Lifestyle

How a smartphone became my travel buddy

To Taipei 101 and beyond!

Published

on

I’m the kind of traveler who turns a trip abroad into a process. I plan beforehand, execute every planned move, and adapt to situations along the way.

Normally, this approach requires me to bring a handy notebook, high-quality mirrorless camera, and printed maps in my backpack. For my trip to Taipei, Taiwan, I tried something a little different.

This time, I set out to do everything on my smartphone, going from an analog kid to grownup with an all-in-one gadget. Being the traditional type, it was a bit hard to do, but finding the perfect travel buddy certainly wasn’t.

I’ve been using the Huawei P20 Pro as my daily driver for a while now, and I’ve been having a tough time letting it go for another handset, so it was, without a doubt, the first choice to spring to my mind.

With the phone in hand (and no old-school items packed), I set out to explore Taipei using only my newfound travel buddy.

Or maybe I still need to visual my routes on a bigger layout before heading out. This was me being stubborn and giving conventional maps one last look before going full digital.

A journey through Taipei means lots of eating and drinking. While searching for routes and places to visit on Google Maps, I make it a point to find highly rated restaurants and juice bars along the way.

Doing so in Taiwan is a cinch. Mobile internet here is incredibly fast for any standards, and quick searches on both Maps and Chrome take only a few seconds.

Taipei is the kind of city that requires a lot of walking and commuting to get around. For the longer train rides, I whip out my phone to play a game of Asphalt 9: Legends or Dragon Ball Legends — two games that require a lot of power to run.

Fortunately, the P20 Pro can handle both with ease. Not only is it powerful enough to max out the in-game graphics, its battery is long-lasting enough to get through the day even though I play hours’ worth of games, and that’s with mobile data always on.

Don’t let the low number of steps above fool you; even though it was already close to sunset, my day was just starting. Taipei wakes up at night with its numerous markets filled with fantastic food and affordable clothing.

To get from one point to another, there’s lots of walking involved. It’s great to have a smartphone that can readily show you how many steps you’ve taken at a glance so you know you’re burning all the food you ate.

Just to prove it, here’s me actually walking in the city. Aside from bringing the right travel companion with you, it’s also vital to dress up properly for the weather.

My annual trips to Taipei normally happen around June, which is when Computex goes on. During this season, it can get quite humid when the sun’s out, and a little chilly at night. It’s best to be prepared for both.

I must say, Taipei is a beautiful city — easily one of my favorites in the whole world. There’s no shortage of landmarks to see, but if there’s one you must visit, it’s Taipei 101. Once the tallest building in the world, the skyscraper is still a sight to behold no matter what angle you view it from.

For this shot, I chose to shoot it from below, and the P20 Pro handled the challenging lighting with ease. Every detail was captured, and there’s the option of zooming in for another take on the iconic view.

What’s great about having a phone with artificial intelligence built in is that it can detect scenes and subjects for you. This came in handy when I went around Taipei Zoo.

Although I was obviously going to take photos of animals at every turn, I liked how my phone could adjust settings on the fly and tweak images for me automatically.

At the end of the day, it’s nice to relax and scroll through all the photos I’ve taken while sipping from a cup of Taipei’s signature milk tea — even better when it’s on phone as attractive as the P20 Pro both inside and out.

There’s so much more you can do with the P20 Pro on a trip, but no travel piece can cover every single feature. For more, you can watch our hands-on video below.

This feature was produced in collaboration between GadgetMatch and Huawei.

Related Topics:

Lifestyle

Sony releases two affordable turntables

They’re built for both first-timers and veteran vinyl listeners.

Published

on

January 23, 2026

By

Vinyl records have been going through fits and starts throughout the years. While some years have a tepid collection of releases in the space, some feature new releases we’re very excited about. This year might be one of the latter, because Sony has just launched two new turntables that can bring the classic auditory experience for a competitive price.

First up is the PS-LX3BT. It’s a beginner-friendly turntable that values ease of use, while still prioritizing sleek designs. Right away, users can start listening with the attached audio cable and the built-in phono equalizer.

On the other hand, the PS-LX5BT is built for robustness. It has a rigid one-piece body and an aluminum tone arm. Together with the rubber mat and the circuit design, the entire turntable reduces vibrations and preserves audio quality. The high-grade cartridge delivers a wider soundstage. Finally, the gold-plated audio jack puts the premium on wired connections.

Despite the differences, both models will feature Bluetooth connectivity with aptX, aptX Adaptive, and Hi-Res Wireless Audio. They also have USB output with three-level gain control so you can digitize your library. Finally, they will support 33 1/3 and 45 RPM records.

The Sony PS-LX3BT is already available for presales. It will retail for US$ 399.99.

Meanwhile, the Sony PS-LX5BT will start its pre-sales later this spring. It will retail for US$ 499.99.

Continue Reading

Accessories

G-DRAGON is CASETiFY’s first ever Global Brand Ambassador

Right on time with the brand’s 15th-year milestone

Published

on

January 22, 2026

By

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

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.

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).

Continue Reading

Accessories

Razer fully unwraps these limited BLACKPINK Edition gaming gear

They are finally coming in your area!

Published

on

January 22, 2026

By

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

These will all be released worldwide (excluding Canada and Japan) by the 2nd quarter of 2026.

Currently, Razer has set-up a pop-up store in Hong Kong. BLINKs in the area can experience all the special gaming gear with dedicated photo zones in the scene.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Richard Lai (@richardlaihk)

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.

Continue Reading

Trending