Duck Duck Go! Also, purchased media

Search, Movies, and TV

Search

Julia Angwin wrote a great article in 2014 about her experience when moving to DuckDuckGo.

Searching in the address bar is my go-to method of searching, and thankfully, switching out default search providers is easy.

After about a week, I still find myself using Google when troubleshooting every now and then. But as Julia stated, “It was like a new relationship; I was discovering my new partner’s quirks and foibles.”

I only miss the contextual cards Google displays, but I’ve learned to live without it.

Movies/TV

There was a weird moment in time between RedBox and Netflix, where streaming movies and TV wasn’t as dominant as it is today.

Netflix had a limited selection and often lagged behind in the shows I watched. Enter Google Play Movies and TV.

At the time, I was dual-wielding an iOS and Andorid device, and I wanted to ensure that any content I purchased was compatible on both platforms. Apple/iTunes was out of the question, Amazon didn’t really have what I was looking for, and Vudu still needed to mature.

The iOS app for Google Play Movies was actually pretty good, and I could pick up where I left off on my web browser. Found my solution!

Today’s streaming services [HBO Now, Hulu, YouTube TV] serve new episodes hours after airtime or allow me to use a cloud DVR, so my need for Google Play Movies/TV has dwindled.

In the end, it was pretty easy to delete this app, but it was a fun trip down memory lane.