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 ]

Other news stories related to: "Oof, when did streaming movies, games, and music get so expensive?"


Court Blocks Maryland’s Library E-book Law

In ruling for the AAP, judge Deborah L. Boardman held that "striking the balance between the critical functions of libraries and the importance of preserving the exclusive rights of copyright holders" is "squarely in the province of Congress and not this Court or a state legislature." Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-02-16 05:00:00 UTC ]
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You can’t steal from a little free library, but can you censor it?

We once again have to point out that you cannot actually “steal” from a little free library. And you should definitely not get the cops involved if you think someone is “stealing” the explicitly free things you’ve put out. Little free libraries do NOT come with means tests. But is it possible... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-02-11 15:43:09 UTC ]
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PRH Continues Temporary E-book, Digital Audio Terms for Libraries

The programs first went into effect in March of 2020 in response to the Covid-19 crisis, and will have been in force for over two years by the time they expire if they are not extended further. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-02-11 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Take a look at this gorgeous, see-through “book house.”

Because you can never have enough gorgeous libraries to imagine yourself visiting: Condition_Lab’s new Pingtan Book House library in Pingtan, China, built by working closely with local carpenters and CUHK architecture students, is a luminous, organic structure with a matrix of bookshelves in the... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-02-10 19:05:38 UTC ]
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Rising book bans: Grounds for moral panic?

Books in schools and libraries increasingly have targets on their spines. The more partisan the battle has become, the more it manifests as a power struggle, rather than an effort to best serve children. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2022-02-09 18:11:00 UTC ]
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Valve Steam Deck wows reviewers: ‘The most innovative gaming PC in 20 years’

The Steam Deck, Valve’s take on a Switch-style portable PC gaming machine, is perhaps the most anticipated piece of portable hardware since…well, since the Nintendo Switch. So it’s understandable that the technology press is champing at the bit to devour every detail about it, even well before... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2022-02-09 18:09:04 UTC ]
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Valve’s Steam Deck wows reviewers: ‘The most innovative gaming PC in 20 years’

The Steam Deck, Valve’s take on a Switch-style portable PC gaming machine, is perhaps the most anticipated piece of portable hardware since…well, since the Nintendo Switch. So it’s understandable that the technology press is champing at the bit to devour every detail about it, even well before... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2022-02-08 14:47:24 UTC ]
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UK film and TV industry bounces back from Covid with record £5.6bn spend

Annual investment doubles as production industry races to replenish libraries depleted by the pandemicThe UK film and TV industry has bounced back spectacularly from the pandemic with a record £5.6bn spent making blockbusters such as Mission: Impossible 7 and big-budget dramas including... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-02-04 13:52:58 UTC ]
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How Are Libraries Recognizing Black History Month?

Libraries can celebrate BHM with displays, events, and more — but it won't mean much if the library isn't a safe place for Black people. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-02-03 11:31:00 UTC ]
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Our Love for Libraries Told in Photographs

Robert Dawson’s The Public Library: A Photographic Essay is a visual love letter to libraries and a testament to the power of reading. The post Our Love for Libraries Told in Photographs appeared first on The Millions. Continue reading at The Millions

[ The Millions | 2022-01-28 21:30:33 UTC ]
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A Mississippi mayor is withholding $110,000 from libraries until they ban ‘homosexual materials.’

A new, highly concerning entry in the wave of classroom book bans sweeping the nation: Gene McGee, mayor of Ridgeland, Mississippi, is withholding $110,000 of funding from the Madison County Library System—funding already approved by the board of aldermen—until librarians remove “homosexual... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-01-28 17:52:29 UTC ]
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Arts Council England launches Green Libraries programme

Arts Council England (ACE) has partnered with groups across the country to launch the Green Libraries programme to help libraries address their environmental impact. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2022-01-27 00:42:39 UTC ]
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Amazon Kindle is back on sale for $50 today only

Now is a good opportunity to buy one of the best no-frills e-readers available. Amazon is selling the latest generation of its standard Kindle reader for just $50 during a one-day sale, or $70 for a version without ads. Those are the lowest prices we've seen since Black Friday, and make them... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-01-16 16:05:56 UTC ]
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Public Libraries Aren’t Essential Services

The pandemic is showing the holes in social safety nets across the U.S., but public libraries aren't the answer to those problems. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-01-12 11:42:00 UTC ]
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OverDrive: Record Number of Libraries Hit Million Digital Lend Mark

Leading library service provider OverDrive this week reported that a total of 121 public libraries and consortia across seven countries and from 37 U.S. states surpassed one million digital lends in 2021, a significant jump from 2020, when 102 libraries hit the mark. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-01-12 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Join the #FReadom Letter Writing Campaign to Combat Censorship!

The #FReadom campaign is asking you to write your school board with provided templates to support school libraries and access to information. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-01-04 11:39:00 UTC ]
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New York's library e-book licensing bill vetoed as Maryland challenge looms

The Association of American Publishers (AAP) has welcomed the decision by New York Governor Kathy Hochul to veto a bill that would have forced publishers and authors to grant e-book licences to libraries under state-imposed terms. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-12-31 06:31:54 UTC ]
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8 of the Most Unique Little Free Libraries

Free Little Libraries are delightful to find but some creators take them to a new level. Here are eight unique free little libraries. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2021-12-30 11:31:00 UTC ]
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Hitting the Books: Amiga and the birth of 256-color gaming

With modern consoles offering gamers graphics so photorealistic that they blur the line between CGI and reality, it's easy forget just how cartoonishly blocky they were in the 8-bit era. In his new book, Creating Q*Bert and Other Classic Arcade Games, legendary game designer and programmer... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2021-12-25 16:30:11 UTC ]
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XPG's concept mouse has an SSD so you can store your games in it

Have you ever looked at your mouse and thought "it's fine, but kind of a big fat waste of space?" Gaming accessory company XPG apparently did, because it's just unveiled a concept mouse for CES 2022 with a built-in high-speed SSD drive stuffed inside, Digital Trends has reported. The XPG Vault... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2021-12-24 21:00:55 UTC ]
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