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The cable box may be a familiar part of your household, but it’s time to kick it to the curb. You don’t need cable to watch all of the , news and sporting events live or on-demand. And if you’re used to your cable box’s DVR,  offer cloud DVRs of their own that work in the same way, no box required. All you need to cut th.

More Americans , , and . There are thousands of TV shows and movies to stream on-demand, but that’s just the beginning. Direct cable replacement services like and  can stream , sports and news available on your cable box with no contracts to sign, so you can cancel anytime. And if you don’t want to pay at all, numerous other services stream , and even . 

Whether your favorite shows are on Netflix or NBC, Disney Plus or ESPN, Amazon Prime or your local ABC, Fox or PBS station, you can probably stream them without ever needing to use a cable or satellite TV box. 

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Here’s how to get started.

Set up a home internet plan with unlimited data, if you can 

Even if you cut cable TV you’ll still need a home internet connection for streaming. Many people get their internet as part of a cable TV bundle, maybe with phone service too. Often your cable company is the same one providing your internet connection, but sometimes you can shop around to .

You’ll need to find out how much costs by itself, without a TV bundle. If your bundle is $130 a month, maybe you’ll have to pay $60 for just internet. That leaves $70 of potential savings by cutting cable TV. That’s a lot of money every month to pocket or spend on new streaming services.

Other things to consider as you shop for internet-only plans:

Are you under contract? If so, you’ll have to either wait it out, renegotiate a new internet-only deal with your cable company or eat the early termination fee.How fast of a connection do you need? Start by pricing out the same speed you have already but keep in mind that with everyone in your home streaming more, you might need a .You should get a plan with unlimited data, if available, which can cost more than data-limited plans. Streaming video can really add up.

Live TV services like YouTube TV have grid-style program guides, just like your cable box.

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Which TV shows and channels are your must-haves? 

Now it’s time to figure out your TV must-haves. canceling cable means you’ll need to stream the stuff you normally watch on your cable box.

Make a list of the shows and channels you and your family watch regularly. In some cases you’ll be able to replace your favorite channel programming with a streaming service such as Netflix or Hulu, but be aware that many current-season episodes won’t be available immediately.

Here are our picks for TV and movies you can stream on each of the main streaming services:

The best option to replace your cable box directly is with a . Each offers a package of live channels you can watch on a streaming app that, with a bit of a learning curve, works just as well as (or better than) a cable box. They include program guides, cloud DVRs and extras your box can’t deliver including user profiles and mobile streaming. Prices  but to get live local channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox or PBS) and a package comparable to cable, you’ll need to pay at least $65 per month. For premium shows,  ($15 a month), Showtime ($11) and Starz ($9) all have standalone services, too. 

The best part about any of the services above? Unlike cable, you can cancel and restart service anytime without contracts or penalties. You can subscribe to follow a particular show, for example, and then cancel after the finale. 

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Roku offers support for a wide variety of streaming services.

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Try to replace your DVR’d shows with streaming options

Do you use your cable box’s DVR a lot? Live TV streaming services offer a “cloud DVR,” but they do have some limitations compared to  or the DVR from your cable company. They often have storage limits, shows that expire after a certain time, limitations on which channels can be recorded, and some even force you to watch commercials.  has the best cloud DVR we’ve tested, and in most ways it’s as good as TiVo, but other services’ cloud DVRs aren’t as good.

Thanks to on-demand, however, you might not miss your DVR much at all. Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and others let you watch shows on-demand — often the same shows you’re using your DVR to record. And live TV services such as YouTube TV and download MenangQQ Sling TV offer a lot of on-demand shows, and you can often pause or even skip commercials. On the other hand, every episode of every show might not be available.

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Install a TV antenna for local channels

One way to get around the high cost of local networks on streaming is to use an antenna. To qualify as a television, and not a monitor, a display needs to have an over-the-air tuner built-in, so you can plug in an antenna and watch broadcast networks like ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and PBS. Reception varies widely depending on where you live, however, and unless you buy an antenna DVR like the ,  or , you’re restricted to live-only viewing.

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Over-the-air antennas are affordable and easy to install.

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Use a streaming device: smart TV, game console, Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast or Apple TV

You won’t need that cable box anymore, but you will need some kind of streaming device to watch services such as , ,  and . Maybe the app is built into your smart TV, maybe into your game console, or maybe you have to buy a new . In any case you’ll also need to connect such a device to each TV that’s currently connected to a cable box.

At least they’re relatively cheap ($17 and up), and you don’t have to pay the cable company every month to rent one. And with most services you can also watch on your phone, tablet or computer.

Sports fans can cut the cord too.

David Katzmaier/CNET

Do you care about watching sports?

Most live sports are back and sports fans have an increasing number of options they’ll want to follow live. Unfortunately, sports fans will have the toughest time cutting the cord. 

Some channels devoted to pro baseball and basketball teams, known as RSNs (regional sports networks), are only available to cable subscribers. Live TV streaming service AT&T TV’s $85 plan is the best option if you want to watch your local RSN, but coverage varies widely by sport, team and city. To find out if the service carries your team’s games you’ll need to visit .

NFL pro football games are usually carried on local networks, but you’ll typically need an antenna, a live TV streaming service or Paramount Plus (for CBS games only) to watch them. One exception? Amazon Prime Video will carry some , and will host from 2022.

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Do a trial run before you cut the cord for good

Cutting the cable cord can save you a lot of money but you’ll need to do some planning to make the transition as painless as possible. It pays to get all your streaming ducks in a row before you make that final fateful call to your cable provider.

Go through your checklist and figure out which services you need to subscribe to and which devices you’ll need to get. Install everything on your main TV, unplug your cable box and get used to using streaming instead. Familiarize yourself first, then move on to helping other members of your household.

Chances are you’ll experience some bumps along the way. The menu systems on some streaming services are different, the remote controls on devices are different, even the lack of channel numbers and need to use search can be tough to grok. Give it time and patience, however, and it will be fine.

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How to cut the cord: 7 questions you need to answer

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Ready? It’s time to actually cancel your cable service

After you’ve lived with streaming for a while and have grown comfortable with the process of clicking on an app rather than firing up your cable box, it’s time to make the fateful call. Your cable provider might offer you incentives to stick around and you’ll have to weigh those against the benefits of cutting the cord, but do so carefully. Especially if the offer is contingent on signing a two-year contract. A lot can change in two years and with the freedom of streaming, it’s .

In the end, cutting cable TV isn’t for everyone. No single device or service has as many channels as a premium cable package. Juggling different services to find the shows you want to watch can be more effort than some people are willing to put in.

On the other hand, cutting cable is getting easier with every new option that hits the market. Beyond the savings, you get the freedom of being able to pick and choose the service you want — and drop it like a hot potato if you don’t like it anymore, your favorite show ends or something new comes along. Cutting cable is all about choice and if you do it right, you’ll never miss that old cable box.

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The Surface Duo 2 has new rear cameras, 5G and a new processor, all arriving this fall.

Microsoft

Microsoft’s Surface Duo 2, announced today at the company’s , looks like it’s addressed a lot of the shortcomings: sometimes sluggish performance, one camera and a lack of 5G. Whether it can compete with the remains to be seen, but the Duo finally has 5G, , a faster processor and even a side display. The Duo 2 starts at $1,499 and is  with an Oct. 5 release date. Here’s what you need to know about Microsoft’s new Android phone and how it aims to compete. Will its ?

for all the ways it’s improved compared to the first Duo, more about all the , the new , , , and . 

Surface Duo 2 design: A new Glance Bar on the hinge

The Duo 2 looks the same, at first. It’s like a folding all-glass Moleskine book, with two separate screens connected by a hinge, as opposed to one continuous bendable display like the and . It folds back into a tent mode and can open up to see both screens at once, or flip back to use just one screen. Glass covers the front and back panels, just like before.

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A new edge display along the hinge shows notifications now.

Microsoft

The dual 5.8-inch AMOLEDs are a bit larger than the 5.6-inch screens were. They open up to about 8.3 inches of total space, with 1,892×1,344-pixel resolution per display. The glass covering the displays is now Gorilla Glass Victus, which Microsoft promises will be more durable. Also, MenangQQ aplikasi the displays are now slightly curved in at the hinge, which looks like it means less of a gap between displays and a more continuous look. The displays are 90Hz this time, too.

There’s one big new feature: A Glance Bar strip running down the side of the Duo 2’s hinge that can show battery life and notifications, sort of like edge displays other phones have had. Considering the folded-up Duo 2 doesn’t have an outer screen on the other side, this could be useful for incoming calls. 

The Glance Bar lights up when you’re receiving a phone call, and you can also press the Surface Duo’s side button to see whether you have any notifications. You’ll definitely have to unfold the phone to see any meaningful information. But the Glance Bar seems to deliver exactly what its name implies: a glanceable view of what you might be missing while your phone is closed. 

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Microsoft beefs up the Surface Duo’s processor and storage

The Duo 2 has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor this time, just like the Z Fold 3. The step-up from the last Duo’s Snapdragon 855 chip should help the phone seem more fluid than the original, which felt laggy. The phone runs Android, similar to before, with Microsoft’s own custom apps and some interface touches in the OS that are optimized for these specific displays and the Pen stylus. The storage options range from 128GB to 512GB, and there’s 8GB of RAM on the Duo 2. 

During my brief hands-on with the device, the Surface Duo 2’s performance mostly felt snappy. The software generally kept up with my movements as I switched orientations and shifted between tent mode, the laptop-like position shown below, and one-handed mode. There were a few instances in which there was a slight pause before the software adjusted to the phone’s new position. But we haven’t spent enough time with the Surface Duo 2 to know what its consistent performance is like.

The Surface Duo 2 seems well-positioned as a handheld gaming device, so long as developers continue to optimize their titles for it. One of the first supported games is Gameloft’s Asphalt 9 racing game, which felt smooth and fast on the Surface Duo 2 during my brief time with it. 

You can hold the Surface Duo 2 sideways and dedicate the entire top screen to gameplay, similar to a Nintendo 3DS. The bottom screen becomes a touchscreen controller and displays other useful elements like the game’s map. That certainly seems like a compelling proposition for those who play a lot of mobile games, but it also makes me wonder whether the Surface Duo 2 is still destined to be a niche device. Asphalt 9 is the only native Android game optimized for this experience that Microsoft is talking about today. But more than 50 games on Microsoft’s Xbox GamePass Ultimate streaming service also support similar controls. 

Microsoft’s new Pen magnetically charges and has vibrating haptics.

Microsoft

Microsoft’s Slim Pen 2 works with the Surface Duo 2

Microsoft’s still-stubby new looks interesting: It has vibrating haptics this time, which promise a more tactile feel when writing, and a “Zero-Force inking” feature that will write without needing to press on the display with the Pen tip. The new Pen charges magnetically with the Duo 2 when it’s in a Duo 2 charge case.

Surface Duo 2 gets triple rear cameras

There’s now an external camera on the Duo 2 — three of them, in fact: a f/1.7 12-megapixel telephoto lens, a f/2.4 12MP wide lens, and a third 16MP ultrawide camera, with optical image stabilization. There’s a night mode, portrait mode and HDR, and it can record up to 60 frames per second at 4K plus record slow-mo. It sounds like a complete package, especially considering the last Duo only had one inner camera. The cameras also have a time-of-flight sensor for helping with focus. 

The camera package sounds extremely promising, especially compared to the previous Duo’s lack of rear cameras. The camera app Microsoft has on the Duo 2 also lets one display work as a viewfinder while the other can show previous photos for comparison: This could be really helpful for trying to make a shot better.

The Surface Duo 2’s screens could also come in handy for those who frequently edit photos on their phones after shooting them. The two screens provide some separation between editing controls and the image itself — again giving you a better view without having to obscure parts of the image with your fingers as you tap.

The Duo 2’s inside camera looks similar to the previous model: It’s 12 megapixels. I’m curious about how well it will handle Zoom calls.

The dual-screen design is still largely the same, although the displays are slightly bigger.

Microsoft

5G comes to the Surface Duo, finally (NFC, too)

5G is now included in the Surface Duo, unlike last year’s LTE-equipped Duo. The phone supports mmWave and Sub-6 frequencies and also has Wi-Fi 6. The lack of 5G on last year’s Duo was one of its key missing features for a supposedly premium work phone. Also, onboard NFC (also missing from the original Duo) should help with tap-to-connect everyday uses.

Will Microsoft’s Surface Duo 2 finally feel good to use?

The last Surface Duo didn’t win me over with its software nor did it feel easy to multitask on. I love the idea of what it represents, but will Microsoft have the software better polished and optimized this time around? The hardware seems totally refreshed and very much ready to compete with other premium devices. The next part is nailing the execution of it all and showing us why we need a two-screen phone in the first place. 

There’s potential in the Surface Duo 2, especially for gamers, photographers and those who love to watch video or read on their mobile device. But we’ll have to see if Microsoft can deliver that experience without the compromises of its predecessor.

See also

Kyle Schwarber smacked a pair of home runs and drove in four runs as the Boston Red Sox completed a two-game sweep of the visiting New York Mets with a 12-5 blowout victory on Wednesday night.

Schwarber had a three-run blast in the second inning after clubbing a solo shot in the first.

Chris Sale improved to 5-0 after throwing five innings of two-run, six-hit ball with two walks and eight strikeouts for the Red Sox.

Alex Verdugo and Jose Iglesias each had a pair of RBIs for Boston (88-65), which earned its seventh straight win and remained two games ahead of New York Yankees for the top American League wild card spot.

Pete Alonso had a solo home run and Jeff McNeil, Francisco Lindor, James McCann and Luis Guillorme each drove in a run for the Mets (73-79).

New York starter Taijuan Walker (7-11) surrendered six runs on six hits with a pair of walks and a strikeout in two innings.

New York has dropped seven of its last eight while falling 9 1/2 games behind St. Louis for the final NL wild card.

The Red Sox put the game away early with two runs in the first inning, four in the second and three more in the third.

Schwarber’s one-out blast for link MenangQQ his 30th home run of the season put Boston on top 1-0.

With his homer in the second-inning homer to make it 6-1, Schwarber improved to 5-for-10 with five home runs and seven RBIs in his career versus Walker.

Verdugo’s RBI double after Martinez doubled to open the third stretched the lead to 7-1. Iglesias scored on a “Little League home run” after tripling to plate a run and scoring on Javier Baez’s throwing error with two outs in the inning.

Alonso hit his team-leading 35th homer in the seventh inning for his second in as many games to make it 12-4.

–Field Level Media