Apps

What you need to know about the new Starbucks Rewards

Collect more stars with a few sips

Published

July 14, 2020

MJ Jucutan

Out with the old, in with the new! Starbucks Philippines freshened up its existing Rewards program to make it even more delightful to its customers.

With the new Starbucks Rewards, you can get one star with every PhP 25 spent on everything you buy — food, beverages, merchandise — in stores using your registered card or app.

When you accumulate 100 stars, it will be converted to a reward voucher. You can then choose to redeem a reward befitting your taste: a handcrafted beverage, any pastry, or even a slice of cake!

More benefits await

Starbucks’ new Rewards program brims with exciting benefits that anyone can enjoy. For starters, there’s a Double Star Registration Treat where new members can collect two stars for every PhP 25 spent on all eligible purchases for the first seven days upon successful registration.

The Double Star Days benefit is also back, but it’s not limited to the frantic holiday season. Moreover, Starbucks will offer Bonus Stars so you can collect two stars on their featured and promotional drinks.

Lastly, the Free Birthday Reward is still here and you can now choose between redeeming a food from their bakery/cafe or a complimentary handcrafted beverage.

How to be a member

The new Rewards program is exclusive for registered members only, so you have to join if you want to enjoy this exciting loyalty program. All you need to do is activate and register a Starbucks Card to Starbucks Rewards.

For existing members of My Starbucks Rewards, simply update your old password and add a new Starbucks Card to your account through the website or the updated Starbucks app, which is available on Google Play Store and the App Store.

Unlike before, you can now enjoy cashless payments and new features like automatic reloading through the Starbucks app. No more lining up to load your Starbucks card!

Say goodbye to your old Starbucks cards

FYI! Your previous Starbucks cards will stop working after July 15, 2020. This is to pave the way to the new Starbucks cards linked to the new program.

If you have an existing balance of PhP 100 or more, you can have it transferred to a free, new card. If it’s less than PhP 100, you can get a cash refund. Simply present your cards or your account on your mobile app to display the remaining balance.

The new Starbucks Rewards and Starbucks cards will be available starting July 17, 2020.

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.

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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.

Apps

Apple Sports: Free app expands globally ahead of World Cup

Personalized, intuitive experience to get fans ready for the World Cup

Published

May 20, 2026

GadgetMatch

Apple has expanded the availability of its free Apple Sports iPhone app to more than 90 new countries and regions.

This brings the app’s total global footprint to over 170 markets. The massive expansion comes just weeks before the kickoff of the 2026 FIFA World Cup this June.

It only means the standalone app is positioned as the primary real-time tracking fan for millions of football fans worldwide.

The rollout shifts Apple’s strategy toward global sports integration by providing the utility completely free of charge on the App Store.

A massive influx of international users are expected to use the app, as it provides a more direct experience — eliminating the need for third-party score tracking platforms.

As part of the personalized, real-time FIFA World Cup coverage, the app is introducing dedicated tournament features.

This includes allowing users to explore group stage standings, follow specific national teams, and view the current bracket through tournament bracket view.

In addition, visual formations for each team’s starting lineup will be provided ahead of every match.

Apple Sports is also tailored for those who have an entire ecosystem of Apple devices. The app can deliver real-time updates directly to a user’s iPhone Lock Screen and Apple Watch.

Fans can further add widgets to their iPhone, iPad, and MacBook Home Screens, and jump easily into the Apple TV app with a single tap to find live matches.