• Home
  • About T4L
    • Contact
    • Legal Stuff
  • Subscribe

Tech for Luddites

News, Views, and How-Tos for a Digital World

Three Tip Thursday: 05/04/17

Last Updated: May 4, 2017

Note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you end up buying something from the site it goes to, I may get a commission for the referral. If you are using an ad blocker, some product information and links may not display unless you whitelist techforluddites.com.

Three Tip ThursdayToday’s T3 includes tips for using multiple streaming media players, avoiding an email scam, and deals to celebrate Star Wars Day.

1. Using the Same Streaming Provider Account on Multiple Devices

Recently I’ve received a question from several readers who have more than one streaming media device on different TVs. They want to know if they need different accounts for their various streaming content providers (Netflix, HBO NOW, Sling TV, etc.) for each device.

The short answer is no, you can sign into those apps with the same account on multiple devices. The longer answer is that each content provider has its own rules about how many screens you can stream to at the same time, which includes computers and mobile devices as well as TVs.

For example, Netflix has three different subscription plans. On the lowest level, which is $7.99/month, you are only allowed to stream to one screen at a time. So if you have a Roku player on two different TVs (or a Roku player on one TV and an Amazon Fire TV Stick on another player, or any other combination of streaming devices), you can only watch Netflix on one of those TVs at a time if that’s the plan you have. If you want to watch Netflix on the other TV at the same time, you would need to upgrade to the next level plan at $8.99/month and if you want to watch on more than two screens, you would need the highest level plan, which allows you to stream to four screens simultaneously for $11.99/month. If you want to watch on more than four screens at once, then you would need a second Netflix account.

The most important word here is “simultaneously.” If you have the 1-screen plan, you could watch Netflix on both TVs with the same account as long as you’re not watching it at the same time.

For your own situation, you’ll need to check with each provider you use to see what their restrictions are. In addition to the total number of screens you can stream to at once, some providers also have a restriction on the number of streams of the same content at a time.

Hopefully at some point, the streaming industry will start to develop some standards to make it a lot less complicated, but at the moment it’s very much a case-by-case basis. If you have other questions about streaming, I recommend you check out this T4L post: Streaming Media: Frequently Asked Questions.

2. Google Docs Phishing Scam

Yesterday (May 3), a major email scam was circulating where people received invitations to open a Google Docs file, and if you clicked the link you’d be prompted to sign into Google and your login info would be captured by the hackers. I didn’t get it myself, but apparently it was very convincing looking and spread very quickly.

Fortunately, Google was able to shut it down within an hour but you may still have an email sitting in your Inbox, in which case you should just delete the message. If you’ve clicked on it already, you’ll want to remove permissions for the offending app and probably change your Google password. There are lots of articles out there explaining out to do this; I found this one to be particularly clear and helpful:

How to avoid the Google Docs phishing attack and what to do if you’re a victim (The Telegraph, 05/04/07)

3. Star Wars Deals

May the Fourth be with you! If you’re looking to celebrate Star Wars today and beyond, here are a few deals to check out.

  • TODAY ONLY, save on authentic Star Wars memorabilia at Amazon US.
  • From today through June 18th, Stack Social is offering a Rogue One Collector’s Box that includes a t-shirt, hats, figurines, comic book and more for just $79 (reg. $109).
  • Get Star Wars Stickers to use in iMessage for 99 cents in the App Store. They’re normally $1.99 for a pack and I’m not sure when the sale ends.

Also, check out this fantastic Omaze campaign where you can enter for a chance to win a number of Star Wars-related experiences, including spending the night at Skywalker Ranch, visiting the set of the Han Solo movie, attend the premiere of The Last Jedi, and—for a limited time only—lunch with Mark Hamill in Los Angeles!

You may also be interested in:

Streaming Media: News, Views, and How-Tos

Make Your Passwords Stronger AND Easier to Remember

Filed Under: Deals & Discounts, How To, Privacy/Security, Streaming Media, Three Tip Thursday

If you found this post helpful, maybe your friends will too (hint, hint)!

To receive future blog posts in your Inbox, please fill out the form below.

Individual Posts Weekly(ish) Digest Monthly Newsletter

Comments for this page are closed. You can provide comments or ask questions via email at feedback@techforluddites.com. Unfortunately I cannot guarantee that I will be able to reply to every question I receive, but I will try.

Featured Posts

Streaming Media Players: A Comparison Chart

A comparison of features between the Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, and Google Chromecast, including price, supported content providers, and more.

T4L TOP TEN

Stop the Email Threading Madness

Learn how to change your email inbox to list messages in the order they come in.

Windows 10: Change the Default Programs for Opening Files

Learn how to choose which programs you want to use with different kinds of files, instead of the ones Microsoft wants you to use.

Amazon Fire TV Stick vs Roku Streaming Stick+: Which One Is Right for You?

A comparison of the main differences between these two popular and affordable streaming media players.

Send Your Cable TV Signal Wirelessly to Another Room

Product review and how-to for systems that let you get cable/satellite programming on additional TV sets even if there are no outlets nearby.

Post Photos and Videos to Instagram from Your Computer

If, like me, you spend more time on your PC than on your phone or tablet, you can still share content on Instagram.

Create Different Headers in Word

Step-by-step instructions for using section breaks so you can have different headers on different pages of your Microsoft Word document.

Replacing List Bullets with Images Using CSS

Replacing standard HTML list bullets with images can be a great way to tie them into your site’s overall theme and make pages more visually appealing.

Streaming Media: Frequently Asked Questions

Still have questions about how a streaming media player like the Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV or Google Chromecast works? Find answers here!

Send Messages to People You Don’t Know on LinkedIn

While there are several ways to do this, purchasing an individual InMail is often the best option—and the most difficult to find.

The Twitter Hashtag: What Is It and How Do You Use It?

Learn what this ubiquitous symbol means and how to make the most of it in your tweets.

Privacy Policy

Data collected through forms on this website is used only for the purposes stated up front, e.g. sending newsletters to subscribers who opt in, selling products or services, etc. Tech for Luddites does not share or sell data collected. Learn more from our privacy policy.

Ads and Affiliate Links

Tech for Luddites is a participant in a number of advertising and affiliate programs. This means that if you take certain actions (click through, make a purchase) from links on this website, T4L may receive a commission for the referral. Learn more.

Contact Tech for Luddites

T4L is not currently accepting guest or sponsored posts. To ask a question, share a tech tip, suggest a post topic, or provide general feedback on this site, please email info@techforluddites.com.

Copyright © 2021 Tech for Luddites. All rights reserved. Content may not be copied without written permission.

This Site Uses Cookies

Learn more about T4L's privacy policy.