Apps

Still single? Bumble’s ‘Blind’ Dating may be for you

Prioritize personality over physical attraction

Published

April 4, 2023

Martynne De Leon

In these modern times, who hasn’t tried Bumble? Apart from being one of the most common entryway to online dating, Bumble is quite popular as the app that changed the dating landscape by letting women make the first move.

I’ve tried Bumble myself, and while it’s fun meeting different people, I can say that sometimes it gets tiring to swipe endlessly and start multiple conversations. I honestly don’t have that much energy to stay in the app for too long.

Enter, Bumble Speed Dating.

What is Speed Dating and how does it work?

Bumble’s newest feature brings retro speed dating events to the online dating experience, allowing members to go in ‘blind’ and prioritize personality over physical attraction.

Every 7-8 p.m. on Thursdays, Bumble activates their Speed Dating event in the Philippine region. You will be paired with someone based on your listed preferences, and the conversation will last around 3 minutes.

But here’s the catch: you won’t have any idea who you are talking to until the 3 minutes is up. That means, the chat will automatically end after the third minute, and only after then you’ll get to view each other’s Bumble profile.

Now, you have the option to continue talking to them, or move on to another chat. If you and the other person choose to continue, they will be added to your matched messages where you can continue your conversation.

You can leave the event anytime, or you can end your current conversation before the time is up and chat with someone new.

This newest feature is perfect for those who don’t have much time in their hands. You can set aside at least an hour in a day to find your match. It also adds thrill and mystery, especially in the first few minutes.

Bumble’s APAC Communications Director, Lucille McCart says: “Bumble’s new Speed Dating experience in the app brings the fun back to dating in 2023”

This feature creates intrigue and anticipation in a low-pressure environment, and allows the Bumble community to build connections based on personality and shared interests, which are much truer indicators of compatibility than looks. According to Bumble, the majority (77%) of their user community in the PH said they are more focused on emotional maturity than physical requirements.

Recommend a friend!

Screenshots no more! You can directly recommend a potential date to a friend by simply forwarding their profle link. It’s like the online version of “reto”

If you come across a profile on Bumble that’s not right for you but might be for someone you know, you can now directly share a link to their Bumble profile.

According to McCart, “We all know that feeling when you come across a profile that ticks all the boxes of your bestie. Now you can help your friends find dates by sharing the profile of their perfect match with them.”

Compliments

Compliments is a message before match feature that allows members to stand out by sending a note before connecting.

McCart says: “At Bumble we believe in the power of positivity and kindness, and that when a compliment is the foundation of a conversation, you are setting the stage for the connection to begin in the best possible way. Sending a compliment on Bumble can be as simple as sending a kind message when you come across someone’s profile whom you share a common interest with, such as music taste or favourite movie.”

While this sounds fun, sending compliments is limited, so make sure you give them to the person who really made a big profile impression!

Ready to meet someone special? Download Bumble on PlayStore or iOS.

Related Topics:Blind Dating Bumble Speed Dating

Apps

YouTube makes picture-in-picture mode free for everyone globally

The update is rolling out globally now.

Published

April 30, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Picture-in-picture (or PiP) mode is a godsend for multitaskers. The feature lets users watch videos in a tiny floating window while doing other tasks. However, the feature isn’t readily available for all users. Or wasn’t, at least. YouTube is now rolling out PiP mode for free globally.

Previously, PiP mode was exclusive to YouTube users who pay for Premium or Premium Lite. It was also exclusive to the United States.

Now, YouTube is making the feature completely free for users all over the globe. It will be available for both iOS and Android versions of the app.

There’s still a catch, though. The free version is available only for “longform, non-music content.” The same goes for Premium Lite subscribers. Music is still an exclusive feature for those who pay for the regular version of Premium. Basically, there is no change for paying users or users in the United States.

Using PiP mode is simple. All you need to do is load up a video you want to watch in the background. Then, just exit the YouTube app and go about your other tasks. The video will be inside a floating, resizable window while you look at other things.

There’s no timeline on when the update will reach your device. However, YouTube has promised that it will roll out globally within the coming months.

Apps

Google might be moving away from flat design

Bye bye, Material Design.

Published

April 27, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

It’s time to kindly shove off, flat design. After over a decade of Google’s Material Design, Android is finally showing signs of ditching flat, monotonous colors. In a series of logo redesigns, Google is reportedly trying out gradients as its latest reinvention.

As spotted by 9to5Google, Google is moving forward with incorporating gradients into its designs. Previously, the company started changing the icons of a few first-party apps including Photos and Maps. Now, it seems that the new design philosophy will reach the rest of Google’s suite.

In the obtained designs, the rest of Google’s plethora of apps will no longer look static. The splash of gradient adds the feeling of layering without losing the company’s roots in flat design. Docs and Sheets, for example, look like a light shining on pieces of paper.

Image source: 9to5Google

It’s unknown when Google plans to incorporate the new philosophy. However, with Google I/O coming fast, it’s fair to bet that an update might come out around that time, especially since that event’s logo already has gradients.

Google’s evolution is not without its precedent. Besides the company’s small trial previously, Apple’s iOS has also made inroads into more three-dimensional designs with the new Liquid Glass. However, unlike Apple, Google’s newest design is a far cry from the former’s return to Windows Vista aesthetics.

Personally, I don’t mind the transition to 3D, as long as it’s done well. Though still visually pleasing, flat design has started overstaying its welcome. It’s time to try something new.

Apps

Significantly better ChatGPT Images 2.0 launches

Stronger creative reasoning, better design output, more formats, improved overall experience

Published

April 22, 2026

GadgetMatch

OpenAI has launched ChatGPT Images 2.0. This updated image generation model has a meaningful jump over competitors and its current ImageGen 1.5.

Now available across ChatGPT, Codex and the API, Images 2.0 delivers stronger creative reasoning, better design output, more flexible formats, and a faster, more intuitive user experience.

Paid users (Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise) will benefit from a more advanced image experience (ImageGen Thinking 2.0). The state-of-the-art model can take on complex visual tasks and produce precise and immediately usable visuals.

ChatGPT Images 2.0 is likewise better for creative and professional use cases. It has a significantly better performance at producing text-heavy assets, infographics, product mockups, UI concepts, and more structured visuals.

Moreover, users can generate images in a wider range of aspect ratios. The outputs are limitless, from posters to comics or anime to detailed infographics to simple images. API users, on the other hand, will also have access to 4K resolution.

To try the upgraded image generation model, simply head to ChatGPT and select “Images” in the sidebar.

Users will be able to see the top five prompts as well, curated by OpenAI, for them to try. This is to highlight the capabilities of the new model.

Overall, ChatGPT Images 2.0 offers a more seamless experience on mobile, web, and desktop. The intuitive user experience includes improved prompt suggestions, loading states, editing features, and multi-output views.