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Consumer Reports joined Into Tomorrow this week to tell us about Netflix alternatives:
When it comes to streaming video services, Netflix clearly looms large over its competitors. But are there any non-mainstream options available for folks who want something a little different? The answer is yes, so says Consumer Reports. Their electronics spokesman James McQueen is here to explain.
Here are a couple services for people with a taste for something different. Most offer free trials of two weeks to 30 days.
If you like British TV fare such as the comedy “Jeeves and Wooster” (Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry) or the “Prime Suspect” (Helen Mirren) mystery series, you should definitely check out Acorn TV. The people who vote in Consumer Reports’ annual survey recently named it one of their favorite streaming sites.
For only $5 a month, Acorn TV is available on Roku, some Samsung smart TVs, and Apple TV boxes that run tvOS.
Mubi.com has morphed from an all-you-can-eat, independent-film version of Netflix to one of the best curated streaming sites for those who enjoy cult and classic films, too. Also priced at $5 a month, the site always has at least 30 titles to choose from. And every day Mubi’s film experts add a new one, viewable for 30 days before it gets replaced. Think Of Mice and Men, The Aviator, even a healthy smattering of foreign films like Amelie.
For more info on this story, visit ConsumerReports.org.
The guys recommended apps they’ve been playing with:
Looking to make a reservation at a nearby restaurant? OpenTable allows you to discover, explore, and manage restaurant reservations free and instantly—anytime, anywhere. And it’s an app I use all the time. You can make restaurant reservations, you can research restaurants in your area and read reviews from other users. Have a large party, you can search for availabilities by things like party size, cuisine type, price or distance. You can send OpenTable invites to friends and easily add your reservations to your calendar. It’s a great tool when traveling, especially when you don’t know what kind of restaurants are nearby. The app works in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, England, Ireland, Germany, Australia and Japan. You can even earn points when you make and keep reservations, earning your way towards free dining at participating restaurants.
Would you like to check to see if your Android device is working properly?
Test Your Android — Any guess what this app does? If you guessed that it tests your Android device, you’re right! Under the the relatively boring colorful interface is a powerful app that lets you test everything from your screen’s multitouch capabilities to your built-in compass.
You can also slide over to the information tab to see all the infor about your device. A small ad appears in the FREE version at the bottom of the app while you use it, but it’s easily ignored.
Test Your Android is free on the Google Play Store
