SideReel: Free Video Streaming at its Best

SideReel

"Cutting the Cords of Cable Television"

      

      I must confess that my addiction to television is borderline obsessive. Most nights I have at least two shows I want to watch but studying, class, and social commitments tend to make catching these shows at their original airing time a difficult task. In January of 2010 I traveled to Dublin for a semester abroad. Now, if you’ve ever been to Dublin you will surely know their selection of American television programs is limited to say the least. So what’s a reality show junkie supposed to do under these unbearable circumstances?  Why visit www.Sidereel.com of course!  SideReel is a video streaming website that has every season and every episode of practically every television show ever created (I kid you not I recently watched the first season of a childhood favorite, “the Wonder Years”). Upon my return to the United States I continued to use SideReel not only because it was convenient when I missed a favorite program or so I could continue watching some of the new English shows I had grown to love, but because it  also cuts out all of the dreadful commercials and advertisements (unlike sites like NBC.COM or Hulu.com).

So how exactly does SideReel work?

       As I have become notorious amongst my friends for my avid online streaming, many of them have asked me how they too can watch their favorite HBO show without paying a monthly fee. Well, first off, most programs can be viewed within an hour after the desired episode finishes broadcasting on cable/direct television. Simply type in the name of the show you are looking for in the search engine and a page outlining and describing each seasons and episode will appear. Select the link of the episode that catches your fancy and you will then be taken to another page full of links to various video streaming players. This is where things sometimes get a little tricky—because there are so many different video players (with some streaming faster and with superior quality than others) you may have to sift through a few duds to find the best option for your viewing pleasure. I suggest using links to one of the following: Megavideo.com, VideoBB.com, Zshare.com, or Vidxden.com. After selecting one of the aforementioned options you will be directed to yet another page. Simply click the link that appears in the middle of the screen and you will have finally arrived at your final destination—commercial –free television!

But Jordan, is this legal?

(Screenshot of Megavideo)

       SideReel accepts posts made under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License.  As SideReel itself does not host any of the video which it links to consumers, it is indeed considered legal. That being said, this is not always the case with the sites which it links you to. Let’s take for example, one of the most popular video streaming sites, Megavideo. The company relies solely on up-loadable content which may or may not be legal content. Megavideo is indeed a legitimately legal hosting site primarily because it operates from a country where Piracy Laws are permissive (e.g. China, and Hong Kong being the city Megavideo is based out of). However, it is important that users know the difference between downloading and streaming. In order for American viewers to break copyright laws, he/she must have saved and reproduced a copy of the material. When streaming one typically does not have the "save" function and is therefore this practice is not technically illegal. Thus, although streaming may be illegal for the vendor, it is not for the average viewer.

What should you know before you stream?

1.  When I said watching streaming video is legal I am referring to television—this  does NOT apply to watching films that are currently in theaters on sites such as www.letmewatchthis.com
2. Make sure your computer has firewall software. Just like music torrents, video hosting websites (though none of the sites I have recommended) are sometimes encrypted with spam, spyware, and viruses.  
3. Some sites, including Megavideo and VideoBB, have a time “watching limit”. Once you have reached 72 minutes of online television viewing the site will freeze your show and asks if you want to purchase an account to bypass the 54 minute wait until you can begin streaming with their services again. However, there is a way to get around this limit without spending your hard earned money to stream: 

•  Open the video that you want to watch on Megavideo. 
• Play the button and when it starts playing, click the pause button to let the video buffer. 
•  Wait until the video has finished loading to 100%.
• Click on Work Offline and watch the video.

And that about sums up all you need to know when it comes to watching some of your favorite shows on SideReel, enjoy!

NOTE: SideReel also offers a daily "Show Calendar", tracks "TV Trends", suggests show with "Editors Picks" and even has its own Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube channel.

Sidereel: http://www.sidereel.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/SideReel

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/sidereel

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/sidereel

An Overview on Hulu
By: Dillon Boleware

Hulu is a website subscription service offering ad-supported on-demand streaming video of TV shows, movies, webisodes and other new media, trailers, clips, and behind-the-scenes footage from NBC, Fox, ABC, and many other networks and studios. This new aged media streaming website offers many free TV episodes and movies but they also offer Hulu Plus, which is a subscription service that is an option at the low cost of $7.99 per month offering premium shows which are available long before the free episodes are available. Hulu has different contracts with different networks which state when and how they can make their episodes and movies available. Fox allows them to post their shows three days after they have aired while NBC requires at least a five day wait before the shows can be posted.

For me personally, Hulu has just been a good excuse for me to waste my time. With my busy schedule it is difficult for me to find the time to watch the shows that I am interested in on their television air date. Often times it's hard to choose whether to do homework or to watch the latest episodes of Grey's Anatomy, House, or Glee. I often find myself staying up until the wee hours of the night watching the newly added episodes.

The downside to Hulu is that they just made it to where you have to subscribe to see many shows. Hulu is only allowed to post the last five most recent episodes making it very difficult to begin watching a series with episodes that have been out for more than five weeks.

This website is an awesome site for people who are interested in watching television and are constantly "on the go". There are many ups and downs to using Hulu but ultimately, one cannot complain being able to watch anything for free these days. I believe that if it weren't for Hulu posting free shows, Netflix would quickly shut them down because at the same cost you can have a Netflix subscription giving individuals the ability to watch any episode of any previous season available.

Review of the Turbine Pro Copper In-Ear Speakers.

    If you're like me, then you would agree when I said music plays a major influence and role in your life. So you would understand when it comes to chosing what headphones or devices to play back your music is very important. Recently, I became intrested in purchasing a new pair of all purpose headphones. I wanted to be able to work out, and just listen to music on the go. I made a budget then set off to do my research as I always do before making a larger than normal purchase. I had so many choices, I felt a little overwhelemd. There are different types such as in-ear, ear buds, and over the ear. Within these there are Noise Isolating and Noise Cancelling, which typically cost a bit more. With a little reviewing I quickly threw out the over the ear due to them being bulky and the ear bud due to the quality lacking. The reason ear buds lack in quality is because they let noise in and out from not producing a proper seal. This is where in-ear is strong and provides better quality. You have tips provided with most of the in-ear headphones you buy to make a better fit to your personal ears to create a seal to insure the best seal possible to keep sound from leaking and sound from entering from the outside.  In-ear are also more durable and lightweight so your able to use them almost anywhere.
    After looking for some time it came down to the monster turbine pro copper versus pro gold. The regular turbine (not pro) $179.95, the gold retails for $299.99 and copper $399.99. They are called turbine after their turbine design. There is also an additional option in this line called the miles davis for $499.99 and most of these come with a control talk version as well. The pro versions are designed for audiophiles and audio professionals. You might ask why is copper more expensive. Well supposedly copper is more of a conductor than gold therefore making the quality of the copper more supperior to the gold. The turbines in paticular come with a wide variety of ear tips to assure you get the best fit possible. So I looked around for the best price and made my purchase and ended up with the pro copper. They are the first headphones I've ever heard of having to have a "break in" process. They sounded great out of the box but when they had a chance to break in they started to sound nothing short of amazing. When listening to songs I knew by heart I heard sounds and tones I've never heard before. Needless to say, I fell in love.
    These headphones are so high end they are called in-ear speakers,giving you a slight idea of the power that comes behind these. The bass has a decent punch with a great balance of lows, mids, and highs. They provide something called supertips, which are Monster's patent pending sound isolating tips. They consist of an outside foam and inside gel which forms to your ear. When I first used these I was amazed. I didn't hear anything on the outside. Only my music was heard which was a pleasant surprise. Your able to hear every detail possible with these headphones. The headphone's features are as follows: Advanced In-ear Speaker Design, All-Metal Housing, Pro Strain Relief, MicroStrand Conductors, Patented magnetic FluxTube, and 24k Gold-Plated Contacts. So you might say what makes these worth the $399.99 in today's economy. Well, they might not be for someone just wanting to listen to music, because there are many pairs to meet those needs with a much cheaper price tag. However, if your into producing music (guitar or other instrumental recording) these would be a great choice. If your serious about your music, like I am, then these are also a great choice.
    Perhaps this detail will be a deal breaker. Perhaps you're too hard on your headphones, you have a dog who chews them up, or you drop them in water. Most likely with other headphones you would take a loss of $399.99, but not with Monster... for one time atleast. They are willing to replace your headphones, no questions asked, one time within your life... you heard it right 1 time in your life!!! Thats amazing considering that's double the value of your headphones. Therefore, instead of making these worth $399.99, you basically have two pairs for $399.99, making the average around $200.00 a piece. That aspect has brought me peace of mind, considering I will work out with these and I have been known to pull on the cord by accident and rip them out, as well as my last pair went to my puppy. So far I've been very satisfied with my headphones purchase and have been amazed in how far music technology has progressed over time. In conclusion, if you're in the market for some headphones and have the money to spend, these are a great choice!

Soon I will add a video of an open box of the actual headphones. Thanks!

AT&T vs. Verizon iPhone

As most of you may know, the iPhone has established another carrier. Not only does AT&T carry the iPhone, now Verizon Wireless had signed a contract with Apple. Many people switched services from T-Mobile, Cellular South, Sprint, and even Verizon Wireless just to move to AT&T so they could get the iPhone.

Now that people have two options they will probably start comparing services and prices from each of the phone companies. But, the truth is there isn't really that much to compare. As you can see on the list below, the plans are the same prices there are just minor differences in the data plans, messaging, and tethering.

AT&T Verizon

Voice plans

$39.99(450 min.) $39.99(450 min.)

$59.99(900 min.) $59.99(900 min.)

$69.99(unlimited) $69.99(unlimited)

Data Plans

$15 (200MB) $29.99(unlimited)

*15/200MB overage

$25 (2GB)

*$10/1GB overage

Texting

$10 (1,000 msg.) $5 (250 msg.)

$20 (unlimited) $10 (500 msg.)

$20 (unlimited)

Tethering

$20 (no data included) $20 (2GB)

*$20/1GB overage

So looking at this chart you will see that you can get unlimited talk and text for $89.99

so the only difference would be adding the data package. Being that you can get an cheaper

data plan at AT&T that would be the advantage, but on the other hand who wouldn't want

to have unlimited everything with Verizon for just $119.99.

Also here are a few more reasons why one might be better that the other. AT&T doesn't

have Wi-Fi Hotspot and Verizon has it up to 5 devices. Verizon has a better percentage of

dropped calls its only 2.0% compared to ATt&T's 5.8% as of August 2010. AT&T has

multitasking which means you can talk and surf the web and use apps and the same time and

and Verizon doesn't. Verizon iPhone is U.S. only and AT&T iPhone is worldwide.To break the

contact at AT&T is $325, but at Verizon its $350. Also, Verizon's iPhone is 5.5 seconds faster

the AT&T.

As you can see both companies has its advantages and disadvantages so you should choose

whats best for you.

Dear Skype

 Dear Skype,

        If it were not for you I would probably be single and homesick right about now. For this I owe you my most sincere gratitude. Thank you.

     

          Your Friend,

          

              Jordan Blackburn

       All joking aside, Skype really has been invaluable in my efforts to maintain many of my nearest and dearest relationships. Skype calls to other users within the Skype service are free, while calls to both traditional land-line telephones and mobile phones can be made for a fee using a debit-based user account system. Additionally, the program has also become popular for its additional features which include instant messaging, file transfer, and video conferencing. Whether it is a video chat with my family while studying abroad, voice calls to my friends back home in Oklahoma, or quick text messages with my boyfriend in England, Skype has enabled me to easily keep in contact with the people I care about despite the distance that separates us.  As far back as my middle school days of AOL Instant Messenger and costly text messaging on my Nokia 3310, technology has played a central role in my communication and social efforts.  Though Skype was introduced to the nation in December of 2005, I didn't become an avid user of the program until January of 2009 when I spent six months in Ireland and it became a necessity. Had I known beforehand how easy the process of downloading Skype was and how simple it is to use, I might have been a believer long before my over-seas adventure. For those of you foreign to the Skype downloading process I have provided you with the needed information below:

1.         Go to www.skype.com
2.         Under the “Get Skype” tab select your chosen method (ex: Windows)
3.      .  Select  download “Download Skype”
4.         Follow the four easy steps provided on the website.
5.         Create a screen name and password
6.       Once you have logged into Skype simply go to “Contacts” and begin searching for and adding all of your family and friends to your Skype Directory!

Personally, I use a HP Pavilion dm4 laptop which comes with a built-in camera and microphone, but if your computer does not come with these features you can always purchase peripheral devices at Wal-Mart or practically any run-of-the-mill electronic store.  That being said, the quality of built-in cameras (such as my HP MediaSmart webcam) are typically superior in both graphic and sound quality and tend to come with other added bonuses, for example, my software came with a program called “Effects Room” which allows you to add visual graphics to your video chats and photos! (see photo above)

 In May of 2010, Skype released an updated client application for the Apple iPhone which allowed Skype calls to be made over a 3G network. I use this program on a daily basis because it is not only convenient, but also cost efficient. By loading my Skype account in $10 increments I am able to make my long distance calls for a fraction of the cost I would otherwise be charged for by my network provider (AT&T). 

Because I live so far away from the majority of my loved ones, Skype has literally become an essential part of my life. As silly as it might seem, I really do owe Skype (or at least its Swedish creator, Niklaz Zennstrom) some genuine appreciation, because, if I was still stuck with a lagging AOL chat room and a $300 monthly cell phone bill, it wouldn’t just be my personal relationships that would suffer, but likely my entire relationship to the wonderful world of technology! 

Is Prime Appealing Enough to Shutdown Netflix?

There are many Internet-based movie rental and TV series subscriptions available, which have become very popular in the last few years. Many people have noticed the closing of many movie rental stores, like Blockbuster. These closings are due to the more convenient way of receiving and watching movies or TV series; one of the most popular and well-known subscription services that has somewhat directly shut down movie rental stores is Netflix. Just as technology has changed so many things in the past decade, we are now seeing the effect that technology has on movie rentals.

Netflix allows subscribers to view movies and TV shows unlimitedly for $7.99 a month, or around $96 a year. People watch these rentals over the Internet on their TVs with a Play Station 3, Xbox, or Wii gaming system; viewers also have the option of streaming the rental on a computer. Another service that Netflix offers to subscribers is the unlimited rental DVDs that they mail to the subscriber for rental without due dates, and therefore no late fees; this service is $2 extra per month. Blu-ray is available on Netflix. In order to allow potential subscribers to try it before buying it, they allow a free 1-month subscription that entitles each Netflix service to be used.

Amazon has recently put out a product called Prime that allows unlimited, instant streaming of movies and TV shows. It is $79 a year. The videos are capable of being viewed on computers, TVs, Blu-ray players, and many other TVs that are able to connect to the Internet. HD is available for Prime. This membership has other benefits than just movies and TV shows for a cheap price per year; it entitles members to fast 2-day shipping on Amazon products. Prime, like Netflix, entitles potential members to a free 1-month trial.

There is not much of a difference between Netflix and Prime. Both services allow unlimited, instant streaming of movies and TV series, and both require Internet connectivity. The costs are slightly different, with Amazon’s Prime being $17 cheaper per year. It also gives members extra benefits, while Netflix services only include movies and TV series. Netflix has a wider library than Prime does, but both offer new releases, which is a common category of movie rentals. Neither service has commercials or ads in their videos, yet both services provide HD streaming.

An interesting topic is what will be the next big subscription service that beats out Netflix. Will it be Amazon’s Prime? There is much hype about Prime, but is there enough of a difference in it, including its extra benefits, to encourage people to subscribe to Prime instead of the so well known Netflix? And, is Prime appealing enough to draw Netflix subscribers away from Netflix and onto Prime?

Because there is such a small difference in Netflix and Prime, the best way to decide which subscription is right for each individual’s lifestyle is to try out the free trials on each of the services. Some households might not have the correct TV components to work with one service, and therefore the other service would be the right option for them. The movie and TV series may also be slightly different, therefore getting a feel for each of the libraries would be a great way to decide which service is a better personal fit.

Although Amazon’s Prime is not yet appealing enough to take over what Netflix has become, it has high potential to become the next “big thing.” Just as Netflix ended Blockbuster’s business, Prime may be the next Internet-based movie rental subscription that outruns the huge accomplishments of Netflix.

The Top Five Reasons to Justifiably Unfriend a Facebook Friend

Social networks like Facebook provide users with access to the personal lives of friends and acquaintances. Though this is helpful when attempting to recall the birthdays of forgettable individuals, one unfortunate consequence of social networks is that you may learn a little too much about the “quirky” girl who lived down the hall from you freshman year. She seemed perfectly nice back when you were stupid and amicable, but now that pictures of her obese cat incessantly bombard your Top News page, you begin to wonder why you ever clicked the “accept” button in the first place.

For a while, I vehemently denounced the “unfriending” of Facebook friends whom I have met. Recently, though, I realized the only time I would come close to communicating with several of these Facebook friends again would be via Facebook itself, so why worry about an improbable awkward confrontation with people who indirectly annoy me every single day? Why not easily rid myself of these social network pariahs?

I have outlined five situations in which it is appropriate to unfriend, well, basically anyone. Even your sister shouldn’t be your Facebook friend if she is partaking in any of these Facebook faux pas. You are better off without her.

1. Perhaps the most obvious of Facebook offenses, though nonetheless essential to this list, are statuses written by the most mundane people you know (or don’t know) which log their mediocre daily activities in explicit detail. These posts are enough to ruin the day of even a full-blown stalker. People who post these updates must be immediately revoked of Facebook friendship, preferably before you are reminded of how boring your own life is too.

2. People who repeatedly post spam. How many times do you have to click on “OMG YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE WHAT THIS GIRL DID TO JUSTIN BIEBER” to realize the link is not truly a portal to irresistible indulgence? Unfortunately, clicking will not take you to a deranged tween plummeting Biebz on the head with a shovel, screaming, “IF I CAN’T HAVE HIM, NO ONE WILL!” This technological Catch-22 will send the unsolicited link to your innocent friends, effectively introducing them to the same moral dilemma you just encountered: to click or not to click? It is the dumb people who repeatedly acquire Facebook spam, not Justin Bieber, who must have endured serious head trauma, and if not yet, will soon when I appear outside their doors with a shovel. Guess you shouldn’t put your address on the Internet, huh?!

3. Unfriend anyone who shows up at your house uninvited, wielding a lawn tool.

4. Friends who ceaselessly Facebook chat you though you have never had a genuine conversation with them, nor sought to have had a genuine conversation with them, must hit the road. If you feel guilty about removing a Facebook chat creeper, refer to the “suggest friend” tool and introduce him to your bestie, the cat hair-covered ex-dorm neighbor, keeping in mind that desperation and loneliness love company. (Fun fact: that was the original slogan for Facebook, note “random play.”)

5. Remove anyone whose profile picture is of a famous person and not of herself, as the photo is telling sign of a serious illness, a rare case of body dimorphic disorder. Instead of hallucinating that she is deformed, this friend believes she resembles Megan Fox when actually more akin to Rosie O’Donnell. Do the right thing in this situation and pity the diseased. Unfriend her so she can become accustomed to the rejection and disappointment which is her destiny. Or you could take the more subtle approach and simply comment, “HAHAHAHA” on the picture.

When asked if you are sure you want to unfriend, answer with a resounding click of the "yes" button, and savor the feeling of freedom. Reassure yourself afterwords that you are still cool, even if you now have merely 1659 friends instead of 1660. If this doesn’t work, don’t worry; there are still millions of potential fake friends on the Internet. And if all else fails, refriend the cat girl. She serves as a reminder of what you truly relish about Facebook: laughing at people who appear even worse off than yourself.