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'CBS All Access' Lets Viewers Cut the Cord, Watch Shows Online

Angela Moscaritolo
 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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Cord cutters, rejoice. One day after HBO announced plans to offer a standalone streaming service in 2015, CBS said it too will embrace the Web.

The network on Thursday launched a new digital subscription service dubbed CBS All Access, which offers thousands of episodes of current and classic shows on demand for $5.99 a month, meaning you'll no longer need a cable package to watch shows like The Big Bang Theory and NCIS. That includes full seasons of 15 current primetime shows with episodes available the day after they air, and the ability to live-stream local CBS stations in 14 of the largest markets at launch. CBS said it would be adding more live streaming content as additional affiliates join the service.

Subscribers will also be able to catch up on full past seasons of eight current shows, including The Good Wife, Blue Bloods, and Survivor and watch special events like the Grammy Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards, and Victoria's Secret Fashion Show when they air. There's also more than 5,000 episodes of CBS classics like Star Trek, Cheers, MacGyver, Twin Peaks, and CSI: Miami, and you won't have to sit through ads for any of them.

The service is available today at CBS.com and on mobile devices through the company's app for iOS and Android, and CBS is offering a one-week free trial so you can see how you like it. It will be available on "all major digital platforms" in the coming months.

CBS said the service is a win-win for viewers and the company. It allows fans to watch programming online and on mobile devices when they're out and about, while introducing a new monetization window for the company's content.

"Our focus is to develop the best cross-platform video experience possible," Jim Lanzone, president and CEO of CBS Interactive, said in a statement. "We want our audiences to be able to watch CBS's industry-leading content live and on demand whenever and wherever they want. CBS All Access delivers on that promise by giving our audience not only more CBS content but also more ways to watch in a seamless user experience."

The launch of CBS All Access comes after the Supreme Court in June sided with broadcasters in their fight against Aereo, a service that allowed users to record shows on a virtual DVR and watch them online later. The broadcasters - including CBS - claimed this was copyright infringement and the Supreme Court eventually agreed. At the height of the battle, CBS even threatened to pull its broadcast stations from the air and move to a paid option if Aereo was allowed to continue operating.

Also on the streaming front, Netflix this week announced that the entire Friends catalog will be available on its streaming service in the U.S. and Canada on New Year's Day 2015.

For more on CBS All Access, check out the video below.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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