plex.tv
As different sources of media become increasingly engrained into our lives, we are actually inundated. This might be an understatement, as the different sources have become a part of who we are. Technology is becoming increasingly a part of our daily lives, and this also has an effect on how we perceive the world around us.
We are constantly taking in some form of media, even if we are not consciously aware of it. Most of these activities and pleasures are inconveniently spread across numerous platforms and devices and operating systems. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a single piece of software that enabled us to easily access all of our media without having to open up a million different apps and windows and tabs and screens all the time?
Fortunately, there is a software suite that provides exactly what we need. It's called a software suite, and there are many different ones to choose from. Simply determining which layout we like best, which one enables us to consume the media that we want to see in the way that we want to see it, and which one is going to be the most affordable is all that's necessary!
Consider a software suite that can keep up with the speed and complexity of your lifestyle. This software should work flawlessly, no matter what device you are using it on. With newer programs like Plex, you can turn any device into a smart TV.
History
In December 2007, Plex creator Elan Feingold built a DIY media center app for his Apple Mac computer. He then decided to port the media player XBMC (now famously known as Kodi) into his Mac Os X.
Both Cayce Ullman and Scott Olechowski were interested in porting XBMC to Mac OS X at about the same time. They noticed that Feingold was leading the development of XBMC on the online forum and contacted him directly. They offered support and funding for his project.
In January of 2008, Feingold, Ullman, and Olechowski formed together to commence work on the project. Plex Inc. was founded in December of 2009 after many streaming platforms expressed their displeasure at the new project.
Many streaming services were not pleased when Plex first created apps for servers like Hulu and Netflix. Hulu, in particular, changed their HTML so that Plex could no longer parse it. This controversy led to Plex no longer offering Hulu and Netflix as part of their app.
That being said, Plex has been able to develop good relationships with content production companies. As of November of 2019, for example, Plex announced a list of nineteen production companies with whom they would be partnering, including big names like MGM, Lionsgate, and Legendary. Plex has also partnered with Tidal in 2018, offering music and podcast streaming to their community. In August of 2019, Plex also announced that they had struck a deal with Warner Brothers, which opened the floodgates for a ton of television content.
Plex is an excellent example of a tech company who faced many challenges early on and were able to adapt, coming out victorious. It turns out that Plex didn't need Netflix or Hulu to find success- after all! Today, Plex makes the lives of hundreds of thousands of users much easier by offering a great deal of content and a way to access their own files in the cloud, all from one convenient place.
Design
In my opinion, Plex has a very smart design. It is sharp and professional. It stands out. I love the gray and yellow theme that it deploys (a rare color combination for a tech brand, it seems). Plex just looks great. There is a certain physicality to it, if that makes any sense, with the way that it is designed. It almost seems to have a sort of matte finish to it. Plex is a calm and minimalist design that will not disappoint.
Plex is a software application that makes it easy to access your content. You can browse your media by recently viewed, ?on deck?, or by genre. This is the main screen of Plex. To the left of this browser window, you will also find an iTunes-like navigation menu. From here, you can browse by media type: music, movies, pics, videos, podcasts, etc. Plex also allows you to create playlists of any content you like! It is a truly powerful layout.
Content
So, what content does Plex offer? Well, it's a media library aggregator with streaming capabilities. Anything you want to watch (save for your Netflix and Hulu accounts), you can add to Plex.
Plex offers a large selection of free movies to watch. Thousands of titles are available to stream, from all around the world. This is an amazing opportunity for movie buffs, as there is no need to pay or subscribe to watch movies on Plex.
Plex has teamed up with Tidal to offer an integrated music streaming experience. You can choose from up to 60 million songs (and additional podcasts on top of that) by linking a Tidal account to Plex. No more switching between apps to access different kinds of content.Go from your favorite episode of The Office to a photo album of your anniversary, to bumping your favorite Jay Z album without ever leaving Plex's media center.
Plex offers the ability to stream live television and DVR your favorite shows. These are both free services with the Plex Pass subscription. If you have a compatible antenna, Plex will allow you to access local TV channels and stream live programming. They also offer plenty of web channels to choose from - be it GQ, PC Gamer, Conde Nast, or Engadget - now you can enjoy all your favorite web series on the big screen by browsing these sites almost as if they were cable TV channels.
Desktop and Mobile Experience
The Plex experience is consistently great across all devices, with a rating of 4 on the Google Play Store, 4.7 on the Apple App Store, and 4.1 on the Roku app store. I think that the Google Play and Roku users are being a little nitpicky because this app is great no matter where you run it.
Pricing and Plans
We have already discussed how one of the things that makes Plex so great is the fact that it is a freemium service. This means that you can start streaming movies and live TV today (or just using it as a personal media file cloud server), absolutely free of charge. There are also paid subscription versions of Plex, if you want to have even more access to its features.
Plex offers advanced audio options, such as a discount on Tidal, advanced audio mixing options, hybrid caching, silence compression, and higher-quality album artwork and artist bios. It also offers premium photos with automatic tagging and uploading, timeline viewing, and a theater-like movie and TV experience with cinema trailers before the main event.
If you want Plex Premium, you will have to pay either $4.99 a month; $39.99 a year; or a lifetime subscription for $119.99.
Suggestions that I have for Plex
If Plex could rectify their relationship with Netflix and Hulu, they would easily become the one-stop-shop for all media streaming needs. This is probably not in the best interest of Netflix or Hulu, so I doubt it will happen, but hey, a guy can dream.
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