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.
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.
YouTube TV looks to lessen live latency with broadcast delay feature
YouTube TV just added a feature that should make watching live sports better — and much closer to actually being live.
The living room tripod is now officially a thing you need
If you have an iPhone and an Apple TV, you need one more thing to perfect your holiday group video calls — a tripod.
Hulu content is now available inside Disney+ as a ‘beta’
You can now watch Hulu content within the Disney+ app, provided you're subscribed to both.
The most innovative streaming device of 2023
Streaming devices don't get the same sort of major annual updates as other categories, but one still stood above the rest is 2023.
Apple TV with Zoom means it’s finally time to call your mother
Zoom on Apple TV means you can kick back and take that work call from your couch. Just remember to wear pants.
Express VPN joins the growing ranks of VPNs on Apple TV
The VPNs have come for Apple TV, and ExpressVPN is atop the heap. But do you need a virtual private network on your streaming device?
Latest Apple TV beta adds search via the remote’s Siri button
You may eventually be able to search for shows and music more easily, by simply pressing the Siri button once on the Apple TV remote.
Tablo 4th gen review: making free TV as easy as can be
Looking to capture old-fashioned, over-the-air video? Then the latest Tablo device may be for you.
Tablo vs. HDHomeRun: Battle of the networked OTA boxes
Tablo and HDHomeRun are the two major options for streaming over-the-air TV over multiple devices in your home. But one is a clear winner.
Tablo TV tips and tricks: How to master this OTA DVR
Tablo TV is a longtime option for watching and recording free TV via an antenna. And its fourth generation is even better. Here's how to best use it.
Don’t like giant ads on Amazon Fire TV? Then don’t buy one
Amazon Fire TV made a change that causes some users to be forced into full-screen ads and promos. We shouldn't be surprised.
Tubi is taking its free TV to the U.K. as it appoints new exec
Tubi — a free, ad-supported streaming service — is expanding to the U.K. as it appoints a new exec to oversee international markets.
My kid needed a new portable charger, so I bought myself this instead
My teenager needed a new portable battery charger, so I gave her my old one and bought myself the futuristic Prime Power Bank from Anker instead.
NFL Sunday Ticket Black Friday deal drops price even further
NFL Sunday Ticket is now discounted even further for the final seven games of the 2023 NFL regular season as part of a Black Friday promotion.
I’ve used every Roku device — this is the one I’d buy on black Friday
Roku Ultra already was an affordable streaming device — and its Black Friday price basically makes it a no-brainer.
PBS Food brings its free streaming channel to Amazon, Roku
If you're looking for cooking shows to get you through the holiday season, PBS Food will keep you company on a number of free ad-supported streaming services.
Sonos all but teases what may well be headphones in 2024
Sonos CEO Patrick Spence teased a new product coming in 2024 that'll be part of a multiyear product cycle in a multibillion-dollar category.
YouTube’s enhanced 1080p video now available on more devices
You can now finally get enhanced 1080p bitrates on YouTube videos ... on something other than an iPhone. Huzzah.
The tech behind U2’s mind-bending, spherical reality in Las Vegas
U2 is no ordinary rock band, and the Sphere in Las Vegas is no ordinary venue. We look at what went into making its immersive residency a reality.
Combined Disney+/Hulu app to launch in beta in December
Disney CEO Bob Iger says the combined Disney+/Hulu app will launch in beta in December, and in full in March 2024, to give parents time to set things up.
YouTube TV still leads after latest round of streaming numbers
YouTube TV and Fubo are showing a good bit of growth, while those in the middle of the pack seem to just be happy to be there.
SiriusXM reboots satellite radio with new app, features — and price
New apps, new platforms, new shows, new channels and new talent is all a part of rebirth and reboot of SiriusXM satellite radio in the modern streaming world.
Tubi adds professional basketball to its free roster
Tubi is adding two days of professional basketball coverage to its already impressive streaming roster.
Spotify Premium adds 200,000 free audiobooks for U.S. subscribers
You'll only get 15 hours a month unless you want to pay more, but free audiobooks on Spotify are free audiobooks on Spotify.
DirecTV Stream raises pricing across all its tiers
DirecTV Stream already was one of the more expensive live streaming services — and it just got even more pricey.
NFL streaming outage is a reminder that antenna backups are easy
The next time the stream of your live sports broadcast goes down, you'll wish you had an old-school antenna for backup.
Max is pulling some features from its ad-free subscription
Those who are on Max's ad-free tier are going to lose the ability to stream on three devices at once, or watch anything in 4K resolution, as of early December.
Sling TV adds live scores and more for sports fans
Sling TV has added more scores and stats for more sports leagues, along with another handful of new features for subscribers.
The best Amazon Fire TV device you should buy in 2023
There's no shortage of Amazon Fire TV devices out there — but we've nailed down the three you should actually consider.
Netflix’s ad-supported tier will include ad-free bonus episodes in 2024
Watch three in a row and you'll get the fourth ad-free, Netflix says, as new sign-ups to the cheaper advertising tier hit 30 percent.
NFL Sunday Ticket slashes price for the back half of the season
If you've been eyeballing NFL Sunday Ticket, but didn't want to pay close to $400, you can now get the back half of the season for half the price.