A few years ago, most people probably got the majority of their media content from either a cable box, an optical disc or from an Internet download. Today, with the advent of YouTube, ubiquitous connectivity and better access to broadband, many users now get the bulk of their content streamed directly to their devices from the cloud.
The connected living room is taking shape — finally — and commercial content creators are embracing digital media in a big way. Of course now, the problem isn’t so much finding a way to get quality commercial content streamed to your TV, smartphone or computer, but deciphering what service is the best.
We’re taking a look at five of the the most popular streaming m edia services to see how they stack up.
Note: Although some of these services do provide access for users outside of the United States, issues related to content licensing and service availability are still largely U.S.-centric. Furthermore, the majority of consumer electronics that support streaming services are focused on North American consumers. We apologize to our international readers and hope we can take a look at more region-agnostic alternatives in the future.
1. Netflix
Netflix completely revolutionized the DVD rental space when it debuted more than a decade ago. Over the last few years, the company has exerted more of its energies and resources into becoming the most visible subscription streaming service.
Featuring one of the largest streaming content libraries and capturing subscribers by the millions, Netflix is one of the big players in the streaming media space.
PC/Mac Access:< /strong> Yes, using a web...
