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Grab resumes GrabFood and GrabExpress services [Updated]

Transport services still suspended

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UPDATE as of 2PM, Matrch 17, 2020: Grab has resumed its GrabFood and GrabExpress delivery services.

In a Facebook post, the company said, “Upon careful assessment of the on-ground situation and after discussions with regulators, we are resuming GrabFood and GrabExpress operations beginning March 17, with a skeletal fleet operating to match allowed restaurant schedules.”

 

All transport services remain suspended.


In an effort to contain COVID-19, the Philippine government on Wednesday, March 16, announced that the island group of Luzon will be put in total lockdown or what they want to call “enhanced community quarantine.” In compliance, Grab Philippines has decided to suspend all of their services.

The ride-hailing service made the announcement on their Facebook Page saying “To safeguard our communities from the threat of COVID-19, we are pausing our GrabCar, GrabFood, GrabExpress, and GrabTrike operations in Luzon from March 17 until further notice.”

The statement added: “We are one with the government in combating the viral spread, and are working with the different government agencies to find ways to continue serving the needs of Filipinos during these times.”

The latest bulletin by the Philippines’ Department of Health — posted on March 16 at 7PM, indicates the current total number of confirmed cases in the country is at 142, with total number of recovery at three.

Here are the guidelines of the “enhanced community quarantine” in Luzon:

1. Classes suspended until April 14.

2. Mass gatherings prohibited.

3. Strict home quarantine – movement limited to accessing basic necessities; provision of food and health services to be regulated

4. Government offices closed except for frontline health workers, security personnel, border control

5. Private establishments – only those providing food and medicine; banks, money transfer services, power, energy, water, telcos, shall be open

6. BPO’s and export-oriented industries to remain operational

7. Media allowed to travel but have to secure ID

8. Mass transport suspended

9. Land, air, sea travel restricted

10. Outbound international travel allowed in the next 72 hours

11. Inbound international travelers to be allowed entry subject to quarantine procedures if coming from previously restricted countries

12. Filipino citizens and their families to be allowed international entry

13. Movement of cargoes to be unhampered

14. Uniformed personnel on official business allowed to travel, especially those transporting medical supplies

15. Government to formulate programs and measures to help affected residents – may include delay on lease rentals, prorated 13th month pay, reprieve in utility bills, financial assistance for small businesses

16. DSWD to help provide food

SEE ALSO:
How to disinfect your tech from the coronavirus
Apple: Coronavirus might cause iPhone shortage
COVID-19 effect: Facebook, Twitter employees advised to work from home


As general rules, the CDC or The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed these to help with preventing the spread of COVID-19:

  • Stay home when sick
  • Cover coughs and sneezes
  • Frequently wash hands with soap and water
  • Clean frequently touched surfaces

Apps

Disney+ launches a TikTok-coded vertical feed called Verts

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TikTok has changed how we consume media. Everything is now vertical. Even the most established streaming services, often a bastion for traditionally horizontal content, is adopting the different format. Now, Disney+ is getting a vertical feed called Verts.

Like its contemporaries, Verts presents a continuous feed of content but tailored to show the plethora of titles from the Disney+ library. This might include the first scenes of shows or notable highlights. The hope, of course, is to direct users to the longform content.

Directly from the Verts feed, users can easily add the respective title to their watchlist or go straight to the title’s page. In turn, the feed is accessible from the homepage since it has its own tab.

According to Disney, early experiments with the feature have driven engagement to available content. Right now, the feed is mostly for clipping enticing content from shows. However, the platform will experiment further with the format for new ways to tell stories.

Though Verts surely stands for “verticals” in this case, “adverts” might fit better as its full government name. Still, it might be a useful tool if you’re figuring out what to watch for the night.

Currently, Verts is available for Disney+ subscribers in the United States. Disney also has plans to expand the feature to ESPN for sports-related content.

SEE ALSO: Live NBA action on Disney Plus now available in the Philippines

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Google Maps is finally getting a 3D mode

The app will also have a Gemini chatbot baked inside.

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Some of today’s navigation apps are living in the future. Instead of a two-dimensional map, these apps render the user’s surroundings in 3D. It’s a nifty upgrade that helps drivers more accurately visualize directions on the fly. Finally, Google Maps is getting a much-needed upgrade and will take navigation to the third dimension.

In a new update rolling out today, the new Immersive Navigation feature will bring your surroundings to life. The 3D view creates a render of the surrounding buildings, overpasses, and terrain around the car. It takes the guesswork out of navigation by showing precisely where to turn and what landmarks to look out for.

In the same vein, you can now use Street View to preview your destination before you arrive. Google Maps will also highlight your destination’s entrance, side of the street, and nearby parking.

Outside of how the map is visualized, Google Maps is also infusing its service with Gemini. The new Ask Maps feature will let you engage with the app in a conversational manner. For example, if you’re in the middle of a long drive, you can now ask Maps where the best place is to stop over and have a coffee break. Ask Maps will provide directions, a potential itinerary, and even helpful links to book a reservation ahead of time.

Now, availability for both of these features is still a bit limited. Immersive View is rolling out today to compatible devices and vehicles in the United States. Further, availability will expand over the coming months.

Meanwhile, Ask Maps is available now in the United States and India for Android and iOS. A desktop version is coming soon.

SEE ALSO: Google Maps is finally getting a power saving mode

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Apple Music, TikTok launch Play Full Song, a new music discovery experience

Rolling out worldwide exclusively through Apple Music

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Ever came across a viral 15 or 30-second music snippet on TikTok that instantly became your jam on repeat?

For years, TikTok has been a regular source of songs that have become part of our playlists. And together with Apple Music, listening to the music you discover has just gotten even easier.

That’s through Play Full Song, a new music discovery experience, which launches exclusively though Apple Music.

With the new feature, Apple Music subscribers can now enjoy full-length tracks that they discover on TikTok. That’s without ever leaving that popular streaming app.

Fans who discover a song that they love on their For You or Sound Detail page can simply tap the Play Full Song button to open up an Apple Music player and enjoy the song in its entirety.

From there, subscribers can continue listening to a personalized stream of recommended songs. That means no more need to switch apps and search separately.

The new Play Full Song experience helps music fans move seamlessly from the moment of discovery to deeper listening. It’s also designed to be instant and all within the same environment.

Moreover, users can also save their favorite songs to Your Music and add them directly to their Apple Music playlists.

Built using Apple’s MusicKit, full-length song playback takes place on Apple Music. This way, streams are paid within the Apple Music service, supporting artists and rights holders while giving fans a smooth, uninterrupted experience.

Listening Party also launched

The feature builds on the success of TikTok’s Add to Music App. This was previously launched to help artists and fans convert discovery on TikTok to a playlist save in Apple Music and other streaming services.

To cap the announcement, TikTok and Apple Music are also introducing Listening Party. This new feature is designed to bring artists and fans together around music.

It creates a shared environment where fans can listen to songs from their favorite artists in real time, interact with each her, and engage directly with the artist during the session.

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