Smartphones aren’t just for talking anymore. Mobile devices are being used as full-scale entertainment centers. According to eMarketer, Americans will spend around 5 hours a day watching TV and other non-voice activities on their mobile devices this year, compared to only about 4.5 hours a day watching an actual television. Today’s mobile technology is certainly convenient when it comes to watching TV. No longer do we have to miss our favorite TV shows if we have to be away from the house. We can take those shows with us on our mobile devices. Here are 4 resources you can use to start watching mobile TV and join in the fun!
1. Hulu
Hulu.com is an incredibly popular TV streaming service that has a wide variety of offerings. It has an amazing lineup of current and older TV shows that can be set up to stream to any mobile device, or even to your home television. Some shows are available for free, but most require a monthly subscription to Hulu Plus to access them. Fortunately, monthly subscriptions are less than $10 a month and give you access to most any show you might want to see. Set up streaming, and you can watch your favorite TV shows on Hulu anywhere you go. All you have to do is bring your smartphone or tablet and you’ve got instant television!
2. Netflix
Netflix was a pioneer in watching movies at home with its revolutionary mail-order DVD service. Later, it became a pioneer in instant video streaming, and that’s where most of its business is today. Today, Netflix is one of the most popular TV streaming services available. Using the free Netflix app (for Android and Apple), you can stream unlimited movies and both current and old TV shows to any mobile device and watch thousands of TV shows and movies from the company’s vast and ever-expanding collection. Plus, the monthly price of a Netflix subscription is less than the cost of one ticket to a movie theater, which makes it a very economical choice. Netflix is also unique among streaming services because it is becoming a TV network on its own, producing some very popular original programming, such as Orange is the New Black and the revival of Arrested Development.
3. Cable Company Apps
Lots of cable companies are trying to keep up with the competition from sites like Hulu and Netflix and meet the demand for streaming TV by offering their own apps for watching TV shows on demand. Most cable companies offer TV streaming apps as well as TV cable installation options today. Services like TVProviders.com offer assistance in finding the right cable companies with the appropriate TV apps to meet your needs. Once you have the apps installed, you can watch content from that cable company on demand anywhere you go with your mobile device.
4. Amazon Instant Video
Amazon isn’t just for buying books. You can also use it to watch TV and movies online using Amazon Instant Video. It’s available right on Amazon’s website, and also as a free iPhone and iPad app, so you can take your viewing on the go. With the app, you can buy individual episodes of television shows, subscribe to season passes for your favorite TV shows, shop from Amazon Instant Video to get access to older TV shows and movies and stream unlimited videos if you’re a member of Amazon Prime. It’s just one more way to watch TV without being tied to a TV.
