Enjoy Ad-Free Streaming While You Can Still Afford It

October 15, 2022

Streaming services used to be a great way to cut the cord and ditch cable. You could get an excellent streaming app or two at a bargain price, tons of content, and be happy. That’s no longer the case. Now, everything is more expensive, it’s impossible not to subscribe to more than one, and ad-free streaming is slowly disappearing.

Everyone from Disney+ to Netflix are turning to ads to keep prices down. Our top story explains why you should enjoy ad-free streaming while it’s still affordable.

Other Highlights:

• Satechi just released its first MacBook case.
• The “Pixel curse” hits Google’s new Pixel 7 Pro.
• We reviewed the Fiido D3 Pro Folding Mini Electric Bike.
• … and more!

-Cory

Services like Netflix are defined by ad-free streaming. But this business model grows more expensive every year, and customers are starting to feel the pain. Ad-supported streaming is the only solution—it’s cheap and profitable, and in just a few years, it will become the norm. Read More »

Electric bikes are intriguing and incredibly cool contraptions. And just like electric cars, they’re not super budget-friendly—except this one. The D3 Pro Mini from Fiido gives people the e-bike experience at a more affordable price while still delivering a healthy battery life and plenty of power. Read More »

Due to a growing interest in home theaters and “Spatial Audio,” surround sound music is back on the map. But I believe that this is just a trend. Music sounds awful in surround sound, and without massive advancements in technology, stereo will remain the format of choice. Read More »

If you’re eyeballing Framework’s modular and repairable laptops, now’s the time to take the leap. Framework just opened orders for refurbished laptops and expansion cards, which could save you hundreds on your purchase. Read More »

Earlier this week, Meta (Facebook) hosted its yearly Connect conference and had lots of exciting news to share. CEO Mark Zuckerberg talked in-depth about the Metaverse, the new Meta Quest Pro headset, and avatar legs in VR. Read More »

Keeping all your Apple devices charged can be a chore. And sometimes you want to actually use your phone while it’s on your wireless charger. The iOttie Velox Magnetic Wireless Charging Duo Stand solves a couple of those problems. This charging stand allows you to power up your smartphone and your earbuds at the same time. But it also keeps your iPhone upright, so you can still tap on it and watch it while it resupplies its power. It’s a great item to have at your bedside.

A certain brand of keyboard aficionado should be quite pleased if they own iPhones today. That’s because Apple finally made the Dvorak keyboard available natively in iOS 16. Ars Technica and The Verge report that Apple slipped the 86-year-old layout into the most recent iOS update. Read More »

In the last couple of years, the demand for vinyl records has hit record highs, along with the devices that play them. But while record players are all in one system that include speakers, if you already have a high-end sound system, what you really want is a good turntable. Read More »

It’s no secret that Google makes some of the best Android smartphones, but they’re also frequently prone to odd issues at launch or after updates. Now, Google’s new Pixel 7 has the “Pixel curse,” as we see new complaints about frustrating little problems. Read More »

Satechi is best known for its chargers, USB hubs, and other plug-in Mac accessories. But it just launched a hardshell case for the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro (2021 model), and to our surprise, this case is practically invisible. Read More »

Back in the day, your television set could generate enough static that it would raise your hair and even let you torment your siblings with comic-villain-like static zaps. But today, not so much. Where’d the static go? Read More »

If you’ve ever been around kids, you know how limitless their imaginations can be. A simple cardboard box is an endless world of possibilities. What if we let that imagination run wild with DALL-E and Stable Diffusion? Read More »

Modern electric vehicles (EVs) are chipping away at range anxiety, but long-distance trips still feel difficult to many considering a switch to electric. With better batteries and increased charging infrastructure, is it finally possible to take a real road trip in an electric car? Read More »

The Meta Quest Pro VR headset, codenamed “Project Cambria,” was officially revealed on October 11, 2022. It has a $1500 price tag and a long list of technical improvements compared to Quest 2, but does that mean you should buy one? Read More »

Alarm clocks have an interesting existence. They’re something many of us desperately need, and yet a few seconds after they start working as requested, we want to smash them to pieces or throw them out the window in front of an oncoming bus. Read More »