Apps

7 essential apps for young professionals

An urban dweller’s must-haves!

Published

January 30, 2020

MJ Jucutan

Most of us rely on our apps to connect, work, and move. Switching between apps, doing work, messaging people — everything can be done in a single tap. I’d be lying if I said apps didn’t help improve my life. It offered me convenience, and as a young 20-something in the midst of his blossoming career, apps made me more efficient and productive.

When I attended Social Media Week in Manila, I was reminded of how my life depended on my apps. The event tackled how apps are changing our lifestyle, behavior, and culture — it might even be bringing the worst in us.

As a young adult filled with hope, I believe apps bring the best in us — not the worst. The only time apps will make a negative impact in our lives is when you abuse it. Always, always use it sparingly. Believing that apps aren’t inherently bad, here are apps that definitely make any young adult’s life easier.

Grab

After Uber left my country, Grab took over. While I hate monopoly, Grab made itself indispensable, hosting a full suite of services that everyone would badly need in the worsening living condition in the metro. From taxis, private cars, to express shipping, and even food deliveries — Grab ingrained itself in our lives, it’s going to make you wonder: “What was life before Grab?”

Zomato

As an urban dwelling young adult, Zomato has been essential for my date nights. It suggests restaurants and cafes which would make my life easier when deciding for a place to eat with my beau. Hangouts and catch up with friends are also easier, with their 1+1 or 2+2 promo, allowing us to eat at our heart’s content without spending too much.

Google

If there’s one thing that you should have on your smartphone, it’s Google’s mobile apps. It has everything you need — Chrome, Search, GMail, Maps, Drive, Calendar, Contacts, you name it! Work and life would be a lot easier if you have these. Trust me.

Klook

Traveling has been one of every young adult’s goals they hope to achieve before turning 30. In case you didn’t know, travel is eighty percent planning. As a frequent traveler, Klook made my trips easier, allowing me to buy mobile sim cards, book a tour, and get discounts even before I arrive at my destination. Klook, in a sense, can save you time, money, and headaches so you can focus on the adventure waiting for you.

YouTube

There’s more to YouTube than vlogs and music videos. If you use YouTube right, you can get tips on how to achieve your fitness dreams, some DIY crafts to keep you occupied, styling tips, gadget reviews, and more. By now, you already know that learning doesn’t stop at school. If you want to commit to self-development, YouTube can be your university — hosting courses that appeal to your interests.

Instagram/TikTok

Just like YouTube, Instagram is more than just aesthetically-pleasing photos and TikTok is more than just a collection of wacky, senseless short videos. Both apps are changing the way we consume content, with young adults using Instagram and its Stories feature more to connect and update with friends and the people they admire. Tiktok, on the other hand, is becoming a platform for the younger generation. Nonetheless, both Instagram and TikTok can provide inspiration and laughter — if you scour and follow the right accounts.

GCash/PayMaya

Banks might be leaning towards apps for accessibility and convenience, but GCash and PayMaya revolutionize the way we handle our finances. Through these apps, we can transfer charge-free between banks albeit it’s a tedious process. On the other hand, you can use both GCash and PayMaya to pay your bills, load your prepaid cards, and send money — while getting rebates for using their services.

Bonus: Angkas

I can’t recall how many times Angkas saved my life. When I woke up late for a meeting and I braved the horrible traffic jams to make it, Angkas was always there. The future of motorcycle taxi in the Philippines is still blurry, but every young professional must have this app to get through the metro. Don’t worry about the cost, though. You can always make money, but you can’t get back the time wasted stuck in traffic. Make the most of your youth!

Related Topics:Angkas GCash Google Grab Instagram Klook PayMaya SMW Manila Social Media Week Social Media Week Manila TikTok YouTube Zomato

Apps

Netflix suddenly resurrects 30-day free trials

It’s available only in some countries.

Published

July 13, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Over the weekend, a report emerged about Disney+ allegedly considering a new tier offered to users for absolutely free. Apparently, Disney isn’t the only one. Netflix is now resurrecting its free trial program in select countries.

Back in the day, it was easy to get into Netflix. With a 30-day free trial, you can watch the shows you’ve always wanted to catch. If you liked what you saw, you can pay the monthly fee to access the entire library without constraints. Eventually, the platform got rid of this system to favor a cheaper ad-supported tier.

Perhaps not seeing the benefits of ad-supported tiers, Netflix has suddenly resurrected its free trial program. Spotted online (via Android Authority), some countries, including Brazil and India, are experimenting with the program again. New users can get 30 days of free Netflix access.

Because only regular users are spotting this (rather than an official announcement), we don’t have a list of where the free trials are available.

Still, it’s an interesting move. Cable isn’t a thing anymore so “cutting the cable” isn’t a popular phrase anymore, but people are definitely cancelling subscriptions over rising prices. Some even rely on short clips from YouTube to catch up with their shows. Having a free trial opens up more possibilities for users, but it remains to be seen whether it’s enough for users to return to Netflix.

Apps

Disney+ might get a free tier

What would you like to see in a free Disney+ tier?

Published

July 13, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

In a world disappointingly obsessed with increasing prices beyond our means, Disney+ has miraculously remembered the phrase, “free sample.” According to a report, the streaming platform is considering making a free subscription tier.

As of late, it’s been difficult to maintain a healthy collection of streaming services. When you have to pay the equivalent of a full-course meal every month for just a single platform, you start to evaluate which ones really matter.

Perhaps feeling the sting of users leaving the platform over pricing, Disney+ is reportedly experimenting with a tier that comes at no cost to users (via Business Insider). According to two sources, adding such a tier might help the platform reach customers more.

Now, it’s still a mystery how this tier might work. Disney+ already offers an ad-supported tier, so it’s unlikely to be another one like that.

One possibility is a heavily curated feed of content either designed specifically for free users or limited exactly to give users a free sample. For the latter, think of the limited content you get on a plane. Sure, you might get the first three episodes of The Mandalorian, but you’ll have to fork over cash if you want to see the rest of the story.

And for the former, you can imagine short-form content available for free. Going back to Star Wars, you might see a short anthology series like Star Wars: Visions.

Either way, it’s an interesting concept. If the tier does offer full content, it’s a great way to get into franchises you were thinking of trying without the need to spend for a taste.

Apps

WhatsApp will introduce usernames to hide your phone number

Hide your number from others.

Published

June 30, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

WhatsApp is about to get an extra later of protection. After thriving on number-based chatting, the platform will soon add usernames, eliminating the need to share your number with strangers.

Usernames are the standard way of maintaining your anonymity online. Though most platforms today require users to log their email addresses or phone numbers, establishing a username can prevent other users from seeing this information way too easily.

Today, Meta has started rolling out reservations for WhatsApp usernames. The feature itself isn’t available yet, but early adopters can grab theirs as soon as the setting becomes available on their app.

To access the reservation, users can go to Settings > Account > Username. Of note, this isn’t available for everyone yet. But if you want to take dibs on a specific name, be on the lookout for the setting.

As for the username itself, users can reserve anything as long as it’s unique. Business owners and creators can also use their Facebook or Instagram handles as their WhatsApp usernames.

The feature, once it launches, will stop users from accessing your phone number when messaging. Similarly, other users will now need your exact username to start a conversation. Users can also set a separate code to protect conversations further.