Not to be left behind in the budget smartphone durability and waterproofness competition, nubia has launched nubia V80 Max in the Philippines.

The latest device starts at just PhP 6,499 via ecommerce platforms like Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok Shop. It has a regular retail price of PhP 9,999.

Unarguably, the most significant upgrades from the V70 Max are the 1.8-meter drop resistance and IP64 water and dust resistance.

The phone features 360-degree all-round protection for impacts, ensuring they keep up with most competitors offering the similar durability-laden features.

Everywhere else, the improvements are incremental. The budget handset is powered by an octa-core processor with up to 1.8GHz clock speed.

The phone houses a 6,000mAh battery with support for Bypass Charging and even reverse charging.

In front is a 6.9-inch 720p display with up to 780 nits of brightness, which is 41.8% brighter than the previous generation. On paper, the panel is also capable of up to 120Hz refresh rate.

For its cameras, the nubia V80 Max has a 50MP main camera coupled with a 16MP front camera.

Additional OS features include AI Scam Alert, AI Social Publisher, and more. The V80 Max also introduces weak signal optimization for challenging areas.

It even has a network-free communication capability of its own, called nubia LinkFree.

Customers can get the new budget device in five colorways: Stardust Purple, Stellar Silver, Aurellia Gold, Sky Cyan, and Space Black.

One of K-Pop’s most iconic soloists of all time has finally partnered up with the globally-renowned case maker.

And this isn’t like any other CASETiFY’s K-Pop Collab, this is much grander than that.

i-naugural Brand iCON

You heard that right! CASETiFY reveals their first ever Global Brand Ambassador.

Amassing 25 million Instagram followers, over 1.2 Billion YouTube views, and hitting almost 4 Million Spotify listeners, G-DRAGON has truly marked his footprint as the “King of K-Pop” — more than just being the iconic member of the global hit group BIGBANG.

His long overdue comeback (and world tour) with ‘Übermensch’ last 2025 further proves how massive the VIP (and FAM) community is.

 

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A post shared by PEACEMINUSONE®️ (@peaceminusonedotcom)

That said, GD’s influence isn’t limited to the music industry alone. Art and fashion have also witnessed his legendary artistry through his PEACEMINUSONE label. That pretty daisy with a fallen petal is the brand’s most iconic emblem you can see around.

The introduction of his fashion line was connected to music as well. It was introduced way back in 2013 during his ‘COUP D’ETAT’ solo promotions which was a true hit. It was totally evident in the album art’s peace symbol minus that one line.

Wesley Ng, CASETiFY’s CEO and Co-Founder (who’s also fashion-savvy), said that “welcoming G-DRAGON as the brand’s first Global iCON is a powerful statement.” This will not only amplify the reach of the already-popular case maker, it will also influence the brand’s creative direction.

After all, one’s artistic expression can be seen easily with the cases we rock out and about.

i-conic CHROMATIC

In line with this milestone also lies a new collection of cases and accessories.

The all-new CHROMATIC Collection is built around two concepts: FORMS & HUES. First, the CHROMATIC: FORMS set is headlined by the premium-made Alloy Ripple Case with an upgraded aluminum material.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Speaking of aluminum, the accompanying accessories are all metallic — from the 2-in-1 cross-body chain to custom cube charms for bespoke personalization.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Meanwhile, the CHROMATIC: HUES adds five new vibrant shades to CASETiFY’s ever-popular Ripple Collection through the Neon Ripple Case. These bold range of colors not only embody users’ creativity and self-expression, it also showcases an individual’s overall aesthetics.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

While this isn’t the PEACEMINUSONE collab some of us have initially thought, crossing fingers that will be the next official CASETiFY collab in line.

Pricing and Availability

The brand new CHROMATIC COLLECTION is expected to hit shelves real soon with prices ranging between US$ 10 to US$ 85,

They will be available for purchase on CASETiFY.com and in select CASETiFY Studio retail stores around the world starting on January 26 (Monday).

Beyond the Box and Digital Walker officially turned over a Tesla Model Y to Joshua Juanillo, the lucky winner of their iPhone 17 launch raffle.

What started as a simple purchase quickly turned into a moment that felt bigger than the box. Joshua, a 27-year-old employee and long-time Android user, earned a single raffle entry after buying an iPhone 17 base model on the first day of sale at Digital Walker Glorietta.

It was his first time switching to iPhone, and already a milestone on its own. He had no idea it would lead to something this life-changing.

The surprise didn’t stop there. During the turnover, Beyond the Box and Digital Walker CEO Charles Paw added another unexpected gift to the moment, a brand-new iPhone Air, turning an already unforgettable day into something even more surreal.

This is the kind of story that captures what Beyond the Box and Digital Walker mean when they say Go Beyond. It’s about transforming a regular retail experience into a memory that stays with you long after the receipt fades.

With his new iPhone now seamlessly integrated with his Tesla Model Y, Joshua steps into a smarter, more connected way to drive, navigating and controlling his car straight from his phone.

The turnover was made even more meaningful as Joshua celebrated the moment with his family and girlfriend by his side, sharing a once-in-a-lifetime win that started with a single purchase and a leap of faith.