Bali is an island people visit to slow down. It makes sense that Infinix picked it for a store that wants you to stay awhile.

The brand unveiled its first global Flagship Concept Store there. It’s also the first store of this format within parent company Transsion Holdings’ brand portfolio.

Coffee break, Infinix style

The experience begins before you step inside. The store’s futuristic design and digital visuals are meant to catch your eye from the outside.

Once you’re in, a robotic-arm installation anchors the space, which looks like a technological imagination turned into a bold visual statement.

The store’s other signature element is n_x, Infinix’s locally developed coffee brand. For Infinix, a simple coffee break here is an invitation to slow down and enjoy a laid-back moment in the middle of a busy day.

You can catch up with a friend over a cup or take a few minutes for yourself. Together with the robotic arm, n_x gives the store a more relaxed and imaginative side.

The tech hasn’t gone anywhere, though. The smartphone lineup includes the NOTE 60 and HOT 70 series along with the GT 50 Pro.

Infinix’s broader AIoT ecosystem is on display as well, with recent products like the ZCLIP 2 Pro clip-on earbuds and SPACE Max wireless headphones.

The XEnergy portable power stations are also part of the lineup.

Making Sense of “1+2+X”

Infinix calls the format its “1+2+X” retail concept. The “1” is the full technology experience, and the “2” refers to the two signature elements, n_x and the robotic arm.

The “X” is the open-ended part. Infinix plans on bringing gaming, music, sports, creative partnerships, interactive content, and community activities over time.

The brand wants to work with artists, musicians, and other creative talents on original content and experiences, rather than only featuring established names or one-off partnerships.

Visitors can also take part through shared experiences, content creation, and feedback. The plan is for the store to keep introducing new collaborations, creative displays, and lifestyle activities after opening, so regulars have fresh reasons to return.

Beyond Bali

Looking ahead, Infinix hopes the Bali store develops a recognizable identity of its own and becomes a destination people return to for its atmosphere and community as much as its products.

The brand also says this opening is the start of a broader retail push, with five more flagship stores planned across Indonesia this year.

Similar concept-led stores are also being explored in other markets. Infinix states that future locations won’t copy the Bali format and will be adapted to local cultures and lifestyles.

There are two kinds of people during the holidays: those who start planning their Christmas shopping early and those who hear the word merienda and immediately calculate how many Starbucks drinks stand between them and a new planner.

If you belong to the latter, consider this your annual reminder. Starbucks Traditions returns to the Philippines on November 3 for its 24th year, bringing a bigger collection with five pieces this time around. And suddenly, your afternoon coffee plans have acquired a very specific financial objective.

The 2026 collection carries the theme “Wrapped in Joy,” celebrating the little surprises that make the holidays feel special.

Think thoughtful gestures, unexpected visits, and friends who actually follow through on plans. You know, the rarest Christmas miracle of all.

Finally, someone is making plans for the planner

Starbucks is giving this year’s campaign a little emotional backstory with “Kami Naman,” a holiday film about Mara, the friend who somehow became the designated organizer of every barkada gathering.

You know her. She’s the one who starts the group chat, finds the restaurant, checks everyone’s availability, and sends the follow-up message when nobody responds.

This time, her friends decide she’s had enough administrative duties for one lifetime. They surprise her at Starbucks with a planner already filled with gatherings they’ve organized for her throughout the year.

Set to Eraserheads’ “With a Smile,” the film is a sweet reminder that the friend who makes everyone else’s holidays special deserves a little magic herself. The song will also be playing in Starbucks stores from November 3 to January 4.

You can watch the full film on Starbucks Philippines’ social media channels. Consider forwarding it to your group chat, particularly if you have been carrying the entire social calendar on your back.

Why your current coffee accessories suddenly feel inadequate

This year’s collection looks ready to be wrapped and placed under the Christmas tree, with copper, ivory, and black setting the mood. Each piece has its own appeal, which makes choosing a favorite a rather complicated exercise in holiday budgeting.

The Siren Planner with Pouch is for the organized one who has approximately 47 things to remember and would prefer to make that 48 with a beautiful planner. It also comes with a surprise keychain in one of five designs, giving you another tiny mystery to obsess over.

The Travel Case with Towel makes its debut in the collection, and suddenly, the idea of booking a little getaway sounds very reasonable. You may have nowhere to go yet, but at least your travel essentials will be beautifully organized when the opportunity presents itself.

For your everyday caffeine arrangements, there’s the 20oz Stainless Steel Tumbler and the 24oz Cold Cup. Both are practical additions to your daily rotation, although you may find yourself explaining why you need another drinking vessel when your kitchen cabinet is already staging a protest.

Then there’s the 20oz Glass Mug, which is arguably the most emotionally persuasive purchase of the bunch.

You don’t necessarily need another mug. You simply deserve one that makes your morning coffee feel a little more special. That’s a perfectly respectable argument, as far as your holiday shopping budget is concerned.

The 19-sticker strategy

Now comes the part that requires a little planning. From November 3, 2026 to January 4, 2027, every Tall, Grande, or Venti handcrafted beverage earns you one e-sticker. You can collect them through the Starbucks PH App or a QR Promo Card.

Reach 19 e-stickers and you can redeem one piece from the 2027 Starbucks Traditions collection until March 5, 2027.

The strategy is fairly straightforward. You order your usual handcrafted beverage, invite your friends for merienda, and let the stickers accumulate. Suddenly, that afternoon coffee with your best friend has a second purpose, and your usual catch-up session feels a little more productive.

Before committing to a particular piece, take a look at the full collection at starbuckstraditions.ph. You might already have your eye on the planner, or you could find yourself unexpectedly falling for the glass mug. Either way, knowing what you’re collecting for makes the sticker-counting considerably more exciting.

Since its Philippine debut in 2004, Starbucks Traditions has become one of those holiday rituals that people look forward to every year. It’s the season of comparing sticker counts, coordinating coffee runs, and celebrating the little rewards that make an ordinary afternoon feel festive.

It’s been a while since the last time we got a FromSoftware game. Elden Ring Nightreign felt like an age ago, even if it was launched just last year. Plus, the title isn’t even a new one, technically, since it’s just building off of Elden Ring. Unfortunately, our wait for a new FromSoftware game has to go on for a little bit longer. FromSoftware has delayed the launch of The Duskbloods to 2027.

The Duskbloods is an interesting addition to the FromSoftware oeuvre. Compared to the usual fare, the Switch-exclusive title is a multiplayer extraction game with a distinctly Bloodborne-like feel. If you’re used to FromSoftware’s usual formula, The Duskbloods represents a huge change.

But it’s a welcome one, nonetheless. If the recently released Elden Ring port of the Switch 2 is any indication, FromSoftware does have a handle of what performance looks like on the console.

Sadly, the new title needs a bit more time in the oven. Citing “final adjustments to game rules and balancing,” FromSoftware is delaying the launch of the game to 2027. According to the studio, this is in response to the successful network test a while back.

The delay shouldn’t come off as a surprise. Though the studio promised a 2026 launch for the title, most of the year has passed without a definite launch date. That was already a telltale sign that a delay was coming.

At the very least, the delay comes with the benefit of launching the game farther away from Grand Theft Auto VI and the Ocarina of Time remake, which will surely dominate holiday gaming this year.