Let’s see a show of hands: how many people out there enjoy movies? I’d say that’s the majority (yes, I can see you through my monitor). How many music fans do we have reading the Blog? It’s a safe bet that just about every person in the world enjoys at least one of these types of entertainment. In our “Back to Basics” series, we’ve discussed how to make your computer more user friendly and efficient for the work you’ll need it to complete. Let’s forget about all that right now and move on to the fun that your computer can provide! Are you interested in watching movies or listening to music? If so, you’re in luck. You have the capability of turning your home into a movie theater or concert hall, and you won’t have to stand in line to use the bathroom! Click “Continue Reading” to find out how.
If you’re a movie buff, you need to subscribe to Netflix. There is a monthly fee associated with the service, but even their most expensive monthly package is less than one visit to a movie theater. Netflix allows a user to “stream” an unlimited number of movies or television shows that they offer on their desktop computer, laptop, smartphone, tablet, SmartTV, or Roku at any time. If you have an Internet connection with a speed of 0.5 Mbps or more (click here for our post on Internet speed and connections) you can enjoy the service today. You’ll have to wait for the movies that are currently in the theater to hit Netflix, but there are thousands of older titles to keep you busy. Let me tell you about what our family has been doing lately. My mother has a projector, and recently bought a twelve foot inflatable projector screen. You read that right, twelve foot inflatable projector screen. Anyway, we hook the projector up to a laptop, stream a movie, and project it onto the screen in the driveway for our family and friends. The quality is excellent, and I haven’t seen one person who hasn’t enjoyed it yet. If you’d like to sign up for Netflix, visit www.netflix.com and get a free month to try it for yourself.
If there’s something you’d like to watch, chances are it’s on Youtube. Full-length movies won’t be available, as copywritten material is prohibited, but there are literally millions of videos and clips posted by users from around the world on the site. From sporting events to music videos, to TV clips, even instructional videos, you’ll be amazed at what you can find. By the way, you can post your own videos as well. Youtube is free, just head to www.youtube.com to get started. Type what you’d like to see in the search box at the top of the screen, click the magnifying glass, and you’re on your way! And yes, you can show these videos on a twelve foot inflatable projector screen, and get the app for your mobile device.
If you’re into music, turn off the radio and listen to what you’d actually like to hear! I have Sirius Satellite Radio in my truck, and absolutely hate when I have to drive my wife’s car and listen to the normal local radio because she isn’t a Sirius subscriber. If you don’t like pop music, your choices around here are practically nil. Rather than turn the radio on at home, listen to Pandora instead. If there’s a particular type of music you’d like to hear, music similar to a band you love, or music for a particular situation or holiday, head to www.pandora.com and sign up for your free account. You can create your own station, or listen to a premade station with the genre of music you prefer. Take Pandora with you while you’re on the go by downloading their free app to your smartphone or tablet.
Finally, if you’d like to hear a specific album by a specific artist, look no further than Spotify. Spotify free will allow you to listen to what you want along with some advertisements, while Spotify Premium is ad free and Internet free. Visit www.spotify.com to get started. Musicians will be happy you did, because they get paid each time you listen to one of their songs. Everybody wins! You can create playlists or listen to your friends’ lists, and keep the music coming all day long.
Computers are for much more than just business. Sometimes we get bogged down in our work and forget about the entertainment possibilities they possess. It’s important to go “Back to Basics” every now and then and consider these possibilities. In this on demand world, your device is the gateway to a world of entertainment like never before. Enjoy.