More of the Best Stuff Ever, Just for You
It's a big, wide, webbed world out there, and for you smartphoners bright enough to have one with an unlimited data package, it can be tricky to figure out where to go for the good stuff. So, in celebration of T-Mobile's new Best Plan Ever—with unlimited data, talk and text—we've teamed up with America's Largest 4G Network to bring you a little something we like to call The Best Stuff Ever Series.
Below you'll find the films you should be watching, the music you could be downloading, the games you'll want to play and the twits you could be tweeting at—all on your phone. But only if you have the best plan out there.
Watch
You know how it goes: There's nothing on TV but Mad Men reruns and a Nova special about the mating rituals of jungle cats. (Come to think of it, both shows are kind of about the same thing.) Cue the miracle that is Netflix's Watch Instantly section. With a constantly updating library, there is always something ready to watch within reach—especially if you're viewing from your phone! Here are some that you shouldn't miss.
A Hard Day's Night: Long, long before the Jonas Brothers or Biebs crooned in a 3D, The Beatles were making ladies lose it in just two dreamy dimensions. And now you can experience the Beatlemania-fueling classic whenever/wherever you want, thanks to Watch Instantly. Come on, admit it, Ringo really always was your favorite.
Dinosaurs: Giants of Patagonia: Nothing says "date night" like the smooth, gentle rumble of Donald Sutherland's voice as he expounds on the wonders of South America's Paleolithic history. So grab a loved one, cuddle up, and see how many times you can whisper, "Gigantosaurs" into their ear before he/she decides to sit on the other end of the sofa.
Dirty Harry: You don't need to be lucky to enjoy this Clint Eastwood classic. That's because the guy has made a career of playing hard-boiled badish good guys (or is it goodish bad guys?). So the next time your questioning your own tough guy quotient, hit the play button and take a lesson from the master, punk.
Listen
Music is good for a lot of things: warding off subway crazies, providing a soundtrack to an otherwise boring jog, inspiring an impromptu dance party. So we're here to help you load up your droid with the best new releases so you can curate playlists so fresh for fall that your primary function on Earth will be to remind all of your friends and coworkers that they really need to upgrade their music.
Mates of State, Mountaintops: The jealousy-inducing domestically and creatively entwined musical outfit known as Mates of State (they are adorable, married with 2 rock star babies for whom they need a tour nanny, and write great songs together) released Mountaintops on September 13. With songs called "Palomino", "Maracas", and "Total Serendipity", you won't be surprised to find yourself enraptured, bouncing up and down and sing-chanting aloud (aka "bopping") any time Mountaintops pours out of your earbuds. It's like listening to a double rainbow. Click here to order.
Wild Flag, Wild Flag: Humans: the coolest females of our species have started the word's coolest band. It's called Wild Flag, and if you listen to them, you will immediately be considered at least somewhat cool. Carrie Brownstein of Sleater-Kinney and Portlandia fame, and her friends Mary Timony (Boston alt-rock goddess of the 90s), Janet Weiss, also of Sleater-Kinney and Quasi (not Susan Sarandon's character in The Rocky Horror Picture Show), and keyboardist Rebecca Cole comprise this most rocking-ist of bands. Click here to order their eponymous debut record (out now, Merge Records) and to become cool.
John Wesley Harding, The Sound of His Own Voice: Attention erudites! The Decemberists, R.E.M.'s Peter Buck and Roseanne Cash, among others, recorded what's surely to be another poetic "gangsta folk" album with John Wesley Harding (aka acclaimed novelist Wesley Stace). It releases October 11, and the editors of the New Yorker and NPR are already sweating through their sweater vests in anticipation. Click here to pre-order.
Play
Productivity always takes priority, but even the most productive people have to take breaks sometimes. In fact, studies show most people need about a five-minute mental vacation for every hour of work. So here are some games for your phone that won't take up too much time, but are still incredibly fun.
Apparatus Hope you have your problem solving hats on, because only the brain of an engineer will get you through this puzzle game. Every level has a couple of marbles that need to get somewhere, but there's always an obstacle of some kind in your way. Training with in-game tools like hammers, wheels, batteries and wrenches make the difficulty of each level personally tailored, so you're only limited by your own capacity for ingenuity.
Doodle Jump: There's not much to it, which is why this game is so great. You play as an alien-looking thing called a Doodler, whose giant nose shoots pellets at enemies. Your objective is to keep hopping higher and higher while using jet packs and helicopter beanie. Sure, it's seemingly simple, yet incredibly addictive, so be careful that you only play when you have some serious time at your disposal.
Reckless Getaway: If you've ever fantasized about making a run for the border, you're going to love this game. All you have to do is snatch some loot and outmaneuver a swarm of police. No biggie, right? The problem is that the more damage you incur, the more you run the risk loosing your goods. Hey, no one—except successful criminals—ever said a life of crime was easy.
Follow
Sometimes you want to be entertained, and sometimes you want to be informed. The amazing thing about the Twitter-verse (Twitter-sphere? Twitter-burbs?) is that it's capable of doing both. Below are some top accounts you should start following, like, right now.
@ImprovEvery: Remember those weird frozen people in Grand Central? Or the fake U2 rooftop performance across from U2's real performance at Madison Square Garden? And who could forget the annual No Pants Subway Ride? Well each of these silly and slightly anarchic events can be attributed to the fine folks from Improv Everywhere. Follow them here and participate in the fun before Mom sends you a NYT trend piece about it.
@IBMWatson: Are you slightly afraid of the imminent cyborg revolution? Well, you have nothing to fear from Watson, IBM's brilliant supercomputer. Allay all your anxieties by following its news feed on Twitter, and simultaneously learn a thing or two about basically everything in the known universe.
@fuggirls: Fashion Week might be over, but Heather and Jessica from GoFugYourself.com were there the entire time, blogging for both their site and New York Magazine. They're the punny clothing pundits you never knew you needed, but given your sartorial choices, it's a good thing they're there.
See! Unlimited data means unlimited options! And T-Mobile is the only carrier to bring you unlimited data, plus unlimited talk, plus unlimited text with their $49.99 per line Family Plan. Seriously—Best Plan Ever Head here to get signed up now, and check back soon for the next edition of the Best Stuff Ever Series.