Fire TV app management

I saw last month that Amazon was updating the Fire TV platform to better manage app storage.

At the time, it was rumored to be coming, then confirmed to be coming. Now, it's here.

Amazon has announced that the the new feature has launched.

If an app is not used for more than 30 days, Auto Offload will automatically clear the app cache, and if your device runs low on storage (meaning there is less than 800MB of usable storage remaining), it will offload the apps that are not used for more than 60 days. Though some experience-critical apps, and those with active subscriptions will be exempt from this feature, you can choose to manually offload eligible apps by navigating to Settings > Manage Installed Applications through the options menu when selecting an app in launcher.

If you choose to reuse an offloaded app at a later date, the reinstallation process will be seamless. Upon opening the app, you will be automatically signed in using the account that was last used on that app. If the credentials have been changed, or for some reason you’re unable to log into the app successfully, you will be prompted to re-enter the credentials.

This isn't how Roku does it, but it is a better way than it was. I ran out of space more than once on a Fire TV device, but never ran out on Roku. This won't be quite as seamless, but it will be an improvement. A big improvement.

My Streaming Life primarily uses Roku, and more recently, Chromecast. Fire TV is my third-most used device, but far behind Chromecast and Roku. That might change. I'm curious to see the new process actually in operation. It looks promising.

Finally replaced my network

Last summer, a storm took out my home network. The network wasn't exactly new, and had been in service for a while. I rant to Walmart and picked up a cheap network device (two, actually) and was back up and running the same day. But, it was an inferior setup.

Okay, it was not all that bad, as it took me 14 months to replace it. For that year and change, it worked fine. But, it wasn't as good as it could have been.

The old network was great. It was an older Google Home network. It worked well. Very well, in fact. I have an older house (built in 1954). The way it's laid out, and where all I want wireless, can be challenging. The Linksys network (the temporary, but over a year in service network) did well, but not as well as my older Google Home network. And just a few days ago, I finally replaced the Linksys with a new Google Net Pro network.

I really have to give Google credit for making the network setup really really easy. Don't get me wrong, I've set up many networks over the years. Setting up a network is something I'm very capable of doing. But just because I can do all the tedious things involved doesn't mean I want to do those things. I like simplicity. And setting up the Google Nest Pro network using the Google Home app was easy. I like easy. I can do hard, but I really prefer easy.

I'm paying for the Comcast Xfinity cheap plan. It's 75 Mbps and plenty fast enough for streaming. And I get that as well.

I am happy with the speed I'm getting, and the 35 ms latency isn't bad. I don't do online gaming, so it's not that big of a deal, but that is good enough for most gaming.

My network speed is good. My network is strong. My Streaming Life is good.

Microsoft and your data

YouTube Channel Britec09 has a video up this week that discusses how much of your data to which Microsoft has access on a Windows computer.

Some of the Microsoft policy is understandable, as they won't to be held blameless if someone uses your data in a way you don't like. For example, if you share your data with a third party by way of a Microsoft service, and the third party uses the data in a way you don't approve, Microsoft isn't repsonsible.

While that is reasonable, there are lots of other bits of Microsoft's privacy policy that you might not like.

[YouTube]

So, what do you do? As the video said, if you don't want Microsoft to have access to all of your data on your computer, don't use a Windows computer.

Personally, I rarely use a Windows computer. I switched to Mac in 2007. More recently, I moved to Linux. At work, I've had to use Windows computers, but at home, I don't have to. And I don't.

My Linux laptop works great. I have some family members that use Chromebooks. That's another topic for another day. My Streaming Life does use Google devices. The privacy isn't great, but it's on par with others. The security of pretty good as well.

Watching College Football in 2023: Week 8

The 8th week of college football for 2023 is underway. There are 54 Division 1-A/FBS games on tap this week, with eight already played (three Tuesday, two Wednesday, two Thursday night, and one last night).

Today, there are 46 games scheduled. There are four games that feature two Top 25 teams playing each other:

• Penn State (7) at Ohio State (3)
• Tennessee (17) at Alabama (11)
• Duke (16) at Florida State (4)
• Utah (14) at Southern California (18)

Georgia (1), Oregon State (12), Notre Dame (15), and Louisville (21) all have open weekends. The rest of the Top 25 all play unranked teams.

Today's games will be broadcast over several networks. Here are the channels or networks you'll need to watch all the games:

• ABC
• ACC Network
• Big Ten Network
• CBS
• CBS Sports Network
• CW
• ESPN
• ESPN2
• ESPNU
• ESPN+
• Fox
• Fox Sports 1
• Longhorn Network
• NBC
• NFL Network
• Pac 12 Network
• Peacock
• SEC Network

Note: No games are on Longhorn Network or Peacock this week.

Between this weekend's games and next Saturday, there are eight games involving Division 1-A/FBS teams, none involving ranked teams (at least, none by this week’s poll). Those games will be broadcast on:

• CBS Sports Network
• ESPN
• ESPN2
• ESPNU

It’s possible that before the season ends, there may even be another network or two that carries games, but these are the ones that are confirmed as the season begins. Here's how to get all the networks:

ABC

• Antenna (free)
• Sling TV (8 markets only) ($45/month)
• Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($77/month)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Entertainment) ($80/month)

ACC Network

• Sling TV (Orange + Sports Extra) ($51/month)
• Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($77/month)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Choice) ($114/month)

Big Ten Network

• Sling TV (Blue + Sports Extra) ($51/month)
• Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($77/month)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Choice) ($114/month)

CBS

• Antenna (free)
• Paramount Plus (Premium) $12/month
• Hulu+Live TV ($77/month)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Entertainment) ($80/month)

CBS Sports Network

• Hulu+Live TV ($77/month)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Ultimate) ($139/month)

CW

• Antenna (free)
• Not available streaming.

ESPN, ESPN2

• Sling TV (Orange) ($40/month)
• Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($77/month)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Entertainment) ($80/month)

ESPN+

• ESPN+ (standalone) ($10/month)
• Disney Bundle ($15/month)

ESPNU

• Sling TV (Orange + Sports Extra) ($51/month)
• Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($77/month)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro + Fubo Extra) ($83/month)
• DirecTV (Choice) ($114/month)

Fox

• Antenna (free)
• Sling TV (18 markets only) ($45/month)
• Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($77/month)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Entertainment) ($80/month)

Fox Sports 1

• Sling TV (Blue + Sports Extra) ($51/month)
• Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($77/month)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Entertainment) ($80/month)

Longhorn Network

• Sling TV (Orange + Sports Extra) ($51/month)
• Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month)
• DirecTV (Choice) ($114/month)

NBC

• Antenna (free)
• Peacock (Plus) ($12/month)
• Sling TV (11 markets only) ($45/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($77/month)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Entertainment) ($80/month)

NFL Network

• Sling TV (Blue) ($40/month)
• Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($77/month)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Choice) ($114/month)

Pac 12 Network

• Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)

Peacock

• Peacock is its own service, and can be used to watch NBC live programming with the $12/month plan.

SEC Network

• Sling TV (Orange) ($40/month)
• Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($77/month)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Choice) ($114/month)

That's this week in Division 1-A/FBS college football, and covers all the networks -- so far -- that are carrying college football games in 2023. My Streaming Life focuses on college football during this time of year.

Maybe it really is the blue ones

After a few days of using the new blue Google Chromecast device (the color is called "Sky" but it's a light blue) for a couple of days, I've discovered that it's not the remote.

Okay, briefly, a new Chromecast device was not working properly. Some remote directional pad presses were not executed, and some executed as if the button was pressed and held. I sent it back and got a replacement. Both were "Sky" blue.

The replacement exhibited the same behavior. This time I did a better job of troubleshooting. I decided to rule out the remote by using another Chromecast remote. The alternate remote didn't make a difference. The odd behavior still happened. It's not the remote. Or at least, it's not just the remote. It's the device itself, it seems.

I'll be sending it back. I really don't want to go through that again. Oh, don't get me wrong, Google makes it easy to return an item. That's not the problem. It's having a device that isn't working right, and having to deal with that, that I don't like. I'll do it after the weekend. I got stuff going on, and I'll keep trying it for a couple of more days, just to be sure, and if it doesn't work itself out by Monday, I'll start the return process.

I wonder why my white one works fine, but two different blue ones don't. They make a pink one (they call the color "Sunrise") and I might try it just to see what happens.

My Streaming Life is usually trouble free, or if there are troubles, it's easy to find out the cause and fix it. This is odd. Why only the blue ones? Makes no sense. Perfect for today's world.

Netflix price increase

Well, the rumors were right. Netflix is upping their prices. Again.

The highest tier went up $3/month, from $19.99/month to $22.99/month. The middle tier stays $15.49/month, and the ad-supported tier is $6.99/month.

Cord Cutters News reports that Netflix has reintroduced the $11.99/month plan, but it's not showing as available for me.

Maybe it will show up for me later. Maybe it shows up for you. Maybe. But as I write this, the $12 plan isn't back. Not for me, anyway.

Based on the numbers we ran the other day, the $3 increase, which is 15%, would be a net gain if less than 13% of customers with the highest tier drop the service in response. If more than 13% drop the service, then it's a net loss. I think some will drop, but not many. I won't drop Netflix because -- wait for it -- I dropped it long ago. It's not a service I use.

This isn't good news for subscribers, though. If you're a subscriber, and have the highest tier, then you're impacted.

My Streaming Life isn't impacted, but if yours is, I feel bad for you. It may be time to find other ways, cheaper ways, to get good online streaming entertainment.

Maybe it's the blue ones?

First, I'm still on Team Roku. I've had Roku devices since 2010, and cut cable on January 11, 2011. Roku is my streaming device of choice.

Lately, I've been using Chromecast. For four weeks. Okay, 27 days. Today is the 28th day. Or will be.

Anyway, I've ran into an issue with one of the devices. I replaced the Chromecast HD (1080 version) that I had on my main TV. A while back, I replaced my 1080 TV with a UHD/4K TV. I had a Chromecast HD on it. With some swapping around of devices, including setting up a family member with a Chromecast, I would up with an HD device on my UHD/4K TV.

Rather than try to undo some of that, which would involve taking back a device from someone, I decided to just get a new Chromecast UHD/4K device. Only, rather than the standard white, as I have always done, I got a blue one. Google calls the color "Sky" but it's what I would call light blue.

That's the device with which I had a recent issue. New device, issue, it gets returned, right? Right. And the replacement arrived recently.

Same issue.

The device will sometimes not respond to a button press on the remote. Google calls it the "directional pad." It's where the arrows would go. It's just a round thing that you treat as if it were arrows.

That's where the problem is. Sometimes presses aren't recognized. Then, sometimes a single press moves the highlight several places. It could be the remote or it could be the device. But my white Chromecast doesn't have this problem. My blue one does. And I sent the blue one back and got another blue one to replace it. Same problem.

Maybe I need to send the new blue one back and try a pink one. Google calls it "Sunrise" but it's kinda pink. Or just get a classic white one.

What I'll probably do is take the remote from the Chromecast HD (the 1080p Chromecast device) and use it. The remotes are the same. I think. I'll find out.

It's really odd that two Chromecast devices that are blue have the problem, but the same model, only white, doesn't have the problem. So, I've now (while I'm writing this and getting ideas) paired the white Chromecast HD remote with the Chromecast (UHD/4K) device.

That wasn't as easy as I thought. You have to pair the Google Home app with your Chromecast, then use the remote function of the app to control the Chromecast, then navigate to the Remote settings, then try to pair it. And it didn't pair the first time, but did the second. So now I have a different Chromecast remote paired to the Chromecast device.

Initially, it's working properly. But I saw something that concerns me. There's a software update available for the remote. Not for the Chromecast, but for the remote.

Maybe that's the problem. So, I'll not apply the update just yet. I'll use the remote as is, and see how it performs. Maybe for a week, if all goes well. Then, I'll update the remote software and see if things go sideways. Then I'll see what happens next.

My Streaming Life shouldn't be this hard. Maybe I'm just making it hard. But I still enjoy it. This is a bit of a challenge, trying to figure out why the blue Chromecast devices act wonky. But a fun challenge. And I can watch TV and call it research. That's a win, any way you look at it.