stremio.com

Digital media is a powerful tool that has taken over our lives. It is present in almost every aspect of our lives and can be found wherever we are. Personally, I think that this is a great thing. As technology becomes more and more of an extension of humanity, things become easier. Knowledge is more conveniently learned, we are never not entertained, and we are in constant connection with friends and family. Some people like to criticize the inundation of technology in our lives, but I say embrace it! This is precisely why I get excited to learn about new ways to interact with the digital space, like streaming software suites and media centers.

A media center refers to a software suite that offers a centralized location for managing digital media. It allows users to access their various streaming services from one location, simplifying the process of switching between them.

I don't know about you, but I hate having to constantly switch between menus after menus and having to remember all the little design and functionality quirks of every streaming and media platform that I use. Because, of course, none of them are uniform. Going from Hulu to Netflix, for instance, sometimes makes me feel like I have to relearn each app every time I revisit. But Media Centers like Kodi, Plex, or Stremio make life so much simpler when it comes to streaming video or accessing pictures and music.

Thanks to services like Stremio, I have access to all of my content in one place, making it easy to find and watch. It's amazing how much easier my life has become since I started using a media center.

Therefore, if you are looking for a media center that is easy to use and does not require a lot of technical know-how, then Stremio may be a better option for you.

Second, the addons that Stremio offers do not install directly on your device or computer. They install onto the Stremio servers. That means that Stremio assumes all the risk - in case of malicious developers that want to try and hide viruses or tracking software into their customized addon. Media centers like Kodi or Plex, however, put that risk on the user. So, then, Stremio can be a bit more safe to use.

And finally, although some may see this as a hindrance, it can also be seen as a blessing? Stremio does not allow customizable skins or builds to be uploaded. Sure, this can be a bummer to a tech-savvy individual who wants to be able to make his or her interface reflect his or her personality in some way. But the upside to this is the fact that there will be little risk of accidentally breaking the installation (something you will want to be careful of with uploading customized skins onto software such as this one).

So, in general, it appears that Stremio, although less popular than some of the other media center software options on the market, could still be a great choice for anyone interested in using them. Its user-friendly interface and easy-to-use features make it perfect for anyone to use, with no prior experience required. However - let's take a closer look at Stemio, just to be sure - before making a final decision.

Design

As I have already alluded to, Stremio's design is extremely intuitive. In fact, I almost prefer it to the designs of, say, Netflix or Hulu. It is very easy to use and, more importantly, it is tailored to your tastes. Upon installation, for example, you will be asked to choose at least three main categories of different types of content. From these selections, Stremio will learn what to suggest to you. The main screen of Stremio (a board), from which you can browse a long list of videos, is based on the categories you chose earlier. Some of these videos may not be available to stream; they are merely suggestions that Stremio believes you might be interested in. If you would rather use the search bar at the top of the screen to find a specific movie or TV series, you can do so, of course.

On the left-hand side of the board, you can browse content by genre and category. Filtering content with ease by clicking on any of the following: Movies, Series, Channels, TV Channels, Top, Oscar Winners, and then a list of genres. Here you will also be able to conveniently access your addons. So for instance if you have Netflix, Vodo, Hulu, iTunes, Amazon and YouTube - once they have been linked you can quickly switch between them here.

Content

Whereas Kodi and Plex both offer a nearly comprehensive library of content, Stremio's addon library is comparatively sparse. Stremio offers other cool features, such as the ability to sync watched content with Trakt. This will allow you to keep track of all the content that you watch, assuming you have already created and linked your Trakt account with Stremio. It is a fun and convenient way to remember what you've already seen and to make recommendations to friends and family.

With its built-in Stremio calendar, you can always keep track of which ongoing series air new episodes and when. This way, you never have to miss your favorite shows again.

Desktop and Mobile Experience

Stremio is available on many different platforms, making it easy to use. It has a streamlined and intuitive interface, no matter what device you're using it on. If you can watch things onscreen, chances are you can use Stremio to do the same. One thing I appreciate about Stremio is that, regardless of which device you use it on, it provides a technically proficient and easy-to-use experience.

Pricing and Plans

Stremio itself is completely free to use and open-source. So, in order to browse the library (without watching anything) and access the media center itself (which can still be used to organize and archive your own video files), you won't have to pay a dime. However, of course, in order to get the most out of Stremio, you'll have to have at least one streaming service to your name. So, that will cost you. And, personally I find that Stremio becomes the most useful when you have numerous services to link together - after all, that is kind of the point!

Suggestions that I have for Stremio

I think Stremio could easily offer more add-ons than they currently do if they wanted to truly compete with media centers like Kodi or Plex. This would be much easier than any other media center that I have seen, and would be a lot safer too.