Think of 2018 as the eye of the storm for cord-cutting. Although cable and satellite TV subscriptions continued their steady downward spiral, we didn’t see many drastic changes in cord-cutting hardware, software, or services.

Bigger changes could come next year, with new streaming services from Disney, AT&T, Apple, and possibly NBC Universal, along with retooled live TV packages from the likes of Hulu and DirecTV Now. In the meantime, let's celebrate what was largely a year of refinement for our favorite cord-cutting devices and services with the third-annual cord-cutter awards. Read the full column on TechHive.
 

ESPN+ review: As you might've expected, this was a slow news week in the world of cord-cutting, but TechHive asked me to write a review of ESPN+, and so I did. ESPN+ is not a replacement for ESPN's cable channels, as it offers none of the same sports coverage or original programming. It's more of a funky offshoot with lots of soccer, rugby, cricket, boxing, and non-major college sports coverage, along with plenty of original sports-related programming.

Judged on its own merits, ESPN+ is a decent value at $5 per month. I particularly enjoyed the original series--Detail, in which Payton Manning breaks down NFL game footage, is oddly captivating--and had no major qualms with the app itself. The main issue is that ESPN+ seldom offers full-season coverage, even for niche sports like rugby, so you often feel like you're being funneled back to cable just to watch certain matches or playoffs. I also wished ESPN+ had some sort of live feed, highlight show, or commentary to tie all of its weird sports offerings together. Without any of those things, ESPN+ feels less like a living, breathing sports network, and more like ESPN's leftovers.

Netflix phishing: The Federal Trade Commission is warning Netflix users about an apparent email scam, in which users are told that there's "trouble" with their account and that they must update their information. Clicking the "Update Account Now" link leads to a payment update form, which merely passes the victim's credit card information along to cybercriminals.

I can't tell from the FTC's press release whether this scam is new or even particularly widespread. It certainly doesn't look much different from the kind of emails that get caught in my spam filter. Still, it's always worth reiterating that you should never follow an emailed link that asks for your password or payment information, no matter how legitimate the email looks. (Same goes for phone calls.) If you think there's an actual issue, visit the company's website directly or initiate a customer service call on your own. Better safe than sorry.
 

You still have until January 3 to lock in a year of Hulu service for $6 per month, which is $2 per month off the regular price. The deal is available for new subscribers and "eligible" past subscribers, and it only applies to the ad-supported, on-demand service. You still have to pay full price for Hulu's ad-free version (at $12 per month) and its live TV service (at $40 per month). Head to Hulu's website to get the offer.

One other deal worth mentioning: Some Walmart stores are clearing out Google's second-generation Chromecast for just $9, versus $35 for a new Chromecast. Compared to the third-generation Chromecast, the previous version is a little bit slower and can't support smooth 60 frames per second video when playing at 1080p resolution, but neither of those differences amount to a major upgrade. This is a great deal if you can find it. To see if it's in stock near you, head to Brickseek's inventory checker and plug in your zip code.