News

Netflix Introduces “Play Something” Shuffle Feature

The new “Play Something” feature plays content based on your watch history, whether it’s something new, not yet finished, or just hanging around in your queue.

Published

5 years ago

May 3, 2021

Joanna Melki

Netflix

Do you sometimes turn on Netflix, only to find yourself unable to decide what you want to watch? You’re not the only one! Fortunately for you and all other indecisive viewers, the “Play Something” feature has just been officially announced by Cameron Johnson, Director of Product Innovation at Netflix.

“When you hit the ‘Play Something’ button, you’ll be instantly met with a series or film we know you’ll love based on what you’ve watched before,” writes Johnson in the official announcement.

If Netflix doesn’t get it right on the first try, you can simply click “Play Something Else” and get:

Different series or film.
Series or film you’re already watching.
Series or film on your list.
Unfinished series or film.

For now, the new feature is available only for smart TV, but testing for mobile devices is planned to start soon.

How To Use The “Play Something” Feature

Launch the Netflix app on your smart TV.
Select the “Press Something” button located:
- Underneath your profile name.
- In the tenth row on your Netflix homepage.
- In the navigation menu on the left of the screen.
Press the “Play Something Else” button if you want another suggestion.

Netflix users who rely on screen readers will be pleased to know that the new feature fully supports Text-to-Speech (TTS).

Also Read: Netflix Is Testing A Way To Stop Its Users From Sharing Their Passwords

With the “Play Something” feature, Netflix becomes one step closer to the traditional cable experience, whose inherent element of surprise is both one of its biggest downsides and benefits.

Now that users can tell Netflix to pick something to watch for them, they are far more likely to discover hidden gems they might otherwise miss or become hooked on the company’s exclusive content. The latter is especially important for the streaming giant because exclusive content is what keeps subscribers subscribed.

News

Syria Just Got Its First Super App Featuring Built-In Digital Payments

Built by UAE-based Syrian founders with the Ministry of Tourism’s backing, My Syria lands as visitor numbers more than double.

Published

4 days ago

August 1, 2026

Nour Nasir

syria just got its first super app featuring built-in digital payments

For most of the past decade, paying for anything in Syria with an international card was effectively impossible. Sanctions, a collapsed banking sector, and years of isolation left the country running on cash. That is what makes the launch of My Syria — the country’s first super app — more than a routine product announcement.

Developed by 121 Living, a company founded by four UAE-based Syrian entrepreneurs — Rami Kaiem, Feras Kaiem, Waseem Qudmani, and Kinan Madi — the app launched in Damascus on July 30 under the patronage of Minister of Tourism Mazen Al-Salhani. It bundles hotels, restaurants, transport, attractions, food delivery, and other lifestyle services into a single platform, currently offering eight services with plans to expand to more than 40 verified tourism and hospitality providers across the country.

Although the app already sounds enticing, the headline feature is its built-in payments. My Syria is the first platform in Syria to support cross-border digital payments through Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express — familiar tools for international visitors, and a route into the digital economy for local businesses that have long operated outside it.

my syria super app launch event

The launch rides on a sharp rebound for the troubled country. Syria’s tourism sector recorded 3.52 million visitor arrivals in the first half of 2026, a 111 percent increase over the 1.67 million during the same period in 2025 — a mix of returning expatriates, regional visitors, and international tourists.

Also Read: This UAE Platform Wants To Replace Fashion Photo Shoots With AI

The Ministry of Tourism, which supported and supervised the app’s development, frames the launch as proof of concept for a wider strategy. “Digital transformation is one of the Ministry’s strategic priorities because it enables us to build a more competitive, connected and investment-ready tourism sector,” Al-Salhani said, inviting technology companies “globally, regionally and locally” to explore opportunities across the wider economy.

For 121 Living, this is phase one, with additional services and expanded geographic coverage planned. Whether a super app can flourish in a market still rebuilding its infrastructure is an open question, but for the first time in years, a visitor to Damascus can pay for dinner with their phone.