Category: Uncategorized

Amazon Fire TV Stick, bachelorette, Cord Cutting, Fire TV, Live TV, Uncategorized, YouTube Live TV, YouTube TV

Settle In and Get Ready for Season 15 of ‘The Bachelorette’: Stream Live Online

Dating game shows have a way to pull us in, wondering who will end up with whom, whether or not this contestant will win or maybe it’s that other one. It’s a whole lot of crazy that we can call our guilty pleasure and be done with it. So, if you also want to have fun watching The Bachelorette live online this time around, we’re here to help you out.

The season that will premiere on May 13 on ABC will be the fifteenth and it will feature Hannah Brown in the main role. Hannah was one of the early favorites of the 23rd season of The Bachelor, but she was dumped after meeting Colton Underwood’s family. Everything is for the best, apparently, because the 24-year-old former Miss Alabama USA will get the chance at love on her own terms.

The show will air on ABC on Mondays. The time the show will air is still unclear, but the previous series filled the 8 PM ET timeslot. Let’s go ahead and learn all there is to know about watching The Bachelorette.

Can You Watch The Bachelorette for Free on ABC’s Website?

Well, yes and no. You can watch The Bachelorette on ABC live, but you can’t do it for free. More specifically, you need to set up an account and associate credentials you have from a cable provider or a live TV platform. This means that you’re certainly paying to watch ABC. We suggest going for a live TV platform, however, because those are better at handling high volumes of traffic.

What Live TV Services Can You Subscribe to watch The Bachelorette?

Nowadays, we already use the Internet for pretty much anything, whether we’re talking about chatting with our friends, having fun on YouTube, gaming, watching our favorite shows, and more, so why not also watch TV online? Cable has become extremely expensive and it’s impossible to make those plans your own. Plus, that contract they make you sign doesn’t allow you to cancel early without paying an arm and a leg for it. On the other hand, live TV platforms are far cheaper, they can be customized, and you can cancel whenever you feel like it because there’s nothing keeping you from that. Plus, you can watch your favorite shows no matter where you are when they start airing because you only need a smartphone (or another compatible device) and an Internet connection. Let’s see what options you have moving forward.

Hulu – Topping our list, we have Hulu, which is a great service that offers loads of channels for only $44.99 per month. The list of channels they offer is pretty extensive and it does include ABC, so you’re good to go. Make sure to also customize the service by adding two channel packs and premium networks if you so desire.

YouTube TV – Our next suggestion is YouTube TV, which is a great single-bundle platform. Priced at only $40 per month, you can have loads of fun watching dozens of channels, including ABC. If you want to customize the service, you only have premium networks to pick from. On the other hand, the perks subscribers are offered, which you can read below, are pretty great in themselves

PlayStation Vue – Another great option is to pick PlayStation Vue, which comes with loads of great perks. There are four bundles to pick from here – Access, Core, Elite, and Ultra – and ABC is part of them all. There are also several premium networks available, as well as extra channel packs and the sports pack which includes NFL Redzone.

DirecTV Now – DirecTV Now is another option we’re sure you’ll want to check out. There are now two featured bundles here – Plus and Max – and five older bundles that used to have a different name and used to cost half of what they do now – Entertainment, Choice, Xtra, Ultimate, and Optimo Mas. ABC is part of all seven bundles, so you can pick whichever one you like best. If you want, there are also two packs featuring Spanish-language channels, as well as several international bundles, plus several premium networks.

Sling TV – Last on our list, we have Sling TV, which is a platform that doesn’t actually feature ABC. But, if you find yourself liking this platform enough to subscribe to it, consider paying for two or three months in advance because they’ll give you a free TV antenna. It is through that antenna that you’ll be able to watch ABC.

What Can You Do If ABC Isn’t Available in Your Area?

Across the United States, there are several channels that can be watched via local stations, including ABC. Live TV platforms are also affected by this location issue, but the good news is that you can easily overcome the problem with the help of a VPN. You see, live TV platforms judge your location like any other website – by reading your IP address. If your IP address would show you are in a different location, such as a large metropolitan area, for instance, then you could watch ABC. Here’s what you need to do.

  • The first step you must take is to choose a VPN. We’ve reviewed dozens of these over the years and our favorite continues to be ExpressVPN. So, make sure you visit ExpressVPN and subscribe to the service.
  • As soon as you download and install the app, you can launch the app and log into your account. Make sure to pick a server located in a big metropolitan area and connect to it.
  • Once that process is complete, you should go to the live TV platform you chose, log in and enjoy watching all the local channels available in your new area.
  • Enjoy watching The Bachelorette!

How Can You Watch The Bachelorette With a TV Antenna?

There are several channels across the United States that you can watch with the help of a TV antenna, and ABC is part of that list. The benefits of having such an antenna start with the low price one of these devices has and continues with the fact that you get to watch TV for free. The only downside we can think of is the very limited number of channels you’d actually get to watch.

How Can You Watch The Bachelorette With a TV Antenna?

There are several channels across the United States that you can watch with the help of a TV antenna, and ABC is part of that list. The benefits of having such an antenna start with the low price one of these devices has and continues with the fact that you get to watch TV for free. The only downside we can think of is the very limited number of channels you’d actually get to watch.

Uncategorized

AT&T’s New Subscription Streaming Service Will Be Partially Supported by Ads

Today AT&T announced new details about their new subscription streaming service they plan to launch later this year. For some time now we have known that there would be multiple subscription plans. Now we have learned the lower level plans will include ads even though you are paying. If you want an ad-free experience you will have to pay a higher cost similar to Hulu’s ad-free option.

“Customers have become accustomed to advertising-free subscription services,” AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson said. “And we think HBO and a lot of the Warner Brothers content, that’s really premium content, will fit into that mold,” he said. “But there are other elements where advertising-supported models are going to be important to keep prices down, to keep costs for the consumer down and actually fund additional content acquisition and purchasing,” Stephenson went on to add.

According to AT&T, their new on-demand service will launch in the fourth quarter of 2019 and it will include three levels: a basic entry-level option that will offer movies, a premium service level with original HBO programming and “blockbuster movies,” and a final level that will include the first two plus additional content from WarnerMedia and other content providers. It is very likely that the basic entry-level option will be the one that has ads included. Higher level plans will likely be ad-free.

Source: Tech Crunch

Uncategorized

Live TV competitors worth trying

Sling TV is the undisputed leader in live TV streaming. It offers the most flexibility, a budget-minded price point, and some of the best channel packages around. In the last year or so, Sling TV has also added the ability to order some pay-per-view events, more premium channel offerings, and the ability to rent movies, making it a compelling alternative to cable. But there are plenty of Sling TVcompetitors, and each of them has its own selling points worth considering. Here’s what you need to know about each one.

Sling TV competitors

1) Hulu with Live TV

sling tv alternative hulu

Hulu with Live TV is the most comprehensive streaming service out there. Not only do you get more than 50 channels of live TV—including Syfy, Freeform, and a better selection of local channels than what you’ll find on Sling TV—but each subscription comes with free access to Hulu’s on-demand library. That means you can watch thousands of movies and all your favorite shows when you can’t find something to watch on TV, not to mention critically acclaimed Hulu original series like The Handmaid’s Tale. (Here’s the complete list of Hulu Live TV channels.)

Why it’s better than Sling TV: No service can compete with Hulu when it comes to on-demand entertainment. (Here are our picks for the best movies on Hulu, Hulu documentaries, anime, and the must-see Hulu original series.) Hulu is also the only live TV service that works with Nintendo Switch.

Why it’s not: While Hulu offers HBO and Showtime, it’s still lacking premium channels like NFL RedZone, subscription services NBA League Pass, and pay-per-view events. Sling TV also offers more flexibility with its channel packages.

2) Philo

Sling TV used to be the cheapest option for live TV streaming. Then Philo came out and undercut the market. For just $16 per month, you’ll get AMC, HGTV, Comedy Central, BBC America, and some entertainment options you’d have to upgrade with Sling TV to receive. (Here are all of Philo’s channels)

Why it’s better than Sling TV: It’s significantly cheaper, and it comes with free cloud DVR, which costs an extra $5 per month with Sling TV.

Why it’s not: Philo offers only a fraction of what you’ll find on Sling TV, and it lacks local channels and premium upgrades.

3) FuboTV

  • Cost: $39.99 for your first month and $44.99 per month thereafter (after a 7-day free trial)
  • FuboTV devices: Roku , Apple TV , Amazon Fire TV , Android TV, iOS and Android devices
  • FuboTV local channels: Fox, NBC, CBS (check local availability here)

FuboTV is best known as a streaming service for sports, but it’s so much more than that. In addition to specialty sports options like NBA TV, NFL Network, Big Ten Network, and beIN Sports, FuboTV offers family favorites like HGTV, History, Hallmark Channel, and Syfy. While Sling TV offers add-on packages that cater to Spanish-speaking viewers, no one offers more for bilingual families than FuboTV. (Here’s the complete FuboTV channels list.)

Why it’s better than Sling TV: FuboTV is the best service for international soccer, and it offers three-day replay for games and 30 hours of free cloud DVR. It’s also starting to experiment with 4K channels.

Why it’s not: The major flaw with FuboTV is that it lacks ABC and ESPN channels, which is an instant deal-breaker for many. Sling TV is also more convenient, giving you a way to order UFC fights and rent movies all from one place.

4) YouTube TV

YouTube TV offers a comprehensive solution for quitting cable. Its channel package is incredibly well-rounded, covering sports essentials (ESPN, FS1), college networks (Big Ten Network), news (BBC World News, Fox News, CNN), and plenty of entertainment (AMC, Disney, Bravo). Unlike Sling TV, YouTube TV offers all of the local channels you need, even the CW. (You can find the full list of YouTube TV channels here.)

Why it’s better than Sling TV: You can add up to six accounts per household, and each one of those accounts gets unlimited cloud DVR. Even better: You can fast-forward through ads in recorded programs.

Why it’s not: What you see is pretty much what you get. YouTube TV lacks a lot of the premium upgrades you’ll find with other services.

5) DirecTV Now

sling tv competitors DirecTV Now

DirecTV Now is basically DirecTV without the contracts and hassle. DirecTV Now offers five different channel packages, including one that caters specifically to Spanish-speaking viewers. You’ll find pretty much every channel you could hope for—you just might have to upgrade to get it. With DirecTV now, you can also add HBO for just $5 more per month. (You can view the full DirecTV Now channels list here.) 

Why it’s better than Sling TV: No service offers more channels than DirecTV Now, with its largest package, Gotta Have It, boasting more than 125 channels. AT&T Unlimited customers can also save $25 a month off every DirecTV Now package.

Why it’s not: There’s a lot of filler with DirecTV Now, especially in some of the bigger packages, and Sling TV offers a cheaper entry point for a basic package.

6) PlayStation Vue

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a PlayStation to use PlayStation Vue. In fact, it’s the only streaming service that’s Kodi-compatible. PlayStation Vue offers a similar collection of channels to other services, with its entry-level package offering ESPN, Syfy, and AMC, in addition to local channels. (Here are all of PlayStation Vue channels.) Plus, you can stream on up to five devices at once (compared to just four with Sling Orange + Blue), and there’s unlimited cloud DVR.

Why it’s better than Sling TV: PlayStation Vue offers a great user experience, especially if you’re streaming from a PlayStation console.

Why it’s not: PlayStation Vue is one of the more expensive options on the market, and it lacks a lot of the premium add-ons and other features you’ll find on other services.

Amazon, Amazon Echo Plus, Smart Home, Uncategorized, Zigbee

Zigbee explained: Plus the best devices that use it


It’s a big deal in the smart home space so get yourself clued up

Syncing up all the top smart home devices isn’t easy, and it requires a common language to bind together a wealth of tech from different manufacturers. That’s where Zigbee comes in – it is one of the leading protocols in helping tech talk to each other.

But how does Zigbee work, is it any good and, most importantly, should you even care? We attempt to answer those crucial questions below.

What is Zigbee?

Right, let’s start by trying to cover smart home protocols without dying of boredom. They’re how your sensors, bulbs, hubs, and cameras all talk to each other – and to you – quickly and securely. They’re necessary because the protocols you’re more familiar with, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, are rubbish for meshing together a lot of low power devices spread all around your home.

A better solution was required, and Zigbee – along with Z-Wave – is the answer.

What’s so good about Zigbee?

Zigbee uses the IEEE’s 802.15.4 personal-area network standard to communicate with other Zigbee devices between 32–65 feet depending on a few factors – and that’s why protocols like this are so important.

It creates a mesh, where each interoperable device becomes a sort of outpost, able to communicate with the next device. Because we’re going to end up having a lot of devices and sensors in our home, Zigbee needs to be able to support a lot of devices on the network, and luckily, it will cope with 65,000 at any given time. That should just about cover it.

Without the need for a centralized hub, it’s theoretically possible for devices to work over a huge area, passing on information around the mesh.


FUN FACT
When bees are returning to their hive, they do a ‘waggle dance’ to communicate important information to other bees, such as where to find that high-grade pollen or where the new nest is located. This zigzag dance is how Zigbee got its name. 

Now let’s get a bit more technical.

The current version, Zigbee 3.0, also benefits from 128-bit symmetric encryption – so data being shot around the mesh is pretty secure. However, if you’re really focused on top-notch security, there have been claims that there are Zigbee vulnerabilities around the way it handles encryption keys.

Zigbee works at 2.4GHz more often than not. This boosts transfer rates and Zigbee can fire round data at around 250kbps, which is pretty good – more than enough for simple signals like “hey the door just opened” or “lightbulb to 50% brightness”. However, 2.4GHz might sound familiar to you, and that’s because pretty much everything works on that spectrum – most notably your Wi-Fi enabled devices – and that means interference is a possibility.

Zigbee Alliance and Zigbee devices

So what kind of devices use Zigbee?

Well, the makers of Zigbee have started an alliance – this is how these things tend to work – of companies who essentially sign up to use Zigbee. There are over 400 members of the Zigbee Alliance, and they’ve racked up 2,500 devices between them.

The Zigbee Alliance recently announced that half a billion Zigbee chipsets have been sold to date and that Zigbee Alliance technologies will account for 3.8 billion IEEE 802.15.4 units expected to have shipped by 2023.


Amazon is taking more control over smart home tech

Partner brands that participate in the Alliance read like a who’s who of the industry, but try Centrica, ARM, Philips, Comcast and AT&T for size. You can get a full list here.

Zigbee devices to try

Zigbee hubs… and alternatives

If you’re bringing together a load of Zigbee devices, it’s not enough just to plug them in and start controlling. You’ll need some kind of hub to bring them together. Amazon Echo Plus works have a Zigbee hardware hub, which can scan your network for Zigbee devices, without you having to set up each one individually. There are also options like SmartThings and Wink, which are also hubs that can add and control Zigbee devices, all from within one single app.

But Zigbee isn’t the only standard out there, and there’s also Z-Wave, which has nuanced differences and has more companies signed up.

Z-Wave has a better range and the signal has a maximum theoretical distance of about 100m, making it suitable even for a home the size of Buckingham Palace. It also runs on a different spectrum, and won’t be interfered with by Wi-Fi.

Zigbee: Should you care?

The rise of agnostic hubs and devices like the Amazon Echo and Google Home mean that, thankfully, you shouldn’t need to care too much about whether your devices are running Zigbee or a different protocol. It would make your life easier if all your devices run on the same protocol, but the reality is that it’s extremely difficult to manage.

The question did raise its ugly head around the launch of the Amazon Echo Plus with its built-in smart home hub, which uses Zigbee but not Z-Wave. That was a black mark against the Echo Plus as a hardware hub, but the reality is that thanks to the Works with Alexa program, workarounds are already in place, and a lot of third-party hubs boast both standards anyway.

Uncategorized

The 5G revolution is coming. Here’s everything you need to know

The next generation of wireless technology, fittingly known as 5G, is just around the corner. And it promises to change our lives forever.

At least, that’s what the wireless industry is saying. It really wants 5G to be a thing.

Ever since Verizon said it would be the first major telecom company to deploy 5G field tests three years ago, the hype for the technology has been building. It’s been referred to as a foundational tech that will supercharge areas like self-driving cars, streaming virtual and augmented reality and telemedicine like remote surgery.

But what exactly is 5G? Why are people so excited? The following is a breakdown of why the next generation of wireless technology is more than just a boost in speed, and why you should be excited yourself.

What is 5G?

It’s the next (fifth) generation of cellular technology which promises to greatly enhance the speed, coverage and responsiveness of wireless networks. How fast are we talking about? Think 10 to 100 times speedier than your typical cellular connection, and even faster than anything you can get with a physical fiber-optic cable going into your house. (You’ll be able to download a season’s worth of “Stranger Things” in seconds.)

Is it just about speed?

No! One of the key benefits is something called low latency. You’ll hear this word mentioned A LOT. Latency is the response time between when you click on a link or start streaming a video on your phone, sending the request up to the network, and when the network responds and gives you your website or starts playing your video.

That lag time can last around 20 milliseconds with current networks. It doesn’t seem like much, but with 5G, that latency gets reduced to 1 millisecond, or about the time it takes for a flash in a normal camera to finish.

That responsiveness is critical for things like playing an intense video game in virtual reality or for a surgeon in New York to control a pair of robotic arms performing a procedure in San Francisco.

How does it work?

5G initially used super high-frequency spectrum, which has shorter range but higher capacity, to deliver a massive pipe for online access. But given the range and interference issues, the carriers are starting to explore lower frequency spectrum — the type used in today’s networks, to help ferry 5G across greater distances and through walls and other obstructions.

Are there other benefits?

Yes! The 5G network is designed to connect a far greater number of devices than traditional cellular network. That Internet of Things trend you keep hearing about? 5G can power multiple devices around you, whether it’s a dog collar or a refrigerator.

The 5G network was also specifically built to handle equipment used by businesses, such as farm equipment or ATM machines. Beyond speed, it’s also designed to work different on connected products that don’t need a constant connection, like a sensor for fertilizer. Those kinds of low-power scanners are designed to work on the same battery for 10 years and still be able to periodically send over data.

Sounds great, but when does 5G get here?

Verizon will launch the first “5G” service in the world in October, but it’s a bit of a technicality.

The service isn’t mobile service, but a fixed broadband replacement. An installer will need to put in special equipment that can pick up the 5G signals and turn it into a Wi-Fi connection in the home so your other devices can access it.

There’s also some debate about whether the service even qualifies for 5G because it doesn’t use the standards that the industry has agreed upon. The company wanted to jump out ahead, and used its own proprietary technology. Verizon argues that the speeds, which range from 300 megabits per second to 1 gigabit per second, qualify the service for 5G designation. Its rivals and even experts from chipmaker Qualcomm disputes the claim.

Okay, but what about mobile 5G?

Verizon says it will launch its mobile 5G next year. AT&T is looking like the first company to launch a true mobile 5G service. It plans to launch 5G this year in 12 markets.

Like the Verizon deployment, expect the roll out of 5G in these cities to be extremely limited.

Also, there won’t be any 5G phones available yet, so you’ll initially get hockey puck-like wireless hotspot devices that can tap into those networks.

No 5G phones? Can’t I just pick up 5G with my existing smartphone?

Sorry, no. 5G technology requires a specific set of antennas which aren’t available yet. Sprint says it plans to release the first US smartphone next year, which will be built by LG.

5G smartphones are expected to come out in the first half of next year.

How broadly will 5G be available next year?

There’s a stronger possibility that you’ll be able to pick up 5G service (once you get a compatible phone), but it’s still going to be limited.

T-Mobile says it’s launching 30 cities next year, while Sprint will launch in six cities.

But don’t feel like you need to rush out to buy that first 5G smartphone. Chances are, service won’t be widely available until 2020 or beyond.

Our 5G glossary

Do you want to show off your 5G knowledge to your friends? Or seem like the smartest person at a party? Check out our 5G glossary below.

5G NR

The 5G bit is pretty obvious, but the NR stands for New Radio. You don’t have to know a lot about this beyond the fact that it’s the name of the standard that the entire wireless industry is rallying behind, and it just came out in December.

That’s important because it means everyone is on the same page when it comes to their mobile 5G networks. Carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile are following 5G NR as they build their networks. But Verizon, which began testing 5G as a broadband replacement service before the standard was approved, isn’t using the standard — yet. The company says it will eventually adopt 5G NR for its broadband service, and intends to use NR for its 5G mobile network.

Millimeter wave

All cellular networks use airwaves to ferry data over the air, with standard networks using spectrum in lower frequency bands like 700 megahertz. Generally, the higher the band or frequency, the higher the speed you can achieve. The consequence of higher frequency, however, is shorter range.

In order to achieve those crazy-high 5G speeds, you need really, really high frequency spectrum. The millimeter wave range falls between 24 gigahertz and 100 gigahertz.

The problem with super-high frequency spectrum, besides the short range, is it’s pretty finicky — a leaf blows the wrong way and you get interference. Forget about obstacles like walls. Companies like Verizon are working on using software and broadcasting tricks to get around these problems and ensure stable connections.

Sub-6GHz

Given how troublesome really high-band spectrum can be (see the “Millimeter wave” section), there’s a movement to embrace spectrum at a much lower frequency, or anything lower than 6GHz. The additional benefit is that carriers can use spectrum they already own to get going on 5G networks. T-Mobile, for instance, has a swath of 600MHz spectrum it plans to use to power its 5G deployment. Prior to sub-6GHz, that would’ve been impossible.

That’s why you’re seeing more carriers embrace lower frequency spectrum.

But lower frequency spectrum has the opposite problem: while it reaches great distance, it doesn’t have the same speed and capacity as millimeter wave spectrum.

The ideal down the line will be for carriers to use a blend of the two.

Gigabit LTE

You’re hearing more about Gigabit LTE as a precursor to 5G. Ultimately it’s about much higher speeds on the existing LTE network. But the work going toward building a Gigabit LTE network provides the foundation for 5G.

For more on Gigabit LTE, read our explainer here.

MIMO

An acronym for multiple input, multiple output. Basically, it’s the idea of shoving more antennas into our phones and on cellular towers. And you can always have more antennas. They feed into the faster Gigabit LTE network, and companies are deploying what’s known as 4×4 MIMO, in which four antennas are installed in a phone.

Carrier aggregation

Wireless carriers can take different bands of radio frequencies and bind them together so phones like the Samsung Galaxy S8 can pick and choose the speediest and least congested one available. Think of it as a three-lane highway so cars can weave in and out depending on which lane has less traffic.

QAM

This is a term that’s so highly technical, I don’t even bother to explain the nuance. It stands for quadrature amplitude modulation. See? Don’t even worry about it.

What you need to know is that it allows traffic to move quickly in a different way than carrier aggregation or MIMO. Remember that highway analogy? Well, with 256 QAM, you’ll have big tractor trailers carrying data instead of tiny cars. MIMO, carrier aggregation and QAM are already going into 4G networks, but play an important role in 5G too.

Beam forming

This is a way to direct 5G signals in specific direction, potentially giving you your own specific connection. Verizon has been using beam forming for millimeter wave spectrum, getting around obstructions like walls or trees.

Unlicensed spectrum

Cellular networks all rely on what’s known as licensed spectrum, which they own and purchased from the government.

But the move to 5G comes with the recognition that there just isn’t enough spectrum when it comes to maintaining wide coverage. So the carriers are moving to unlicensed spectrum, similar to the kind of free airwaves that our Wi-Fi networks ride on.

Network slicing

This is the ability to carve out individual slivers of spectrum to offer specific devices the kind of connection they need. For instance, the same cellular tower can offer a lower-power, slower connection to a sensor for a connected water meter in your home, while at the same time offering a faster, lower-latency connection to a self-driving car that’s navigating in real time.

Article originally posted on CNET.