Apple of My Eye

Who Needs Cable? Smarter Entertainment Options for Your Home

admin — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 17:41:59 +0000

The price of cable television has gotten out of control. With many families looking for ways to reduce their household expenses, any entertainment option can get put on the chopping block. When you decide to get rid of cable TV, though, you still have several entertainment options for your family that won’t cost a lot of money.

Image by hjl via Flickr

Netflix: Streaming DVDs

Netflix started as a company that delivered DVDs to its customers’ homes. They had a good idea, but DVD by mail wasn’t going to replace cable TV.

With streaming DVDs, though, who needs cable?

Even with 1000 cable channels, you still have a pretty limited number of viewing options. With Netflix, though, you can watch movies and television shows from a broad range of genres and time periods.

Regardless of whether you want to watch a classic like Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Jr. or a television series like Lost, you can stream them to your computer or Internet-ready TV through Netflix. You can also use your gaming console to connect to the Netflix server, making it even easier to watch movies directly on your TV.

Hulu Plus: TV and Movies

Hulu offers a lot of free television shows and movies, but all those ads get annoying. Hulu Plus gives you access to even more content with far fewer ads.

Hulu Plus also allows you to watch content on smartphones, tablets, Blu-ray players, gaming consoles and many other devices. Try getting your cable provider to do that.

As you consider your family’s entertainment options, make smart choices that will give you more flexibility and content for less money. You’ll likely find that Netflix and Hulu Plus beat your cable package in every way.

Should You Switch to a Linux Operating System?

admin — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 06:57:35 +0000

Computer nerds all over the world have been praising the Linux operating system for years. You’ll never catch them relying on Windows. Before you make the switch to Linux, though, you should consider the advantages and disadvantages to help you decide whether it will meet your needs.

Advantages of Linux

Free software – Linux is an open source system that allows users to

Image via Wikipedia

access code and make adjustments. Much of the accompanying software works according to the same communal perspective. That means you can download software without spending any money or breaking the law.
System stability – When you say “hello” to Linux, you can say “goodbye” to crashes. You won’t find an operating system with more stability than Linux. You can leave the OS running for hundreds of days without restarting it once.
Security – Linux offers more security options than most operating systems. When you switch to Linux, you gain tools that will keep unwanted visitors out of your files.
Multitask – Linux can handle several large jobs at the same time without slowing down. That means you can play an intense video game while waiting for a large document to finish printing.

Disadvantages of Linux

Compatibility – The biggest problem with Linux is that you and your friends aren’t using it already. Hardware and software designers usually choose to make products that will make the most money. Since Linux only has a small audience of users, they often focus on products for more popular operating systems. That can make it hard for you to find compatible options for your computer.

Now that you know the biggest advantages and disadvantages, will you make the switch to Linux?