HOW is it nearly the end of the year already?! It has literally flown by. The turkey has been eaten and many of you are already putting up your Christmas decorations. Netflix has released its list of shows coming next month.. and I have all of the titles here for you!
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Christmas Movies on Netflix for 2018
Christmas is my favorite holiday. However, I am not someone who is ready to start decorating and celebrating in October. I want to get through Thanksgiving first, please! As usual, though, retailers are already gearing up for holiday sales. Christmas items started appearing in the big box stores before we even went trick-or-treating! Netflix is jumping on the “early-holiday-fever” train: you can choose from any (or ALL!) of 39 Christmas movies already available to stream on-demand. Additionally, there are four more coming by the end of November, each of which promise to be phenomenal in its own way.
What’s New on Netflix in October 2018?
I know – we *just* posted the releases for September. However, I plan to make this a regular monthly article and wanted to get the October releases to you as soon as possible. You already know I’m a massive Marvel nerd, so OBVIOUSLY I am chomping at the bit to watch the newest season of Daredevil:
However, I’m also beyond excited to see two of my old favorites finally making their way to the Netflix screening room: The Green Mile and V for Vendetta! Let’s jump right in and give you the full list of what to expect for the entire month of October, 2018 Netflix New Releases:
How to Stream Movies for Free
Are you feeling like watching a movie, but don’t really want to spend any money? Thankfully, there are many options for streaming movies for free. Here are the best options.
Google Chrome Now Tells You Which Tab is Playing Sound
How many times have you had multiple tabs open and suddenly been irritated by a autoplay video? You ask yourself “Which of these 20 tabs could be doing this?”. Well, once you upgrade to version 32.0.1700.72 m of Google Chrome, you will no longer have to play a guessing game on which tab is the offender.
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Official YouTube App Now Available For Roku 3
There once was a time when Roku owners had access to an official YouTube app for their enjoyment of cat videos. Suddenly, the app was pulled and was no longer available. Some Roku users were “grandfathered” in and were able to keep their YouTube app as long as they didn’t uninstall it. Others would have to seek third-party solutions, like VideoBuzz or Plex. Well, those days are gone, as the Roku 3 now has an official YouTube app available for download again.
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Netflix Instant, Hulu Plus and Amazon Instant Offer Fireplace Movies For the Holidays
It’s the time of year when family and loved ones gather around the fireplace for the holidays. What? You don’t have a fireplace? Well, how about the next best thing? Netflix Instant, and Amazon Instant once again are offering “Fireplace for Your Home” on their streaming services once again this year.
Netflix Instant: How Fast of an Internet Connection Do You Need?
So you’re interested in using the Netflix Instant service. For the best experience, you’ll need to ensure that your Internet connection is fast enough to support streaming high quality video without a hiccup. So how fast does your Internet connection need to be? Well, it depends on how you intend to use the service.
Netflix requires a connection that is capable of at least 0.5 Megabits per second. That is the bare minimum though, and the video quality my not be all that great with that slow of a connection.
A 1.5 Mbps connection is recommended to stream standard, non-HD video. If you want to view HD quality video though, the recommendations are as follows:
- 3.0 Mbps for DVD quality
- 5.0 Mbps for HD
- 7.0 Mbps for Super HD
- 12 Mbps for 3D
You can change the quality of your Netflix Instant video to accommodate your connection by visiting the video quality settings page on Netflix.
The recommendations above don’t account for your environment. Your networking equipment may slow things down a bit. So if you plan on streaming Netflix to a bedroom in a corner of your home that is far away from your wireless router, you may not get the performance you expect. Test out your connection by visiting SpeedTest.net to ensure you have a connection that is speedy enough for your needs.
If you want the capability of streaming video on multiple devices in your home, judging what kind of connection becomes even more complex. There are too many variables to say for sure what will work. For an example though, I will tell you that my Internet provider serves a 50Mbps option, and that’s what I need to confidently stream HD video from 3 devices in my home.
Well, hopefully you now know everything you need to know about how fast of an Internet connection you need for your Netflix Instant needs. Feel free to share your experience in the comments section below.
Watch American Netflix, Hulu or Pandora From Canada, the UK, or Any Other Country
If you live in the United States and plan on using Netflix, Hulu or Pandora while traveling abroad, you may be shocked to find that your entertainment options will be entirely different. If Netflix detects you are using an Internet connection from Canada, the United Kingdom or any other country, it will change your selection of movies and shows.
If you don’t want to miss out on your American favorites while holed up in a hotel, you may want to try the Media Hint plugin for Firefox and Google Chrome. Just download and install the plugin and you’re done. There’s absolutely zero configuration needed. The plugin will automatically redirect your Internet connection through proxy servers within the United States once it’s installed in your web browser. Then you can enjoy all the American Netflix Instant content you like from almost anywhere in the world.
Watch the 2013 Super Bowl Commercials On Hulu
The ads on Hulu can be annoying, but with the Super Bowl right around the corner, it’s time to start considering commercials as another form of entertainment. Fortunately, Hulu has a special section just for watching this year’s Super Bowl commercials. Simply head on over to the AdZone link on Hulu’s Home page or go here. Then you have everything you need to critique which commercials are the biggest winners and losers before the big game. You can even use your Facebook account to vote for your favorite commercials.
If the selection of commercials from 2013 doesn’t fulfill your need for advertisements, you can also view Super Bowl commercials all the way back from 2008.