Streaming has gone from being a mere tech dream to something very real and possible to do on the internet. Today, via streaming, people can access all kinds of content that they may not otherwise have been able to view.
Maybe they’re checking out the Masters odds and then following the action on the ESPN+ streaming service. Or perhaps they’re wishing to relax with a good movie and have decided to stream it using one of the many entertainment apps out there.
Streaming makes it all possible. This post looks at the best apps for viewing different types of content.
Amazon Prime Video for movies
Amazon Prime Video is one of the best apps for getting your Hollywood fix. The app lists the movies separate from the TV shows on the Amazon app. The app lists movies by genre, such as comedy, drama etc. but then it’s possible to refine the results further by language or subtitling. You can also preview movies by watching trailers, rather than having to sit through the film before getting an idea of whether it might be right for you.
The only setback of having to use Amazon Prime Video is that it’s necessary to hold an Amazon account to use the app. If this doesn’t appeal to you, you may prefer Netflix or, for family viewing, Disney+.
Netflix for documentaries
Netflix has become renowned for its giant content library and is one of the world’s biggest entertainment streaming platforms. As well as films and TV shows, you can watch some tremendous documentaries on it.
If you’re a fan of true crime documentaries, you’ll especially warm to Netflix. Some of the documentaries on the platform have caused a massive stir. These include “Making a Murderer,” “Abducted in Plain Sight” and, of course, “The Tiger King.” Other sensational documentaries on the platform include “The Social Dilemma” and “The Tinder Swindler.”
Originally, Netflix has three main payment plans. Recently, the company added one to the Basic plan so that subscribers can choose between a Basic plan without adverts and one with them. The plan that includes them is cheaper.
Spotify for music (and music videos)
Spotify is possibly the most popular of all the streaming service apps for music. The service offers subscription and free streaming, but if you choose the free version you won’t have the luxury of ad-free music or being able to select songs quite as you wish. The service does, however, allow you to search for artists, albums and more. You can also find podcasts and playlists on the app.
You don’t just have to listen to the music, however, as Spotify provides music videos for some of its songs and also for some of its podcasts. So if the music video for a particular favourite song of yours or the videos by one of your favourite bands’ appeals to you, you might find them on the app. The app also features creator options for anyone who wants to create podcasts. If you can’t find the video you want, you’re likely to be able to track it down on YouTube.
YouTube for news
This may come as a surprise to you, but YouTube is an excellent place to stream news. The platform is a rich source of autogenerated free news content, courtesy of its News channel. Once you get on the channel, you’ll see it broken down into several more categories:
- Sports News
- Entertainment News
- Business News
- Science News
- Technology News
- World News
- Local News
- National News
You’ll also see news videos pulled from specific news publications, plus specific major news channels available 24 hours a day. If you don’t fancy going to YouTube News, however, to follow what’s happening in the world, apps from news channels such as CBS News, Bloomberg, Al Jazeera or Sky News might be more to your taste.
Udemy for courses and learning
If you’re looking for a free course, try the Udemy app. Udemy is an open learning platform that allows course creators to post video courses. The coursework can be arranged into a set of modules that contain texts, videos and assessments. The app also featured a note-taking function and closed captioning.
One of the downsides of the app is that it’s not possible to download the courses for consumption offline. However, you can download the videos to watch offline. You can also listen to them while you’re on the move by switching to the app’s podcast mode.
Streaming has made it easier to view different types of content. The apps above are all good places to start if you want to view a specific type of content, but there are others as well. A quick search online can introduce you to more apps if these apps don’t quite suit your requirements.
