News - Part 5

1/23/17 Movie Monday

Welcome to DMM’s 1/23/17 Movie Monday, where I’ll help you tackle movie night with brief reviews of movies you may have missed that are worth the rental or purchase. This week, I’m featuring a few lesser-known horror movies that offer some big names and are better than critics’ reviews would have you think. I’m not a fan of gratuitous gore, so while any R-rated horror movie will of course have some splattery deaths, none of these linger too long or lovingly on the blood and guts. Ghost Ship (R) In a remote region of the Bering Sea, a boat salvage crew discovers the eerie remains of a grand passenger liner thought lost for more than 40 years. This movie stars Juliana Marguiles, Gabriel Byrne, Karl Urban and Ron Eldard, and includes Emily Browning in one of her first big-screen roles. It’s hard to say much about the plot without spoilers, but…

New Feature: Movie Monday!

Since Music Monday has been getting pretty repetitive, with lots of Classical music and not much else, I’ve decided to introduce a new feature: Movie Monday. On Movie Monday I’ll help you tackle movie night with brief reviews of movies, TV shows and other digital videos you may have missed that are worth the rental or purchase. This week, it’s all about the action movies. Escape Plan (R) One of the world’s foremost authorities on structural security agrees to take on one last job: breaking out of an ultra-secret, high-tech facility called “The Tomb.” Sylvester Stallone stars as Ray Breslin, the world’s top expert in structural security. When he’s framed for a crime he didn’t commit, his skills are put to the ultimate test in an attempt to break out of one of his own prisons. Co-stars some pretty big names: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jim Caviezel, Sam Neill, Vincent D’Onofrio and 50…

My Amazon Video Disappeared!

Yup, it finally happened. One of my purchased Amazon Videos disappeared from my Amazon Video Library without any advance warning. Here’s what happened, and why I’m still going to keep buying Amazon Videos. I own a LOT of Amazon Videos because I’ve been in the process of converting to an all-digital household for years. I haven’t bought anything new on disc since early 2012. I prefer the convenience (no discs to store or move around) and mobile accessibility of digital video, and have no regrets about making the transition. Even so, today I’m here to tell you three things. First, there’s a glitch that can prevent Amazon Videos you own from showing up in video search results on Fire TV and the Amazon site—including cases where you’ve bought the version “with bonus features” and are only shown the regular version in search, and are prompted to buy or rent it.Second,…

1/9/17 Music Monday: Amazon Music Unlimited vs. Prime Music vs. Amazon Music Library

I normally share dirt-cheap and free digital music here on Mondays, but since there seems to be a great deal of confusion around Amazon Music lately I’ve decided to dedicate today’s post to that topic. Amazon actually has five different types or levels of digital music services. Note that details reported here are accurate as of this writing, on 1/8/17, but are subject to change at any time at Amazon’s discretion.   1. What is Amazon Music? Amazon Music is the Amazon Digital Music department on the Amazon site. It includes Prime Music, Amazon Music Unlimited, and all the other digital music that isn’t part of either of those programs. When you go to Amazon > Digital Music through the department menu or select Digital Music when using the main Amazon site search bar, you’re accessing Amazon Music.

1/2/17 Music Monday: Two Huge Classical Box Sets For A Buck Each

Welcome To Digital Media Mom’s 1/2/17 Music Monday! Ring in the new year with these two 100-track box sets of classical music that trace the history of piano and classical strings, respectively. First is The History of Piano (100 Famous Songs) (UK visitors click here). Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Chopin, Mozart, Beethoven and more. Click here to view a full track listing on Amazon’s US site (album content is the same on UK version). Next is The History of Strings (100 Famous Songs) (UK visitors click here). All the greats: Brandenburg Concerto, Four Seasons, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and more.

12/26/16 Music Monday: Handel’s Messiah + Two Huge Box Sets

Welcome To Digital Media Mom’s 12/26/16 Music Monday! I’ve got three great finds to share with you today: the complete Handel’s Messiah for just over two dollars, plus two big box sets for 99 cents each. First up, it’s Handel’s Messiah, performed by The London Philharmonic Orchestra & Choir – currently rated 4.5/5 stars and currently priced at $2.19. All 43 tracks, from Overture to Amen. Today’s second pick is Big Great Symphonies Box, Vol I. 64 tracks in all, from such great composers as Mozart, Mendelssohn, Schubert, Beethoven and more. Over 10 hours of music. Currently rated 4.5/5 stars and priced at 99 cents.

Love My Echo’s Alexa 101: For Anyone Giving Or Getting An Alexa Device

This is a cross-posting of Love My Echo‘s Alexa 101 post, which I posted to that site on 12/20/16. There will be MANY more owners of Alexa-powered devices by the end of this month and it occurs to me that there are a few essential bits of information that most Alexa device owners find helpful, and I should probably pass them on this week: for both the givers and recipients. Alexa Givers 1. Be sure to deregister any Alexa devices you’ve purchased from your own Amazon account. Unless you checked that little “this is a gift” box when you ordered it, that Alexa device was automatically registered to your Amazon account. If it’s still registered to your Amazon account, the recipient of your gift won’t be able to register it to their own account. Of course, if you’re intending to run the device for the recipient (e.g., an aging or disabled person), then…

12/19/16 Music Monday: Dramatized Bible Recordings

Welcome To DMM’s 12/19/16 Music Monday! If one of your New Year’s resolutions for 2017 is to get more Bible study in, you’ve come on a good day! Today I’m sharing the FREE Faith Comes By Hearing’s audio Bibles: King James Version. These readings of the Bible are presented in “dramatized” editions, with music and sound effects, or in the case of the New Testament, a “non-dramatized”, straight reading as well. Either way, they’re perfect for use in a Bible study or Sunday school setting, for personal worship time, or simply for listening enjoyment in the same situations where any audiobook would be appropriate.

12/12/16 Music Monday: 3 100-Track Collections For Under Two Bucks Each

Welcome to DMM’s 12/12/16 Music Monday! Today I’ve got three huge, excellent collections: two in a holiday theme and one that’s straight classical. Each includes 100 tracks and each is currently priced at $1.99 or less. 100 Must-Have Christmas Carols and Chants (4/5 stars, currently priced at $1.99) – Choral and Gregorian chant arrangements featuring such groups as The Vienna Boys Choir, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir and International Children’s Chorus. 100 Mystic Christmas Moments (4.5/5 stars, currently priced at 99 cents) – Magical instrumental and choral arrangements, featuring such groups as The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Budapest Strings, Capella Gregoriana and Bukarest Madrigal Chorus.

12/5/16 Music Monday: Two Holiday Albums, One For Free!

Welcome To Digital Media Mom’s 12/5/16 Music Monday! Today I’m sharing two holiday-themed albums: one currently priced at just 89 cents and the other is currently totally free! The first album is Celtic Christmas (Irish Gaelic Christmas) – rated 4/5 stars and currently priced at 89 cents. 21 tracks of airy, magical interpretations of Christmas classics, featuring traditional Celtic instruments. Today’s freebie is a brand new release: Emmanuel by Fielder Church. 8 tracks, with various takes on holiday favorites that range from country to jazzy.