#1285873 - 03/19/14 11:15 AM
What good is Amazon Prime?
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FunkyBeat
Planeteer
Registered: 05/08/02
Posts: 6188
Loc: Tulsa, Oklahoma
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I signed up for the free 30 day trial yesterday, but so far, I don't see anything on it that I care to watch.
As far as I can tell, all the good stuff is on Amazon Instant Video.
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FunkyBeat
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#1285881 - 03/19/14 12:41 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: FunkyBeat]
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Xenophile
Planeteer
Registered: 09/27/00
Posts: 19130
Loc: Sacramento, CA, USA
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It's about on a par with Netflix. If you're looking for something specific, you're probably going to have to pay extra. But if you browse genres you can usually find something cool.
Best thing about Amazon Prime is free two-day shipping. If you buy stuff from Amazon often, it pays for itself quickly.
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"Bobby, I'm sorry you got a head like a potato. I really am."
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#1285892 - 03/19/14 02:09 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: Xenophile]
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GAMBLE
Planeteer
Registered: 02/22/04
Posts: 18894
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If you're using the tivo app then Amazon will not be very impressive as it's the original 1st gen app and is very limited and doesn't even allow for prime streaming or ANY streaming for that matter. As far as the UI goes the Roku and Samsung tv's have the best Amazon apps that I have found. Thing is, unlike Netflix Amazon doesn't have a unified user interface. Basically every device out there has a different Amazon app.
Anyways.....
Even if you don't factor in the free two day prime shipping which is a huge deal when you order a ton of stuff, or the free kindle book every month for being a prime member, the way I've always compared it's streaming service to Netflix's is like this: No matter how much content a service has a given individual is only going to watch and enjoy a fraction of the content. What one considers good or bad is subjective but the first point is true. So Netflix may have more content.....but is it really good content? In my opinion the answer is a solid no. Netflix buys up any and all garbage out there and throws it onto it's service. Me personally I don't care about obscure low budget B movies, Anime, foreign films etc. The majority of what's on Netflix is there for a reason.....because it sucks. You're left with the "good stuff".....as in the popular content. As far as that goes the majority of the content overlaps between the services. The one thing Amazon prime streaming seems to have above Netflix is more current content....whether it's more seasons of a show, a newer show, newer movies whatever. In my opinion that makes Amazon more relevant. I got rid of Netflix about 3 weeks ago and am not looking back. Everything I had in my Netflix list is in my Amazon list plus more that wasn't available on Netflix. Then having movie rentals etc side by side with the streaming and two day free shipping? Easy decision. Netflix is a money pit. Nobody notices $8 a month.
If you're only going to use it for (prime) streaming I would say stick with Netflix just simply because Netflix's user interface is way better. Also Netflix's recommendation algorithm is better than Amazons. If you're going to buy stuff from Amazon though then having both streaming services is fairly redundant. I would be spending way more than $100 just on shipping every year let alone free streaming.
I had been considering cancelling Netflix for months and then I saw this video. Not only is it funny.....but there's a lot of truth to it. I'm not missing Netflix one bit.
Point is Amazon is a very robust service and is an all in one solution. You're getting much more value and return for your money compared to what Netflix offers which if course is only streaming.
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#1285893 - 03/19/14 02:33 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: GAMBLE]
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Jazzooo
Loquacious Planeteer
Registered: 05/18/02
Posts: 55412
Loc: San Miguel de Allende, Mexico ...
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Damn, that is a funny video. I like the closing line too.
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Dougrobinson.com
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#1285896 - 03/19/14 02:47 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: Jazzooo]
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GAMBLE
Planeteer
Registered: 02/22/04
Posts: 18894
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As a little side note Amazon will be announcing their own dedicated streaming box any day now. Now that I only use Amazon and youtube for streaming..... I'll definitely be ordering one.
The Roku3 is amazing and by far the best streaming box currently on the market but I know Amazon being Amazon.....thier streaming box will be top notch.
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#1285903 - 03/19/14 03:02 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: GAMBLE]
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GAMBLE
Planeteer
Registered: 02/22/04
Posts: 18894
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Also according to CEO Jeff Bezos recently, most people with Prime memberships don't even use or know about the little extras like the free kindle book every month.
Shortly after he announced that I noticed I started receiving emails promoting that feature.
I thought that was pretty cool....how many company's are going to go out of their way to remind the public about more free stuff they can get? If you're an avid reader and do the math.....just that (as an average) would come out to close to the cost of a prime membership alone.
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#1285904 - 03/19/14 03:27 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: GAMBLE]
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Xenophile
Planeteer
Registered: 09/27/00
Posts: 19130
Loc: Sacramento, CA, USA
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most people with Prime memberships don't even use or know about the little extras like the free kindle book every month.
I didn't. Thanks for the tip. I'll definitely be checking that out. A limited selection of books, I imagine?
_________________________
"Bobby, I'm sorry you got a head like a potato. I really am."
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#1285906 - 03/19/14 03:39 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: Xenophile]
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GAMBLE
Planeteer
Registered: 02/22/04
Posts: 18894
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I believe you can pick from 4 new ones every month. I don't read enough to take advantage of that feature but it's still nice nonetheless.
Edit: Yep it's 4 new ones to choose from every month and they are the editors picks.
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#1285911 - 03/19/14 04:26 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: GAMBLE]
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Popmann
Loquacious Planeteer
Registered: 05/23/02
Posts: 33090
Loc: Twangville, TN
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This has been mentioned, but the shipping is the only reason to buy in...the rest is simply a bonus. If it's useful (and the video has been)...cool...our "smart TV" does Amazon playback. The Prime was paid for by the shipping ON said TV, I might add...so, again...this is all effectively "free"--thus treated as such.
The only streaming service I will ever pay for (directly) is the one that has everything I want to see. That currently does not exist.
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#1285913 - 03/19/14 04:30 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: Popmann]
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GAMBLE
Planeteer
Registered: 02/22/04
Posts: 18894
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Nor will it ever.
As far as paying a small monthly fee and being able to stream every possible thing out there.....not happening.
Which is kind of silly to begin with. That's the immature pirate mindset. And it goes back to my original statement about content. The quantity takes a back seat to the quality because people are only going to watch a small fraction out of whatever is available in the first place. That's why most people cut the cord and go to streaming because whats the point of paying a premium cost for 500 channels when you can only watch one thing at a time and are only going to watch a fraction of available content overall.....even with a dvr. So find the service that has the most of what you like.....of which there are several services that meet that criteria.
The "I want every possible thing whenever I want" arguement is completely pointless when you think about it for two seconds. Namely because you can have EVERYTHING whenever you want between streaming services or outright buying content on Amazon.....which falls smack into your "directly paying for it" criteria.
You're just using an old straw man arguement pirates use to justify pirating content. It falls apart pretty quick.
What you really meant to say is that you just want everything free of charge. Because you can buy whatever you want out there.
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#1285918 - 03/19/14 05:03 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: GAMBLE]
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Popmann
Loquacious Planeteer
Registered: 05/23/02
Posts: 33090
Loc: Twangville, TN
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Man, you've misunderstood me...the directly paying for...was because I DO have Prime...because it pays for itself in shipping (ONLY)...but that I wouldn't give them $5/mo for the content they have up there...directly FOR that.
I have no interest in piecing together various web services that end up costing the same as cable...why? Will I save a few bucks in the end? Ok...I'll spend a few bucks to not deal with web/app based BS. We're currently watching House of Cards...and getting the TV connected...and the right episode streaming--you're fooling yourself if you think that's equal service in terms of UI.
They'll fix it. If only by a queue aggregator of some sort...more mature apps for set tops...some kind of pre buffered DVR storage for the aggregated shows so they ALL start when you hit play...I appreciate that you feel the need to surf some single dude bleeding edge of emerging and immature tech...I have no interest.
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#1285921 - 03/19/14 05:06 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: Popmann]
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GAMBLE
Planeteer
Registered: 02/22/04
Posts: 18894
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What? You're showing your ass with those statements. Maybe I'll just start calling you CJoGo. Getting the tv connected? You mean registering? Lol. The right episode? The next episode of a show is automatically lined up and waiting or in Netflix's case starts automatically playing back.
You want an all in one....get a streaming box. It's one hdmi cable to the tv and registering the device. Not exactly rocket science. You wouldn't have made either of those posts if you owned a Roku.....which has been around for years now and is on it's 3rd generation. The tech is very mature these days.
Those things aren't really issues these days just because it's (obviously) new to you. The you wouldn't pay $5 for Amazon streaming was a huge giveaway you haven't really even checked it out.
As for the pre buffering comment. Lol....that's called you need a better internet connection. Which I suspect is the true underlying issue here. I can playback HD video instantly. And if you're talking about that for the purpose of channel surfing......stick with cable.
As for the savings one achieves by cutting the cord and your blind comments a couple times now. Another give away you haven't really delved into this and don't know what you're talking about.
Go back and start reading the novels of text I've written on this topic over almost a deacde. None of this is bleeding edge.
Case in point. Almost a third of all Internet traffic is just from streaming Netflix alone.
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#1285926 - 03/19/14 05:54 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: GAMBLE]
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C Jo Go
EMERITUS ~ VS Roland
Loquacious Planeteer
Registered: 11/05/01
Posts: 36578
Loc: carmel valley,ca
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#1285930 - 03/19/14 06:20 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: C Jo Go]
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GAMBLE
Planeteer
Registered: 02/22/04
Posts: 18894
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That's nice CJoGo *pats his head*.
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#1285940 - 03/19/14 07:29 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: C Jo Go]
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Popmann
Loquacious Planeteer
Registered: 05/23/02
Posts: 33090
Loc: Twangville, TN
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Hey Funky asked. I answered--it's a great FREE streaming service included with the ability to get things here free in two days. I wouldn't give them a dime for the streaming service itself. I "explore it" by looking there first any time we want to see a movie. Side note-you also have to search on the web site and add it to queue...browsing on their smart TV app is absurd. It's not there (included in price) 95% of the time. Which is what Funky has noticed.
You debate that? Or simply being an asshole?
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#1285941 - 03/19/14 07:35 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: Popmann]
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AL
the last rock hope
Loquacious Planeteer
Registered: 04/16/99
Posts: 75634
Loc: Walmartville
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Does Amazon have the Sopranos on it ?
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"I am only in this forum to ridicule you" - BmC
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#1285949 - 03/19/14 07:52 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: GAMBLE]
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Xenophile
Planeteer
Registered: 09/27/00
Posts: 19130
Loc: Sacramento, CA, USA
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unlike Netflix Amazon doesn't have a unified user interface. Basically every device out there has a different Amazon app.
Side note-you also have to search on the web site and add it to queue...browsing on their smart TV app is absurd.
That's what Gamble was saying. I've got a Vizio "smart" TV and the Amazon Instant Video app on that machine sucks balls. No Amazon app at all on my Apple TV box. But the Amazon app on my Samsung Blu-Ray player and on the X-box works great. They're all different, though.
_________________________
"Bobby, I'm sorry you got a head like a potato. I really am."
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#1285954 - 03/19/14 08:12 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: Popmann]
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GAMBLE
Planeteer
Registered: 02/22/04
Posts: 18894
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Hey Funky asked. I answered--it's a great FREE streaming service included with the ability to get things here free in two days. I wouldn't give them a dime for the streaming service itself. I "explore it" by looking there first any time we want to see a movie. Side note-you also have to search on the web site and add it to queue...browsing on their smart TV app is absurd. It's not there (included in price) 95% of the time. Which is what Funky has noticed.
You debate that? Or simply being an asshole?
Both.
You need a little more experience with this stuff because it's clear you have very little knowledge. As for your tv....I can't vouch for whatever app you're using. It's great on the Roku and Samsung tv's.....which is what I have because I know what I'm doing. I sure as hell don't need to go to a PC for anything. Those are the comments that tell me you're new to streaming. Unless searching on the tv is an issue for you because you mean it more literally in that actually typing with the remote sucks....because most smart tv's have tablet/phone apps you could do the typing on or hook a keyboard to your tv.....because most smart tv's allow for that these days.
Not there 95% of the time? What? Wtf are you looking for? Tons of todays popular programming is there. Everything's there if you include paid content. You're talking out of your ass.
If you're looking for new release movies or a massive current movie library ....for the most part you'll have to pay for those no matter what direction you go because neither Netflix or Amazon has that. No service does. Amazon does however have pretty much the same and a lot of newer movies compared to Netflix though for Prime streaming.
But if you're typing some random movie in and hoping it's free with paid streaming? Good luck....it doesn't really work that way and you couldn't do that with cable or anything else either.
If you're not ready to cut the cord that's fine. But you'll need to learn a little more and use a little more before making judgements on something you don't have experience with on both the software or hardware side.
Unless coming off like a total noob is cool with you.
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#1285958 - 03/19/14 08:36 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: GAMBLE]
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Popmann
Loquacious Planeteer
Registered: 05/23/02
Posts: 33090
Loc: Twangville, TN
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Everything's there if you include paid content.
Which is why Funky started this....it's PAID...."in addition to Prime" content.
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#1285959 - 03/19/14 08:40 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: Popmann]
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GAMBLE
Planeteer
Registered: 02/22/04
Posts: 18894
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I've already pointed out that Amazon prime streaming has more current content compared to Netflix which I know is his reference point because that would be everybody's reference point. I told him exactly what it is....in depth.
You are the one that wants everything in one streaming service.....and that's not happening. That's why I brought up that everything is there side by side if you're willing to pay for whats not available in prime streaming. That was directly responding to your dumb comment.....not funkys question. And you know that so don't try to play stupid.
But neither of you would know whats in Amazon Prime streaming because you just started using it. Get back to me in 3-4 years of heavy usage. That's when you'll be able to make definitive comments pertaining to the different services.
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#1285961 - 03/19/14 08:58 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: GAMBLE]
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GAMBLE
Planeteer
Registered: 02/22/04
Posts: 18894
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Here's a simple trick to knowing if you have a good Amazon streaming app or not.
If the app is green it sucks.
If it's black it's good.
If you have a smart tv and the Amazon app is green.....try updating the app.
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#1285962 - 03/19/14 09:07 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: AL]
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GAMBLE
Planeteer
Registered: 02/22/04
Posts: 18894
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Does Amazon have the Sopranos on it ?
For paid content yes but not for prime streaming.
That's the way it works.....you could find a hundred things one service has the rights to that the others don't.
Fortunately the majority overlaps.....but at the end of the day if you're a huge fan of a couple shows that one service has over the other than of course go with that service. For me it's Amazon. For most it's Netflix. One of my underlying points though is even most people with Prime haven't really delved into or relied upon prime streaming.....simply because they already have Netflix.
To me that's a waste of $8 a month if you're already paying for Prime.
And even if one service has a specific show I like.....after I've seen it is it still worth continously paying the service every month just to have the privilege of watching it whenever I want? How many times does a person really rewatch House of Cards for example? If I liked it THAT much then it would be more cost effective to just buy the show from Amazon and have them permanently versus effectively "renting" the rights every month indefinitely from Netflix.
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#1285964 - 03/19/14 09:21 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: C Jo Go]
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GAMBLE
Planeteer
Registered: 02/22/04
Posts: 18894
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I'm pretty sure everyone knows what youtube is grandpa.
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#1285965 - 03/19/14 09:26 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: AL]
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What does this button do?
Planeteer
Registered: 03/24/05
Posts: 4183
Loc: Atlanta, Ga
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Does Amazon have the Sopranos on it ?
It's highly unlikely The Sopranos will ever be on anything besides HBO Go.
However, if you have a subscription to HBO Go and want to watch The Sopranos on TV, you can use Chromecast (if your TV has an open HDMI input.)
Or your TV may have an app for HBO Go (or some other box you have connected).
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#1285970 - 03/19/14 09:37 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: C Jo Go]
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GAMBLE
Planeteer
Registered: 02/22/04
Posts: 18894
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You're tech/IT? That's pretty much the blind leading the blind.
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#1285972 - 03/19/14 09:46 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: C Jo Go]
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GAMBLE
Planeteer
Registered: 02/22/04
Posts: 18894
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And what does that have to do with Amazon Prime?
Try to stay focused gramps.
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#1285973 - 03/19/14 09:50 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: GAMBLE]
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C Jo Go
EMERITUS ~ VS Roland
Loquacious Planeteer
Registered: 11/05/01
Posts: 36578
Loc: carmel valley,ca
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You're tech/IT? That's pretty much the blind leading the blind.
If you go too fast / have too much new knowledge > you will never help them. Many remember punch cards in school -- and are now well retired > would like to take up the computer now ..email great-grand kids /surf the net safely / etc 
Many clients -- are just trying to move off XP = recover lost data =stream line there task.
_________________________
Limitations make the Artist ...
**( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡° )**
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#1285974 - 03/19/14 09:59 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: C Jo Go]
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GAMBLE
Planeteer
Registered: 02/22/04
Posts: 18894
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What does that have to do with Amazon Prime?
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#1285976 - 03/19/14 10:07 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: GAMBLE]
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C Jo Go
EMERITUS ~ VS Roland
Loquacious Planeteer
Registered: 11/05/01
Posts: 36578
Loc: carmel valley,ca
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And what does that have to do with Amazon Prime?
Try to stay focused gramps.
Oh yeah -- what were the great attributes or faults of Prime ?
Most of my purchases fall in the "free shipping" category ...so no savings there ....
_________________________
Limitations make the Artist ...
**( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡° )**
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#1285977 - 03/19/14 10:12 PM
Re: What good is Amazon Prime?
[Re: C Jo Go]
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Xenophile
Planeteer
Registered: 09/27/00
Posts: 19130
Loc: Sacramento, CA, USA
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Many clients -- are just trying to move off XP = recover lost data =stream line there task.
So if I ever get laid off, I should make my way down to Carmel and probably make 2x my current salary helping old rich folks use their new-fangled computers. A business plan is incubating. Thanks, Jo!
_________________________
"Bobby, I'm sorry you got a head like a potato. I really am."
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And lots & lots of patience 
> helps ya conquer the next challenge 'round the corner. 
