Amazon launched recently free on-demand video. But the access to the retailer’s free video library is very limited for usual users. This is a quite good alternative for expensive cable TV that all of us got so used to. The market is expanding nowadays so you should be informed about alternatives when making a choice. Here’s a look at what you get with three well-known providers according to USA Today :

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Amazon

The new online video service for Amazon’s Prime customers isn’t exactly free. The price of admission is $79 a year for free two-day shipping and low-cost next-day shipping on all orders.

It should be noted that customers only have access to a limited set of free titles; about 4,000 TV episodes and 1,600 movies. Some newer titles are included, but most of the material is at least a few years old. So it’s a nice perk if you were thinking of becoming a Prime member anyway, but streaming video shouldn’t be the only reason you sign up.

Besides, the site has a vast online library of 90,000 titles that anyone can access without committing to a subscription. Customers can rent or buy movies and TV episodes a la carte. That makes it a good option if you’re not an entertainment junkie but enjoy the occasional reality TV marathon.

Prices vary depending on the title and whether you rent or buy. For example, “The Social Network” costs $3.99 to rent and $14.99 to buy. Older movies cost less and TV episodes are usually 99 cents to buy. Episodes of recently aired shows, such as the current season of “Top Chef,” are $1.99 each. Fans can buy a pass for the entire season to lower the cost to $1.89 per episode.

Unlike the free programming networks make available on their sites, the TV episodes sold on Amazon don’t have commercials.

If you want to watch Amazon’s programming on a large screen, there are several HDTVs that can connect to your broadband access. There are also several devices that do the same job, including set-top boxes from Roku, Sony and more.

Hulu

This is a popular site that gathers a broad range of current hit shows from networks including ABC, Fox and NBC. The TV shows, including “Glee,” “Jersey Shore,” and “The Office,” are usually posted the morning after they air but only stay up for a couple weeks. Entire seasons of older series such as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “The A-Team” are also available.

It’s hard to complain when something is free, but there are a few downsides. To start, the shows have commercials during the same intervals as you’d get on live TV and there’s no way to fast forward through them. The selection of movies is also much more limited at 1,100 mostly older titles.

Visitors may have recently noticed logos for Hulu Plus. For $7.99 a month, this new service gives customers the option of watching shows on their iPhones and iPads as well. Customers also get access to entire seasons of 45 current shows and 90 past shows.

The shows still come with the same amount of ads. And not all programming available on the Hulu site is available through the apps.

Hulu Plus can also be streamed to several HDTVs.

Netflix

Most people know Netflix for its DVD delivery service. Increasingly, however, customers are turning to the company’s online library to catch up with TV shows and movies.

For $7.99 a month, customers get unlimited access. The company says it has agreements with networks including ABC, Fox, NBC and Disney to make some newer shows available. But Netflix generally relies more heavily on older material.

As with Amazon, the TV shows are ad-free.

It should also be noted that the online library is far more limited than the company’s DVD rental catalog of about 100,000 titles. Netflix says the online library has more than 20,000 titles, but declined to provide further details.

Customers can pay $2 more a month — or $9.99 — to get one DVD rental at a time in addition to the online programming. “

But all this services require you to be in USA , therefore, you won’t be able to use them when you’re abroad. VPN can be very helpful in this case. VPN services give you the possibility to change your IP address and appear to originate from USA or any other country ( it depends on the offers a certain VPN service has ). See our article –  Top 5 VPN services by myiptest.com.

Recently political instability has made it’s impact on citizen’s life and their privacy. Situation in Egypt is more than alarming, but these days, Libya draws no less attention.

Here’s what Hillary Rodham Clinton said at a Press Conference on February 21, 2001 :

“The world is watching the situation in Libya with alarm. We join the international community in strongly condemning the violence in Libya. Our thoughts and prayers are with those whose lives have been lost, and with their loved ones. The government of Libya has a responsibility to respect the universal rights of the people, including the right to free expression and assembly. Now is the time to stop this unacceptable bloodshed. We are working urgently with friends and partners around the world to convey this message to the Libyan government.”

Yes folks, the situation is indeed alarming . On the streets of Tripoli people are being shot and buildings are being destroyed. In the most dangerous areas the Internet has been turned off , and rest of it being closely monitored. How that concerns us, the ones that are not living or having any relatives that live there ? In these kind of situation the Government shows that everything can be controlled, that your actions are being monitored and lack of privacy on Internet is almost a certain fact.

Why using a VPN service ? This way all your surfing is kept anonymous and you can stop wondering about being exposed. Check our top 5 VPN providers for VPN recommendation.

Don’t forget that your IP is your ID.