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The Best TV and Movie Streaming Services

Gone are the days when you needed a television to watch your favorite TV show or needed to buy a DVD to watch the latest movie release. Now is the time of streaming services. People are the cutting the cable cord and switching to streaming services to experience unmatched flexibility at great prices. The market is flooded with different options. You just need to make up your mind on what you need, and there will be a streaming service to match your preferences.

From free services to paid ones, you have ample options. You can watch LIVE sports, news, movies, television series, music videos, LIVE programs and many more from across the globe in real time. You can view all these on any device and in fact there are options where you can watch two different shows on two different devices at the same time with the same subscription. How great is that! So, what is the status of these services in the market? Let’s take a quick look and then decide which one is the best for you.

Netflix

This is probably the best streaming service around. It is the king of the internet streaming business and has been successful in tests regarding content and consistency. There is a huge selection of content on Netflix and the older titles are replaced by the newer ones monthly. Netflix is the only place where you can get your favorite shows like Orange is the New Black, Marvel’s Daredevil and House Of Cards. According to Sandvine, Netflix uses 37% of USA’s internet bandwidth at peak times. That is huge! Netflix has around 65 million subscribers in around 60 countries. You can avail the standard Netflix pack for $9.99 per month and can also cancel it any time.

Netflix has a huge content library, which is especially great for movies. But, you need a really good connection with internet. There is no option for offline viewing and the content can be removed without any prior notice.

Amazon Prime Instant Video

Amazon Prime Instant Video is a good streaming service for classic TV series, movies on demand and content for kids. It also offers original and exclusive content like “Mozart in The Jungle”, “Tosh.0” and “Downtown Abbey” among others. Amazon offers around 40,000 streaming titles, but only a fraction of these are available on Instant Video. Interestingly enough, Amazon offers offline viewing, which means you can watch your favorite shows later on, without an active internet connection. You can also add networks like Starz and Showtime to your Amazon account by just paying some extra dollars.

Amazon offers a lot of freebies with the subscription to its streaming service. There is a free 2-day shipping service, access to Kindle library, Amazon Music, and so on. Amazon has music offerings too. But unlike Spotify and Apple music which have over 20 million songs in their kitty, Amazon has merely 1 million songs. The Kindle comprises of around 800, 000 books by mostly unknown authors in the public domain which adds to the agony of voracious readers.

Amazon is available on almost all kinds of streaming devices.

Hulu Plus

It is one of the leading services in video streaming and offers a wide range of movies and television shows. There is an expanded content library which contains a lot of television shows. Hulu provides one week free trial. It is available on all major internet connecting devices. The most interesting part about Hulu is that it offers most of the episodes just one day after they are aired on television. Like Netflix and Amazon, Hulu also offers movie titles as well, though they are pretty limited. Also, the content provided on Hulu Plus is 720HD which depends on your hardware and internet connection.

Xbox Video

It is the digital movie and TV show streaming service from Microsoft. It works on Microsoft’s hardware and software like Xbox game consoles, Windows smart phones and Windows 8.1 on PC and through various browsers. This service does not run on subscriptions, but provides movies and shows for rentals and purchases. You can rent SD versions of old films for $4.99 and HD versions for $5.99. If you want to purchase the titles, then you need to pay $15.99 for SD and $19.99 for HD versions. The renting options are not always present and the prices may go up or down depending on the popularity of the movie. Once you have rented the movie, you have 48 hours to watch it.

As compared to other apps on Xbox 360 and Xbox One, Xbox Video is more contained and integrated into existing user interfaces. Most of the content showed on Xbox Video is 1080p with 5.1 surround sound. However, the number of devices able to run Xbox Video content is a limiting factor.

Vudu

It is a place where you can rent, buy or pre-order popular movies and television shows. The most exciting feature of Vudu is that you can get Game of Thrones here, which is otherwise exclusive to HBO. For $2.99 you can get individual episodes of the series in SD version. The price for TV shows and movies varies on Vudu and you need to browse around and check for the individual title’s price. Vudu is available as a mobile app on both iOS and Android. It can also be availed on Roku, Chromecast, Xbox One, Blu-ray Players, gaming consoles, smart TVs and set-top boxes. It offers 3D movies and TV shows on 3D-enabled sets. There are movies available for renting and buying from Disney and Marvel and DreamWorks. Vudu also supports UltraViolet, which allows you to stream over the internet and download your content for viewing offline.

The content of Vudu is limiting as it offers only over 20,000 movies and over 7,000 TV shows. Even its rental selection is very small and so your choices gets limited. You will end up spending a lot as you would be a renting a lot instead of buying.

Conclusion

These are some of the popular streaming services, there are many more available. The most important thing to take note of is not the popularity of a platform, but whether or not it is offering the content you are looking for. One you have found the services that offer what you want, you can check the reviews. So, make a wise choice!

June 20, 2016 Satellite TV Read more >

Is American Pickers Television Series Real or Fake?

One of the most popular and successful TV shows on the History Channel is American Pickers. The reality television series follows antique collectors Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz, who have even attracted a loyal fan following.

Many critics of the series believe that American Pickers should be categorized under documentary rather than reality TV show. For this reason there has been quite a bit of debate and controversy, due to the nature of the show and whether or not it is scripted. Some people stand faithfully by the series, calling it real, some say it is somewhat staged, and others call the series a total fake. What you believe depends somewhat on personal perspective, but here are some facts. Take this information and do with it whatever you want, but you will have a more honest angle of American Pickers TV Series.

Mike and Frank were not business partners prior to the series, but this does make sense since the business only began after the show started. The two had a friendship which had endured a long time, but they didn’t have a professional relationship. Even so, both did have an interest in antiques and “picking” from a relatively early age. Mike was interested in the subject on a professional level whereas Frank had more of a hobby for picking.

The idea of the show came from Mike, and he was the one who introduced the idea to the production company. Frank was a clear choice for being in the series along with Mike since the two shared the same interests and had a history of friendship.

In some ways it is impractical to expect a TV show to be 100% real and unscripted. There are many various reasons that conversations may have to be scripted beforehand or re-filmed. Certain interactions may not be appropriate for the audience or in some cases it may not even be audible, so it is necessary to make edits or film the same conversation again. Touch-ups are sometimes required in order to make things clear and understandable—this is all a part of any television series. Some sources say, however, that there is no “WWE style” scripting or staging. The series uses only as much editing as is necessary for the show to be clear, smooth, and aired on television.

Of course much of the dialog between Mike and Frank is also removed and not aired on television. This seems understandable, though—considering that a lot of their conversation, after spending so much time together, likely has nothing to do with antiques and collectibles. Sometimes it is also necessary for them to repeat certain bits of dialog if it was not clearly articulated. These are a few common ways that the show is edited, like many other reality television programs.

There have also been suggestions that Mike and Frank don’t even travel together in the same vehicle and all of the things they purchase are already arranged well beforehand. Some faithful viewers of American Pickers refuse to believe these statements.

May 2, 2016 TV Read more >

Can The Walking Dead Survive Without Rick?

Since it became obvious that AMC’s The Walking Dead had no issues with deviating heavily from the original comic book’s storyline, fans have wondered just how far The Walking Dead might stray from its source material. One question that has popped up again and again is this: could the writers of The Walking Dead ever kill off Rick? Some fans think the show might be better off without Rick Grimes, while others think that the show doesn’t stand a chance—in ratings or critically—without him. Let’s look at 2 arguments for and against The Walking Dead working without Rick in the picture.

Pro: The show has introduced enough characters for strong storylines
In previous seasons, “the group” essentially meant Rick and company. At this point in season 5, however, the show has introduced enough characters with separate storylines to ensure that the story could continue on even without Rick. A number of characters could step up to fill Rick’s shoes—Michonne, Abraham, and especially Carol have all shown the leadership skills necessary to keep other people alive.

Con: Rick is the original protagonist of the show
What would The Walking Dead be without the character that began it all? It was Rick that viewers followed in that first episode, from the empty hospital corridors to the walker-riddled streets and beyond. Viewers have seen Rick transform from a somewhat naïve and good-natured sheriff who believed in following upstanding moral codes to an intense, dictator-like leader who did anything it took to keep his group alive, to a man striving to find some peace in a weary world—and back again, and everything in between. No other character in the show has seen some dramatic transformations.

Con: No character can live forever in the show’s world
It would be unfair to let Rick live simply because he’s Rick, especially when plenty of other characters in the show have been killed—either from illness, the hand of man, or succumbing to walkers. No character should be safe in the Walking Dead, and that includes Rick Grimes.

Pro: He needs to come full circle
Many aspects of Rick have changed since the show’s first season, but one thing remains the same: he wants to protect his familyand maintain survival. Rick needs to come full circle in regards to protecting baby Judith and Carl, and for that to happen, he has to stay alive.

November 25, 2014 Entertainment, TVThe Walking Dead Read more >

Everything You Need to Know About Underdog

Underdog is best known as the star of an animated cartoon which aired in the 1960s and continued airing in syndication for several decades. The cartoon, which was produced under the sponsorship of General Mills cereal, was one of many cartoons developed by General Mills in order to promote their breakfast cereal and other food products. Although the show was created for advertising, it proved to be popular among families and has even inspired a live-action film. If you’re a fan of the old Underdog cartoons or are just a lover of dogs in film and television, here is everything you need to know about Underdog.

Underdog almost always talked in rhyme

In the original cartoon, Underdo almost always spoke in rhyme when he was in his superhero “Underdog” disguise. This was to emphasize his nature as an almost comic-book like superhero in contrast to his normal, everyday life as Shoeshine Boy.

There were a total of 62 original episodes

There were 62 total episodes created for the original run of the Underdog TV show. The original episodes were 30 minutes, but most of the episodes were actually blocked with at least two other cartoons, including Klondike Kat, Go Go Gophers, and Tennessee Tuxedo. Some of the 30 minute episodes were dedicated entirely to Underdog, however.

Underdog wasn’t just a TV show

Underdog proved to be fairy popular despite its origin in a marketing ploy. The cartoon inspired four different comics–a 10 issue series from Charlton Comics, a 23 issue series from Gold Key comics, a 3 issue series from Spotlight Comics, and a 5 issue series from Harvey Comics. A Little Golden Book also featured Underdog and was titled Underdog and the Disappearing Ice Cream.

In 2007, a live-action version adaptation of the Underdog cartoon was produced and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The film’s cast included Jason Lee as the voice of Underdog/Shoeshine, Amy Adams as the voice of Sweet Polly Purebred, and Peter Dinklage as Dr. Simon Barsinister.

The film reached #3 in the box office on its opening weekend, with a total intake of about 11.5 million dollars. However, the film quickly fell in the box office rankings and ended up only making a total of 42.9 million in the box office, making it a box office failure.

November 14, 2014 Uncategorized Read more >

Things You Didn’t Know About Donald Trump

If you ask most people what they know about Donald Trump, they will probably come up with one or more of the following pieces of well-known Donald Trump trivia: He is best known for his hit TV show The Apprentice (and of course, the catchphrase of the show—“You’re fired!”); his abundance of wealth and success, his large buildings, and his signature hair piece.

But did you know that there is so much more to Donald Trump? Let’s look at some interesting trivia to uncover some things that you probably didn’t know about “The Donald.”

His mother was from Scotland.

Donald Trump’s mother, Mary Trump (maiden name MacLeod) was actually Scottish; she immigrated to the United States from her home country and married Fred Trump, with whom she had five children, including Donald.

His father owned large amounts of real estate.

Donald Trump’s first professional job was working for his father, who was a prominent real estate developer. Trump worked for his father Fred for about five years, from his graduation in 1968 to 1974. Fred Trump owned apartment complexes in Staten Island, Queens and Brooklyn–for a total value worth of about $250 million–and yes, that’s the adjusted value!

He has been married three times.

If you were to ask someone about the wife of Donald Trump, they would probably answer: “It’s Ivana Trump!” Although Ivana was once married to Donald, they have since split up. IN fact, Donald has been married three times total. In 1977, he married Ivana Zelnickova–an Olympic class skier–in 1977. They split up in 1990 and had three children together. In 1993, he married Marla Maples. They split up in 1999, and had one child together. In 2005, he married Melania Knauss; the couple currently has one child together.

He has written 10 books.

Donald Trump is best known for his advice on financial endeavors such as real estate, as well as the famous The Apprentice TV show—but he has also written several bestselling books. His books include The Art of the Deal, Surviving at the Top, The Art of Survival, The Art of the Comeback, How to Get Rich, The Way to the Top, Think Like a Billionaire, The Best Golf Advice I Ever Received, Why We Want You To Be Rich and Think Big and Kick Ass in Business and Life.

December 19, 2013 TV Read more >

Lost Television Series

I am not sure there is a more frustrating show to talk about than the cultural phenomenon that was Lost. And it really was a cultural water point in television history. It was everywhere. T-shirts, board games, chat rooms, websites devoted to discussing and discovering what it all meant… it was something special to watch the show during its run. To watch it now, after everything that has transpired is over, must be a strange thing.

There would be no one to talk to, no one to complain to, no one to ask “what will happen next”? That was part of the fun of watching every week. The writers were great about keeping the interest in the show high. They also did a great job of keeping the show character centric. Lost was all about the characters, with more flashbacks and flash sideways than you could shake a stick at. It worked because the characters were so well drawn and realistic. They felt alive.

A plane crashes on a deserted island. The survivors wake up with no idea where they are or how to communicate with the outside world. No electricity, no modern conveniences of any kind. It’s a simple premise, one that has been explored before in other media but never before has the concept been so fully realized, with such a cast of characters.

What set Lost apart were the elements of sci-fi, fantasy, drama and survival it was able to juggle. And a deep sense of the mysterious. But this mystery was the ultimate source of its fall, in my humble opinion. The writers painted themselves into a corner with the mystery of the week concept, piling on mystery upon mystery until the entire show imploded in the most disappointing finale in my TV watching experience.

Virtually nothing of any value was discovered in the last season. They built up such an elegant beast of a conundrum that it toppled over and crushed everyone involved. They asked a thousand questions; why were they all brought there? Where were they all going? What did it all mean? What was the point of it all?

And no answers were given.

October 11, 2013 Entertainment, TV Read more >

Charter Cable Will Help You Celebrate the Holidays

The Holidays are right around the corner and it is the busiest time of the year. You have to work while you fit your holiday shopping before the big day. With Charter Cable, you can work, do your shopping and still spend quality time with your family in the comfort of your own home.

Charter Cable offers a variety of entertainment packages perfect for your entire family. With Charter On Demand and DVR, you can have a family night in; cuddle up on the couch with your loved ones and rent a movie On Demand, or catch up on your favorite shows that you have missed.

Stay in touch with your family and friends with Charter Phone service and get your shopping done online with Charter Internet services. With Charter Cable, your family can enjoy all of these services through a Bundled Services Package. Keep your services, but lose the high monthly bill.

Save All Of Your Shows

With the hectic hustle and bustle of the holiday season, sometimes things can fall through the cracks. Your family will not be one of them with Charter TV. Set up a family movie night; you can rent a new release movie On Demand or even catch up on the movies that you have missed. With Charter’s DVR service, you can record all of your favorite shows and movies while you are out and watch them on your own time, not the networks. Even taking a break is simple, whether you need a bathroom break or you just need a refill on your soda, with Charter DVR you can pause, fast forward or rewind your program so you do not miss a thing.

Talk As Much As You Want

Staying in touch with your family and friends can be hard around the holidays, with everything on your to do list, sometimes it is easy to fall behind. With Charter Phone service, you can get in touch and stay in touch with all of your loved ones easily. If you miss a call from your Grandparents while you are out doing you shopping, you can easily retrieve their voicemail while you are out, and return the call immediately. Talk for hours with unlimited calling to anyone nationwide. You do not have to worry about an insane holiday bill.

The World At Your Fingertips

Your family has many needs in the household; your children need to get their homework done, your spouse has work to do and you just want to relax and browse for a while. With Charter Internet, there is no waiting. Charter internet with Wi-Fi gives you and your family the ability to chat online, browse the web and much more. With the Wi-Fi service you can spend time in the family room and still get work done on your laptop; monitor what your children are doing with parental controls and even get your holiday shopping done online. Spend more time at home and less time waiting on slow internet.

October 10, 2013 Entertainment, TV Read more >

Time Warner Cable Deals in NYC Offer Something for Everyone

Time Warner Cable in New York City offers something for everyone in your home, with fantastic digital cable programming, high speed Internet, and digital home phone services. You can enjoy these great services separately, or you can experience the benefit of all of these great services in a bundled package, giving you more opportunity to save time and money. Choose from a great variety of package selections that mix and match services and even mix and match options within each service. You will find a package that is perfect for you, your family and your budget with Time Warner Cable in NYC

With amazing programming options with Digital TV you will have children’s programs, local and international news, your favorite dramas and sit-coms and even the greatest sporting events right at your fingertips. Let your children learn and grow from great channels such as Animal Planet and the Disney Channel. You can’t go wrong with HD programming. Time Warner Cable in New York, NY now offers No Fee HD, bringing you the most HD channel choices than any other provider. High Definition will make you feel like you are a part of the action on TV with insurmountable clarity and sound quality. Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound plus expanded HD programming choices will make your experience even more realistic and thrilling!

Additionally, you will love your free trial of a DVR and HD Premium Tier Channels for three months. Everyone needs a DVR in their home. With a Digital Video Recorder, you can record your favorite shows, sports, events and so much more. Watch what you record at your convenience, any day, any time. This way, your favorite programming fits into your schedule. You can pause, record and rewinds live television. Even fast-forward through commercials and anything else you desire!

There is no extra equipment to buy with Digital Cable TV. There are much more On Demand Choices than satellite as well, so you can save money and have more! With FREE On Demand, your whole household can enjoy a magnanimous selection of movies, sports, and shows every month, all on your schedule. Many Free On Demand selections are even available in HD. Time Warner Cable Internet High Speed Internet will blow you away. With speeds this fast, there’s no telling what will happen next. When you are downloading music, files, photos, and even when you having fun with social networking, you most absolutely have a need for maximum quickness from your Internet provider.

You will adore speeds of up to 7 Mbps, plus an extra spurt of speed from Time Warner Cable exclusive PowerBoost. If you need even faster connections for online gaming, large file sharing or even big downloads such as movies, you will be interested in upgrading to Turbo. Turbo offers speeds of 15 Mbps, making your online experience the best it can be. Free Internet Security Suit Software will keep you safe and protected from viruses, spam, pop-ups and more. Firewall and even on/off parental controls come with this fabulous Internet Security Suite. You can even enjoy a Free month of Time Warner Cable Internet in Spanish through Planeta.

Nascar Trackpass is yet another fun and exciting feature of this service, and there are many more. Another great service offered by Time Warner Cable NYC is Digital Voice. Keep in touch with friends, family and loved ones all over the world with Time Warner Cable Home Phone service. Forget about surprising and expensive long-distance phone bills with unlimited calling within the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Save immediately with unlimited calling plans at low monthly rates. Many popular calling features are included, such as Caller ID on TV and PC, Call Waiting, 3-Way Calling, and more. There is no additional equipment to purchase, and you can keep your old phone number! Sign up today and save!

October 9, 2013 Entertainment, TV Read more >

Dish Network Deals Can Save You Some Money

You’re in a hospital bed in an unfamiliar place. Everything smells strange and you’re surrounded by a language you don’t understand. All that you remember is that last meal in that exotic restaurant. After that, your memory is pretty vague: pain, serious vomiting and then darkness. You have no idea how you got to this hospital, nor the reason for your being there.

All you know is that you’ve never felt so weak in your life. Judging by the grave expressions on the faces of the nurses and doctors surrounding your bed, you assume the worst: you’re going to die in a hospital that’s unfamiliar, in a country that’s not your home, with a disease you have no idea about. You never imagined your dream vacation would end this way.

What the doctors didn’t tell you is that you actually have a simple stomach bug, brought on by less-than-sanitary food preparation in that exotic restaurant. You’ll recover within hours. The relief that floods over you is unbelievable. You’re going to live!

The moral of the story? What they don’t tell you actually can hurt you.

For many of you, you’ve settled for less than ideal satellite dish programming. You are content with fewer channels because you didn’t know it could be better than it is. You’re okay with being unable to watch the TV channels your friends watch because, after all, your service provider is the best around. Save at Checks Unlimited

Perhaps you just assumed that the high price you pay for satellite dish service was just the price you’ve got to pay to get satellite. Maybe your provider informed you that his service was the best around; that you should feel good about the programming you’re getting for the price.

Much like your experience, lying in a foreign country in an unfamiliar hospital, preparing for the worst while only suffering from a stomach bug, regardless of your personal situation, what you don’t know – or what your satellite dish programming providers aren’t telling you – can in fact hurt you.

The truth is, you can save money, time and stress by investing in a service provider that actually provides quality service that can’t be beat by the competition. You can actually enjoy the programming you formerly thought was inaccessible. And all of those features you were told were beyond your budget are actually quite within your grasp.

Too good to be true? Think again. With Dish Network, you are offered anywhere from 50-260 plus channels, covering all of your favorite programs. Sports fan? Movie lover? Dish Network has you covered. With great programming and the options you want, you are in control. Never again miss that television program you always wanted to see.

Have kids? Worry about them seeing inappropriate adult material on your satellite dish programming? No problem. Dish Network offers parents or caregivers the ability to control what their children see on television, giving you peace of mind while your kids enjoy safe, age-appropriate programming tailored to your home’s standard.

Do you like the idea of recording and storing up to 500 hours of shows, movies and programs? Dish Network offers that as well. No longer will you be forced to miss out on programs because of your work schedule or busy life.

If this sounds too good to be true, maybe your current satellite dish service provider has failed to tell you the truth. Maybe what they aren’t telling you CAN hurt you!

October 9, 2013 TV Read more >