Most video game enthusiasts are used to using a console for their entertainment, but more and more frequently a trend is emerging that cannot really be underestimated. We are referring to online gaming, which allows you to play and have fun directly from your PC with various subscription and streaming services.

Playing online from your PC completely free of charge

Many online services are completely free of charge, but there are some video games that have become more and more successful, also because of the multiplayer games that are available to users. Want some examples? Just think of FIFA or Call of Duty, to name just the two most popular.

Online battles on consoles, however, are not offered completely free of charge, but you always have to take out a subscription, which can be monthly or annual, in which you can challenge friends or random users who connect from all over the world. Most computer games offer the possibility of playing on the web without having to pay anything at all.

No need to buy the latest version of a video game

As we have already pointed out, buying a gaming computer is not exactly a cheap solution, but we are referring to an initial investment that could save you a lot of money in the long run.

Just to give you an example, few people reflect how, after a few years, consoles quickly become rather obsolete, with the various manufacturers fighting to launch a new generation each time to replace the previous model. And it is clear that, with such a tight schedule, there is a risk of having to change consoles too frequently. This is not a problem with gaming computers, as all you need is a little bit of manual dexterity to change the various components of your PC, inserting new, more and more powerful parts, and significantly improving graphics, memory and other aspects important for online gaming.

The low cost of video games

If you’ve only played consoles consistently over the years, you’ve probably never noticed the difference, but PC games are much cheaper. During the first few weeks, the difference may seem to be all in favour of console games, but within a month or two of release, offers and promotions start to abound. One of the most interesting platforms to watch out for in this respect is Steam, which periodically offers various titles that have been launched in the previous months, sometimes with 80% discounts.

It might seem an extremely complex task, yet downloading and installing a VPN network on your computer is not that difficult at all. It is enough, in fact, to choose one of the many services that are present on the web and it is practically done.

A VPN network, by the way, brings with it a number of advantages. First of all, it guarantees a considerable protection against malicious third parties who intend to spy and steal data of other users, but at the same time it also allows you to carry out other activities, such as accessing content offered in streaming that before were impossible to see because of active geographical blocks.

The first step: check compatibility

One of the first aspects to take into account is to check the compatibility of your device. This is a compulsory step that should always be taken in advance. Nowadays, in fact, there are a lot of brands that are fighting to offer the most complete and reliable VPN service: well, one of the factors on which you look for more competition, in addition to the price of course, is the group of compatible devices.

In case the goal is to install a VPN network on a computer rather than on a mobile device with iOS or Android operating system, there will be no particular problems to face. In fact, by now most of the VPN services that are offered are characterized by ensuring full compatibility with these two technological tools, even if in reality the list of compatible devices is always much wider.

Just to give you an example, you can choose to install a VPN network on other types of devices, such as consoles, Xbox or PlayStation, as well as various TV boxes, including Amazon Fire Stick. In short, just take a look at the compatibility guaranteed by each VPN service and you will be able to find the one that best suits your needs.

Installing a VPN network on Windows operating systems

This is one of the easiest installation tasks to complete. A process that, in fact, has many aspects in common with all the various VPN services. The first step involves installing the application on your computer, logging in and activating its secure connection.

In case you already have a VPN service active, which for example is linked to the company network for smartworking, you can also connect without having to make any kind of download. In fact, this can be conveniently done from the Windows 10 network settings.

Having a VPN server already available, the connection procedure is a piece of cake, since you just need to go inside the Windows 10 settings, locate the Network and Internet item, clicking on network settings. Once here, you’ll have to find the VPN entry and make a click, and then make another one on “Add VPN connection” from which you can continue with the configuration of the protected network, entering the various data of the VPN service you purchased.

You know that you have to send an important text message at a certain time, for work or to a friend or relative and you can’t afford to forget about it, but then the commitments of the day make you forget about that important commitment and by the time you remember, the time has passed and now sending it is of little use. It’s an embarrassment, it’s something that casts doubt on your reliability, and it’s likely that you’ve made a mess of things.

It is not an uncommon thing, as it happens to make the commitment to call a person and then the time that passes without you realizing it and the commitments that occupy your mind in other things, make sure that in the end that call has not been made at all. You can’t schedule the call unless you put a memo on your phone, but you can certainly schedule the text message.

Even the night before or in the morning when you get up, write your SMS, schedule it to be sent at the appointed time and then you can forget about it, your SMS will be sent as if you had a diligent secretary to take care of it. Very convenient, also because you don’t need to interrupt your activity at that very moment: if you’re in a meeting with your Director you certainly can’t say “Excuse me, I’ll be right back” to stand back and send your SMS, with proper Apps designed for this feature, these problems are perfectly overcome.

SMS Scheduler

Scheduler is available for free on the Android PlayStore, but it features some ads that you can avoid only by downloading the paid version, using the Remove button inside the app. Once downloaded from the Store, click on Install and then open the application.

Once the application is open, select the “+” button in the lower right corner and then click the “Allow” button three times to agree to the terms of use and give permission to access contacts and SMS management.

At this point a screen will open in which you will set the time and date of sending your SMS. You can do this through the Select schedule Time and Select schedule date fields. You can select, at this point, if your message should be sent only once or if you want it to be sent periodically on a scheduled basis, through the “Select Schedule Type” menu.

Now scroll to the bottom of the screen and select by typing the phone number to which you want to send the message and then the text of the message itself; the phone number must be entered in the TO field in which the recipient is identified, the text must be edited in the “Message” field.

When you have done this you must tap on the “Schedule” button. You will find your scheduled message in the “Pending SMS” tab. At any time during the scheduled sending time of your SMS, you can make changes to any setting with the “EDIT” button or delete everything with the “Delete” button.

At the determined time your SMS will be sent to the recipient and you will be notified of this action with a notification in the Notification Center of Android and you can find the sent message in the tab of the application “Sent SMS”. If there is a problem sending the message, you will be notified in the Failed SMS tab where the message will be moved.

In addition to the application we have mentioned, there are other applications with the same functionality and a very similar use that you will find both in the Android Store and in the Apple Store, so you can have this feature with any smartphone you have in your hand. Go, therefore, on your reference store and look for the application you prefer, but if you want you can easily use the one just described.

Top seven places in Consumer Reports magazine goes to Toyota’s Lexus. The Japanese car giant’s Lexus held the top seven spots as the best buy car in the US. The Japanese car was given the most points on a system based on scores received by all eight of its models, these are the vehicles the magazine recommends that consumers in the US should buy.

The Honda Motor Co took fourth spot with its Acura along with Toyota’s parent-company. In third place the Mazda Motor Corp’s Mazda held its own in the rankings. In second place the Subaru, which is a unit of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd had dropped down from the top spot it held last year.

Consumer Reports evaluates and tests the cars which includes how the vehicles drive, the quality of interior-finish, reliability and all important fuel economy. These rankings do influence car buyers when they are published in the annual auto issue of the magazine.

Japanese makes of car, when all combined, accounted for 36.9% of all cars sold in the US during the course of last year – the figures were published by Autodata Corp which is a research company based in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

General Motors Co. held the 14^th ranking, being the top US brand for the last year. The vehicle was rated as “above-average” when it came to reliability and was considered to be a genuine rival for its German counterparts.