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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OverDrive to acquire RBmedia library business

OverDrive—the digital learning platform for libraries and schools—has announced it is acquiring RBmedia's library business. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-06-24 09:38:04 UTC ]
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Attention: Please stop microwaving your library books.

As libraries begin to reopen around the country, patrons are excited to get back to borrowing books—but they’re also still nervous about COVID-19, which is understandable. At least some of them have been “getting creative” in their attempts to protect themselves, prompting at least one public... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-06-23 18:08:53 UTC ]
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Libraries to reopen on 4th July as lockdown eases

Libraries in England will be able to reopen from 4th July as the country's lockdown measures continue to ease, Boris Johnson has announced. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-06-22 22:02:41 UTC ]
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Librarians and the Power of Social Media

A reader considers how social media has given libraries a new tool for community engagement, outreach, and promotion. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-06-22 10:32:03 UTC ]
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Middle Grade Magic: Great Books for 7th Graders

With most schools and libraries closed across the country closed, parents are left scrambling in a lot of ways: distance ... Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-06-19 10:39:09 UTC ]
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Alphabet partners with local library to deliver books to students

Schools and libraries have been closed for months, but some kids aren’t going to get away with playing video games all summer. Kelly Passek -- a middle school librarian in Montgomery County, Virginia -- is sending out summer reading via drones. After... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2020-06-12 18:18:26 UTC ]
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The Internet Archive is ending the National Emergency Library over lawsuit from publishers.

Internet Archive’s National Emergency Library initiative, which made more than 1.3 million books available online for free, will end early as publishers sue for copyright infringement. The nonprofit began offering free books during March as the coronavirus pandemic forced Americans to quarantine... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-06-12 14:06:26 UTC ]
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Internet Archive Will End Its Program for Free E-Books

The nonprofit has said its National Emergency Library was a public service to people unable to access libraries during the pandemic, but publishers and authors accused it of theft. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2020-06-11 19:56:08 UTC ]
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Libraries Strive to Stay ‘Community Living Rooms’ as They Reopen

Safely lending books is just the beginning. Libraries are figuring out everything from how to remain welcoming spaces to how to respond to changing reader behavior. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2020-06-11 09:00:22 UTC ]
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10 Books Set in Museums

Museums are a lot like libraries and bookstores: quiet, contemplative spaces filled with wondrous objects that can light up your imagination and transport you to a different time and place. Now, like so many other cultural institutions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, most are shuttered for the time... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2020-06-09 11:00:00 UTC ]
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What Makes a Good Summer Reading Program?

We're talking to library staff about how libraries are working to plan for summer reading programs despite the limitations caused by a global pandemic. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-06-08 10:33:48 UTC ]
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Authors, Austerity and the UK’s Save Our Libraries Campaign

The UK's Save Our Libraries campaign, spearheaded by librarians and authors, began nearly 10 years ago - but has it achieved its goal of stopping closures? Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-06-08 10:31:39 UTC ]
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All By Ourselves

As states push to reopen, many libraries are having to figure out their own way forward. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-06-05 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Libraries Offer Access to Graphic Novels in Pandemic

Facing closures and budget shortfalls, libraries look for new ways to support graphic novels amid the ongoing pandemic. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-06-05 04:00:00 UTC ]
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In the Field: Stopping the Covid Slide

Suzanne Tonini, collection development supervisor for Denver Public Schools, shares how her the city’s public schools and libraries are continuing to meet students’ educational needs amid the pandemic. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-06-05 04:00:00 UTC ]
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NYC libraries will reopen for limited service “very soon.”

Even with their physical locations shuttered, libraries have been an invaluable resource to everyone stuck at home and desperate for new reading material. According to Time Out New York, the NYPL has seen a 864% increase in digital library card sign-ups since March. Still, the loss of the... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-06-04 15:02:50 UTC ]
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Book publishers sue Internet Archive for allegedly enabling piracy

When libraries around the US began closing their doors due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Internet Archive (IA) responded by creating a “National Emergency Library,” a collection of 1.4 million books from its free e-book repository Open Library. Pu... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2020-06-01 19:33:58 UTC ]
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9 Books for Those of Us Missing Libraries and Bookstores

We may not be able to escape to bookish destinations right now, but we can be transported by these books about libraries and bookstores. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-05-28 10:39:03 UTC ]
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You can now rent BBQ grills from Finnish libraries thanks to COVID-19

Even before the pandemic, Finnish libraries were usually more versatile than most libraries around the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed hundreds of millions of people’s lives in countless ways since it went global in February of this year. Working from home quickly became a norm, online... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2020-05-27 07:20:21 UTC ]
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Epic! Your Spotify library now has no limits

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[ Betanews | 2020-05-26 14:59:04 UTC ]
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