Offline Mode - Bro
There are many times that the internet is not available on your phone. This could be because you are on an airplane, cruise boat, in the mountains, or simply trying to save money by conserving your data. This does not mean that you have to lose out on your news, music, or movies. I use a few select apps to fill the internet void.
Music:
Google Play Music (Free) - Google gives you the option to upload your whole music library to “the cloud”. You can then stream or “cache” your music. This allows you to create and download playlists and select cds to your phone or tablet.
Stitcher (Free) - Stitcher is an app that collects all of your favorite podcasts into one place. You can create “stations” which can be downloaded for offline listening. The free version of this app is supported by advertisements in between podcasts.
Spotify ($15/month) - This is a streaming service I have recently switched to. We purchased a family plan for $15 per month (split between a few family members). For this price you get up to 6 accounts that can download or stream almost any song you could possibly want.
Pandora ($5/month) - This used to be my streaming service of choice. Due to being able to share spotify and an increase in Pandora pushing their upgrade I have recently cut Pandora off. That being said if you opt for the middle tier of service you can have up to 4 “stations” available for offline use.
Prime Music ($99/year) - As part of their great shipping service Amazon includes both music and video. The selection is not great but all things taken together this is an amazing deal.
Hoopla (Free) - Hoopla is a service that partners with libraries. Hoopla has a decent collection of Movies, Music, and Books. There is a limit to how many items you can check out a month and similar to a library you only get an item for a few weeks.
Video:
Netflix ($11/month) - This popular video service also has a number of shows and movies that can be downloaded for offline viewing. The selection is not as good as the service as a whole but it is getting better. With a standard plan 2 devices can use the download feature. If you upgrade to the 4K service then the number of devices that can download is upped to 4.
Showtime (Free with Cable) - If you (or someone you know) has Showtime as part of their cable you can use the showtime app to access their catalog. Any show or movie on their app can be downloaded to a device for later viewing.
Prime Video ($99/year) - As mentioned above Amazon includes videos with it’s prime service. As part of this you can download some of their movies and shows for later watching. This can be an excellent way to stash a kids show or two for when you really need an extra 30 minutes of time. Movies and shows bought through Amazon will also show up in this app.
TED (Free) - TED is a organization that has famous, influential, and intelligent people give talks about various subjects. This could include Elon Musk or Tony Robbins to just name a few. These are a great way to learn and be inspired. In the app single talks and whole themed playlists can be downloaded for offline viewing.
Hoopla (Free) - As mentioned above Hoopla also has movies that can be checked out and downloaded.
Read:
Pocket - I use Pocket a ton. Whenever I see an article on the web that I want to read but don't have time I use Pocket to save it for later. When something is saved on pocket it is downloaded for offline viewing. This is really great for when you find a new blog and want to read all of their back articles…. Hint Hint.
Hoopla - As mentioned above this is a great service tied to most public libraries. Ebooks and comics are a part of their catalog.
Overdrive - If you are lucky enough to have a library that has this service you are set. A good selection of audio books and e-books.
Kindle (Varies) - This is the default ebook store. Amazon has a very good app and selection of books. If you must own a book this is the way to do it. Once you buy a book from the Kindle store you can download it to your device for offline reading. As an added benefit Amazon will keep track of your place and update it across devices.
Tips:
- Be sure to check your offline stash before you need it. Speaking from experience it sucks to get out of cell service and realize that all the music you thought you had downloaded was wiped out by an app update.
- I will update this guide as I find new services. Feel free to add your favorites and if I like them I will add them to the list.
Stitcher (Free) - Stitcher is an app that collects all of your favorite podcasts into one place. You can create “stations” which can be downloaded for offline listening. The free version of this app is supported by advertisements in between podcasts.
Spotify ($15/month) - This is a streaming service I have recently switched to. We purchased a family plan for $15 per month (split between a few family members). For this price you get up to 6 accounts that can download or stream almost any song you could possibly want.
Pandora ($5/month) - This used to be my streaming service of choice. Due to being able to share spotify and an increase in Pandora pushing their upgrade I have recently cut Pandora off. That being said if you opt for the middle tier of service you can have up to 4 “stations” available for offline use.
Prime Music ($99/year) - As part of their great shipping service Amazon includes both music and video. The selection is not great but all things taken together this is an amazing deal.
Hoopla (Free) - Hoopla is a service that partners with libraries. Hoopla has a decent collection of Movies, Music, and Books. There is a limit to how many items you can check out a month and similar to a library you only get an item for a few weeks.
Video:
Netflix ($11/month) - This popular video service also has a number of shows and movies that can be downloaded for offline viewing. The selection is not as good as the service as a whole but it is getting better. With a standard plan 2 devices can use the download feature. If you upgrade to the 4K service then the number of devices that can download is upped to 4.
Showtime (Free with Cable) - If you (or someone you know) has Showtime as part of their cable you can use the showtime app to access their catalog. Any show or movie on their app can be downloaded to a device for later viewing.
Prime Video ($99/year) - As mentioned above Amazon includes videos with it’s prime service. As part of this you can download some of their movies and shows for later watching. This can be an excellent way to stash a kids show or two for when you really need an extra 30 minutes of time. Movies and shows bought through Amazon will also show up in this app.
TED (Free) - TED is a organization that has famous, influential, and intelligent people give talks about various subjects. This could include Elon Musk or Tony Robbins to just name a few. These are a great way to learn and be inspired. In the app single talks and whole themed playlists can be downloaded for offline viewing.
Hoopla (Free) - As mentioned above Hoopla also has movies that can be checked out and downloaded.
Read:
Pocket - I use Pocket a ton. Whenever I see an article on the web that I want to read but don't have time I use Pocket to save it for later. When something is saved on pocket it is downloaded for offline viewing. This is really great for when you find a new blog and want to read all of their back articles…. Hint Hint.
Hoopla - As mentioned above this is a great service tied to most public libraries. Ebooks and comics are a part of their catalog.
Overdrive - If you are lucky enough to have a library that has this service you are set. A good selection of audio books and e-books.
Kindle (Varies) - This is the default ebook store. Amazon has a very good app and selection of books. If you must own a book this is the way to do it. Once you buy a book from the Kindle store you can download it to your device for offline reading. As an added benefit Amazon will keep track of your place and update it across devices.
Tips:
- Be sure to check your offline stash before you need it. Speaking from experience it sucks to get out of cell service and realize that all the music you thought you had downloaded was wiped out by an app update.
- I will update this guide as I find new services. Feel free to add your favorites and if I like them I will add them to the list.
Comments
Post a Comment