If you want to know how Netflix’s plan to acquire Warner Bros. will affect you, I suggest not getting your answers from Netflix. Last weekend, the streaming giant emailed customers implying the deal was done (subject line: “Welcoming Warner Bros. to Netflix”) even though that’s far from being settled. Its press release and help page are only marginally more informative, provided you can sift through all the boilerplate proclamations and canned executive quotes. Ultimately this deal is about power. For Netflix, it’s a way to fulfill its goal of being a singular source for streaming, which in turn will help it raise prices, freeze out rivals, and tilt the distribution of movies and shows in its favor. Expect a lot of fighting between Netflix, rivals, and government regulators before that’s allowed to happen. Brand power Despite Netflix’s popularity, it does not control many established entertainment franchises. It has cultivated a handful, including Squid Game, Stranger Things, and Bridgerton, but none that truly rival those of Disney (Star Wars, Marvel), Paramount (Star Trek, Spongebob), or NBCUniversal (Despicable Me, Jurassic Park). Wikipedia’s list of the top-grossing media franchises only includes one from Netflix, and it’s Chronicles of Narnia, the rights to which it acquired in 2018. Buying Warner would give Netflix a stable of recognizable entertainment brands to build around, including DC properties such as Superman and Batman, kid-friendly franchises such as Minecraft and Looney Tunes, sci-fi staples such as The Matrix and Dune, and HBO hits such as Game of Thrones and The Sopranos. While Netflix says HBO Max will remain separate for now, its press release makes clear that the goal is to subsume Warner’s catalog and create new content around it. The broader content roster could potentially make Netflix better, but it will also help Netflix justify the price increases that have now become routine. It could also allow Netflix to expand other aspects of its business, such as video games and merchandising. (To that end, it’s taking over Warner’s gaming division as well.) Weakening rivals Ted Sarandos, who is now Netflix’s co-CEO, famously said in 2012 that the company’s goal was “to become HBO faster than HBO can become us.” Lately, though, it’s trying to be more like cable—a singular source of streaming that caters to a wide swath of interests—before cable becomes Netflix though its own array of streaming services. At the risk of being cynical, Netflix’s biggest motivation to take over Warner might be to keep it away from its competitors in the traditional TV business. Paramount and Comcast had also been bidding on Warner, and Paramount has now launched a hostile takeover bid in hopes of convincing Warner shareholders that it’s offering a better deal. Much like Netflix, Paramount was also looking to absorb the entire HBO Max catalog into its own Paramount+ streaming service. In this scenario, Paramount+ would become a serious competitor instead of an also-ran, and Netflix would have less latitude to raise prices without subscribers defecting. Netflix doesn’t even have to seal the deal to achieve its goal. As CNBC reporter Alex Sherman pointed out, Netflix has agreed to a $5 billion breakup fee if its Warner acquisition fails, but that’s nothing for a company worth $450 billion, and it could take a couple years for Warner to be up for sale again. In the meantime Netflix could further entrench itself by keeping the competition weaker. Shifting the movie business Warner’s current plan is to release 12 to 14 movies into theaters per year, and while Netflix says theatrical releases will continue, it wants to get them onto its streaming service sooner. In an analyst call last week, Sarandos said theatrical release windows would “evolve to be much more consumer friendly, to be able to meet the audience where they are, quicker.” That doesn’t mean Netflix would abandon theatrical releases outright, but the goal will shift toward promoting Netflix properties rather than boosting theater revenue for its own sake. As the New York Times notes, Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters Singalong has been a huge hit in theaters, and its series finale of Stranger Things—screening on 500 theaters in lockstep with the streaming release—is already sold out in many places. Expect more event-driven spectacles, fewer straightforward screenings, and a greater willingness to let people stay at home. What it’s not about: Live sports Another notable aspect of the Netflix deal is what’s missing: The company is not buying Warner’s cable channels, including TNT and TBS, as Warner plans to spin those off into a separate company. TNT will get its own sports streaming service when that happens, and its live sports coverage will disappear from HBO Max. That means Netflix won’t be getting any live sports as part of the deal. By contrast, Paramount wants to add Warner’s entire cable business, and could use it to transform Paramount+ into a major source of sports streaming. Netflix might have other reasons for passing over Warner’s cable business, such as not wanting to negotiate carriage deals or take on as much debt from Warner’s previous merger disasters. For now, though, it’s maintaining a conservative approach to live sports, avoiding expensive full-season rights deals in favor of scattershot events, such as Christmas NFL games, the Paul-Tyson fight, and the first MLB game of the season next year. Netflix’s goal to become more like cable doesn’t yet extend to sports, and acquiring Warner won’t change that. What’s next While Netflix is projecting confidence, it’s a long way from owning Warner Bros. in earnest. Antitrust hearings are likely, Paramount’s hostile takeover bid has to play out, and the Justice Department feels like a wild card under the Trump administration. Even if everything goes smoothly, Netflix says it’ll take 12 to 18 months for the deal to close. In the meantime, I’ll leave you with the one line in Netflix’s customer letter that we know for certain is true: “Nothing is changing today.” Sign up for Jared’s Cord Cutter Weekly newsletter for more streaming TV insights. Read...

I don’t know about you, but I love the holidays. The decorations, the hot cocoa, the snuggling under a fuzzy blanket with my Kindle. Yes, the holidays are great—save for the absolute madness of shopping malls. So, what do I do? I go shopping online. (Surprise!) And this year, I’m adding my own nerdy self to the holiday shopping list. I love all sorts of gadgets and gaming, and my friends and family do too. So, I went digging online for the perfect nerdy presents. Bottom line: I’d buy all these for myself in a blink. I’m PCWorld’s daily deals writer, so I did my best to focus on value, and zeroed in on top-rated products before sharing them with you. Take Pac-Man everywhere — My Arcade Pac-Man Pocket Player Pro My Arcade How cool is it that you can take Pac-Man with you anywhere you go? This legendary video game has been around for decades, and it’s been a part of many of our lives since we were kids, running around eating all the dots while avoiding those annoying ghosts. This thing needs four AA batteries or can be powered via USB-C. And while I picked Pac-Man because it’s one of my personal favorites, the same shop also sells editions for Street Fighter, Space Invaders, Ms PacMan, MegaMan, and Galaga. There’s also an Atari version with 100 separate games. The best part is these handhelds are quite affordable, with the most expensive one going for $40 right now. If you want the Pac-Man version, however, it’ll cost you only $30. View at Amazon Be on time — Nixie Tube Clock ClockTeck Do I even have to explain why I’d buy this in a blink for myself my friends? Look at it! How cool does this thing look?! The retro-future-looking tubes can tell the time in regular monochrome, or you can go RGB and bring color to your life. There are so many modes to choose from, it’ll be hard to pick one. This LED clock is a replica of a Nixie vacuum tube clock, making it much more affordable than the $300 versions you need to order from Eastern Europe. It can be linked to your local Wi-Fi, so it will always tell the time perfectly. You can also set up alarms and switch between a 12 and 24-hour format. If you guys want to get me one… just saying. This model from ClocTeck is $70 at the time of writing with no active discounts. View at Amazon Add magic to your bookshelf — Criolpo book nook kit Criolpo If you’re a book dragon who can’t help but always add new books to the cart, then you’re going to absolutely love this Criolpo Book Nook. I’m going to have to be completely honest here and say that I’ve already fallen for the cuteness of the book nook trend and bought one. The kit is not yet complete, but I’m working on it. I cannot wait to have it on the shelf between two heavy books and to light it up. It’s basically a 3D wooden puzzle. You assemble it yourself (and that’s more than half the fun!) to bring a miniature world into your home. What’s not to love? This one in the image above is $34 at the time of writing, but it’s on sale. If you want a more cyberpunk model, you can certainly find one of those too. View at Amazon We have arcade games at home — Foosball table Best Choice Products Now, don’t tell my husband, but I actually got him a foosball table for Xmas. Shh! This thing looks great, and it will be so much fun to play over the holidays. It’s perfectly sized for gamers of all ages, and even features two cup holders for, ehm, beer hot chocolate? You can play this one 1v1 or 2v2, so you can have tons of fun with friends. It also comes in multiple colors, so you can pick whichever matches your furniture better. It’s only $120 to get right now since it’s 25% off. Now, I have to figure out how to ensure my husband doesn’t read this article… View at Amazon Dungeons and Dragons (and dice) Zhoorqi/Medikaison Can we even talk about nerdy gifts without listing a few cool dice sets? We really don’t think you can. There are so many options out there that we’re having a hard time picking. My kid really loved these LED light-up rechargeable dice (I mean, fair, they’re gorgeous), while I’d go for something more practical like the metal dice on the right, especially since you can actually roll the dice in the box. Whatever floats your boat! There’s an endless list of possibilities when it comes to DnD dice sets. View at Amazon May the Funko Pop be with you — Darth Vader Funko Pop Suggesting Funko Pop figures for a present seems like a “duh” situation, but here we are — how about a Funko Pop with Darth Vader? If they’re into Star Wars, this one’ll definitely be a hit. But then again, Funko Pop has about a gazillion models for just about any fandom, from Stranger Things to Wicked, from Scream to Pokemon, sports teams, anime, Disney, music artists, Marvel, Harry Potter, and soooo much more. They’re pretty affordable, too. This Darth Vader one is only $10 right now. View at Amazon Play with energy — National Geographic Circuit Maker Kit National Geographic So, is this Epic Circuits Science Kit theoretically meant for kids? Sure. Does that mean you can’t have fun with it as an adult? Absolutely not! National Geographic has some insanely fun STEM kits, including this one where you can set up over 120 projects, figuring out how circuits work and more. You can even create songs or make cool light shows, and that’s fantastic at any age. Embrace the kid inside and snag one of these Nat Geo kits for $44. View at Amazon LEGO! — Boost Creative Toolbox 17101 LEGO Who doesn’t want LEGO as a gift? I mean, I don’t know anyone who’d pout over receiving a set like this? Especially this set. I actually bought this a while back, and it’s absolutely amazing. Insanely fun to play with, since you can build one of five models and then hook it up to a tablet and have fun. You can get the little robot to move in certain patterns, and then rebuild it into Frankie the Cat, or into a funky guitar to play music. The LEGO Boost Creative Toolbox is definitely pricey, but it’s a set you can have fun with for years to come. You can even pretend you got it for your kids… as I did. View at Amazon Rest your wrist — Strebito mini electric screwdriver set Strebito If you’re always tinkering with computers and other tech at home (or you know someone who is), then getting one of these 70-in-1 electric screwdriver kits makes perfect sense. The electric mechanism is powerful and will handle all those pesky screws in a blink. There are 64 magnetic bits in the set, so you can be sure those tiny screws won’t get dropped in the void, forever lost somewhere in the computer case. There are three torque levels to choose from, but you can also use it in manual mode if need be. The best part is that you can charge it via the USB-C port. Oh, and it’s only $50. View at Amazon DIY a tiny computer — RasTech Raspberry Pi 5 RasTech There’s an endless list of things you can do with a Raspberry Pi. This RasTech kit is absolutely tiny and it can be such a cool DIY project. The kit features a Pi5 8GB board, a 65GB card, two card readers, a cooler, a case, a power supply, and several cables. There’s even a tiny screwdriver in the pack, but you can always just get the Strebito electric one we mentioned just now. So, whether you want to turn your dumb TV into a smart one or you want to make an old-school gaming emulator, this kit is fantastic. Check out more awesome Raspberry Pi projects you can have fun with. View at Amazon Old school gaming, tiny mode — Retro mini Arcade Game Arcade Classics Hey, remember those big arcade games we used to play? Well, you have adult-money now, so you can get one. Joking. I mean, you can, but this $20 Retro Mini Arcade is probably the type of thing you could purchase without too much drama, right? This tiny handheld game console lets you use joysticks to play Pac-Man, Tetris, WWE, or Ms. Pac-Man. I mean, you could say they’re for kids, but we know who’s really going to play with them. View at Amazon Neat, organized, and pixelated — Numskull Minecraft gaming accessory locker & storage stand Numskull Listen, whatever your age, this Numskull Gaming Accessory Locker is absolutely cool. It’s shaped as a Creeper, and it’s (of course) Minecraft-green. There are four controller holders on the sides, and a “head” holder for headphones. There’s room for up to ten DVDs inside the locker, and the little drawer on the bottom can hold cables, remotes, and other accessories. You can set this thing up next to your console or on your desk and have everything within reach. There are other theme variations available too, like Harry Potter, Fortnite, or Sonic, to name a few. They’re all about $30. View at Amazon Bring your projects to life — Bambu Lab A1 mini 3D printer Bambu Lab Man, I have soooo many projects I could get done with a 3D printer. It’s something I’ve been waiting to get for a while, holding off mostly due to lack of space. But if I were to get one right now, it’s this one: the Bambu Lab A1. I have a friend who reviewed a ton of printers and he’s talked about this one several times. It’s not too big, it’s well-priced, and it’s also fairly quiet, AND it can print in color! View Deal Make it fly — DJI mini 4K drone DJI Haven’t you always wanted a drone to fly across an awesome landscape to record gorgeous video? Can’t just be me! This DJI Mini Drone captures 4K video, which is absolutely amazing considering just how your vids will turn out. Not only will the videos look gorgeous, but they’ll also be steady, given the 3-axis gimbal stabilization. The coolest part is that this drone is absolutely tiny. How tiny? Well, it weighs under 249 grams, and it fits in the palm of your hand. Just imagine what cool vacation vids you’ll capture. View at Amazon Germs be gone — PhoneSoap 3 phone sanitizer PhoneSoap Did you know how disgusting your phone is? You touch that thing all the time, you place it everywhere without worry, you take it with you anywhere you go — it’s so full of germs it might as well be a petri dish. Well, this portable phone sanitizer offers complete disinfection with the help of UV-C lights in just 10 minutes. You can take this with you anywhere you go since it features a battery, and you can recharge it with a USB-A or USB-C cable. Easy peasy! One of these is only $68 right now. Just think how useful it’s going to be to you, your family, and all your friends. Perfect stocking stuffer if you ask us! View at Amazon Read...

Find out who is on the shortlist for the 2025 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award. Read...

YouTube TV is about to get skinny—that is, it’s set to add skinny bundles of live streaming TV channels next year, including a sports package with every ESPN network.  More than 10 of these “genre-specific” bundles are coming to YouTube TV next year, but for now, YouTube is only revealing a few details about the sports bundle, and nothing about the other upcoming channel packages or pricing information.  Aside from ESPN, ESPN Unlimited and the other ESPN channels, the YouTube TV Sports Plan will boast such networks as FS1 and the NBC Sports Network.   Subscribers will be able to choose add-ons such as NFL Sunday Ticket and RedZone, just as they can with the YouTube TV Base Plan, and YouTube TV functionality like unlimited DVR usage, multiview, key plays, and fantasy view will be on tap as well.  “TV should be easy, giving viewers greater control over what they want to watch. Our goal is to let you tailor your subscription with more options,” said YouTube TV subscriptions exec Christian Oestlien in a statement. “Whether you stick with our main YouTube TV plan with 100+ channels, focus on sports, combine sports and news, or select a plan centered on family and entertainment content, subscribers will be able to easily choose the plan that works best for them.”  More details about YouTube TV’s slimmed-down packages are coming “soon,” Oestlien promised, adding that “we have a lot in store for YouTube TV members next year.” But while YouTube TV hasn’t given any pricing details about its upcoming skinny bundles, they’re sure to be cheaper than the price of the YouTube TV base plan, which costs $82.99 a month.   YouTube TV’s move into the skinny bundle business comes as skinny and cheaper streaming bundles are rising in popularity. DirecTV, Fubo, and Sling all offer their own slimmed-down packages with various combinations of local TV channels, sports networks, news channels, and entertainment, allowing users to pick and choose which channel bundles they want to pay for.  Making an even bigger splash was the launch this past summer of ESPN Unlimited, which packs in all of ESPN’s sports networks in packages starting at $30 a month, while Fox unveiled its Fox One bundle of sports, news, and entertainment channels around the same time.  Another skinny sports bundled that never got off the ground was Venu Sports, a venture from Disney, Fox, and Warner Brothers that would have bundled ESPN, FS1, BTN, TNT, TBS, and other top sports networks.  Venu faced serious legal headwinds, including a lawsuit from Fubo and a federal injunction, leading the bundles backers to eventually kill the nascent sports bundle before it went on the air.  This story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best live TV streaming services. Read...

Voting is open for the BBC Sports Personality`s World Sport Star of the Year 2025 award. Read...

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Do you know what happens to the data and traces you leave behind on your PC and smartphone during your online activities? If not, you are in good company. The majority of people fear losing track of their personal data. But instead of just burying your head in the sand, take back control. Our guide takes a pragmatic approach: you should by no means give up online use, but rather bring back previously used services and functions from the cloud to your local IT at home. After all, much of what you have set up online for convenience at some point can be replaced again with virtually no restrictions. Time to say goodbye to the cloud! Windows without a Microsoft account, only log in to the apps For some time now, Windows setup has required an online account with Microsoft; in fact, the company no longer wants you to be able to use your PC without one. The online requirement not only affects data protection, but can also lead to problems if you want to use Microsoft apps with a second account. But you can do without it. When reinstalling the operating system, the mandatory online link can be deleted using the command oobe\bypassnro or a USB installation stick modified with Rufus. Our online guide to how to use Windows 11 without a Microsoft account explains, in more detail, both ways to do this. It’s also possible to switch from online to local login later. Important: Before permanently deleting the Microsoft account, it’s always a good idea to back up the documents, images, and other content stored in it. Tip: Even if you use your computer with a local account, you don’t have to completely do without Microsoft apps that require an online account. If you cannot use an app without logging in, first start to log in to it. In the next window, click on the Microsoft apps only option instead of Next and the system will continue to work locally. The plural in “Apps” should be taken literally here, as signing in to a Microsoft app also applies to all other apps, including the cloud storage OneDrive. To remove the apps-account link later, click on Accounts > Email and accounts in the Windows settings and on Remove > Yes under your online account on the right. Secure access to all data at home without online storage Cloud storage from Dropbox, Google, Microsoft and others is extremely practical because it synchronizes local files over the internet, making them available across all devices. Everything is always up to date automatically and in the background. However, what happens to the data stored there is difficult to keep track of. This is particularly true for the cloud-based image analysis of Google Photos, for example. As an alternative to US providers, choose a cloud service that is guarantees personal data protections or one that is based in the EU that is subject to the strict European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Protection against unauthorized access to sensitive content—and therefore also against the cloud providers themselves—requires end-to-end encryption. It encrypts the files locally before they are transferred to the online server. Unlike the previously popular Boxcryptor, Cryptomator also supports multiple cloud storages in parallel in the free version. The open source tool Cryptomator can also be used to encrypt data in Dropbox, Google Drive, or Microsoft Onedrive cloud storage.Cryptomator The open source tool is easy to set up and use. To encrypt data stored online, select a directory in the cloud provider’s local synchronization folder as the storage location when setting up the vault. You can also use a network hard drive (NAS) for online access to the data stored on it and the apps running on it. The device manufacturers usually offer a separate option for NAS access without having to worry about firewall configuration or port forwarding. Using a virtual private network (VPN), you can also remotely access the entire home network at home, including your smart home. Upload photos from your mobile phone automatically on your computer without the cloud What Microsoft offers for synchronizing smartphone images to a Windows PC beyond the clouds of Apple, Dropbox, Google, Microsoft and Co. is cumbersome, slow and therefore not very practical. The classic transfer via cable works quickly, but not automatically. There’s no getting around plugging in the connection and transferring it on your mobile phone. Tip: It is more convenient to transfer the recordings with the PC app Windows Photo Viewer using the “Import” function than via the file explorer. In principle, wireless image transfer is also possible via Bluetooth. However, this is slow due to the large amounts of data involved, repeatedly falters, and is therefore not recommended. You can find the function after pairing the PC and smartphone in the Windows settings under Bluetooth and devices > Devices > Send or receive files via Bluetooth > Receive files. The faster WLAN alternative via the Smartphone Link app integrated in Windows again requires a Microsoft account though. My Phone Explorer does this better; the tool transfers all images from the Android smartphone locally, offline, and quickly via WLAN. The prerequisite is that the mobile phone and Windows PC are on the same network (also via LAN cable) which thankfully, is practically always the case at home. With just a few settings, you can configure the MyPhoneExplorer tool so that it automatically synchronizes new pictures from the smartphone to the Windows PC at home.Sam Singleton This is how it works: After installation on the computer, start My Phone Explorer and click on the blue Sync button. In the setup wizard, activate the options Phone with Google Android-OS and WiFi and confirm with OK. On the smartphone, install the My Phone Explorer Client app from the Google Play Store and authorize data access and display via other apps. Start the mobile app and tap the QR code button in the top right-hand corner. Scan the QR code displayed on the PC in the setup wizard, authorize PC access to the phone and confirm again with OK. The two devices are now permanently linked. To use My Phone Explorer to automatically transfer your photos from the smartphone to the computer, click on File > Settings in the PC program. Here you activate the the option on starting MyPhoneExplorer. On the left under Multi-sync”, also activate the Sync photos entry and finish by clicking OK. Every time you now start your computer, My Phone Explorer transfers the new photos to the picture directory on the local hard drive. Further synchronization options can be found under Settings > Multi-sync > Sync files. Streaming devices, fitness watches, surveillance cameras and more Thanks to the apps provided by the device manufacturers, a network hard drive can be used for functions including playing locally stored music and videos. Without a NAS, the media center software Kodi (formerly XBMC) is a good alternative. Kodi runs on various platforms, including Windows PCs and Raspberry Pi. The Android app Gadgetbridge works entirely without the cloud and replaces the manufacturer apps of many sports, fitness and smart health devices such as the Amazfit Band 7 (right). IDG Whether smart home devices can be operated without the cloud depends on the specific device and manufacturer. Surveillance cameras that record images and videos locally are available from Eufy, Reolink, and TP-Link, among others. Many smart home or smart health devices, which involve particularly sensitive data, also work without a cloud, even though the manufacturer does not intend for them to do so. On Android smartphones, the Gadgetbridge app replaces the official apps and therefore often replaces the cloud requirement. Gadgetbridge processes all data locally on the mobile device and even allows you to change devices thanks to the import and export function. Remember, the best way to avoid personal data on the internet is to not publish it in the first place, or at least to publish it sparingly. Smartphones without Google Because smartphones can now be used for almost everything and most people have them with them all the time, comprehensive user profiles can be created using the data collected: on interests, purchasing behavior, communication, movement, and much more. “De-Googled” systems aim to prevent Android devices from sending data to Google so that you retain control over your data. An easy-to-use alternative to the Google operating system is /e/OS. The system offers its own app store and can be installed on over 200 phones, with the so-called Easy Installer available for some models. There are even some smartphones with pre-installed /e/OS are also available to buy. Another alternative—curiously only for Google’s own Pixel smartphones—is Graphene OS. The current version is based on Android 15 and moves apps that require Google’s Play services and therefore extensive rights to the protected “Confidential profile” area. If the confidential profile is only activated when necessary, the included apps do not run and therefore cannot send any data. Both systems require some familiarization; their installation and operation are well documented on the Internet though if you wish to take the time to educate yourself. Read...

For all the gripes you might have about the state of streaming, this year still had some bright spots. Looking back on 2025, we saw the debut of several new streaming services that deliver more choice and flexibility to cord cutters, along with some compelling new bundles for folks who can’t resist subscribing to lots of services simultaneously. This year also brought us some great new affordable streaming players and one excellent innovation in over-the-air TV. As is custom around here, let’s rewind to 2025’s best developments in cord cutting, plus a handful that we’d rather forget. Best new streaming player: Walmart Onn 4K Plus Jared Newman / Foundry Somehow, the company delivering the best cheap streaming devices is still Walmart. Following up on last year’s excellent Onn 4K Pro, the $30 Onn 4K Plus is a surprisingly speedy streaming box with Dolby Vision HDR, Dolby Atmos audio, a feature-packed remote, and a generous 16 GB of storage for apps. In side-by-side testing, it outperformed not just Roku’s Streaming Sticks, but the $50 Onn 4K Pro as well, and the Google TV software still excels at helping you keep up with your shows. Runner-up: Roku’s Streaming Stick, if only because it finally brings TV volume and power controls to Roku’s cheapest streamer. Best new streaming service: ESPN Unlimited Sure, it’s kind of a ripoff on its own at $30 per month, but ESPN’s new streaming service finally offers everything from its cable channels without a bloated pay TV package. More importantly, it’s ushering in a new wave of bundles built around direct-to-consumer streaming services instead of legacy cable channels. Subscribers can add Disney+ and Hulu for $6 per month more (currently free for the first year), or tack on Fox One or NFL+ for $10 per month more. Runner up: Roku’s Howdy, which is reminiscent of Netflix’s earliest years. Best new live TV package: DirecTV’s Genre Packs DirecTV DirecTV’s strong stance against Disney in 2024 yielded tangible results in 2025, with four new “Genre Packs” that cost less than most other live TV streaming services. The $40 per month MyNews bundle is sneakily the cheapest way to stream local channels (and cable news) without an antenna, and the MySports package offers complete sports coverage along with local channels and news for $70 per month. There’s also a $35 per month MyEntertainment package that includes Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max, and a $20 per month MyKids package with Disney+. The future of TV bundles will involve a mix of streaming services and still-popular cable channels, while letting folks drop more of what they don’t watch. Kudos to DirecTV for figuring this out first. Runner up: Sling Day Passes, which offer temporary access to ESPN and other cable channels at reasonable prices. Best new streaming bundle: Apple TV and Peacock Apple The $15 per month bundle of Apple TV and Peacock is a rare case in which streaming companies are actually underselling it. Apple says the bundle saves “over 30 percent” versus the two services sold separately ($13 per month for Apple TV, $11 per month for Peacock). Here’s a simpler comparison: The bundle is only $2 per month more than Apple TV alone. It’s an easy upgrade if you were going to pay for Apple TV anyway. Best streaming service that didn’t raise prices: Disney+ and Hulu (no ads) In Disney’s latest round of price hikes, the ad-free bundle of Disney+ and Hulu is the one option that went untouched. At $20, it’s a solid value for two ad-free streaming services compared to the individual prices of Netflix ($18 per month), HBO Max ($18.49 per month), and Peacock ($17 per month). Enjoy it while it lasts. Worst carriage dispute: YouTube TV vs. Disney YouTube TV earns a demerit for deciding to get stingy on its customers during a 15-day blackout of ESPN and other Disney-owned channels. The company waited through two weekends of football to offer $20 blackout credits, then made customers manually dig through its website to redeem it. For shame. Meanwhile, it’s unclear what all the fighting accomplished. There are hints of genre-based channel packs to come, plus a promise to bundle ESPN Unlimited sometime next year, but the most likely outcome is higher prices. Runner up: Fubo vs. NBC, a dispute that’s now lasted for nearly two weeks and shows no signs of ending. At least Fubo is crediting affected customers automatically. Best new use of an over-the-air antenna: Channels DVR Multiview FancyBits You no longer need a pricey live TV streaming service just to watch multiple broadcast channels in split-screen view. With a Channels DVR server and HDHomeRun tuner, you can get multiview with local channels from an antenna, along with streaming sources if you have the technical chops. For DIY-minded cord cutters who aren’t averse to running their own media servers, it’s a breakthrough. Runner-up: ZapperBox, which is enabling whole-home DVR with encrypted ATSC 3.0 broadcasts. Dishonorable mention: HBO Max Back in 2023, we called Max the most improved streaming service, noting its addition of the Discovery+ catalog, a round-the-clock CNN channel, and live from TNT/TBS at no extra charge. Two years later, Warner Bros. Discovery is undoing all of that. It removed the CNN feed in November to help prop up CNN’s new standalone service, and it plans to pull sports coverage in favor of a separate TNT Sports service next year. The future of Discovery content on HBO Max is also in question as Warner prepares to once again spin off Discovery into a separate company. It also raised prices and stuffed more ads into its ad-supported tier. Having failed to deliver on most of its promises, Warner is simply going to become grist for the merger mill, which might not accomplish much for viewers but will at least make its executives richer. Cord cutting co-MVPs: Lon Seidman and Tyler “Antenna Man” Kleinle These two YouTube creators have been shining a light on the pitfalls of DRM in the new ATSC 3.0 broadcast standard for a couple of years now. As broadcasters push to wind down the existing ATSC 1.0 standard, they took their case directly to the FCC this year, pointing out high costs of ATSC 3.0 tuners, decryption issues in certified TVs, and limitations for over-the-air DVR. While Seidman and Kleinle aren’t against ATSC 3.0, they want to preserve the spirit of free TV over the public airwaves without expensive and complicated obstacles. The FCC is still pushing for ATSC 3.0, and has proposed new rules that would let broadcasters switch over on their own timelines. But the commission has also started asking broadcasters some pointed about why DRM is necessary and whether there’s a better way to implement it. The avalanche of complaints from consumers, led by voices like Seidman and Kleinle, undoubtably helped. Sign up for Jared’s Cord Cutter Weekly newsletter for more streaming TV insights. Read...