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Which à la carte App or bundled services will it be?
Time to subscribe! We compared individual Apps and bundled streaming services to match location, bandwidth, device & budget for you…
Frustrated with the seemingly high cost of Cable TV, Set-Top-Box Rental Fees and Premium Packages that just don’t seem to include the right mix of programming for you and everyone else in the house?
Ready to cut that cord? Are you sure? Well, based on our experience, don’t cancel so fast without giving it some proper thought.
While subscribing to a streaming service is so easy, choosing a single one, amongst the twenty-plus premium providers or combination of handpicked bundled Apps, requires careful consideration based on key factors. Let us explore them:
- Location
- Bandwith
- Device
- Taste
- Budget
- Usage
- Broadcast
Location is a key consideration as many services, due to licensing agreements are geographically locked. Check if the App streaming service is available in your Country. While there may be ways around this, Piracy should never be an option. Consider the use of a virtual private network (VPN), if legal, where you reside.
Bandwidth is becoming less of an issue as Broadband infrastructure, WiFi access and Data speeds increase across the globe. Throttling, outages and heavy traffic can dampen or all-out stop the experience. Luckily, many Apps allow for downloads when access is good, for viewing when it is not.
Device can impact the experience as streaming Apps are software and they may not be fully compatible with all hardware. While most users have more than one gateway, it is good to check beforehand to ensure you can view on your screen of choice. Features such as AirPlay may allow one to stream from Mobile to Television if it is not possible to do so directly.
Taste vary greatly by user and it is highly likely that more than one individual, gender and age group will access the subscription. When it comes to Video, interested in blockbusters, documentaries, family-friendly content, news, sports or television series? For Games, prefer the graphic horsepower of a console or access to hundreds of streaming titles that may not suit the gameplay needs of avid gamers? Music services have become a bit more homogenous, satisfying the needs of most users. With bundles, consider packaging with your Cloud Service, Video or Gaming service.
Budget should be a factor, especially when considering the long run. While Streaming may seem cheaper than traditional Cable and Satellite subscriptions at their onset, what is the lifetime cost when just one App will not do? Read Cinetaste: Compare for ways to save.
A couple of final considerations before you rush to click, “Subscribe” to offerings from AppleTV+, Deezer, Stadia, Netflix, Spotify, Apple Arcade, Prime Video, Apple Music, Mixer, Hulu, Pandora, Twitch, Disney+, Google Play Music or GeForce…
What about Local, “Live” Broadcast TV and the overall ease of use when compared with Streaming?
Ease of Use is something this writer grapples with. Radio was easy. Rabbit Ears TV was limited. Cable offered all content via a single remote, from a single device. Highly convenient, although there were paywalls and some portability restrictions. Physical media takes up space, limited to library, yet matches consumer tastes. Streaming Apps, for the most part, offer the bests of the best. Just be aware, that it may take fifteen minutes or more from the time you want to Listen to a track, Play a game or Watch a film…until the opening credits and score begin to roll.
Broadcasts of Local, Live TV (Network Series, News, Sports, Weather), without Cable or Satellite can be accomplished via built-in Digital Tuner or equivalent Set-Top Box & Antenna. Note: Reception quality will vary. Feel this type of programming is unnecessary with all the rich, blockbuster content that awaits within premium streaming Apps? Wait until this free content it is gone. Trust me, it will be missed!
For the past decade, consumers have complained about being tied to a restrictive Cable contract, full of bundled tiers of channels that did not fit their specific consumption habits. Napster started the Music revolution, Netflix continued with Video and Steam with Gaming.
Media is now being unbundled into specific, branded studio Apps. Many titles that made Netfilx a success are now moving to other Apps. Consumers are now free! Free to subscribe to more Apps now that there are limitless options, options, options… but at a cost. The choice is fully yours. So, what will it be?
Consider becoming a member of the AppFlicks community as either an AppFlicker Critic, JoulePepper Contributor or AuteurX Creator via our Login page. If you are a professional streamer, please share your experiences (pro / con), helpful tips and horror stories with the rest of us. Look forward to your JoulePepper rating of my topic and let me know your comments in the JouleStream section, below…
I look forward to your JoulePepper rating of my JouleView about “Which à la carte App or bundled services will it be?” and I’d love to read your comments in the JouleStream section, below. Let’s make it a discussion! Based on what I shared above, Streaming seems to be the “it” way to consume Video, Games and Music, so I give it, 4 out of 5 JoulePeppers – it’s Hot!
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