Oof, when did streaming movies, games, and music get so expensive?

Cable used to be the only game in town for wide entertainment. Sure, if you wanted to subscribe to a game like EverQuest or World of Warcraft, you could (and well, guess the rest of us were never seeing you again). But for variety, cable is what you had—and it wasn’t cheap. So when streaming services came along, they seemed like an answer to everyone’s budget prayers. These days there’s a digital subscription available for most interests, including gaming. And individually, they’re affordable. Or at least, they were. Xbox Game Pass just went up in cost. (Even if you use the conversion hack to get it cheaper.) So did PlayStation Plus. GeForce Now so far is exempt, but PC gamers haven’t been able to sit assured about much these days. Meanwhile, on the TV and movies side of things, Netflix is rumored to be raising prices yet again. Disney+ and Discovery+ have already announced hikes. And in an extremely annoying variation of shrinkflation, Amazon Prime Video and multiple services are adding adverts to their basic streaming plans (or have already done so). As for music, Spotify also got more expensive, sending notice to subscribers with little fanfare. Streaming was great when you were paying less than $25 per month for all the content you could want. But now subscribing to even three services ad-free runs almost $50 per month. Let’s say you want regular access to Game Pass, Netflix, and Disney Plus—that’s already $40 to start with, if you’re only a PC... Continue reading at 'PC World'

[ PC World | 2023-10-04 14:10:27 UTC ]

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State loosens NYC’s bidding rules for capital projects, at Adams’ urging

Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed two bills aimed at speeding up the city’s famously sluggish capital process — a win for Mayor Eric Adams’ administration, which pushed for the changes in hopes of expediting big construction projects and driving down their costs.The most significant bill signed into... Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2024-12-02 18:13:11 UTC ]
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Best Kindle Black Friday Deals and Amazon Device Sales (2024)

The brand-new Kindle lineup is on sale for Black Friday, as are many other Amazon products, from Eero routers to Echo speakers. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2024-11-30 20:44:31 UTC ]
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Best Kindle Black Friday Deals and Amazon Device Sales (2024)

The brand-new Kindle lineup is on sale for Black Friday, as are many other Amazon products, from Eero routers to Echo speakers. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2024-11-29 13:58:24 UTC ]
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Supreme Court steps into fight over FCC's $8 billion subsidies for internet and phone services

The Supreme Court has stepped into a major legal fight over the $8 billion a year the federal government spends to subsidize phone and internet services in schools, libraries and rural areas, in a new test of federal regulatory power Continue reading at ABC News

[ ABC News | 2024-11-22 20:46:35 UTC ]
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Prepare Your Library Before January Arrives: Book Censorship News, November 22, 2024

How libraries should prepare for the incoming administration right now, from updating trustee descriptions to addressing mis/dis information. That, plus this week's book censorship news. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2024-11-22 13:30:00 UTC ]
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Urban Libraries Council Survey Shows Positive Trends, Challenges for Libraries

The survey captured a range of trends in patron engagement from 115 ULC member libraries, "representing nearly 2,300 locations and serving over 87.5 million people” for 2023. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-11-22 05:00:00 UTC ]
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700+ Books Removed From Florida Schools: Book Censorship News, November 15, 2024

Books removed from Florida libraries include books by and about marginalized people as well as classic authors like George Orwell. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2024-11-15 12:15:00 UTC ]
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The best Black Friday 2024 deals: Sales from Amazon, Best Buy, Apple, Anker and others

November is in full swing, which means Black Friday is right around the corner. But the days in which you had to wait for Black Friday proper to get good deals have long been behind us. The holiday shopping season is effectively the entire month of November now, with early Black Friday deals... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2024-11-14 17:34:34 UTC ]
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Want to know how libraries fared on the ballot? This cool non-profit made a chart.

EveryLibrary, a non-profit dedicated to supporting public and school libraries across the country via local grassroots organizing, has been tracking anti-library legislation since 2012. Between the onslaught of book bans and censorship petitions, they’ve naturally had a busy few years. But last... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2024-11-13 17:52:28 UTC ]
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A Year of Giving Away Banned Books in Florida

Florida is one the most diverse and fastest growing states in the United States. It is also, tragically, the epicenter of book banning in America. Thousands of books have been banned from public schools and libraries in an attempt to silence dissenting voices that explore the experiences of... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2024-11-13 12:05:00 UTC ]
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How to Help Rebuild Libraries in Conflict Zones

Alison Tweed, CEO of U.K.–based charity Book Aid International, describes the destruction of libraries in Lebanon, Ukraine, and Iraq and advises on how the book business can help to rebuild them. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-11-13 05:00:00 UTC ]
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The friendliest shark in the sea of internet privacy is a discounted VPN

TL;DR: SurfShark VPN protects your data, hides your location, and gives you access to content from anywhere. Get two years for $45.59 with coupon code HOLIDAY20 until November 17. These days, surfing the internet without a safeguard is a bit like wading into shark-infested waters —... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2024-11-09 14:00:00 UTC ]
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Harvard Library Bans Silent Student Protesters, and More Library News

"Are we continuing to pretend that libraries are inherently neutral and apolitical institutions?" Thoughts? Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2024-11-08 12:30:00 UTC ]
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The best ereaders for 2024

There are really two types of ereaders: Dedicated ebook/audiobook devices or slabs that are more akin to small tablets with E Ink screens. In the first category, the competition is really between Amazon’s Kindle devices and Rakuten’s Kobo readers. Ereaders in the latter group include entries... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2024-11-07 08:00:36 UTC ]
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EveryLibrary Warns that U.S. Election Results Mean More Uncertainty for Libraries

The last few years have been difficult for libraries and librarians. And with last night’s election results, the future for the profession just got a lot murkier, according to the customary election night wrap-up from nonpartisan library political action committee EveryLibrary. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-11-06 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Engadget Podcast: Apple’s M4 chip heads to the iMac, Mac mini and MacBook Pro

It's been a Mac-heavy week! In this episode, Devindra and producer Ben Ellman dive into all of Apple's new M4 hardware: the new iMac, Mac mini and refreshed Macbook Pros. The Mac mini, in particular, looks like it'll be a huge hit for anyone who needs a simple desktop system. Also, we dive into... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2024-11-01 13:20:04 UTC ]
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Germany’s E-Lending Round Table: ‘A Constructive Process’

Long a 'deadlocked debate,' the question of ebook lending through libraries has reached new 'willingness to engage' in Germany. The post Germany’s E-Lending Round Table: ‘A Constructive Process’ appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2024-10-31 20:29:41 UTC ]
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The Impossible Book Questions We Want Answered

Impossible book data we wish existed, haunted libraries around the U.S., tarot-inspired bookish gifts, and more. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2024-10-31 15:00:00 UTC ]
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“I Did Not See Ghosts, But Beautiful Building”: Haunted Libraries Across the US

Haunted libraries exist throughout the United States. Here are four with chilling stories—plus the story of a haunted library book! Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2024-10-31 14:00:00 UTC ]
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Librarians Struggle With Mental Health After Traumatic Events at Work

As libraries become public stages for social problems — homelessness, drug use, mental health — the people who work there are burning out. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2024-10-31 09:02:34 UTC ]
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