Let’s get right into it and say good bye to awkward selfies! The biggest and most welcomed change that the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 has over its predecessors is the magnetic slider that reveals the now properly positioned selfie camera at the top of the phone. Hallelujah!
Having used the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 in the past, I can attest to how much of a hassle it was trying to shoot an IG story from the horrible upward-facing angle.
No notch and all screen!
Xiaomi’s new approach to maintaining the near-borderless look and eradicating the poor selfie camera placement is the magnetic slider that some might call a gimmick, but it’s so much fun to play with! I will admit that the novelty does go away, but it is by far my favorite execution of a near-borderless display. All that screen is awesome!

At the end of last year, I picked the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 as “the phone I’d rather be using” because I thought that the fidget spinner-like qualities of the phone would be such a blast. And it was in the beginning. I don’t even know how many times I would play with the slider just because it was fun. I realize now that I used the slider more as a fidget spinner than a way to reveal the cameras to take a selfie.
It did become a neat party favor asking friends to guess how to take selfies with the phone. Out of five friends, only one was able to correctly guess how to operate the magnetic slider without me teaching them how to do it. But once the novelty wore off, I found myself going days without ever sliding out the camera.
Our review unit is the 6GB RAM model powered by the Snapdragon 845 chipset, and personally when it comes to performance, no news is good news. Nothing to report on lag or stutters from the roughly three weeks I spent with the phone. So speed was not an issue.
One little software hiccup
When you buy a phone, especially a flagship phone, you expect everything to just work. Unfortunately, that was not the case in my experience, as my messaging app of choice, Telegram, was not notifying me when messages would come in. Even after double-checking that all the right notification settings were turned on, I wasn’t receiving any notifications from the app.
After a quick Google search, I found that I wasn’t the only one experiencing this error. Needless to say this was annoying, but it simply meant having to use another messaging app. Hopefully this can be fixed with a software update.
Hello, Netflix!
It is worth noting that in the past, Netflix wasn’t available on the Play Store when I used the Mi Mix 2. I’m happy to report that it’s there now, so no worries if you’re looking to take advantage of the near-borderless display with some binge watching. And if there’s anything this phone is good for, it’s watching videos. This was by far my favorite thing about the phone. It really felt like I was holding all screen and it was awesome!
Battery life was a bit of a disappointment having come from the Huawei Mate 20 and its massive 4000mAh and two-day battery life. With the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3’s 3200mAh battery, I’d start my day at roughly 9am and find myself reaching for a charger by around 8pm. Mind you, that ain’t too shabby if you think about it, but for comparison, I was spoiled by my experience with the Mate 20.
Let’s take these cameras for a spin!
When it comes to taking photos, it’s easy to focus on the selfie cameras, but the dual 12-megapixel cameras on the rear do a good job, too. Here are some samples:
But of course, we can’t leave out samples of the selfie cameras, and while I may not take a lot of selfies, I can not stress how happy I was to have the cameras in the proper position. No more having to flip the phone upside down to take a photo and IG Stories work the way they should:
Is this your GadgetMatch?
While I love the implementation of the magnetic slider, this phone is so much more than just a fidget spinner. This phone is great for media consumption above anything else in my book. But everything else that comes with all that screen is nothing to complain about. The flagship specs in this relatively affordable price tag is nice to see in a day wherein phones are priced by as much as US$ 1,000.
Accessories
Razer finally reveals these limited BLACKPINK Edition gaming gear
They are finally coming in your area!
Initially teased a month ago, the much-awaited BLACKPINK x Razer collab has finally been revealed for all the BLINKs to see (and purchase).
Hitting the ‘DEADLINE’
ICYMI, BLACKPINK (or K-Pop’s biggest female quartet composed of Jennie, Lisa, Rosé, and Jisoo) started their highly-anticipated ‘DEADLINE’ World Tour just last year.
With Razer’s signature dark black styling paired with BLACKPINK’s bold and iconic pink scheme, this collaboration felt like the perfect match.
Now, if you’re the type of BLINK who still has a severe sepanx (like yours truly), all these limited BLACKPINK-themed gaming gear by Razer might just be the cure.
That said, here are all the BLACKPINK Edition gaming accessories you should expect from the Singaporean-American gaming giant.
Ornata V3 Tenkeyless – BLACKPINK Edition
A low-profile RGB keyboard with clicky Mecha-Membrane switches.
DeathAdder Essential – BLACKPINK Edition
Gaming mouse with ergonic comfort and precision alongside mechanical switches and programmable buttons.
Gigantus V2 – Medium – BLACKPINK Edition
Razer’s smooth and durable mouse mat with that BLACKPINK flair
Enki X – BLACKPINK Edition
Badly-needed gaming chair for all-day comfort combined with BLACKPINK’s aesthetics — made for your marathon gaming sessions.
Pricing and Availability
Here are the SRP of the special Razer x BLACKPINK Edition gaming essentials:
- Ornata V3 Tenkeyless – BLACKPINK Edition = US$ 119.99
- DeathAdder Essential – BLACKPINK Edition = US$ 49.99
- Gigantus V2 – Medium – BLACKPINK Edition = US$ 29.99
- Enki X – BLACKPINK Edition = US$ 499.99
They will be released by Q2 2026 worldwide (excluding Canada and Japan).
Currently, Razer has set-up a pop-up store in Hong Kong so BLINKs can experience all the special gaming gear with dedicated photo zones in the scene.
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This popped right in time as BLACKPINK will hold the Hong Kong stop of their ‘DEADLINE’ tour for three straight days — from January 24 (Saturday) until January 26, 2026 (Monday).
Moreover, these might just be the perfect complement to the quatro’s upcoming ‘DEADLINE’ EP by February 27, 2026.
Might as well, an advanced 10th year anniversary gift this August 2026.
Entertainment
Prime Video releases 1st-look image of Sophie Turner as Lara Croft
Production now officially underway
Prime Video has announced that production for the new Tomb Raider series is now officially underway.
In addition, it also teased audiences by releasing the first-look image of Sophie Turner as Lara Croft.
In the photo, the 29-year-old English actress dons the iconic Lara Croft outfit, with a dark teal top, tight fit shorts, and belt with twin gun holsters.
Turner is known for her appearance in the Game of Thrones series, as well as her portrayal of Jean Grey in two X-Men movies.
Based on the legendary video game franchise, the series follows the globe-trotting adventures of the world-famous archaeologist and reimagines the beloved character for a new generation.
Aside from Turner, the upcoming series stars the following actors:
- Sigourney Weaver
- Jason Isaacs
- Martin Bobb-Semple
- Jack Bannon
- John Heffernan
- Bill Paterson
- Paterson Joseph
- Sasha Luss
- Juliette Motamed
- Celia Imrie
- August Wittgenstein
Phoebe Waller-Bridge leads the series production, serving as creator, writer, executive producer, and co-showrunner.
She is joined by Chad Hodge as co-showrunner and executive producer. Meanwhile, Jonathan Van Tulleken will serve as director and producer.
In Eat Pray Love, recent divorcee Liz Gilbert goes on a journey of self-discovery by travelling to Italy, India, and Bali. Someone should tell Gilbert that Japan is everyone’s preferred Eat Pray Love destination these days. Today, tourists from all over the world like going to Japan because of its different, almost perfect serene, culture.
However, the truth of Japan is less romantic than what’s shown in travelogues: absurd working hours, not enough time for personal life, and societal pressures to do only what’s expected. It’s this Japan that Rental Family wants you to see.
Truths
In Rental Family, Brendan Fraser plays Phillip Vanderploeg, a struggling American actor living in Japan. After failing to land a gig outside of the odd commercial here and there, an unconventional opportunity suddenly lands on his lap: to work for a rental family agency, which provides stand-ins for social situations. In one case, Philip pretends to be a young woman’s groom, so her family doesn’t ask questions when she moves and starts a life of her own in Canada.
It’s no surprise that Philip exclaims a loud “the f*ck?” when he first realizes what the firm does. Aiko (Mari Yamamoto), one of his colleagues, explains that this is how Japan works. Instead of paying for therapy, the Japanese people would rather pay for someone to pretend for them. For an outsider looking in, the practice seems strange, but it’s real. Rental family agencies have been around for a while.
Despite Aiko’s insistence that this is a Japanese phenomenon, Philip eventually understands that these agencies provide something more than just a country-exclusive need: the desire to be seen and to be heard.
Rental Family is a film that speaks to everyone. Often, we need someone to fill those gaps in our lives: a missing father, a missing lover, a missing friend. It’s a truth that should feel self-evident, but the film remains a poignant reminder of whatever, whoever is missing in our lives. We see ourselves in Kikuo Hasegawa (Akira Emoto), a retired actor who just wants a friend before his memory withers away. We see ourselves in Mia Kawasaki (Shannon Mahina Gorman), a young girl whose father left her.
And lies
Philip plays a multitude of roles: a father, a journalist, a cheerleader, a groom, a friend. It’s his job to play a role so credible that his client believes in the illusion. Essentially, he’s a professional liar.
However, Philip finds himself also believing in the same lies he’s crafted. He gets attached to a few of his clients, especially Mia whom he quickly becomes close to, as if as her real father. Even when his boss Shinji (Takehiro Hira) tells him not to get too personal with his clients, he cares for them beyond his initial assignment.
It’s the lie that makes the movie so believable. Who among us has never felt inadequate to play a certain role? Too incompetent to be a father, a lover, and a friend?
Ironically, the one who plays the part most authentically is the one person willing to build the lie, Philip. He becomes a better companion to their clients than the people closest to them. As the saying goes, “fake it ‘till you make it.”
Sometimes, the mask slips. Sometimes, Philip’s boss warns him that he’s too close, or a client ends the relationship themselves. When this happens, Philip has to confront the lie, which can mean that he tells his client that he was lying.
And yet, he doesn’t leave as if it’s just the conclusion of a deal. He opens up and makes himself vulnerable. He confronts what he did and promises to do better. Lying is easier, and we lie all the time. We tell ourselves that we’re the best at what we do. If we do it enough, we start to believe.
But Rental Family is about the truth behind the lie. An untruth can be the foundation, but a relationship only truly prospers with being vulnerable. It’s about realizing that, just as the other person needs us, we also need them. We’re all rental families in our own way.
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