Home intercom 2.0: If you have Google Nest speakers all around the house, you can send a message to everyone at once. Mobilize your family by saying, “Hey, Google, broadcast …” and then your message. The car will be leaving in 5 minutes, kids.
Streaming costs inching up? Cheapskate secrets you need to know
The top-tier Netflix plan is now a jaw-dropping $22.99 a month. I remember being shocked when it hit $19.99, and here we are again. And Netflix isn’t alone; Disney+ and Hulu have raised their prices, and you can bet every other streaming service will soon follow suit.
It’s the perfect time to take a step back and really examine what you’re paying for. Here are tips to help you trim down those monthly charges.
Audit your subscriptions
Streaming services thrive on autopilot subscriptions — you know, those monthly charges you barely notice till they all add up. My golden rule? If I’m actively watching a show, I keep the service, and if I’m not, I’ll cancel and only resubscribe when there’s something new I want to watch.
Set a reminder a few days on your calendar before each subscription payment to review whether you still need the service. This simple habit can save you from unexpected charges.
Canceling on mobile?
Streaming companies make canceling tricky. They know most of us are too busy or frustrated to follow through. The process can be especially confusing if you’re using a smartphone, so cancel from a desktop or laptop computer, where it’s much easier to navigate.
Don’t miss out on freebies
You might already have access to free movies and TV shows and not even know it! For example:
- Max (formerly HBO Max): Included with some AT&T phone and internet plans.
- Apple TV+: Free for three months with the purchase of a new Apple device or for T‑Mobile customers with specific plans.
- Paramount+: Some Walmart+ members get a free Paramount+ subscription included with their membership.
- Peacock: Free access to limited content for Comcast Xfinity internet and TV customers.
- Spotify Premium with Hulu: If you’re a Spotify Premium student subscriber, you get Hulu (ad-supported) and Showtime included.
- T-Mobile: Free Netflix with certain plans.
- Verizon: Offers the Disney+ bundle (Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+) free with some unlimited plans.
- Amex Platinum: Includes monthly statement credits for services like Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ as part of its Entertainment Credit (check the terms!).
- Chase Sapphire Reserve: Offers subscription credits for select services like DoorDash, which sometimes bundles free streaming perks.
- Capital One Rewards: Occasionally offers free trials for streaming platforms via their rewards marketplace.
It’s worth checking if your cellphone provider, credit card company or internet provider includes streaming perks. I bet they do!
There are also great free streaming services, like Pluto TV, Tubi and Crackle, each offering a surprising variety of shows and movies without a subscription. Here are seven ways to stream TV and movies for free.
Automakers want to get rid of AM radio
When I was growing up, my dad worked for United Airlines, and I traveled a lot. I would always sneak a portable AM radio in my backpack, and as the plane crisscrossed the country, I would tune into various stations along the way. Never would I have imagined what that little hobby would become for me.
Broadcast TV is struggling
Did you know the top media executives met for a fancy event last week? Here’s how TV’s head honchos are doing, in 60 seconds.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
⚠️ Talk to your kids: A 16-year-old girl faked her birthdate to sign up for Tinder and matched with a 34-year-old man. The two met up, and then he drugged her and broadcast sex acts to thousands of people on an adult website. She told her therapist, who called the police. These dating apps must find better ways to verify the user’s age.
43.5 hours weekly
The time the average American home spends watching broadcast TV, traditional TV and streaming video. Half of that video viewing is done on a TV screen; the rest is split between phones, tablets and computers. These numbers don’t include videos on social media platforms, like TikTok, Instagram Reels and whatever videos on Facebook are called … We can probably double or triple the phone-viewing hours, then, right?
Sweet trick: Use a smart speaker as an intercom
Remember screaming, “Dinner’s ready!” Or maybe you had a fancy built-in intercom system in your house? Those clunky old systems feel outdated today, but man, were they handy.
Good news: You have access to the future world version if you own any smart speakers. It’s super easy to set up. Let me show you how.
Ahoy, matey! Streaming costs are bringing back piracy
How much do pirates pay for corn? A buck-an-ear! How much do they pay for streaming services? Uh, they don’t.
On a recent Friday podcast, Andrew mentioned all the services he subscribes to to watch football. A reader sent a note with a suggestion: “Just watch on an illegal streaming site. Oh, and be careful what you click.”
Science says taking selfies is good for you
It’s easy to hate on selfies and think they’re only for the self-obsessed. But a study from the University of Ohio and the University of Tubingen in Germany shows selfies can be more than just a way to show off your looks.
Turn off this TV setting ASAP
With most tech gadgets, you get what you pay for. That means cool features and high-quality visuals are often limited to expensive devices. However, you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg to get a five-star experience when it comes to TVs.
7 best antennas for a clear TV signal
In the age of streaming, broadcast television can seem like a relic. However, with just a simple antenna attached to your TV, you can stream live content in HD from popular networks entirely for free. If crystal-clear programming is what you’re after, though, you’ll need to find the right antenna for you.
Online quiz HQ Trivia is back to give out money, take your mind off COVID-19
Updated 03/30/2020 – If you’re looking for fun ways to pass time during this coronavirus pandemic, there’s good news. The once-popular HQ Trivia app that closed shop in February is back online with new investors. Its most recent host, Matt Richards, announced the trivia app is back this weekend on Twitter and said if you’ve been waiting to cash out, you’ll be able to this week.
Watch local TV for free on your smartphone or computer -- in 9 major cities
Cable became a mainstay of most households just a few decades ago, but with the rise of streaming, it appears to be on the way out. Still, there are shows and events you can catch only on live TV, and there are ways to get those channels for free if you don’t have cable or an antenna. Don’t get too excited yet: The non-profit service is available in only nine cities — New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington DC, Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, Dallas and Denver.