Your smart TV has a lot more than Netflix, Hulu and Amazon. Check out these channels for movies, documentaries and other, mostly free, stuff.

“Leap,” an animated movie on Freevee

If you don’t mind commercials, “Freevee” is a new, free channel from Amazon which can also be watched on the web. I tried it both ways, first watching on the web, then installing it from the Google Play Store on my TV, which I found under “apps.” It has a lot of kid favorites, like the animated dance movie “Leap,” as well as great selections for adults, like “Emma,” based on the book by Jane Austen, and “Knives Out,” starring the late great Christopher Plummer. When the Campbell’s soup commercial came on, I didn’t mind. I got a homey, nostalgic feeling.

• “Pluto TV,” is a free download in your TV’s app category, or you can go to Pluto.tv on the web. I liked “An Honest Liar,” about the “Amazing Randi,” who liked to hang upside down in a strait jacket over Niagara Falls. Also “Hatari!” starring John Wayne.
• “Crackle TV,” another free app on your TV, is also available on the web at Crackle.com. They have plenty of good movies, including family films. That’s where I discovered “Ballet Shoes,” a charming 2007 film starring Emma Watson.
• “Apple TV Plus,” a streaming service from TV.apple.com, offers only Apple-original shows, but you don’t need an Apple TV. Besides iPhones and iPads, it’s supposed to work on other phones, computers and smart TVs. However, I get horrible glitches except when I’m watching on my iPad or iPhone. My favorite series is David Attenborough’s “Prehistoric Planet,” which brings to life not just dinosaurs, but the other creatures who lived alongside them 66 million years ago. It’s like “Jurassic Park,” without the violence and with a lot more variety. I’m also enjoying “Schmigadoon,” a series about a couple who get stuck inside a musical. The Israeli thriller “Tehran” gets great reviews but is a bit scary. If you don’t have an Apple ID, create one after tapping “Start free trial” at TV.apple.com. After the trial, it’s $5 a month.
• “TED,” which stands for “Technology, Entertainment and Design,” has a great TV channel, found in the app section of your smart TV. I find it fun to browse there, rather than go to TED.com on a computer, phone or tablet.

Spam in Text Messages

To get rid of spam, a reviewer wrote: ”I did what AT&T suggests by reporting the message and sender to the SPAM shortcode (7726). But after doing that, the messages not only didn’t stop, they increased!” An app called “TextKiller” works great, he said.

TextKiller, for iPhone and iPad, is free for seven days, then $40 a year. It gets fantastic reviews. However, spam may still show up on your Apple Watch.

For Android phones, turn on “verified SMS.” Open the Messages app. Tap the menu in the upper right corner. Tap “settings.” Scroll down and turn “Verified SMS” on. Now Google will verify whether it’s a legitimate business or not, killing messages from those that aren’t. While you’re in “Settings,” you might also want to turn on “spam protection.”

Another trick: Stop giving out your real number willy nilly. You can get a burner number to hand out. Go to Voice.Google.com for Google’s free option. When someone calls you on your burner number, your regular number will ring. But texts to that number will not go through.

Stylus Burn-Out

A reader wrote: “On my iPad where I read four newspapers a day I am experiencing a problem with scrolling. It may be the inexpensive stylus I am using. Do I need to drop $100 to get the Apple stylus?”

Styluses wear out, but you certainly don’t need to spend $100 just for scrolling and tapping on a virtual keyboard. I like the “Stylus Pen for iPad” from Ooclcurful. You get three styluses for $11. The reader said it works great, but he wondered why one end is stubby and the other is flat. The flat end is for getting into small spaces. Go flat.

For sketching and handwriting, consider the ZAGG Pro Stylus, $51 on Amazon, or the Adonit Mark for $20.

Saving a Wet iPhone

If you get your phone sopping wet, whatever you do, don’t put it in a bowl of rice, despite what others may suggest. Rice dust can mix with the water and make a paste inside the phone.

Instead, try to get as much water out as possible. Start by powering it off. Then take the SIM card out by inserting a paperclip into the tiny hole on the side of the phone to release the tray. Remove the microSD card tray too, if your phone has one. Now try using a can of compressed air or a fan to blow water out of the ports, though this won’t remove the water inside the phone. You’ll have to open it up and set it in front of a fan. For more info, see the “How to Geek” article called “Stop Putting Your Phone in Rice.”

Internuts

•  Tabliss.io gives you a new nature picture every 15 minutes when you open a tab in Google Chrome. It’s free. Go to Tabliss.io and click “Add to Chrome.” 
• “The Best Science Subscription Boxes for Kids.” Search on that phrase for a great list from ReviewGeek.  “KiwiCo” has good variety of hands-on projects for children of all ages.

Filed under: apps, gadgets, text messaging, troubleshooting, TV