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You Can Now Make Your PS5 Matte Black Thanks To Dbrand’s Darkplates
When Sony first revealed the PlayStation 5, the two-color curvy design sparked a heated discussion online, with some reporters comparing it to a trophy you might get at an award show and some to a boutique Wi-Fi router. If you’re among the PlayStation 5 owners who are secretly or openly jealous of the more understated design of the Xbox Series X, then we have good news for you: accessory maker Dbrand is selling custom black matte faceplates for PS5, known as Darkplates.
Starting at $49, the set of faceplates lets you easily change the look of your console to please your design taste buds. Besides the faceplates themselves, you can also customize the look of the middle section by ordering one of the optional middle skins (available in matte black, neon yellow, matte white, and several different patterns).
The faceplates feature “a familiar-but-legally-distinct apocalyptic spin on the classic PlayStation button shapes,” which is also how Dbrand would most likely defend its product should Sony decide to take it to court.
Why in the world would Sony do that? To start with, Darkplates are an unofficial accessory sold without Sony’s approval. Last year, accessory seller CustomizeMyPlates was forced to cancel all orders after legal action from Sony, so Dbrand wouldn’t be the first company to feel Sony’s boot on its backside. What’s more, Dbrand is actually touting Sony by saying, “Go ahead, sue us,” on its website.
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So far, three waves of Darkplates have been shipped to buyers around the world, and the fourth wave is expected to be sold out soon, so you should hurry up if you want to get your hands on this product, whose marketing is just as polarizing as the design of the PlayStation 5.
News
Paymob Extends Series B Funding To $72M Amid Continued Growth
The financial services provider has secured an extra $22 million after strong performance in its core market of Egypt.
Leading financial services provider Paymob has secured an additional $22 million in a funding extension, bringing its Series B total to $72 million.
The funding was spearheaded by EBRD Venture Capital, with support from Endeavor Catalyst. Existing backers such as PayPal Ventures, BII, FMO, A15, Nclude, and Helios Digital Ventures also participated, reaffirming their confidence in Paymob’s business model and potential in the regional fintech industry.
This extension comes on the back of Paymob’s strong performance in its core market of Egypt, where it has experienced 6x revenue growth since the initial Series B in Q2 2022. With the Series B extension and continued profitability in Egypt, Paymob is well-positioned to further its expansion strategy across the MENA region.
Islam Shawky, Co-founder and CEO of Paymob, commented: “We are very excited by our strong prospects in Egypt – where we hold a market-leading position – and the significant traction experienced in the UAE since launching operations there. This funding will help Paymob fully capitalize on the momentum in our established markets, as we accelerate our GCC roll-out. We remain committed to creating cutting-edge infrastructure enabling SMEs across the region to thrive in the digital economy and are proud of our continued impact”.
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The expansion into GCC markets has been driven by Paymob’s initial Series B funding of $50 million, raised in 2022 and led by Kora Capital, PayPal Ventures, and Clay Point. The investment fueled Paymob’s growth, allowing it to launch its mobile app in 2023 and grow its merchant base by 3.5 times, now serving nearly 350,000 merchants across MENA.
Paymob has also expanded its payment acceptance suite to offer 50 payment methods through its gateway, POS terminals, and the Paymob app, providing the region’s most comprehensive fintech solution. The company recently introduced embedded checkout services for Shopify and WooCommerce, further demonstrating its commitment to empowering small and medium businesses across the region.