Open my eyes to proper broadband

August 14, 2010 5:44 AM

After years of broadband with low download caps (currently 14gb/month), I finally will have 120gb/month from next month. How to take advantage of this new freedom?

I'm computer-savvy and know my online stuff, but I've always gone the conservative route when it comes to online download limits. A year ago my limit was 6gb/month. Now it's 14gb. From next month I will have 120gigs (50 peak / 70 offpeak), at decent speeds (20mbps).

Apart from obvious things like online gaming, video calls, streaming media, downloading, and so on (all of which I do to some extent already), can you suggest internet applications, sites, software, downloads or functions that would previously have been impractical but now are within my reach? I'm wondering if there are any novel online things that I might not have realised because of my light usage history.

Thanks in advance!

posted by kid A to computers & internet (7 answers total)

Your national/local TV station might have a website where you can catch up on TV episodes you've missed. They tend to run to a hefty amount each.
posted by Solomon at 6:23 AM on August 14, 2010

I practically live on Hulu. I barely watch TV any more and I don't have cable. If you have cable, consider canceling it and just checking out shows on Hulu.

Alternatively, utilize your computer's downtime by signing up for one of those screensavers that processes data packets. I know SETI (the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence) had one, but I'm sure there are others, too. Might be a good way to "contribute" to the furthering of mankind...?
posted by carlh at 6:27 AM on August 14, 2010

What about seeding torrents? Things like linux distros, public domain movies, even things like Wikileaks.
posted by Lemurrhea at 6:46 AM on August 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

Set up a box as a server and host your own site?
posted by Ahab at 9:31 AM on August 14, 2010

EasyNews Classic plus binsearch.info I think might be one productive approach (many people I talk to have never heard of them, so I thought I should mention). FWIW.
posted by forthright at 10:51 AM on August 14, 2010

Watch 7 hours of high definition train video.
posted by flabdablet at 12:14 PM on August 14, 2010

Yeah Hulu would be nice, except the whole 'not for the rest of the world' thing. iView, SBS have streaming video, lots of stuff on youtube etc. of course.
posted by defcom1 at 10:14 PM on August 15, 2010