With everyone indoors and practicing socially distancing, entertainment is being used even more to keep people calm through the pandemic of COVID-19, and that’s where streaming services play their part.
The most popular streaming services that come to mind are Netflix, Hulu, and Disney Plus, but here are more streaming options anyone in quarantine can enjoy.
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video is a streaming service that comes with an Amazon Prime subscription.
With Amazon Prime Video users can purchase certain movies and series. There is also an option for users to stream specific movies or series free. Like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video also has original shows, including “The Boys,” “Tom Clancey’s Jack Ryan” and “Upload.”
Along with the originals, Amazon Prime Video has implemented Prime Cinema, which is a way to bring the movie theaters to the home of their viewers. This is an add-on service provided through the subscription. It allows the user to purchase new and recent movies that would be in theaters if they were open.
The prices for the in theater movies are $19.99 on the Amazon Prime Video service, according to the Amazon Prime Video website. Amazon Prime Video is currently $8.99 per month, but Amazon Prime does offer a six month free trial for college students who sign up with their student email.
SlingTV
SlingTV is a streaming service that offers live tv without having cable.
“Sling TV is a great option for first-time cord-cutters looking for live TV without the agonizing bonds of cable, and in wake of the social distancing phenomenon, you can even try it free for live news and select on-demand movies and shows,” Ryan Waniata and Quentyn Kennemer said in their article for digitaltrends.com.
SlingTV is owned by DISH Network and is currently offering two weeks of free service due to the pandemic. However, when it is time to pay for it, SlingTV has a variety of packages for customers. These include Sling Orange, Sling Blue and a combination of both.
“Sling Orange subscribers can access ESPN and Disney, while Sling Blue offers channels like Bravo, USA, a suite of Fox channels, and in certain regions, local NBC and Fox channels,” according to businessinsider.com.
Both of the individual packages are $30 per month, while the combination of both is $45 per month.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is a service that allows viewers to stream live television channels as well as on demand shows through YouTube. The YouTube TV service is not free like the regular platform it spawned from. The price is $49.99 per month.
This streaming service also produces its own original shows including, “Cobra Kai“ and “Step Up: High Water.”
Viewers of YouTube also have the chance to see some of their favorite YouTubers in a professionally produced show instead of the YouTube videos they are used to seeing them in.
Not only do they have big name YouTubers in their shows, they also have big name actors as well. One name many will know is Robert Downey Jr., who is best known for playing Iron Man in the Marvel Studios Franchise. He now hosts a show on YouTube TV called “The Age of A.I.”
“Robert Downey Jr. hosts an exploration of the rise of artificial intelligence and showcases innovators who are pushing the boundaries.” according to imdb.com.
Since a lot of people need to find entertainment, it can be expected that a lot of these streaming services will start to get a lot of business. There are many streaming services that can be used.
