Alternative streaming services

Go beyond just Netflix, Stan and YouTube.

AMAZON PRIME

www.amazon.com Though our local Amazon online store is still exclusively selling ebooks and Kindle readers, Amazon’s US and UK sites are now allowing Aussies to subscribe to its Prime web service using their Australian accounts and credit card details. Head over to Amazon’s Prime page to start a 30-day free trial of the service. Once the trial period is over, the membership will begin charging US$10.99 per month to your Amazon account.

NAPFLIX

www.napflix.com Occasionally, you’re going to need a break from all that hardcore streaming action, because there’s only so much information the brain can ingest before you end up laughing at a Kevin James Netflix Original. If you find yourself heading toward that horrifying scenario, check out the sleep-inducing service Napflix. Filled with boring (and free) content that will lull you into a heavenly slumber, like model train videos and cricket, the service will have you snoring in no time.

VUDU

www.vudu.com Nice people that they are, the digital movie provider Vudu has launched a new streaming service called Vudu Movies On Us. As the name suggests, the service lets you watch Full HD movies and TV shows for free, though much like with catch-up TV apps, you will find some ads spread throughout your chosen content. To watch the thousands of movies and TV shows available on the service, you only need to create an account.

CRACKLE

www.crackle.com Featuring a small but nice selection of TV shows and movies for the amazing price of absolutely free, Crackle is a must-stop destination for all streaming die-hards. Sure, there’s a lot of junk in its trunk, like Days of

Our Lives, but you’ll also find a number of entertaining gems, including Diff’rent Strokes, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, The Blacklist and... err... Booty Call. Okay, so the quality will vary depending on your tastes, but you’ll surely find something to love here.

VIMEO

www.vimeo.com Video sharing website Vimeo has made the leap into paid content, partnering with STARZ and Lionsgate Entertainment to provide television content on its own Vimeo On Demand TV Store. The service, which is available in over 150 countries, is set up a bit like iTunes, allowing you to purchase individual episodes or entire seasons of premium television and original content. Shows include the likes of Mad Men and Orange is the New Black.

ANIMELAB

www.animelab.com Is anime your thing? If so, you can watch hundreds of hours of free standard definition Japanimation, including classic shows like

Berserk and Attack on Titan, on Madman Entertainment’s AnimeLab streaming app. With numerous shows simulcast directly from Japan, you can stay on top of every big show that’s currently airing. Not only that, for $6.95 a month, you can go for a Premium subscription that’ll give you pristine HD streams and multiple language options.