Watching your favorite shows on your TV at home is so 2010. Thankfully, cable providers are slowly but surely allowing us to untether from our sofas and take our TV-watching on the go with a few handy apps for iOS and Android devices. Check out the streaming TV landscape in this guide, where all the apps are free with a paid subscription to your cable provider!
We've looked at Spotify and, most recently, Xbox Music, but with the music subscription space getting more crowded by the day, what about all those other online music players?
One of our favorites is Rdio, launched by the creators of Kazaa and Skype. It hasn't gained quite as much traction as its rival Spotify, but that doesn't mean the digital music service isn't as good — because it is, and in some areas, it's better. Here's a look at why Rdio might become your next music player of choice.
Hosting a Halloween party for your pals? Thanks to these free online playlists, you can skip the hassle of creating your own party mix and check music off your to-do list. Whether you want playful tunes or more modern music picks, you're sure to find a suitable playlist from our selection. Check them out, and then let us know: which songs would you consider must haves for a festive Halloween bash?
Are laptops going out of fashion? When it comes to entertainment, the answer might be yes. According to a new study, as a second screen option, more people use tablets to watch TV shows than computers, with 15 percent of full-length TV show watching happening on a tablet vs. a laptop.
Despite the smaller screen size of tablets, users spend 2.4 hours a day on average on entertainment. This is, in part, thanks to the rise of cable and satellite TV apps, and those like Netflix and AirPlay. Not to mention, they're a lot easier to handle while chilling on the couch. While an HDTV may be the best way to watch TV shows, tell us — as a "second screen" option, do you spend more time watching shows on your tablet or your laptop?
Did you ditch cable TV in 2011? Don't worry about missing one of the biggest sports events of the year — the Super Bowl will be streamed online at NBCSports.com and NFL.com. Online viewers will also get the chance to see multiple camera angles and DVR-like controls in order to rewind exciting and important plays. What's more, if you have NFL Mobile from Verizon, you can stream the game on your mobile wherever you find a data or WiFi connection.
The NY Giants and New England Patriots battle it out at Super Bowl XLVI from Indianapolis on Feb. 5.
To save ourselves from listening to our mom's record collection on repeat during this weekend's family gathering, we're taking on DJ duties. Forget flipping discs on a boombox; hook some powerful speakers up to a laptop and sign into these online music services to keep the party moving with new and unexpected tunes.
Click through for three more online music resources.
After six months of Beta trials, Google Music gets official and becomes a fully operational cloud music platform. Available to US users, Google Music automatically syncs an entire music library across any and all devices using cloud storage. Offline listening is also available as long as the user tags the specific tracks for offline use.
Adding to the storage capacity of Google Music is the creation of the music store tab in the Android Market. Every day the store will offer a selection of free songs handpicked by the Google Music team; additional songs can be purchased starting at $1.
Here are six key features to know about the service:
Learn how you can share Google Music with friends after the break.
Google officially announced its update for the Google TV platform today, which will make the service a smoother and more beautiful experience for users. Amongst the big changes, Google TV now has a simple interface for scrolling through apps and shows, while the home screen can be customized with your favorite content. Additionally, searching for shows is easier across the Internet and your cable subscriptions, but Google is also rolling out an app called TV and Movies so you can browse 80,000 movies and TV episodes across cable or satellite, Netflix, Amazon, YouTube, and more.
Finally, Google TV will now include more apps from the Android Marketplace that have been optimized for TV viewing only (so you won't have to wade through a massive amount of mobile or GPS apps) and will be launching a new YouTube experience for this version of Google TV, to bring YouTube and Google TV closer together.
The software update will be hitting Sony devices next week and will roll out to Logitech users soon after, but Google will also be announcing more updates and compatible devices soon. Want to see what the new Google TV will look like? Then just click through the gallery!
Netflix recently shocked its customers by announcing that it would split its streaming and DVD rental company in half, essentially forcing customers to deal with two separate subscriptions — Netflix for streaming, and newly founded company Quickster for DVDs.
Netflix's recent price bump may have angered customers, but this move has sent loyal movie watchers over the edge. GeekSugar Twitter users have said that they're ready to cancel both subscriptions completely, relying on other forms of streaming to get their entertainment fix. If you're cutting ties with Netflix (and Quickster), here are some alternatives to try.
Good news for those wishing to stream movies online: Hollywood movie studio Miramax joins the streaming media crowd with the launch of a Facebook app called Miramax eXperience. For $3, rent any of the available movies, like Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill (in addition to previously mentioned Doctor Who episodes) for commercial free viewing on Facebook, iPad, and GoogleTV.
Miramax's foray into Facebook video streaming is just one addition to the many streaming options consumers can choose from for their entertainment needs, including the following:
For those who love the freedom of choice, check out more streaming options after the break.
