A Little History:
All through our childhood we used to watch movies from rental video stores. Such a sweet memory of getting those video tapes and then later purchasing DVD to watch a movie from the comfort of your home or tv room. Even the trip to the movie store didn’t seem much of a bother because that’s how much we loved movies.
[BUTTONS1]
Then came the year 1997 which brought Netflix, a gift sent from the heavens, introduced the shipment of rentals by post. This saved the trip and you could just order the movie you wanted to watch. Everyone, especially parents, breathed a huge sigh of relief.
[BUTTONS2]With the advancement and availability of internet, Netflix brought us another glorious gift and changed the industry for the better yet once again. How? They introduced streaming videos. Now you can watch movies and series on Netflix just by streaming it. Those of us who had gotten used to downloading the movie or episode before watching it were shown a ray of light. Since everyone used Netflix and could watch the next episode or the sequel to the most awaited movies as soon as they were available, the downloaders had to up their game. Frankly because it wasn’t fun watching the movie after hearing it’s plot.
Emerging Competitors:
For years nothing could stand up to Netflix and its glory. No one dared challenge the undefeated heavy weight champion of the streaming world. However, this is 2018 and there are a few alternatives to Netflix that give good quality streaming. So if you are looking for a change or a new site for streaming an old classic. You might want to try one the following alternatives;
1. STARZ:
In 2012, Starz first offered video streaming option with the introduction of StarzPlay. However this required a cable and even a subscription to a satellite TV. Starz actually debuted three years before Netflix but since it was similar to cable, back then, people thought of it as a relic to the cable.
Starz offers movies and tv series, all in a monthly package of just 8.99 dollars. The cherry on top is that with Starz you can have access to a huge variety of new released movies straight from the studios like Sony Pictures and Columbia while you can enjoy the classics from Universal and Fox.
2. iTunes:
If you are an apple user you probably already know what this is. For those who are android users you should know that iTunes is not for subscription streaming. This is actually good for people who do not watch a lot of tv. Plus iTunes purchases can add up quickly. So if you are a GoT fan and wanted to get that. You will have to pay around 28 dollars for episodes individually and 23 dollars for the whole season. The reason iTunes is on this list is because
- You can watch the movie or the TV show at any location even if you do not have an internet connection available.
- You can watch it again and again any time you want.
- You will have it with you forever and can still watch it even if the other streaming services remove it.
3. HBO:
Home box office aka HBO (Go and Now) is the king. There is no denying that fact. Way before any of these existed, there was HBO. Netflix might have more subscription but every year it’s HBO that gets dozens of nominations and awards from the Emmys’. HBO has almost three decades of original content running. HBO also has a collection of news and commentary shows that are not present on any other streaming service. It might be expensive than the rest but it still offers more than anyone else.
If you don’t have a subscription to Netflix and your neighbor wont share, there are other options available. You just need to look for one that matches your needs. This list is only the beginning. It’s a wonderful world of video streaming out there.