TechLife Australia – September 2019

(Jacob Rumans) #1

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STAN: A SERIOUS NETFLIX COMPETITO

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ADDITIONALAPPS


TV APP
If your T V is connected to the web then there’s a
good chance the Stan app is available – just check
your television’s app store. Otherwise an Apple T V
has a dedicated Stan app which you can use to
browse and stream content. You can even ask Siri to
search for shows and genres using just your voice.

DATA-FREE STREAMING
Readers looking to stream on-the-go should check
whether their phone service provider offers video
streaming as part of their plans. For example, Optus
offers data-free streaming of Netflix, Stan and ABC
iView on a number of its phone plans. Alternatively,
Vodafone gives users the option to purchase
data-free video streaming as an add-on.

means there’s more than enough content for
kids. When setting up a profile you can choose
to limit Stan’s catalogue to only shows and
films approved for children. In addition to
Disney, Stan has shows from Nickelodeon,
Cartoon Network and ABC for Kids.

GOING PRO
PICTURE-IN-PICTURE. Readers looking to
stream on an Apple iPad will appreciate the
ability to watch using picture-in-picture mode.
While a show is playing, tap the picture-in-
picture icon displayed at the bottom of the
screen to shrink the video to the corner of your
device. You can then continue to watch while
browsing the web, reading the news, or
scrolling through Facebook.

CASTING. If you’re in possession of a Google
Chromecast, Stan makes it extremely easy to
beam content to your TV. A small device that
plugs into your television’s HDMI port, you
can stream shows and films by tapping the
Chromecast icon displayed on the now playing
screen of the mobile app.

AUTOPLAY. Don’t worry about getting up at the
end of an episode – Stan can automatically
begin playing the next one without you
needing to move a finger. On the mobile app
Stan will also check-in occasionally to ensure
you’re still watching. You can adjust both
features in the settings section of the app.

SCREEN LOCK. There’s nothing worse than
accidentally jumping forward on a show you’re
currently watching. A simple yet useful feature
of the mobile app is the ability to lock playback
controls while watching. Just tap the lock icon
displayed on the now playing screen.

4K STREAMING. If you’re subscribed to Stan’s
premium plan and own a fancy 4K TV, then
you can watch select shows and films in
UltraHD. To take advantage of 4K streaming,
you’ll need a compatible TV with either the
Stan app built-in or connected to a supported
device like an Xbox One. You’ll also need an
internet connection with a speed of at least 15
megabytes per second. Programs that support
UltraHD streaming will have a 4K symbol
displayed on the synopsis page.

DATA USAGE. While video streaming is great for
keeping entertained on your daily commute, it’s
important to think about how much data you
consume. According to Stan, streaming in low
quality will use around 0.57 gigabytes per hour,
while bumping it up to HD will increase that
number to 2.89 gigabytes. You can adjust
streaming quality in settings or on theflyby
tapping the cog while watching a show.

Be careful of your data usage when
streaming during your commute.

You can lock your screen to prevent
unwanted changes to playback.

Beam shows and films to your T V using a Google
Chromecast.

Stan can automatically begin
playing the next episode of a show.
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