Best streaming players (according to Tom's Guide)

Tom's Guide recently had a review it called "Best streaming devices in 2024."

I thought they did a good job covering the devices. I don't agree with all the choices, but the selections they made are some I can't really argue, because the devices are still good devices.

Straight to the conclusion first, their overall pick is the Roku Streaming Stick 4K.

Our current pick for the very best streaming device overall is the Roku Streaming Stick 4K. This model added faster performance and Dolby Vision on top of its predecessor. Some of us at Tom's Guide own multiple entries from this list of the best streaming devices, to see how they evolve over time. Not only do we spend hours and hours watching shows and movies from the top streaming services on these devices, but we compare them against those with similar prices, to help you figure out which is best for your budget.

Using all of these devices often shows us the benefits of spending more on your streaming device, as the cheaper Fire TV devices control your whole home screen experience, while the Apple TV has no ads and more customization. ...

That last paragraph shows that there is no one device that has everything everyone wants. It's their pick of the best. I would suggest the Roku Ultra as the best, with the Roku Streaming Stick 4K a close second.

And while it would be good to click through to the entire article, here are their top devices:

• The best streaming device: Roku Streaming Stick 4K (2021)
• The best budget streaming device: Roku Express 4K Plus
• The best for live TV: Chromecast with Google TV
• The fastest streaming device: Apple TV 4K (2022)
• The best Android TV streaming device: Nvidia Shield TV
• The best Fire TV Stick: Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max

I have a couple of nits to pick regarding a couple of items. First, the "best for live TV" is an Android TV device, but not the "best Android TV streaming device." How can that be?

Well, although it's Android TV, the Chromecast has the Google TV interface, which is great for live TV, while the NVIDIA Shield doesn't have the Google TV interface. It's a great device, but the interface isn't as good as the Chromecast, or the $20 Walmart Onn Streaming Box.

And, they had to specify specific platforms to get the NVIDIA Shield and any Amazon Fire TV device to top a category. At least Apple TV didn't need an Apple TV category to top a category. Or Roku for that matter.

Don't get me wrong, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is a good device. But it's not the best of any particular category, unless you are specifically looking for a Fire TV Stick. Then, yes, it's definitely the best.

And the NVIDIA Shield is a great device, but I would have picked the NVIDIA Shield TV Pro device, since it also has much better specs. Compare them yourself and see.

The other disagreement is the "best budget streaming device" category. I think Walmart's Onn Streaming Box is the better deal. The specs on the Roku are better, but the Onn device is good, and cheaper.

My Streaming Life has a lot of experience with many streaming devices. But Tom's Guide is usually a very good source for this kind of lists. You won't go wrong with any of the choices they made, but do consider mine as well before you decide anything based on that list.

When am I getting my new Google TV home screen? Now.

A couple of days ago, I asked when I would be getting the new Google TV home screen.

I have my answer: now.

Yesterday, when I turned the TV on after getting home from work, I noticed the home screen on my Onn Streaming Box looked different. It took me a minute before I realized it was the new update.

I was happy, and surprised, to see it. I had settled on expecting it in a month or so. The day or so update was very unexpected.

So, what is it like? Well, let's look at it.

Note that the image isn't from my TV. But this example image is an accurate representation of what it looks like.

First, the obvious. The round icons allow for more to show on the home screen. I have 18 apps installed on one device, and now all 18 show on the home screen. From the looks of things, all apps show as I don't see an option to see all, as the older home screen had.

Next, there is a "Free TV Channels" app. This isn't the same thing as the Live item in the top menu on the Google TV Home Screen. It is a live TV section, but the layout is not like the channel guide you get on Live TV. It's simply a live streaming channel, with select other "now playing" items listed. It doesn't have everything. You can get more live TV channels from the Live TV menu tab.

Finally, it seemed a little sluggish. Now, I have to admin that it could the the Onn Streaming Box, which is the only device I tried last night. Maybe after I look at it on Chromecast, I'll have better info. For now, the update seems to have caused my Onn Streaming Box to run like the original Onn Box (and that's bad). I hope it was simplty a one-night glitch, and not how things are going forward.

My Streaming Life has involved Chromecast in all its forms since it launched. And I like the idea of the Google TV updates. I don't like how my Onn Streaming Box is responding. Mabye it'll be better tomorrow. I certainly hope so.

An update to Chromecast?

Google Chromecast has been around for over a decade. Of course, at first, it was simple for casting from a mobile device to a TV with the first release in 2013. It wasn't until seven years later that it really became a general purpose streaming device.

Chromecast with Google TV added a remote and a Google TV interface to Android TV and suddenly Chromecast was the real deal. Well, mostly. It was a little under-powered and wasn't as efficient in how it handled apps.

In 2022, a new Chromecast was released, but it wasn't an upgrade. It was an expansion of the line, adding a cheaper HD (1080) device to go along with the 4K/UHD device that was the 2020 version.

Now, word is a new Chromecast is coming.

In recent updates to the Google Home app, the company has introduced a handful of previously unseen models to the internal list of Google Cast-compatible devices. Three new listings are explicitly labeled as being last year’s line of JBL Authentics speakers.

However, a new mystery device, “YTD,” appears side-by-side the HD and 4K models of Chromecast with Google TV. Further, we can confirm that Google Home treats YTD just like the existing Chromecast models, while Google TV devices from OEMs get treated differently. All of that is to say that we’re fairly confident that this is a sign of Google preparing to launch a new TV dongle.

This is the second new Chromecast-likely device discovered in the past year. No new release happened, and it's not known with any certainty if two new Chromecast devices are coming, or if the one found last year is replaced by the one recently discovered.

I would like to see a more powerful Chromecast device released. The current device is okay. Well, better than okay, but not as good as it could be.

My Streaming Life has used Chromecast and other Google TV devices more recently, and I'm happy with it. A better device would be a great thing.

So, when am I getting my new Google TV home screen?

A week ago, Google posted that the Google TV screen was getting a makeover. Not a huge makover, but still an improved look.

I've seen screenshots and do agree it looks fine.

But that last sentence tells about the problem. I've seen it in screenshots, not on my TV. Not on any of my TVs.

I have three different types of Google TV interfaces at home: Chromecast, Onn Streaming Stick, Sony TV. My NVIDIA Shield actually runs Android TV but not the Google TV interface. I'm not seeing the updated home screen on any of those Google TV devices.

Yes, it does say "over the next few months" in regards to rolling out.

Starting today, and rolling out to all devices over the next few months, we’re introducing some new updates to the “Your apps” row, giving you a sleeker, more streamlined look, making it easier to access your favorite apps.

So, I just need to be patient. And this really isn't unusual for my streaming devices. Roku has spread rollouts over months ever since I got my first Roku in 2010. I really am used to it. But, I'm not used to it with Chromecast. The device hasn't been on the market nearly as long as Roku devices, and the interface hasn't changed much in that time. This is the biggest change I've noticed, and it's taking a while, it seem. Just like Roku.

My Streaming Life works just fine with things as they are. If improvements come, great. I'm looking forward to this one, but I'll just have to wait. And if waiting on an update to Google TV was my biggest problem, I'd be in pretty good shape.

Roku's new Terms of Service

Roku updated their terms of service recently. And they did it in a way that has really upset some people (link to Cord Cutters News story). And I'm not too happy about it either.

Oh, I understand that all companies update Terms of Service from time to time. I realize that Google, Apple, Samsung, Motorola, and other cell phone device and software companies do this. I just don't like the way Roku went about it.

What Roku should have done was presented a screen, with the options to:

• Read the terms (which they did)
• Accept the terms (which they did)
• Reject the terms (not doing this is the problem)

It would have been simple enough for a "Reject" action to take the user to a screen saying that the Terms would go into effect on a pre-determined date (30, 60, 90, etc. days out), and there be a link to a Website that did whatever their actual "write a letter" process would do.

They don't want to make it easy to opt out. And if I didn't like using a Roku device so much, I would do the whole "write a letter" thing. Heck, I might anyway.

Who am I kidding. I won't. I just haven't accepted the terms yet, and I'm not sure when I will. For now, I'm not using my Roku. Of course, I've used Google TV devices more lately, so it really isn't an inconvenience. Just an annoyance. And I'm very annoyed by this.

My Streaming Life has included Roku from the start. It will continue to include Roku. I don't have a problem with the actual terms of service, just they way they deployed this update. That's not how I like things done. Roku is now just like every other company, and not in a good way.

Is Netflix going to raise prices again?

Good news, everyone!

Netflix is going to raise prices again this year!

Oh, did I say "good news?" I didn't mean that. I meant "here we go again."

Actually, Netflix has not announced a price increase. But a report in Variety says analysts expect a price increase. They base it on hints from Netflix in last quarter's earnings call.

Last October, Netflix increased the price of the Basic plan from $9.99 to $11.99 per month in the U.S., and also hiked prices of the tier in the U.K. and France. Netflix hasn't announced specific plans to hike subscription prices in 2024, but execs have said rate increases are on the table.

On the company's Q4 2023 earnings call, Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters noted that last year the streamer had "largely put price increases on hold" while it was rolling out the paid-sharing program — "because we saw that as a form of substitute price increase. Now that we're through that, we're able to resume our sort of standard approach toward price increases. And price increases, you've seen us do that in the U.S., U.K. and France. Those changes went well better than we forecasted."

Peters continued, "We will continue to monitor other countries and try and assess… when we've delivered enough additional entertainment value" to "ask [customers] to pay a bit more to keep that positive flywheel going and we can invest in more great films, series and games for those members. So, you know, the summary statement might be, 'Back to business as usual.'"

And, it is expected that "business as usual" means regular price increases.

My Streaming Life does not alway incorporate Netflix. It is again in my regular rotation of services. I'll subscribe to a service for 30 days, then cancel, and then when I find something I want on another service, I'll subscribe there for 30 days. Lots of content from a wide selection of services, but not a lot of subscription fees. I think Netflix is on target for April. Let's see if the price increase beats me.

MIcrosoft is bricking laptops

Microsoft updates can brick some laptops. Not intentionally, but it happens.

Britec has the details:

[YouTube]

My Streaming Life doesn't involve Windows much. My current Plex server is running on Windows, but apart from that, I'm not using Windows. And I don't use Windows in general. But most people do use Windows, and these problems can be very serious.