Solving the Windows 11 problem

Recently, I shared a video from Britec that covered one of the issues with Windows 11 that doesn't get a lot of attention.

With the increased hardware requirements for Windows 11, many computers, a very large number of computers, will not support Windows 11. Additionally, the unofficial workarounds to make Windows 11 work on those devices leave open the possibility of unforeseen issues. And anyone that has experience with Microsoft knows that specific issues may be unforeseen, but the chance of some kind of issues is 100%. There will be issues. Bank on it.

So, what can you do? Buy a new computer? Sure. But what do you do with the old one?

Let me propose something different: drop Windows for another operating system.

There are two major operating systems that will extend the life of an older computer: Linux and Chrome OS. I'm going to only suggest Linux if you feel you are up to learning something new. It's different enough from Windows that you will have to learn new things, and the Linux support community is populated by enough jerks to make it a problem trying to find a solution. So my suggestion for most users is Chrome OS.

Chrome OS, like Linux, is a secure operating system. Unlike Linux, it isn't as private. Google gets your information, since a Google account is required to use Chrome OS. Google has improved on their privacy practices, and I think it's better than Microsoft in this respect. Linux is best insofar as privacy and security each are concerned. However, for most users, Chrome OS is a good choice.

There is a bit of a learning curve with Chrome OS, however. Not as much as with Linux, but still a slight learning curve. But, it's not a big one. If you can use a Windows computer, you can use a Chrome OS computer.

My Streaming Life is independent of my computer operating system for the most part. My local Plex server runs on Windows, but can run on Linux, or even NVIDIA Shield. But there's more than just streaming. And a computer that just works is nice. Chrome OS is an option that more people should look into.

Xumo Stream Box is next

I recently returned my Xfinity Flex device and got a new Xumo Stream Box. That's essentially the replacement for it.

Xfinity charges $5/month for the box, but the first one is free is you ask for it. They charge $15 to set it up, but they will waive that if you ask.

I didn't really like the Flex box, so I'm not sure how I'll like the Xumo Stream Box, but I'm willing to give it a try.

I actually picked up the device a couple of weeks ago, but with several things going on, I have not set it up ... until now. I'm starting the setup, and I'll try it out for a bit, then let you know how it goes.

My Streaming Life involves several streaming devices. Many I've tried and abandoned. Some I've tried and liked, but went back to my favorite. And some I've tried and liked, and used it as my primary for a while. We'll see which this turns out to be.

Netflix viewership down

A report on Cord Cutters News this week says that Netflix viewership has dropped over the same time last year by around 17%.

That's a pretty sizable drop, and it reflects 7 billion viewing hours lost, according to the report by Shelby Brown:

The streaming giant’s self-reported data showed time spent watching movies and TV shows on the service declined by more than 7 billion hours in comparison to 2022 – about a 17% decrease in audience engagement year-over-year.

This comes after Netflix spent 2023 trying to drive subscriptions with an eye towards increased profitability . The streamer expanded its initiative to stop password sharing, which despite early backlash, ended up yielding an influx of new customers. It also raised the price of its premium plan in an effort to drive users to its cheaper ad-based tier.

Why the drop? No one knows for sure. I think it's because there is so much available elsewhere that Netflix is not the "must have" service it used to be. I dropped Netflix years ago, and only ever subscribe when there's a new feature I want to test, or if there is something that I really want to watch, such as when they carried MST3K or when a new Dave Chappelle special is released.

My Streaming Life doesn't involve Netflix, for the most part. And it's a smaller part of many people's lives. If you spend a lot of time on Netflix, consider some of the free alternatives. You may find you don't need to put up with the price increases and limited content either.

Xfinity price increase hits home

Word of upcoming Xfinity price increases have been something I've looked at for a while now. Now it's happened.

I've been paying $52/month for Xfinity Internet for several months now. Word of a $4 price increase came late last year. Now it happened. And something else happened that was unexpected.

My bill went up $9/month. It's now $61/month. Of the $9, $4 is the price increase. The other $5 was a reduction in the autopay credit. It was $10/month, but the new bill, which came this week, shows a $5/month autopay credit.

I'm not happy with this. The $4/month increase was bad enough. But reducing the credit for autopay? That's extremely frustrating. Just one more reason to hate Comcast, right?

My Streaming Life will continue to use Xfinity Internet. For now. As the price increases, I'm continuing to look for alternatives. Right now, there are no cheaper options. But I'm looking.

Dropping streaming services? You're not alone.

A report from the Wall Street Journal says that a quarter of streaming service subscribers have canceled at least three in the last year.

... consumers nationwide paring their streaming bills and getting more strategic about when they turn services on and off. Customer defections across premium streaming services rose to 6.3% in November, from 5.1% a year earlier.

About one-quarter of U.S. subscribers to major streaming services -- a group that includes Apple TV+, Discovery+, Disney+, Hulu, Max, Netflix, Paramount+, Peacock and Starz -- have canceled at least three of them over the past two years, according to November data from subscription-analytics provider Antenna. Two years ago, that number stood at 15%, a sign that streaming users are becoming increasingly fickle.

If you think about it, the number of those cutting back may be even higher. Those numbers are from last year. What about those that cut back in previous years? If they cut back even more, dropping only one or two services last year, they would be excluded from the survey results. But they still dropped services. And yes, those people exist. I'm one of those.

I cut back before last year. And I'm still cutting. I rotate services, but haven't used a couple of those in a year. My rotation of services, which used to be one every month, has skipped some months. I'm not always subscribing to even one service a month some of the time.

My Streaming Life has always been about saving money. And I'm using more and more free ad-supported television (FAST) services, and fewer paid services. And so are more people, it seems.

A new streaming speaker?

The Roku Streambar is a pretty good streaming device, and a decent sound bar. I've had one for a few years, and have been happy with it. It's a good mix of streaming device and sound bar. I wonder why others haven't come up with something similar.

Now someone has. Or at least that's the rumor.

According to AFTVNews, Sonos is reportedly developing a streaming device built into a sound bar, and it's due out this year:

... The new TV box is said to run a custom operating system based on Android, much like Amazon’s Fire OS for Fire TV devices.

The rumored Sonos TV streaming box, codenamed "Pinewood," is said to be a premium device that will cost between $150 to $200. That puts it in league with the Fire TV Cube, Nvidia Shield TV, and Apple TV 4K. Unsurprisingly, the sources say it will support Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision.

In addition to running streaming service apps, the TV box is said to serve as a "central hub for a customer's other Sonos devices." It's probably pretty safe to expect that the TV box will seamlessly integrate with Sonos' home theater surround sound speakers, like the Sonos Arc and Sonos Beam. The TV box will be controllable through both the Sonos app and via voice.

The think that concerns me is the part about it being a custom Android system. Either base Android TV, such as what NVIDIA Shield runs, or Google TV (an interface running on Android TV), such as what Chromecast or Walmart's Onn streamers run, would be a better choice, in my mind. A custom OS, even Android based, could limit the apps available. Standard Android TV or Google TV would open the app store (Google Play Store) and not have the compatibility issues that are sometimes encountered with Fire TV.

My Streaming Life has benefited from the Roku Streambar for some time. Another good option would be welcome. It's just the questions about the operating system that give me pause.

Watching College Football in 2023: Bowl Games, day 12

Bowl Season of college football for 2023 is nearing the end, since it's now 2024. There are five bowl games today, all involving ranked teams.

ESPN

Three of today's games are on ESPN. Both feature ranked teams facing each other, including both college football playoff games.

Vrbo Fiesta Bowl

(8) University of Oregon vs (23) Liberty University

College Football Playoff Semifinal 110th Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential

(4) The University of Alabama vs (1) University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl

(3) University of Texas at Austin vs (2) University of Washington

ESPN2

One of today's games is on ESPN2.

ReliaQuest Bowl

(13) Louisiana State University vs University of Wisconsin–Madison

ABC

One game is on ABC today.

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl

(17) University of Iowa vs (21) University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Later Games

The only remaining bowl game is the national championship, which will air on ESPN next week.

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) ($85/month)

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) ($85/month)

This year's Division 1-A/FBS college football is winding down. My Streaming Life focuses on college football during this time of year. I'm going to miss it when it's gone.