Advertisement

Xiaomi’s next smart product could be a Washing Machine

If you were sad that there wasn’t a washing machine on offer from your favorite Chinese startup, Xiaomi, you’d be happy to know that tomorrow, the company will most likely launch this product via its crowdfunding app. While the company is yet to officially confirm that the product releasing tomorrow is indeed a washing machine, the teasers and the hints provided by the company’s smart home app on Weibo seems to point out that it’s going to be a mini washing machine.

The Mi Smart Home app has revealed a few teasers on its page, confirming a new product launch on August 16 at 10:00AM. The teasers have focused on the cleaning aspect of this product, which is hinting that it could be a smart washing machine. Now, if you are still not convinced, then it’s worth pointing that the official account of MINIJ (a mini washing machine and refrigerator manufacturer) has been forwarding and commenting on Xiaomi’s teasers for the past couple of days. This had added to speculations that the product is indeed a new washing machine and will be manufactured by MINIJ.

minij washing machine weibo

Well, we will know for sure what it is tomorrow morning. Stay tuned to gizmochina till then.

MINIJ washing machine

 

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 In Pictures With Dual Cameras & Curved Display (Renders)

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 is one of the most anticipated smartphones in the second half of 2016. Analyst Pan Juitang has revealed that we could meet this new flagship as soon as this month, but as of now, we haven’t heard any official smartphone launch event in August. However, the rumors and leaks have painted a very powerful image of the Mi Note 2 flagship, with features such as dual cameras, curved screen display and Snapdragon 821 chip inside. Now, if you were wondering how the Mi Note 2 would look like with these features, then you are in luck as a few fan-made renders of the device have just been spotted.

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 renders 01

The Mi Note 2 renders seem to use the same 3D glass body of the Mi5, adding the dual cameras at the back and a curved display as revealed by recent rumors. In fact, a few days back, we even got to see the alleged dual curved display panel of the Mi Note 2, revealing its slight resemblance to Galaxy Note 7’s design. Looks like these renders were made taking all these information into consideration and to be honest, the maker has done a fine job of making the Mi Note 2 look premium and flagship worthy. In fact, these renders could be close to what the new Xiaomi flagship could look like, although we haven’t seen it in real life to confirm this yet.

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 renders 02

The front of the device looks beautiful, with curved glass display and the rectangular home button. These renders also have the speakers located at the bottom of the phone. You will also find the USB Type-C port used in the design. The back of the phone looks like the Mi5 with a glass body. However, we can see the dual cameras and dual tone flash on top.

RELATED: Analyst: Xiaomi’s Mi 5s and Mi Note 2 to Cost More

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 renders 03

Overall, these renders reveal a premium design for the Mi Note 2 flagship and we can expect nothing less from a company like Xiaomi.

Meanwhile, you can check out more coverage on the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 from down below. 

Curved Panel from Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Leaked , Image Inside

Mi Note 2 Specs Leak: Will Have Up to 4 Versions

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Seems To Have Passed 3C Certification

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 & Mi Smartwatch still launching August, reaffirms Analyst

 

You can check out all the remaining renders of the Mi Note 2 from down below.

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 renders 04 Xiaomi Mi Note 2 renders 05 Xiaomi Mi Note 2 renders 06

Oppo R9s likely to launch in September, Analyst hints

The Oppo R9s which is touted to be the successor to the highly successful Oppo R9, may be released as early as next month, if words from renowned industry analyst Pan Jiutang is anything to go by. According to the well-known analyst, the Oppo R9s could be released in September, just before the China National Day which comes up on October 1.

Oppo R9s

This seems to correspond with a recent teaser released by Oppo which made the rounds on the internet with the words “TheNextOne”, apparently referring to the Oppo R9s that had been rumored to debut later this year.

Related: OPPO R9S Could Be Coming Soon, New Poster Leaked

The Oppo R9s is said to feature a thin metal body, with a 2500mAh battery which will come with a new super VOOC fast charging feature that can charge the battery full in 15 minutes. Also, the Oppo R9s is touted to come powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset instead of the MediaTek Helio P10 found inside the current R9 model.

 

Expected HTC Nexus Flagship spotted in leaked image, Looks Ugly!

Google’s expected 2016 Nexus flagships may just be very close to coming out of the factory if the leaks we get, quite frequently these days, are anything to go by. The 2016 Nexus codenamed Sailfish had earlier on been spotted in a GFXBench listing that gave out some of the key specs of the smartphone. Now, one of the two Nexus smartphones (most likely HTC Nexus) may just have been leaked in a spy shot.

 HTC Nexus

The image said to be that of the higher end Nexus smartphone, was leaked by a Twitter user that goes by the username “Nexus”. Quite curiously the account seem to have been opened just this August and has only two tweets both relating to the Nexus devices.

The first of the two tweets describes the 2016 HTC Nexus as looking like “a cross between the Nexus 4 & the iPhone with glass and fingerprint scanner on the back”. The comparison seems to be referring to the 4-inch iPhone SE or any of the 4-inch iPhones and the Nexus 4 developed by Google and LG back in 2012.

From the leaked spy shot, the edge of the Nexus device appears to be made out of plastic, while the rear is covered with glass. There is also an audio jack at the top which is in contrast with what is expected on the iPhone 7. A fingerprint sensor can also be spotted at the back, which also features a small camera with LED flash.

Read More: Nexus Marlin & Sailfish to likely use Snapdragon 821 processor

The next tweet actually reveals that the image render is that of the premium model of the 2016 HTC Nexus smartphones which should be the one codenamed Marlin and both are said to be under 5.5-inches in screen sizes, while the lower end flagship will be made of glossy plastic.

The image isn’t very clear and the tipster is relatively unknown, with no previous track record, so we might as well take this with a pinch of salt while we wait for more details to emerge.

 

Meizu Has Something Coming Up in September

Meizu is set for something new in September based on an image posted on Weibo. The image which has the words ”Pro than Pro” and another set of words in chinese which loosely translates to ”True Flagship on Your Fingertips” hints at a new phone. A new Pro phone actually.

Meizu Pro

If you remember, part of the rumours and speculations for Meizu’s ”E” device was for a phone sporting Samsung’s high end chipset, the Exynos 8890 but what we got was another mid-range phone, the Meizu M3E with a Helio P10 processor. This might just be the device. The true Meizu flagship that can compete with other flagships.

RELATED: 3 Million Reservations Made for The Meizu M3E in 24 Hours

The date on the poster says 3rd of September, which is quite strange based on the fact that it falls on a Saturday. No manufacturer (to the best of my knowledge though) launches a device on a weekend.

What device do you think Meizu is launching next month? A Pro 6 with an Exynos 8890 processor or a new Pro phone entirely? Let us know what you think in the comment box.

Leaked Images of Purported Huawei Mate 9 Shows Dual Cameras

Huawei’s flagship line isn’t complete without the Mate series, and with the last release almost a year already, we should be getting more details of what to expect from its successor, the Mate 9.

Huawei Mate 9 Leak
Huawei Mate 9 Leak

About 4 months ago, we reported that the Mate 9 is rumoured to come with a 20MP dual-camera setup. While we can’t confirm if it will indeed be 20MP  sensors, we can say with a little more certainty that the phone will feature dual-cameras based on leaked photos of what an individual whose name translates to @Buns says is the Mate 9.

Huawei Mate 9 2

The camera is positioned differently from how you have it on the Huawei P9. Instead of being side by side and on the left, they are in the middle and stacked on each other with what appears to be a laser for autofocus and LED flash flanking it on both sides. The image also shows a fingerprint scanner below the cameras. Another image uploaded shows the bottom of the phone which reveals the phone will come with USB Type-C.

RELATED: Supposed Huawei Mate 9 Spotted on GFXBench

The size of the phone also kind of confirms that it may indeed come with a 5.9” screen.  The Mate 9 is expected to be released in October or November and is said to come with Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box.

Chuwi UBlue Car Charger Giveaway: Win A Brand New Premium Charger From Chuwi!

Today, we have yet another giveaway for our readers and since this is a small product, we are giving away not one, but three new Chuwi UBlue car chargers to three lucky winners. So, your chances of winning this brand new charger are much better than other giveaways.

Chuwi UBLUE Car Charger Giveawat

Chuwi is a well-known brand manufacturing highly affordable, feature-rich tablets for the past few years. But the company also has a lineup of accessories and the Chuwi UBlue Car Charger is one such premium accessory available. The charger comes with a number of subtle features to make sure that the overall charging experience is smooth.

First of all, the UBlue Car Charger is made out of metal, which means it’s sturdy and looks good. However, if you are worried about the charger getting hot, then don’t, because the company has used multiple insulation layers to make sure that the charger stays cool.

chuwi ublue

You can charge two devices at a time, and the charger will automatically determine the best current depending upon your device. You can simultaneously charge any smartphone and tablet or other mobile devices at a time. The charging speed of this charger is reported 40% faster than 5V/ 1A standard charging speed.

You can read more about the UBlue Car Charger from the official page. All details are listed here.

Before we get to the giveaway, we would like to thank Chuwi for sending in three Chuwi Ublue Car Chargers for this giveaway.

Like always, we will be conducting the giveaway via the gleam widget. Just follow the instructions given in the widget to participate in the giveaway.

 

Chuwi UBLUE Car Charger Giveaway

Umi Releases Official Video for Umi Max

Umi has released an official video for their new phone, the Umi Max. The Max is said to be the Umi phone to take on the Oppo R9 in foreign markets.

The 40-second video talks about the design and mentions few of the specs.

RELATED: Umi Reveals Why Its New Phone is Called The Umi Max

Sharp’s New Phone Has a Xiaomi Mi 5 inspired Design

Sharp has a new phone, the Sharp M1 and while it does have some cool specs, it reminds of us of another device. Yes. The Xiaomi Mi 5. That’s the device the M1 looks like.

Sharp_sharp_aquos_m1_0726080026251_360x270

Specifications

Sharp has put a 5.5” Full HD display with gorilla glass on the M1, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of built-in storage and a MT6753 processor clocked at 1.3GHz. There is a 13MP camera on the back and another 13MP wide angle camera in front for selfies. It will also come with a SD card slot that can take up to a 64GB card, and a 2600mAh battery to supply power. The Sharp M1 will ship with Android 6.0 and have LTE (FDD and TDD) support.

Sharp M1

Xiaomi-Mi-5
Xiaomi Mi 5

Design

Yes it does look the Xiaomi Mi 5 judging from the curved back which meets up with the front, but it still has some features different such as the use of capacitive buttons instead of a physical home button up front which also doubles as a fingerprint scanner on the Xiaomi. The positioning of the front camera and sensors are also different. The Sharp M1 also uses a circular LED instead of the horizontal type present on the Mi 5. The phone will be available in white and pink (to appeal to the female folk).

READ MORE: Huawei Honor 8 Review

Huawei Wants to Trademark ”Supercharge” in The EU

A couple of the big names into mobile device manufacturing have their own fast charge technology that is specially designed for their phones. Although, they might work with other brands, they are usually more efficient with their own products. An example is Motorola’s TurboPower™ fast charge technology (gives 8 hours of battery life in 15 minutes of charging) which will also work with Quick Charge 2.0 compatible devices.

Huawei P9 Lite

Huawei seems to have come up with their own fast charge technology called Supercharge and they have applied for a trademark for it in the European Union. A prototype of the Supercharge technology was demoed last year at a battery symposium in Japan when a 3000 mAh Li-ion battery was charged to nearly 50% in 5 minutes and a 600 mAh battery charged to 68% in 2 minutes. That is really really fast if you ask me. While there were opinions raised about it damaging the battery, we want to believe the batteries were specially made to withstand that voltage and current, and even if there is a risk, the issue must have been solved already for them to want to trademark the name. Do not forget that applying for a trademark means that you intend to use something commercially.

RELATED: OnePlus 3 Dash Charge Floors Samsung S7’s Fast Charge in Test Video

Asus Zenwatch 3 Render Photos leak online featuring a round design

Asus first released its Android wear ZenWatch at IFA Berlin in 2014, this was followed by the ZenWatch 2, released sometime in September 2015. Now, the Taiwanese company is rumored to be planning the release of the ZenWatch 3 wearable during this year’s IFA Berlin.

Asus Zenwatch 3

Recently filings before US regulatory body FCC revealed yesterday, had indicated the ZenWatch 3 will sport a round shaped design. This seems to have been confirmed by  render images of the ZenWatch 3 leaked today. The images show the Zenwatch 3 will have circular dials, quite different from those found on the ZenWatch 2. The renders also reveal there would be up to three physical control buttons on the smartwatch, as opposed to one button on its predecessor.

Asus Zenwatch 3

Furthermore, the Asus ZenWatch 3 will be made of metal material and features a narrower screen than the ZenWatch 2, obviously due to the circular design. The Zenwatch 3 does not support wireless charging, instead, makes use of a 5V-2A charging adapter which is connected to the back cover of the smartwatch.

Related: Alleged Meizu Smartwatch appears in leaked Render image

Asus Zenwatch 3

The ZenWatch 3 also features Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n ( 2.4GHz) protocol and comes pre-installed with Android Wear 2.0. The price is not known yet but we’ll keep you posted as soon as it drops.

Asus Zenwatch 3

Asus Zenwatch 3

Asus Zenwatch 3
Asus Zenwatch 3 charger

Huawei Honor 8 Review – A Midrange Flagship Beauty

Huawei’s Honor brand has been known for nice devices that bring some great specs at affordable prices. The Honor 8 is one of their latest offerings and it’s very beautiful. Learn more in our full review.

Huawei Honor 8 Review: VIDEO REVIEW

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDLQsJcQDMI[/embedyt]

Huawei Honor 8 Review: UNBOXING

IMG_3950JPG IMG_3954JPG IMG_3958JPG

The phone comes in a fancy Huawei-style box and the contents include a fast charger, USB C cable, SIM ejector pin and some paperwork.

Huawei Honor 8 Review: SPECS

Display
5.2″ 1080p (Full-HD)
Processor
Hisilicon Kirin 950, octa-core, 2.3GHz (max.)
RAM
3GB
Camera
8MP Front/12MP Back
Connectivity
Bluetooth, 3G, 4G, GPS, WIFI, GSM,EDGE, GPRS, UMTS, HSPA, HSPA+, dual-SIM.
Battery
3.000 mAh (non-removable)
Dimensions
145.5 x 71 x 7.5 mm / 153g
OS
Android 6.0
Storage
32GB (expandable via microSD card slot up to 256GB)

Huawei Honor 8 Review: DESIGN and DISPLAY

IMG_4049JPG

Once I first took the phone out of the box, my first impression was – it is a really nice looking and well-built phone. Sure, it sports a familiar design but it definitely feels like a flagship phone.

IMG_4006JPG

The device is compact due to its 5.2” 1080p display, which is sharp and crisp, it has a decent sunlight legibility and it is just a beautiful panel overall.

IMG_4183JPG

Just above the display we have a sensor light, a beefy 8MP camera and LED notification light. Unfortunately, the phone only has on-screen navigation buttons.

IMG_4095JPG

There is so much going on the back of the device. It starts with a dual 12MP camera setup, similar to the one found on the Huawei P9. We also have a laser auto-focus system and dual-tone dual LED flash.

IMG_3978JPG

Just below the camera, there is a multifunctional button, which also acts as a fingerprint scanner. You can unlock your phone straight from the standby mode and the scanner is very accurate but not as fast as e.g. OnePlus 3.

In addition to this, you can physically press this programmable button and it can do a lot of things e.g. you can double-press it to turn on the flashlight. You can also swipe it down to open up notification shade and so on.

IMG_4066JPG

The side buttons are nice and tactile.

IMG_4061JPG

We have a loudspeaker, which sits next to the USB C port and it has a pretty good sound quality for the class.

IMG_4063JPG

Some extra features include the IR blaster, which has already started disappearing from other devices… again.

Huawei Honor 8 Review: HARDWARE and PERFORMANCE

IMG_4108JPG

My review unit comes with the Hisilicon Kirin 950 octa-core processor with the max. clock speeds of 2.3GHz, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, which can be expanded via the microSD card.

You can also opt-in for a higher-end model, which has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.

I played games like Asphalt 8, Nova 3 and Modern Combat 5 on the highest graphics settings. There were just a few skipped frames but that is not the reason worth complaining about and I would say that the gaming performance is great.

The phone tends to get a little warm but it does not overheat.

Huawei Honor 8 Review: BENCHMARKS

Huawei Honor 8 Review: USER INTERFACE

IMG_3960JPG

Speaking of the user interface, the Honor 8 ships with the EMUI 4.1, which is built on top of the Android 6.0.

We have a typical Huawei UI we’ve seen on other devices. There is no app drawer, the icons look cartoonish but there are so many features and customization options. If you are new to Huawei phones, it may take a few days to get used to and try all those features.

There is a baked-in theming engine to customize the looks. Also, there are quite a few pre-installed apps like Health, to help you track your fitness routines. Also, you can adjust the display settings, customize the navigation bar, use your knuckle to take a screenshot, easily turn on/off a convenient one-hand operation mode or manage your phone with the built-in phone manager.

There are plenty of other features, settings and tweaks to talk about, we just wanted to give you a basic idea of a variety of options you get with this Huawei device.

The UI performs fine on a daily basis. It is fast, I didn’t have any lags and I’m pretty happy with it.

Huawei Honor 8 Review: CAMERA

The camera can take pictures quite fast. We have a bunch of shooting modes to choose from. Just to name a few, there are manual photo and video modes.

You can also make the best use of the secondary camera by adjusting the aperture and selecting the focus area after you take the image. This feature works pretty well and you can get some really nice photos with bokeh effect.

Huawei Honor 8 Review: IMAGE QUALITY

When it comes to the image quality, the Honor 8 is a very good yet not perfect performer. The daylight images come out sharp and detailed, and the color reproduction is accurate.

The indoor and macro shots look pretty good too.

You can take some nice images using the secondary camera that captures depth information. You can focus on different objects after you take the image and apply various filters. Not all photos look natural but you can definitely achieve some nice looking results.

The camera can take some nice photos in low-light. Sure, the photos look grainier but the noise reduction is pretty good for the class. However, some of the shots are ruined with a red tint if you are taking pictures close to the light source e.g. street lights.

The phone can shoot videos up to 1080p. The quality of the footage is just mediocre. Also, my Chinese review unit does not have the continuous auto-focus feature. I know that Indian retail unit supports this feature. See a video review for a video sample.

8MP selfie camera is great and it also comes with some advanced beautification features to make you look better.

Download full resolution camera samples (Part 1)

Download full resolution camera samples (Part 2)

Huawei Honor 8 Review: CONNECTIVITY

IMG_4187JPG

The phone comes with a hybrid SIM card slot that can take either 2 SIMs or 1 SIM and the microSD card.

IMG_4166JPG

I didn’t have any issues with call quality, signal reception, GPS or wifi.

Huawei Honor 8 Review: BATTERY LIFE

IMG_4038JPG

The Honor 8 ships with the 3000mAh battery that performs well on the daily basis.

I got 3 hours of screen-on time but bare in mind that I had set the display brightness to maximum, I was in a bad signal reception area and I used the phone quite intensively.

With a lighter use, you may easily get over 4 hours of SOT that should translate to 1-1.5 days of usage.

IMG_3958JPG

The phone supports fast charging feature and I was able to fully charge a phone in 1 hour and 15 mins.

Huawei Honor 8 Review: CONCLUSIONS

IMG_4027JPG

So, there you have it, the Huawei Honor 8. After using this phone for quite some time I can say that it is a rather compelling offering at the price of $350.

IMG_3975JPG

It has the looks and the build quality of a flagship, a great display, multi-functional fingerprint scanner button and powerful internal hardware that allows you to play 3D games and enjoy a smooth user interface performance on the daily basis.

IMG_4051JPG

Also, the dual camera setup is what makes this phone standout from the crowd of similarly-priced phones. You can take some great photos and play with the bokeh effect if you want.

IMG_3973JPG

On the other hand, the video quality could be better, the user interface may look cartoonish to some and the glass back panel is slippery, and it attracts fingerprints easily.

IMG_3968JPG

At the end of the day, the Huawei Honor 8 is a great phone. Sure, it may have a few flaws but it is one of the better phones at this price range at the moment.

Nokia Phone could be made by Foxconn, Featuring Camera made of Graphene

We had earlier brought you the report that Nokia is about to release two new smartphones into the market based on the Nokia mobile phones brand but from the stable of HMD global Oy.

 

The two mobile phones, both sports different sizes with the smaller one having a 5.2-inch display model and the larger one sporting a 5.5-inch display . Both models are said to have 2K display resolution and will be equipped with Z-Launcher System UI based on the latest Android 7.0 Nougat.

Android-based Nokia phones

A new rumor has it that the new Nokia smartphone will be manufactured by Taiwanese company Foxconn, which also manufactures Apple’s iPhones. Further it is said that the Nokia devices would feature camera sensors manufactured using graphene material, also featuring an all-metal body design. In simple terms, graphene is a thin layer of pure carbon; it is a single, tightly packed layer of carbon atoms that are bonded together in a hexagonal honeycomb lattice.

Read More: Android-based Nokia Phones with 2k Display, SD 820 SoC Leaked

Previous rumors had speculated that the expected Nokia phone will be powered by Snapdragon 820 chipset and will sport an all-metal body as well. In addition, the Nokia device is expected to come equipped with IP68 Waterproof and Dustproof protection, similar to the one on the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge.

(source)

Rumored Meizu Flagship Phone with Exynos 8890 Chipset Hits AnTuTu

Just two days after the launch of the Meizu M3E, we are getting rumors that Meizu is allegedly working on another flagship smartphone this year which would be powered by Samsung’s latest Exynos 8890 chipset. This news was disclosed on China’s social networking site Weibo by a user @WandT but he failed to disclose any other detail.

Meizu

This is not the first Meizu smartphone that will sport the Samsung chipset, in fact Meizu has used Samsung’s chipsets perviously but after the Pro 5, Meizu stopped featuring Samsung processors, instead went for a mediaTek chipset on the Pro 6. It is however suspected that the flagship under works could be the Meizu Pro 7, signalling a return to Samsung chips. In another dimension, it could be a Meizu Pro 6 variant with Exynos 8890 CPU.

wp-1470975514239.jpg

Also, the AnTuTu benchmark data for what is suspected to be the rumored Meizu flagship device but only identified as Meizu_m96 has been spotted. The data reveals the device will sport a 5.5-inch display with 2560 x 1440 pixels resolution and also run on Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

Meizu

The AnTuTu benchmark record did confirm the device as being equipped with a Samsung Exyno 8890 processor with Mali-T880 GPU, backed by 4GB of RAM and 32GB of bult-in storage. The Meizu flagship is also touted to have a 12MP rear facing camera and a 5MP front facing camera. The phone scored nearly 120k on the Benchmark app.

RELATED: Meizu Pro 6 With Exynos 8890 Spotted

Samsung’s Exynos 8890 chipset does not come with entire network support, which has been the current trend among phone manufacturers in China. So it remains to be seen whether Meizu will use this chip inside its next flagship.

Giveaway: Win A Brand New No.1 G5 Sports Smartwatch (Round)

If you are looking for a cheap smartwatch, the No.1 G5 could be a good option for you. The watch is currently up for pre-order for just $19.99 and comes with a round stainless steel body with smart health-oriented features that you would expect from a regular watch.

However, if you are not in the mood to shell out $20 for this device, this is your lucky day as we are giving away a brand new No.1 G5 smartwatch to one of our lucky readers.

giveaway no.1 g5

The watch looks good because it comes with a round face and features a 316L stainless steel case with CNC finish. The screen is of 1.2-inches and inside, you will find MTK2502 CPU. It even lights up when bring you bring your hand to check the time. So, its smart and power efficient as well. Some of the other features of the No.1 G5 are heart rate monitor, pedometer, sedentary alert, activities mileage, steps calculator, activity time, energy consumption monitor etc. You can connect the watch via Bluetooth to Android and iOS devices.

no.1 g5 watch 013

You can read more about the watch and its features/ specs from here.

Just complete the activities below to enter into the giveaway. Best of luck!

No.1 G5 Sports Watch Giveaway

 

Xiaomi Redmi Pro vs Competition: Why Buying the costliest Redmi handset may not be a bad Idea

Xiaomi recently announced the Xiaomi Redmi Pro smartphone with dual cameras on board. The phone is the costliest Redmi handset from the company till date and kind of breaks the common cheap price mentality that we usually associate with the Redmi series.

Considering its 1499 Yuan ($226) price tag, the Redmi Pro might feel as if it’s a bit costly for a Redmi smartphone, which it is, but today, we take a look at the competition for the device and check whether it offers better value for the money you pay. Xiaomi smartphones have always been popular for bringing the best value for your buck, so let’s see if that applies to the Redmi Pro as well.

redmi pro official

As most of you would know, there are a lot of innovative features on the Redmi Pro, setting it apart from the competition in its price segment. In fact, it is one of the cheapest dual camera smartphones that you can buy right now. But that’s not just it. It’s also a cheap Helio X20 powered smartphone, although there are a few other options like the Vernee Apollo Lite and the 360 N4s that beats the Redmi Pro in terms of pricing.

Since we are taking a look at the competition of the Redmi Pro, we are considering phones that are around $225 (+- $20). In this range, there are a few good options, and we will compare their specs with the Pro to see whether it’s worth paying $226 for the brand new Redmi device.

Since we want to have the best in this list, we are going to consider phones that are either running Helio x20 or Helio X25 around this price tag. Surprisingly, there is one SD820 phone that’s priced very close to Redmi Pro, which if you remember, is none other than the ZUK Z2 (Rio Edition). Below is a comparison of the competition of Redmi Pro at its $226 price tag.

redmi pro vs competition

 

Appearance & Dimensions:

Most of the phones in the above comparison feature a metal body. ZUK Z2 is the only exception with a double glass body but even that looks premium. So, I am not going to compare the appearance of these phones since the liking to a particular design differ from person to person.

What we can compare is the dimensions of the body. So, when it comes to dimensions, the two LeEco phones in the list, namely the Le 2 and the Le 2 Pro turns out to be much more compact as well as lighter than the Redmi Pro. However, the difference is just marginal and not something that you would notice in your regular usage. The LeEco devices are definitely thinner, measuring just 7.5mm. But Redmi Pro’s 8.2mm thick body is justified by the large battery inside. We won’t be comparing the ZUK Z2’s dimensions and weight, mainly because it’s a 5-inch phone and the rest all are 5.5-inch devices.

The weight of the Redmi Pro is a bit higher than the competition. Both, LeEco models and 360 N4S are lighter at 153 grams and 169 grams respectively, as compared to Redmi Pro’s 174 grams.

 

Display:

redmi pro oled display

The display on the Redmi Pro should be better on paper considering its the only phone with an OLED panel in the list. Rest have IPS LCD screens. Unsurprisingly, all phones have 1080p resolution.

 

Processor & Memory:

helio x20

As you can see in the list, there are two phones that should perform better than the Redmi Pro, at least on the basis of their chipsets, namely the Le 2 Pro with Helio X25 and the ZUK Z2 with Snapdragon 820. The difference between Helio X20 and SD820 is actually quite significant, but for most usage, Helio X20 should be enough. If you remember, on AnTuTu, Helio X20 scores just over 90K points, Helio X25 above 95K points and SD820 around 125K+ points.

Since we are considering the base variants of all devices in the list, the Redmi Pro comes with just 3GB of RAM. At around the same price, you have three models which feature 4GB of RAM, the Le 2 Pro, 360 N4S and Vernee Apollo Lite. All the models in this list feature 32GB of internal storage, but Redmi Pro has an advantage as it comes with a MicroSD card slot (hybrid). This is where the Le 2 Pro, which has been doing so well in the earlier departments, fails. On the Le 2 Pro and the Le 2, you will be stuck with 32GB of internal storage with no option to expand.

 

Camera:

So, the camera is one major department where specs are not really indicative of its performance. On paper, Redmi Pro has a big advantage, being the only dual camera smartphone in the list, coming with 13MP Sony sensor and 5MP depth secondary sensor from Samsung. This should technically enable better low light images and features such as bokeh, not found in other phones in its price range.

redmi pro dual camera specs
redmi pro dual camera specs

But we can only judge the performance of the camera after we try it out in real life. On paper, the 360 N4S and the Le 2 Pro also seem to have pretty good cameras.

 

Battery:

The battery is one area that Redmi phones have managed to master in the recent releases. This one is no different as it comes with a 4050mAh battery, good enough for a couple of days. But you will be surprised to see that Redmi Pro isn’t the largest battery phone in this list. The 360 N4S comes with an even bigger 5000mAh battery, making sure that no other phone is nearly as good as the N4S in the battery department. ZUK Z2 is the third best battery phone in the list as it comes with a 3500mAh battery.

 

Price:

The Redmi Pro costs $226 for the base variant, and there are three other phones in this list that are cheaper than this model. The 360 N4S and Le 2 seem to be the two major competitors who are cheaper than the Redmi model, offering quite similar value. But these two phones have its own set of drawbacks as compared to the Redmi device, which we will mention below. As for the Le 2 Pro, the pricing is same as the Redmi Pro and the ZUK Z2 with SD820 is priced slightly higher at $241.

 

Verdict:

So, you saw the comparison, and you read the differences above. Which one do you think offers the best value among the above devices?

Well, I would have to say the 360 N4S is Redmi Pro’s biggest competitor, offering 4GB RAM, a larger 5000mAh battery at a much cheaper $180 price tag. But there’s one major problem, getting hold of this handset is not going to be easy. Even the 16MP f/2.0 aperture camera seems to be quite good on paper. If we had to pick Redmi Pro’s advantage, it could be the dual cameras at the back, i.e. if they manage to perform much better than the N4S.

The Le 2 Pro would be another close competition, offering 4GB RAM, slimmer body and a slightly faster Helio X25 at the same $226 price tag. However, the small 3000mAh battery, non-expandable storage and the lack of 3.5mm headphone jack are good reasons for a buyer to prefer the Redmi Pro or 360 N4S model over the Le 2 Pro.

Le 2 is the cheaper offering and at $166, you get great value for money. But when the Redmi Pro comes into the picture with its expandable storage, OLED display, much larger battery and Dual Cameras, the latter seems to bring a lot more features, if you are ready to shell out a bit more.

ZUK Z2 Rio edition is a good option for people who would like to have SD820 for just $240. But if you are okay with Helio X20 (which is quite a decent performer for everyday use), you would see that the Redmi Pro saves you a few bucks and offers much more value with dual cameras, expandable storage and larger battery. Of course, for those who want a power performer, you probably wouldn’t get anything better in terms of power at this price than the Z2 Rio Edition.

Considering that the Vernee Apollo Lite makes it to this list, it shows that the phone offers pretty good value. You get Helio X20 + 4GB RAM and expandable storage for just $200. And unlike the other models, whose international resale price would be much higher (after adding premium from resellers), the Apollo Lite is actually a pretty good phone. But if you manage to get hold of the Redmi Pro at its official price (easier if you are in China), then paying additional $25 gives you a better screen, larger battery, and a better camera setup, all from a trusted and established Chinese brand.

So, like my title says, buying the Redmi Pro at $225 won’t be a bad decision.

What do you think? Which model is your favorite? Also, do you think there’s any other model that can be added to this list? Let me know in the comments down below.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 6GB + 128GB Version Almost Confirmed To Launch In China

Its no longer news that Samsung has finally popped the Galaxy Note 7 after a great deal of anticipation with the device featuring almost all the specs Samsung was rumored to be infusing into the Note 7. However, one bit that might have left some a little disappointed is the lack of a 6GB RAM on the models launched during the  7 Unpacked event.

note 7 colors

Soon after the launch though, we got wind that Samsung actually produced a 6GB RAM version for the Note 7 and that version was spotted on China’s Telecoms regulatory agency TENAA’s website. The TENAA listing revealed the Galaxy  Note 7 features 6GB of RAM with a giant 128GB built-in storage, showing prospects of being one for those who love having lots of apps on their smartphone.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7

Samsung had been silent on this discovery all these while, but the Korean electronics giant seems to have broken its silence. Speaking for the first time about the 6GB RAM + 128GB ROM high-end version, Samsung’s Head of Mobile Communications Business, D.J Koh hinted that the company is working on the high-end 6GB RAM + 128GB ROM version for the Chinese market due to the fact that Chinese phonemakers seem to have shifted the battle ground to outwit each other to the memory size, both RAM and ROM sizes.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy Note 7 with 6GB RAM likely to cost 6088 Yuan ($914)

The statement as reported by the Korea Herald, is perhaps an indication that the 6GB RAM + 128GB ROM edition of the Note 7 will be exclusive to the Chinese market, at least for now. The Samsung Exec, however, suggested that even though it would be exclusive to China, the 6GB RAM Galaxy Note 7 may find its way into other markets as time progresses but for now, it is China’s version.

Xiaomi Launches Electric Screwdriver: Wowstick 1fs

O ye tinkerers and fixers! There’s a new toy for you. Xiaomi has announced an electric screwdriver called the Wowstick 1fs which was launched using the Mijia crowdfunding platform.

Xiaomi screwdriver

The screwdriver which has an integrated anodised aluminium design also comes with a built-in shadowless LED so you can see into dark holes holding screws. The Wowstick features a removable battery that offers up to 8 hours of continuous work or up to 180 days of standby. It will come in a white storage box and have a weight of 234g. There will be 18 srew tips made from S2 steel alloy. You should also get speeds of up to 100RPM on the Wowstsick 1fs.

Xiaomi screwdriver 2

Xiaomi screwdriver 3

RELATED: Xiaomi Is Not Into the Liquor Business

The Wowstick 1fs has a price tag of 199 Yuan ($30), but expect it to sell for more when you buy from retailers. If you’re looking for a gift to give a friend or relative who likes to fix things, you should probably have a look at this  electronic screwdriver.

LeEco Le 2s Said to Launch on September 9

September 7 is going to be a big day for many manufacturers. Sony is going to launch the Play Station 4 Neo on that day (expect another string of Xbox Vs PlayStation arguments online), which is the same day for Apple’s fall conference. Today we also have news that LeEco is planning to release an upgraded version of the LeEco Le 2 called the Le 2S. If you recall, they did something similar with the LeEco Le 1s and Le 1s Eco which are nearly identical save for the clock speeds which is higher in the Le 1s Eco.

LeEco le 2s

The Le 2S is said to launch with a Qualcomm snapdragon processor (there’s no confirmation yet if it will be the newer 821). Hope you still remember, the original version of the Le 2 has 2 versions: a Helio X20 model and a Snapdragon 652 version released in India.

READ MORE: Dual Camera LeECo Cool 1 Will launch August 16

New ZTE Phone Spotted on TENAA: Will Come With A Large Battery

ZTE has been having a great year so far with the launch of the flagship ZTE Axon 7 and the $99 Zmax Pro which have both been getting positive reviews. But it seems the company has a new phone in the pipeline. The phone which was spotted on TENAA’s website goes by the name ZTE BV0730. Speculations say it is probably a new Voyage 5 phone.

ZTE New model 01

Specifications

The phone will feature a 5.5” Full HD display in a metal body. It will come with Android 6.0, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of built-in space, a 13MP primary camera and an 8MP camera in front. The octa-core processor is clocked at 1.5GHz and should probably be the MT6750 found in the Blade A2. The volume rocker and power button are positioned on the right and a SIM tray is on the left. There is also a fingerprint scanner positioned below the LED flash.

ZTE New model 04

ZTE New model 03

ZTE New model 02

There’s an amazing feature about the ZTE BV0730. It’s dimensions are 155 x 76.2 x 9.8 mm. The reason for the thicker body is because ZTE has put a 4900mAh battery to supply power. This is a first for ZTE as their phones are not known to feature large batteries. Even the Zmax Pro which has a 6” FHD screen comes with a 3400mAh battery.

READ MORE: Curved Panel of Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Leaked