Podcast: Play in new window | Embed
Debbie asked: “I would like information and help on what to get. I would like an electronic device that I can have with me here in my kitchen, so when I am cooking, I would like to watch something on the screen. Like a Tiger baseball game or a TV program. I’m not sure what device to get or how to make it work.”
Debbie, to be honest with you, it sounds like what you really want is a small TV…
You can get a tablet which would be a capable and portable screen. You could have one in the kitchen and it would give you access to streaming video sources, but you’d be watching TV channel apps only if you have a cable subscription that you can use to log in, otherwise you’d be limited to services such as YouTube, or paid subscriptions like Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Video, or Sling.
If you’re happy to stay within the Amazon ecosystem, the Echo Show may be good option for you. It’ll cost you $230 and it’s an Alexa-enabled device, so if your hands are dirty or busy you can speak to it and have it play your shows, all touch-free.
It sounds like what you really want is a small TV
If you want baseball games, you will probably have to pay for an MLB.TV subscription. They have two tiers, one gives you access to any game, that one would cost you about $115 a year, or you could just pay for Tiger games for $90 a year.
It’s less expensive than the yearly cost of a Hulu Live subscription, for example, but it’s more expensive than a little TV to watch local channels over the air on.
If you want live TV, there’s nothing wrong with sticking with a television. Otherwise, a tablet or an Echo Show, or even a smartphone that you may already have will all do the job, but it’s likely that you’ll need some kind of a paid subscription (even a cheap one like Hulu without live channels or Netflix, both around $10/month) to access enough content to keep you happy.