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Streaming Guide April 2023: You Can Skip These Services This Month

But you should definitely hold on to HBO Max.

Figuring out which streaming services to keep can feel overwhelming, especially when you factor in the added cost of live sports now that Major League Baseball is back. Plus, the costs add up quickly when you want to keep mainstays like Netflix or Disney Plus. But in April there are a few TV shows and movies worth streaming this month, even if that means holding on to a subscription longer than you want to.

Several popular series — like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel — are debuting their final seasons in April, while others like Bel-Air and The Mandalorian are wrapping up until the next installment. 

Each month, I give advice on which streaming services to cancel or keep based on cost and current content lineup. If you’re thinking about canceling a few streaming service subscriptions, I’d like to offer my strategy: churn like ice cream.

That means you’ll rotate your services. Subscribe for a period, cancel, stream on a different platform, then resubscribe, keeping your favorites in a rotation. Feel free to pick one or two must-haves for the year and treat additional streamers like seasonal add-ons.This helps save money on Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max and others when they don’t have the content you want to watch at a given time. Just remember to shut off autorenewal for your monthly subscriptions. This may not work if you’re sharing accounts with anyone outside your household, but if you can work out an agreement with your streaming partners, try it.

Here are my recommendations for which streamers to keep or cancel for April, based on new TV shows and movies (I didn’t consider live TV streaming services) arriving on each platform. In addition to listing the new releases, I’m going to highlight when finales air so you can choose whether to cancel a subscription mid-month or wait to binge a show. Note that Netflix does not have to be a keeper this month. Hear me out: Beef and Chupa drop early, so you may cancel after watching those titles or wait until next month to watch April’s releases (unless you love Power Rangers).

Your tastes may be different, but if nothing else, I urge you to at least consider the concept of rotating for savings. It’s easier than you may think.

April streaming service rotation

Keep Cancel
HBO Max X
Hulu X
Netflix X
Apple TV Plus X
Disney Plus X
Starz X
Paramount Plus X
Prime Video X
Peacock X

Why you should keep these streaming services in April

HBO Max: You can watch Succession unless you want to binge it all in May or June. Titans drops its midseason premiere on April 13, but the series finale hits May 11. Barry — the fourth and final season — debuts April 16. Max Original limited series Love & Death, starring Elizabeth Olsen and Jesse Plemons, arrives with three episodes on April 27. The show wraps on May 25.

Hulu: Network shows like Snowfall and The Simpsons continue to air. But there’s a standout: Kathryn Hahn fans can watch Tiny Beautiful Things, a new limited series that drops April 7. Other releases include The Good Mothers and Dave season 3 (both on now), Dear Mama (April 22) and Saint X premieres on April 26. 

Peacock: New episodes of NBC shows likes The Voice are still streaming, but Peacock original Mrs. Davis, an AI-themed dramedy, premieres on April 20. Bel-Air season 2 runs until April 27, so you can binge the entire season this month or in May.

Apple TV Plus: Ted Lasso continues to air through April, and Tetris dropped on March 31 so you can check it out this month. Schmigadoon! returned on April 7 and Jennifer Garner’s new series, The Last Thing He Told Me, premieres April 14. If you’re not interested in any of these, skip Apple TV Plus. Know that it costs $7 a month and comes with a free seven-day trial.

Starz: If you haven’t already, snag a Starz deal at $3 a month for three months. Start watching the new season of Power Book II: Ghost and binge all of BMF season 2. Mid-month, stream the premiere of Blindspotting season 2 on April 14.

Prime Video: Most of us are already paying for this service, but if you’re a fan of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, season 5 premieres on April 14. There will be seven episodes in this final installment. If you have a standalone Prime Video subscription and aren’t a fan or prefer to skip the service’s new series, The Power, then cancel this month.

You can watch the final run of The Marvel Mrs. Maisel weekly on Prime Video.

Prime Video

Cancel these after watching what you want

Netflix: While you may find good reasons to keep Netflix right now — like watching older titles — you can save money if nothing here interests you or after you watch new releases at the top of the month. Here’s what’s coming:

  • Mo’Nique: My Name is Mo’Nique comedy special (on now)
  • Beef (on now) — Comedy-drama series from A24 with Ali Wong and Steven Yuen
  • Chupa movie (on now)
  • Hunger — Thai thriller film about a street food cook who winds up working for a cutthroat chef (on now) 
  • Cocomelon season 8 (April 10)
  • Florida Man TV series (April 13)
  • The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die (April 14)
  • Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always (April 19)
  • The Diplomat (April 20)
  • Sweet Tooth season 2 (April 27)
  • Firefly Lane season 2, part 2 (April 27) 

Paramount Plus: You can keep streaming Rabbit Hole after its March debut or wait to binge it. April additions include Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies (on now) and a Fatal Attraction TV series (April 30). Some of you may want to cancel this service now that March Madness is over, or if you’re not digging Rabbit Hole.

Disney Plus: The Mandalorian’s season 3 finale streams on April 19, but if you only have Disney Plus for this show, then cancel it after it ends. Other releases include The Crossover (on now), a TV series based on a book. The Owl House series is ending with season 3, so watch the first of three episodes on April 9. Rennervations from Hawkeye star Jeremy Renner debuts on April 12, and Disney’s new original film, Peter Pan & Wendy, lands on April 28. 

Pack it up after Baby Yoda’s tour is over in April.

Disney Plus

Save more money by waiting it out

If you’re not someone who routinely gets FOMO, then a smart method is to wait until the bulk or all episodes of your favorite series land on a platform. That way, rather than pay for a service for two or three months to cover the six- to 12-week run of a show, you can catch up on everything by subscribing for one month. And then repeat the cycle again.

For example, there will be 10 weekly episodes of Succession season 4 on HBO Max. The finale drops around late May, so all episodes of the Roy family’s dysfunction will be available to stream at that time. Though it premiered on March 26 and runs through May, why pay for three months when you can wait to stream it in full anytime in June? The same practice can apply to Rabbit Hole’s eight-episode run and 12 episodes in season 3 of Ted Lasso. 

Kiefer Sutherland as John Weir in Rabbit Hole. 

Marni Grossman/Paramount+

Note how much you’re paying per month for each streaming service, and do the math. Apple TV Plus is $7. Netflix is $7 to $20 (until account-sharing fees kick in), Disney Plus is anywhere from $3 to $11 depending on bundles, HBO Max costs $10 or $16, Hulu starts at $8 and Starz runs $9. The others have a base rate of $5 per month. To avoid paying the most, you can check out deals for streaming services here: Best Streaming Service Deals From Verizon, T-Mobile and More and Best Streaming Service Deals on Hulu, Peacock, Disney Plus and More.

Should you decide to churn, set yourself a calendar reminder to alert you when it’s time to resubscribe or cancel. We’ll see you in May for another streaming rundown.

Technologies

iOS 17 Cheat Sheet: Your Questions on the iPhone Update Answered

Here’s what you need to know about new features and upcoming updates for your iPhone.

Apple’s iOS 17 was released in September, shortly after the company held its Wonderlust event, where the tech giant announced the new iPhone 15 lineup, the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2. We put together this cheat sheet to help you learn about and use the new features in iOS 17. It’ll also help you keep track of the subsequent iOS 17 updates.

iOS 17 updates

Using iOS 17

Getting started with iOS 17

Make sure to check back periodically for more iOS 17 tips and how to use new features as Apple releases more updates.

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

See all photos

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Technologies

Get Ready for a Striking Aurora That Could Also Disrupt Radio Communications

Don’t expect the storm to cause a lingering problem, though.

A geomagnetic storm is threatening radio communications Monday night, but that doesn’t mean you should be concerned. In fact, it may be an opportunity to see a colorful aurora in the night sky.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has issued a geomagnetic storm watch after witnessing a coronal mass ejection from the sun on Saturday. The watch, which was issued over the weekend and will expire after Monday, said the onset of the storm passing over Earth on Sunday night represented a «moderate» threat to communications. As the storm continues to pass through, it could deliver a «strong» threat on Monday night that could cause radio communications to be temporarily disrupted during the worst of it.

Even so, NOAA said, «the general public should not be concerned.»

A coronal mass ejection occurs when magnetic field and plasma mass are violently expelled from the sun’s corona, or the outermost portion of the sun’s atmosphere. In the vast majority of cases, the ejection occurs with no real threat to Earth. However, in the event the ejection happens in the planet’s direction, a geomagnetic storm occurs, and the Earth’s magnetic field is temporarily affected.

In most cases, geomagnetic storms cause little to no disruption on Earth, with radio communications and satellites affected most often. In extreme cases, a geomagnetic storm can cause significant and potentially life-threatening power outages — a prospect that, luckily, the planet hasn’t faced.

Switching poles

Every 11 years, the sun’s magnetic poles switch, with the north pole and south pole swapping positions. During those cycles, the sun’s activity ramps up as it gets closer to pole-switching time. The height of its activity is called solar maximum, and scientists believe we either may be entering the solar maximum or may be already in it.

During periods of heightened solar activity, sunspots increase on the sun and there’s an increase in coronal mass ejections, among other phenomena. According to NOAA, solar maximum could extend into October of this year before the sun’s activity calms and it works towards its less-active phase, solar minimum.

Even when geomagnetic storms hit Earth and disrupt communications, the effects are usually short-lived. Those most affected, including power grid operators and pilots and air traffic controllers communicating over long distances, have fail-safe technologies and backup communications to ensure operational continuity.

But geomagnetic storms aren’t only about radios. In most cases, they also present unique opportunities to see auroras in the night sky. When the storms hit, the plasma they carry creates a jaw-dropping aurora, illuminating the night sky with brilliant colors. Those auroras can be especially pronounced during the most intense phases of the storm, making for nice stargazing.

If you’re interested in seeing the aurora, you’ll need to be ready. The NOAA said the «brunt of the storm has passed» and even if it lingers into Tuesday, there won’t be much to see after Monday night. 

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Technologies

Last Total Solar Eclipse for 20 Years Is Coming: How to See and Photograph It

It’s your last chance until 2044.

Get your eclipse glasses ready, Skygazers: the Great American Eclipse is on its way. On April 8, there’ll be a total eclipse over North America, the last one until 2044.

A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, blocking the sun and turning an otherwise sunny day to darkness for a short period of time. Depending on the angle at which you’re viewing the eclipse, you may see the sun completely shrouded by the moon (called totality) or some variation of it. The more off-angle you are and the further you are from the path of the eclipse, the less likely you’ll be to see the totality.

The 2024 total solar eclipse will happen on Monday, April 8. The Great American Eclipse will reach the Mexican Pacific coast at 11:07 a.m. PT (2:07 p.m. ET), and then traverse the US in a northeasterly direction from Texas to Maine, and on into easternmost Canada. If you want a good look at it, but don’t live in the path of totality, you shouldn’t wait much longer to book accommodation and travel to a spot on the path.

Or how about booking a seat in the sky? Delta Airlines made headlines for offering a flight that allows you to see the entire path of totality. Its first eclipse flight, from Austin, Texas, to Detroit sold out quickly. But as of Monday, Delta has added a second flight from Dallas to Detroit, which also covers the path of totality. The airline also has five flights that will offer prime eclipse viewing.

Not everyone can get on one of those elusive eclipse-viewing flights. Here’s a look at other options to nab a chance to see this rare sight and what to know about it.

Total solar eclipse path

The eclipse will cross over the Pacific coast of Mexico and head northeast over mainland Mexico. The eclipse will then make its way over San Antonio at approximately 2:30 p.m. ET on April 8 and move through Texas, over the southeastern part of Oklahoma and northern Arkansas by 2:50 p.m. ET.

By 3 p.m. ET, the eclipse will be over southern Illinois, and just 5 minutes later, will be traveling over Indianapolis. Folks in northwestern Ohio will be treated to the eclipse by 3:15 p.m. ET, and it will then travel over Lake Erie and Buffalo, New York, by 3:20 p.m. ET. Over the next 10 minutes, the eclipse will be seen over northern New York state, then over Vermont. By 3:35 p.m. ET, the eclipse will work its way into Canada and off the Eastern coast of North America.

Best places to watch the Great American Eclipse

When evaluating the best places to watch this year’s total eclipse, you’ll first want to determine where you’ll have the best angle to see the totality. The farther off-angle you are — in other words, the farther north or south of the eclipse’s path — the less of an impact you can expect.

Therefore, if you want to have the best chance of experiencing the eclipse, you’ll want to be in its path. As of this writing, most of the cities in the eclipse’s path have some hotel availability, but recent reports have suggested that rooms are booking up. And as more rooms are booked, prices are going up.

So if you want to be in the eclipse’s path, and need a hotel to do it, move fast. And Delta’s eclipse-viewing flight from Dallas to Detroit has just four seats left at the time of publication.

Eclipse eye safety and photography

 
As with any solar eclipse, it’s critical you keep eye safety in mind.

During the eclipse, and especially during the periods before and after totality, don’t look directly at the sun without special eye protection. Also, be sure not to look at the sun through a camera (including the camera on your phone), binoculars, a telescope or any other viewing device. This could cause serious eye injury. Sunglasses aren’t enough to protect your eyes from damage.

If you want to view the eclipse, you’ll instead need solar viewing glasses that comply with the ISO 12312-2 safety standard. Anything that doesn’t meet that standard or greater won’t be dark enough to protect your eyes. Want to get them for free? If you’ve got a Warby Parker eyeglasses store nearby, the company is giving away free, ISO-certified solar eclipse glasses at all of its stores from April 1 until the eclipse, while supplies last.

If you don’t have eclipse viewing glasses handy, you can instead use indirect methods for viewing the eclipse, like a pinhole projector.

Read more: A Photographer’s Adventure With the Eclipse

In the event you want to take pictures of the eclipse, attach a certified solar filter to your camera. Doing so will protect your eyes and allow you to take photos while you view the eclipse through your lens.

There’s also a new app to help you both protect your eyes and take better photos of the eclipse on your phone. Solar Snap, designed by a former Hubble Space Telescope astronomer, comes with a Solar Snap camera filter that attaches to the back of an iPhone or Android phone, along with solar eclipse glasses for protecting your eyesight during the event. After you attach the filter to your phone, you can use the free Solar Snap Eclipse app to zoom in on the eclipse, adjust exposure and other camera settings, and ultimately take better shots of the eclipse.

2024 eclipse compared to 2017

The last total solar eclipse occurred in 2017, and many Americans had a great view. Although there are plenty of similarities between the 2017 total solar eclipse and the one coming April 8, there are a handful of differences. Mainly, the 2024 eclipse is going to cover more land and last longer.

The 2017 eclipse started over the northwest US and moved southeast. Additionally, that eclipse’s path was up to 71 miles wide, compared with a maximum width of 122 miles for this year’s eclipse. Perhaps most importantly, the moon completely covered the sun for just 2 minutes, 40 seconds in 2017. This year, maximum totality will last for nearly four-and-a-half minutes.

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