My father-in-law and I are birds of feather when it comes to gadgets and technology. Trading stories, debating Apple vs. Windows (he’s a mac guy, I go both ways) and marveling at the latest iphone app keeps our conversations lively and fun. On a recent visit to southern Oregon, he tactfully inquired once again about our lack of cable TV at home and how we managed to get by with over-the-air broadcast channels. I patiently reminded him that cable TV would be coming to southern Oregon in due time, as soon as we finished laying the pipes for indoor plumbing.
Almost four decades have passed since HBO first beamed made-for-tv movies and raunchy stand-up comedy into our homes. HBO’s offerings may not have changed much in 40 years, but our choices for multimedia content have grown dramatically since those early days of cable.. Today, with some creative decision-making and willingness to venture into the wilds of the internet, it is possible to take advantage of excellent services, while saving a bundle of money. From internet radio to online movies, banking to long-distance phone calling, there’s something for everyone. The following is a selection of some of the better known, top-rated services available:
Music – Perhaps the best free online radio service is pandora.com. Pandora is a personalized radio service that plays music based on your preferences. Select an artist, album or genre and pandora will broadcast music that has been “genome typed” to your selection. Very clever. There are literally thousands of other online radio stations, yet pandora does an excellent job of providing free, quality content. Worthy of mention is another top-notch station, shoutcast.com.
Video / TV – Look beyond youtube. Everything from live newscasts to new feature length movies are available and easily accessible. Most cable channels offer free online programming similar to their fee-based offerings, oftentimes without commercials. Check out sites like hulu.com and boxee.tv for a wide variety of programming. For new release movies, amazon’s video-on-demand can be streamed right to your television set for a few dollars per movie.
Telephone Services – If you aren’t using Skype, what are you waiting for? The granddaddy of VOIP (voice over internet protocol) calling is still free and offers crystal clear voice and video chat services. Sign up for an account and your conversations with other skype members anywhere on the planet won’t cost you a nickel. Others companies have jumped into the VOIP arena, notably some of the major cable providers. Many subscribers save on phone bills by combining cable/internet/telephone services into a single monthly package.
Banking – As an alternative to pen and paper bookkeeping, Mint.com provides an excellent method of keeping track of all one’s financial accounts in a free, easy to use, feature-rich environment. Recently acquired by Quicken, Mint helps users manage accounts, prepare budgets and reports, and find savings. Rock solid and secure, Mint has set the standard for online financial services.
The list goes on and on……educational games, photo processing, shopping. For ease of use, accessibility, and cost savings, internet-based services can be a great value. Fortunately, making the most of these services (like pandora and amazon video) won’t necessarily require additional hardware costs as newer computers come with built-in output connectivity to stereo systems and flat screens. So, sit back, relax and enjoy the movie. Oh, and the plumbing’s on its way.
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