Vidnow

Pros

• Watch movies and TV shows
• Extensive content database

Cons

• No support for complex searches

VidNow gives you access to movies and other content that you can stream via the Web.

VidNow is an interface through which you can search for movies, television shows and other content. If you find something you like, you can begin watching it right away. In other words, you don’t have to wait for a movie to finish downloading before you watch it.

VidNow is free software and very easy to use. The user interface consists of a text box, a search button and a series of quick buttons below that. The number of quick buttons available will depend on the screen real estate available to VidNow, and VidNow populates these buttons with search queries as well as titles, genres and so forth that are trending.

Sometimes, you’ll get lucky and a button will list exactly what you want. Other times, you’ll be unsure of what you want and can use the buttons to peruse. If you have something in mind that a button doesn’t cover, simply type it in the text box and then click the Search Now button.

Even if you don’t use the buttons, they can be helpful in understanding the various types of queries supported. You aren’t limited to searching by film title. You can also search by genre, country, year, director and so on and so forth. The search tool is rather sophisticated in that regard.

Unfortunately, the search tool does not work as well when you try to combine query types. It would be great if you could search +France +1962 and get a list of all available French films from the year 1962. This usually doesn’t work, and this is particularly problematic because search results are often extensive and include many versions of a movie that are dubbed or subtitled in various languages. You usually have no choice but to sort through these as you seek a movie appropriate to you.

Stream quality can vary depending on the content. Performance is usually dependent on your Internet access. If you’re at home with good Internet and a solid Wi-Fi setup, you should have no trouble watching HD flicks. While you’re away from home, your experience can vary considerably.

Something else to be aware of is that VidNow is software developed by an anonymous developer. The app is not official, licensed, regulated and so forth. Through VidNow, you will have access to movies that should be paid for and may even still be in theaters. There is actual free content too, but the program won’t identify which is which. If you do download protected content, then whether you are breaking the law will depend on the laws in your country and/or local jurisdiction.

Pros

• Watch movies and TV shows
• Extensive content database

Cons

• No support for complex searches