Phil Nickinson
Section Editor, Audio/Video
Phil spent the 2000s making newspapers with the Pensacola (Fla.) News Journal, the 2010s with Android Central and then the personality behind Modern Dad, and is currently an editor with Digital Trends. Phil’s online work has taken him all over the United States, as well as Europe and Asia.
When he’s not writing, editing, or shooting video, Phil serves as president of the Pensacola Youth Soccer 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has worked on multiple local political campaigns and is a part-time photographer and videographer. He's also a candidate for Pensacola City Council, District 1.
Phil is a native of Pensacola, where he resides with his wife, daughters and a dog named Max.
Find Phil on Mastodon, or on Threads.
Why pause ads in YouTube aren’t the end of the world
Display ads that appear when you pause a video are about as unintrusive as it gets. You might not like them, but don't throw out the baby with the bathwater.
Tubi teams with DAZN for sports as free TV service continues its takeover
Women's soccer from across the world is headed to Tubi, thanks to a partnership with streaming service DAZN.
YouTube just massively angered Apple fans by adding a feature
The YouTube app is showing previews of videos after the app sits idle 270 seconds — exactly 30 seconds before the Apple TV screensaver launches.
A $20 Chromecast with Google TV is perfect for this one reason
If you travel at all, you should consider a $20 Chromecast with Google TV. It's just tough to pass up at that price.
SiriusXM’s Taylor Swift channel is free if your car has satellite radio
All cars equipped with SiriusXM hardware can listen to Channel 13 (Taylor's Version) for free through the first week of May. You're welcome, world.
The 10 most popular streaming services, ranked by subscriber count
It's not quite fair to compare the various streaming services merely on how many subscribers they have — but it's as good a place to start as any.
Netflix to hide its subscriber numbers starting in 2025
Netflix says that it no longer will give regular updates about how many paid subscriber it has, because it's about quality, not quantity.
What we want to see from the next Apple TV 4K
Apple TV 4K is the best streaming device you can buy — but that doesn't mean it can't be better. This is what we'd like to see added to the next version.
Tablo’s four-tuner/antenna bundle is just about perfect
If you need a simple and relatively inexpensive way to get your over-the-air broadcast channels, this bundle from Tablo is tough to beat.
New $129 Moto Buds+ tap Bose for boom and Dolby for head tracking
The Moto Buds+ look to be perfect when paired with Motorola's Edge 50 series of phones, with Bose and Dolby Atmos raising the stakes.
The 5 best YouTube TV alternatives in 2024
YouTube TV is a great streaming service. But it's not the only one. Here are the best YouTube TV alternatives you should check out.
Yes, YouTube TV is kind of broken tonight
YouTube TV — the biggest live streaming service in the U.S. — is glitching all over the place this evening. Adjust your life accordingly.
Hulu with Live TV: plans, price, channels, bundles and more
Ready to ditch your cable box, but want to hang onto linear programming? You should take a look at Hulu With Live TV. Here’s everything you should know.
Roku closes the barn door, badly, after a half-million accounts are compromised
Roku has finally turned on two-factor authentication -- after it learned that more than 500,000 accounts were hit by a credential-stuffing attack.
Let’s discuss an Apple TV 4K with a camera
Can Apple put a camera in Apple TV 4K? Sure. But that doesn't mean it'd make much sense — especially when the iPhone exists.
Sennheiser Momentum Sport earbuds take your temperature the easy way
The Sennheiser Momentum Sport squeezed a thermometer in the earbuds. The real question is whether you actually need that sort of stat in your daily workout.
Roku Pro Series TVs finally go after the high(er) end, start at $899
With a new operating system and higher-end hardware, the Roku Pro Series smart TV hopes to start to break in to the more premium side of the market.
Standalone ESPN to launch by fall 2025, with Disney Bundle available
You should be able to subscribe to ESPN channels without any other cable or streaming services by fall 2025. We still don't have a price, however.
Sling TV channels: Can you watch CBS, TBS, Bally Sports, and more?
Sling TV is one of the more affordable streaming options, but that comes at the expense of ease of use, and not having as many channels by default.
SiriusXM firing up a dedicated Taylor Swift channel on April 7
The satellite-and-streaming service presents Channel 13 (Taylor's Version) some 13 days before the release of her new album. It won't be around forever, though.
Do you need the internet for Sling TV?
Sling TV is an internet-based streaming service. Thus, you'll need some kind of internet connection if you want to watch anything on it.
Are NBA games on Sling TV?
Yes, you can watch NBA games on Sling. If you have the right channels, and if the game is available on one of those channels. It gets a little complicated.
Is college football on Sling TV?
Yes, you can watch college football on Sling TV — but only if you have the right channels. And even then, you might still be missing some.
Does Sling TV have local channels?
Sling TV does have some local channels available to stream — if you're in the right market, and if those channels are actually available.
Sling TV versus YouTube TV
YouTube TV is the most popular live streaming service with more than 8 million subscribers. Sling TV has about one quarter of that. So which is best for you?
Sling Orange vs. Sling Blue: Which Sling TV package is best?
Sling TV comes with two flavors of base plans — Sling Orange, and Sling Blue. But which one is the best for you?
Are NHL games on Sling TV?
Yes, you can watch NHL games on Sling TV, but only if you have the right channels on the right package. And even then, you might need to augment your service.
Is Sling TV free with Amazon Prime?
Sling TV isn't free with Amazon Prime because it has nothing to do with Amazon Prime. You can get it on Amazon devices, but you'll need a subscription.
Sling TV versus Hulu With Live TV
Sling TV and Hulu With Live TV do things a little differently but are strong competitors for live streaming video. But one has a pretty huge ace up its sleeve.
Is Premier League Soccer on Sling TV?
You can watch Premier League matches on Sling TV, but only if you have the right channels. And you might well want another service to help augment things.
Sling TV versus Fubo
Sling TV and Fubo are two excellent options for a live streaming service, but they come about things differently.
Does Sling TV have ABC?
ABC is one of the major broadcast networks and it is available to stream on Sling TV. But only in a handful of markets.
What is Sling Freestream?
Free, ad-supported channels — otherwise known as FAST services — are all the rage these days. And Sling TV has its own in Freestream.
How many devices can you watch Sling TV on at once?
Sling TV lets you stream your favorite channels on multiple devices — if you have the right plan, and if that channel is covered under that plan.