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Showing posts from December, 2023

A problem with Windows 11 requirements

A lot of computers that are running Windows 10 will not run Windows 11. They don't have the proper hardware. Yes, there are ways around it, but the risk of issues is great, and will mean users don't enjoy the experience. And, there's one other issue that will result from the stringent Windows 11 requirements: waste. [ YouTube ] This is a bigger problem than a lot of people realize. My Streaming Life won't be impacted by this. But a lot of people's regular life will be.

Watching College Football in 2023: Bowl Games, day 11

Bowl Season of college football for 2023 is underway. There are four bowl games today , two involving ranked teams. ESPN and ESPN+ Two of today's games are on ESPN, and simulcast on ESPN+. Both feature ranked teams facing each other. Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (11) University of Mississippi vs (10) The Pennsylvania State University Capital One Orange Bowl (5) Florida State University vs (6) University of Georgia ABC and ESPN+ One of today's games is on ABC, and simulcast on ESPN+. TransPerfect Music City Bowl Auburn University vs University of Maryland, College Park CW, Barstool Sports One of today's games is on CW network. It is also available via the Barstool Sports app. Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl University of Toledo vs University of Wyoming Later Games The remaining bowl games will air on: ABC ESPN ESPN2 Here's how to get all the networks: ABC Antenna (free) Sling TV ( 8 markets only ) ($45/month) Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month) Hul...

Watching College Football in 2023: Bowl Games, day 10

Bowl Season of college football for 2023 is underway. There are four bowl games today , three involving ranked teams. ESPN and ESPN+ Three of today's games are on ESPN, and simulcast on ESPN+. TaxSlayer Gator Bowl (22) Clemson University vs University of Kentucky AutoZone Liberty Bowl University of Memphis vs Iowa State University of Science and Technology Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic (9) University of Missouri vs (7) The Ohio State University CBS One of today's games is on CBS. Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl (19) Oregon State University vs (16) University of Notre Dame du Lac Later Games The remaining bowl games will air on: ABC CBS CW ESPN ESPN2 ESPN+ Here's how to get all the networks: ABC Antenna (free) Sling TV ( 8 markets only ) ($45/month) Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month) Hulu+Live TV ($77/month) YouTube TV ($73/month) Fubo (Pro) ($75/month) DirecTV (Entertainment) ($85/month) CBS Antenna (free) Paramount Plus (Pre...

Watching College Football in 2023: Bowl Games, day 9

Bowl Season of college football for 2023 is underway. There are four bowl games today , three involving ranked teams. ESPN and ESPN+ All of today's games are on ESPN, and simulcast on ESPN+. Wasabi Fenway Bowl Boston College vs (24) Southern Methodist University Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey vs University of Miami Pop-Tarts Bowl (18) North Carolina State University vs (25) Kansas State University Valero Alamo Bowl (14) University of Arizona vs (12) University of Oklahoma Later Games The remaining bowl games will air on: ABC CBS CW ESPN ESPN2 ESPN+ Here's how to get all the networks: ABC Antenna (free) Sling TV ( 8 markets only ) ($45/month) Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month) Hulu+Live TV ($77/month) YouTube TV ($73/month) Fubo (Pro) ($75/month) DirecTV (Entertainment) ($85/month) CBS Antenna (free) Paramount Plus (Premium) $12/month Hulu+Live TV ($77/month) YouTube TV ($73/...

Watching College Football in 2023: Bowl Games, day 8

Bowl Season of college football for 2023 is underway. There are four bowl games today . ESPN and ESPN+ Three of today's games are on ESPN, and simulcast on ESPN+. Military Bowl presented by GoBowling.com Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University vs Tulane University of Louisiana Duke's Mayo Bowl University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill vs West Virginia University TaxAct Texas Bowl Oklahoma State University vs Texas A&M University Fox One game is broadcast on Fox network, and it's the first bowl game of the season to feature a ranked team. DirecTV Holiday Bowl (15) University of Louisville vs University of Southern California This is the first bowl game of the 2023 college football season to feature a ranked team. Later Games The remaining bowl games will air on: ABC CBS CW ESPN ESPN2 ESPN+ Here's how to get all the networks: ABC Antenna (free) Sling TV ( 8 markets only ) ($45/month) Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month...

Watching College Football in 2023: Bowl Games, day 7

Bowl Season of college football for 2023 is underway. There are three bowl games today on ESPN and simulcast on ESPN+. Quick Lane Bowl University of Minnesota vs Bowling Green State University SERVPRO First Responder Bowl Texas State University vs William Marsh Rice University Guaranteed Rate Bowl University of Kansas vs University of Nevada, Las Vegas Later Games The remaining bowl games will air on: ABC CBS CW ESPN ESPN2 ESPN+ Fox Here's how to get all the networks: ABC Antenna (free) Sling TV ( 8 markets only ) ($45/month) Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month) Hulu+Live TV ($77/month) YouTube TV ($73/month) Fubo (Pro) ($75/month) DirecTV (Entertainment) ($85/month) CBS Antenna (free) Paramount Plus (Premium) $12/month Hulu+Live TV ($77/month) YouTube TV ($73/month) Fubo (Pro) ($75/month) DirecTV (Entertainment) ($85/month) CW Antenna (free) Not available streaming. ESPN, ESPN2 Sling TV (Orange) ($40/...

Christmas Day (2023)

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the ang...

Christmas Eve (2023)

As we approach Christmas, we're breaking to offer this classic, that you may remember from your childhood, or which your children or grandchildren may in future remember from theirs. 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The children were nestled all snug in their beds; While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap, When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow, Gave a lustre of midday to objects below, When what to my wondering eyes did appear, But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-de...

Walmart's new Onn Streaming Stick is good

I've spent several days using Walmart's new Onn Streaming Stick. At first, I liked it. Of course, it's an HD (1080p) device, not a 4K/UHD device. Still, for $15, it looked like a good device for a second TV. Or even a main TV, if it's a 1080p television. You may notice that I said "at first" regarding my positive impressions. But what about now, after using it for several days? I like it. It has the Google TV interface, which is the same interface as the Chromecast with Google TV (which I'll just call Chromecast going forward). Using it is a very similar experience to using a Chromecast. The responsiveness is not that much different. The only real difference is the remote. I like the Onn remote much better than the Chromecast remote. Don't get me wrong, the Chromecast remote is easy to use, but I like the Onn remote layout and buttons better. It seems more like a remote I'm used to. The rest of the experience? Honestly, it's not that much ...

Watching College Football in 2023: Bowl Games, day 6

Bowl Season of college football for 2023 is underway. There are seven bowl games today on ESPN or ABC, with all being simulcast on ESPN+. ABC, ESPN+ Three games will be on ABC and simulcast on ESPN+. 76 Birmingham Bowl Troy University vs Duke University Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl United States Air Force Academy vs James Madison University SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl Northwestern University vs University of Utah Four games are on ESPN and ESPN+. Camellia Bowl Arkansas State University vs Northern Illinois University Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Utah State University vs Georgia State University 68 Ventures Bowl University of South Alabama vs Eastern Michigan University EasyPost Hawai'i Bowl Coastal Carolina University vs San José State University Later Games The remaining bowl games will air on: ABC CBS CW ESPN ESPN2 ESPN+ Fox Here's how to get all the networks: ABC Antenna (free) Sling TV ( 8 markets only ) ($45/month) ...

Watching College Football in 2023: Bowl Games, day 5

Bowl Season of college football for 2023 continues. There is one bowl game today , on ESPN with simulcast on ESPN+. Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl Georgia Institute of Technology vs University of Central Florida Later Games The remaining bowl games will air on: ABC CBS CW ESPN ESPN2 ESPN+ Fox Here's how to get all the networks: ABC Antenna (free) Sling TV ( 8 markets only ) ($45/month) Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month) Hulu+Live TV ($77/month) YouTube TV ($73/month) Fubo (Pro) ($75/month) DirecTV (Entertainment) ($85/month) CBS Antenna (free) Paramount Plus (Premium) $12/month Hulu+Live TV ($77/month) YouTube TV ($73/month) Fubo (Pro) ($75/month) DirecTV (Entertainment) ($85/month) CW Antenna (free) Not available streaming. ESPN, ESPN2 Sling TV (Orange) ($40/month) Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month) Hulu+Live TV ($77/month) YouTube TV ($73/month) Fubo (Pro) ($75/month) DirecTV (Entertainment) (...

Watching College Football in 2023: Bowl Games, day 4

Bowl Season of college football for 2023 has begun. There is  one bowl game today airing on ESPN and simulcast on ESPN+: RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl Syracuse University vs University of South Florida Later Games The remaining bowl games will air on: ABC CBS CW ESPN ESPN2 ESPN+ Fox Here's how to get all the networks: ABC Antenna (free) Sling TV ( 8 markets only ) ($45/month) Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month) Hulu+Live TV ($77/month) YouTube TV ($73/month) Fubo (Pro) ($75/month) DirecTV (Entertainment) ($85/month) CBS Antenna (free) Paramount Plus (Premium) $12/month Hulu+Live TV ($77/month) YouTube TV ($73/month) Fubo (Pro) ($75/month) DirecTV (Entertainment) ($85/month) CW Antenna (free) Not available streaming. ESPN, ESPN2 Sling TV (Orange) ($40/month) Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month) Hulu+Live TV ($77/month) YouTube TV ($73/month) Fubo (Pro) ($75/month) DirecTV (Entertainment) ($85/month) ES...

Who needs an update?

One thing that frustrates me is when things that work just fine are suddenly changed. I find that many changes are not what was wanted or needed. This happens with many many things. I will admit that sometimes I get used to the changes and like them. Sometimes. Most of the time, I don't. Maybe I'm just set in my ways. Or maybe someone is making changes to justify their job. What I really think, though, is that sometimes the changes are needed because some people need the changes. They aren't able to deal with things as they are. Some people have trouble working the ins and outs of streaming. So maybe the changes are good? Maybe. But maybe the lowest common denominator isn't the only audience. Maybe if something works well, it should simply be allowed to work. Sure, I get it. If a change brings new customers and doesn't drive away old customers, then a company will make a change. But why not have two interfaces? They do for kids, right? Doesn't Netflix have ...

Watching College Football in 2023: Bowl Games, day 3

Bowl Season of college football for 2023 has begun. There is one bowl game today . It will be broadcast on ESPN and simulcast on ESPN+: Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl University of Texas at San Antonio vs Marshall University Later Games The remaining bowl games will air on: ABC CBS CW ESPN ESPN2 ESPN+ Fox Here's how to get all the networks: ABC Antenna (free) Sling TV ( 8 markets only ) ($45/month) Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month) Hulu+Live TV ($77/month) YouTube TV ($73/month) Fubo (Pro) ($75/month) DirecTV (Entertainment) ($85/month) CBS Antenna (free) Paramount Plus (Premium) $12/month Hulu+Live TV ($77/month) YouTube TV ($73/month) Fubo (Pro) ($75/month) DirecTV (Entertainment) ($85/month) CW Antenna (free) Not available streaming. ESPN, ESPN2 Sling TV (Orange) ($40/month) Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month) Hulu+Live TV ($77/month) YouTube TV ($73/month) Fubo (Pro) ($75/month) DirecTV (Entert...

Watching College Football in 2023: Bowl Games, day 2

Bowl Season of college football for 2023 is underway. There is one bowl game today , airing on ESPN and ESPN+. Famous Toastery Bowl Western Kentucky University vs Old Dominion University Later Games The remaining bowl games will air on: ABC CBS CW ESPN ESPN2 ESPN+ Fox Here's how to get all the networks: ABC Antenna (free) Sling TV ( 8 markets only ) ($45/month) Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month) Hulu+Live TV ($77/month) YouTube TV ($73/month) Fubo (Pro) ($75/month) DirecTV (Entertainment) ($85/month) CBS Antenna (free) Paramount Plus (Premium) $12/month Hulu+Live TV ($77/month) YouTube TV ($73/month) Fubo (Pro) ($75/month) DirecTV (Entertainment) ($85/month) CW Antenna (free) Not available streaming. ESPN, ESPN2 Sling TV (Orange) ($40/month) Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month) Hulu+Live TV ($77/month) YouTube TV ($73/month) Fubo (Pro) ($75/month) DirecTV (Entertainment) ($85/month) ESPN+ ESPN+ (...

LInux or Windows?

I don't use Microsoft Windows if I can help it. Sometimes, it is necessary, but it is not my day-to-day operating system. I switched to Mac OS, called OS X (that's a Roman numberal and is pronounced "ten") at the time. I used Mac OS until a little over a year ago when Apple dropped support for my computer. It was outdated, according to Apple, and needed to be replaced in order to get updates. As it works just fine, I didn't shell out over $1,000 for a new computer. Instead, I replaced the hard drive and put Linux on it. And I've been happy with it ever since. That is my primary laptop. I'm a fan of Linux, and prefer it to Windows, and have had not trouble switching from Mac OS to Linux. But, we have Windows computers at work and I still have to deal with them. But even though I prefer Linux to Windows, mostly for security and privacy reasons, I understand that not everyone can make the switch to Linux. When I saw a video from Britec about that very thin...

Watching College Football in 2023: Bowl Games, day 1

Bowl Season of college football for 2023 has begun. There are seven bowl games today with four more between today and next weekend. This weekend's games are either on ESPN or ABC, with all being simulcast on ESPN+: ABC, ESPN+ Three games will be on ABC and simulcast on ESPN+. Avocados From Mexico Cure Bowl Miami University vs Appalachian State University Starco Brands LA Bowl University of California, Los Angeles vs Boise State University Cricket Celebration Bowl Howard University vs (5 FCS) Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University ESPN, ESPN+ Four games will be on ESPN and simulcast on ESPN+. Myrtle Beach Bowl Georgia Southern University vs Ohio University R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Jacksonville State University vs University of Louisiana at Lafayette Isleta New Mexico Bowl New Mexico State University vs California State University, Fresno Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl University of California, Berkeley vs Texas Tech University Later Games ...

Reviewing Walmart's new Onn Stick (Lon.TV)

I'm testing the new Walmart Onn Stick . I'm not done testing, but so far, the testing is going well. Lon.TV has concluded its testing of the device, and has some nice things to say about it, if you aren't trying to play games with it. [ YouTube ] As I'm not a gamer, the problems they had won't impact me. My Streaming Life is focused on streaming, not gaming. And I've been happy so far with the new Walmart Onn Stick. I expect to be done testing soon, and give you my thoughts as well.

Finally, Walmart+ has a Paramount+/Showtime option

In summer 2022, Walmart+ added a new benefit. Walmart+ subscribers can get Paramount Plus Essential plan. It wasn't all good news, however. If you wanted to upgrade to the Paramount+ with Showtime (formerly the Premium plan), you couldn't. It was the Essential plan, or you have to pay full price for the Premium plan. That's now changed. Walmart+ now has an upgrade option for Paramount+, and I'm happy about that. Normally, the Essential plan is $6/month or $60/year. It's included with Walmart+. The Premium (now called Paramount+ with Showtime) plan is $12/month or $120/year. With Paramount+, it's $65/year (there is no monthly plan). With Walmart+, you get $60 off the Essential plan, or $55 off the Premium/with Showtime plan. That's a great deal, and I'm thinking about doing that. I really don't care much about Showtime, but the live local CBS is nice, as is no commercials. My Streaming Life has included Paramount Plus from time to time, as pa...

Testing the new Onn Stick

Recently, I purchased one of the new Onn Sticks from Walmart. I had one of the original Onn Sticks, and hated it . Of course, there is a lot of potential in cheap Android/Google TV device. The problem with the original Onn Stick is that it was way underpowered. When an updated version was announced, I had hopes it would be a more powerful device. The good news is that it is. But is it enough? I'll be finding out soon enough. I've begun testing the new Onn Stick. So far, it's going well. But when I got the original device, I used it for a few days before I realized it was not a good device. The original had some issues right off the bat, but I tested it for a few days to make sure about it. It didn't take many days to determine I didn't like it. The new one might be okay. I did already test the new streaming box, and I like it much better than the original streaming box. It could still benefit from more RAM and a more powerful device would be better, but it is ...

YouTube TV reduces delays, and that may not be good

Last week, Google announced that users could reduce the delay on YouTube TV. That may not be a good thing. Okay, if you're watching live sports, it's good -- in theory. In practice, maybe not. Here's what Google posted last week about the new feature: Broadcast delay is the delay between the camera capturing an event and the event being displayed when you’re watching on your TV. The lower the broadcast delay, the less buffer the video player will have. With a lower broadcast delay, you’re more likely to experience playback interruption. Internet congestion, Wi-Fi interference, and other factors may also cause live programming issues, which can delay the stream. Delays can happen even when you have a great network. What does that mean? Well, TV Answer Man Phillip Swann answered it well : In other words, if you choose to reduce the delay between the live action of a sports event and when you see it on screen, the odds increase you will experience buffering,...

Hulu and Disney Plus apps combined

I saw reports recently that Hulu had been integrated into the Disney Plus app. I didn't find that to be the case, but that's probably because it rolled out to different platforms at different times. Now, it is on my devices, and I have some thoughts on them. First, here's a rundown of the integration of the apps from Cord Cutters News: [ YouTube ] Now, my thoughts. I don't like it. No, I'm not being ornery. I might be ornery, but that's not the reason I don't like it. There is some missing and important functionality. I'm not talking about Hulu+Live TV either. I don't use that service, and it being missing isn't a problem. There are other things missing that I like about the Hulu app. The primary thing, and a deal-breaker for me, is that the "My Stuff" section of Hulu is missing. That's important. If you're not familiar, "My Stuff" is essentially your watch list. You add shows to "My Stuff" and when ne...

Windows 10 extended security updates

Microsoft is dropping support for Windows 10 in October 2025. You may wonder if that's a big deal or not. Well, for some people, it is. Windows 11 has some pretty serious hardware requirements. That means someone (maybe you) could have a perfectly good computer that is missing some component that is a requirement of Windows 11. A perfectly good computer may not support Windows 11. Or is it that Windows 11 may not support a perfectly good computer. Either way, that is a situation where the operating system becomes out of date in less than two years. To me, that's a big deal. What does Microsoft say to do? They offer three options : "Refresh ineligible PCs to new Windows 11 eligible devices." That means buy a new computer. "Migrate to Windows 11 in the cloud with Windows 365." This is really an option for businesses, but if you have a business with a lot of Windows 10 computers that can't upgrade to Windows 11, this may be an option. "Exte...

College Football Playoffs, fixed

For many years (not quite 20 years), some online friends and I have been advocating a 16-team playoff for Division 1-AA/FBS college football. It took the NCAA years to get around to having a championship, and then they did it wrong. They only had two teams involved. It wasn't until 2014 that they expanded to four teams. Not nearly enough. This year proves that, if nothing else. Next year, they're expanding to 12 teams. That's still not enough, and that will come to light eventually, just as this year showed that four is way too few. What my friends and I have been advocating for years is a 16-team playoff. And, it's simple. Every conference champion gets the top spots. The remaining spots are filled with the best teams that did not win a conference title. That covers independents (think: Notre Dame), and the best teams that did not win their conference, either because they lost the title game (such as Georgia) or didn't make the title game (such as Ohio State). ...

If I didn't have an antenna

I watch local channels with an antenna. Tablo is my DVR of choice, and it allows me to watch local channels on any device on my network. Actually, I own the antenna at my mother's house, and I use Tablo Connect to watch from that antenna on the TVs at my house. But what if I didn't have an antenna? How would I get local channels then? Well, there are a few options I have. One is to simply not watch them. That's the cheapest way. Another depends on what it is I want to watch. If I want to watch NBC, ABC, or Fox network TV shows, then I can use Hulu for $8/month and watch the content the next day. If I want CBS, I have to subscribe to Paramount Plus for $6/month for next day viewing. If all I want is NBC, Peacock TV for $6/month gets next day viewing. If I want local content, or live content, I can get local and live CBS by subscribing to Paramount Plus for $12/month, and local and live NBC by subscribing to Peacock TV for $12/month. There are no cheap options for live/l...

Reconnecting Tablo Connect

A while back, I set up and used Tablo Connect . I had purchased an antenna for my mother's house, and set up Tablo locally. I was going to put up an antenna at my house, but decided to try Tablo Connect. It worked great. After my sisters leased the house to a couple, I set up Air TV for them, and disconnected Tablo Connect. They've moved, and I got with my sister and set up Tablo for her, and set up Tablo Connect for use at my house. It works again. The only problem with Tablo Connect is that it only works with network connected Legacy Tablo devices. That means the new 4th Generation devices don't support Tablo Connect. You can't watch TV from another location. You have to be on the same network. Okay, there is another problem with Tablo Connect. Roku isn't supported. I use Chromecast to watch via Tablo Connect. I could use Fire TV instead, but I use Chromecast, because I like it better. And, you have to use the Legacy Tablo app, as the new Tablo App doesn't...

Do you need a streaming device if you already have a smart TV?

First, know that I am a fan of streaming devices. I think Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Google/Android TV devices are good options for streaming. But what if you already have a smart TV? Suppose your TV already has apps. Should you get a Roku, Fire TV, or other device? The answer to that question is easy: maybe. Many smart TVs include one of the above-mentioned systems as the "smarts" of the smart TV. You can find Roku TV devices. Those are TVs that include the Roku software. You can also find TVs with Fire TV or Android/Google TV built in. You turn then on, and there is the Fire TV or Android/Google TV menu. If you have one of those TVs -- Roku TV, built in Fire TV, or built in Android/Google TV -- then you really don't need a streaming device attached. Unless of course you want to. Why would you want to? Well, there is actually a good reason, which I'll cover shortly. If your smart TV does not use one of those platforms, then I'm going to suggest that ...

Is a live streaming package necessary?

The question many people ask when they cut the cord or start streaming is "How can I still watch TV like I'm used to watching it?" The answer is, you can't. You may be able to watch the same content, but the experience won't be the same. Is the difference difficult? For some people, it is. But for most people, it's really not that difficult. It wasn't for me. I'm not a young person. I'm older, and I had no trouble with it. So, how do you determine how difficult it will be? Let me answer the question with a question: How upset do you get when the cable company changes the channel numbers, or drops a channel and replaces it with something else? If you throw a hissy fit, you won't like switching from cable to streaming. Then again, you won't like cable for long, because they will change the channels. If you can deal with it, then you'll be just fine. Have you ever moved? I mean, really moved? To a different city? Or to a different pl...

More streaming tiers?

Good news everyone! Or not. According to an online report, streaming services are looking to double the number of tiers they offer customers. This isn't a good thing. Well, I don't think it is. Let's start by looking at the report, then we'll go from there. Roger Cheng from Cord Cutters News reported last week that Deloitte Technology, Media, & Telecommunications predictions for the upcoming year pointed to doubling of pricing tiers: You're already seeing the results of the streaming services' shift to prioritize profitability. Virtually every streaming service has raised prices on their existing plans, or introduced new tiers, like Max's Bleacher Report sports add-on, which will costs an additional $9.99 a month starting in March. Netflix brought back its basic plan -- with a $2 increase. Disney+ and Netflix introduced cheaper ad-based tiers, with Amazon set to roll out ads next year, with the option to pay $2.99 to remove them. But, accordi...

Browser dangers

We often focus on network, device, and system security and privacy on weekends. Today is another one of those days. Internet Privacy Guy Rob Braxman says that browsers offer hidden dangers. [ YouTube ] None of this is to panic you. Rather, it's to inform you of the things you need to be aware in today's world. It's really up to you how seriously you take your security and privacy. I like to take mine seriously. My Streaming Life is mine. What I share of it should be my choice.

Watching College Football in 2023: Championship Week

The Conference Championship Week of college football for 2023 has begun. All 10 Division 1-A/FBS conferences have their championship games this week, with two already played last night. Conference USA Pac-12 There are eight games scheduled today: Atlantic Coast Conference American Athletic Conference Big Ten Conference Big Twelve Conference Mid-American Conference Mountain West Conference Southeastern Conference Sun Belt Conference There is one game next week: Army vs Navy, with each team trying to become bowl elibible. Today's games will be broadcast over several networks. Here are the channels or networks you'll need to watch all the games: ABC CBS CBS Sports Network ESPN Fox Here's how to get all the networks: ABC Antenna (free) Sling TV ( 8 markets only ) ($45/month) Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month) Hulu+Live TV ($77/month) YouTube TV ($73/month) Fubo (Pro) ($75/month) DirecTV (Entertainment) ($85/m...

New Tablo devices add holiday feature

I have an old Tablo device. They call it a "legacy" device. What I'm writing about today doesn't apply to me, or those with legacy devices. However, if you have a new Tablo device, or are thinking about getting one, this is for you. Tablo has updated the new Tablo interface, available on the 4th generation DVRs, to include holiday content. The special "Home for the Holidays" featured content row makes it easy to discover, watch and record new and classic holiday TV shows, specials and movies from major broadcast networks and the free live streaming TV channels included in your Tablo guide. Tablo has your holiday viewing locked and loaded, from Rudolph to the Grinch to festive rom-coms and wintertime tales. My Streaming Life doesn't have a new Tablo device, and won't until they support remote watching (Tablo Connect), which is only available on legacy devices. But, if  you have, or are thinking about, a new Tablo device, this is good news.