SmartLife Hacks 3.0: Digital Edition

In a short period of time, the Internet has become a necessity in our lives. From its early days on desktop, to social media, and now the age of mobile. Mobile has made the Internet, not just more widespread, but more personal through the applications that have made our lives better.

Live the SmartLife — release the digital ninja in you and app your way out of these real life situations:

1. Long lines at FX or bus stop? MRT is not working? Taxi snubs you?
   Pull out your phone and book a seamless ride via Uber and they'll pick you up and drop you off to wherever you're going. Avoid surge pricing by booking before or after rush hour.
2. Stuck in traffic? Roads closed for repairs? Flashfloods?
   Avoid routes that have cars piling up, closed roads and even floods! Waze will give you alternate routes and road info, saving you the time and stress of asking for directions.
3. Surprise visit from friends? Too tired to cook a meal? Nothing to cook?
   Take-out food is best shared with friends! Don't stress yourself with whipping something up for your buddy; choose from TwoAnyone, Food Panda and ClickTheCity app and have food delivered right at your doorstep.

Image: Giphy

1. Planning to watch a blockbuster movie over the weekend?
   Avoid the long lines, you can now buy tickets in advance seamlessly right at the palm of your hands with ClickTheCity app.

1. Too lazy to go out and pay bills?
   Mobile banking is no longer a stranger for banks in the Philippines. Use apps from China Bank, Land Bank, BPI, BDO and more to pay your bills anytime, anywhere! Use the MySmart app to pay your postpaid plans which is available to iOS and Android.

1. Raining hard and stuck at home?
   Binge-watching your favorite tv series or movie at home is the best feeling ever! Thank the movie gods for iFlix which is a video-on-demand service that lets you choose from over 10,000 shows and movies for only Php 99/month (exclusive to PLDT and Smart subscribers). If sports or science is your thing, enjoy 9 live broadcast channels from FOX International like Fox Sports and National Geographic on your phone via the Viewstream app! Why not even try a new app? Send wacky photos and videos to friends via Snapchat.

Image: Giphy

1. Forgot your wallet?
   Good thing you have your phone with you; you'll be saved from the hassle of going back home with Charge2Phone which is the first sticker-based card feature in the Philippines that allows payments for over-the-counter purchases using your Smart or Sun mobile number.

1. Noisy neighbors singing karaoke?
   Forget about the world and plug in your earphones! Stream your favorite music on Spinnr or Deezer and try your very best to ignore them.

1. Missing your loved ones abroad?
   Do not let a day go by without giving them a call via Viber and maybe even seeing their faces on Facetime. Use Google Hangout for those family reunions to include the virtual presence of relatives from different parts of the world.

Image: Giphy

1. Picking someone up at the airport?
   Know when exactly to pick them up using FlightStats which shows its users real-time flight status. I know, airport taxis could be really expensive so why not book an Uber instead for a hassle-free experience?

1. Whole family is going out on the weekend?
   Security is the most important thing. Feel like you're just at home even if you're not with PLDT's Fam Cam that lets you see live footages of your home so you'll never have to worry again.

1. Phone runs out of memory?
   Deleting photos or videos is a big no-no. You can save your precious memories on Google Photos which offers unlimited storage for free.

Image: Giphy