Using Netflix Party [1] to watch movies and shows with my friends has become a staple activity for me these past months. However, as of Oct. 14, Netflix Party is now Teleparty, and it includes Hulu, HBO, and Disney+ [2] in addition to Netflix. Teleparty is an extension on Google Chrome that lets you watch movies and TV shows live with friends as long as everyone has an account on the specific streaming site. It synchronizes video playback and adds a chat option so you can still feel like your friends are sitting next to you. Since my friends and I haven't seen each other in person for months, we're thankful for this easy-to-use service and the new streaming services it added.

If you've already downloaded Netflix Party, you don't need to do anything else; Netflix Party automatically changed to Teleparty on your computer. If you haven't downloaded it yet, you can do so on the Google Chrome web store [3]. In order to use it [4], all friends have to download the extension. Once that's done, one friend has to open the TV show or movie you want to watch on their laptop, click "Start the party," and send the link to everyone else. Once you click the link and the video starts to play, make sure Teleparty is turned on by clicking the "TP" icon in the upper right corner of your computer screen. Once the chat box opens up on the right side beside the video, you'll know you're good to go. For extra fun, you can personalize your name and icon, which show up in the chat box!

If you're looking for something to watch on one of those streaming services, we have lots of suggestions for you. Netflix [5], Hulu [6], HBO [7], and Disney+ [8] have all released awesome movies and shows in 2020. If you and your friends want to watch something that's not on one of those four services, don't worry — other extensions exist! You can try out Prime Video Party [9], Spotify Party [10], and YouTube Party [11]. For YouTube Party, note that it's only a prototype at this point. According to LabyStudio, which is offering this extension, this means it hasn't been published on a large scale yet and may be improved [12] in the future. Regardless, have fun watching with your friends!