The best discovery apps display titles on a watch list or let you search through all streaming apps and then instantly play regardless of which app is streaming. Amazon Fire TV devices now block apps from launching other apps.
As we increasingly ditch our traditional ways of watching broadcast TV, we're no longer switching on the TV and watching the game. It's just as likely that you'll stream Super Bowl LVII, and here's where to find it. If the big game isn't your thing, perhaps you'd prefer to stream one of the furry games like Puppy Bowl XIX or the Great American Rescue Bowl.
Later this year, Showtime will be fully absorbed by Paramount+. Not only will the two services stream from the same app, but the premium cable channel will also include Paramount+ original content. The merge will happen soon, but pricing and dates haven't been announced.
On January 15th, MGM+ launched as an independent app and Amazon Prime channel. This comes as no surprise after Amazon bought MGM in 2021. The vast library of high-quality titles, previously available on the now-closed Epix channel, is now live on MGM+. This is no B-movie service. It's MGM, founded 99 years ago, the makers of all the movies in That's Entertainment .
With the coming addition of movie and TV rentals, Plex will become the first app you should open on your streaming device. Although we’ve written about Plex before, so much has changed that it’s time to do an overview of all of its features.
As we look back at streaming in 2022, there have been few innovative new services or products. Instead, streaming is showing signs of its maturity. Both streaming providers and streaming player manufacturers are playing catch-up with the competition.
Following this past year’s merger of HBO Max and Discovery, it appears the new service will be called simply “Max.” This could be a foretelling of the new service, as many series, including Westworld, were canceled and will soon be removed from the service altogether. CEO David Zaslav is taking a radical stance to reduce costs and make investors happy.
Disney+ is raising its streaming subscription rates tomorrow (December 8), ending a year of price hikes that started with Netflix, Hulu, and many niche streaming services. If you act fast, you can still get some deals before the higher prices go into effect. After that, you’ll need to get creative, so your monthly subscription budget doesn’t look like your old cable bill.
Take advantage of the Black Friday streaming deals if you need a new streaming device or want to try a streaming service. Significant savings are available on Roku, Amazon, Apple, and Chromecast, and even the Nvidia Shield is on sale. With prices about to go up on many streaming services, the Black Friday deals are the best time to lock in lower rates or get substantial discounts.
The Netflix ads tier has launched. After years of being considered the antithesis of commercial broadcast TV, Netflix has succumbed and now offers a less expensive option with ads. But is Netflix’s new ads tier a good choice?
On November 4th, Apple will release the third generation Apple TV 4K. The updated streaming player costs less than its predecessor and offers several improvements, including the new, more powerful A15 Bionic processor and an updated tvOS 16 operating system.
Can’t remember the name of that catchy song stuck in your head? No worries, Deezer’s updated SongCatcher feature will not only find it for you but it will play the song, too — a first in the app world.
Affordable streamers are what's new this fall. Following the announcement of the Roku Express value-priced player, Google has released an HD version of its Chromecast with Google TV streamer.
Roku just announced the Roku OS11.5 update to its operating system. This update includes improved discovery features for users to find and stream what they want to watch from the home screen. The fall virtual press conference also brought news of a lower-priced Roku Express player and wireless subwoofer.
Google TV has rolled out updates to improve the Chromecast and TV’s operating system. The changes shorten boot time and make switching between tabs and launch apps faster. While some avid users have complained about Google TV’s performance, the improvements will likely be only subtly noticeable for most.