Apps

Lazada can take you on a Helicopter ride

No, we’re not kidding

Published

September 4, 2019

Rodneil Quiteles

In case it isn't clear, this is a stock image. Photo by Alec Douglas

Yes, you read that right. Lazada announced a bunch of new features and offerings ahead of their 9.9 discovery sale. Chief of which is a helicopter ride.

Teaming with Ascent, the Helicopter ride the first e-commerce exclusive helicopter flight experience in the Philippines. You can choose to either hover over Metro Manila or Tagaytay. Check out the base pricing below along with the slashed price for the 9.9 discovery sale.

Lazada Helicopter Ride

	Regular price	9.9 Discovery Sale Price
Manila Tour – 1 Pax – 15 Minutes	PhP 9,990	PhP 7,992
Manila Tour – 2 Pax – 15 Minutes	PhP 19,990	PhP 15,992
Manila Tour – 3 Pax – 15 Minutes	PhP 26,990	PhP 21,592
Manila Tour – 4 Pax – 15 Minutes	PhP 33,990	PhP 27,192
Manila Tour – 5 Pax – 15 Minutes	PhP 39,990	PhP 31,992
Manila Tour – 2 Pax – 30 Minutes	PhP 37,990	PhP 30,392
Manila Tour – 3 Pax – 30 Minutes	PhP 50,990	PhP 40,792
Manila Tour – 4 Pax – 30 Minutes	PhP 64,690	PhP 51,752
Manila Tour – 5 Pax – 30 Minutes	PhP 76,990	PhP 61,592
Taal Volcano Tour – 3 Pax – 60 Minutes	PhP 89,990	PhP 71,992
Taal Volcano Tour – 4 Pax – 60 Minutes	PhP 99,990	PhP 79,992
Taal Volcano Tour – 5 Pax – 60 Minutes	PhP 109,990	PhP 87,992

New time-saving features

If flying’s not your thing or it’s just simply outside your budget, there are other new features that can help you save both your time and your money. And that’s always a good thing.

Pre-Sale Solution

We all know how crazy fast the items go once sale day hits. Lazada knows this and is offering you a way to get first dibs on items you really, really want. To get a head start simply order the item, place a 10% non-refundable deposit, settle the balance within the validity period, then wait for your order to arrive at your doorstep.

It’s important to note that this is only available on selected items as the feature is still under testing. It was first introduced in Malaysia and the company is hoping it gains traction in the Philippines.

Bills Payment

No need to leave your home to settle those pesky bills. If you’re the type who hasn’t set up online payment, Lazada is making it easy for you. You can now pay for your Meralco, Maynilad, Manila Water, Albay Power & Energy, Davao Light, VECO, Metropolitan Cebu Water and Prime Water bills on the Lazada app.

That’s not all, you can also get up to PhP 300 cashback when bills are paid using the Lazada Wallet from now until November 2019.

Additional Collection Points

If, like me, you’re not really sure where you’ll end up at any given point of the day, then you’ll find this super helpful. The list of Lazada authorized collection points have been expanded and spread-out all-over Manila in select SM Malls and GrowSari branches. Just add to cart and select pickup instead of delivery when you shop checkout your items. You can check out the full list here.

Lazada Loans

When you badly need an item or few items but just don’t have the cash on hand, Lazada is also giving you a… well, a hand. In partnership with BillEase, pera247 and TendoPay, you can now apply for a loan for of anywhere between PhP 500 to PhP 50,000.

All you need to do is complete the application process and submit all needed requirements. Once approved, the loan amount will be credited to your Lazada Wallet which you can use upon checkout. There will be one to 12 months repayment options.

Don’t know yet what you’re buying on Lazada’s 9.9 Discovery Sale? Check out our best smartphones list for some help: Premium | Upper Midrange | Midrange | Budget

Happy Shopping!

Related Topics:Helicopter Lazada Lazada Sale

Apps

Apple Creator Studio: Creative apps bundled into single subscription

All the tools you need, one payment

Published

January 14, 2026

GadgetMatch

Apple has officially streamlined its popular creative apps into one single subscription suite with the introduction of Apple Creator Studio.

The collection includes some of the most useful apps for today’s creators: Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage.

New AI features and premium content in Keynote, Pages, and Numbers also make the Apple Creator Studio an exciting subscription suite. Freeform will eventually be added to the lineup.

The groundbreaking collection is designed to put studio-grade power into the hands of everyone. It builds on the essential role Apple devices play in the lives of millions of creators worldwide.

The apps included cover video editing, music making, creative imaging, and visual productivity to give modern creators the features and capabilities they need.

Final Cut Pro introduces exceptional new video editing tools and intelligent features for Mac and iPad.

For the first time, Pixelmator Pro is also coming to iPad with a uniquely crafted experience optimized for touch and Apple Pencil.

Logic Pro, meanwhile, for Mac and iPad introduces more intelligent features like Synth Player and Chord ID.

Apple Creator Studio will be available on the App Store beginning January 29. In the Philippines, the rates are PhP 399 a month or PhP 3,990 annually.

There is also a free one-month trial which includes access to:

Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and Pixelmator Pro on Mac and iPad
Motion, Compressor, and MainStage on Mac
Intelligent features and premium content for Keynote, Pages, Numbers, and later Freeform for iPhone, iPad, and Mac

College students and educators can subscribe for a discounted price of PhP 149 per month or PhP 1,490 per year.

Apps

Apple gives up on making AI, inks a deal with Gemini to power Siri

Gemini gets another feather in its cap.

Published

January 14, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

In the not-too-long-ago past, the biggest names of the tech industry competed to build their own AI software. Now, though some brands are still on the hunt, it’s easier to name certain software that have more successfully drowned users in a flood of AI-powered features. Today, Google gets another win by adding Apple’s Siri to its Gemini cap.

In the past, Apple peddled Apple Intelligence, an upcoming AI-powered system to compete against the giants of the industry. However, much like other features from other brands, Apple Intelligence came out half baked with features still lacking months after the initial launch.

Now, Apple has signed a deal with Google to use Gemini for a revamped Siri. The former plans to launch a new version of Siri later this year. Because of the deal, the voice assistant will start using Gemini as a foundation for its own services. Currently, Samsung’s Galaxy AI already uses Gemini.

Formerly a battleground between so many competing brands, it’s now looking like a battle between two major companies: Google and OpenAI. Google now has a huge grip, though. Both Samsung and Apple are no slouches when it comes to owning market share in the world’s smartphones.

Now, as consumers, Apple’s deal probably doesn’t mean much besides the continued influx of features that add little to no value to a smartphone.

Apps

Microsoft continues to shove Copilot where it’s not wanted

This time, it’s reportedly coming to File Explorer.

Published

January 14, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

If you look at a modern keyboard, you’ll find that the Copilot button is the cleanest one on the entire panel because no one ever willingly presses it. And yet, Microsoft still believes in the feature’s value. To show their odd commitment, the company is reportedly adding Copilot to File Explorer.

According to @phantomofearth from X (via Windows Central), a new Windows 11 preview build will add a button beside File Explorer’s navigation menu. Currently, the button is invisible and doesn’t do anything. However, the report says that the feature is tied to something called “Chat with Copilot.” It’s becoming clear that the system aims to add the AI software right inside the file organization app.

Besides revealing the potential addition of the egregious feature inside File Explorer, @phantomofearth also added mock-ups of a desktop with Copilot right on the taskbar, hinting at a potential nightmare of the feature lording itself over where it’s not wanted.

Thankfully, the preview build doesn’t always represent a final version of the system. There’s still a chance that Microsoft will not add the AI to the File Explorer.

As of late, Microsoft has received a lot of flak for persistently pushing Copilot onto users, regardless of how they feel about the feature. The company is also facing criticisms in the background for being a major proponent of AI data centers in the United States, which, in turn, have caused the prices of tech to skyrocket this year.