Subscription Overload!

Call it the digital-lifestyle tax. If you want to be plugged in - to the Web, music, TV, movies, news, and phone networks - you have to pay. And pay. And pay some more. How much will all those subscriptions cost you? Almost as much as a car payment.

Of course here at Fat Knowledge we believe you should just substitute the subscriptions for the car payment. We are big fans of the subscription economy. Instead of building your library of music or movies, instead just get a subscription to somebody else's library. Better for the environment and better selection for yourself. Instead of buying stuff, buy access to other's creative work.

Cable or satellite TV (Comcast gold package): $87.94
Broadband Internet access (SBC DSL): $19.99
Voice-over IP phone service (Vonage Premium Plan): $24.99
Mobile phone and data service (Cingular): $39.98
Satellite radio (Sirius): $12.95
Streaming music service (Rhapsody): $9.95
Mobile headlines (SPOT watch): $9.95
DVR service (TiVo): $12.95
DVD service (Netflix): $17.99
Online news site (Salon): $2.92
Online game (X Box Live): $4.17
Total: $ 243.78

Yup, that looks about right. The thing about all these subscriptions is that they require your attention in order to consume them. So unless you are a crazy multitasker who is playing a little Xbox live while talking on the phone while surfing the net with music and TV on in the background, the more you use of one of the subscriptions the less you use of the others (since the amount of time you have to consume is fixed).

via Wired Magazine