If you are bored of MIUI installed on your Xiaomi device, there are two most important ways to customize the software: installing a launcher or installing a custom ROM. If you prefer the second option and you own a Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro or a Mi Note 2, you will be glad to know that the two handsets have just received the official TWRP support.

TWRP is the most famous recovery mode which is mainly used to install custom ROMs on every Android handset. Starting from now, it is possible to flash it on Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro and Xiaomi Mi Note 2 just like on the other supported Android devices. Besides Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro and Xiaomi Mi Note 2, two more devices have just received the official support to TWRP.

The first is the newly-announced Sony Xperia XA2 which made its debut at CES 2018 in Las Vegas. The second is Verizon Wear24, a smartwatch which is available in the U.S. You can get the official TWRP app here or, at the following links, you can download the TWRP recovery mode for each of the four devices which have just received the official support:

• Verizon Wear24 (dorado)
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro (whyred)
• Xiaomi Mi Note 2 (scorpio)
• Sony Xperia XA2 (pioneer)

(Via)

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On both the Xiaomi Mi5 and Xiaomi Mi Note 2, the update to Android Oreo is based on the MIUI 9 which comes in the version 8.2.1. The firmware includes the security patch from the month of February, which is very important because it fixes the Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities.

The update also includes several bug fixes for issues present in the previous version of the firmware. It is possible to flash the firmware manually via fastboot and TWRP, but you need an unlocked bootloader in order to do it. If you do not want to install the Global Beta on your Xiaomi Mi5 or Mi Note 2, you can wait for the final version which should come out in the next couple of weeks.

(Source, Source2, Via1, Via2)

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If you’ve been waiting with bated breath to get your hands on Xiaomi Mi Note 2 4G phablet without burning a hole in your pocket, we have good news for you. GearBest is offering considerable discounts on two versions of the well-received phablet.

GearBest is selling the 6GB RAM / 128GB ROM version of the Mi Note 2 for only $319.14. This is a considerable 30% reduction in the device’s original asking price.

Likewise, the site is offering 18% off on the international version of the Mi Note 2, which offers 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. This brings the phablet’s selling price down to only $309.99.

Housed in a 7-series aluminum frame, the Mi Note 2 sports a 5.7-inch flexible OLED display. It offers a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.

On the photography front, the phablet features a 22.56MP high-resolution camera on the back and an 8MP autofocus front camera for selfies. Moreover, the Mi Note 2 is backed by a robust 4070mAh battery that supports Quick Charge 3.0.

In order to check out the full specification and take advantage of the promo before it comes to an end, head straight to this link.

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Xiaomi launched the Mi Note 2 last year at the same time the revolutionary Mi Mix was announced. The Mi Note 2 features a flexible curved OLED display and the display was predicted to be a potential trend for the future. Although that ended up not happening, no thanks to Mi Mix, the flagship model still commands some admiration as a result of the sleek design and awesome specs it packs. The Note has since gotten a replacement in the Mi Note 3 but its price and sales have continued to stay strong. However, Suning Tesco has provided an attractive discount for the Mi Note 2 which removes a chunk from its price. 

The Standard Edition of the Mi Note 2 with 4GB RAM + 64GB ROM has for long remained at 2799 Yuan except for seasonal price cuts while the higher version with 6GB RAM + 128 GB ROM is priced at 3299 Yuan. All that has changed, perhaps temporarily, as JD is offering the Mi Note 2 (6GB + 128GB) version for 2299 Yuan (~$347) which is a 1,000 Yuan reduction from its original price.

Read Also: Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Review – Another Beast from Xiaomi

No reason was given for the monstrous price cut, the biggest we are seeing for the Mi Note 2 but it seems to part of the 12.12 sales promo which commences tomorrow. The Xiaomi Mi Note 2 comes with a phablet-sized 5.7-inch dual curved display and a flagship Snapdragon 821 chipset. It is available in 4GB + 64GB and 6GB + 128GB versions. The device also packs a 4070mAh battery is more than you will find on similarly sized flagships and there is a 22.5MP rear shooter among other features.

(source)

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Just as it was done for the Mi Mix last year, Xiaomi is offering a 249 Yuan ($38) damaged screen insurance for Mi Mix 2 and the Mi Note 3. The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 comes with a large screen without bezels and a ceramic body which are recipes for damage if the phone accidentally drops. The Mi Note 3 also comes with a glass-covered metal body which makes it also fragile. 

It is very likely that many who would buy either of the two devices would buy a protective case as well as a screen protector along with it. But previously, some who did the same thing for the Mi Mix had the bitter experience of realizing the protective case wasn’t enough to keep it safe from damage. This sure does underscore the importance of getting an insurance for the phone which costs just 249 Yuan (~$38). That seems like a bargain for a phone with so much glass on it. The insurance covers the screen, water damage, and drops.

Read More: What Happens When You Drop Your Xiaomi Mi Mix?

The insurance is available when buying the Mix 2 or Note 3 on Xiaomi Mall. The option to add the screen insurance appears when you’re checking out after adding the product to cart. It is also available when buying via Mi App and Official Xiaomi store on Lynx. If you’re snagging up the device from Mi Store, you’d have to ask a staff to add the insurance. Of course, both the Mi Mix 2 and Mi Note 3 are not yet readily available but whenever they are available, do ensure to add an insurance when buying. We don’t know if this cover will extend to units shipped by third-party retailers out of China. It is vital, though, with the proliferation of full-screen models to look for offers with an insurance package against screen damage.

(source)

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Jingdong’s 6.18 promotion is still ongoing and this period affords fans of Xiaomi the opportunity to get the scarce Xiaomi Mi Mix from Xiaomi’s official flagship store on JD.com during this period. The Mi Mix is not only in stock but is being offered with a reduction in its price. The 6.18 promo sees the Mi Mix coming in with a 200 Yuan reduction in its price with an additional 50 Yuan off from June 1 – June 3 and again from June 12 – June 18.

During this period,  fans can grab the Mi Mix for 3,249 Yuan ($477) instead of the original price of 3,499 yuan ($513). This offer is for the 6GB + 128GB version as the higher 6GB + 256GB version still stood at its 3,999 Yuan  (~$587) price tag. In addition to the Mi Mix, the Mi Note 2 is on offer for 300 Yuan less than the normal price of 3299 Yuan ($484). So, you’ll get it at 2,999 Yuan only (~$440) during the sales period running until the 18th of June. Apart from these two models, other Xiaomi models are also up for grab on the 6.18 promotion.

Related: First Day Of Xiaomi’s 6.18 Promotion On JD.com Saw Redmi Note 4X & Mi 6 As Top Sellers

This sale is a clear indication that Xiaomi has improved on the production output of the Mi Mix and there seems to be enough quantity in stock. Another thing, this is the lowest price ever for which the Mi Mix is being offered. Could that also mean that we’ll be seeing more price cuts in the near future? Of course, it getting closer to the time for the Apple of China to release the next-gen Mi Mix 2 and Mi Note 3. So, we could as well brace up for a more stable price cuts on both high-end models.

(source)

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Xiaomi first released the Mi Note 2 along with the Mi Mix last year, both sporting revolutionary designs that were alien to Xiaomi’s design language. While the Mi Mix would go on to take the main spotlight, the Mi Mix still commanded some admiration for its curved edge design and well-packed line-up. As usual, the device will have a successor and that success believed to be named Mi Note 3 was earlier rumored to launch in the second quarter of the year. That isn’t likely now but there are talks of a Q3 launch for the flagship device.

A new render of the Xiaomi Mi Note 3 have leaked online showing the device will sport a dual camera setup to the rear. It is unlikely that Xiaomi would completely overhaul the design of the Note 3 so it isn’t surprising that the design of the render looks very much like that of the Mi Note 2 except for the dual cameras at the rear. The dual cameras look very much like that of the Mi 6, aligned in a horizontal plane. The render is likely not real so, just take a look and move on.

Read More: Beautiful Xiaomi Mi Note 3 Concept Images Appear: Stunning But Patently Not Xiaomi

We still don’t know much about the specs the Mi Note 3 would pack it is expected to feature an OLED display and may pack the Snapdragon 835 processor with 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage. The device is said to sport a 5.7-inch display size and others. The Mi Note 3 may likely be unveiled along with the Mi Mix 2 just the same way the Note 2 was launched with the Mi Mix last year.

(source)

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Early yesterday morning, during the morning commute to work, a lady’s Xiaomi phone burst up in flames while in use. The lady who was standing during the trip was holding her phone when it started smoking causing her to quickly drop it, resulting in a commotion.

Images from the camera on the bus shows passengers fleeing to the exits while the bus was in motion. The driver on realizing what was happening had to quickly stop the vehicle to allow passengers get off. The fire was eventually put out and no one was reported to be injured.

An investigation team that analysed the CCTV footage said the lady was seen using a headset with the phone earlier. There is no report yet as to what led to the phone bursting into flames but the fire left a scorch mark on the floor before it was put out.

READ MORE: Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun Answers Key Questions About Xiaomi Mi 6 Silver & Blue Variant Release

The phone appears to be a Redmi Note 2 judging from the speaker grille at the base and its lack of a fingerprint scanner. Xiaomi has not released a statement about the incident but we believe they should be aware already.

(Source)

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Xiaomi has made an entry into the Russian market for the first time and in their usual manner, they did it in style. The company announced the launch of three “new” smartphones which are going on sale in the Russian market immediately. The phones are relatively not new as they are already available in China but this is the first time they will be officially going on sale outside China. If you are wondering why Russia? Russia is the largest country in the whole world.

The announcement was made by Xiaomi senior Vice-president Wang Xiang and the smartphones which hit the market are the Mi Mix, Mi Note 2 and Redmi 4X. Although some had expected the Mi 6 to be announced for the Russian market, that didn’t happen, instead, Xiaomi made up for the absence of the Mi 6 by unveiling two of its top-end products in the Mi Mix and Mi Note 2.

The Xiaomi Mi Note 2 is the company’s first smartphone to use a curved edge display and comes powered by a Snapdragon 821 chip backed by 6GB of RAM. So, we’re talking about the high-end version here. This Mi Note 2 version features a whopping 128GB storage as well as a large 22MP rear camera. TheMi Note 2 price is pegged at 34,990 rubles and Xiaomi is offering a free Mi Piston Air headphone with every purchase made before May 2.

The company also announced the bezel-less Mi Mix flagship which comes with a large bezel-less screen. The Mi Mix has a display which almost covers the entire screen, save for a little bezel at the bottom where there is a home button. Only the 6GB RAM + 256GB version is available for a price of 39,990 rubles. There is also a free Mi Wireless Bluetooth speaker with each purchase made before May 2.

Read More: Xiaomi Mi 6 Plus case surfaces, release date and design remain a mystery

Finally, away from the flagship category, the innovative Chinese company also unveiled the Redmi 4X with its price set at 12,990 rubles. The Redmi 4X sports a 5-inch HD display and is fired up by a Snapdragon 435 chip backed by 3GB of RAM. The device also comes with a 32GB storage. The camera combination consists of a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP selfie shooter. The juicy part is the 4,100mAh battery which the Redmi 4X packs. There is also a branded headphone available with the device.

The three Xiaomi phones will be available for purchase online as well as on authorized retail shops from April 26. You can find out more details about the products from Xiaomi Russia’s official online store.

(source)

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Xiaomi finally launched the Mi 6 yesterday and it still is one of the hottest topics in the tech world at present. One issue that continues to prop up is the lack of an OLED display on the flagship. The Xiaomi Mi 6 uses an LCD display, thus drawing a comparison with the Mi Note 2 which featured an OLED display. That apparently has given rise to talks about the Mi Note 3 which would likely be Xiaomi’s next device with an OLED display.

Xiaomi launched the Mi Note 2 flagship in October last year, the same day with the Mi MIX launch. There is no doubt that the Mi Note 2 is an awesome device, with a curved edge design which gave Samsung a run for its money. Xiaomi was earlier rumoured to be working on a successor to the Mi Note 2 dubbed Mi Note 3. A new rumour emanating from a Weibo tipster is now making the rounds that the Mi Note 3 will be launching in the third quarter (Q3) of this year and would use an OLED display.

Read Also: Xiaomi Mi Note 3 Rumors: Arriving with Lethal Specs in Q2 2017?

Since the Mi Note 2 was released together with the Mi Mix, are we looking at a joint release of the Mi Note 3 and the Mi Mix 2? We really can’t say but it promises to be an interesting year for Xiaomi. The Mi Note 3 is expected to feature a Snapdragon 835 chip in addition to a curved edge display and other stunning features.

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Xiaomi launched the Mi Note 2 late last year alongside the Mi Mix but the device has not been readily available due to production factor. The Mi Note 2 came with a curved OLED display which gives it a uniquely different look from other Xiaomi smartphones. The OLED panel is said to be a flexible type, supplied by LG and due to the flexibility production output has been low.

Now, what is likely another version of the Mi Note 2 has been spotted on TENAA where it was certified. The TENAA listed device has the model number 2015212. The spectacular thing about the TENAA listing, apart from the specs which align, is the model number which follows closely, those of the Mi Note 2 versions released. Ni Note 2 first appeared in 4GB and 6GB RAM versions having model numbers 2015211 and 2015213.

Read Also: Coral Blue Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Coming Soon?

Unfortunately, the TENAA listing wasn’t accompanied by images of the smartphone, so we can’t ascertain if it is really the Mi Note 2. But it is likely Xiaomi is will modify a few features on this model like a lower RAM size or using a normal OLED instead of the flexible one in order to boost production output. However, the device is listed as packing a 5.7-inch display with a dimension of 156.2 x 77.2 x 7.6mm and a battery capacity of 4070mAh. All similar with the Mi Note 2 presently in the market.

(via)

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Xiaomi has released a poster that teases a launch event which is scheduled to take place in Taiwan on February 21. This is perhaps a realization of the tech giant’s bid to take its products outside China in order to help rejig its finances and position in the market.

Xiaomi has been experiencing some decline in sales and revenue figures of late, losing out on the top three spots in smartphone shipments in the last few quarters. The company has indicated it would ship more units outside China and even open more physical stores, shifting from the usual online sales model.

Read More: New Leaked Image of the Xiaomi Mi 5C: No Physical Home Button

Although the poster didn’t specify which smartphone(s) the company would unveil on that day, it is believed that Xiaomi will be bringing the international version of the Redmi Note 4X in Taiwan, as well as the Mi Note 2. Two marvelous smartphones which would no doubt be fast sell outs but we are not entirely sure about that. The Redmi Note 4X was unveiled in china a few days ago with a premium design and well-packed specs lineup for a budget smartphone. Hopefully, we’ll get to see the International version of this great smartphone on February 21 in Taiwan. Watch out!

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While we are yet to get enough of the Xiaomi Mi Note 2, someone is already thinking of a  Xiaomi Mi Note 3 in his mind’s eyes which actually came out in some cool concept images. A set of cool images said to be of the Mi Note 3 has been outed by concept designer Kingway Lee. The renders look very beautiful but don’t feature any design identity that could give a hint that it is a Xiaomi smartphone. It is unlikely Xiaomi would chat that course in the final design of the Mi Note 3, whenever they choose to commence production of a next-gen Mi Note device, something we don’t expect to happen very soon.

The Xiaomi Mi Note 2 hit the market late last year but production hasn’t been able to meet up the demand for the flagship Mi-series smartphone. Just like the Mi Mix, the Mi Note 2 came with a design language different from all what Xiaomi had done in the past. The device made its debut as Xiaomi’s first smartphone with a dual-curved display looking more like a Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge than the first gen Mi Note.

Read More: Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Review – Another Beast from Xiaomi

Overall, the images take the Mi Note 2 design to a next level, coming with more visual effect, overall sleekness and a display using the under glass ultrasonic fingerprint sensor. The best you could do with these images is to feast your eyes on them and nothing more. We might never see the Mi note 3 adorning this design.

(source)

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Xiaomi finally held the much touted CES 2017 news conference where it launched three new products. A white pearl version of the Mi Mix, the Xiaomi Mi TV 4, and the Xiaomi Router HD were all unveiled by the company. Xiaomi also displayed a variety of new color variants for the Mi Note 2 which was hitherto available only in black and silver colors.

From the exhibition, the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 can be spotted adorning pink, green and purple coating on its body. It wasn’t disclosed if the new color versions were just for exhibition purpose or if they would indeed go on sale in the near future. But there seem to be no difference in the specifications of this new color versions and the ones that were initially released.

Related: Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Teardown: What Lies Inside It?

If ever the Mi Note 2 would come in pink, green or purple colors, it is likely to drop in China only. The company didn’t say anything about whether the trio of products released would be available outside of China anytime soon. You can take a tour of the Mi Note 2 images from down below.

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AnTuTu has a tradition of releasing the list of top smartphones benchmarked on its app. We have been covering the top 10 list for the past few months and just now, AnTuTu has released the top 10 flagship smartphones in terms of performance for the month of November. Given that we have seen a couple of new Chinese flagships released in this period, there is no surprise that the list has a few changes.

The Xiaomi Mi Note 2 and the Huawei Mate 9 are the two new additions to the list. Of course, there was the OnePlus 3T launch, as well as the Meizu Pro 6 Plus launch, but we will see them added to this list only in the month of December. This is because this list is compiled by calculating the average scores with data from at least 2000 models. So, despite the Mi Note 2 launching in October, it only made it to the list in November. Similarly, the data for the Xiaomi Mi Mix is still inadequate to be included in this list.

In terms of performance, Apple’s iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are still on top. The best Android flagship is still the LeEco Le Pro 3, which is a steal at its sub-$350 price tag. The Pro 3 is followed by Mi 5S Plus and Smartisan M1L. The next two in the list are the new additions in November, namely the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 with an average score of 148,352 and the Huawei Mate 9 following close behind with an average score of 146,942. You can read our review of the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 from here.

Seeing the Mate 9 in this list clearly shows how much Huawei’s Hisilicon chips have progressed in the past couple of years. AnTutu also noted that Huawei recently removed the temperature control restrictions on the Mate 9’s Kirin 960 via a new update which helped the chip inside to unleash its full GPU potential, helping it improve its overall scores.

The list also clearly shows that Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 821 chipset rules the Android flagship market.

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Xiaomi Mi Note 2 – the latest flagship made by the company and one of the best-looking and powerful phones on the market right now. But are the awesome looks and the bleeding-edge specs make the smartphone great? Learn more in the full Xiaomi Mi Note 2 review.

Thanks to Oppomart for sending the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 for a review.

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Review: VIDEO REVIEW

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjAJT12liYk[/embedyt]

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Review: UNBOXING

The phone ships in quite a simple box and inside of it, you can find all the usual stuff. No extras included.

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Review: DESIGN and DISPLAY

I have to admit that this is one of the most beautiful smartphones Xiaomi has ever made. We have a curved glass on the front and rear, a high-quality metal trim and tactile metal buttons.

We have a gorgeous 5.7” 1080p Amoled panel, which offers deep blacks, punchy colors and it is plenty sharp for everyday use. The bezels are quite visible but I’m okay with that. As usual, Xiaomi did not officially confirm the type of protective glass it used for this phone.

We have the usual highly customizable and backlit capacitive buttons, and a super fast and accurate fingerprint scanner. Keep in mind that you have to physically press the home button to use the fingerprint sensor but the unlocking process is just seamless and it works 10/10 times.

On the top, we have a highly customizable LED notification light and the upgraded 8MP camera with f/2.0 aperture and autofocus.

I’ve never been a huge fan of glass-made phones but I have to say that the Mi Note 2 has a somewhat oleophobic coating that does a pretty good job preventing from fingerprints and smudges.

We have a powerful 22.5MP camera with f/2.0 aperture and a dual tone dual-LED flash but there is no OIS.

Xiaomi brought the IR blaster back to this phone, which is great, so you can control devices like TVs. The sound quality via the headset jack is just excellent.

Same can be said about the loudspeaker. The sound is balanced, rich and it gives you some sort of surround sound effect that a lot of phones lack.

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Review: HARDWARE and PERFORMANCE

When it comes to hardware, you can be rest assured that you will have all the latest and greatest specs packed into this phone.

My review unit ships with the Snapdragon 821 chip, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, which is, however, not expandable. If you are willing to pay more, you can go for the high-end model that has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

As expected, 3D gaming performance is excellent and the whole gaming experience is just great thanks to the large display and a great loudspeaker. Finally, the phone does not have any overheating issues.

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Review: BENCHMARKS

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Review: USER INTERFACE

The Xiaomi Mi Note 2 ships with the Android 6.0-based MIUI 8 that we have already seen on other Xiaomi phones.

As usual, we have a ton of customization options, various settings, tweaks and little features to make the phone look your own. Some of the cool features include a baked-in theming engine, where you can choose from a lot of themes, fonts, wallpapers and so on. Also, you can go to the so-called second space, which is as Xiaomi says “like having two devices” at the same time. In other words, it is like having two accounts on the same phone.

However, you have to know that the Chinese version of the phone comes with quite a few bloatware apps that may be annoying. A great thing is that you can easily remove most of them.

Finally, I’m fairly impressed with how fast the Mi Note 2  is despite having all those features. The phone is fast, fluid and I didn’t have any hiccups or lag.

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Review: CAMERA

The camera app allows you to take pictures extremely fast. As usual to Xiaomi phones, there are a few shooting modes and settings to play with.

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Review: IMAGE QUALITY

IT IS HIGHLY-RECOMMENDED TO DOWNLOAD FULL RESOLUTION CAMERA SAMPLES TO SEE THE ACTUAL IMAGE QUALITY. THE PICTURES UPLOADED ON THE WEBSITE ARE 50% SMALLER IN RESOLUTION.

In theory, 22.5MP should give you a lot of detail and the Mi Note 2’s camera does produce very detailed photos that look sharp and the colors are natural. Also, the camera handles the dynamic range and contrast pretty well but it tends to underexpose the scenery more often than not.

Most of the indoor and macro shots were taken in very poor lighting. The phone can take some good-looking photos but as usual, the noise levels get quite high in lower-lit situations.

As for night camera performance, it is just average. Well, it is not bad but I would love the software to kick in to brighten up the scene as right now the images look dark. Also, the level of noise could be a lot lower.

As for selfie shooter, it can take some nice and detailed photos.

The 4K video is good but not great. The footage is quite sharp, the auto-exposure and continuous autofocus work fine and the colors look natural. However, there are quite a few video artefacts going on and overall the footage could look sharper if we compare it to some of the mainstream flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge. The electronic image stabilization (EIS) uses the gyroscope sensor and this combo does a pretty good job reducing the shakiness.

The 1080p video looks quite good but obviously, there is less detail than in 4k footage. The 1080p selfie video looks pretty good and it will be more than enough for the video chats. See the video review for video samples.

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Review: CONNECTIVITY

When it comes to connectivity, the Mi Note 2 has you covered. It has an international 4G LTE support that assures a fast internet speed, good signal reception and a great call quality.

Also, Wifi, GPS work absolutely fine. In addition, there is NFC onboard.

The only complaint would be that there is no microSD card slot but you get 2 SIM card slots as any other Xiaomi phone.

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Review: BATTERY LIFE

The Mi Note 2 ships with a 4070mAh battery that performs quite well. I was able to get around 5 hours of screen-on time on kind of heavy usage including power penalty of 2 SIM cards, 4 Google accounts, social media accounts and so on.

The phone supports Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0 tech but the supplied charger can fully charge the phone in about 1 h 45 mins, which is not the best result we’ve seen this year.

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Review: CONCLUSIONS

The Xiaomi Mi Note 2 is a true flagship phone that just looks beautiful but it costs almost $500.

So what are you getting for this amount of money? The phone sports an excellent build quality and that curved glass on the front and rear adds quite a bit of style.

Also, powerful internals assure that the device performs very well no matter what you throw at it. If you add a feature-rich user interface, a good battery life, great sound quality, you are looking at a very compelling offering.

However, you have to know that even at this price point, the Mi Note 2’s camera struggles in low-light, the 4k video quality is not on par with the mainstream flagships and finally, there is no microSD card slot for storage expansion.

At the end of the day, the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 is still a very solid phone as it offers a lot of flagship-grade qualities but as most of the phones, it has some shortcomings that you have to consider.

The post Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Review – Another Beast from Xiaomi appeared first on Gizmochina.

In the past couple of years, Chinese brands have changed the way we looked at flagship phones, with phones from companies like OnePlus, Xiaomi, and Meizu showing us that we needn’t spend $700 on a phone for getting the best performance. This year, more companies have come up to prove this very point, which has left us with plenty of smartphones that are very good on paper and does not cost a fortune.

So, here we list the best smartphones in the market today, ranging from $300 and going all the way up to $770. These are some of the best Chinese flagships that you can buy right now.

Almost everyone would agree that the best Chinese flagship phone list isn’t complete without a OnePlus smartphone. Since the past three years, OnePlus has etched out a niche market for itself — the one and only affordable flagship that you need and the tradition continues this year as well with the latest OnePlus flagship, the OnePlus 3T, which is one of the best phones you can buy for your money right now.

(OnePlus 3 Review Here)

The phone comes with the most powerful Qualcomm processor yet, the Snapdragon 821, 6GB of RAM for super fast multi-tasking and even a 128GB ROM option for those who found 64GB not enough on the OnePlus 3. The rear camera is pretty good, with a 16MP Sony sensor with OIS and PDAF, but what’s really the highlight is the front camera, a 16MP shooter with f/2.0 aperture, making it a handy device for clicking your selfies.

The 3400mAh battery will ensure that your phone is powered for a day and if you find that not enough, the Dash Charge, which gets you 60% battery in 30 minutes, will get the job done.

It’s definitely a great flagship costing just $439!

You can read the entire specifications of the OP3T here.

Xiaomi’s smartphones have always been affordable and value for money and recently the company has increased its efforts to make a mark in the high-end flagship segment. As a result, we have a few Xiaomi flagships that make it to the list here (three to be exact) and all the three are worthy enough of your hard earned money. They come with top-notch features at an affordable price, making it true value for money.

The Xiaomi Mi Note 2 makes it to this list, which is unsurprising, given its dual curved display and powerful specs.

This Xiaomi flagship is a bit different from other phones in the list because of its dual curved display. The phone is a bit larger as well, as it comes with a 5.7-inch 1080p display, as opposed to the 5.5-inchers that are in this list. But the larger display means you have more screen real estate which is great for your games and videos. Inside, you get the best Snapdragon 821 chip, with the top-end variant featuring 6GB RAM and 128GB of storage.

The phone features a great 22.5MP 1/2.6″ sensor with EIS (gyro), PDAF and dual LED flash. The phone also features a large 4070mAh battery with QC 3.0 (82% in just 30 minutes) making sure that your large screen will be powered throughout the day.

The phone’s official price starts at $413 in China and goes all the way up to $516 for the 6GB RAM model. However, as you know, one will have to shell out anywhere from $50-$100 premium for each variant model.

Check out the entire specs of the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 from here.

If you are looking for a Chinese flagship that’s compact and powerful, you should definitely check out the Xiaomi Mi 5S. The phone features a 5.15-inch compact display with 3D Touch on the top end 4GB + 128GB ROM version.

(Xiaomi Mi 5S Review Here)

It’s slim, weighs just 145 grams and is ideal for a small sized flagship. Internals are powerful, coming with Snapdragon 821 with Adreno 530 GPU, and a 1/2.3″ 12MP f/2.0 camera which should ensure good quality pictures even in low light. One feature missing from the camera is OIS. The battery is also decent measuring 3200mAh and QC 3.0 support helps in powering the phone all day long.

The pricing in China starts at around $300, going up to $350 for the 128GB version.

You can check out all the specs of the Xiaomi Mi 5S from here.

The Xiaomi Mi Mix is one of the biggest surprises of the year 2016 and hence, there is no way this list is complete without including this flagship. However, because of its super giant display, which covers more than 90% of the front, the Mi Mix is probably not for everyone. After all, using a 6.4-inch 1080p display on a day to day basis is not an easy task.

But if you are someone who loves big screens, the Xiaomi Mi Mix is probably one of the best-looking phones that you can buy right now. It is once again powered by the popular Snapdragon 821 chipset and even comes with a 256GB + 6GB RAM option for those who really want to take things to the next level.

While the camera is decent featuring a 16MP sensor with EIS and PDAF, it’s not the best in the market, which might be a let down for some. But it should still click some decent pictures. The battery is large, measuring 4400mAh which will ensure that you will get at least day long battery life despite its super large display.

The limited supply is probably its biggest drawback. This also makes the actual purchase price of the Mi Mix, higher than the official price tag of $516.

You can read more about the Xiaomi Mi Mix specs from here.

Despite its late entry into the smartphone market, LeEco has given us some of the best value for money smartphones available in the market right now. As a result, there is no surprise that this list includes the LeEco Le Pro 3 flagship that is powered by the mighty Snapdragon 821 chipset.

(Le Pro 3 Review Here)

In fact, the Le Pro 3 comes with all the bells and whistles found on a regular Android flagship today, including 6GB RAM + 128GB ROM option, a large 4070mAh battery, a decent 16MP camera with PDAF and a super slim 7.5mm body (slimmer than most phones in this list). However, what really sets this phone apart from others is the lack of a 3.5mm headphone jack. The phone uses the company’s USB Type-C powered CDLA standard which it claims is better than standard headphone jacks.

If you can live without a traditional 3.5mm headphone jack, the Le Pro 3 is one of the most affordable Snapdragon 821 powered phones in the market.

It starts at around $270 in China and goes up to $300 for the 6GB RAM model. However, you can get the 6GB RAM version from sellers like OPPOMART for around $380, which is a good price even after the premium charged.

You can read the entire specs of the LeEco Le Pro 3 from here.

Your search for a good looking metal phablet ends with the Huawei Mate 9. It comes with everything that you wish for in a smartphone, including a Leica certified 20MP + 12MP dual cameras at the back. The Huawei P9 had one of the most interesting cameras in the segment and the Mate 9 aims to take things to a different level.

This Huawei flagship comes with a massive 5.9-inch display with 1080p display. Unlike the other phones in this list, the Huawei Mate 9 is powered by its own chipset, the Hisilicon Kirin 960, which to be honest has really caught up with other flagship processors in the market today. While there is no 6GB RAM option for this model, 4GB + 64GB storage along with MicroSD expansion up to 256GB should be enough for most users out there.

The dual cameras is the real focus of the phone, featuring 20MP + 12MP dual sensors with f/2.2 aperture, 2x zoom, PDAF + Laser Focus and dual tone flash. The front facing 8MP f/1.9 sensor should be enough for great selfies. Further, like all Mate series flagships, the Mate 9 also comes with a large 4000mAh battery.

This actually doesn’t fit in the affordable flagship category, with pricing starting upwards of $700. However, for this price, you get top-notch built quality, powerful hardware, Leica certified cameras as well as a premium experience. This is why it makes sense to include the phone in this list despite its costly price tag of $775.

You can check out the specs of the Mate 9 from here.

So, these were the top Chinese Flagships that you can buy in the market today. I would like to include some honorable mentions as well, like the 6GB version of ZUK Z2 Pro powered by Snapdragon 820 as well as the ZTE Axon 7 coming with a great audio experience. But if you are in the market to get the best Chinese flagship, the phones listed above are probably your best bet.

So, what do you feel about this Chinese flagship list? Do you think I missed out on any great phone?

The post Top Chinese Flagships In 2016: Best Phones For Your Money (Year End Edition) appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi yesterday announced that from 10 am today being 11.11, the Xiaomi Mix and Mi Note 2 would go on offline sale on the official Mi home stores in China. The company also disclosed that sales of both highly sought after devices would be on first come first serve basis. A long queue of persons wanting to buy either devices, especially the Xiaomi Mix was expected but what we didn’t envisage was that some fans would spend the night outside the Xiaomi official stores so as to be in good stead to grab one of the device.

According to pictures shared by Xiaomi’s co-founder and Vice-President, Wang Chuan, fans braced the winter cold to stay outside the stores in large numbers. Most of them came prepared, decked in winter jacket, some with plastic seats while other came with a hot water flask or teas cups to perhaps provide tea or coffee which would help drive away the piercing winter cold.

It wasn’t a male-only affair, though, as the females were not left out and a good number of them could be spotted in the long queues. Those that couldn’t find seats are either standing or seated on the bare floor. The queues are expected to surge as the day get by.

No doubt, this is another demonstration of the huge popularity of the two Xiaomi flagships both in China and even overseas. The Mi Mix and Note 2 had gone on their first and second flash sales and cumulatively the sales didn’t last up to one minute, gone in seconds on both occasions.

The post Fans Queue Overnight Just to Get the Xiaomi Mix & Mi Note 2 appeared first on Gizmochina.

It’s been two weeks since the Mi Note 2 launched and the second flash sale ran today, even though quite a number of people were still not able to purchase due to the limited supply. However, a new Xiaomi phone has been spotted on TENAA that shares several similarities to the Mi Note 2 but lacks a curved-display. Speculations say this is the Non-Curved Variant of the Mi Note 2.

The phone’s model number is 2015213 which is just a little different from the Mi Note 2’s 2015211 model number. It also features the same rear camera design but lacks the rear curves as well as the curved screen in front.

The screen is 5.68” but there is no mention of the resolution. But there is a high chance it is a Full HD OLED display. Battery capacity is 4070mAh and all the other specifications are said to be the same.

READ MORE: What Happens When You Drop Your Xiaomi Mi Mix?

The non-curved variant is expected to launch on the 11th of November and have a starting price of ¥2500 ($369) which we expect should have 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The launch of this new model may help ease the demand of the curved variant which is in very short supply. We also expect the non-curved variant to have a Global Edition.

The post Xiaomi May Release Non-Curved Mi Note 2 Variant on November 11 appeared first on Gizmochina.

The much talked about Xiaomi Mi Note 2 today went up on its first sale via Xiaomi official website in China and reports emerging indicate that just 50 seconds after the website opened for those who have already made reservations, the flagship device was indicated to have been sold out.

That is a clear evidence of the popularity and acceptance the Mi Note 2 has got among fans and non-fans of Xiaomi alike. One attractive feature is undoubtedly the double curved or hyperboloid display the Note 2 features and not only that, there are lots of other attractive features coupled with the great price tag.

Xiaomi is offering up the Standard Edition of the Mi Note 2 with 4GB RAM + 64GB ROM and a 2799 Yuan price tag as well as the higher version with 6GB RAM + 128 GB ROM and priced at 3299 Yuan, in the flash sale. Buyers also have the options of Bright black and glacier silver colors to choose from. The more pricey Mi Note 2 Global Edition is yet to go on sales by the way.

According to reports, the next flash sale would come up on November 8 and seriously, that is a long time to wait for someone who missed out on getting his own copy during this first sale. The Mi Note 2 is worth the wait, though.

Read More: Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Now Up For Pre-order on OPPOMART!

Just as a reminder, the Xiaomi MIX would be up for pre-order or reservations on November 3. Perhaps you are interested in having one of that, you can wait for it but predictably, the flash sale might not even last up to 20 seconds considering that Xiaomi doesn’t have a large enough stock of the Mi MIX due to its ceramic body. Getting it would almost be the same as winning the lottery, don’t you think?

The post Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Sold Out In Just 50 Seconds In the First Sale appeared first on Gizmochina.

The Xiaomi Mi Note 2 was finally launched yesterday after a long wait spanning more than a year an now its time to look out for the spectacular features the Mi Note 2 was touted to come with. One of such features is the flexible OLED display that the device uses.

Long before the launch date of the Mi Note 2 was revealed, some set of renders of a flexible display were leaked online. It was thought that the display was actually the Mi Note 2 until it was revealed that the device would feature a flexible OLED display panel that bends in all directions. While we cannot feel the flexibility because the panel is under the glass display, the device indeed came with a flexible display. It was also rumored that the flagship’s display will be supplied by either Samsung or LG. LG was later on tipped to be the supplier of the flexible OLED.

That rumor seem to have gotten a confirmation that indeed the Mi Note 2’s flexible display was manufactured and supplied by LG and not Samsung. Although Xiaomi was mute about the details about who supplied the OLED like it did with the Redmi Pro, well-known industry analyst Sun Changxu has stated that in fact, the flexible OLED display is from LG.

Read More: Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Listed On OPPOMART: Curved 2K Display, SD821 & More

The analyst also hinted that the production rate of the flexible OLED is not very high, so we might expected some shortage in supply for the device especially where the demand becomes very high as expected.

The post Xiaomi Mi Note 2’s Flexible OLED is from LG, Not Samsung appeared first on Gizmochina.

The long wait is finally over, the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 has been unveiled and indeed the wait proved to be worth while. The device lived up to its billing as a unique one, different from all the amazing smartphones Xiaomi had gifted us in the past. We have got our hands on the unboxing / hands-on images of the Mi Note 2 courtesy of the guys at Phoenix Technology and yours sincerely just can’t get enough of this stunning beauty.

As expected, the Mi Note 2 features a double curved OLED display that comes in with some level of flexibility as well as with 3D glass cover at both the front and back. The smartphone comes in two cool colors but seems the black colored variant is the one available now and set to go on sale November 1 while the glacier silver version would be made available 3 weeks after the commencement of sales.

For a 2799 Yuan device, Xiaomi continues to amaze us with its marketing model that places less emphasis on huge price tag. The device lies in the same category as the Galaxy Note 7 with a colossal price difference. One may even confuse this for the Note 7 if careful observation isn’t done.

Standing tall at 5.7 inches, the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 display features a resolution of 1080 pixels and the display accounts for approximately 77.2% of the entire screen. The entire device’s internals are encased in a body made of 7-series aluminium alloy which is then encased in glass all round.

You also get a massive 22.56MP Sony IMX318 sensor at the rear with f/2.0 aperture and which is capable of shooting 4K video. There is also an 8MP front camera for perfect selfie shots. No other processor is best on the Mi Note 2 than the Snapragon 821 chipset clocked at a high frequency of 2.35GHz. There is also a large 4,070mAh battery under the hood which keeps the lights on.

There are two memory versions one with 4GB RAM and 64GB ROM and another with 6GB RAM + 128GB ROM. The 6GB RAM version also has an edition dubbed Special Global Edition with 37 global LTE bands including 4G LTE. With this version, the mi Note 2 can be used in different parts of the world without worries of locked network or unlocking.

UNBOXING

The Xiaomi Mi Note 2 comes in an elegant snow white paper box casing with the name crested on the side and the Mi logo at the top.

Inside the box there is the main content itself, the phone. There is also a charger and a data cable, a SIM ejector, a user manual as well as a transparent protective casing.

Related: Get Hottest Xiaomi Smartphones For Lowest Prices From Geekuying.Com

We heartily present to you the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 in all its glories. You can check out more unboxing photos of the device shot from all angles from down below. Delight yourself.

The post Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Unboxing & Hands-on Images: Spotless Beauty! appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi announced the Mi Note 2 a few hours ago and we are not going to pretend it doesn’t look like a number of devices from another company. Yes, the Mi Note 2 does look like Samsung’s S7 Edge and the Galaxy Note 7 (of blessed memory). But it is also different in a number of ways. Let’s examine how each of this device stands out from the others.

note-7

s7-edge

mi-note-2-1

Display

All three devices feature curved displays which is the major similarity they share. Samsung isn’t new to curved displays but this is Xiaomi’s first attempt at making one. The Xiaomi Mi Note 2 and Galaxy Note 7 both have dual-curved 5.7” displays but the S7 Edge is a tad smaller at 5.5”. The Mi Note 2′ screen is a 1080p flexible OLED display supplied by LG but Samsung’s phones sport 2K Super AMOLED displays.

Samsung’s curved edges are designed to work independently off the main screen,  allowing users to customise its use. You can put your favourite apps, custom tasks, contacts, and news feed which can all be accessed from any app just by swiping from the edges.

Xiaomi’s Mi Note 2 does something similar. Swiping from the left edge lets you access a list of wallpapers and theme customisation while a swipe from the right gives you access to preset contacts, calendar schedules, and the compass app.

It’s important to mention display protection. The Galaxy Note 7 has Gorilla Glass 5 while the S7 Edge and Mi Note 2 have Gorilla Glass 4.

Camera

When the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 leaks were pouring in, we all thought it was going to come with dual-rear cameras, but not until a few days before the launch did we get to see leaked images of the phone with a single camera. The main camera on the Mi Note 2 is a 22.56MP f/2.0 Sony IMX 318 sensor with EIS and 4K recording.

The Note 7 and S7 Edge both use a 12MP f/1.7 sensor with OIS and support for 4K recording. It’s going to be hard to tell which camera sensor is best until there is a comparison of all the three cameras but Samsung’s S7 Edge has one of the best cameras on a phone right now.

The front camera on the Xiaomi is an 8MP IMX268 shooter with a f/2.0 aperture, and Beautify 3.0. The S7 Edge and Note 7 both have 5MP front cameras with f/1.7 apertures and Auto HDR.

RAM/ROM/Processor

The Mi Note 2 comes in a variety of RAM and ROM storage. There is a 4GB RAM+64GB variant and a 6GB RAM+128GB variant. The Note 7 and S7 Edge comes with only 4GB of RAM. The Note 7 only has 64GB of storage but the S7 Edge offers 32GB and 64GB variants. The large storage option of the Xiaomi comes with sacrificing the SD card slot but Samsung allows you to use up to a 256GB SD card in any of both phones.

The Mi Note 2 uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 821 SoC clocked at 2.35GHz. The Note 7 uses Samsung’s own Exynos 8890 chip while the S7 Edge which was released before the SD 821 was announced sports a SD820 processor. All three chips are more than enough but the SD 821 offers a little more performance.

Bells and Whistles

The Galaxy Note 7 was one of the best phones released this year. It followed the already laid down pattern of the Note series: featuring a new and improved S-Pen which no other company has been able to replicate. It was also the first note phone to be waterproof, a feature present in the S7 Edge too. The S7 Edge and Note 7 also support wireless charging.

Xiaomi on the other hand have never made a waterproof phone neither does any of their phone have support for wireless charging. So if these features are what you want in a phone, the S7 Edge is your go to device.

All three devices have NFC for payments and fingerprint scanners. Unfortunately, no ultrasonic sensor on the Mi Note 2.

The Mi Note 2 comes with a dedicated audio processor that provides 24bit Hi-Fi sound quality. Starting to become a permanent feature for Xiaomi flagships, the Mi Note 2 features an IR blaster as well.

Battery and Price

Battery life is an important factor when it comes to buying phones. The Mi Note 2 has a 4070mAh battery, the S7 Edge has a 3600mAh battery, and the Note 7 has a 3500mAh battery and all three phones support QC 3.0. Xiaomi’s battery is larger and should have a longer battery life but real life tests are still necessary to find out how it holds up.

The Mi Note 2 starts at $413 for the standard edition with 4GB + 64GB, and moves up to $487 for the 6GB+128GB variant. A third variant called the Global Edition that can work with tons of carriers including CDMA networks in the US sports 6GB RAM and 128GB ROM and is priced at $516.

Samsung’s Note 7 has been discontinued but was priced at $850 which is way more expensive than even the global variant of the Mi Note 2. The S7 Edge is not cheap either. It starts at around $600 for the 32GB version and over $700 for the 32GB variant.

The post Xiaomi Mi Note 2 vs Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge appeared first on Gizmochina.

After a long wait, which I think extends to a few years, Xiaomi has finally unveiled a smartphone worthy of taking on the premium competitors in the market right now. The Xiaomi Mi Note 2 is finally official and with it, we have got a flagship which we can directly compare with the likes of the Galaxy S7 Edge and the P9 series.

So, let’s take a look at what the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 brings to the table.

DESIGN

Design wise, Xiaomi has used the popular dual curved design, similar to what we saw on the Note 7. But with the phablet out of the picture due to its battery woes, the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 can shine with its familiar design.

The phone comes with 3D glass on both the front as well as the back. This means holding the phone is more comfortable due to its curved design. Further, for the frame, the company has used Aerospace grade 7 series aluminum, which gives it a smooth yet solid look.

There are two color options, Glacier Silver and Bright Black.

DISPLAY

The Xiaomi Mi Note 2 is the company’s first dual curved display smartphone. The company explains that it’s not easy to use 3D glass with an LCD display. Hence, the Mi Note 2 is using an innovative flexible OLED display which not only blends together with the curved glass up front, but the display also extends to the side. This is similar to what we see on other curved display phones.

The phone comes with a 5.7-inch curved display with 77.2% screen to body ratio, better than iPhone 7 Plus’ 67.7%. The panel further boasts of 110% NTSC color gamut and 100,000:1 contrast ratio.

In case you are wondering, Lei Jun also mentioned that this advanced flexible screen costs as much as six times a regular 5.5-inch FHD LCD panel.

HARDWARE

Like expected, Xiaomi has ensured the Mi Note 2 has the best hardware in the market right now. It comes with the Snapdragon 821 chipset clocked at 2.35GHz. As for memory, you have 6GB RAM of LPDDR4 dual channel RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.0 storage. Recent Xiaomi smartphones are known for its long battery life and the same continues with the Mi Note 2. The phone comes with a large 4070mAh battery and with Quick Charge 3.0, battery life is going to be its plus point. Other features of the flagship include AQSTIC HD Audio processor with Hi-Fi sound quality and low distortion (24 bit / 192KHz), NFC with fingerprint payments and improved SAP assisted GPS.

As for the camera, the Mi Note 2 comes with the powerful 22.56MP IMX318 EXMOR RS sensor at the back. While there is no OIS on board, the module does have 3-axis gyroscope and EIS (Electronic Image stabilization). The camera also supports 4K video image stabilization at the hardware level. Other features include f/2.0 aperture and PDAF.

Up front, there is an 8MP IMX268 EXMOR RS shooter with f/2.0 aperture and beauty 3.0 software which promises to bring more accurate and natural colors. Another interesting feature of the front camera is the built-in autofocus, which means you will get clear selfies at any distance.

One of the biggest highlights of the Mi Note 2 is the supports 37 LTE global bands! As for the software, the phone is running MIUI 8 out of the box.

PRICING

Expecting the price to be high? Xiaomi has surprised us once again by making the Mi Note 2 quite affordable. The pricing is as follows:

4GB + 64GB 2799 Yuan ($413)

6GB + 128GB 3299 Yuan ($487)

6GB + 128GB Special Global Edition 3499 Yuan ($516)

Note that the 3499 Yuan is the model with 37 Global LTE support, so that’s the model international users should be interested in.

The phone will go on sale on November 1.

The post Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Official: Dual Curved Display, 22.56MP Sony Exmor RS Camera & More! appeared first on Gizmochina.

UPDATE: Here’s another image leaked, which seems to be from an internal Xiaomi event.

Finally, the D-day is here, Xiaomi‘s latest flagship Mi Note 2 is set to drop in some few hours time. We hav seen quite a number of renders of the expected device but its always not enough when the device in question is the Xiaomi Mi Note 2.

There is no doubt that the Mi Note 2 would feature a design unlike anything Xiaomi has done in the past, using a double curved screen and flexible display supplied by LG. The device looks very much like the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge or botched Note 7 but expect lots more innovative features from Xiaomi on it.

First the home button may likely be the same ultrasonic fingerprint sensor used on the Mi 5S and we should be seeing a highly powerful camera on the Mi Note 2 as well. Earlier rumors and renders had suggested dual rear cameras but that is not very likely.

Read More: Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Listed On OPPOMART: Curved 2K Display, SD821 & More

As for the price tag, notable industry analyst Pan Jiutang has added his voice to say the Mi Note 2 would be price around 4000 Yuan ($590). This is not the first time a figure as high as that is propping up, though, so we’ll keep that at the back of our mind while we wait for the official words from Xiaomi. Gizmochina would bring you updates from the conference as they happen.

The post Last Minute Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Leaked Renders & Price Details (UPDATED) appeared first on Gizmochina.

The Mi Note 2 is set to launch on the 25th of October after months of waiting and endless leaks. Xiaomi recently released an official teaser image of the launch showing Hong-Kong actor, Tony Leung (The Grandmaster) who is going to make an appearance at the event. Now some sources have said that image is cropped as the full image has Mr. Leung holding a phone said to be the Mi Note 2.

The full image has already been made available online and while its hard to confirm it is really the Mi Note 2, we want to believe it is. Because what other phone should he be posing with?

The Mi Note 2 will feature a 5.7” dual-curved AMOLED screen supplied by LG, a Snapdragon 821 chip, dual rear cameras, and an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner like the one present in the Xiaomi Mi 5s.

READ MORE: Elephone Guarantees Battery Safety for Elephone S7 and R9

There are also new renders of the phone posted on Weibo which shows a phone that looks a lot like the Galaxy Note 7. We can only pray it doesn’t suffer the same fate.

The post Mi Note 2 Official Teaser Poster: Hidden Secret appeared first on Gizmochina.

Never before seen renders of the expected Xiaomi Mi Note 2 has leaked revealing the actual looks of the device from different angles in all its glory. The renders unveil a device with a design unlike anything Xiaomi had done in the past, quite unique, well that’s if you’re not mentioning the Galaxy S7 Edge or Note 7.

On the whole, it is obvious the Mi Note 2 has been shown to come with an hyperboloid or curved edge display, and there won’t be the mi logo at the front home button. The home button has perhaps been moved to the top left corner of the screen. The home button is said to be a virtual one with the same underglass ultrasonic fingerprint technology premiered on the Mi 5S. What should be beautiful speaker grills could be seen on the bottom edge.

Earlier rumors had given the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 specifications as a 5.7-inch AMOLED flexible display supplied by LG. The device is said to come equipped with a Snapdragon 821 chipset and would run on Android 6.0 Marshmallow-based MIUI 8. Its likely there are two versions of the Mi Note 2, one with dual cameras and another with a single rear camera considering the different camera setups seen on several leaked renders. We can’t be so sure of anything until the official launch, though.

Read More: Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Listed On OPPOMART: Curved 2K Display, SD821 & More

Notwithstanding, October 25 is a date to keep in mind because something really big is coming!

The post More Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Renders Leak appeared first on Gizmochina.

Its been over a year since Xiaomi fans have been waiting for the Mi Note 2 and as the day roll by towards the October 25 launch, the waiting is looking by the day to be worth the while. It has been revealed that the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 would feature a “Global Edition” with up to 37 network frequency bands including those of carriers overseas. This is a huge boost for the company, meaning the device could be used anywhere in the world.

Full network support is a common feature of most smartphones yet some foreign carrier bands don’t get supported on a number of smartphones but that is not going to happen on the Mi Note 2, if the latest words from Xiaomi phone product marketing director is to be taken seriously.

According to his words, the Mi Note 2 would support 6-mode 37 frequency including CDMA1x, EVDO, and a mold count. Presently, the Xiaomi Mi 5 was reported to have come with 4G compatibility issues with some carriers in the US but with the Mi Note 2 owners who happen to travel to the US wouldn’t have to worry about compatibility issues on US carriers’ 4G network.

Read More: Multiple Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Renders Appear Along With Probable Pricing

When compared to some Chinese top brands that ships abroad like the Huawei P9, this list of supported frequency bands is huge. Huawei P9 supports 32 frequency bands while the Mate 8 is likely 33 bands.

The post Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Features a Global Edition with 37 Frequency Bands appeared first on Gizmochina.

Ahead of the October 25 launch of the Xiaomi Mi Note 2, what is likely the price tag of one of the versions of the device has leaked online. The leak which originated from Weibo gave the idea of the high-end version of the Mi Note 2 carrying a price tag in the region of 5699 Yuan, such a huge one.

Although the source cannot be verified as being authentic but if it turns out to be true, the Mi Note 2 would be on a league of its own. The 5699 Yuan price would make the device the highest priced Xiaomi phone till date. Xiaomi has a reputation for turning out well studded devices that carry very cheap price tags. But then the Mi Note 2 is rumored to feature a spectacular specs line-up one of which Xiaomi has confirmed would be a curved display. Now that’s not just going to be a curved display, as the device is said to use a flexible curved display supplied by LG. Apart from that, there are likely other cutting edge technologies which Xiaomi would likely unveil with the Mi Note 2. The Xiaomi Mi Note 2 is coming out with a spectacular design that it has been tipped as Chinese version of the ill-fated Samsung Galaxy Note 7, not in its fate but in the design. Who knows, some disappointed previous Galaxy Note 7 owners might as well find succor in the Mi Note 2.

There may likely be two versions of the device and earlier rumors pegged a 4000 Yuan price tag on the device but that rumor wasn’t specific on the version that would have that price. But if the high-end version of the Mi Note 2 carries a 5699 Yuan price tag as rumored, the other versions would be priced less.

Read More: Xiaomi Confirms Mi Note 2 Announcement On October 25, Curved Display in Tow

Interestingly, Xiaomi instituted a poll to get fan’s opinions about the likely price tag of the device with three options on the table namely 4,999 Yuan, 5,999 Yuan and 6,999 Yuan. As would be expected, majority of the respondents chose the lowest price tag of 4,999 Yuan. In the long run, the online poll may not count but it has afforded the company an idea of what fans want.

The post Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Higher Version Likely to Start at 5699 Yuan appeared first on Gizmochina.

Within the coming weeks or months, we would likely be seeing the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 and talking about that device, it has been the subject of numerous leaks and rumors most of which are yet to be substantiated. The latest rumor about the Mi Note 2 is that the flagship device would feature curved OLED displays which would be manufactured by LG.

This latest revelation as most others, originated from China’s microblogging website Weibo and according to the Weibo user, the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 would feature curved display which would be flexible and would be made of AMOLED panel and LG, not Samsung would supply the panels. Earlier on, the Mi Note 2 displays were rumored as likely to be supplied either by LG or Samsung bu this rumor pin-points LG as the supplier. Going on, the tipster revealed that the production of the Mi Note 2 would be the first mass production of the flexible LG AMOLED panels so that explains the delays in releasing the device.

Read More: Latest Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Rumors: October 25 Launch, Flexible Displays & More!

The Xiaomi Mi Note 2 had featured in series of leaks last week which suggested that the device would use a flexible display that bends in all directions. How that would work out  have been bothering our minds, no doubt, but the Weibo user also clarified that the OLED display films are actually flexible but then the touchscreen displays are made of glass so you may not get the opportunity of actually touching the panel directly to bend it. This theory sounds quite saner, so if you’ve been looking forward to a curved edge Mi Note 2, that is still likely to be the design.

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A couple of renders and a video clip of what is said to be a working Xiaomi flexible display was leaked online not long ago. It has now emerged  that indeed the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 would feature a version using the flexible display technology. But as should be experted it takes a huge toll on the price tag which is said to be 4,000 Yuan (around $595).

This disclosure was made in a post by a user on Weibo who also revealed that the Mi Note 2 would be released on October 25. In addition, the Weibo user alleged that the Mi Note 2’s curved display would be supplied by Samsung and LG and the device would have a 5.7-inch screen. The higher version is said to sport a double ceramic glass body. The source also revealed the existence of a flat screen version since the version with flexible glass would take more time to produce, so perhaps be out of stock most times. According to the rumor, the flat screen version would cost less, coming in at 3000 Yuan ($446).

As with most Weibo posts, we’ll take this with a pinch of salt until Xiaomi comes out to confirm it. Although some of the specs and details leaked align with previous leaks and rumors, like the 5.7-inch display and October launch date but previous rumors including that from Pan Jiutang wasn’t specific on an exact date in October.

Read More: Key Specs & User-Generated Mi Note 2 Render Surface Online

The Xiaomi Mi Note 2 is rumored to feature two versions, one with the flagship Snapdragon 821 processor and 8GB of RAM said to be a Pro version, although the RAM may likely be 6GB, and there is said to be another version with a Snapdragon 820 and 4GB of RAM. Both versions are expected to come with 5.7-inch 2K AMOLED curved displays with Force Touch. The Mi Note 2 Pro is also likely to have a battery capacity of 3600mAh with fast charge support.

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We’ve had tons of leaks regarding the Mi Note 2 which covered renders, release dates, and even news of it being cancelled. Recent rumours say the launch is now scheduled for November, but there is still no confirmed image of the Xiaomi Mi Note 2.

A new picture (more like a render) was released online recently of a phone said to be the Mi Note 2. The image which is of the rear of the phone shows the dual cameras positioned differently from previous leaks. In this image the cameras are positioned in the middle and stacked vertically in a single housing. You also have the LED flash flanking it on the right.

Another thing is the way the body of the phone curves to meet the screen in front hinting at the Note 2 having a dual curved display, but we have also seen some Chinese manufacturers ape that design and not use a curved screen.

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November sure feels like a long time and I’m sure we’ll be getting more leaks of the Mi Note 2 before the launch.

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After the successful launch of the Mi 5S and 5S Plus, the Mi Note 2 now looks like the next big thing from Xiaomi. While the company is yet to come out in clear term to give a clear road-map as to the device’s launch, the Mi Note 2 have been enmeshed in rumors for a while now. All these rumors and leaks point to a device with lots of prospects, with more leaks emerging. The latest we have is a leak of the Mi Note 2’s specs and also a user-generated render of the device based on the leak.

The leak comes out with what seems like a poster teaser with texts that indicates Xiaomi is still planning to release a flaagship this 2016. No doubt Mi Note 2 should be it and the leak reveals the device as being powered by a Snapdragon 821 chips, having a 5.7-inch display with LGcurved screen and QHD (2K) resolution. The leak as touts the device as having both a 4GB and 6GB memory variants, ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, dual cameras and a ceramic body.

The renders shows the Mi Note 2 would feature a dual-curved display both at the front and rear and the camera would likely not protrude out of the body as well as come arranged in a horizontal plane. The rear view which is depictedd in the render, holds no fingerprint scanner thus affirming the rumor that the same ultrasonic scanner we saw on the Mi 5S would feature on the Mi Note 2.

A specific date is yet to be set for the device’s launch but industry analyst, Pan Juitang had hinted on a late October launch, another Weibo user had also talked about a November launch date. Which ever it is, it is certain Xiaomi would be dropping this one before the year runs out.

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Again, the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 is taking over the news space just moments after the Mi 5S and 5S Plus were launched during which period it went on a sort of hiatus. It is now rumored that the much expected Xiaomi flagship device would likely be launched in November. This new rumor is coming on the heels of the words on well-known industry analyst Pan Juitang who hinted at an October outing for the flagship.

As usual, the rumor emanated from a user on China’s microblogging platform Weibo, and apart from a November release date the user also hinted at a few specs for the device. According to the rumor, the Mi Note 2 would come with a 5.7-inch display which would have a 2K resolution. Also, the tipster indictated that the Mi Note successor would sport a double curved glass design, a feature that didn’t find fulfillment on the Mi 5S despite being rumored.

Earlier on, the Xiaomi Mi Note had been rumored to feature two versions, one with the flagship Snapdragon 821 processor and 8GB of RAM said to be a Pro version, although the RAM may likely be 6GB, and there is said to be another version with a Snapdragon 820 and 4GB of RAM. Both versions are expected to come with 5.7-inch 2K AMOLED curved displays with Force Touch. The Mi Note 2 Pro is also likely to have a battery capacity of 3600mAh with fast charge support.

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While it might seem like Xiaomi is done for the year, there is the matter of the Mi Note 2 which has still not been released. Although some people speculated that the phone doesn’t exist, leaks from the past 2 weeks says otherwise. With the Mi 5s and Mi 5s Plus out of the way, all focus should be on the new device.

According to analyst Pan Jiutang, the Mi Note 2 will launch at the end of October. He also added that the phone will come in more colour variants available than the Mi 5s and Mi 5s Plus.

The Mi Note 2 is expected to have two models: one with a snapdragon 821 processor and 8GB of RAM (6GB seems to be a more likely possibility) and another with a snapdragon 820 and 4GB of RAM. The unit with the SD 821 chip will get the word ”Pro” added to its name. Both versions are expected to feature 5.7” 2K AMOLED Force Touch curved displays. The Mi Note 2 Pro is also rumoured to have a battery capacity of 3600mAh with quick charge on board.

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With the kind of stunt Xiaomi pulled with the Mi 5s and Mi 5s Plus: adding force touch display to one variant of the former and totally skipping it on the Plus, I won’t be surprised if they decide to scramble the screen features on the Mi Note 2 as well. Putting force touch on one but not making it curved or making it curved and having force touch but with a lower resolution or screen size. You get the picture, right?

The Mi Note 2 is expected to have a starting price of 2662 yuan ($399).

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Looks like the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 is very close to hitting the market, considering the avalanche of leaks the flagship has seen in recent times. A fresh, new set of leaked renders have once again surfaced online, detailing the beautiful design Xiaomi has put in on this one, and also giving us a glimpse of the official specs the device will launch with as well as the box casing. This one looks like nothing we have seen before because the devices on display look set for the market.

The renders reveal two color variants, white and black which may be the only colors the Mi Note 2 will be available in. Of course the curved edge display is also very visible, not too curvy as seen on some prototype renderings leaked in the past.

The key specifications of the Mi Note 2 were also listed on one of the renders and it reveals the device will rock a 5.7-inch curved screen display with 2K resolution, an all-metal body design with glass covering on both sides. The device is also shown to be equipped with a Snapdragon 821 processor, clocked at 2.4GHz,  alongside two RAM size options, one with 4GB of RAM and a second version with 6GB of RAM. The Mi Note 2 will also come in three storage versions of 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB. 

That’s not all, the entire device is listed to a dimension of 155 x 77 x 6.5mm, and under the hood a 4,000mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0 will provide the power source. The Mi Note 2 as expected, will run on MIUI 8 based on Android Marshmallow and would sport a dual camera setup at the rear.

Related: Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Renders Leaked: Curved Screen, Dual Cam, SD 821 Chipset

In all, this recent leak is consistent with previous ones we have seen and it looks very much authentic. The specs line-up is also similar to earlier the ones earlier rumored. The Xiaomi Mi Note 2 is expected to be launched on September 14, according to earlier rumors and if that turns out to be true, that’s when we’ll know the exact price tag Xiaomi will stamp on it.

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The rumor mill is still active surrounding the expected Xiaomi Mi Note 2 with several leaks, renders and rumors cropping up consistently about the device. The latest rumor to hit our desk is that Xiaomi may be planning to release more than one version of the flagship Mi series device. This time around, a Snapdragon 820 chipset version with 4GB RAM + 32GB ROM is touted.

The Mi Note had previously been tipped as coming with a Snapdragon 821 processor and 6GB RAM, not forgetting we had seen a screen shot alleged to be that of the Mi Note 2 showing a Snapdragon 820 chips and 6GB RAM combo as well.

Related: New Renders of the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Surface online

The latest rumor apparently emanated from a Weibo user, alleging that the Mi Note 2 will likely get two versions, one with Snapdragon 820 processor, combining with a 4GB RAM and 32GB of built-in storage. Then another version with Snapdragon 821 SoC alongside 6GB of RAM and 128GB ROM. How authentic the source of this rumor is, we cannot tell. The Mi Note 2 is expected anytime this September, and it is certain all these rumors will be put to rest when the device is launched and the specs unveiled.

(Via)

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Another set of live images for Xiaomi’s first curved edge display phone, the Mi Note 2, have been leaked on Weibo. The Mi Note 2 is one of the most anticipated phones from a Chinese manufacturer. A screenshot leaked early this week says the phone will come with 6GB of RAM, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820, and 64GB of storage.

While the specs above are not unusual, the screenshot also says the phone is running Android 7.0 Nougat based on MIUI 8.6 and has September’s security patch!!! That’s really weird and sort of impossible. The latest security patch is that of August and MIUI 8 is still in version 8.0. Let’s not even talk about the version of android.

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Other rumours we have heard about the Mi Note 2 mentions a version with a 5.5” 1080p OLED display and another version with a QHD display. We have also heard news of a 4GB RAM version and another 6GB RAM version with 128GB of storage.

The launch is expected to be in September, only then can we confirm the specifications. So just take all these details with a pinch of salt.

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We have had several image renders of the expected Xiaomi Mi Note 2 , detailing the design features as well as the specs of the flagship device. Several more are still surfacing online and thankfully, the designs all look alike, revealing the dual cameras and beautiful body design.

The recently leaked image renders of the Mi Note 2 is that of a sleek black colored variant and it reveals both the design up front and the rear design as well. On the front view, the curved glass display is still very much intact, as well as the positioning of the front facing camera sensor. Nothing really has changed front the previous leaks we have seen so far.

At the back, there is a dual camera set up, with both cameras lying side by side on a horizontal plane and tilted to one edge of the phone. The camera’s LED flash also sits by the side of the second camera. Curiously, the Mi trademark logo is conspicuously missing on the back of the new image renders which makes the authenticity of this render questionable. Apart from that, the images look more like prototype drawings than the real deal.

Read More: Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Renders Leaked: Curved Screen, Dual Cam, SD 821 Chipset

To refresh your memory, the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 is said to feature a 5.5-inch OLED curved screen, all-metal body, and dual cameras at the rear and will like be powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 821 processor or Snapdragon 820 chipset, alongside 6GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage. There is also likely to be a 4GB RAM + 32GB ROM version as well as a 6GB RAM + 64GB ROM version.

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Xiaomi’s expected Mi Note 2 flagship smartphone is again featured in a new leaked image renders detailing the spectacular features the device is tagging along. The render images were leaked courtesy popular tipster @kjuma.

The renders show the Mi Note 2 will feature a dual curved display screen and the display size stands at 5.5 inches with two likely editions, one having a 1080p resolution display while the other one will have a 2k display resolution.

Apart from the image renders, Xiaomi’s official photo advertising the amazing specs the expected Mi Note 2 will feature also surfaced online recently. The official photo contains details like the device featuring a 5.5-inch OLED curved screen, all-metal body, and dual cameras at the rear. The details also include that the Xiaomi Note 2 will be powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 821 processor alongside 6GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage.

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

The flagship Xiaomi Mi Note 2 was tipped to pop in the month of August but August is almost over and we are not getting any information about a possible launch event yet. It is possible then that the Mi Note 2’s release date might creep into September. No words yet on the expected price tag as well. But there have been lots of information revealed by earlier rumors about the Mi Note 2. Check them out from here.

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