News

How Globe, Smart, and PLDT are responding to COVID-19’s threat

From free speed boost to extended bills payment

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Due to the rising cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines, the whole island of Luzon has been placed on a lockdown or what the government prefers to call “enhanced community quarantine.” Public utility companies, for their part, have already limited physical transactions. However, they are reassuring the public that they will continue to provide services during these difficult times.

Telecommunications operators like Globe, Smart, and PLDT have released their own advisory to meet the guidelines for enhanced quarantine on the whole island. Here’s how they are responding to the public heath crisis brought by COVID-19 outbreak:

Advisories are subject to change. We will update this article for new developments. Hit refresh from time to time to see these updates.

Bill payment extension

Globe, Smart, and PLDT are extending their payment period again for 30 days soon after the lockdown period was extended until April 30. However, this extension doesn’t mean that the operators will give a free one-month service to its customers. The billing cycle of each operator will continue. So, you will still pay a hefty amount for using their service for the duration of the lockdown.

Free speed and data boost from PLDT and Smart

PLDT customers are entitled to a free speed boost during the lockdown. But that comes with a big “if”. If you’re not a PLDT Fibr customer nor a resident from Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal, then you’re out of luck. Still, those within the speed boost criteria gets a decent 25 Mbps boost, irrespective of the Fibr plan that the customers have.

Smart Signature Plan subscribers are also getting a boost on their mobile data for the next 30 days. Every postpaid plan gets an increase in consumable data. To know the new mobile data limits for every plan, head over to Smart’s website.

Free, unlimited WiFi on critical areas

It is important for the medical workers to stay connected with their friends and families during these crucial moments. Battling an outbreak that has the potential to spread to more people is a risky and important task. Smart and Globe recognizes this fact, and they are offering free and unlimited Internet access to select areas via their WiFi stations.

Adjusted store operating hours

PLDT and Smart are also adjusting their store hours to comply with the enhanced quarantine guidelines. Meanwhile, Globe announced that they are closing all of their physical stores from March 16 to 22. Globe customers must resort to their online store or hotline support during these days.

SEE ALSO:
How to disinfect your tech from the coronavirus
8 apps to use when working 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

Lifestyle

Nike’s Alphafly 4 is built for the part of the marathon ~that actually hurts~

Made to protect your stride when fatigue sets in.

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Every marathoner knows the exact moment the race truly begins.

It’s not at the starting line amidst the early morning excitement, but around the 32-kilometer mark, when your legs begin to feel heavy and your form starts to fall apart.

Nike designed its latest marathon racer specifically for that critical window. The Alphafly 4 shifts the focus away from chasing sheer top-end speed, targeting instead the physical breakdown that happens late in a long run.

By studying how fatigue alters a runner’s mechanics over time, Nike rebuilt its flagship distance shoe to help athletes maintain their stride when energy starts to dip.

Holding the line when fatigue sets in

On the road, the shoe operates as a complete, unified system designed to protect your stride.

A redesigned Atomknit upper wraps the foot with breathable support, using targeted midfoot cables and an integrated heel unit to keep your fit secure without adding unnecessary weight or friction over long distances.

Underfoot, the new ZoomX LT foam layer works alongside Nike’s contoured carbon-fiber Flyplate. The lighter foam returns maximum energy with every footfall, while the plate smooths out your rolling motion.

Together with dual forefoot Air Zoom units and a durable Fast Shot outsole, the setup keeps your cadence consistent and your legs feeling fresh well into the back half of the race.

As Emily Farina from the Nike Sport Research Lab notes, their goal was to help runners stay confident, balanced, and capable from the start line all the way to the finish.

Built on the miles that came before

That focus on real-world endurance stems directly from athlete testing.

Nike developed the shoe using feedback from its Project Dreamweaver initiative and extensive trials with women distance runners, prioritizing stability and comfort alongside high performance.

The lineage carries significant weight. The Alphafly family has grounded some of distance running’s greatest moments, from historic sub-two-hour efforts to major course records.

With the Alphafly 4, that legacy translates directly into everyday marathon training, helping athletes hold their target pace just a little bit longer. Marathoners won’t have to wait long to feel the difference on race day.

The Nike Alphafly 4 drops in an early, limited release on September 17 at nike.com, followed by a wider global release on October 29 online and at select retail stores.

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Entertainment

SEGA, Netflix announce Crazy Taxi film adaptation

1st in planned slate of film adaptations, including Sonic and STRANGER THAN HEAVEN

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SEGA and Netflix have announced a new Crazy Taxi film adaptation. This will usher in a new collaboration era with the parties also developing adaptations for Sonic and STRANGER THAN HEAVEN.

Such a slate of future adaptations reflects the range of SEGA’s library as it draws on Netflix’s experience bringing beloved game worlds to new audiences.

The first project features Crazy Taxi, which will be written by Dan Gregor and Doug Mand. The beloved writing duo was behind the 2025 reboot of The Naked Gun.

Also on board to help helm the production are the same visionaries behind the Sonic franchise: Neal H. Moritz, Toby Ascher, and Toru Nakahara.

Crazy Taxi has been an arcade hit since 1999, putting players behind the wheel of a fearless cabbie racing the clock through chaotic city streets.

There’s flying off ramps, dodging traffic, and chasing tips with punk-rock energy that has become the series’ signature.

The latest title in the franchise, Crazy Taxi: World Tour, is set for a 2027 release. You can watch its trailer below:

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Finance

HONOR, Fidesmo partner for contactless payments across Europe, Middle East

Enabling contactless payments on the HONOR Watch 6

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HONOR and Fidesmo have partnered to launch contactless payments across Europe and the Middle East on the HONOR Watch 6.

Powered by Fidesmo Pay, the integration enables users to connect an existing Mastercard or Visa card to their watch and complete contactless transactions directly from the wearable device.

This brings Fidesmo’s network of over 900 banks and financial institutions to HONOR’s customers. Users can connect an existing card to the HONOR Watch 6 instantly through the HONOR Health App, which installs a unique token directly onto the watch.

Acting as a secure reference to the payment method, this token allows customers to pay without storing their actual payment details on the device. Once installed, users can tap the watch at any
contactless terminal to pay, just as they would with a card or phone.

HONOR joins a group of device partners that already includes Swatch, Polar, and Mondaine as Fidesmo continues to build momentum across categories.

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