We Watched More TV on Streaming Than Cable for First Time Ever, Nielsen Says
We Watched More TV on Streaming Than Cable for First Time Ever, Nielsen Says
Streaming services captured the largest share of television viewing for the first time ever in July, according to data released Thursday from Nielsen, the television ratings authority. Of all the TV watching time in July, 34.8% happened over streaming while 34.4% happened over cable. Broadcast TV captured a 21.6% share of the total.
Nielsen noted that streaming has surpassed broadcast before, but July marked the first time it's also exceeded cable viewing. Cable television's share of viewing fell about 9% from July 2021, while streaming's share increased by nearly 23% year over year, according to the report.
Netflix captured 8% of all viewing in July 2022, thanks in part to people watching nearly 18 billion minutes of the hit series Stranger Things, according to the Nielsen data. Several other streaming services -- including Amazon Prime, YouTube and Hulu -- captured their largest-ever share of viewing time in July.
It's a time of change and increasing competition among streamers. Both Disney Plus and Netflix will be rolling out new ad-supported tiers in the coming months. Netflix had its largest drop in subscribers ever recently and is looking for ways to limit password sharing after raising prices at the beginning of 2022. Disney Plus, ESPN Plus and Hulu (all majority-owned by Disney) will all see price increases in the near future, too. HBO Max and Discovery Plus will merge starting in 2023 after their their parent companies did so earlier this year.
Oppo R7s review: Sleek and stylish, but not worth the price
Oppo R7s review: Sleek and stylish, but not worth the price
Oppo's beautiful gold-colored aluminum R7s (it also comes in silver) looks more like a premium phone than its humble midrange innards would suggest, and it unfortunately costs more than other phones with similar specs.
To be sure, I like the R7s' iPhone-like looks, but with disappointing performance its $399 price cannot be justified. (The price converts to about £280.): For just about $100 more, you can snag a Google Nexus 6P, whose 32GB model sells for $499 ($449 for a limited time) in the US and £449 in the UK.
Although you can buy Oppo's phones through its online OppoStyle website, this R7s doesn't appear to support US LTE bands, which makes the phone an even harder sell for US locals -- you'd be paying quite a bit for a 3G-compatible phone with none of the superfast 4G speeds that you should be getting.
That said, if you live in the other parts of the world, such as Asia, Australia or the UK, and prize style over top-of-the-line power, the R7s' fashion-forward looks could lure you.
What's this R7s about? Doesn't Oppo already have the R7 and R7 Plus?
If you're confused, it's because Oppo is making a range of phones based on the original R7 phone. The R7, as you can see from our review here, is a 5-inch phone that sports a similar premium styling to the R7s. The larger R7 Plus, however, has a 6-inch display.
From a size perspective, the 5.5-inch R7s sits right between its two brethren. It costs the same as the original R7 and $100 less than the R7 Plus. So choosing between the three really boils down to which screen size you prefer and whether the features borrowed from the R7 Plus, such as the fingerprint scanner, are important to you.
The iPhone 6S Plus also has a 5.5-inch screen. How does the R7s compare from a size perspective?
Interestingly, because the Oppo R7s doesn't need the extra space at the bottom for the iPhone's home button and TouchID sensor, it's a bit smaller in size and a little thinner, though not by much. Oppo has also moved on from having physical touch sensors on the bottom bezel -- the R7s uses software-based buttons for Back, Home and Menu, freeing up more space to further slim down the phone.
Where is this phone available?
Oppo is selling the R7s globally either through local retail channels or its own e-commerce site, OppoStyle. Oppo is also offering the phone through Amazon in some locations. Do check the manufacturer's website for more details.
Which 4G networks will the R7s work with?
The good news is like most international compatible phones out of China, the R7s will work on 4G networks in the UK, such as Three and EE, while also compatible with the Optus, Telstra and Vodafone networks in Australia. The bad news is, you'll be stuck with only 3G in the US.
Is the camera any good?
Well, yes, the camera's pretty decent. While it's not as good as the Samsung Galaxy S6 or the iPhone 6S, the rear 13-megapixel camera will take good pictures in places with enough lighting. My only issue is with low-light performance; it's tricky even on the best cameras and the Oppo R7s doesn't handle that too well, with pictures lacking the finer details.
One of the Oppo R7's dual-SIM slots can be used for reading a microSD card.
Aloysius Low/CNET
Which mobile software does it use?
The Oppo handsets don't run the most recent Android software, 6.0 Marshmallow. Instead, the R7s works on Android Lollipop 5.1. However, like many Android phones, it uses its own custom version of Android, called Color OS here.
What's different about Color OS?
Like iOS, Color OS (operating system) puts all your apps on the Home screens, without the app drawer, a signature Android trait. It does have some stuff that's unique to its OS, like the ability to draw gestures on the phone to launch apps or features.
Well, Color OS sounds interesting, but is there anything you don't like?
For one, Oppo doesn't utilize the larger screen real estate of the phone, and you'll find that the gap between icons quite large, resulting in wasted space. You could squeeze more apps in a row if Color OS were a bit better designed, but it's really a minor issue. The OS is generally pretty good and easy to use.
Does it have Google Play Services?
Yes. Phones selling in China alone do not include Google services, but since the R7s is destined for the global market, it comes packed with all of Google's services, such as the Play Store and Gmail.
The phone's pretty slim, so I'm guessing it doesn't have much space for the battery, yes?
Actually, it does! The Oppo R7s squeezes a 3,070mAh battery into its slim frame and should last you a full day. In our video tests, the phone easily lasted 12 hours 11 minutes.
I need more than 16GB of onboard storage; what are my options?
Count your lucky stars, as the R7s supports microSD card storage of up to 128GB. However, you'll need to use one of the two SIM slots for this, as there's no separate microSD card slot on the phone.
Gold is such a tacky color. What other choices do I have?
If you found the golden hue of the R7s not exactly to your taste, the phone also comes in silver, which is somewhat like the iPhone's space gray color.
How does the performance compare to other phones?
Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor, the speed at which the R7s loads apps, navigates and plays games is pretty much similar to the Oppo R7 and the Xiaomi Mi 4i. Testing on both the Geekbench 3 and 3DMark Ice Storm benchmarks show similar performance to the other two phones, though none of these are as fast as the top-tier phones from, say, Google, Samsung or Apple. Phones like the Redmi Note 2 offer slightly better benchmark test results because it uses a different chip.
Should I get something else then, such as the Xiaomi Mi 4i or a different Oppo phone?
If you're on a budget, the Xiaomi Mi 4i may be a better choice. The Redmi Note 2 will definitely be cheaper and slightly faster, thanks to its Mediatek Helio X10 chip, though the phone won't look as eye-catching as the R7s. If you're hankering for something bigger, the R7 Plus may be another viable option with its 6-inch display, though you'll pay $100 more to get it.
Is the R7s worth its asking price?
Not really, no. For about the same price or a little more gets you a much better phone (like the Google Nexus 6P), and there are plenty of other similarly-priced budget options to choose from. This does slightly edge out the original R7, thanks to a newer Android operating system, and you do get the R7s' beautiful metal build. That said, you'll wind up paying a premium for that aluminum design without getting any actual performance benefit, which doesn't seem worth it to me. With the R7s, Oppo sticks to its strategy of making premium midrange devices, though the verdict is still out on whether this strategy will pay off in the long run.
The Oppo R7s is a good-looking phone, but performance-wise, it's only as good as midrange devices.
Will Your Solar Panels Keep the Lights On During a Blackout? What to Know
Will Your Solar Panels Keep the Lights On During a Blackout? What to Know
It's happened to most of us: You're enjoying a quiet evening at home when suddenly, the lights go out. You flip the switch on the breaker and no luck. Looking down the street, you can see all the lights are out down the block, too. It's a blackout, and everyone in your neighborhood is without power until the grid is restored.
If you have solar panels that power your home, you might think they would exempt you from this problem. After all, you're not fully reliant on the grid to get your electricity; it all comes from the sunlight hitting your solar panels. But during a blackout, depending on the solar system that you have installed, you might be left in the dark no matter what.
Read more: Best Solar Companies for 2022
Will solar panels work in a blackout?
Most solar panels won't work in a blackout. This isn't because they are no longer capable of converting sunlight into electricity, but because of how most solar systems work.
The majority of solar systems are grid-tied systems, meaning they're still attached to the standard utility grid. This is so solar panel users can still receive electricity from their utility company if the solar panels fail to generate enough to meet demand and so they can sell excess solar energy to the utility company.
Most solar systems are connected to the grid via a solar inverter. This is a meter that measures and tracks the amount of energy generated and used by your home. Most solar inverters tie you to the grid, so if the grid shuts down during a blackout, your solar panels also stop generating and providing electricity to your home.
This is in part for the safety of repair workers, who need to know that busted electric lines are not carrying electricity from solar panels.
How to make your solar panels keep the lights on during a blackout
There are solar systems that aren't beholden to the status of the electricity grid and which continue to operate even during a blackout.
Solar panels and battery backups can help in a blackout, though only with specific equipment.
Lucas Knappe/EyeEm/Getty Image
The first option is an off-grid system, which does not require a solar inverter to connect you to the electric grid. Off-grid systems are often more expensive, in part because they can't participate in some of the unique payment schemes that on-grid solar systems offer, like net-metering: selling solar energy back to the utility company in order to cover the cost of any additional electricity used.
Off-grid systems also have one significant downside: There's no backup plan if your solar panels fail or struggle to generate enough energy. On-grid systems simply take energy from the utility grid when needed. That means if your solar panels aren't able to generate enough energy to meet the demand you're creating, you just get your electricity the traditional way. Off-grid systems don't have that option. So if they can't generate enough electricity to meet your needs, you're going to be in the dark.
Read more:Do Solar Panels Save Money? Yes. Here's How
The second option to keep your power on during a blackout is solar battery systems, which allow you to store some of the electricity generated by your solar panels during the day and deploy it at a time when you need it most. Solar panels generate lots of energy during the middle of the day when the sun is high, but less during peak hours in the evening. A solar battery lets you stash that power and use it later, either to meet your needs during peak or even to take over completely when the power goes out.
A battery system does this by disconnecting your home from the grid at the moment of a blackout. This is called "islanding." A few standalone inverters can do this without batteries, too.
Solar battery systems can be pricey, which is why many people opt not to use it. Much like the fully off-grid system, solar batteries are cost prohibitive and don't benefit from the same pricing schemes that help mitigate the up-front cost that on-grid systems provide. But it's a failsafe that will keep your power on when you need it.
Solar panels are a great option for energy independence, freeing you from reliance on the fossil fuels that are typically used to generate the electricity that comes from the grid. But don't assume that your home's solar panels will keep your lights on. even during a blackout. You'll need to invest in the right system to make that happen, and it can carry a significant financial burden to fully remove yourself from the grid.
Advertiser Disclosure: CNET's corporate partner, SaveOnEnergy, can help you find the right energy fit for your home. The SaveOnEnergy marketplace helps you search, compare, sign up and save on the right energy fit for your home — all for free. If you're interested in solar, answer a few questions to get an exact price quote from our solar advisors.
Attention, Parents: 'Bluey' Season 3 Is Coming to Disney Plus
Attention, Parents: 'Bluey' Season 3 Is Coming to Disney Plus
If you have little ones in your household, chances are they get excited about the popular kids' TV show Bluey. And if you're a parent with multiple TVs in the home, chances are you've watched -- or overheard -- every episode of the first two seasons. Good news: Bluey season 3 is set to arrive on Disney Plus on Aug. 10. Prepare to be delighted by Bingo, Bluey, Bandit, Chilli and the rest of the gang when they return with more adventures.
The third season of the show will air in two parts on Disney Plus, with the first 25 episodes coming out in August and the other half dropping later this year. An Australian export, the Emmy-winning animated series became popular in the US after Disney licensed the series and began airing episodes in 2019. Hailed for its family-friendly, authentic storylines, Bluey has found fans among children and adults alike. The series has spawned toys, books, fashion and other merchandise, as well as a theatrical adaptation. For those who want the ultimate experience, there's even a Bluey Airbnb house in Brisbane, Australia.
For the show's new season, upcoming episodes will include a mission to outer space for Jack, Rusty and Mackenzie, game day with the Heelers and Lucky's family, and a mysterious, lost toy. Bluey episodes are roughly eight minutes long, and viewers can currently stream more than 100 episodes of seasons 1 and 2 on Disney Plus.
Best apps to put on kids' phones to keep them safe online this summer
Best apps to put on kids' phones to keep them safe online this summer
For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the
WHO
and
CDC
websites.
School systems are formulating reopening plans amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and families are reshaping their summer schedules to adhere to safety regulations. Parents balancing working from home with caring for school-age kids need ways to keep their brood entertained.
Read more:Our favorite back to school picks for 2020
With the surge in digital learning and not being able to visit friends in person, many kids are spending more time on their phones and computers. The safety concerns for kids online haven't lessened, but learning about parental controls and safety apps can help bring some peace of mind to parents.
Here are a few parental control apps we think are a good idea to consider putting on your child's phone or computer.
Read more:Best kids tablet for 2020: Amazon Fire, Apple iPad and more compared
Net Nanny
Net Nanny/Screenshot by Shelby Brown/CNET
Net Nanny is an app that uses AI to block questionable or dangerous content before your child sees it. The app can filter certain websites and monitors your child's digital activity, and can also monitor and limit screen time. The software's Family Feed feature can report what your child is searching online and what apps your child uses and can alert you to content such as pornography, weapons and drugs.
Net Nanny is compatible with Android and iOS, as well as Windows, Mac and Fire. The software costs $55 per year to cover PC, Mac and mobile for a five-device family. Net Nanny also offers a $40 annual plan to cover one Mac desktop and a 20-device protection package for $90 per year.
In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, Net Nanny also offers a dedicated filter to block coronavirus sites and searches to help kids who might feel anxious.
Read more: 7 parental controls you can use right now on your kid's iPhone
Bark
Bark/ Screenshot by Shelby Brown/ CNET
Bark is another option for parents who want to keep kids safe online. The app monitors texts and emails, along with YouTube and over 30 social media networks for questionable content your child might be searching or viewing. Bark sends parents alerts if it detects signs of cyberbullying, depression, online predators, adult content and more. You can also decide which platforms you want to monitor, if you want to give your child some privacy. The app recently launched a new screen-time management feature so parents can monitor their kids' accounts as well as set screen time limits from the same app.
Bark has a seven-day free trial and then costs $14 a month ($99 annually) per family with iOS and Android devices. You can also subscribe to Bark Jr, the company's entry-level product, for $5 a month ($49 annually). Bark Jr focuses on screen time management, website filtering and location check-ins.
OurPact
OurPact
The OurPact parenting app helps families balance screen time for free on iOS and Android devices. The app lets parents limit access to certain apps, filter websites, enable GPS monitoring, and schedule screen time and recurring activities like bedtime. It also allows parents to block or grant internet and app access at anytime.
In response to the coronavirus outbreak, OurPact said that it's offering three months free access to premium features, normally $7 per month. Premium can manage up to 20 devices, keep tabs on all the apps on your child's device and mark as Always Blocked, Per Schedule and Always Allowed. Premium also enables a spendable screen time allowance, the family locator feature and geo-fence creator for alerts, text blocking and web filters.
Typically, OurPact's base plan is free and offers one schedule, and five blocks and unlimited grants for one device. OurPact also has a Plus plan for $2 per month that offers unlimited schedules, and manual blocks and grants for 10 devices.
SafeToNet
SafeToNet/Screenshot by Shelby Brown/CNET
Kids will be communicating over devices while in lockdown since they can't see their friends. The SafeToNet app, which is now available on iOS and Android in the US, has a safeguarding keyboard powered by AI to judge, guide and advise a child in real time as they search for content and message others. The app's goal is to help the child become more responsible and safe online without feeling like they don't have any privacy.
Parents won't be able to see what's being written, but can view insights like the time of day when high-risk messages are sent and the top five apps used by their child. SafeToNet can show what issues the child most struggles with, too.
The software will flag certain messages if the AI detects bullying, abuse, aggression or sexting, for example. SafeToNet gives the child a moment to pause before sending a message they can't take back. Plus, the app provides breathing exercises when anxiety is detected, lessons about self-esteem and an emotion diary.
To help during the pandemic, SafeToNet is offering its services free to families for the next 30 days.
Google Family Link
Google/ Screenshot by Shelby Brown/ CNET
Google Family Link lets you create a Google account for your child (if they're under 13 years old) with access to most Google services, including Gmail and Photos. If your child is over 13, they have to consent to using Google Family Link. The app lets parents keep track of their kid's Google account and guide them to age-appropriate content. Parents can also approve or deny which apps their kids want to download. Family Link shows parents apps that teachers recommend, which parents can add directly to the child's phone.
The service is compatible with Chromebook, iOS and Android. It includes other parental controls such as screen time limits, locking the phone for family time and location tracking.
Grand Theft Auto 6 to Star Latina Protagonist, Report Says
Grand Theft Auto 6 to Star Latina Protagonist, Report Says
Rockstar Games' highly anticipated sequel Grand Theft Auto 6 will see some big changes for the franchise, including its first female main character, Bloomberg reported Wednesday. The open-world action-adventure game will apparently have a Latina protagonist who pairs up with a male protagonist in a Bonnie and Clyde-style bank robbing adventure.
This will be the first time the series puts players in the role of a woman and will mark a change in tone from the game developer that one unnamed employee called "a boys' club transformed into a real company," according to Bloomberg.
Other details from the game laid out in the report are the location being in a fictional Miami -- referred to in the series as Vice City -- and areas around it, with more cities to be added following the game's launch. There is still no firm release date, but the team apparently predicts that it'll land somewhere between April 2023 and March 2024, and no platforms have been confirmed although previous games have been released on the Xbox, PlayStation and PC platforms.
Rockstar Games didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
In February, Rockstar confirmed it was in the middle of making GTA 6, but it has been tight-lipped on details surrounding the game. The company reportedly changed gears recently to put more resources into the new game, rather than developing remakes of older games like 2010's Red Dead Redemption and 2008's GTA 4. This was spurred by the release of the Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, which met heavy criticism due to being riddled with bugs and other issues.
If you're streaming the Super Bowl, expect to lag behind Twitter and cable
If you're streaming the Super Bowl, expect to lag behind Twitter and cable
The 2022 Super Bowl is taking place in the state-of-the-art SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, but that doesn't mean the broadcasts or streams will be any more advanced than in recent years. NBC, the broadcaster for Super Bowl 56, has already said it won't be airing the big game in 4K resolution. And people who are watching the Super Bowl live through a streaming service are likely to experience a lag, just like in 2020 and 2021.
If you're planning to stream the big game through Peacock, YouTube TV, Sling TV or any of the other live TV platforms, expect your feed to be a bit behind. The length of the delay could vary, but based on last year's game, streaming services lag around 40 seconds behind what's on the field. Compare that to cable, satellite or antenna TV, where the time gap from on-the-field action is significantly less. It's usually a transmission delay of about 5 seconds, which allows for broadcasters to prevent unsavory content from appearing on TV.
In an era with Twitter, group chats and phone push notifications, a 40-second streaming delay can lead to spoilers of big plays. And with the increase in legalized sports gambling, it could also ruin the experience of trying to bet on the action.
This chart from last year's Super Bowl shows the delay behind the real-time play streaming services.
Phenix
Phenix, a technology company that provides the infrastructure for real-time video feeds, compared the streaming lags on apps from the NFL, Yahoo Sports, FuboTV, Hulu Plus Live TV, CBS Sports and YouTube TV. It found that last year's game (which aired on CBS) streamed fastest on YouTube TV with a delay of 42.2 seconds -- but that was only slightly quicker than the roughly 43-second delay from the NFL and Yahoo Sports apps. FuboTV came in at 44.8 seconds, while Hulu Plus Live TV finished last at 46.2 seconds. (Verizon offered an in-arena feed which was closest to real-time, but for 2022 that experience is limited to those in SoFi Stadium.)
The issue isn't internet speed but latency, that is, the time it takes to transfer what's happening in the real world back to your screen over the internet. Some streamers also tack on a few seconds to ensure a clear picture and smooth experience rather than generate pauses and buffering on your end.
NBC is the broadcaster for 2022's Super Bowl, but don't expect its own streams to be closer to real-time. Based on the company's feeds from the 2021 Stanley Cup, Phenix found that YouTube TV and AT&T TV (now DirecTV Stream) were still around 40 seconds behind the on-ice action, while Peacock lagged by 42.1 seconds.
The 2021 Stanley Cup, which was broadcast by NBC, wasn't much better than last year's Super Bowl.
Phenix
NBC did not respond to CNET's request for comment. We can't say whether the company is planning to make any improvements to latency in the feeds offered on Peacock or other streaming TV services for the 2022 Super Bowl.
In short, even in 2022, the best and fastest way to watch the Super Bowl is through cable, satellite or antenna TV. If you're planning to stream the game, be prepared for a delay, though there are still some steps you can take to bolster your network to avoid buffering and dropouts on game day.
