HOOQ update adds Chromecast support to mobile app

In Games, Apps, and OS by Ramon LopezLeave a Comment

HOOQ just got a lot better. The subscription video-on-demand service has just pushed an update to its mobile app, adding what it earlier promised, and what many users have been waiting for: Chromecast support. The update means you can now stream any of the 30,000-plus videos on the HOOQ platform to an HDMI-compliant TV or monitor fitted with a Chromecast dongle, which is sold separately. HOOQ now works with the Chromecast dongle, allowing you to stream any of the 30,000-plus videos on the platform to a TV with an HDMI input. Globe Telecom is currently bundling the first-generation Chromecast with broadband deals starting …

Deal alert: Select games on Google Play go on sale for just P5

In Games, Apps, and OS by Ramon LopezLeave a Comment

If you own an Android device, and you’ve been hoping to score a killer deal on quality games, then stop what you’re doing and fire up the Play Store app now. You’ll find that several titles from Electronic Arts and its subsidiary, Chillingo, can be bought from the Google app store for just P5. No, that’s not a typo. Normally, these games would cost you around P200, but for a limited time you can get them for almost nothing. If you must pick only one, at least pick Need for Speed: Most Wanted or Dead Space; from experience, they’re worth …

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How to get a refund on an Android app or game

In Games, Apps, and OS by Ramon LopezLeave a Comment

pps: They effectively turn a smartphone into a powerful tool for human connection; they’re what make owning a smartphone so compelling and inevitable for many; they’re what make a smartphone, well, smart. Without apps, there’s little reason to buy an Apple iPhone 6s, or a Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+, or an OPPO R7 Plus, or what have you. But what do you do when an app you recently purchased from the Google Play store crashes, freezes, or won’t run on any Android device you own?

NBA 2K16 for Android, iOS out now

In Games, Apps, and OS by Ramon Lopez3 Comments

If you’re among the millions of hoops fans who have been waiting to get some NBA action on their Android or iOS phone or tablet, I’m pleased to tell you that your long wait is over: NBA 2K16 is now available on Google Play and the App Store. To be clear, I’m talking about the mobile version of the popular basketball sim that was earlier released on PC and video-game consoles, not the boring virtual card game from 2K Games. NBA 2K16 for Android and iOS is out now on Google Play and the App Store. As for the game itself, NBA 2K16 …

What’s on HOOQ: 10 good PH films you may not know exist

In Games, Apps, and OS by Ramon LopezLeave a Comment

If you’ve seen Jerrold Tarog’s historical drama Heneral Luna, you may be wondering: Which local film should I see next? Good question. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of amazing options on HOOQ, a subscription video-on-demand service that lets users watch local and Hollywood movies and TV shows on their phones or tablets for as little as P149 a month, or the equivalent of a tall Starbucks drink. Today’s list includes 10 local releases you may not have heard of, but really should watch. So happy viewing and don’t forget to sound off in the comments with your thoughts on the items …

Waze: Metro Manila worst place for motorists, commuters

In Cars, Games, Apps, and OS by Ramon LopezLeave a Comment

Image via globalbalita.com Waze has confirmed what many of us knew all along but had no data to show for it: Metro Manila has the “worst traffic” on the planet, the Google-owned crowdsourced navigation app said in its Global Driver Satisfaction Index. Waze arrived at the observation after pooling the driving experience of 50 million users from 32 countries and 167 metropolitan areas. The Philippines ranked among the worst places on Earth for motorists and commuters, while Metro Manila figured to be the last place you’d want to be behind the wheel, followed by Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro and Sao …

New on HOOQ: a Batman prequel, hit DC TV series, love triangles

In Games, Apps, and OS by Ramon LopezLeave a Comment

It’s (unofficially) DC month on HOOQ, as three acclaimed TV shows that showcase characters from the comic-book universe make their debut on the subscription video-on-demand service. Also on this month’s “what’s new” list are two local releases from last year that present a new spin on the love-triangle format. Spoiler: This month’s recent additions are awesome and will likely soak up most of your free time. Arrow The TV series that reimagined the origin story of a relatively obscure DC crimefighter and challenged its audience to rethink the superhero genre on television altogether, Arrow is essential viewing for both comics …

How to properly install iOS 9 on your Apple device

In Games, Apps, and OS by Ramon LopezLeave a Comment

Image via Digital Trends Three months after its announcement, Apple’s latest major software update for iOS devices has started to roll out to supported iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches (see the full list of compatible models below). Apple never fails to amaze us. When we hear about new software updates, this just means new features that we now have on our devices, which is always beneficial. The more Apple grows as a company, the more they can offer their customers. Apple users now even have ways of printing wirelessly through airprint! Who ever would have thought this would happen, but …

HOOQ’s catch-up service streams shows 24 hours after they air

In Games, Apps, and OS by Ramon LopezLeave a Comment

Local teleseryes: They’re a cultural phenomenon, regardless of where the general public’s current broadcast-channel allegiance lies. (It’s still a two-horse race, in my opinion.) Teleseryes have transcended through the decades and social and religious barriers. They have made us laugh, cry (a lot), and genuinely care about or hate fictional characters, and we have embraced them and welcomed them into our living rooms as part of our daily routine, even if it sometimes meant skipping the dinner table to eat the night’s grub in front of the TV. Or at least that’s how I remember spending most of my evenings …

YouTube Gaming might be the best thing to happen to, well, gaming

In Games, Apps, and OS by Ramon LopezLeave a Comment

Like so many of you and the folks in your social circles, I love playing video games. And when I’m not behind the controller or joystick, or out, I tend to whip out my phone to watch other people play the video games I own or plan to own. (Yes, there’s a market for people who would rather be in front of a screen — sans a video-game console — than behind a controller.) Which is why I spend an embarrassing amount of time glued to Twitch, the live-streaming service Google tried and failed to acquire last year, weekly, perhaps …

Breaking up with cable TV

In Games, Apps, and OS by Alora Uy GuerreroLeave a Comment

Do you remember the last time you sat through a movie or TV show on cable TV? We don’t. We cut the cord months ago, and our crystal ball predicts we’re never going back now that decent subscription-based video-on-demand services have made their way to the Philippines. For your own setup at home, you may want to consider a streaming box like the ones reviewed on the Coolest Gadgets website. That’s just us. We know that not everyone — perhaps even you — is ready to part ways with the cable companies. We can’t blame you. First, cable TV has …

5 Android apps I can’t live without

In Games, Apps, and OS by Ramon LopezLeave a Comment

As people who know me personally probably know, I use an Android phone as my daily driver. And, to be honest, I can’t see myself going through a full day without a smartphone in my hand. I just can’t. For starters, I get my daily dose of news from apps installed on my phone — Appy Geek and Twitter are my favorite sources — I sometimes write blog posts on an app called Keep while in transit; and I entertain myself by listening to Spotify or watching videos beamed to my handset through apps like HOOQ and the NBA’s official …

GrabCar gets legal status in PH ahead of Uber

In Cars, Games, Apps, and OS by Ramon LopezLeave a Comment

Recall that back in May, the Philippine’s transport and communications department and land-transport bureau inched closer towards legitimizing and regulating the likes of Uber and GrabTaxi by creating a legal framework for ride-hailing services in the country. Flash forward to now, and we’ve got the first ride-hailing service that can operate on a national scale without any legal threat: GrabCar, a subcategory of the GrabTaxi mobile app that can be downloaded for free on most app stores. GrabCar, a subcategory of the GrabTaxi mobile app, is the first ride-hailing service that can operate on a national scale without any legal …

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HOOQ vs. iflix vs. Blink: Who wins the streaming wars?

In Games, Apps, and OS by Ramon Lopez16 Comments

After months of growing pains, the next big thing on the Internet is finally gaining traction in the Philippines. No, I don’t mean ride-hailing services, such as Uber and GrabTaxi, though you could make a case that we’re seeing a greater demand for taxi alternatives. But I digress. What I’m trying to say is that, right now, there are more options than ever to watch movies and TV shows legally online, and the list will expand with time. And as wireless Internet access becomes more and more affordable and ubiquitous in the country, subscribing to a video-streaming service is fast becoming …

Facebook Lite is here. But why should you care?

In Games, Apps, and OS by Ramon LopezLeave a Comment

Facebook recently released the Facebook Lite app for Android, six months after being in the beta labs. Essentially a watered-down version of the Facebook app and website, Facebook Lite is intended for emerging markets where Internet connections are unreliable and bargain-basement devices are outselling their mid- to high-end counterparts by an embarrassing margin. The app is currently available in India and the Philippines, and soon in Africa, Europe, and Latin America. Its only about 430KB in size compared to the full Facebook app, which gobbles up 140MB of my phone’s storage. [frame src=”https://www.revu.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Facebook-Lite-interface1.jpg” target=”_self” width=”620″ height=”412″ alt=”Premium WordPress Themes” align=”center” prettyphoto=”false”] …

Yelp Philippines goes live w/thousands of reviews

In Business, Games, Apps, and OS by Ramon LopezLeave a Comment

That’s right! Yelp, the de facto online business directory for many — the yellow pages of the Internet, if you will — is now live in the Philippines, which means you can now mosey over to Yelp Philippines and read thousands of crowd-sourced reviews to find your next favorite restaurant or watering hole. Business owners, on the other hand, can look forward to a new way of promoting their establishments by tapping into a local community of Yelpers (read: Yelp users). Yelp can also provide them a means of gauging consumer interest online. Yelp, the yellow pages of the Internet, if …

NBA Live 16 unveiled at E3, promises better online play

In Games, Apps, and OS by Ramon LopezLeave a Comment

The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2015, or simply E3 2015, is upon us, and one of the more interesting titles in EA’s lineup this year is the company’s upcoming basketball sim NBA Live 16. NBA Live 16 will bring a fresh batch of modes and new gameplay mechanics, as well as a new feature that allows you to scan your face into the game using your phone’s camera. The game will bring a fresh batch of modes, new gameplay mechanics that you haven’t seen before, including touch passing, dribble handoffs, and the ability to fight through screens, as well as a new face-scan …

We’re breaking the rules of online publishing…

In Business, Cars, Games, Apps, and OS, Laptops, Phones, Tablets, Wearables by Alora Uy GuerreroLeave a Comment

Who are crazy enough to soft-launch a site that’s so bare? My writing partner since my Mega Publishing days, Ramon Lopez, and I are. We have disregarded the first, second, and third rules of online publishing: You do not launch a website unless it’s packed with articles, or as my former boss, Summit Media president Lisa Gokongwei-Cheng, would call it, puno. Surprisingly, we’re okay with breaking “those rules.” First, we already bought two phones so we could write about and take videos of them. Second, we couldn’t bear to watch our clips just sitting on our computer for weeks. Sayang. Third, it’s …