Spotify is now in the Philippines! This music-streaming service that allows users to listen to millions of songs has taken quite a number of countries by storm. Joining in on the bandwagon, I tested it out on the road, using the GoSURF promo by Globe. Read more…
After a weekend of partying at #LaBoracay2014, we went to Iloilo to take an afternoon flight. It was a long road trip that was about 300 kilometers long over five hours aboard a bus, and to make the trip feel less harrowing, I decided to try out Spotify—of which I attended the Philippine launch and have since heard so much about.
But first things first. During the app’s launch, I heard that our friends at Globe and Spotify came up with a special mobile data promo called GoSURF, which I will explain further later on. Anyway, I registered to it, plugged my earbuds, and explored the app.
My first impression was that the app’s interface looks hip and sleek. But I was dumbfounded by the sheer number of songs—the app makers claim they have upwards 30 million of them. Panic-stricken, I struggled on which playlist to first listen to. I mean, not only are there playlists for every form of EDM, there exist playlists that suit specific moods and life activities! What’s more is I was able to make playlists and add songs and albums to them as I browse.
One of the novel and most noted features of the app is Discover—practically, a magic button that allows users to view suggestions tailor-fit according to listening history and profile. Through Discover, I was able to explore EDM artists and tracks that were either already familiar or unheard of, thus enriching my music library further.
Equally popular functions of Spotify are Radio and Top Lists. The former is somewhat similar to Discover. Through it, users can handpick which artists and albums they like best, and Spotify will select similar songs based on one artist or album at a time. Meanwhile, the latter lists down the most popular tracks and albums in the country and even globally.
And I’d just like to note how social Spotify is. It allows sharing of playlists through Facebook, Twitter, embeddable players for blogs, and email. Plus, friends can be added on the app, so favorite playlists, artists, and albums can be shared among contacts.
Over the five hours road testing Spotify, I am impressed how it grew my playlist—and my friends have had the same experience based on what I’ve been reading on my social networks. No wonder there’s much clamor about the app—it really is one of the best things introduced into the Philippine digital space this year.
Anyway, Globe Telecom collaborated with Spotify in launching GoSURF. It’s the only offering of its kind—a package of volume-based consumable internet with free music streaming on the app. Certain GoSURF plans also come with a free subscription to Spotify Premium that unlocks the app’s best features. Here’s the lowdown about it:
What I like a lot about GoSURF is that the Spotify allocation is more than enough to last me for hours, so I get to use the regular internet consumable for all my other surfing needs—post on social media, send messages on chat apps, and check my email. And of course, GoSURF is powered by Globe, which, by experience, has fast 3G coverage even in the farthest Philippine towns on its empowered network.
Globe GoSURF is available for prepaid, postpaid, and Tattoo subscribers. For more info, check out www.globe.com.ph/surf/plan/gosurf. Spotify is available for desktop, web, iOS, and Android. Much can be learned about it at www.spotify.com/ph.