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Redmi 9 unveiled in China with MIUI 12, 6GB+128GB variant & dual-band WiFi

UPDATE: Pricing & Availability!

The Redmi 9 pricing is as follows: 

  • 4GB + 64GB – ¥799 ($113)
  • 4GB + 128GB – ¥999 ($141)
  • 6GB + 128GB – ¥1199 ($169.6)

As you can see, you get 64GB ROM for just ¥799, so there’s no 32GB ROM model.

The Redmi 9 is up for pre-sale starting today (¥100 deposit) and will go on sale on June 29 eve.

 

Xiaomi’s Redmi has unveiled the Redmi 9 in China via its official Weibo page. The device is being promoted in China with the slogan which translates to “Defining the new standard for entry-level machines in 2020”. Indeed, Redmi seems to have saved the best for the last as the model comes with some unique features that weren’t available on the global variant. The price will be announced later today (June 24)  and will officially go on pre-salesame day.Redmi 9

First, the Redmi 9 China version will run on the latest MIUI 12 custom ROM based on Android 10. The global variant was released on Android Pie-based MIUI 11 but we expect a major update to be pushed to the model in the near future.Redmi 9

Secondly, the Chinese edition of the Redmi 9 comes in just 4GB + 64GB and a superb 6GB + 128GB variant. For reference, the global version hits in just 3GB + 32GB and 4GB + 64GB variants. In addition, the phone comes with dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz WiFi whereas the global variant comes with single-band (2.4 GHz) WiFi.Redmi 9

Apart from these three differences which are quite significant especially for a budget phone, the rest of the specs is the same with those of the global variant. As a reminder, the Redmi 9 packs a 6.53-inch FHD+ IPS LCD panel with 19:5:9 aspect ratio, 394 PPI, 70% NTSC color gamut, and 400 nits brightness. The display holds a waterdrop notch and also features by a layer of Gorilla Glass 3 protection.Redmi 9

The phone is powered by MediaTek Helio G80 SoC while for photography, there is a Quad-camera setup at the rear comprising a 13MP (primary) + 8MP (118° ultra-wide) + 5MP (macro) + 2MP (depth) setup. Selfies are taken care of by an 8MP camera.

Other features include a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, dual SIM, 4G connectivity, VoLTE, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, wireless FM radio, dedicated microSD card slot, multifunctional NFC, IR blaster, 3.5mm headphone jack, and USB Type-C. It crams a huge 5,020 mAh battery under the hood with 18W fast charging.

 

Elephone W6 Smartwatch available at discounted price of $29 from Geekbuying

Elephone W6 Smartwatch with a metallic body and 1.54-inch display is available at a reduced price of $39, which is $10 off from the actual retail price. The useful and stylish smartwatch has become super affordable with the latest discount from GeekBuying.

elephone w6 smartwatch

The Elephone W6 smartwatch is 8.9mm slim and has an all-metal design. It is packs a rubber strap and has a 7H tempered glass lens, that makes you comfortable to use smartwatch in differnt environments. The smartwatch has a real continuous heart rate monitor, blood pressure monitor, blood oxygen monitor, and sleep monitor.

Elephone W6 smartwatch can easily control smartphone camera remotely using wrist gestures. The Zone 2 Sport Mode enables the smartwatch to distinguish and record different activities. Other features like Weather forecast, sedentary reminder, sleep monitoring and notification management are also part of the package.

It has Bluetooth 5.0 that has a transmission speed up to 2Mbps. Elephone W6 smartwatch is powered by a 200 mAh battery which can keep the smartwatch running for 5 days, and remains on standby for 20 days. The watch is compatible with devices running iOS 8.0 or above versions, and Android 4.4 or above versions. The smartwatch is waterproof and has an IP67 rating. The Elephone W6 smartwatch comes in six colour options i.e. Rose gold, Silver white, Silver green, Obsidian Black, Navy blue, and Sky blue. The smartwatch weighs 40 grams.

You can grab the useful Elephone W6 smartwatch at the price of $29 from Geekbuying. You can know more about the device by heading to the official website. 

“Hey, Alexa” leaves an 11-month-old baby thinking her name is Amazon’s Smart Assistant

Hey, Alexa, what time is it? Alexa, turn on the light. Alexa, play Boy with Luv by BTS. These are just a few of the retinues of commands Amazon’s Alexa smart assistant processes daily in millions of homes around the world. Well, in one US home the use of the command has left the couple’s eleven-month-old baby confusing her name for “Alexa”. Amazon Alexa

A video shared by the New York Post shows how 11-month-old Emily wouldn’t respond when her mom called her real name while pushing her in a stroller. But as soon as she called “Alexa”, she snapped to attention, turning her head towards her mother’s gaze. “No, your name’s Emily, not Alexa,” her mom retorts.

The thing is, Emily’s parents had acquired an Amazon Echo smart speaker and usual calls “Alexa” to awaken the smart assistant since she was five months old. Like the quote by Haim Ginott; “Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression.”

Smart home assistants are all the buzz right now, with Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Xiaomi and others with significant stakes in the market. While the current assistants available offer a wide range of capabilities such as answer queries and commands, provide answers, play music, etc. This has made them useful for smart home applications and is a regular in many homes. You may want to exercise some care when waking up the voice assistant in front of an impressionable child. Else, a child might just go thinking his/her name is Ok Google or Hey Siri. Changing such an impression is sure going to be a tough nut.

UPDATE: We couldn’t embed New York Times’ video on this post so you can check out the video from the source link or from the YouTube channel below.

 

(source)

Apparently, there are a few more videos on YouTube of a couple of other cuties who think their names are “Alexa”. Quite hilarious.

 

 

 

Mobvoi announces TicWatch C2+; packs more RAM

Mobvoi is known for its smartwatches that are released under the TicWatch line. Today, the manufacturer has announced a new model called the TicWatch C2+.

TicWatch C2+

The TicWatch C2+ is not entirely a new watch. Actually, it is the 2018 TicWatch C2 with more RAM. Yeah, that is all. So rather than 512MB of RAM, you get 1GB of RAM with the rest of the specs unchanged. With more RAM, the watch should run smoother and faster.

The TicWatch C2+ is available in three colors – Onyx, Platinum, and Rose Gold and comes in two sizes – 18mm and 20mm. The AMOLED display is 1.3-inches in size with a 360 x 360 resolution and new watch faces. There is Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor inside the watch that draws juice from a 400mAh battery.

Other features include GPS, 4GB of storage, an IP68 rating, heart rate monitoring, and NFC with support for Google Pay. The watch runs Wear OS.

The TicWatch C2+ is priced at $209.99 on the official website and is already available for purchase. It comes with a genuine leather strap and an extra silicone strap in the box.

If you think $209.99 is a lot to pay for more RAM and an extra strap, you can pick up the original TicWatch C2 which is currently sold for $149.99 on the official website. You can also get 80% off the TicPods Free ($26.00 rather than $129.99) if you decide to buy it alongside the watch.

 

EA’s CEO hints the popular Apex Legends is coming to Android and iOS soon

When considering popular mobile shooter games available presently, Fortnite, PUBG and Call of Duty are among the top three most popular ones. EA’s Apex Legends is as popular as the trio but the issue is that it is not available on mobile. That may change soon as EA’s CEO Andrew Wilson is reported to have disclosed during a conference call that the company has deliberated on having the popular battle royale game get a soft launch by the end of the year. Apex Legends

The Apex Legends is a popular game which was meant to give EA an entry point into the lucrative battle royale gaming market. However, the popularity of the game has diminished for a while now, perhaps due to the unavailability of a mobile version. The fortunes of the game may experience some change when it becomes available to the billions of mobile gamers worldwide.

The game may not become available to gamers worldwide this year, though, as a soft launch means only some markets will get the new game on mobile. The company did not reveal the region that’s will become available by the year’s end but we expect the rollout to be expanded by the early part of 2021.

The mobile game scene has turned out to be a very lucrative one. The industry has also experienced some upsurge due to the COVID 19 lockdown and other restrictions. Data released by Sensor Tower showed that Tencent’s PUBG emerged as the top-grossing mobile game in May 2020 with an estimated revenue of $226 million USD. It is no surprise EA is planning to get on board with its own battle royale game which shares the same plot with the PUBG Mobile. That is, you jump from an aircraft, search for weapons and other loot and try to remain the last one standing.

 

(via)

 

Xiaomi Mi TV Stick with 4K HDR support available for $39 on Giztop

Xiaomi Mi TV Stick is finally here to compete against the Google Chromecast and Amazon Fire Stick. The Xiaomi Mi TV stick first appeared on EEC and later became available on Gearbest and Aliexpress. However, the official launch is still awaited from the Xiaomi side. In the meantime, you can grab the Xiaomi Mi TV Stick 2GB RAM and 4K HDR variant for $39. You need to use the coupon code on checkout to get $10 off instantly.

Must See: Xiaomi gives us a first look at the Mi TV Stick

XIaomi was recently spotted on Gearbest and Aliexpress in two different variants – 2K HDR and 4K HDR. The 4K HDR was priced around $133 on a third-party retailer’s website and the 2K variant is available for $49.

Xiaomi Mi TV Stick features Amlogic S905 quad-core processor coupled with 3GB RAM and 8GB internal storage. It supports dual-band WiFi to support speeds higher than 60Mbps. The device houses a standard HDMI 2.0 interface for easy connectivity across multiple devices.

The Mi TV Stick runs on Android 9 and supports dedicated Bluetooth voice remote control. It can output 4K HDR content with support for Dolby and DTS HD sound decoding. It is highly portable with support for simple plug and play interface.

Unlike Amazon Fire Stick TV, Xiaomi Mi TV supports Google Assitant with all its services like quick search, voice control, and detects other Mi smart home devices.

Xiaomi Mi TV Stick Technical Specifications:

  • Resolution: 2K
  • Audio decoder: DOLBY, DTS
  • Audio format: MP3, AAC, Flac, OGG
  • Photo Format: JPG, BMP, GIF, PNG, TIF
  • Contents: Google Play, Netflix, YouTube, Prime video, etc.
  • Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.2
  • Power Consumption: 5W
  • WiFi: 2.4GHz and 5GHz dual-band WiFI
  • Power SUpply: USB 2.0 Port

In order to grab the Xiaomi Mi TV Stick for $39 use Coupon Code MTV10 on the checkout page. You can head over to the Giztop product listing to get it for the reduced price.

Related: Mi TV Stick product listing exposes specifications and price

 

Day old Realme XT explodes in India, company blames “external force”

Advancement in safety measures adopted in the manufacture of smartphones has greatly reduced the incidence of exploding phones. But there are pockets of cases here and there, most traced to defective batteries. The most prominent of such was the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7. One of such rare cases has been reported in India where a Realme XT model exploded just 24 hours after purchase.Realme XT explodes

According to 91mobiles, the user claims the explosion occurred while the smartphone was left to charge overnight using the official adaptor in the retail box. However, Realme India has stated that the explosion was as a result of an “external force” which was applied to the unit and thus puncture the battery. Thus, this resulted in the battery going up in flames.

However, the owner of the Realme XT unit, Roshan Singh insists the model went up in flame while charging. He accused Realme’s service centre of inaction, claiming that when he shared the images of the burnt unit with them, a representative the brand concluded that an external force was applied by him on the unit by merely examining the unit.No physical examination or investigation was carried out. Upon further complaint on Twitter, Realme assured him that action will be taken on the incident but that promise has not been kept till now.

In an official statement released to 91mobiles, the company stated: “For us, one of the key pillars is product quality. Every smartphone manufactured by Realme goes through a number of stringent quality and durability checks as customer safety is of utmost importance for us. As per our investigation, we have learnt that the smartphone was damaged due to external force. The user’s smartphone battery caught fire as the smartphone was punctured from outside.”

Sadly, we have seen similar scenarios play out in the recent past but with Xiaomi models. Two of the cases involved the Redmi Note 7 Pro, the third was a Redmi Note 7S unit while the fourth was a Redmi Note 6 Pro. In all the reported cases, Xiaomi refused accepting liability claiming they were caused by previous damage to the phones. We never really did get to find out if Xiaomi ended up replacing the units. Roshan Singh may likely suffer the same fate but fair enough, the unit’s back panel looks like what may have shattered before the battery went up in flames. This falls in line with the claim by the company.

 

(via)

 

Honor 9A with triple cameras, MagicBook 14, and CHOICE TWS earbuds announced in Europe

Honor had an online event today in Europe where it unveiled a couple of new products. Among the products announced are the Honor 9A smartphone, a new MagicBook, and a pair of TWS earbuds.

Honor 9A Europe

Honor 9A

The Honor 9A is a budget smartphone that was first announced in China back in March. The phone has now made its way to Europe albeit with different specs.

For the European Honor 9A, the phone has a 6.3-inch HD+ (1600 x 720) display with a waterdrop notch. There is an Helio P22 processor inside along with 3GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable storage.

Unlike the Chinese version with dual rear cameras, the Honor 9A that will be sold in Europe has three rear cameras. The main sensor is a 13MP camera and you also get a 5MP ultrawide angle camera and a 2MP macro camera. The selfie camera is an 8MP sensor.

The Honor 9A has a dedicated MicroSD card slot, a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, NFC, and an audio jack. It also has an FM radio with a built-in antenna, Huawei Histen 6.0, and a Smart PA audio system. There is a 5000mAh battery inside but the phone only supports 5W charging. It also supports reverse charging. The phone runs Magic UI 3.1 based on Android 10 out of the box and with HMS.

The phone is available in Midnight Black and Phantom Blue. It will go on sale on July 1 for €149.9.

 

MagicBook 14

The Honor MagicBook 14 has also made its way to Europe. The MagicBook 14 has a pretty gorgeous design with its aluminum chassis and blue accent that goes around the lid. The bezels around the display are slim but not the slimmest we have seen. It weighs 1.38 kilograms and is 15.9 millimeters thick.

The notebook comes with a 14-inch 1080p display as expected. There is an AMD Ryzen 3500U inside along with 8GB of DDR4 RAM and 256GB of PCIe SSD storage.

For ports, you get two USB-A ports (1x USB 3.0 and 1x USB 2.0), a USB-C port, and a 3.5 mm audio jack. It also has a backlit keyboard.

Honor says it comes with a cooling fan with 49% more blades for more efficient cooling. There is a 56Wh battery inside that should last up to 10 hours. The MagicBook 14 charges via a USB-C port and supports 65W fast charging (65W charger included). This allows you to charge it from empty to 46% in just 30 minutes.

Other features of the notebook are a fingerprint scanner (buried under the power button), a retractable webcam hidden between the keys, and support for Magic-link 2.0 which allows users to mirror their Honor phones on their PC and seamlessly transfer files between both devices.

The MagicBook 14 comes with Windows 10 Home out of the box and a 1-month free subscription of Office 365. The notebook is priced at €599 (€649 with a 12-month Office 365 subscription) and comes in Space Gray and Mystic Silver. It is already available for purchase in France and will begin shipping between July 6 and July 10.

 

News] Honor Your Smart Home

CHOICE TWS Earbuds

Honor also announced a new line of products called CHOICE today. The CHOICE line will have IoT and lifestyle products such as TWS earbuds, humidifiers, smart vacuum cleaners, smart kettles, smart toothbrushes, and smart lamps. The first of these products announced today is the CHOICE TWS Earbuds.

The earbuds have 7mm drivers and boast a battery life of 24 hours. It comes in white and has a design similar to that of the FlyPods 3 but with a much shorter stem. Honor has not revealed details about pricing and availability.

 

Redmi Note 7 is finally being blessed with Android 10 stable update in China

In the first week of June, Xiaomi rolled out Android 10 update for Redmi 7A in China. A few days later, Redmi Note 7 Pro was treated with a similar update and yesterday, Redmi 7 started getting it as well. And now, Redmi Note 7, the brand’s first 48MP camera smartphone is also being blessed with Android 10 stable update in China.

Redmi Note 7 featured

Xiaomi is known for supporting most of its devices for three MIUI versions. But the same cannot be said for the underlying Android as it gets updated merely one time or two in case of flagships and some mid-rangers.

Since the beginning, the Chinese smartphone maker has a habit of updating the Android version of its smartphones slower than other OEMs. It got worse this year as most of its budget devices launched in early 2019 are still running Android Pie.

Thankfully, those devices begin to get the update from this month. That being said, the Android 10 update for  Redmi Note 7 in China comes with build number V11.0.2.0.QFGCNXM. The global versions may have a different build when the brand starts seeding out there.

It is worth noting that the whole Redmi 7/Redmi Note 7 series has now received Android 10 update in China. But the company is yet to deliver it in other regions. These handsets will be now receiving MIUI 12 stable update in the coming weeks.

Having said that, we hope that the brand soon starts rolling out the Android 10 update to Redmi 8 series and Redmi Note 8 next. For the unaware, the Redmi Note 8 Pro has already received the update in all the regions.

 

(Via)

Realme C11 with Helio G35 launching in Malaysia on June 30

Realme C11 has kept the rumour mills buzzing in recent times right after the company confirmed it will be launched as the first Helio G35-powered model. The specs of the model were recently leaked, confirming it is indeed an entry-level model. On the heels of that leak, Realme has confirmed the C11 will be launched in Malaysia on June 30. realme C11 The company disclosed this in a poster released on the Realme India Facebook page. The post also hinted that the launch will be an online event. The poster equally reiterates that the Realme C11 will be the first model to pack the MediaTek Helio G35 which is still unannounced. However, the processor is said to be an Octa-Core SoC manufactured uses 12nm process, similar to other G series SoC, but this is clocked up to 2.3 GHz, and adopts the Cortex A53 cores.

As a reminder, the Realme C11 will sport a 6.5-inch display with a waterdrop notch. The processor is paired with 2GB of RAM. The device will also have 32GB of storage and three SIM slots whereby one will be a microSD card.realme c11

For photography, the Realme C11 is said to pack an AI dual camera setup at the rear. The main sensor will be a 13MP sensor but the second sensor wasn’t disclosed. The camera is also said to bring support for Super Nightscape mode. Unfortunately, the phone won’t have a fingerprint sensor.

 

 

(source)

 

iOS 14 – All the new features, release date, compatible devices and more

At WWDC, Apple unveiled the next-generation iOS operating system for the iPhones — iOS 14, which comes with several improved features and significant changes. Here’s the list of major features coming with the newer version.

Home screen and Widgets

iOS 14 New Home Screen

The first major change that you’ll notice in the iOS 14 is the redesigned home screen. For the first time ever, it now supports widgets which can be dragged from the Today screen to the home screen. Also, the widgets can be pinned to the home screen in different sizes.

Swiping right from the home screen is a new App Library where every application on the device has bene organized neatly into the folder system. You can also remove apps from the home screen but keep them in the App Library.

iOS 14 App Library

There’s also a new Smart Stack feature that intelligently stacks widgets based on time, location, and activity. Through the widgets gallery, you will now be able to choose widgets from the app as well as customize them.

Compact Calling Screen

iOS 14 Calling Screen

Till now, whenever you receive a call, it covered the full screen on the phone. But now, with the new iOS 14, the incoming phone calls appear as a notification on the top instead of taking over the entire screen.

New Siri Interface

iOS 14 Siri

Similar to the new compact calling screen, the Siri interface has also been redesigned. Instead of taking over the whole display area, the new interface just opens up a Siri blob at the bottom of the screen when triggered. The output result is then displayed on top of the screen as rich notifications.

App Clips

iOS 14 App Clips

Apple has also added a new App Clips support to iOS 14. This enables users to take advantage of some app features without the need to download the full application. So, you will be able to do things like purchase coffee, make restaurant reservations, etc. just by scanning a code without downloading the app.

The company added that the App Clips work through Apple-designed App Clip codes, NFC tags, or QR codes, and can also be shared in Messages or from Safari.

Picture-In-Picture

iOS 14 Picture-in-Picture Mode

This picture-in-picture mode, which was already available on the iPad, is now finally making its way to the iPhone with iOS 14. With this feature, the FaceTime video call can continue in a small floating window, allowing you to keep using your phone at the same time. You can also drag the box anywhere on the screen.

Messages

The Messages application has received several major improvements. The company has now added support for pinning nine conversations at the top of the app. It also comes with support for new in-line replies so that you can reply to a specific message in a conversation instead of a general message.

iOS 14 Messages

Further, it now has support for mentions, allowing you to mention a user and then send a message so that only that person will get notified. The group chat name, as well as the photo, can now be customized.

It also comes with new Memoji option that includes additional hairstyles, face coverings, age, headwear, and more Memoji stickers. With the revamped facial and muscle structure, the feature has now become more expressive.

Maps

iOS 14 Maps

Apple has been making some solid improvements in Maps. The company said that it will start rolling out new map data to more countries this year. Further, the company is adding cycling directions that can take into account elevation changes, bike lanes, and stairs.

It will also show location of known speed cameras and red light cameras. The Maps is now being updated to provide specialized electric vehicle routes. It also enables you to keep track of things like current charge status, and show compatible chargers on route.

Translate App

iOS 14 Translate App

The company is adding a new first-party application with the iOS 14 — Translate. Similar to the Google Translate app, you can choose two languages and hit the mic button. The app will then listen to your voice and provide text as well as voice translations. The app works offline and allows you to download more languages.

Car Keys

The Digital car keys feature allows you to unlock and start your car with the iPhone or even Apple Watch. With the new update, the company is adding support for U1 chip, which will be able to unlock cars without the need to take your iPhone out of the pocket. Also, the car keys can be shared through Messages.

Updated Privacy Protections

iOS 14 Privacy

The newly updated privacy protections in the iOS 14 now require developers to get permission before accessing devices on local network. Apple has also introduced new options for limiting access to select photos or providing apps with only approximate location data. Further, apps need to get permission before tracking across websites. There’s a new icon that shows on the home screen when the app is using camera or mic.

Apart from these, there are few more new features added with the iOS 14 that include password monitoring, built-in Safari translation, support for third-party products, and accessories in Find My app, among others.

iOS 14 Release Date

Apple has not revealed the exact date for the rollout of this new iOS 14 update but has said that it will be available later this year. Typically, the new iOS rollout begins in September, just in time for the new iPhone launch. However, it remains to be seen if Apple sticks to the same timeline.

Before releasing the public version, Apple is set to start offering a public beta test version from July this year.

Supported Devices for iOS 14

  • iPhone 11 Pro
  • iPhone 11 Pro Max
  • iPhone 11
  • iPhone SE (2020)
  • iPhone XS
  • iPhone XS Max
  • iPhone XR
  • iPhone X
  • iPhone 8
  • iPhone 8 Plus
  • iPhone 7
  • iPhone 7 Plus
  • iPhone 6s
  • iPhone 6s Plus
  • iPhone SE (2016)
  • iPod touch (7th generation)

 

Xiaomi Mi Band 5 Review: A Worthy Upgrade to the Mi Band 4

Xiaomi just recently launched the new Mi Band 5 model in China. And we have been using the smartband for the past few days. While it’s not a huge upgrade as compared to its predecessor, there are still some important features that give it a slight advantage over the Mi Band 4. So if you are planning to buy the Xiaomi Mi Band 5, make sure to read our review first. 

Mi Band 5 Featured Review 02

Also, we are giving away the Mi Band 5 to one of our lucky YouTuber subscribers. You can participate in the giveaway from the link at the end of the article or from the review video that you see below. 

 

What’s the difference between Mi band 5 and the Mi band 4?

There are only a few differences in their hardware and design.

Mi Band 5 vs Mi Band 4 Review 04

The most remarkable difference is that the Mi Band 5 features a slightly larger AMOLED display, up from 0.95 inches to 1.1 inches. That’s not much of a difference but the screen now has smaller bezels and a larger area to display more information. While the size difference is hard to perceive on a day to day basis, when we directly compare it with Mi Band 4, you can see the additional line of information available due to its larger screen size.

Mi Band 5 vs Mi Band 4 Display 02

Another upgraded feature is the display brightness, which can reach up to 450 nits and allows you to view the display clearly under direct sunlight. But it still doesn’t have auto-brightness-adjustment, so you’ll have to max up the brightness manually. This could be a pain because the brightness setting is hidden deep inside the settings menu. But in most cases, you’d be happy with a set brightness level. 

Mi Band 5 brightness

There are more than 100 new themed dials to choose from as claimed, including 54 famous IP themes such as Spongebob Squarepants, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Ali the Fox. But so far, some special themes have not been found in the watch face store. It seems that some of them are only available in Chinese version. 

Mi Band 5 vs Mi Band 4 Display
Mi Band 5 vs Mi Band 4 watch face
Mi Band 5 Watch Faces 09
Mi Band 5 themes

Another wonderful improvement is in its charging method. The Mi band 5 brings an all-new magnetic charging dock. If you had the Mi band 4, you’d how annoying it was to charge it, even if it was once every few weeks. That’s why I’m so grateful for the new charging method, even though we only charge it once every couple of weeks. But pay attention here, Xiaomi did not improve the charging speed, which is understandable as we don’t need to charge it frequently.

Mi Band 5 Magnetic Charging

So that’s all the design difference between the Mi band 5 and 4. To be honest, they look almost identical. Since the size of the new body is the same as the Mi band 4 (only the bezels were reduced to increase its display size), we were able to replace the original strap with the Mi Band 4’s strap.

Mi Band 5 vs Mi Band 4 Review 01
Mi Band 5 gets into Mi Band 4’s strap!

You can also check our out Mi Band 5 hands-on for some additional pictures of the device.

 

Mi Band 5 Review: Fitness Tracking Gets New Modes & PAI scores

Mi Band 5 Review 12
Mi Band 5 Sports Modes

As one of the best cheap fitness trackers, Mi band series has been doing an excellent job in offering various health tracking features. In addition to Mi band 4’s six sports modes, the Mi band 5 supports several new exercise options, offering a total of 11 sports modes. We haven’t tested all the sport modes, but it should be a step up from what you get with the Mi band 4. And for swimming mode, the Mi band 5 also supports 5ATM waterproof as the Mi band 4 did. So, you can wear it even when taking a shower or while swimming.

Mi Band 5 Waterproof

Besides the sport modes tracking, the Mi band 5 supports some other important health tracking, including improved sleep tracking, blood oxygen tracking, smarter heart rate monitoring, stress test, PAI scoring system, and menstrual cycle tracking for women’s health.

 

Mi Band 5 vs Mi Band 4 Sleep Tracking
Mi Band 5 vs Mi Band 4 Sleep Tracking

To see if the sleep tracking is improved on the Mi Band 5, our colleague tracked his sleep wearing the two bands at the same time. Well, there was a slight difference in sleep tracking but it’s hard to say which one is more accurate. One detail worth mentioning is that he said he woke up to take a phone call at around 8:20 am. Only the Mi band 4 recorded it down while we couldn’t see it in the Mi band 5’s timeline. 

Mi Band 5 Review 15

And the heart rate monitoring can be activated all day with different frequencies. But it could increase the power consumption of the band. And it also features a heart rate alert. Simply put, it can warn users about abnormal heart rate issues through vibration and notification.Mi Band 5 Review 19

The new stress test and PAI scoring system can help users understand their physical state through tracking. Giving a numerical figure to your physical activity is a good way to see if you are moving towards your goal of becoming fit. The Mi Band 5 showed that I basically stayed at a relaxed state but had a poor fitness. Although it’s hard to say if the PAI score is accurate, at least it’s informational and will motivate users to be fit.

Mi Band 5 Review 20

Mi Band 5 Review: New Remote Camera Shutter  

Besides working as an excellent health tracker, the Mi band 5 also reserves a lot of practical features as a helpful assistant. The smart band comes with features such as Idle alert, notification and call reminder, music control, weather reports, phone finder, and so on. We’ve introduced a lot about these features in the Mi Band 4 Review, so there’s nothing really new here. In addition to the above list, the Mi Band 5 has also added a remote camera control feature via Bluetooth. It can act as your phone’s camera shutter, but it’s still not capable of controlling video shooting. It’s nothing really special but for some, it’ll make shooting photos much more convenient, especially when you are traveling alone or need to take group shots.

Mi Band 5 Review 20
Mi Band 5 Remote Shutter

 

Mi Band 5 Review: Same Battery Life As Its Predecessor

As for its battery, there is no remarkable improvement. The Mi band 5 can last for around 15 days without turning on some features like all-time heart rate monitoring.

After wearing it for five days, it consumed 36% of power, which is an acceptable result. But as mentioned at the start of this Mi Band 5 review, the magnetic charging makes it way easier to charge the device every couple of weeks.

Mi Band 5 Review 23 

So that’s everything about the Mi Band 5. It’s an excellent smart wearable with practical and useful features. And more importantly, it’s really hard to find a better choice at such a price tag.

Mi Band 5 Review 03

As mentioned at the start of the review, we are giving away one unit of the Mi Band 5 to one of our YouTube subscribers! Just follow the steps in the gleam widget below to participate in it.

Giveaway: Win a Mi Band 5

The Mi Band 5 is also up for grabs via GizTop! You can check out the listing here.   

 

 

iQOO Z1x will feature a 5,000 mAh battery as per a new leak

Chinese OEMs are raining budget 5G handsets every other week. iQOO Z1x is said to be the next mid-range 5G smartphone as per recent leaks. Now, a new leak reveals the device to come with a massive 5,000 mAh battery.

Vivo iQOO Z1x 5000 mAh Battery Leak

iQOO Z1 5G launched in mid-May as the world’s first smartphone powered by MediaTek Dimensity 1000+ (Plus).  It was later followed by the leaks of a lite variant of this phone called iQOO Z1x starting early June. 

So far, there’s no much information about this upcoming device except for some tidbits. The first-ever leak claimed it to launch with Snapdragon 765G underneath. Then, 3C certification revealed it to ship with 33W fast charger just like most other Vivo and iQOO smartphones.

Yesterday, another leak reportedly claimed the iQOO Z1x to feature 120HZ refresh rate display, a little lower than iQOO Z1’s 144Hz panel.

Now, a new spy shot of the smartphone (V2012A) running the Ampere app reveals its battery capacity to be 5000mAh battery, which will be really useful for that high refresh rate screen and 5G connectivity.

Unfortunately, nothing else is known about this upcoming budget 5G handset except for the above-mentioned few specifics.

 

(Via)

OnePlus confirms new affordable smartphone series is coming

It has been a long time coming. OnePlus has officially announced that it is launching a new series of smartphones that will be more affordable.

OnePlus New Beginnings

A post published today by Pete Lau on the official OnePlus Forums says they are bringing the premium and flagship experience to a “new, more affordable smartphone product line”.

OnePlus says the decision to make a new series is due to the several requests from “people who want a really solid smartphone that meets their everyday needs and for a far more accessible price”.

The post revealed the new product line will be introduced first in Europe and India. There are also plans to bring more affordable smartphones to North America in the near future.

The new product team has a new lead and that is Paul Yu (pictured above with Carl and Pete). This is most likely the face we will be seeing when it comes to announcements regarding the new line. Paul Yu has been working for OnePlus for more than 5 years. Before joining the team, he was a project manager at Coolpad.

The official OnePlus Twitter account, as well as Carl Pei, has also posted new tweets regarding the upcoming phone with the #NewBeginnings hashtag. Carl Pei also shared a link to an Instagram account with the name “onepluslitezthing”. The account is private but has made three posts.

A tweet by OnePlus says the first 100 followers will receive exclusive items. As at the time of writing, the account already has more than 2700 followers.

The first phone from the new product line is believed to be the OnePlus Nord. The phone is expected to have an AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 765 processor, quad rear cameras, and support for 30W fast charge.

 

(Sources: 1, 2)

Redmi Dimensity 1000+ phone might launch in July, followed by Mi 10 Pro Plus in August and Mi Mix 4 in Q4 2020

Yesterday, Digital Chat Station revealed that Redmi’s first Dimensity 1000+ smartphone could launch in about two months. But today, he says it will launch next month (July), followed by Mi 10 Pro Plus in August, and Mi Mix 4 in Q4 2020.

Xiaomi Logo Co-founder Lei Jun

June is about to end but neither Xiaomi nor Redmi has launched any new smartphone in their home market. Though the Redmi 9 is launching this week in China, it is not a new handset as it has been already unveiled in other markets.

But next month, we might see a new device from the house of Redmi if Digital Chat Station’s tip is true. According to him, this phone will be powered by MediaTek Dimensity 1000+ (Plus) and could have features like 144Hz high refresh LCD panel, side-mounted fingerprint sensor, and 33W fast charging as per a 3C listing with model number M2006J10C.

The second new smartphone will come from Xiaomi in August. The leakster calls the device ‘Super Large Cup’, which means ultra flagship like the Huawei P40 Pro Plus and Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra. So this handset could be the rumored Mi 10 Pro Plus.

The leakster also does not mention the name of the last device releasing in Q4 2020 with a hint ‘you know that’. This phone could be nothing but the long due Mi Mix 4.

Having said that, Digital Chat Station also clarifies that this is merely a tentative schedule and thus, the actual launch may vary. But he did confirm to update his followers if he comes to know about any change in Xiaomi’s plans.

 

(Via)

Huawei patents new smartphone with Under-Display camera and Virtual Buttons

Despite facing increasing pressures from the US Government, it seems Huawei is still going strong with new smartphone launches and patents, with a recent design patent revealing a special handset with an under-display camera and virtual buttons on the side.

Huawei

The new patent was filed with the CNIPA (China National Intellectual Property Administration) back in 2019, which was finally granted earlier this month. The patent was also included in the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Office) database and carried 14 images for two smartphones with only slight differences in their design.

The first patented device features a full screen body on the front, with minimal bezels on every side. There is no popup mechanism visible or punch hole camera visible, which means that an under display camera technology might be planned. One of its interesting aspects is on the sides, with the display crossing over and curving into small regions on the sides. This portion will house virtual buttons for both the volume rockers, power buttons, and possibly other functionalities as well.

Huawei

The only difference between the two patented devices also lies here, with the first having just a slightly curved display cutout while the second has its cutouts reach till the back panel. In other words, a small portion of the display is visible from the back. Unfortunately, no finer details regarding the device are currently available and it might just be Huawei’s attempt to cover all bases. So stay tuned for any new updates.

 

(Via)

Meizu announces Android 10 Closed Beta recruitment in China

In the last week of May, Meizu released Flyme 8.1 stable update for all the eligible devices. However, the update was not based on the latest stable version of Android. But now, the brand has finally announced Android  10 closed beta recruitment for all those 10 devices that received the latest version of Flyme recently.

Meizu Android 10 Closed Beta Recruitment

The Android 10 update for older Meizu smartphones will be first available to closed beta testers starting July 21. To participate, users will have to register themselves in the system update app. 

Interested users must have Flyme 8.1. 0.0A Stable or Flyme 8.20.6.16 Beta installed on their handset. Users who are already enrolled in the beta program need not register again.

Having said that, here are all the 10 Meizu smartphones that will be updated to Android 10.

  • Meizu 16s Pro
  • Meizu 16s
  • Meizu 16th Plus
  • Meizu 16th
  • Meizu 16T
  • Meizu 16Xs
  • Meizu 16X
  • Meizu Note 9
  • Meizu Note 8
  • Meizu X8

Anyway, just like the Flyme 8.1 update, we are not sure when Android 10 update will be made available for Meizu devices running the global version of Flyme.

 

(Source)

Oukitel WP5 Pro rugged smartphone and Oukitel C19 slated for early July launch

Oukitel is primarily known for its high-end rugged smartphones around the globe. After launching the Oukitel WP7 high-end rugged smartphone, the company is planning to launch Oukitel WP5 Pro rugged phone and Oukitel C19 smartphone on June 29 and July 3 respectively. The new information is recently posted on the Oukitel landing page.

oukitel wp5 pro

Oukitel WP5 Pro is a high-end rugged smartphone featuring IP68 and IP69 ratings for being dustproof and waterproof. Moreover, its stealthy and rugged design is MIL-STD-810G certified. It is a perfect companion for the users who work in a difficult environment or often go for adventure sport.

The smartphone houses a massive 8000 mAh battery which can sustain for up to 3 days with normal usage. It is another essential feature that might help you while traveling in remote areas.

Oukitel WP5 Pro carries MediaTek Helio A25 SoC featuring an Octa-Core processor and IMG PowerVR GE8320-class GPU. It is available with a 4GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage. The smartphone sports a large 5.5-inch In-cell Display for impressive view and houses a Corning Gorilla Glass 5. In the camera department, there’s a 13-megapixel single-rear camera for better photos.

It runs on the Android 10 Go Operating System with the stock-like experience. You can get it in four different colors of black, green, purple, and gradient blue.

oukitel c19 pro

Oukitel C19 is an entry-level smartphone featuring 6.49-inch HD in-cell display and 4000 mAh battery. It also runs on Android 10 Go version.

You can add both the Oukitel WP5 Pro and C19 to get a notification once global sales open. Moreover, you can get Oukitel WP5 Pro and C19 for free by participating in the Giveaway. More information about the giveaway is available on the official Oukitel website.

Honor MagicWatch 2 gets 85 new sports modes; brings total to 100

The Honor MagicWatch 2 is a smartwatch by Huawei’s sub-brand Honor. Announced back in November as its second smartwatch, Honor has now rolled out a new update that brings 85 new sports modes.

When the watch launched, it only came with 15 sports modes. With the update, you now have a total of 100 sports modes. The new sports modes include surfing, jet skiing (motorboat), canoeing, and rowing.

To get the update, all you have to do is update your Huawei Health App. When you connect your watch to your phone and launch the app, its firmware should be updated.

The Honor MagicWatch 2 has a 1.39-inch AMOLED display with a 454 x 454 resolution and Always. It has two physical buttons on the right and the dial has a tachymeter. It also has a built-in speaker and microphone

Just like the Huawei Watch GT 2, it is also powered by the Kirin A1 processor. There is 4GB of storage and 32MB of RAM Some of its features include 24-hour heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, SpO2 measurement, and stress monitoring.

The smartwatch has GPS, NFC, 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 5.1. Its 455mAh battery should last up to 2 weeks on a single charge with standard usage. The battery life drops to 30 hours with GPS turned on.

 

(Source)

Realme blatantly copies Huawei with its new 1+4+N strategy product strategy

Realme has just announced a new product strategy earlier today (23rd June 2020). But interestingly, this new strategy bears quite a bit of similarity with Huawei’s own product strategy which was announced back in 2019.

Realme
Huawei’s original 1+8+N product strategy

The Chinese company announced earlier today its new 1+4+N product strategy, were ‘1’ refers to smartphones, ‘4’ refers to various IoT products and upcoming IoT and lifestyle products with the ‘N’ standing for new. While this sounds quite elaborate it is nearly identical to Huawei’s 2019 1+8+N strategy. The ‘1’ also stood for smartphones, while the ‘8’ and ‘N’ stood for IoT devices and smart homes and more.

Realme
Realme’s copied 1+4+N product strategy

In other words, the new Realme product strategy seems heavily inspired if not a direct ripoff. The company could’ve easily gone for another branding or name, but the move was quite obvious. Interestingly, a Xiaomi representative took to Twitter to call out Realme’s action, calling them a copy cat and also sharing the product strategy wheel that both companies shared, albeit with a 1 year gap.

Looking at these images, even the illustrations seemed downright copied. This kind of incident isn’t exactly uncommon in the industry and direct inspirations have been seen in the past as well. But this one seems a little too lazy to say the least. To make matters worse, neither Huawei nor Realme’s product strategy is easy to say out loud, so was it even worthwhile?

 

(Via)