Streaming services like Netflix have boomed in popularity in recent times. However, the popularity of Netflix is set to sore further with most of the nation being on lockdown. To make sure you enjoy Netflix properly, you will need to have a good Internet connection. Otherwise, you could be faced with annoying issues, such as the program lagging. With that in mind, continue reading to discover everything you need to know about how your choice of broadband is going to have an impact on your Netflix binges.

What is a good broadband for streaming?

You may think that the same sort of broadband is going to suffice across all streaming platforms. However, there’s not the case. For standard streaming on the likes of BBC iPlayer, you’re going to need a minimum of 1.5 megabits per second (Mbps). For HD quality, 2.8Mbps is recommended. For Netflix, though, you’re going to need more of this. You will require around 3Mbps for the standard streaming service, whereas a minimum speed of 5Mbps is recommended for HD quality. If you’re after Ultra HD, you’re really going to need around 25Mbps for Netflix.

Checking your connection speed

If you’ve been reading this so far and thinking “I have no clue how fast my Internet is” - don’t worry. There are a lot of devices that give you the ability to check your connection speed through the Netflix app. The process is really simple, and we will guide you through it. So, you will need to start by selecting the gear icon or settings. If you do not see a gear icon, it means this feature is not supported on your device. There are websites available that can help you test your broadband’s speed, so you can explore this further.

If you have been able to locate the gear, you should then choose ‘check your network.’ The app should then verify that you are able to connect to the Internet and reach the servers at Netflix. It is also going to check your connection speed. Once the test has finished, you need to make sure the speed matches the minimum speeds that were recommended in the section above. If your connection is slower than you were expecting, it is a good idea to get in touch with your Internet provider for some help.

Are broadband providers going to be able to cope with the increased demand?

You may be worried that you’re going to struggle to enjoy Netflix as you usually would because of the increased demand placed on Internet providers during the lockdown. Nevertheless, BT is one of the Internetproviders that have moved quickly to reassure customers that they have nothing to worry about in this regard.

It was announced by Netflix that in an effort to reduce data use they would be lowering the picture quality of films in Europe. BT, though, has stated that both evening and daytime usage are still a lot lower than the highest levels the company has ever recorded. This is despite the fact that data use on the network has increased by 35 to 60 per cent. This isn’t something to be concerned about according to the company. They have stated that this use is well within a manageable range, and there is plenty of headroom to cope should data demand increase further.

Other ways to speed up Netflix

Aside from choosing a broadband provider and package with care, there are some other ways you can speed up Netflix. For example, something as simple as keeping Microsoft Silverlight up-to-date on your PC will make a difference. Silverlight is an application framework design for writing and running rich Internet applications. Despite having other functions, it supports streaming on Netflix media. Quality and streaming speeds can take a hit if the software is outdated. In terms of watching Netflix on your mobile phone, it could be as simple as closing some of the applications that you have running in order to lighten the load. You may be surprised by just how much of a difference this can make to your Netflix binging experience.

Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of how your choice of broadband impacts your use of Netflix. Nevertheless, if you’re concerned that you’re going to struggle to get the best out of Netflix while the nation is on lockdown, it seems we’re a long way from anything happening that will dampen your TV binges!

Decisions,decisions...

Yesterday I've been having so many contradictory thoughts when thinking what should I buy for my husband.Christmas is getting closer and closer, the stores are getting more crowded than usual and the panic starts kicking in.
Over the last couple of years, I've always left the gift buying for the last moment.What can I say?! I'm a busy woman. :)
So, I have a few options that I think that my husband would like for Christmas.

Option number one: Today I went for a free eye check and surprise surprise, I will need to wear glasses every now and again, but what I want to say is that this place was next door to a pet shop. My husband is crazy after fish.We've had fish when we were and after we finished Uni, and he never stops reminding me of how much he misses having a tank with small fish. Extremly relaxing and fun to look at,but we don't have the time to care after them.Also,the humidity from the tank makes me have second thoughts.

If your partner is a technology geek- just like mine is - then the gift choice is pretty clear.
Let me explain to you how Nick is - when he wants something, there's no review left unread for the products, Nick has to know everything: specifications,cost, efficiency how the competition presents itself.Therefore, I cannot dissapoint-I have to do the same thing.This leads me to option number two: a fitness tracker. Not only that he likes being active, but he used to play professional basket ball a few years ago and still enhoys doing sports.Luckily,I found a website that reviews, compares and contrasts only the best quality smart watches out there, so I got my eye on a few products.

Option number three: Going on a holiday. I've been praying to go on a holiday ,just the two of us for almost one year, but 2019 was...hecktic to say the least, you know that we have our own business now, Nick Calini Photography &Videography and that's extremly time consuming.We love love love what we do, but many times this means that we will spend more time together indoors editing and less time travelling and just chilling. It all comes with a cost,so booking a holiday might not be the best idea right now, but it's still something on my mind.

Please do let me know, did you manage to buy the Christmas presents?Can you give me any ideas,which option should I pick?? :)

Hi,guys!

The last couple of weeks-what am I even saying, months- my schedule has become hectic. I've been working non stop for at least 12h/day and weekends included.If I think about it, in the last half a year I've had max 3-5 days that were my selfish days,meaning I would just relax and forget about the things that need doing,so having a day off was a complete luxury.Anyway you can read more about what I've been up to with Nick Calini Photography over here.
So thinking about all the hard work that I've put into our business I've decided that enough was enough and that we should have a date night, out in Leeds.
Friday night we've been fortunate enough to catch the last day of Light Night. If you've never been to Light Night,please go next year, it's an absolute treat for your little one and a delight for adults as well.There are different locations throughout Leeds City Centre where you can see different shows, loads of good food and just good vibes all around.

This was for sure the best night that we've had in a long time.
If you follow me on Instagram,you might have noticed that...I have not posted anything about it,and it's not because I didn't want to.
Why didn't I post anything ? Well...this makes me feel a bit uncomfortable, but the truth is...
I am on a pay as you go sim card,sometimes it works for me , but every now and again I just run out of credit without warning. I've been going on like this ever since I came to the UK almost 6 years ago.
When you are on a pay as you go sim, sometimes you realised you just run out of credit in the most important moments...when you have to make an important phone call, when there's a special event, when there's an emergency...

when there's an emergency...

For the last couple of months I've had to speak with our clients and having a business there's always something to sort out,so having unlimited data, unlimited texts and unlimited minutes is a must.

Trying to fix this problem I've started to look for unlimited sim only deals, and after doing my research I found out that it would only cost me a couple of pounds extra per month to benefit from …let’s call it a stress free , peace of mind mobile plan.

There are so many network providers offering good deals ,I haven’t changed mine since coming to the UK, and I was so happy to see that 3mobile network is also offering the unlimited sim data.

The price range is between £18.75 and £44 per month, so there’s a package to suit every pocket.

Now, talking from a blogger's point of view, I remember a very famous blogger/vlogger saying about events ' if you're not posting in that exact moment and you're not letting your audience know about it you're irrelevant' . These exact words went through my mind on Friday night, at Light Night in Leeds.

Now tell me, what are your thoughts on this?Have you ever been to Light Night Leeds? 😊

Ps: You can see my Last Minute Christmas post here.

Not long ago I was kindly invited to the eShores event,which took place in Leeds City Center, at the Lambert's Yard where we got a bit of a taste of what the USA feels like. Personally, I have never been to the States, so this event sparked my curiosity .
I have arrived at the event with my fellow bloggers Lucy and Emma and we also met there the lovely Mr. Luke Christian.

The evening started with some delicious cocktails all inspired by San Fransisco and made by Anthony from Mix & Twist.These were:

Wall Banger – Vodka, Mango & Pineapple Juice, Mint & Galliano
San Francisco – Vodka, Cherry Brandy, Lime & Sugar
Pornstar Martini – Vanilla Vodka, Lemon, Pineapple Juice & Passionfruit syrup
Californian Ginjito – gin, Mint, Apple Juice, Lime, Sugar & Soda

My favourite ones were Pornstar Martini and Wall Banger.

The food was inspired by Los Angeles and made by Bears Pantry.For the starter I had the vegetarian Tacos and this was the first time that I had jackfruit.And I liked it! :)

We continued with a fried chicken sandwich and the incredible Vegas Greek Yoghurt Martini. Amazing dessert, especially for the summer time.

I do want to mention that I have stopped being gluten free for a few months, but I want to go back to the gluten free lifestyle.

Inspired by Las Vegas, we were entertained by Sebastian Walton, a very talented magician and the main photographer of the event was Elouisa. I just love participating at these kind of events as that's the perfect occasion for a fun day out,have new experiences and also meet new bloggers that can end up becoming your friends. :)

eShores are offering you a £100 discount when you are booking a holiday with them, how amazing is that?! All you need to do is quote “USA/LeedsEvent”. They are offering tailor made itineraries, so there's a perfect holiday for everyone, just make sure that you will contact them to find out more.

Tell me, have you travelled to the USA ?

Ps: You can see my Last Minute Christmas post here,

I've been a bit on and off with my blog recently, so many things have changed in a short period of time and it was completely unexpected.
The last couple of months have been so hard, so beautiful, so time consuming and so rewarding at the same time. A beautiful chaos if you might ask me.

It all started when I asked Nick to take pictures for me at events because :1. I cannot take quality pictures of myself with a DSLR and 2. my time there is so much more enjoyable when I got him around.
This is how pixnkix.com was created.I told Nick 'hey,we are already doing so many things why aren't you opening your own blog where you can write about your own experiences ?'. He did open the blog and obsessively started learning about cameras and Photoshop. He would spend 12 hours in a row looking at tutorials and doing masterclasses.
We started investing in lighting and equipment and his skills were improving quicker than ever expected.When people started to ask for his services we knew for sure. We can turn this into a business.
Ever since, I've been working with Nick Calini on his new photography business.If you need a photographer in Leeds Bradford , feel free to contact him.

What should you know when building your business from 0 ?

It will be time consuming. The beginnings are the hardest and you will have to spend every moment of your free time working for your goals. There's always going to be something to do,something to solve,something to improve.

You will have to invest a lot.You can never be prepared enough when it comes to building a business,there's always going to be unexpected expenses,that's why it's good to have a good amount of savings or if you run out of money, a short term loan such as CashLady.com can be a good solution.Buying equipment can be very pricey,so keep this in mind.

You will need help.One person can't do it all, so if any of your family members can help with the small things, such as writing an email or picking up the phone or who knows, even SEO , then don't refuse them.

Networking is key.'It's not what you know, it's who you know that matters most' . Sounds familiar? I bet it does. You can be the absolute best at what you do and it doesn't matter if people don't know about what you're offering. That's why you have to get out there, and know like minded people who can help you promote what it is that you're doing. Knowing the right people will make your business thrive ,you can find mentors and people that can put you in contact with the ones that want to help you.Literally, your whole life can change over night if you meet the right people.

These are a few of the things that I've learned ever since we started our own photography business.
Tell me, do you have your own business? Do you want to start your own business? What are the struggles that you are facing currently?

You can know more about and my lifestyle.
Post writen in colaboration with CashLady.com

Whenever I think about this recipe I think about celebrations and New Years Eve.

This was one of my favourite starters that my mom has ever made, almost 12 years ago , and ever since it’s been my first option whenever I have to make some starters for a party or I just want a light and tasty snack.

As I said before,it doesn’t matter if you change one ingredient because you will still have a tasty recipe ,so today I will use goats cheese combined with soft cheese, but if you’re not a fan of goats cheese that’s all right, you can remove it from the recipe and only use soft cheese. It’s just as delicious!

INGREDIENTS

(2 PERSONS)

1/2 ORGANIC CUCUMBER

70G GOATS CHEESE

125 G SOFT CHEESE

PANCETTA OR CRISPY BACON

SALT, PEPPER

PREPARATION:

IN A SMALL BOWL PUT THE GOATS CHEESE AND THE CREAM CHEESE AND MIX IT TOGETHER WITH A SPOON OR FORK AND SEASON IT WITH A PINCH OF SALT
CUT THE CUCUMBER INTO 1 CM ROLLS AND PUT THE PIECES ON A PLATE
ADD THE MIX OF GOAT AND SOFT CHEESE ON TOP ON THE CUCUMBERS
CUT THE PANCETTA OR CRISPY BACON INTO TINY PIECES AND ADD THEM ON TOP OF THE CHEESE
SEASON WITH SALT AND PEPPER

ENJOY!

Inspired by Anastasia Beverly Hill’s most well known palette, Modern Renaissance, I created this feminine, sweet ,playful but also dramatic look using mostly Love Letter and Venetian Red as the intense pink shades .
the orange shades from the 10th year anniversary palette from Kat von D combined with the mono eyeshadow burnt from Makeup obsession complimented the final look.
If you want me to film a tutorial to show you how i did this make-up or have any questions leave a comment and I will be happy to respond. You can find the complete list of products used below.

PRODUCTS USED

A while ago, I wrote a blog post about how I take care of my skin during the cold season . Ever since, a lot has changed, and the main thing that has changed is my skin. I will be turning 30 next year -oh my gosh,where did the time fly???- and the fine lines and expression wrinkles are more and more visible, so the products that I used in my twenties, what am I even saying, even the ones that I used one year ago, do not work as well as they used to.So...what did I actually change?

1. Exfoliation and cleansing
I put on my makeup every single day,that's why exfoliating my skin twice per week with a gentle exfoliator is an essential step in my weekly routine.At times I use a facial cleansing brush together with my cleansing gel from Clinique- Liquid Facial Soap to make sure that I remove every trace of makeup .

2.Serum
Years ago I could not find any benefit for a face serum,I would just put on my daily cream and call it a day. Nowadays, after exfoliating or cleansing, I immediately have to use a serum, or I get an instant feeling of tightness of the skin.The serums that I use and like are from Caudalie- Vinoperfect Radiance Serum. This product is so light and it's immediately absorbed by the skin.

3.Hydrating and moisturising cream
Did you know that the first type of skin that gets all wrinkly is actually the dry skin?This is why using a moisturiser at least twice per day is a must! I use a very dense cream Apidermin which contains honey, it is not suitable for every skin type,just for very dry skin.

Occasionally I use face oils like Hip Rose Oil, but only every once and again as I did see sometimes that it can cause mini break outs on my forehead.

So tell me, which products do you use for your daily skincare routine?

What I love about cooking is the diversity, the endless combinations, how a small twist can change the whole flavour and also…there are no rules! You can add or change an ingredient and still get a delicious and healthy meal.
I really want to let everyone know that healthy recipes don’t have to be hard to make and complicated, anyone can do them and I am here to help you with discovering new and delicious meals.
One of my favourite summer salads is the Italian tomato and mozzarella salad, so refreshing and tasty and did I mention, so quick to make? It takes even less than 5 minutes.
You can change the organic ingredients with non-organic ones, but I will always recommend to eat organic food, it’s so much healthier and tastier.
Let’s start!

Ingredients:

1 or 2 slices of gluten free bread

1 mozzarella bufala

1 organic tomato

1 avocado

1 slice of bread

Salt, pepper

Extra virgin Olive oil

3 leaves of basil

Preparation:

1.Start with toasting the bread

2.Slice the tomato and arrange it on a plate

3.Slice the mozzarella and arrange it on top of the tomato slices

4.Cut the basil leaves into tiny pieces and sprinkle them on top of the mozzarella and tomatoes

5.Cut the avocado, slice it and lay on the plate

6.Season all the veggies with a pinch of salt and pepper and drizzle a bit of olive oil

7.Add the toast to the plate

Enjoy!

How often do you travel?
Life always gets in the way, we make plans one day just to see them crumbling the next, things don't always go the way we expect, do they?
Well, no matter how much things get twisted up, I learned one very important lesson: always have fun. You know why? Because no matter how hard things might seem, I always tell myself: This too shall pass. With that in mind, I prioritise going on holiday,no matter what.
Over the last year, I've been on roughly 6 vacations , two of which were so dear to me that I had to visit the same place twice,once just with my partner and the second with my whole family as well.
If you follow me on Instagram( @Luizacalini ) you should already know what I'm talking about....my vacation in Lanzarote !

Lanzarote is located in the Canary Islands , in the Atlantic Ocean.
With high temperatures all year round, this island was our favourite place to travel in December and in March.
That place is absolutely stunning, I always get that feeling of wonder but also a bit frightened when I see the landscape, a similar feeling when visiting Iceland.
For me, Lanzarote is the Yin to Iceland's Yang. Fire and Ice.
With numerous beaches and sand from white to black, I must admit that my favourite one was Papagayo Beach.
A very sheltered beach, with white fine sand and cristal clear water, quiet and with a decent number of tourists, Papagayo Beach is the place to visit when travelling to Lanzarote.Just be aware that you will need to pay a tax to get there and the road is in works,so quite bumpy.

The swimming suit that I have used there is from Hunkemoller.I love the blue-electric kind of colour.You can find the top here: https://www.hunkemoller.co.uk/uk_en/47-crop-game-bikini-crop-top-blue-150107.html and the bottoms here: https://www.hunkemoller.co.uk/uk_en/47-crop-game-low-cheeky-bikini-bottoms-blue-150108.html
Have you ever been to Lanzarote?