Apps

Now Playing: HBO Go Edition

Quick to-watch list you can check out

Published

September 28, 2021

Rodneil Quiteles

HBO Go is an often overlooked streaming app. However, there’s more than a handful of gems here that are worthy of being included in your to watch list. Here are my personal recommendations.

Godzilla vs Kong

The pandemic hasn’t been kind to the cinema-going crowd in the Philippines. Movie theaters remain closed thanks largely to the government’s lackluster pandemic response. But that’s a topic for another day. Due to this, we’ve missed going to the movies and seeing blockbusters like Godzilla vs Kong. Thankfully, HBO Go is here to the rescue.

This kaiju showdown is one of many huge films we missed seeing in cinemas. But now, it’s available on HBO Go along with other movies released in 2021 like Space Jam: A New Legacy.

On The Job: The Missing 8

Speaking of the atrocities that go on behind the scenes of the politics in the Philippines, the long-awaited follow-up to 2013’s On The Job will also stream on HBO Go. The movie will stream as a six-episode series on HBO Go. The first three episodes will show the events of the 2013 film and the last three episodes will follow the events of The Missing 8.

The story is set in a Philippines that’s leading up to a presidential election. It’s a timely watch for Filipinos that can hopefully be eye-opening for registered voters.

The Newsroom

This 2012 series depicts a fictional, dramatized version of a broadcast team. It follows an ensemble of cast members featuring everyone from the newscaster to other newsroom staffers.

While it is indeed, dramatized, it’s still a pretty good look at what a sector of “the media” goes through. It’s a recommended watch for people who wish to be a little demystified about media work. It shows some of the unglamorous side of news, the battle with executives for views/clicks, and the consequences of bungling a major news story.

For people like myself who have previous experience of working in different types of newsrooms, be ready to get war flashbacks if you decide to binge-watch this series.

Superman and Lois

Superman and Lois is likely the best live action adaptation we’ve had of the Big Blue Boy Scout. Instead of a brooding god-like figure trying to figure out how to coexist with humanity, the Superman in this series is more akin to his comic origin — an earnest, clumsy farm boy who uses his abilities to save people.

To ground Supes a little bit, the story features Clark balancing his duties as Superman and as a husband and father. The married couple dynamic between Lois and Clark is refreshing. Just as refreshing is the brotherly chemistry between their twins Jon and Jordan Kent. It’s a thoughtful take on Superman and one that everyone should see.

Teen Titans

Yes, the cool-looking one. Unceremoniously replaced by Teen Titans: Go (which is also available on HBO Go), this early 2000s series is a show I used to watch religiously as a… much younger person. It’s the first animated series in the 2000s to heavily feature sidekicks and tells various stories of friendship and teamwork.

While we’re at it, the HBO Go app is a treasure trove of DC animated series and movies. Classics like Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Flashpoint Paradox, and many more are available to wash-off the aftertaste of the DCEU.

Emmy Nominated

For some really quality shows, available on HBO Go are all of the Emmy Nominated shows. These include Lovecraft Country, Mare of Easttown, and The Flight Attendant, and more.

Watch on a big screen

These are all best experienced on a bigger screen. However, not just any big screen will do. It has to be the Samsung Neo QLED. We have an entire feature detailing why it’s an awesome TV. But that’s not all. If you purchase any participating Samsung TV product, you also get six (6) months worth of subscription to HBO Go.

You’ll have no shortage of fantastic shows and movies to watch with this HBO Go and Samsung TV combo. This offer is available until November 31, 2021.

Related Topics:Godzilla vs Kong HBO Go On The Job: The Missing 8 Samsung Neo QLED Superman and Lois Teen Titans The Newsroom

Apps

The No-Nonsense guide to mid-year shopping

Let AI do the heavy lifting for you this Lazada 6.6 Super WOW Sale

Published

June 5, 2026

MJ Jucutan

The mid-year sale season is here, but the days of mindless impulse buying are over.

Shoppers are shifting toward intentional, value-driven decisions, focusing on quality, authenticity, and actual utility over flashy, low-quality gimmicks.

From 8:00 PM on June 5 until 11:59 PM on June 8, 2026, the Lazada 6.6 Super WOW Sale is dropping major discounts. But the real win is using the platform’s tools to maximize your budget.

Lock in the baseline discounts

Before diving into specific items, map out how to stack the core offers.

You can stretch your money by hunting down LazFlash Deals for up to 90% off, collecting up to PhP 3,000 in stackable vouchers, and ensuring every order qualifies for the free shipping offers available throughout the event.

True value comes from combining these three layers of savings on things you already need.

Jisulife: One of the participating, trusted brands you can get from LazMall

Filter for authentic value

Shopping smart means avoiding the trap of “too good to be true” counterfeits that end up in the trash.

Data shows a massive consumer shift toward trusted quality, with LazMall growth vastly outperforming standard listings during major sales.

To ensure your money goes toward genuine products with real warranties, restrict your browsing to official, brand-certified stores.

If you are upgrading your tech, parenting gear, or wardrobe, look to trusted names anchoring the sale like UGREEN, JisuLife, ANTA, Maserati Watches, Momcozy, and O.TWO.O.

UGREEN: One of the participating, trusted brands you can get from LazMall

Outsmart the noise with built-in tech

Don’t waste hours scrolling through endless listings or guessing which product is better.

The smartest way to navigate a massive mid-year event is to let the platform’s built-in features cut through choice paralysis.

Tools like AI Lazzie and AI Picks allow you to instantly compare similar items, analyze prices, and get personalized recommendations based on actual data rather than generic marketing hype.

Smart Shopper Tip: True value is a mix of the right price, verified authenticity, and a seamless return policy. Use this sale period to stock up on everyday essentials and high-quality upgrades rather than panic-buying items you’ll regret later.

Apps

Meta adds subscriptions for Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp

Published

May 28, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Is your wallet buckling from the weight of so many subscription services? Well, Meta has a trio of new subscriptions for you to sink your hard-earned cash towards. If you have a few dollars, here’s Facebook Plus, Instagram Plus, and WhatsApp Plus.

All three subscriptions are designed to add new features which can enhance the experience for those who practically live on these apps. Among the three, Instagram Plus is the meatiest. It offers users the ability to view other people’s Stories without showing up as a viewer, create more tailored audiences outside of Close Friends, and extend the duration of a Story beyond 24 hours, among others.

View this post on Instagram

Since it shares similarities with Instagram, Facebook Plus offers much of the same features. WhatsApp Plus, however, offers more customization options including new themes, ringtones, and stickers.

If that’s not enough, Meta has also released a new subscription system for Meta AI. Though the basic use of the AI is still free, the new Meta One Plus and Meta One Premium plans offer more capacity and performance for power users. The company is also testing new creator-focused plans, Meta One Essential and Meta One Advanced.

Of course, the new AI-based plans are more focused on those who actually use the AI software. Meanwhile, the three app plans are more for regular users. Facebook Plus and Instagram Plus will cost US$ 3.99 per month. Meanwhile, WhatsApp Plus will cost US$ 2.99 per month.

Apps

Meta quietly launches Forum app for Facebook Groups

The app highlights discussions from Facebook Groups.

Published

May 22, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Since the rise of other platforms, Facebook Groups haven’t enjoyed as much popularity anymore. Despite this (or maybe even to help with this), Meta has unleashed an all-new app called Forum.

Designed specifically with Facebook Groups in mind, Forum collates discussions from Groups that the user might be interested in. Much like the websites of the same name from the 2000s, the app wants to feature conversations, rather than canned content that the algorithm shoves towards users on the main Facebook feed.

Users can also ask questions. Forum will sift through real discussions to find an answer. The closest analog today is searching Reddit for troubleshooting questions to get answers based on human experience. The main feed of the new app, however, feels more in tune with Quora’s concept.

That said, it’s a refreshing way to bring social media back to human-made feeds. It’s also a stark admission that the main Facebook feed (and, frankly, Instagram too) is just too inundated with content that users are not interested in.

Lately, Instagram also made the same admission by launching its own “lightweight” app called Instants. Like Forum, Instants was made to recapture the essence of Instagram before the rise of the almighty algorithm.

Forum, however, was launched with much less fanfare than Instants. There was no announcement. Rather, it’s just a casual drop from out of nowhere. The app is available now on the App Store and the Play Store.