While we usually think of fireworks, backyard barbecues and the hot sun beaming down on red, white and blue parades around the country, this year’s 4th of July celebrations might be somewhat dampened as many parts of the country face some wet weather. Or heck, maybe it’s too hot to leave the AC. Either way, we’ve got 25 movies and TV shows you can stream to stay in the American spirit. [More]
streaming video
Competitive Gaming: The Next Big Spectator Sport That You Probably Don’t Know About
By 6.10.14
In October of 2013, 19.2 million viewers tuned in live to watch the Red Sox clinch a World Series title, soundly routing the Cardinals in game six. That same month, 32 million viewers tuned in to watch SK Telecom T1 trounce Royal Club, 3 games to 0 to take home the Summoner’s Cup. Nearly all of us know that the first sport is baseball. Many fewer can identify the second as League of Legends, a competitive online multiplayer video game. And yet maybe we should. [More]
Aereo Now Connects To TV Through Chromecast
By 6.5.14
While the future of Aereo is still to be determined by the U.S. Supreme Court, the streaming service’s present just got a little more user-friendly with the ability for Android users to access Aereo through Google’s Chromecast dongle thingy. [More]
Amazon Using 30-Day Try-Before-You-Buy Offers To Attract Fire TV Customers
By 5.22.14
While the idea of free trial periods for streaming video subscription services like Amazon Prime is nothing new, the online retailer is now applying that same try-before-you-buy concept to streaming hardware. [More]
YouTube In Talks To Buy Video Game Streaming Company Twitch For $1B
By 5.19.14
You can only fill the day with so many videos of cute kittens. For the other hours you might be tempted to watch or play a few video games. The transition from cute baby animal videos to action-packed gaming could be smoother now that Google’s YouTube is reportedly close to purchasing streaming video game service Twitch. [More]
Hulu To Finally Let Non-Paying Mobile Users Watch Shows (And Ads, Of Course)
By 4.30.14
For years, consumers have been able to watch free TV content on Hulu on their computer screens, but if they wanted to check out most of this freely available content on their phones or tablets, they generally had to ante up for a paid Hulu Plus subscription. Today, in addition to some other new features for Hulu, the service announced it will begin making free content readily available to mobile users. [More]
AT&T Throwing Its Hat In The Online Video Ring With New Venture
By 4.22.14
Times used to be, the only kids on the block offering online video services were Netflix and Hulu. But slowly, ever so slowly, the smell of money to be made has been luring competitors like Amazon and Youtube and now, AT&T. The telecommunications company announced a new $500 million deal to start its own online video venture. [More]
Amazon Finally Unveils New fireTV Streaming Thingy. What Is It?
By 4.2.14
After years of speculation, reports, and rumors that Amazon was developing some sort of set-top box, the company finally pulled back the curtain on the long-awaited development this morning. It’s called the fireTV and it does just about everything you’d expect a new streaming service to do; perhaps more if your expectations were low. But is it worth it? [More]
Apple, Comcast Chatting About Streaming TV Service That Would Make End-Run Around Net Neutrality
By 3.24.14
One of the biggest roadblocks for non-cable TV companies looking to get into the business of offering live TV service over the Internet is that these cable companies often control that “last mile” of Internet service to customers’ homes. Since the FCC’s net neutrality rules have been gutted — and ISPs now realizing they can charge tolls to content providers even if those rules were in place — the end-user might just get a TV screen full of blocky, stuttering visuals and intermittent audio. Apple is reportedly chatting with Comcast about a set-top box that would get around this concern by treating Apple’s stream differently than regular Internet traffic. [More]
Who Wins The Streaming-Service Wars? Netflix, Pretty Much
By 3.4.14
There are many different video-streaming services available to consumers now, but it shouldn’t be difficult to figure out which one is right for you. It all depends on what your favorite shows are, since different streaming services have their own agreements with content providers, and produce their own exclusive content as well. Which one is best? Well, what’s your favorite show? [More]
NBC Says It Stopped 45,000 Instances Of Video Piracy During Sochi Olympics
By 2.27.14
When there’s a $775 million broadcasting investment on the line, you better believe that a network like NBC is going to go after video pirates just like Peter Pan and his gang in Neverland. In this case, Neverland was the Winter Olympics in Sochi, an event that NBC says it protected its rights by busting 45,000 instances of illegally posted videos or pirated streams. [More]
Aereo Coverage Expands To Cincinnati Area Next Week
By 1.17.14
While the Supreme Court won’t be making its decision on Aereo’s streaming video service until later this year, the people of Cincinnati (and surrounding area) will soon get a chance to make up their minds about whether Aereo is worth all this fuss. [More]
Roku TV Is The Connected TV Your Parents Might Actually Use
By 1.7.14
In an era where connected TVs and apps on gaming consoles mean consumers don’t need to clutter their living rooms with additional boxes to access streaming video, makers of streaming devices like Roku need to adapt or die. The logical solution: Roku TV. [More]
Is Saving $1/Month Worth Entirely Ditching HD On Netflix?
By 12.31.13
Netflix has begun testing a new pricing option for some streaming customers. It’s $1/month cheaper than the standard $7.99/month plan most customers pay for. What do you give up to save that dollar? HD access and the ability to stream videos on multiple devices simultaneously. [More]
Sure, You Bought a Disney Digital Movie from Amazon, But You’ll Never Own It
By 12.18.13
Instantly accessible movies, TV shows, and games are one of the most convenient inventions of the early 21st century, but they’re not without their problems. One big problem? Just because you bought and paid for a digital good doesn’t mean you actually get to keep it. [More]
Law Would Make It Illegal To For ISPs To Throttle Streaming Video
By 11.13.13
For years, there have been accusations of Internet service providers deliberately slowing down or degrading the quality of data from streaming video services. Recently, a company that provides a good deal of bandwidth to Netflix accused Verizon of allowing traffic to streaming video traffic to get snarled in bottlenecks. Newly introduced legislation would outlaw the practice of throttling and degrading video content. [More]
Netflix Money Is “Pure Heroin” To TV Studios
By 10.25.13
Ever wonder why a TV channel’s website or on-demand options often only include the few most recently aired shows? It’s because the network doesn’t usually own the show, but instead pays a studio for the rights to air it, and networks haven’t been willing to ante up for the extra money to stream entire seasons as they air. Now some broadcasters realize they’re losing out and want access to all those shows, but Netflix is making it difficult. [More]
What To Binge-Watch If You’re Staying In This Holiday Weekend
August 30, 2013
Sad that the summer holiday season is ending? Or maybe you’re burned out and cash-poor from going out too frequently? If you’re stuck inside this weekend, you might as well close the curtains, crack open some snacks and binge-watch entire seasons of shows like Orange Is the New Black, The Fall, and Vikings. The folks at AVclub.com have curated a list of 26 shows you could cram into a weekend (not at once, unless you are able to watch several TVs simultaneously without losing your grip on reality), along with info on where to stream each show. [AVclub.com]
