Articles about Streaming

It has taken a while to sink in, but on 11 January the world became a sadder and duller place following the death of David Bowie. As fan around the world struggled to come to terms with the tragic and untimely loss, they turned to the one things they all have in common -- Bowie's music.

At turns an artist, actor, poet, digital pioneer, style icon, and cultural behemoth, Bowie was predominantly a musician. His (as it turned out) final album, Blackstar was released just days before his death, and the lyrics and video for the second single from the album -- Lazarus -- took on a new, beautiful and heart-wrenching meaning. Bowie meant a lot to people the world over, and the level of affection felt for the ever-inventive musical chameleon can be seen by the surge in digital downloads and streams of his albums on the likes of Spotify and iTunes.

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Whole-home audio has become popular recently thanks to products like Sonos making it easy. In the old days speaker wires had to be fished through walls, but those days of cables and intense labor are gone. Now it can be done via a wireless means and almost everyone has a home network -- something else that was once the domain of geeks and experts.

Now one of the top-tier makers of home audio equipment is getting in on the act as Harman Kardon announces its newest offering at the Consumer Electronics Show taking place this week in Las Vegas.

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Netflix, which began life as a DVD by mail service that took off, has been slowly expanding to countries not named the US. The growth speaks well for the business model and the company has long since left DVDs behind in favor of online streaming. That makes for easier expansion into new markets.

Today the company is announcing it is expanding to pretty much all markets. We'd list them here, but with more than 190 countries it would be tedious for you and us. That's 130 nations that previously did not have Netflix.

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There's already a lot of noise coming out of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, even though the actual event hasn't yet begun. It seems almost every company will have at least some sort of representation present in Sin City.

Set-top box maker Roku will be there to unveil its plans for 2016. The company claims it has grown its smart TV market from zero to eight percent this past year.

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Earlier in this NFL season TuneIn landed a deal with the league to bring listeners radio broadcasts of all the games, which likely beefed up its subscriber numbers. Other sports were already participating in the broadcasts and now you can add one more to that list.

The National Hockey League is arriving on the streaming network, bringing radio broadcasts of the games for your favorite NHL teams from the US and Canada.

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'Twas the night before Christmas and....the Beatles came to streaming services everywhere, making the rounds quicker than old Saint Nick. Spotify, Amazon Prime Music, Google Play Music and several others were the lucky recipients of this amazing catalog of tunes.

Now Spotify is revealing just how successful this launch has been, and the numbers revealed prove the band is still relevant 45 years after the members parted ways.

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It's been a long and winding road to get the Beatles on your devices and streaming services, but you've finally reached your destination and the iconic band has given in to demand. Sadly two members of the Fab Four won't be around to experience this blockbuster event, but you can still enjoy the magical mystery tour of the group's catalog of hits and more obscure songs.

At 12:01am local time on December 24th the Beatles music officially launches on streaming services Spotify, Apple Music, Slacker, Tidal, Groove, Rhapsody, Deezer, Google Play and Amazon Prime.

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Set-top boxes have become increasingly popular, with Amazon, Apple and Roku all on the market and doing well. One of the great things about these devices is the ability to easily search for whatever content you want, so what did people look for in 2015?

Well, the big one is, of course, movies and Back to the Future manages to edge The Hunger Games: Mockingjay part one. Others that made the cut into the top ten include Frozen, Jurassic Park and Gone Girl.

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2016 is shaping up to be the year of 4K. Some is already available and much more is on the way, and there is a growing number of TVs that can handle it. For those purchasing a new set in the near future it is a prudent move to future-proof and be ready for what is coming.

Now UltraFlix is announcing its plans to provide a lot more content in the way of movies, TV shows and concerts, all using this new technology. The company boasts more than 1,000 Hollywood pictures as well as IMAX documentaries.

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Recently streaming music service Rdio was purchased by Pandora which plans to merge it into its own offering. That process is about to become complete in the next few days, but there is good news for Rdio users, or at least as much as they can expect.

The streaming service will cease operations on December 22nd. The good news, if there is any in this, is that users will be able to save their music.

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Amazon continues to expand its footprint in the set-top box market, a place that has really become a three horse race. Both Amazon, Roku and Apple are all in it to win, but choice really comes down to the customer.

Now the retailer is launching a bunch of new channels to satisfy customer viewing needs. And this update isn't just video, it's also games.

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Sonos, the whole home audio system, is one the darlings of today's tech world, though it doesn't come at a cheap price. However, the device can pump out high-quality home audio throughout your dwelling  and its offerings for content keep getting better.

Season two of Serial has just debuted and this season follows the story of Bowe Bergdahl, who people have mixed opinions of. If you aren't familiar with the story, Bergdahl was stationed in Afghanistan and left his post for, what he claims, was seeking help from superiors due to a lack of leadership in his platoon. There are many caveats and nuances to this tale, and listeners will form their own opinions about the events of that day.

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Music is one of the most important parts of my life. Listening to it is much more than a hobby -- it is with me throughout the day. Whether relaxing, working, or even napping, I often have some music playing in the background. Streaming services, such as the wonderful Spotify, have been a godsend for me, as I can consume all I want for a paltry monthly fee.

If you have a family, however, the subscription fees can really add up. The rise of family sharing plans should greatly alleviate this pain point. Today, Google announces that its previously announced family option is finally available. As much as I love Spotify, this deal may be too good to pass up.

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Just when you thought Amazon Prime couldn't offer much more, the retail giant goes and tries to do just that. The company is unveiling new streaming partners that will bring even more content and it comes from major players in the market.

The service is announcing a streaming partners program that will bring this additional content. This is a Prime only option, so you'll need to sign up for an account.

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As the year winds down it becomes time for retrospective thoughts. There will be a lot to look back on 2015, some of it pleasant, some sad, some just plain scary. Moments are sometimes defined by music -- you remember what was popular when you were in high school, for instance.

Now Spotify would like to provide you with some reminders of the year that's almost gone. This is your year in music and it's tailored to each individual user.

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