Samsung has launched several affordable devices in the past few months and the Galaxy A9 Star will be the next one, alongside its Lite sibling. A leaked poster has just surfaced online and it confirms the launch of both the devices in China, as well as the design and info about the price tag. According to the poster, they will launch in China on June 7. Both will have a totally different design from the standard A9, and they will also be different from every Samsung midrange device. The handsets will feature a glass back and a metal frame, with a dual camera in a vertical configuration placed in the same position of iPhone X’s dual setup.
Besides the dual cameras, there is a fingerprint reader, while the power key is placed on the right side of the phone, and the volume controls will be on the left. Samsung Galaxy A9 Star will have a battery with a capacity of 3700 mAh which is expected to be a long-lasting battery as the phone will sport an efficient AMOLED display. The screen will have a size of 6.28 inches, an 18.5:9 aspect ratio and a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2220 pixels. There will be no notch, but bezels will be narrow thanks to the wide aspect ratio.
Samsung Galaxy A9 Star will come with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage, while we still do not know the memory configuration of its Lite variant. According to the poster, A9 Star will cost 3499 Yuan, which roughly translates into €467 or $546. The flash sales are expected to start on June 15 in China, but we still do not have official info about the availability of Galaxy A9 Star and A9 Star Lite outside of China. According to reports, the mid-rangers will also be launched in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Xiaomi Mi 8 has just been unveiled alongside its smaller sibling Mi 8 SE, but it has already been tested and reviewed by DxOMark, which has defined it one of the top 5 camera phones ever released. In the official DxOMark test, the new Mi flagship has obtained a whopping score of 105 points in regards to photo quality and 88 points in video recording. The overall score obtained by the flagship is 99 points which brings it at the same level of Samsung Galaxy S9+, according to DxOMark. To be accurate, the score related to the photo quality is even higher than Galaxy S9+, but the lower score obtained in the video recording test made its overall score lower.
DxOMark stated that Xiaomi Mi 8 is able to capture vivid photos with a good dynamic range in various scenarios, including low-light conditions, as well as an accurate exposure and white balance. There is a very low amount of noise in every light condition and a fast autofocus. However, just like every other camera phones, there are some weak points, such as color fringing, minor inconsistencies with autofocus, white balance and depth detection, a loss of detail in broad daylight and in really dark environments.
When it comes to video recording, the camera shows a very fast autofocus, a wide dynamic range, a great focus tracking and low noise. But there are some inconsistencies here as well with exposure, white balance, and detail. On its rear glass, Xiaomi Mi 8 boasts a dual camera setup with resolutions of 12 MP, f/1.8 and f/2.4 apertures. It supports dual pixel PDAF and 2x optical zoom thanks to its secondary telephoto lens. Xiaomi Mi 8 has managed to do even better than iPhone X’s dual camera, but according to DxOMark it is still far from Huawei P20 Pro and its triple camera which has scored 109 points in total.
When it comes to the price range under $200 or €200, you’ll probably end up buying a Xiaomi phone in the current market standing. But Meizu is putting a lot of efforts in this price range and to some extent, the company’s devices have started to get attention. This week, the company announced the new Meizu M6T, a device which will cost around €100 and is expected to affect the sales of Xiaomi Redmi 5. Here’s an in-depth comparison between the Meizu M6T vs Xiaomi Redmi 5.
Dual 13 + 2 MP f/2.2 + f/2.4
8 MP f/2.0 front camera
12 MP f/2.2
5 MP front camera
BATTERY
3300 mAh
33000 mAh
Fast charging 5V / 2A
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Hybrid Dual SIM slot
Hybrid Dual SIM slot
Design
Despite the fact that it was launched in elegant shades, Meizu M6T is not really the best phone that you can get when it comes to aesthetics and build quality. It has a cheap plastic design, but this will hopefully make the signal stronger. Xiaomi Redmi 5 has a higher quality metal back, it is more compact and even thinner, even though displays come with the same size. However, Meizu M6T is the only one among the two coming with a comfortable mBack fingerprint reader which can help you navigate in the UI through gestures.
Display
Two 5.7-inch panels with an HD+ resolution and the IPS technology. With these specs, do not expect to see a noticeable difference between the viewing quality of these two panels. HD is the minimum resolution you can get in this price range, but it is also rare to find a Full HD phone under $120. Further, the low resolution helps a lot with the energy consumption.
Hardware/Software
There is nothing to compare when it comes to hardware: Xiaomi Redmi 5 wins. It sports an octa-core Snapdragon 450 SoC by Qualcomm which can run at a max frequency of 1.8 GHz. And it is a much better processor than the octa-core Mediatek MT6750T present on the Meizu M6T. It is faster and way more powerful. On the other hand, note that Meizu M6T has a variant with 64 GB of internal storage which is not available with the Redmi 5. Both phones come with Android Nougat out of the box, but given that they are heavily customized with Xiaomi’s and Meizu’s own user interfaces it does not have a strong impact. Both these devices are full of additional features and when we talk about software it is all about individual tastes, even though we prefer MIUI as its a bit more functional and user-friendly.
Camera
Given that these are devices sold for less than $150 we can not define them camera phones, but Meizu M6T has a camera which seems very interesting for this price range. It is a dual setup with 13 + 2 MP resolution which can calculate depth for the portrait mode. Further, it has a good 8 MP selfie camera with a decently-bright f/2.0 aperture. We believe Meizu M6T is a better camera phone than its opponent.
Battery
3300 mAh batteries in each case, so we will have to test them to know exactly which one will last more. However, we are kinda sure that, just like Xiaomi Redmi 5, Meizu M6T will provide a great battery life. It has low-energy hardware components and an above-average battery capacity which should allow it to last up to 2 days with a low/moderate use, just as Xiaomi Redmi 5 does. Note that only Xiaomi Redmi 5 supports fast charging technology, so you will probably have to wait for a bit more in order for the Meizu M6T to charge to 100%.
Price
Price is not really the element which establishes the winner as they are very similar.
In China, Meizu M6T starts from €108/$125 for the base configuration, while Xiaomi Redmi 5 starts from €103/$120. You should go for the Meizu M6T if camera and selfies are your main concern. Otherwise, Xiaomi Redmi 5 is a better choice. For now, the availability of Meizu M6T has been announced only in China and we do not know if and when it will be available outside the country. So it looks like the Redmi 5 is the only choice if you do not live in China.
Huawei has today launched the successor of Huawei Watch 2 smartwatch which was launched last year. The newly launched model, named Huawei Watch 2 (2018), comes in three variants — 4G Edition, Bluetooth-only model, and 4G eSIM Edition.
There is no major change in terms of the design. It features a double crown design and comes with shortcut keys for easy access to sport, quick exercise selection or to setup a custom quick launch. The smartwatch weighs 57 grams and measures 45 x 48.9 x 12.6 mm and comes with a waterproof casing having IP58 certification.
The Huawei Watch 2 (2018) comes with a 1.2-inch OLED display with screen resolution of 390 x 390 pixels. The display is protected by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass on top. Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 2100 chipset, along with 768 MB of RAM and 4 GB of internal storage.
It has integrated GPS and Beidou dual positioning support, allowing to track users in real-time. It can also track heart rate and can monitor the quality of sleep at night. There’s a Galvanic Skin Response sensor, along with a barometer, accelerometer, gyroscope, and compass.
There are different exercise modes and the company is using FIRSTBEAT motion tracking algorithm and training plan, helping users in sports activities. The device also comes with NFC support, enabling a bunch of payment systems, including Huawei, Alibaba’s Ali Pay, and WeChat payment system.
The smartwatch runs on Google‘s Android Wear 2.0 operating system. Coming to the battery, according to the company, the battery can last one and a half days on a single charge. However, on using 4G, it drops to just 1 day of usage. Huawei claims that the battery can be charged fully in about 100 minutes.
The Huawei Watch 2 (2018) is priced at 1,538 Yuan (approximately $xx) for the Bluetooth-only model and goes up to 1,988 Yuan (approximately $310) for the eSIM model. It will be available in three color options — Carbon Black, Vibrant Orange, and Star Grey and is available for purchase in China through Vmall.
Xiaomi finally took the wraps off the trio of Mi 8, Mi 8 SE and Mi 8 Explorer Edition in China today. The smartphone indeed lived up to the hype that has kept the rumour mills buzzing all this while. While we await the release of the itinerary for the global launch of the models, here are a couple of hands-on pictures of the Mi 8 as well as the Mi 8 Explorer Edition.
The Mi 8 and Mi 8SE basically feature the same design but the sizes and screen ratio are slightly different from each other. The trio equally present with the notch design up at the display. The notch is similar to what we have on the iPhone X. The wideness of the cut out gave the device an 18.7:9 aspect ratio. As a reminder, the display is a 6.12-inch Super AMOLED screen with an FHD+ resolution of 2248 x 1080 pixels. and it delivers a screen-to-body ratio of 86.12 percent. The screen is enabled with features like DCI-P3 color gamut, 60000:1 contrast ratio, up to 600nits brightness, HDR support, Eye protection mode, and Always-On Display.
The rear design is also similar to the iPhone X, taking into account the vertically stacked dual rear camera located at the top corner. There is also a fingerprint sensor at the back. The Mi 8 flagship continues the glass back panel which the Mi 6 featured. In this case, it utilises a 2.5D glass panel while the mid frame is made from metal with a sleek finish. In the case of the Mi 8 Explorer Edition, it features a translucent glass back which shows the internal components in a beautiful way.
There is no fingerprint sensor at the back instead, the Mi 8 Explorer Edition has an in-screen fingerprint reader that enables users to unlock the phone simply touch and scan fingerprint sensor embedded that is embedded in its display. Xiaomi claims that since the display of the phone is equipped with a highly sensitive pressure sensor, it can instantly scan and unlock the phone by touching on the screen gently. Hence, a user does not require to press harder on the screen to unlock it.
The device is up for pre-orders already and ill go on sale as from June 5 in China. There is no word yet on the global launch but that should happen soon. Check some more pictures of both the Mi 8 and Mi 8 Explorer Edition from below.
Google is working on its next-generation Pixel smartphones, which are expected to be named Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL. According to the reports, the company will now be focusing on boosting revenues with the upcoming smartphones and to make an impact in the market.
The Pixel 3 XL is expected to come with an edge-to-edge display but will retain a chin at the bottom. Further, it is said that the phone will have a notch on top of the display, similar to that of iPhone X.
The report adds that the smaller variant, which is believed to be called Pixel 3, will be similar to Pixel 2 in terms of design and won’t have a notch on the display or an edge-to-edge design.
According to the reports, the next-generation Pixel smartphones from Google could get launched in the month of October, approximately a month after Apple usually released its new smartphones. For the third year in a row, Verizon will be the exclusive U.S. carrier partner for the new Pixels.
The larger Pixel smartphone will come with a dual camera setup on the front side and both camera sensors will be placed inside the notch. On the back side, there’ll just a single camera lens. Further, it is said that the phone will also stereo speakers on the front, which could be the reason Google decided to keep bottom bezel.
If the report is to be believed, then both smartphone will come with an improved camera module, but with just one camera sensor on the back. Just like most flagship smartphones, it’ll also support bokeh-effect in photos, but the same effect will be created using single lens and software.
Further, the California-based company is also working on an upgrade for the Android operating system which will take better advantage of the artificial intelligence technology. The report says that Google is looking forward to a system which performs more tasks with the minimum user action.
As you might have known by now, Xiaomi held its 8th Anniversary ceremony today in China. The ceremony is a good time to do some PR work and Lei Jun, Xiaomi’s CEO isn’t someone to allow such opportunity go by. During the conference, Lei Jun took out time to showcase the company’s growth figures as released by renowned IT research firm, IDC. According to IDC, Xiaomi is the fourth largest mobile phone vendor globally in Q1 2018 in terms of market share. The Chinese company sits just behind Samsung, Apple and Huawei.
The report also shows Xiaomi recorded a mind-boggling increase in growth of 87.8% year-on-year. Lei Jun also revealed that Xiaomi was able to enter the list of top 5 best selling vendors in 20 countries where it officially has a presence. The report also detailed Xiaomi’s shipment in China to have recorded an increase of 41.8% while in India, it garnered a 30.3% market share to emerge as the largest vendor in Q1 2018. In 2017, the company was able to reach the top 5 spot in 14 countries and by Q1 this year, it is already dominating 20 countries with a spot on the top 5 charts.
This is good news for the Chinese tech who recently applied for an IPO in the Hing Kong stock exchange. The company is even not relenting with the pace at which it storms new markets globally. The company rolled out its products in France and Italy recently. The Chinese giant is expected to enter more markets in the coming days.
When the Oculus Go went on sale at the beginning of the month, we knew it was only a matter of time before it launched in China. Back in January, Oculus announced that the Go was going to be manufactured by Xiaomi and will launch in China as the Mi VR Standalone. The device was officially unveiled today.
The Mi VR Standalone is identical to the Oculus Go save for Xiaomi’s logo on the device, the color, and the software on it. Unlike the Go, Xiaomi is the one handling content for the Mi VR Standalone.
Mi VR Standalone Specs
The device has a 2K (2560 x 1440) Fast-Switch LCD with a 60Hz/72Hz refresh rate. It is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 821 processor and is paired with 3GB of RAM and 32GB/64GB of storage.
It doesn’t have outside tracking, so it only offers 3 degrees of freedom. You also get a controller for navigation. The headset has speakers built into the sides for a 360° audio experience that sounds pretty good according to reviews of the Oculus Go.
However, you can also connect your headphones via a 3.5mm audio jack. There is also Wi-Fi for connectivity and a micro USB 2.0 port for charging the 2600mAh battery.
Content is provided via Xiaomi’s VR platform which has lots of games, movies, apps, and streaming services tailored for VR. Apps can be downloaded and managed via the Mi VR app.
Xiaomi has officially announced its next-generation flagship models today in China. The Xiaomi Mi 8SE was launched alongside the Mi 8 and Mi 8 Exploration Edition. Basically, the Mi 8 SE is a mini version of the Mi 8, designed for users who are attracted to small screen phones.
Xiaomi Mi 8 SE Specifications & Features
The Mi 8 SE comes with a 5.88-inch AMOLED display which is equivalent to the traditional 5.2 inches smartphones. That is because it utilises the 18.7:9 aspect ratio. The design is similar to that of the Mi 8 which includes a notch display design. The quality of the display is same as the Mi 8 but the screen resolution is 2244 x 1080 pixel while the device has an 86.12% screen to body ratio. The screen supports DCI-P3 colour gamut, has a 60000:1 contrast ratio and up to 600nits of brightness. The Mi 8SE also comes with a 2.5D curved glass body, with an enamel mirror finish. The device comes in four different colour options; Bright Red, Bright Blue, Gold, Dark Gray colours.
In terms of configuration, the Xiaomi 8SE debuts as the world’s first phone with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 chipset. The SD 710 chipset is Qualcomm’s first chipset outside the flagship series built on the 10nm process. The Snapdragon 710 chipset includes two cores of Kryo 360 Cortex A75 that clocks at 2.2 GHz and six cores of Kryo 360 Cortex A55 that offers a processing speed of 1.7 GHz. The octa-core processor is coupled with Adreno 616 graphics that promises 35% better rendering of graphics. The chipset garnered more than 170,000 points on AnTuTu benchmark which places it above the Snapdragon 660 chipset. The processor is paired with 4GB RAM and there is a 6GB RAM. Both RAM versions come with 64GB storage which can be expanded.
On the camera aspect, the Mi 8SE sports a 12MP + 5MP dual camera setup at the rear. The rear camera comes with a 1.4um pixel size on the main sensor as well as dual-core, 206 AI scenes recognition, as well as portrait mode support. The front camera is a 20MP camera with self-timer which is still active even in low light condition. It can also capture bokeh shots using AI. In addition, there is AI scenes recognition. The Mi 8SE also comes with Bluetooth 5.0, X15 LTE baseband, 2×2 802.11ac Wi-Fi, while a 3120mAh battery keeps the light on. The handset is preinstalled with Android 8.1 Oreo that is skinned with the latest MIUI 10.
As for the price, Xiaomi Mi 8 SE is priced at 1799 yuan (~$280) for the 4GB + 64GB version while the 6GB + 64GB version come at just 200 yuan higher at 1999 yuan(~$312).
Apart from launching the Xiaomi Mi 8 as its 8th Anniversary flagship and Mi 8 SE smartphones today through an unveil event in Shenzhen, Xiaomi has also launched the Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition which is nothing but an advanced version of the Xiaomi Mi 8. At the launch event, the Chinese manufacturer said that the Mi 8 Explorer Edition smartphone offers a number of world premiere features. It’s the first Android smartphone that supports 3D facial recognition. It is also the first phone along with Mi 8 to feature dual-band GPS technology. Also, it is equipped with an pressure-sensitive in-display fingerprint reader.
Design and Display
Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition features a 2.5D translucent glass rear that is curved towards the edges. The translucent back gives a clear view of the innards of the phone such as the new design for the NFC coil, Kevlar texture for the battery and other components. The handset measures 154.9 x 74.8 x 7.6mm and it weighs 177 grams. The size of the phone is similar to a traditional 5.2-inch phone.
The Xiaomi Mi 8 EE also features a 6.21-inch S-AMOLED display like the Mi 8. It produces 18.7:9 aspect ratio and FHD+ resolution of 2248 x 1080 pixels. and it delivers a screen-to-body ratio of 86.12 percent. The screen is enabled with features like DCI-P3 color gamut, 60000:1 contrast ratio, up to 600nits brightness, HDR support, Eye protection mode, and Always-On Display.
In-Display Fingerprint Scanner and 3D Facial Recognition
The Mi 8 Explorer Edition has an in-screen fingerprint reader that enables users to unlock the phone simply touch and scan fingerprint sensor embedded that is embedded in its display. Xiaomi claims that since the display of the phone is equipped with highly sensitive pressure sensor, it can instantly scan and unlock the phone by touching on the screen gently. Hence, a user does not require to press harder on the screen to unlock it. Xiaomi claims it is the first smartphone in the world with pressure sensitive in-screen fingerprint technology.
Like the iPhone X’s Face ID feature, the Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition features a complex structured light 3D module to enable 3D facial scanning. The notch of the Mi 8 Explorer Edition includes components like selfie camera, proximity sensor, ambient sensor, infrared lens, flood illuminator and dot projector.
The selfie camera captures the face data of the user by analyzing more than 33,000 invisible points of the face of the users to create a depth map. The infrared lens also captures the infrared image of the face at the same time. The AI engine of the SoC comes into play to convert the depth map and infrared image into a mathematical representation which is then matched the registered facial data stored on the phone to unlock it. Xiaomi claims that the probability of cracking the Face ID on MI 8 Explorer Edition is like one in one million. Even Apple said the same thing when it announced Face ID for iPhone X.
Dubbed as “Mi Meng” in Chinese is Xiaomi’s take on animated emojis that is also available on the iPhone X. With AI, the front camera can capture up to 52 facial muscle movements to create different animated characters that can imitate the face expressions and voice of the user.
Performance
Like the Mi 8, the Mi 8 Explorer Edition is driven by Snapdragon 845 that comes with an Artificial Intelligence Engine. The SoC is coupled with 8 GB of RAM and it comes with an inbuilt storage of 128 GB. It also features a 3,000mAh battery that is found under the hood of the Mi 8. The Mi 8 EE supports Quick Charge 4+ fast charging. It pre-loaded with MIUI 10 based Android 8.1 Oreo.
Cameras and Other Features
The dual camera setup that includes a wide-angle 12-megapixel Sony IMX363 primary sensor that is equipped with f/1.8 aperture and 1.4micron pixel size. It is accompanied by a secondary 12-megapixel S5K3M3 telephoto lens that has an aperture of f/2.4 and 1micron pixel size. It offers camera features like 4-axis OIS, optical zoom and dual autofocus, AI Studio Lighting for enhanced portrait shots, AI scene detection and video editing, 4K UHD video shooting and Full HD slow-motion recording at 240fps. Xiaomi revealed the camera prowess of the phone by saying that the Mi 8 has scored 105 in photography benchmarks on DxOMark.
The 20-megapixel selfie camera is placed inside the notch. Apart from 3D facial recognition, it offers features like 3D Beauty, 10 kinds of AI scene detection, mirror function and HDR.
The connectivity features available on the Mi 8 Explorer Edition include 4G VoLTE, dual-SIM support, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C and 3.5mm audio jack. Like the Mi 8, the Explorer Edition is also blessed with dual-band GPS for accurate GPS navigation compared to conventional smartphones.
Pricing and Availability
The Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer comes in a single edition which features 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage and it is priced at 3,699 Yuan (~$577). Xiaomi is yet to reveal information on its availability.
What is a Xiaomi launch without a new TV? At today’s event, Xiaomi announced a new Mi TV 4 with a large 75-inch display. This is the company’s largest LED TV to date.
The Mi TV 4 75” as it is officially known not only comes with a large screen but also packs some impressive specs and smart features.
Speaking of design, the TV follows the ultra-thin tradition of its predecessors. It is just 11.4mm thick and measures 104.3cm tall. The screen itself is a 4K HDR LCD panel.
Powering the Mi TV 4 75” is Amlogic’s 6th gen quad-core processor clocked at 1.8GHz. It also has a Mali-T830 GPU, 2GB of RAM, and 32GB of built-in storage. It also has support for Dolby audio and DTS-HD audio, dual-band Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth Low Energy. The TV also comes with an AI voice assistant.
At a launch event in Shenzhen, China, Xiaomi has today launched its flagship smartphone — Mi 8, Mi 8 SE, as well as the latest version of its operating system, MIUI 10. Along with that, the China-based manufacturer has also launched its next-generation fitness tracker — Mi Band 3.
The Mi Band 3 comes with a 0.78-inch OLED capacitive touchscreen. The company says that the display is designed with an aim to offer a better experience for viewing / rejecting calls and messages.
Earlier, Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun had said that the wristband of Mi Band 3 has been redesigned to ensure that the tracker doesn’t fall off from the strap, which a lot of users complained about for its predecessor.
The device supports many new functions compared to the Mi Band 2. Along with the addition of viewing messages and call view/ reject feature, it can also provide weather forecast as well as an alarm clock, which can be turned off from the touchscreen. Other features include heart rate monitor, daily steps count and sedentary reminder as a part of the health management functions.
The Mi Band 3 comes with water and dust resistance, and is completely waterproof for up to 50 meters, ensuring that it works perfectly even when the user is swimming. The company has also announced another variant of the fitness tracker which comes with NFC support.
Earlier, there were reports suggesting that the Mi Band 3 will come with support for a tilt-to-wake feature. However, it is not yet confirmed if the device indeed supports such functionality.
One of the crucial thing for a wearable device is the battery life. The Xiaomi’s newly launched Mi Band 3 comes with an improved battery, which the company claims can last for up to 20 days on a single charge.
The Xiaomi Mi Band 3 has been priced at 169 Yuan, which roughly converts to $26. The NFC variant of the fitness tracker, which is named Mi Band 3 (NFC) is priced at 199 Yuan, which is roughly $31. It will be available in three color options — Black, Red, and Blue.
While the company has not revealed when the device will go on sale, we expect it to be available in China in the coming days. Currently, there is no information about Mi Band 3’s availability in other regions.
After weeks of teasers and leaks, Xiaomi has kicked off its 8th Anniversary event by making MIUI 10 official. Xiaomi has made some changes in the UI visually, to make it look cleaner and more optimised for full screen usage. The company also reveals that the OS is being used by over 190 million users worldwide.
Here are the notable updates in the new MIUI 10 OS:
New Recent Apps Menu
The new recent apps menu is designed to better utilise the full screen design on newer Xiaomi devices. Instead of arranging recent apps like a stack of cards, the app cards lie side by side on the screen. This enables you to see as much as six recent apps on the screen at one time. The company states that this provides more information to the users and also enables gesture friendly actions for a improved user experience. You can swipe to delete the app or long press for more actions.
AI
AI has become an important part of smartphones this year, and Xiaomi is making sure that its MUI 10 OS integrates this technology at the core level. Some of the highlighted advantages of AI in MIUI 10 is “up to zero” loading times by studying your app usage behaviour and anticipating actions. Another advantage is that MIUI 10 brings single camera bokeh mode to old Xiaomi smartphones including Xiaomi Mi 5 and Xiaomi Mi Note 2. So, after updating to the new OS, these old phones will be capable of capturing bokeh photos with its front and back cameras.
Portrait from Mi 5
New Driving Mode
MIUI 10 also brings a new driving mode which relies on voice commands to avoid distractions. Users will be able to easily use maps for navigation and attend phone calls, all with the help of simple voice commands in this mode.
Smart Home Manager
You can now easily control all your connected smart home gadgets right from the MIUI 10 interface. The controls for each smart home device is on its respective widget on the home screen. This makes it extremely easy to access and control each of the devices without having to open up the Mi Home app. There are over 590 brands that’ll support MIUI 10 and the company promises more additions.
The MIUI 10 developer ROM will be available to download to over 33 Xiaomi smartphones. The first batch of Xiaomi devices including the Xiaomi Mi 8 will get the ROM in June and the second batch will get it in July.
A basic summary of the new features on MIUI 10 are shown in this video below.
Through the 8th annual product launch event today, Xiaomi has introduced the Xiaomi Mi 8 as the 8th anniversary flagship phone to succeed the Mi 6 phone from last year. The Mi 8 has arrived as the most powerful Snapdragon 845. Also, it is blessed with amazing dual rear cameras and a display that offers a huge screen space. The Chinese manufacturer has also launched the advanced Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition and Xiaomi Mi SE alongside the Xiaomi Mi 8.
Design and Display
The Xiaomi Mi 8 is the first phone from the company to feature a notched display that offers an aspect ratio of 18.7:9. The backside of the phone is made out of glass that has a unique “water drop arc” design. It features a 7000-series aluminum frame. The device measures 154.9 x 74.8 x 7.6mm. The dimensions of the phone are equivalent to a 5.5-inch smartphone which makes it suitable for one-handed use. The color variants of the Xiaomi Mi 8 include Black, Blue, White and Gold.
The Mi 8 is fitted with an S-AMOLED screen that produces Full HD+ resolution of 2248 x 1080 pixels. It delivers a screen-to-body ratio of 88.5 percent. The AMOLED display is equipped with features like support for DCI-P3 color gamut, 60000:1 contrast ratio, up to 600nits brightness, HDR support, Eye protection mode, and Always-On Display.
Infrared Face Unlock and Fingerprint Scanner
The notch present at the top of the display comprises of a 20-megapixel front-facing camera, proximity sensor, earpiece, infrared lighting and infrared lens. The advanced facial recognition feature has been dubbed as Infrared Face Unlock which indicates that it will offer better facial recognition than other Android phones with face unlock feature.
However, it is not as advanced as the Face ID feature on the Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition and iPhone X’s Face ID that offer 3D facial scanning. Hence, the Xiaomi Mi 8 also features a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner for added security.
Performance and Variants
The Snapdragon 845 chipset powered Xiaomi Mi 8 is the first smartphone to break average benchmarking score of 300,000 on AnTuTu. The handset recorded a stunning score of 301,472 on AnTuTu. The 64 GB, 128 GB and 256 GB storage editions of the phone respectively feature 6 GB of RAM. The handset receives power from 3,400mAh battery enabled with Quick Charge 4+ fast charging. The handset is preinstalled with Android 8.1 Oreo that is skinned with the latest MIUI 10.
Cameras and Connectivity Features
In terms of photography, the Xiaomi Mi 8 features a wide-angle Sony IMX363 12-megapixel primary sensor with f/1.8 aperture and 1.4micron pixel size and a secondary 12-megapixel S5K3M3 sensor with f/2.4 aperture and 1micron pixel size. The dual cameras offer features like 4-axis optical image stabilization, optical zoom and dual pixel autofocus.
It is packed with some exciting AI features for photography. The Studio lighting portrait photography which enhances the appeal of the subject to appear like a celebrity. The dual rear cameras also offer AI scene detection and video editing. In DxOMark mobile photography platform, the Mi 8 has salvaged highest score of 105 for photo shooting and its overall DxOMark score is 99. Here are some camera samples that were shown at the unveil event:
Coming to the front camera of the Mi 8, it includes a 20-megapixel sensor with f/2.0 aperture with a massive pixel size of 1.8micron. It supports AI portrait selfies and AI Beauty.
The Xiaomi Mi 8 is the world’s first smartphone to come with dual-frequency GPS. This helps in reducing inaccuracies in GPS tracking caused due to interfaces like buildings and signal delays. The other features of the Mi 8 include dual-SIM support, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac NFC, Bluetooth 5.0 and 3.5mm audio jack.
Pricing and Availability
The 64 GB, 128 GB and 256 GB editions of the Xiaomi Mi 8 are respectively priced at 2,699 Yuan (~$421), 2,999 Yuan (~$468) and 3,299 Yuan (~$515). The pre-orders of the black and white editions of the smartphone will start today at 6 PM (local time) in China with a deposit of 100 Yuan (~$16). Its shipment will begin from June 4.
The ZTE Nubia Z17 Lite was made available to the public in September last year. As expected, the phone garnered huge popularity among smartphone enthusiasts who were restlessly waiting to get their hands on a big screen smartphone without breaking the bank.
Bearing that in mind, Banggood is offering a noteworthy 40% off on the global version of the Nubia Z17 Lite smartphone. As a result, you can now preorder the well-received phone by shelling out just $199.99.
Banggood normally sells the black-gold and blue color versions of the Nubia Z17 Lite smartphone for $333.97. As part of its latest promotion, the Chinese online store that guarantees the best bang for your buck is giving cost-conscious buyers an opportunity to preorder the phone without burning a hole in their pocket.
But if you’re on a tight budget and aren’t willing to spend even that kind of money on a smartphone, we’ll explain how you can get an additional discount on the phone’s already lowered retail price. You can save an extra $30 simply by applying discount coupon ‘BGNZ17L’ at the time of checking out.
In other words, you can reduce your grand total to only $169.99 just by using the aforesaid coupon code while checking out. Note that the coupon code is valid for both black-gold as well as the blue color versions of the smartphone.
The ZTE Nubia Z17 Lite is quite a bargain at just $169.99, given that it boasts a broad range of awe-inspiring specs and features. The phone sports a big 5.5 inches IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen with a screen resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels, an aspect ratio of 16:9 and Corning Gorilla glass for added protection.
The phone packs a powerful Qualcomm MSM8976 Pro Snapdragon 653 processor along with an equally robust Adreno 510 GPU, under the hood. The global version of the Nubia Z17 Lite smartphone comes with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of non-expandable onboard storage.
On the photography front, the Nubia Z17 Lite smartphone houses a 13-megapixel + 13-megapixel dual camera setup with the 5-element lens, PDAF, Sapphire Glass lens, and ƒ/2.2 aperture on the back. Apart from that, there’s a 16-megapixel front shooter for selfies and face-to-face video chatting.
The Nubia Z17 Lite runs Nubia UI 5.0 based on Android 7.1 Nougat operating system and draws its juices from a 3200mAh, Lithium-ion polymer battery. The phone’s dimensions are 152.75mm X 72.55mm X 7.60mm and it weighs in at 168 grams.
You can follow this link if you’d like to check out the full specification and take advantage of the discount before it ends. Note that the coupon code is also likely to expire soon.
In just a few hours, Xiaomi will launch its flagship smartphone Mi 8, along with Mi 8 SE, MIUI 10, and Mi Band 3. Now, ahead of this official launch, the Mi Band 3’s poster has surfaced online, revealing the design of the fitness tracker and hinting at its features.
From the looks of the fitness tracker, it seems similar to its predecessor. However, the company’s CEO Lei Jun had previously revealed that the wristband of Mi Band 3 has been redesigned to ensure that the tracker doesn’t fall off from the strap, which a lot of users complained about for its predecessor.
The poster has a headline that reads “Your progress can be seen”, hinting about the information that can be available on the screen of this new fitness tracker. Just like the Mi Band 2, its successor is also expected to come with an OLED display and is also reported to support touchscreen. The display is about 0.78-inch and has a convex shape.
Recently, a few posters of the device were leaked online, revealing some of the features of the fitness tracker. Along with displaying the health and fitness related information, such as sleep and heart rate, the device is also expected to come with improved tracking for sports activities.
Further, it is also expected to provide notifications and other functions once the device is connected to a smartphone. It will allow users to read instant messages, see the Caller ID and get the option of muting the call, among others. There are reports indicating that the wearable device will also come equipped with a new Tilt to Wake feature.
The wearable device will have a waterproof build that can withstand being submerged under a 50m water depth. The fitness tracker also said to come with an improved 20 days battery life which can stay on for up to 20 days.
The Xiaomi Mi Band 3 will be priced at 169 Yuan, which roughly converts to $26. The pricing of the fitness tracker is a tad bit higher than its predecessor, which was priced at 149 Yuan (approx. $23).
Huawei’s sub-brand Honor has confirmed that it will be launching the Honor Play smartphone on June 6. It is said to be technologically advanced phone that promises to deliver groundbreaking experience. However, the company is yet to confirm on what sort of advanced features will it be offering on it. It is speculated that the smartphone will offer AI-based 4D gaming and AI camera features. Huawei’s chairman Yu Chengdong has described the speed of the Honor Play by using the metaphor “flying in the sky.” New images that surfaced on suggest that the Kirin SoC of the phone will be assisted by Kirin OS.
Following the recently imposed 7-year ban on ZTE that prevents the Chinese firm from exporting components and software from the U.S., Huawei has been working on its own operating system claims the tipster who has shared the below images. There is no confirmation on whether the smartphone shown below is the Honor Play phone. The smartphone can be seen sporting a notched display. Also, the June 6 date present on the screen happens to be the launch date of Honor Play. Its mentioned at the bottom of its screen that it is running on Kirin OS that is powered by Linux.
The other image reveals that the handset supports Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels which is quite odd considering the smartphone shown above has a notched display. The version of the operating system that is loaded on the phone is mentioned as Kirin OS 1.0. It seems to be an old screenshot as the date 2015 is mentioned in the kernel version.
Nothing much is known on the specs and features of the Honor Play. Rumors have it that it could be equipped with a 5G modem. Its launch event will be held at Beijing University Gymnasium. The very same platform will be also used another upper mid-range phone called Honor 9i.
The Honor 9i is expected to arrive with a notched display design that will support an aspect ratio of 19:9. It will be featuring 5.84-inch screen that will support FHD+ resolution. It is speculated to be fueled by the Kirin 960 chipset.
It is expected to arrive in storage models like 32 GB, 64 GB and 128 GB and all of them are likely to feature 4 GB of RAM. For more storage, it will feature a microSD card. The handset will be loaded with Android 8.1 Oreo and EMUI 8 skin. It will be fueled by 2,900mAh battery. For photography, it features 13-megapixel + 2-megapixel dual camera setup and a frontal shooter of 16-megapixel.
Tencent has teamed up with Epic Games and other collaborators like 3Lateral, Cubic Motion and Vicon to unveil a digital human which is christened Siren. The digital piece of technology is a high-fidelity, real-time virtual “human,” that is designed as a more effective, timesaving alternative for creating hyperrealistic video game characters. The character was first unveiled at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in March but just got showcased in China.
This is different from digital simulations which are noticeably fake, in that with ‘Siren’, the collaborators hope to bridge the gap between CGI and real life to produce models so lifelike, you might not be able to tell the difference. Siren is modelled after Chinese actress Bingjie Jiang and has the ability to mimic even the slightest of body and finger movements, including facial expressions. It moves in sync with the person wearing the motion capture body suit at 60 frames per second.
Interestingly, the character looks so real facially. ‘Siren’ even has beauty “imperfections” like pimples and visible pores. As a result, it is difficult to differentiate the character from the real actress from whom it was created. Indeed the technology holds huge potential. Just imagine future television shows using ‘Siren’-like models in place of actual actors. Yes, that sounds awesome but if the technology lands in the wrong hands, it could spur a whole, uncanny generation of fake news. Check out the demo from the video below.
For the first time, Google’s hardware partner for its smartphone will not be a “popular manufacturer”. Instead, it will be working with Foxconn‘s FIH Mobile for the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL. The info comes from documents made available to Winfuture.de.
Google’s first hardware partner was HTC and they worked on multiple devices including last year’s Pixel 2. Google also worked with Samsung, LG, ASUS, Motorola, and Huawei during its run with the Nexus line.
When Google launched the first Pixel, it no longer put the name of the hardware partner on the device. This time – it was made by Google. The same thing happened last year for the 2nd gen Pixel phones and will be the tradition going forward.
The documents not only reveal info about the hardware partner but also about the devices. The Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 processor. The larger model which was referred to as Google GB1 is said to have a “new display hardware”, new cameras, and sensors. The Pixel 3, referred to as Google GC1 will most likely come with specs present in other flagships.
A leaked photo from yesterday showed the tempered glass for both phones and revealed that the Pixel 3 XL will come with a notch. This may be the “new display hardware” referred to in the document. Other specs are still unknown.
Xiaomi Mi Band 3’s full specifications and pictures have just appeared on China’s Weibo showing us the entire package right before it is launched. Xiaomi is expected to unveil the Mi Band 3 alongside the Mi 8 and Mi 8SE on Thursday (May 31) which is just a couple of hours away.
The leaked official posters feature the design as well as the configuration of the Mi Band 3, giving us a quick preview of the fitness band. The Mi Band 3 is confirmed as coming with an OLED display which has a convex shape. It looks quite curved and fuses perfectly with the strap. The display is a 0.78-inch one. Talking of the straps, it seems buyers will get the various colours options right from the go. The Band 3 will come with Black, Blue, Pink.
The Mi Band 3 display is a touchscreen display and this brings more functions onboard the device. The Mi Band 3 will let users rear instant messages, see the Caller ID and get the option of muting the call. Other functions include Weather forecast, alarm clock which can be turned off from the touchscreen. The Band 3 feature also include heart rate monitor, daily steps count and sedentary reminder which are all features of the Mi Band 2.
Further, the wearable device will feature a waterproof build that can withstand being submerged under a 50m water depth (5 ATM). The fitness tracker also comes with an improved 20 days battery life which can stay on for up to 20 days.
The device will eventually be sold for 169 yuan (~$26). Of course, that will be its price in China but it is still impressive considering that it is just a tad higher than the Mi Band 2’s price.
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The ZTE Nubia Z17 Lite was made available to the public in September last year. As expected, the phone garnered huge popularity among smartphone enthusiasts who were restlessly waiting to get their hands on a big screen smartphone without breaking the bank.
