Entertainment
NBC’s Peacock streaming service is now available – here’s how to optimize your experience
And how some users can get an extended free trial.
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If you don’t have enough streaming content in your life, then have no fear, NBC’s streaming service is now available to the masses. Fully released this month, Peacock will offer a variety of programming to users, with over 20,000 hours of content available for the higher tiers.
Before you dive into your latest streaming experience, it is probably a good idea to know what you are getting into and how you can optimize your time with the platform.
Pick the tier that is best for you
Peacock has three different tiers available to users, so figuring out the best one is important. Firstly, there’s a free tier. It offers over 10,000 hours of programming and it is ad-supported. There’s also a $4.99 tier that offers over 20,000 hours of shows and movies. This might seem like the best deal, but just know it also has ads.
Finally, there is a premium plan for $9.99. This has all the content of the $5 tier, but is ad-free. That said, NBC has noted that some content, regardless of your tier, will still have ads. This is due to existing streaming rights.
If you aren’t ready to take the plunge, there is also a seven-day trial available. If you are on Android, you sign up through the Peacock app and get three free months of the $4.99 tier.
Know where you can stream Peacock from
Image: NBC
If HBO Max has shown us anything, it’s that sometimes finding a place to stream from can be difficult. Like HBO Max, Peacock subscribers will not be able to stream from Roku or Amazon Fire TV devices, but there are plenty of other options available.
You’ll be able to stream Peacock from Apple devices (including
Rotten Tomatoes integration
Something that has always bummed me out is when Netflix removed its rating system. While I understand the logic behind not showing ratings, it was always a nice feature that let you (somewhat) know what you were getting into before starting a show or movie.
With Peacock, you can see the Rotten Tomatoes score when looking at a specific movie on the app or by hovering over a title when on desktop. That said, it seems that not every show features a rating, but hey, something is better than nothing.
Keep the kids out of things they shouldn’t watch
Image: KnowTechie
Like all major streaming services these days, Peacock offers parental controls.
In the settings menu, you can find parental controls for the streaming service. You can choose between Little Kids, Older Kids, Teen, Family, and Adult. These will all coincide with different age ratings attached to content on the platform. You’ll then be asked to create a PIN, which will be needed when watching content that doesn’t fall within the specified age range.
Mobile downloads will be available, but they’re not here yet
One feature that Netflix and Hulu users love is the ability to download shows and movies and watch them at their leisure. Peacock will have the same feature for top-tier subscribers.
That said, it is not available yet, with NBC simply stating that the feature is coming “soon.” It will be available for users of the iOS and Android app.
More content for your eyeballs
At the end of the day, Peacock is yet another streaming service to add to your stable of subscriptions. It’s up for you to decide if the price (should you choose a paid tier) is worth it to you. With plenty of originals and other content available, there is no shortage of content available, so it Peacock does have that going for it.
What do you think? Interested in Peacock? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.
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