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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Apple Is Buying Texture, the So-Called 'Netflix for Magazines,' in Subscription Push

Apple is acquiring Texture, a digital magazine servicedubbed by media industry observers as "Netflix for magazines"that lets users subscribe to more than 200 titles for $9.99 a month.Texture, offered via the app stores of Apple, Google and Amazon.com Inc., bolsters Apple's efforts in online... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2018-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Children’s Books in China 2018: The Rise of the Pop-Science Segment in China

Mention “pop science” in China and one blockbuster comes to mind: The Magic School Bus. It has remained the #1 children’s title since its launch in 2010, with online retailer Dangdang selling nearly half a million copies in an average year. On Singles’ Day—which is the equivalent of Black Friday... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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No more library fines for most young readers in L.A. County

Leilany Medina, 11, loves books so much that she’d like to become a librarian. But even she sometimes forgets to return books on time, especially if she hasn’t quite finished. And she’s racked up some late fines. But local libraries are providing a way out for such book lovers, and creating new... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2017-12-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Indies Signal Good Start to Holiday Sales

Booksellers were pleased with the start of the official holiday shopping season following strong sales on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-12-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Snapchat's New $250K Story Ads Are Made for the Redesign

Snapchat is selling its new Promoted Story ads, which debuted on Black Friday, for $250,000, according to some advertisers.The premium price reflects the fact that the format gives brands their own channel inside the media nerve center of Snapchat, and the ad unit goes to every user in the... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2017-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How Independent Publisher Food52 Used Email to Handle Thanksgiving and Cyber Weekend

Food52, a site known for its recipes, community and carefully selected products, wants people to eat thoughtfully and live joyfully. In order to accomplish that, the content and the commerce halves of the company must work together. Black Friday, Cyber Weekend and other holiday sales represent... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2017-11-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Discovery Happens Here: PW Talks with Wikipedia's Jake Orlowitz

From its launch in 2001, Wikipedia—the Internet’s hugely popular, user-created free encyclopedia—was viewed with suspicion by reference publishers and librarians. But today, many publishers and librarians today are collaborating with Wikipedia, seeing it not as a threat, but as an ally that can... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-09-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Author Ruth Sepety, Illustrator Lane Smith Win UK’s CILIP Carnegie, Greenaway Medals

Both the winning illustrator and author are given more than $600 in books to donate to their local libraries, as well as more than $6,300 in cash. The post Author Ruth Sepety, Illustrator Lane Smith Win UK’s CILIP Carnegie, Greenaway Medals appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-06-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Help desk tax' could cost companies in Pennsylvania

A single word in the language of a law passed in Pennsylvania last year could have long-ranging implications for companies that use or provide a common service — technical support. The so-called "help desk tax" emanated from Act 84, a statute designed to levy the Pennsylvania Sales and Use Tax... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal

[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2017-05-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Honest Few turns your social media posts into money for books

With ebook libraries, Amazon Prime Reading and the plethora of online services available putting free publications in your various devices, it's a wonder that people still pay any money for books anymore. But a new website called Honest Few is found... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2016-12-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Teenagers to takeover West Midland libraries with live performances

Teenagers in Worcester, Telford and Cannock will be taking control of their local libraries next month with live performances to re-imagine libraries, storytelling and the place these have in society. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-09-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon sells 86 items per second on Black Friday

Amazon UK said Black Friday this year was its busiest day ever, as it sold around 86 items per second. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-12-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Adele’s classroom concert, Captain America, Klopp does Scouse - viral video

Also this week, hiccuping through the Australian national anthem, Jeff Bezos is joining the space race, and a Jane Austen classic gets the zombie treatmentWith Thanksgiving over for another year and the heartwarming American tradition of Black Friday upon us, let’s start this week’s roundup with... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-11-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Did Someone Say #BlackFriday? Facebook, Instagram Wrap Up Holiday Audiences for Ad Targeting

For any brands still looking to do some holiday shopping, Facebook is making a list of people whose attentions they might want to buy.Starting on Thanksgiving and running through New Year's Day, Facebook and its photo-sharing app Instagram will let brands target ads to people who publish posts... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2015-11-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Booksellers anticipate Black Friday and inaugural Civilised Saturday

Bookshops are gearing up to hold the first Civilised Saturday, with events and discounts to attract people into stores cited as the "antithesis to Black Friday". Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-11-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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What did you buy for Prime Day?

Well, July 15th is behind us and Amazon's promise of deals bigger than Black Friday. If you were looking for Christmas in July, did you get it? I wasn't that impressed with the selection of Lightning Deals and exclusives, but perhaps you were. Or not. My purchase, and call me crazy (some... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2015-07-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon launches global Prime day

Amazon is launching Prime Day, "a new global shopping event, offering more deals than Black Friday", open solely to members of its Prime service. The first such day will be held on Wednesday 15th July and will offer customers in the UK, US, Spain, Japan, Italy, Germany, France, Canada and... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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EC to reveal plans for 'digital single market'

The European Commission is today (6th May) set to reveal plans for the “digital single market”, to remove barriers to online services across Europe. The plans would mean that customers across the European Union could all access the same digital services and products, including ebooks and... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bestselling books of 2014: did the booksellers get it right?

What effect did Super Thursday have on book sales, and how well did eight leading retailers and pundits fare in predicting the top titles of the year?• Readers turn over a new leaf as celebrity sales stutter• ‘Amazon-free’ Christmas campaign diverts reported £5m worth of sales from online... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-12-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Can Barnes & Noble's Black Friday 'secret weapon' reverse the chain's slumping sales?

Barnes & Noble will be offering 500,000 copies of signed works by major authors to kick off the holiday shopping season. But will it be enough? Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-11-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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