Fire TV Stick Lite Vs. Standard Fire TV Stick: An Honest Review

The major difference between these media streaming devices is the price tag. Both of these devices have similarities, such as the performance is notably the same in both. Not only that, but there are several features you will get in both. In this article, we are going to provide you with everything you need to know to decide which one to buy between Fire TV Stick Lite and Fire TV Stick.

An Overview

In short, both of these devices have the same processor, video resolution, max frames per second, HDR support and more.

However, there are still some clear-cut differences between these two. One of the significant differences that you are going to see is the “lack of built-in Dolby support”. The lite version doesn’t have Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, etc.

Even though, the lite variant provides HDMI audio pass-through for Dolby Digital. Another notable dissimilarity between these gadgets is that the lite version does not come with TV controls on its remote.

Therefore, you cannot access your TV’S volume and power switch with the Alexa remote as you do with the standard Amazon Fire TV Stick remote.

However, these both major differences are almost manageable for most of the people. The lite variant does still support Alexa voice commands, and you can control the whole streaming device with the remote. The Dolby surround sound should not be an issue either for average users. Many people don’t give a damn to the sound quality, and they just get happy with normal stereo sound.

Even if you see from a techie’s perspective, the lite variant still provides the basic functions along with ease-of-access with Alexa.

The built-in Dolby support is not a significant point if you just want to stream movies and TV shows to your TV. However, if you are passionate about the sound quality, you should go for the standard Amazon Fire TV Stick to get the built-in Dolby support.

The Difference in Price  

The lite variant is 10 USD cheaper than the standard Fire TV Stick. Therefore you are saving $10 by excluding Dolby support and television controls. Now the decision is up to you; if you want to get the Dolby support and television controls, you should go for the standard version without a single doubt. However, if you are only concerned about money, then go for the lite variant with your eyes closed.  In Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite, you are only sacrificing the native Dolby support and basic TV controls.

Source:-   Fire TV Stick Lite Vs. Standard Fire TV Stick

What Feature Change Is Netflix Going to Offer?

 

What Feature Change Is Netflix Going to 

Offer?

Netflix is among one of the most loved online streaming services, and it is known for its back to back hit shows and movies in different languages and genres. One can stream Netflix on any platform without running into any trouble. They keep updating their features to help their audience have the best experience on their platform. Despite being a popular streaming platform all around the world, it is not a perfect platform.

They frequently have to bring new updates and features to make streaming better for their audience. In the past, Netflix had to streamline its interface, fix constant and recurring bugs, and rearrange their list of contents multiple times for easy accessibility. And these are the little things that have made it famous among their audience. They take the complaints of their audience under consideration and work on them. Earlier, Netflix used to have an annoying auto-play preview feature, and after the audience’s concern, they stopped that feature in February.

If you are a constant Netflix user, you would know how annoying it is to find a message popping on the screen that asks, “are you still watching?” Many people around the world feel the same as you and are as annoyed. But this feature is meant for the people who doze off to sleep while watching their favourite shows. But for the rest of the audience, it is just an annoying feature that interrupts their binge-watch sessions.

Fortunately, your complaints regarding this pop-up feature are going to be answered and resolved. Some users have noticed that “are you still watching?” message has stopped popping on their screens, and they have instead found a new option that reads “Play Without Asking Again.” Although it seems like a surprise as no one saw this feature rolling out on Netflix, the Twitter timeline has a different story to narrate.

There have been reports that Netflix’s old TikTok videos and tweets had introduced and featured this tweak a long time ago. A few weeks ago, they revealed that the experts are testing a new feature, and it will take some time to be available to the users. Since every testing phase is not always successful, Netflix had its fair share of troubles while getting this feature on its platform.

Although this feature was available since December 2019, only a few users had access to it. In March this year, everyone stopped talking and mentioning anything about any new feature. But again, in September, things took a turn, and this feature came back.

As per the reports, it is said that this feature has gone through two phases to ensure there are no loopholes in it. Soon, this feature will be available to all and will promise never to interrupt you while binge-watching your favorite series.

Source:-   What Feature Change Is Netflix Going to Offer?

The by Roku

 

The Latest Streaming Devices by Roku

Fall is the season when most of the companies decide to launch their latest hardware products, electronic gadgets, etc. A few days ago, Amazon held an event to launch it’s next-generation Fire TV Stick, some new Echo gadgets, Fire TV Stick Lite, and more. Amazon is the biggest competitor in the streaming devices category, and it has revealed a few new streaming devices of its own. On the other hand, Roku – known for its affordable digital media players offering access to streaming media content from various online services – is also going to launch some new streaming devices. Currently, Roku is updating its Roku Ultra, and soon you will get to experience some new features on it.

Surprisingly, Roku is adding a Streambar to its lineup as well. This Streambar includes Roku’s streaming services inside a compact soundbar. You can pre-order both the devices from Roku’s website. The official launch will be on 18th October, and then, you can find these devices on Amazon, Best Buy, and other major online retailing websites. Below, we have mentioned more details about the upcoming Roku devices to help you pick the best one for yourself:

Roku Ultra

This is the first time when Roku’s streaming device will have Dolby Vision HDR support. The 2019 model gets upgraded with better processing speed that will enable the apps to launch quicker and navigate easily. Its wireless range has extended by up to 50% so you can place it a little far from the router. Fortunately, you can still use the Ethernet port to establish a hardwired connection. It offers Dolby Atmos audio and adds support for the AV1 codec. This media player can stream HD/4K/Hart with dual-band wireless support. The Roku OS software update brings a lot of new features, but the best one is Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support.

The Voice remote comes with buttons for TV power and volume adjustments, and it also gives direct access to Netflix, Hulu, Sling, and CBS. The Roku Ultra package includes a lost remote finder and a headphone jack for private listening with included premium JBL headphones. You can watch 500, 000+ movies and TV episodes, with voice search across 1,000+ top channels, catch hit movies, popular shows, and more without any subscription on the Roku channel. With Bluetooth support, you can pair your smartphone for streaming music or other audio through the Roku Ultra to the TV. But this update has removed the microSD card slot. It costs $99.99 only.

Roku Streambar

The latest Roku Streambar streams in HD/4K/HDR. It will upgrade your TV with robust streaming and premium sound so you can hear every detail and watch everything in vibrant 4K HDR picture quality. Its setup is also simple, and everything is mentioned on the box. It can automatically lower loud commercials, boost the volume of voices, and optimize the sound for night listening so that you don’t wake up your family at midnight. It also enables the users to listen to music in vibrant, studio-quality sound from their favorite channels or any connected Bluetooth device.

You can power up your TV, adjust the volume, and control your streaming all with one remote. Use your voice to search, turn on the captions, and more. It is compatible with Alexa and Google Voice Assistant. You can easily expand the audio for heart-pounding bass and surround sound. It is available for $129.99 only.

Both of these devices are great and have amazing support. However, if you want more options in this price range, you would have to wait for this weekend as Google is also going to launch its streaming device. Then, you can compare all the available devices and choose the best one for yourself.

Source:- Latest Streaming Devices

 

Six Best New Movies to Watch This Week

The whole world has been affected by the pandemic, but streaming services are still entertaining us with unlimited entertainment. This is the perfect time to catch up with some tremendous iconic cinema while sitting at home. In this article, we have mentioned the six best movies you can watch this week:

Kajillionaire

Kajillionaire is an American comedy-drama movie directed by Miranda July.  The film features Evan Rachel Wood, Richard Jenkins, Debra Winger, Gina Rodriguez, and Mark Ivanir. Miranda July incredibly showcases the family of scammers, where a 26-year young girl named Old Dolio has been raised outside the American parenting standards. Over two eventful weeks, Old Dolio finally claims what she has been denied over the years. You can only watch this movie in selected theatres.

The Last Shift

The Last Shift is an American comedy movie directed by Andrew Cohn. The movie’s star cast includes Richard Jenkins, Shane Paul McGhie, Ed O’Neill, Allison Tolman, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Birgundi Baker. The movie plot revolves around Richard Jenkins, who works at a local restaurant for four decades. The movie beautifully depicts the conflicted and complicated layers of Stan’s character, played by Richard Jenkins. You can watch this movie in selected theatres only.

Shortcut

The shortcut is a fantasy horror movie directed by Alessio Liguori. The star cast includes Jack Kane, Andrei Claude, and Zak Sutcliffe. The film revolves around five teenagers whose bus took a shortcut into the wild, and now a mysterious creature is following them. You can watch this movie in more than 200 theatres and drive-ins.

The Trial of the Chicago 7

The Trial of the Chicago 7 is an American legal drama directed by Aaron Sorkin. The star cast includes Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Sacha Baron Cohen, Daniel Flaherty, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Keaton, Frank Langella, John Carroll Lynch, Eddie Redmayne, Noah Robbins, Mark Rylance, Alex Sharp, and Jeremy Strong. The movie revolves around anti-Vietnam War protesters accused of conspiracy and provoking riots at the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago. The film depicts a powerful and authentic law drama about the 1960s events. You can watch this movie in selected theatres. You can also stream this movie on Netflix after October 16, 2020. 

The Artist’s Wife

The Artist’s Wife is an American drama movie directed by Tom Dolby. The film’s star cast includes Bruce Dern, Lena Olin, Juliet Rylance, Avan Jogia, Catherine Curtin, and Stefanie Powers. The movie revolves around Claire, the wife of a famous artist Richard Smythson, diagnosed with dementia. As his health worsens, she tries to hide his husband’s erratic behavior from the art community. Being a painter herself, she has to decide whether she wants to stand with her husband or step into the center itself. The movie is available on-demand, or you can watch it in selected theatres.

Enola Holmes

Enola Holmes is an American mystery movie that revolves around the teenage sister of famous Sherlock Holmes. Enola Holmes is directed by Harry Bradbeer. Its star cast includes Millie Bobby Brown in the main character and Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin, Adeel Akhtar, Fiona Shaw, Frances de la Tour, Louis Partridge, Susie Wokoma, and Helena Bonham Carter in supporting roles. While searching for her mother, Enola uses her detective skills to outsmart his elder brother Sherlock Holmes. You can watch this movie on Netflix.

Conclusion

As mentioned above, the list has something to offer to everyone who wants to spend this week indulging in some great cinematic masterpiece.

Source:-  Six Best New Movies to Watch This Week 

 

What Is ESPN+ and How Much Does it Cost?

Are you thinking of buying an ESPN+ subscription? If your answer is yes, then you have come to the right place because today, we are going to share with you all the details about it like its pros and cons, availability, price, etc. so that you can make a wise decision. So, let’s get started and learn about it in detail.

What Is ESPN?

ESPN+ is an online streaming service (Owned by ESPN Inc and Walt Disney) that complements ESPN’s existing content. The streaming service provides you access to live and record ESPN content, exclusive on-demand videos, stats, highlights,      recaps, in-depth news, etc. Using it, you can watch live baseball, football, golf, tennis, boxing, and UFC (including exclusive pay-per-view (PPV) matches), etc.

How Does It Work?

Just like other major streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and Amazon Prime, you can access ESPN+ content by visiting the ESPN+ website or by downloading the ESPN+ app on a compatible mobile phone. Both the website and app have a very user-friendly interface that allows ESPN+ subscribers to find and stream their favorite content on ESPN+ quickly.

Data Requirements

As per the official ESPN+ website, you must have a minimum download speed of 2 Mbps to access and stream your favorite content on the website and app in good quality. However, if you want to stream your content in high-quality on ESPN+, then you must have a minimum download speed of 25 Mbps.

Where Is ESPN+ Available?

ESPN+ is currently available in the US. But you can access some of its content internationally using your ESPN Player subscription. However, if you want to access all the ESPN+ services and content, you can use a VPN service to access it.

How Much Does ESPN+ Cost?

The base plan of ESPN+ comes with a price tag of $5.99 per month, while the annual plan comes with a price tag of $49.99. However, if you are looking for value, you can purchase the Disney Plus-Hulu-ESPN Plus bundle for $12.99 per month. Besides this, you can cancel your subscription at any time with no extra fee or cancellation charges.

Is ESPN+ Worth It?

The base plan of ESPN+ comes with a price tag of $5.99 per month, which appears to be cheaper than other popular streaming services. But ESPN+ offers less content to its subscribers. For example, you can’t stream NFL games, MLB games, or NBA games on ESPN+. However, you can watch other sports like soccer, boxing, UFC (Including exclusive PPV matches) on ESPN+. But you will have to pay some extra fees to access and stream all the official UFC PPV events on ESPN+.

Our View

The streaming service provides you access to live and record ESPN content, exclusive on-demand videos, stats, highlights, game recaps, in-depth news, etc. You can also watch live baseball, football, golf, tennis, boxing, and UFC (including exclusive pay-per-view matches) on it. Besides this, it is cheaper than other popular streaming services. But you can’t watch the NFL, MLB, and NBA games on it. So, if you are ok with it, then you can purchase the ESPN+ subscription for you and your family.

Source:-  What Is ESPN+ And It's Cost

 

HBO Not Working? Here’s How to Fix HBO and HBO Max

HBO (Home Box Office) is an American cable and satellite TV network. It has been the king of premium and quality content for around 50 years now. The company started its digital service named HBO Max five years back. HBO’s massive library is one of the many reasons behind its success. Its shows and movies, like Game of Thrones, Veep, Silicon Valley, Westworld, Watchmen, and Lovecraft Country have gained love from all over the world. Its streaming service HBO Max has made it easy for everyone in the U.S. to access all of HBO’s current and past TV shows and original movies, plus extra content. The users of HBO Max can enjoy access to more than 10,000 hours of content each day.
But what if your HBO or HBO Max stops working suddenly?

What if the error occurs on a weekend when you had planned to watch a movie or a show? Well, to save yourself from this nightmare, you must know some of the possible fixes. Keep reading to learn.

Make sure you have entered the correct login and password

If you use HBO Max along with HBO at no extra cost, you might have to contact your cable or satellite TV source directly to recover your email or password. The HBO Max users can also contact the service. They will send you the email address details you used for the login.

How to fix HBO or HBO Max streaming problems at home?

A number of methods can be used to fix problems related to HBO or HBO Max not working.
Simply, restarting your TV, set-top box, game console, or mobile handset should solve most of your streaming issues.

You can try switching off your home router for around 60 seconds and then restarting it. This will solve any issue related to download stream. Another device that might be coming in the way of your HBO is the modem. Consider turning off your modem for up to 30 seconds and then restart it.

Merely reinstalling the HBO or HBO Max apps turn out to be helpful sometime. A speed of at least 3Mbps is required to download or access content on HBO Now or HBO Go. So, the streaming issues that you are facing could be due to poor signals. Sometimes, these signals get blocked if your wireless router is placed in a poor location. To fix this, you can try to move your router to an open area. You can also try to connect your router directly to your smart TV, set-up box, or game console.

How to fix HBO Max problems on smartphones and tablets?

Discussed below are some methods you may attempt, in case you find your HBO Max is not working properly on Android or iOS smartphones or tablets.

1. The connection speed of your cellular network might not be enough for a good streaming experience. If you think this is the case, then try connecting to a Wi-Fi signal. You can also turn on and off the Airplane mode, this sometimes fixes the connection issues if you have any. Alternatively, you can also turn your mobile device off and then, back on again.

2. Restarting or uninstalling the app can help, too. If the issue is still not resolved, clear the app caches to try fixing the issues. In an Android device, you can do so, by navigating to Settings> Apps & notifications, then select “HBO Max.” Now select “Storage,” and then open “Clear Storage.” Here, tap on “Clear Cache.” If you are using an iPhone or iPad, go to the Menu Button of the application, open the Settings page, and then tap “Clear temporary files.”

3. Also, ensure that you have installed the latest app version for HBO Max on your mobile device. If you have hit a bug that has been fixed in the most recent version, then nothing else but updating the app will fix the issue.

HBO or HBO Max might be down!

Although rare, HBO and HBO Max themselves may be experiencing downtime. You can check if anyone else is having the same problem on the DownDetector site.

“HBO Not Working” is not a common error, but it can be fixed very easily using the above-mentioned tips. Most of the time, you will find, it was some outer component that was obstructing the application.

Source:-  How To Fix HBO And HBO Max

Tidal vs. Spotify: Which Streaming Service Should You Buy

 

Tidal vs. Spotify: Which Streaming Service 

Should You Buy

Both Tidal and Spotify are excellent platforms that are popular for providing phenomenal user experience to its users. But which streaming service should you buy? That’s not an easy question to answer, to be honest, because both the platforms have their own unique features and benefits. So, today we will make these two phenomenal platforms compete against each other to identify their pros and cons so that you can make a prudent decision.

Music Discovery

Both the streaming services are amazing and allow their users to browse music based upon different genres, moods, artists, countries, etc. Spotify comes with the “Discover Weekly” feature, which is basically a music playlist that contains curated songs from your favorite artists and genres.

On the other hand, Tidal has a unique feature called “Tidal Rising,” which allows its users to discover new tracks and albums from upcoming artists and singers. Besides this, it has a “Top” feature that allows its users to access Billboard’s top songs based upon genre, tracks, albums, etc. However, Spotify appears to be a better option than Tidal because it offers a vast collection of different playlists to its users based upon different genres.

Content

Tidal has a vast library of tracks as compared to Spotify. Tidal has a large music library that has more than 60 million tracks in it. While Spotify has 10 million songs in its music library. Besides this, Tidal has many exclusive tracks on its platform from artists like Rihanna.

Spotify, on the other hand, is a perfect pick for someone who likes to listen to podcasts. Spotify has a vast collection of over 1 million podcasts on its platform. Tidal also offers podcasts to its users, but its selection is not that big. However, Tidal has a big collection of videos on it (250,000 videos), whereas Spotify has a small collection of videos on its platform.

Sound Quality

In terms of sound quality Tidal clearly defeats Spotify. Tidal offers four different audio settings to its users:

• Normal-This audio setting is designed to consume less cellular data and can be very helpful when you don’t have a Wi-Fi connection for streaming music on Tidal.
• High-This audio setting improves the audio quality of the music track that you are listening to while not consuming that much data.
• HiFi-This audio setting provides CD-quality audio to its users.
• Master- This audio setting provides high-quality (HD audio) audio to its users.

Spotify, on the other hand, offers five audio settings to its users: Automatic, Low, Normal, High, and Premium. However, the platform’s audio quality tops out at 320 kbps, which is similar to the audio quality provided by Tidal’s High mode. So, if you are someone that loves to listen to only high-quality songs, then Tidal is the perfect pick for you. But you will have to spend some money on good headphones/earbuds, or you will not be able to enjoy your favorite songs in high-quality.

Pricing

Spotify offers both free and paid plans to its users. But if you choose the free plan, you will not get the most out of the platform. For example, you can’t download your favorite songs for listening to them offline or skip ads if you are using Spotify’s free plan. However, you can remove all these limitations by upgrading to the premium plan of Spotify. The premium plan comes with a price tag of $9.99 per month or $4.99(For students only).

Tidal, on the other hand, does not offer any free plans to its users. However, its subscription plans are not that expensive and are somewhat identical to Spotify Premium plans. Additionally, Tidal offers a much better streaming experience to its users in comparison to Spotify.

Conclusion

Tidal appears to be a better option if we talk about track collection, sound quality, and content. So, if you are someone for whom quality is everything, then Tidal is a perfect pick for you. However, if you are looking for a free music streaming service, then Spotify is the perfect pick for you.

Source:-   Tidal vs. Spotify

 

Best Spotify Alternatives in 2020

The music world is always changing. A great number of music streaming platforms have cropped up nowadays. Spotify is regarded as the best music streaming platform. Sometimes, the favorite of everyone may not be your favorite. There are lots of music streaming platforms to choose from. If you are a music lover and love listening to songs but have not found the right music streaming app that matches your choice, the list will give you a detailed overview of all the best streaming apps that you can try instead of Spotify. Check out the list below.

Apple Music

Apple Music is one of the best music streaming platforms. It is widely used by a number of users. It includes the songs of almost every genre. Whether you love listening to trap, hip-hop, trance, or any other genres, Apple Music offers songs of almost all sorts of artists. Apple Music is one of the most popular streaming apps in 2020 and has in the region of 50 million subscribers all around the world. Apple Music contains almost 50 million tracks that make Apple Music a great music streaming platform. You can choose songs according to the genre. It offers various paid plans that you choose from according to your preferences. Apple Music is really worth giving a try if you are looking for a great music streaming app.

Google Play Music

Most of the Android phones have this app pre-installed. It offers in the region of 35 million tracks. You can listen to not only songs but podcasts too on Google Play Music. The music streaming app displays the songs based on your previous searches. It recommends the songs of all the artists that you often listen to. The streaming service is really good. Google Play Music is mostly used by Android users but is available for iOS users too. You can give it a try if you want.

Amazon Music

Amazon is both the best digital distributor or music streaming service platform. If listening to music is your hobby, you can try out this amazing music streaming platform. Amazon has its own digital distribution services too for artists. Amazon Music allows you to listen to your favorite songs and music in a high-quality audio format. Amazon Music contains in the region of 50 million tracks that you can choose from. Amazon Music contains no ads that often spoil your experience of listening to music. The downside is, the user interface of Amazon Music is not impressive enough. If you are searching for a music streaming app, it goes without saying that Amazon Music is a really superb music streaming app.

Pandora

Pandora is one of the most popular music streaming platforms and has been hailed worldwide for its extensive library of tracks. The brilliant music streaming platform is ahead of Spotify and Apple Music. Pandora has in the region of 75 million tracks that you can choose from in order to listen to. The superb streaming service came into existence in 2002 and has been performing well in the arena of music streaming platforms since then. Whether you love listening to hip-hop artists or regional singers, this streaming platform is great for you. You can try it out for free, but the free version may often spoil your interest when ads suddenly appear. In order to get rid of the ads, you may have to shell out $4.99 for a monthly subscription. If you are looking for a great music streaming platform, Pandora will put your search to an end.

SoundCloud

SoundCloud is really the best option for you if you are looking for a music streaming platform with the most extensive catalog of tracks. For those who love listening to songs of new genres, this amazing music streaming platform is really great. The popularity of this platform is increasing by leaps and bounds. The reason for the popularity of SoundCloud is, it gives opportunities to new creators to publish their songs on this platform. SoundCloud contains almost 125 million tracks that make it stand out from other streaming platforms. SoundCloud has been making efforts to improve its features. All the platforms mentioned above are perfect for streaming music, podcasts, and other audio content.

Source:-  Spotify Alternatives