Motorcycle Taxi App Angkas to Launch Four-Wheel Service ‘Angcars’ This Year

Get ready for a faster Internet connection (finally) as TP-Link brings the Wi-Fi 7 experience to the Philippines as announced by the networking solutions company.

While Wi-Fi 6 was designed in response to the world's rising number of devices, Wi-Fi 7 aims to provide astonishing speeds for all devices while increasing efficiency. According to their website, the Wi-Fi 7 operates on all three bands (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz) and can accelerate up to 46 Gbps, which is 4.8x faster than the previous devices.

The new router also has 100x lower latency and 5x network capacity, allowing more users to stream and surf smoother, download faster, and enjoy a lag-free digital experience.

Aside from the speed and new features introduced, the device has new security features and enhancements to increase network protection against emerging threats, so you can surf and do wireless activities confidently.

For more information about the Wi-Fi 7, read here. Follow TP-Link Philippines on Facebook for future updates!

Gone are the days when cash is the only option to pay. Nowadays, you can leave the house with little to no cash, as long as you have your e-wallets and cards with you. Financial technology (fintech) company GCash (under Mynt) recently announced that they are expanding their services to 16 countries – making it convenient for many Filipinos residing and traveling overseas.

According to GCash International General Manager Paul Albano, the app is now up and running in 13 countries, including the United States (US), Canada, the United Kingdom (UK), Australia, Italy, Japan, Germany, Spain, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea. Soon, the leading e-wallet will be available in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Singapore as well.

Although many people can use the e-wallet abroad now to transact with select merchants through global partners like Alipay and Visa, the new update will be allowing international SIM cards from any of the countries mentioned above to instantly create and open an account, cash in, and send money to other users worldwide with just a few taps.

Follow GCash on Facebook for more updates.

Getting bored of your usual playlist or having trouble creating one that fits your mood? You’ll now get to save yourself some clicks curating the right playlist, because Spotify’s “daylist” is now available in the Philippines!

Launched late last year in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, Spotify’s “daylist” recently officially launched in the Philippines and 65 other countries.

“daylist” is a hyper-personalized playlist that includes songs and music genres a user usually listens to at a given time in a day or on specific days of the week. The playlist also updates frequently between sunup and sundown, building on the prompt, “Your day in a playlist.”

To make it more exciting, “daylist” also generates a title that will set the mood for your playlist.

To get this new feature, simply enter “daylist” in the search bar or visit this link: spotify.com/daylist. You can likewise view the playlist in the “Made for You” tab on mobile. The playlist also indicates what time of the day it will update and switch up the tracks included.

Like other playlists, you can also add your “daylist” to your library. There’s also an option to share it on your social media pages with three sharecard choices.

“daylist” is available to both free and premium Spotify users in the Philippines. Check out yours!

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools have been making waves in the past few years. With its recent boom, more people are utilizing AI, especially with more companies integrating AI into their work processes. During the two-day trade mission headed by US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, Microsoft announced that they will be training 100,000 Filipinas in AI and cybersecurity.

The tech giant revealed that they will provide training to government employees in cooperation with government agencies and local schools. Aiming to help combat the country’s problem with disinformation, the program will allow women to have access to an online platform that will teach them how to use Microsoft's AI tools, some of which are powered by OpenAI's large language models.

The said platform will help them develop workplace skills and increase their ability to identify cybersecurity threats. Along with this program, the tech giant also plans on rolling out an AI-powered reading progress tool for around 27 million Filipino students, in partnership with the Philippine education department.

Offering a hassle-free travel experience to commuters, the motorcycle taxi app Angkas has been a staple for most people in hopes of skipping heavy traffic.

Continuing its commitment to provide service to their customers, the ride-hailing app launched its latest app, which offers a smoother booking experience.

Aside from the makeover with the app’s new intuitive UIUX, it offers a couple of exciting updates — including a more accurate mapping system, making it easier for the rider and customer to pin their locations, and a promise of faster matchmaking to book a rider.

Currently, the new app is only available in Manila, Cebu, and Cagayan de Oro (CDO). Customers from other areas can still use and book their ride through Angkas by using the old app.

The new Angkas app is now available for Android through the Google Play Store and iOS through the Apple App Store.

Download now and see for yourself what the Angkas new app has to offer. For more information, follow Angkas on Facebook and Instagram.

“Can you guys access Facebook?” “My Instagram is down!”

On March 5, 2024, social media users around the world lamented about being logged out or unable to refresh their social media pages. Posts on X (formerly Twitter), which remained accessible, showed a multitude of users from the United States all the way to the Philippines wondering if they’d been hacked — or whether the world was ending. Funny as it was, because both Facebook and Instagram came back online after a few hours, the incident highlighted people’s reliance on both social media platforms.

For a country like the Philippines, being unable to access these platforms could prove detrimental both socially and economically. The loss of Facebook or Instagram, which is accessed by over 94% of people online in the Philippines, could affect lives and individuals.

Loss of Economy

Online businesses are booming in the Philippines. Further boosted by the pandemic, online shops and e-commerce platforms contributed around US$17 billion in 2021, largely due to an active base of 73 million online users. While not all businesses are active on Facebook or Instagram — with Shopee, Lazada, and Zalora taking the lead — plenty of MSMEs rely heavily on social media to market and conduct business. The loss of a social network of customers and supporters could prove detrimental to micro-entrepreneurs who do not necessarily have the backing that larger e-commerce platforms have.

That’s not to say that larger e-commerce platforms would not be at a disadvantage should Instagram and Facebook suddenly disappear. Sites such as these do rely on advertising through social media, where mindless scrolling feeds algorithms that drive business through external links.

Loss of Contact

If you’ve ever ridden a jeep or a bus during the dreaded Manila rush hour, you’re likely to notice that everyone is on their phones. Most are chatting with friends, family, or even coworkers. Filipinos love to stay connected, so much so that the Philippines was dubbed the "texting capital of the world." Although that shifted with the introduction of social media and other related apps, Filipinos still prefer to send their messages as often as possible.

Due to the availability, convenience, and versatility of data plans provided by local telecommunications companies, most Filipinos are now reliant on apps such as Facebook and Messenger to communicate. This is in contrast to how people would keep in touch just two decades ago, where most have bid farewell to personal landlines or clunky SMS.

In a world where Wi-Fi connection is easily available — with free access in most public spaces — messaging apps are the new norm, and that’s not changing anytime soon.

Loss of Memory

They may be cringey, but Instagram and Facebook photos from years past are still nice to look back on, which is why Facebook launched “Memories.” Before the resurgence of film cameras, people in the mid-2010s preferred to upload albums on Facebook. Do you remember the thrill of getting that tag notification?

Meanwhile, those looking to document their day put tidbits of their life on Instagram. I’m sure we all know people — or are among the many — who sometimes forget what happened last weekend and simply turn to our archived stories to remember.

While perhaps not as detrimental as the loss of economy or loss of contact with loved ones, the loss of memory that could come with the hyperbolic shutdown of these social media apps is likely to be just as painful. After all, we don't print as many photos (or don't do it at all) and keep them in physical albums anymore.

In the end, we have to admit: we’re all pretty much reliant on the World Wide Web. But it’s not necessarily a bad thing; it is simply a mark of the 21st century.

Connections don’t always have to be romantic; they can be platonic too. Just like what Thundr, a newly launched LGBTQIA+ app in the Philippines, believes in, you don’t have to lose a partner but instead gain a new friend in the process!

Thundr is the first and only Filipino community app that lets you find a new connection you don’t have to lose. Made for LGBTQIA+ members aged 35 and above, it provides more than just one option and zero rejections.

It’s also a great space for the older members of the community, so they can have their happy ending regardless of age.

Unlike other dating apps, the app offers an awesome way to pair. It doesn’t base your connection on your location but on your compatibility. During the sign-up process, you will have to answer carefully curated questions that will make your connections more exciting. Don’t worry, though, because they are fun and simple questions used to gauge your preferences, values, and lifestyle!

Finding new people that you instantly click with doesn’t mean it has to end up in a romantic relationship — sometimes, they make good friends too! And that is what Thundr is for. The app adopts a no-rejection policy, letting users swipe left for a mare (friend) and swipe right for a jowa (potential lover)!

The app is free, but if you want unlimited and ad-free swiping and advanced filters for a higher chance of finding a match, you may opt to pay for a premium subscription. On top of all the perks, you also get to help Thundr’s advocacy of supporting LGBTQIA+ non-profit organizations.

Download the Thundr app today and start swiping to connect with like-minded people that can be your new friend or lover!

Follow Thundr’s Facebook and Instagram pages for more some juicy updates.