Apps

After years of settling, Twitter is finally waking up to new features

There’s so many of them in 2021

Published

May 6, 2021

Shivam Vahia

Twitter has been around for a long time, and it has changed a lot since its debut. The micro-blogging platform was infamous for its 140 character limit, an intentional limitation that ensured everything on the site is short, crisp, and to the point. It’s no surprise that Twitter became the go-to website for news, independent alerts, and much more within no time.

Although, if you’ve been a Twitter user for a decade, you’ll know that the platform hasn’t changed much in all these years. Twitter did increase the length limit to 280 characters in 2017, but it had little change in the overall behavior of users. Twitter was always an easy-to-use “blog,” and it was happy being in its little inconquerable bubble.

Things are changing fast this year as Twitter aggressively adds new features and intends to open a subscription model soon. Obviously, there won’t be any change in the way we tweet or interact, but the number of features we have will surely increase. The platform is still silent about the most asked feature — the edit button on tweets. But rest assured, the classic Twitter experience isn’t going away anytime soon.

In fact, it’s going to get a lot more interesting as the platform now supports Spaces, a feature that allows users to join virtual rooms where they can engage in real-time audio conversations with others. Instead of typing, why not just talk candidly to all your followers?

Twitter began working on the audio-chat feature in November 2020, and it was available for beta and alpha users a few months ago. It’s now ready for public use, and any user with more than 600 followers can create a room and start talking. Audio-only features are the trend, and every company, including Facebook and Spotify, is doubling down on it.

Twitter has also confirmed that it is working on an upcoming feature called “Ticket Spaces.” This feature will allow users to create Spaces that require others to purchase a ticket to join. The platform has never been so keen on monetization, but the shift in strategy is clearly visible. Hosts will earn the majority of revenue from ticket sales, while Twitter will pocket a small fee.

In January 2021, Twitter discreetly acquired Revue, a Dutch startup that allows users to publish and monetize email newsletters. Just like SubStack, Revue lets you create your own newsletter and monetize it. However, what’s special here is, the newsletter is now integrated within Twitter. So, it makes it easier to persuade your existing followers to subscribe, helping you directly monetize your reach on Twitter.

The feature is already available on Twitter’s web app. Many say that a newsletter doesn’t work in Twitter’s favor, but the company tends to disagree.

“Many established writers and publishers have built their brand on Twitter, amassing an audience that’s hungry for the next article or perspective they Tweet. Our goal is to make it easy for them to connect with their subscribers while also helping readers better discover writers and their content. We’re imagining many ways to do this, from allowing people to sign up for newsletters from their favorite follows on Twitter to new settings for writers to host conversations with their subscribers. It will all work seamlessly,” said Kayvon, Product Lead at Twitter.

New functionality isn’t the only thing that’s keeping the engineers busy. The platform has always attracted controversy due to moderation, troll attacks, and indecent behavior. Thousands of accounts are removed every week to ensure community guidelines are followed to maintain a safe space for everyone.

In 2020, the company began testing a new safety mechanism that prompts users to reconsider before they reply to a tweet using “harmful” language.

If a user types out a reply with any of the language that the company has deemed harmful, they’ll see a warning message asking, “Want to review this before tweeting? We’re asking people to review replies with potentially harmful or offensive language.”

While this may not seem like much, previous reports have shown that these minor design-based hurdles help curb negativity. Based on trials, Twitter said that 34 percent of people revised their initial reply after seeing the prompt or chose not to send the reply at all.

Lastly, Twitter has changed the way its algorithm crops a picture to show it on the timeline. Now, when users tweet a photo uploaded with their iOS or Android device, it will appear in the timeline in its entirety. There’ll be no cropping, so you won’t be forced to open the picture and see all the details.

Earlier, the algorithm would determine the most sensible part of the picture, crop it, and show a preview on the feed. This prompted many to share memes that could be completely seen only when the picture is opened. Else, it could look context-free and random. While most users are cheering the minor change, many feel that the surprise element behind seeing a photo is now gone. Fair to say, it’s going to be impossible to please everyone!

Though, we’d really appreciate it if Twitter could give us an edit button as well.

Read Also: Twitter acquires ad-removing news app Scroll

Related Topics:Revue Scroll Tweet Twitter Twitter Crop Twitter Newsletter Twitter Spaces Twitter Subscription

Apps

Live NBA action on Disney Plus now available in the Philippines

Stream the live action starting November 20th

Published

November 19, 2025

GadgetMatch

The NBA will now stream live on Disney+ as well for Filipino fans as part of a multi-year agreement.

This marks an expansion of Disney and ESPN’s global relationship with the NBA, bringing live coverage to the streaming platform for the first time.

ESPN, of course, is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is one of the latter’s major divisions.

Under the agreement, fans in the Philippines will get closer to courtside action with special access to live NBA games. There’s also ESPN’s award-winning documentaries and live broadcasts of NBA Countdown too.

Moreover, fans can tune in to legendary voices Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley in real-time with NBA Tip-Off and Inside the NBA.

NBA on Disney+ will officially start on Thursday, November 20 morning (November 19 in the United States) with a double-header featuring these match-ups:

Houston Rockets at Cleveland Cavaliers (8:00 A.M.)
New York Knicks at Dallas Mavericks (10:30 A.M.)

Disney+ subscribers will be able to live stream select regular season and playoff games, including marquee events like NBA on Christmas Day, NBA Draft, the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, and select Summer League Games.

The agreement also includes one NBA Conference Finals series live. Another Conference Finals series and the NBA Finals will both be available to stream on delay as well.

Apps

Don’t get tricked: Spot these financial monsters before they get you

Ghosts are harmless compared to these real-life threats that prey on your hard-earned money.

Published

October 31, 2025

Her

The spooky season has arrived, but not all monsters wear masks. Some hide behind fake links and shady offers designed to trick you into giving up your hard-earned money.

These are the real-life financial monsters: fraudsters, impersonators, and manipulators who turn everyday moments into horror stories.

According to the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, 32% of Filipinos have fallen victim to digital fraud in the past year. And while it’s tempting to think you’d never fall for one, scammers are getting smarter and more creative.

Here’s what to watch out for:

Suspicious links and emails.

Those random texts and emails saying “there’s a problem with your account” or “you’ve won a prize”? They’re classic traps.

Scammers disguise themselves as legitimate companies to steal your information or access your accounts. Always double-check the sender’s address. If it looks off, don’t click.

Grammar gone wrong.

If a message is full of weird typos, awkward phrasing, or off punctuation, that’s a red flag.

Reputable companies review every message they send. When in doubt, don’t reply. Report it to authorities like the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group or the NBI.

Urgent and emotional messages.

Scammers love to pressure you. They’ll make you feel scared or guilty to get you to act fast.

Real companies won’t threaten or rush you into sharing personal info. Take a breath, hang up, and reach out to the official hotline to verify.

Deals that sound too good to be true.

If someone promises instant money or massive discounts, run. These scams often demand “processing fees” or personal info before disappearing. No legitimate prize will ever require payment upfront.

Behind every scam is a story of someone who deserved better. Sometimes, what started as a simple loan application can turn into a nightmare if a rogue online lender decides to harass someone over payments they didn’t even fully receive.

It’s a familiar story for many Filipinos who’ve been preyed on by unregistered or unethical financial services.

Thankfully, more responsible lenders and financial platforms today (Tala, for example) are working to raise awareness and fight back against these threats.

Some even use advanced systems to flag suspicious behavior, partner with authorities for investigations, and educate communities through financial literacy programs.

At the end of the day, awareness is your strongest defense. So this Halloween, stay sharp because protecting your peace (and your money) will always be the sweetest treat.

Apps

Microsoft is hiding a cheaper subscription from you

Here’s how to access it.

Published

October 29, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

It’s nothing new that most productivity subscriptions these days are forcing AI onto their subscribers to justify higher prices. Microsoft, for example, now bundles its Microsoft 365 subscriptions with Copilot and other AI-powered features. However, most users don’t really need or want these features. Apparently, the company recognizes this and offers a cheaper subscription without Copilot. It’s been hidden though, and now Microsoft is in trouble for keeping it hidden.

A few days ago, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is suing Microsoft foMicrosoft is ending support for Windows 10r allegedly hiding a cheaper subscription tier and effectively forcing users into a pricier tier (via Reuters). In the country, the price of an individual annual subscription rose by 45 percent.

Currently, the regular tier, dubbed Microsoft 365, packs in access to Microsoft Office, 1TB of OneDrive storage, and Copilot. The allegedly hidden tier contains everything above except Copilot. The Australian organization claims that the company did not clearly tell users about the cheaper subscription.

As a result, the ACCC wants Microsoft to pay around AUD 50 million per breach of the country’s consumer laws. The court is still investigating the ACCC’s claims.

How to access the cheaper subscription

Though the lawsuit is in Australia, the subscription is hidden for most users around the world. Because of how difficult it is to access, the ACCC does have a substantial claim that the company is intentionally hiding the tier. Here’s how to access it:

The tier, officially called Microsoft 365 Personal Classic (or Family Classic), isn’t available if you just go through Microsoft’s list of subscriptions. Currently (and as far as we can tell), you need to attempt to cancel your ongoing subscription. Only after then will Microsoft offer you the cheaper subscription without Copilot or any AI features.

According to Microsoft’s website, the cost of a regular subscription costs PhP 4,899 per year (or PhP 489 per month). In comparison, the cost of the Classic subscription costs only PhP 3,499 per year, which is what the regular subscription used to cost per year.

Is there a risk with going Classic?

Switching to the Classic subscription naturally begs the question: What happens when you go for a subscription that Microsoft desperately wants to hide?

Nothing, really.

If you don’t need Copilot, the Classic subscription saves you from paying for an unnecessary feature. Even if you can just turn off Copilot on a regular subscription, you’re still paying for it.

That said, Microsoft does say that there is a risk. The Classic subscription is just a “limited” option, meaning that there is a chance that the company will stop offering the tier for users.

Currently, Microsoft has not said anything about when (or if) this is happening. It’s also possible that the company might just gatekeep some upcoming features from Classic.

For now, Microsoft 365 Classic remains the only way to keep the subscription price low.