralized with the spine. This can be achieved by different techniques like fixing your eyes to a spot slightly below your hands to enable your back and head to maintain a straight line.
            There are many variations to the plank like the forearm plank. This tends to be easier as it involves placing forearms on the floor, the arms ought to be parallel to your body and the elbow aligned to the shoulder at shoulder width span. The side plank however is a much difficult variation. It involves stacking one foot on top of the other then using one hand you maintain your body balance to one side. You can raise the other hand or the leg that is not used for support to modify the side plank further to a much more difficult level.
5. Squats
         Stand straight with your feet apart(hip-width) apart. Pull back your shoulders and uplift your chest. To engage the abdominal muscles, exhale then pull your navel into your back. This will stabilize the spine and pelvis. Assume you are sitting on a chair, while keeping your upper body straight as possible, bend your knees. Proceed to lower yourself to the limit while keeping your upper body straight. Take care not to let your knees outstretch your toes rather, try as much as possible to align them.
Arms exercises at home

1. Inchworms
            Stand upright with your feet together then bending at your hips place your hands on the floor in front of your feet. Before you proceed from this position ensure your legs are straight. Walk your hands forward until your body lies parallel to the floor in that it assumes a push-up position. Hold this position for two seconds. Walk towards your hands slowly and once your feet reach your hands raise your body to revert to the starting position. Do this in five reps as a beginner.
2. Arm circles
            This is somewhat the easiest arm exercise because it can be done remotely and at the individual’s discretion. It can easily be done at home in a matter of minutes. To effectively perform this exercise, first, stand akimbo with shoulders apart. Your feet should be at shoulder length apart. If you are not looking into a mirror, ensure that your body is in a t-shape by lifting both arms beside your body.
To start this upper body exercise at home, slowly rotate your arms while paying attention to your shoulders, holding them in a rigid position. Accelerate slowly during the first fifteen circles in a clockwise or forward cycle. Reverse the direction of the rotation and start doing 15 backward rotations.
After making 30 rotations (15 clockwise and 15 anti-clockwise rotations), take a short break of about 30 seconds to one minute depending on your level of fatigue. Upper body workout at home with weights for a beginner, repeat this exercise three times for effective muscle strength.
3. Triceps dips
            After the first sublime exercises that don’t require body weight, extend the intensity of your routine to exercises that include your body weight. Tricep dips are some of the most effective exercises because they require you to lift your body weightand, in the process, lead to greater muscle tear and bigger arms.
While this exercise can be done on the couch, it is better to get a bench, chair, study table, or anything higher from the ground. This gives a long distance for you to lift your weight for proper effectiveness. After identifying the equipment, place your hands shoulder-width apart while reclining backward.
Shift your pelvis and bottom forward to increase the distance between the bottom of your back and the object. This gives you a wider clearance from the furniture, increasing the effective exercise space. Simultaneously bend your legs to a 90-degree angle with your thighs.
To start this arm exercise at home, slowly lower your body down and backward, giving thought to the intensity of your weight and how it feels in your arms. Make 12 reps and take a short break. Repeat this upper body workout at home with weights in three sets for effectiveness.
4. Bicep curl to push press

            Another effective arm exercise is the bicep curl which is done effectively with gym weights, but at home, you can use simple tools such as cans of food or bottles filled with water. These bicep curls at home primarily focus on improving the stamina of your biceps. It also improves the stamina of your core and upper body because it lifts the whole chest.
First, stand on your feet with your shoulders hip apart and your back straightened in a rigid posture. Get the equipment you intend to use such as a water bottle filled with a liquid (water). Start lifting the bottle while keeping your elbows close to your body. To effectively curl your biceps, turn your hands outwards so your palm and wrist are pointed towards the sky. Slowly bring the equipment down.
Do you want to have a fit body you can check out Top 5 the Best Pull Up Bars-Reviews and GuideSeated Best Under Desk Elliptical – Get Fit While You Sit of 2021The Best Suspension Training Straps Review of 2021The Best Limm Jump Rope Reviews of 2021Top 5 the Best Elliptical Workouts for Beginners-Reviews and Guide of 2021Top 5 Best Whole Body Vibration Machine for Weight Loss Reviews and Guide
Final Verdict
            Regular exercise is important for your muscle strength and greater body endurance. Exercise tears down muscles, and when the muscles are being rebuilt, greater oxygen and nutrients are delivered to your tissues to help your cardiovascular system. This effectively improves your heart condition and gives your greater strength to carry out normal activities. The advantages of exercise are well documented. From promoting better sleep to boosting your energy and improving your mood, regularly performing exercise is important for your general body health. Some of the most regular home exercises include swimming, running, jogging, or improvising equipment to use as weights. Conducting exercises at home is quite easy and can be conducted at the owner’s discretion

Read More