Our definition of television has changed over the years. It was previously that one could only watch TV in your TV. If you wanted to view a movie in those primitive days you actually had to operate a vehicle all the way to the store to buy or rent a DVD. Because of high speed internet we are now able to stream movies and TV from the cloud to all sorts of devices from phones to computers (and yes, even in your TV). Given that video streaming has which may be insanely popular, dozens of online streaming services came onto the scene, all competing for your attention and your money. That raises the question: which is most beneficial? Unicorn Streaming
Describing every one of the streaming services available will be next to impossible, but here is my top-5 list of typically the most popular services out there.
iTunes: For the Apple Enthusiast
Like most of Apple's products, you either love iTunes or you hate it. If you have apple products, using iTunes is a good solution to sync your entire videos, music, and books on your entire devices. And whenever you pause a video, you can keep watching from where you left off, even on an alternative device. The downside to this service is that it's only readily available for Mac products or PC. It is also slower on updating rentals than other providers. Overall, iTunes is an excellent choice for Mac users, but it's still worthwhile to explore other options.
Devices Supported: iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, PC/Mac
Price: $0.99 for TV show rentals, movie rentals start at $2.99
Selection: iTunes includes a good selection to buy; rentals are updated slower than some other providers
Vudu: For the Videophile
Vudu began its life in 2008 as a package offering HD movies delivered via the internet. Now they got rid of their hardware and license their service to other devices. If you like only the highest quality content, here is the service for you. In addition to offering 3D content, Vudu also offers the highest quality videos of any streaming service. They likewise have some new movies available prior to other streaming services. The catch is this service will get expensive.
Devices Supported: Android, iPad, Roku, HDTV/Blu-ray, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC/Mac
Price:$2 for 2 days on select titles, other titles start at $4.99 for HD and $5.99 for HDX (featuring 1080p HD) and usually work for 24 hours
Selection: They have several thousand selections, and most titles are available exactly the same day the DVD arrives in stores
Amazon Instant Video: The Nice Afterthought
Amazon started selling digital media utilizing a download service. They have since switched to Amazon Instant Video and have gone from downloaded content in favor of streaming. To obtain access to Amazon Instant Video you can subscribe for Amazon Prime, which enables you to access some content free of charge, after the yearly subscription. Other content could be purchased.
While Amazon's video catalog is rapidly growing, it's amount of content is still never to exactly the same level as Netflix or Hulu. However, Amazon does possess some unique features that are unique to this platform: free two-day shipping and reduced overnight shipping on all amazon prime products and even free monthly book rentals from Amazon Prime Lending Library.
Devices Supported: Kindle Fire, iPad, Nook, Roku, HDTV/Blu-ray, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, WiiU, PC/Mac, and more
Price: $79 yearly subscription for Amazon prime, TV shows start at $1.39 to rent and $1.99 your can purchase, new movies start at $3.99 to rent and $14.99 your can purchase
Selection: They have a reasonable number of older shows and movies, there's also a good collection of BBC programs. While they've some new movies open to Amazon Prime members, most of them require you to pay for them
Hulu Plus: For the TV Show Junkie
Hulu Plus began as a TV series streaming site and, while they do offer some movies, the reason to sign up to Hulu Plus is to view TV shows. The platform offers more TV series than any service, especially current episodes, and most of this content is seen commercial-free. Hulu also supplies a free service for streaming new episodes of hit TV shows, but it's only available in your computer.
Devices Supported: Android, iPhone, iPad, Roku, Apple TV, HDTV/Blu-ray, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, WiiU, PC/Mac
Price: $7.99 monthly subscription
Selection: The best collection of TV shows of any provider. Hulu Plus is a particularly good choice for anyone wanting the absolute most current episodes of hit TV series
Netflix: Get a Little Bit of Everything
Netflix came onto the scene over 10 years ago and completely revolutionized video rentals. They have one of the largest streaming content libraries and have countless subscribers, making Netflix one of the biggest video streaming services out there. HD quality isn't as high as some providers, however the cheap subscription and availability on almost any device makes Netflix a must-have for just about any movie or TV lover.