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Watching television used to be a passive experience but GMA Now aims to change that.

GMA Now is a mobile digital TV receiver that can be plugged into an Android device and allows you to watch live TV on the go for free.

It is a thumb drive-sized dongle that will give you access to GMA, GTV, Heart of Asia, Hallypop, Dep-Ed TV, and all available free-to-air digital channels in your location.

"Ano ba 'tong GMA Now na 'to? Itong maliit na bagay na 'to ay kayang i-convert ang smart phone mo into a television. 'Yung smart phone mo magiging mobile television na pwede mong dalhin kahit saan. Pero hindi 'yung streaming ah, as in 'yung libreng analog signal na ginagamit ng regular TV," explains Jonic of Pinoy Knows Tech.

"Hindi mo na kailangan ng internet para makapanood. Hindi lang rin siya basta basta receiver. Sa loob nito, may kasamang tuner 'yan so pwede kang makapili ng iba't ibang channel na available or nasasagap sa area mo," he adds.

The device also has some minimum system requirements, such as Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) operating system, dual core 1 gigahertz CPU and on the go (OTG) support.

"Kung hindi na sure kung pasok ba 'yung phone mo sa system requirements nito, pwede mong i-check kung compatible 'yung phone mo doon sa website ng GMA Now. Piliin mo lang 'yung model ng phone mo at malalaman mo na agad kung compatible ba siya or hindi," he says.

With GMA Now, you will be able to catch all your favorite Kapuso shows as long as you are within the coverage area.

"Magva-vary 'yung mga TV channel na masasagap ng GMA Now sa area kung saan tayo located. Sa ngayon sabi ng GMA, portions of Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Pampanga, Cavite, Laguna, Baguio City, Pangasinan, Batangas, Metro Cebu, Metro Davao and Cagayan de Oro lang muna available 'yung mga channels dito sa GMA Now.

"Pero ginagawan ng paraan ng GMA para mas mapadami pa 'yung area na makakasagap ng signal dito sa GMA Now," explains Aaron Lagunilla of sulittechreviews.com.

He also likes that GMA Now can be used even for older phones.

"'Yung dongle na GMA Now ay naka micro USB pa. Tingin ko sinadya ng GMA na gawing micro USB 'to kasi hindi 'to nangangailangan ng bagong device. Kahit 'yung mga luma nating Android phone basta at least naka Android Marshmallow, may dual core 1 gigahertz CPU, pwedeng pwede na.
"'Yung mga lumang phone nating naka micro USB pa rin naman. Marami pa rin hanggang sa ngayon 'yung ganoon. Pero kung naka USB [type] C na 'yung port ng ating cellphone, mayroon silang isang sinama na dongle dito so hindi na nating kailangan bumili separately," he says.

GMA Now also comes equipped with many interactive features which will allow you to play interactive games, chat with your friends and get show updates on Groupee, and stream videos through the GMA Videos On-Demand feature.

For Alvin Villanueva of Alvin Tries Tech, these extra features give users a sense of community and elevates watching television from a passive experience to an interactive one.

"So basically parang smart TV on the go talaga ang device na 'to. Pero other than that, mayroon pa tayong onting additional features sa ating GMA Now.

"Aside pa diyan, 'yung Groupee tab natin kung saan pwede niyong maka-chat 'yung ibang mga viewers habang nanonood kayo. Parang mas naging community thing ang panonood niyo ng GMA shows," he notes.

Alvin also explained why the device comes with two different antennae.

"Pipili lang kayo doon sa dalawang antenna niya. 'Yung telescopic antenna, para mas malayo or mas malaki 'yung sagap na signal niya. Tapos ito namang loop antenna, kung sakaling sure naman kayo na talagang strong 'yung signal sa area niyo. At least, mas convenient ito at mas hindi kakaiba tignan kapag ginagamit niyo 'yung phone ninyo," he says.

For more details, visit GMA Now's site or follow GMA Now's official social media accounts in Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

You may also visit the official GMA Store in Shopee or Lazada.