November 24 is an important date for Xiaomi fans as the rumored Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 Pro as well as the Xiaomi Mi Pad 2 devices are expected to be unveiled at the “Grand Finale” event. While there were rumors about Xiaomi Mi 5 also launching on the same date, Pan Jiutang, an IHS analyst dismissed those claims and revealed that we will see the Mi Pad 2 at the event.

Now a couple of new devices have just passed China’s 3C Quality certification website and among them could be the Xiaomi Mi 5 flagship. Two new devices with the model number 2015815, and 2015811 were spotted on the website which could be Mi 5 variants. However, its hard to confirm that right now. As for the third new device that was certified today, 2015055, it is most likely the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 Pro variant given that a few days back, the 2015056 was certified on the site.

Its really hard to say which devices will meet us at the Nov 24 event. Our guess is the Redmi Note 2 Pro and the Xiaomi Mi Pad, but after today’s certification, things get a bit more confusing. Hopefully, in the coming days, Xiaomi could clear out a few things via official teasers.

Stay tuned for more updates.

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Xiaomi is on a roll this month! The company has just announced that it will start selling the popular Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 smartphone for just 699 Yuan, a direct 100 Yuan drop from the already cheap pricing. This translates into a $15 cut down in price, which essentially means, the phone now retails for just $110.

The specs to price ratio is just amazing. At $110, you will get the Helio X10 MT6795 processor with 2GB RAM and 16GB of internal storage. There will be a 5.5-inch FHD 1080p LCD display up front which offers great visibility even under direct sunlight. At the back, there’s a 13MP camera with PDAF while up front, you get a 5MP OV camera. Other specs of the Redmi Note 2 include a large 3060mAh battery, 4G LTE connectivity and an infrared port up front. Overall, a great device for $110. Hopefully, third party retailers will start offering the device for a cheaper price tag in the coming days.

In the past few days, we have seen Xiaomi aggressively cut down the price of its popular devices for the 11/11 sale day. For example, the Xiaomi Mi Pad will sell for just 1099 Yuan ($172), Mi 4C at 1299 Yuan ($204) and the enhanced Redmi 2A version with 2GB RAM at 499 Yuan ($78).

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Chinese smartphone market is full of devices that can easily challenge more known for Western users manufacturers in terms of price/performance ratio. Today we are comparing two great budget smartphones – Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 and the Meizu M2 Note.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 vs Meizu M2 Note: VIDEO

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 vs Meizu M2 Note: DESIGN

When it comes to the design, both phones are not the smallest out there due to 5.5” displays.

On the front both devices sport 5MP selfie cameras, earpiece, sensor light and the notification LED but only the one on the Redmi Note 2 can be customised.

The Meizu phone only has one physical key, which acts either as a back or home button. The Redmi Note 2 has a more conventional implementation with 3 nicely backlit capacitive keys.

Both phones are made of plastic but Redmi Note 2 has a matt and soft to the touch finish whereas M2 Note has a glossy one, which is more prone to fingerprints and smudges.

As far as optics, both devices have 13MP shooters but the Meizu has a dual tone dual LED flash.

The Xiaomi phone has a removable back cover, where you can find a user replaceable battery, two micro SIM card slots and the microSD card slot.

The Meizu M2 Note has SIM card tray, which can either take two nano SIM cards or a combo of nano SIM and the microSD card.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 chose the right side for the power switch and a volume rocker whereas M2 Note has the same buttons on the left.

On the bottom both phones have a charging port and the mic but Meizu phone also has a speaker grill, which Xiaomi implemented on the back side of the Redmi Note 2.

On the top, we see the headset jacks but only the Redmi Note 2 has the IR blaster.

Overall, both phones are well made but Meizu M2 Note is a clear winner, because the backplate of the Redmi Note 2 is making some crackling noises when pressed and the buttons feel kind of cheap.

The Meizu M2 Note is much more comfortable to hold in the hands due to a slightly smaller footprint and a more rounded corners, the build quality is excellent and the phone doesn’t feel cheao by any means.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 vs Meizu M2 Note: DISPLAY

Both phones have 5.5” 1080p panels, which are one of the best in class. They are sharp, bright, vivid and crispy to look at. The Redmi Note 2 has a bit more punchy colours, which are not always accurate and a slight yellow tint.

Still, both panels are great for the class and it is hard to call a winner here.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 vs Meizu M2 Note: UI

When it comes to the UI, both phones are similar in terms of the high level of custumisation of Android 5.0 Lollipop.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 runs on MIUI 6 as there is still no official MIUI 7 version for this phone. If you are familiar with the MIUI, it has tons of features, settings, customisation options and it is just so much different than the stock Android.

You can select from thousands of themes available online. Also, you can change wallpapers, fonts, transitions, animations and so on.

Overall, the MIUI is full of features and settings but I cannot say that it flies through everything once you install lots of apps and use the phone on a daily basis. Yes, it is fluid most of the times but there is occasional stutter from time to time. You can live with that but I believe the phone needs to get a software update to improve the overall user experience.

The Meizu M2 Note runs on the FlyMe OS, which is another interesting take on Android. It is a highly customised ROM and it is pretty hard to tell that it is Android. It has a lot of inspiration from iOS but I guess that’s ok.

As usual to the Chinese smartphones, there is no app drawer, so all the apps sit on the home screens.

There are tons of different apps and customisation options like themes and wallpapers. In addition, all the apps are running smoothly and have a nice flat design.

The smartphone has tons of gesture controls and they work like a charm. These features are one of the best implementations I’ve seen on any smartphone (including high-end flagships)

Overall, I really enjoy the Flyme OS and how fast and fluid it is almost all the time. In addition, I love the design and overall look and feel of it. Finally, constant software updates make you feel that Meizu cares about its devices after releasing them even after a long time.

To sum up, I would recommend the Flyme OS as it feels a bit more polished despite having less features than the MIUI 6. However, we have to wait for the official MIUI 7 build for the Redmi Note 2.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 vs Meizu M2 Note: HARDWARE and PERFORMANCE

Meizu M2 Note has an octa-core 64-bit MediaTek MT6753 with the clock speeds of 1.3GHz, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage.

Graphically intensive tasks like 3D gaming work fine but there are some skipped frames and naturally graphics don’t look that stunning like on the flagship devices. Still, there are no major hiccups or lags and you can still enjoy gaming.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 is quite a powerhouse for the price. It has a Mediatek 6795 Helio X10 chip, which has 8 cores and the clock speeds of up to 2GHz. The chip is supplemented with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable storage. If you opt in for a more expensive Prime model, you will get a slightly more powerful chip (2.2 GHz) and 32GB of storage.

This combo of specs proves to be a real deal when it comes to 3D gaming as Asphalt 8 and Real Racing 3 ran almost perfectly. The graphics are not on par with flagships but still look very good. I didn’t experience stutter or lag that it is worth complaining. Overall, I am very happy with the performance.

A downside is that the phone gets a bit warm pretty quickly but not hot that it becomes uncomfortable to hold it in the hand.

All in all, The Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 is a clear winner when it comes to the sheer power and highly demanding tasks like gaming.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 vs Meizu M2 Note: MULTIMEDIA

When it comes to the multimedia consumption, both devices are brilliant for watching full HD content due their vibrant 5.5” screens and smooth playback.

As far as the loudspeaker quality, the Redmi Note 2 produces a higher quality sound with more depth in it. The speaker on the Meizu M2 Note is not a bad one but it is simply not as good as the on the Xiaomi phone.

When it comes to the sound via earphones, both devices are comparable and it is hard to distinguish a winner.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 vs Meizu M2 Note: CAMERA

The Redmi Note 2 comes with the MIUI camera app, which is nicely designed, it has some a few shooting modes and settings to play with.

The shutter speed is very fast and this is thanks to the phase-detection auto-focus system.

The camera app on the Meizu M2 Note is a bit iOS inspired as you have to swipe to choose from different a shooting modes like auto, manual, beauty, panorama, slow-mo, scan and so on. In addition, there are some settings to play with.

The shutter speed is fast and overall using this camera app is just a blast.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 vs Meizu M2 Note: IMAGE QUALITY

Xiaomi phone’s pictures will always come first and if the images are compared side by side, the Redmi Note 2’s photos will always be on the left side.

When it comes to the daylight image quality, both devices are pretty good and some of the shots look very similar.

However, more often than not, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2’s images have a better dynamic range, contrast, have more details and look a bit sharper overall. However, the colours usually look a bit oversaturated.

Meizu M2 Note is not a bad camera device and its images tend to have more natural looking colours but sometimes they may look washed out. Also, sometimes the daylight images can look even better than the ones taken by Xiaomi phone, but it is a hit or miss. However, M2 Note usually has softer focus on the corners when it comes to the indoor images.

When it comes to the night shots, the Redmi Note 2 has an edge here. The images have more details and less noise, better focus and better handling of the direct illumination of the sensor.

On the other hand, some shots may look pretty similar and Meizu M2 Note can illuminate the scene a bit better.

When it comes to the selfie cameras, Redmi Note 2 takes better looking images but the ones taken with the M2 Note will also do the job for the social media.

All in all, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 is a better all-around camera smartphone.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 vs Meizu M2 Note: VIDEO QUALITY

When it comes to the 1080p video, the Xiaomi phone has a tad more details but most importantly, it has the continuos auto-focus whereas the M2 Note lacks this feature.

All in all, I have to say that while Meizu M2 Note can take some good looking images, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 is a better all-around camera smartphone.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 vs Meizu M2 Note: CONNECTIVITY

As for connectivity, both phones support 4G LTE on both SIM card slots. I have no complaints about the call quality on either phone, GPS is working fine, but the Wifi range seems to better on the Redmi Note 2.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 vs Meizu M2 Note: BATTERY LIFE

When it comes to the battery, the Xiaomi phone has a removable 3060mAh unit whereas the M2 Note has a 3100mAh battery, whcih is sealed in.

When it comes to the real-life usage, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 could achieve just around 2 or maximum 3 hours of screen-on time with the auto-brightness when the usage did not involve any highly demanding tasks. We definitively want to see a software upgrade to improve that and hopefully the upcoming MIUI 7 will address this issue.

The Meizu M2 Note performs significantly better. I could get over 6 hours of screen-on time under exactly the same usage, which is one of the best in class.

Given the current software versions, the Meizu M2 Note just blows Redmi Note 2 out of the water in the battery department.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 vs Meizu M2 Note: CONCLUSIONS

So, there you have, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 vs Meizu M2 Note.

Both phones are really good offerings and they are definitely one of the best budget phones of the year.

They both sport great displays, good build quality, good cameras and have no major issues.

On one hand, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 has more sheer power, a better all-around camera, a removable battery, a better loudspeaker and the IR blaster. On the other hand, the Xiaomi phone does not sport excellent build quality as the Meizu M2 Note, it has a lot worse battery performance and the UI is not as fast as.

In the end, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 is a slightly better and more future-proof choice but it still needs software optimisations to call it a much better phone. Still, you would not make a mistake buying the M2 Note depending on what you mostly use your phone for.

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For the past few months, Xiaomi has been busy announcing new smartphones both in domestic as well as international markets. The latest model from the company is none other than the Xiaomi Mi 4c, which is the domestic variant of the Xiaomi Mi 4i that was announced in India a few months back. But it looks like, there’s still a couple of handsets on the way this year, as a new leaked image gives us the first glimpse of what could be the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 Pro model.

This will be a slightly upgraded variant of the existing Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 model. The company will reportedly include an all metal design as well as a fingerprint sensor on the device to make it a bit more premium than the regular version. It is said that there will be a version without fingerprint ID as well, which will probably be cheaper.

The specs are expected to be the same as the Redmi Note 2. So, the phone will come with MT6795 Helio X10 chip with 2GB RAM, 16GB of storage, 5.5-inch FHD display, 13MP rear camera, 5MP front facing shooter and MIUI 7 based on Android 5.1.

Since the specs are going to be the same, you can expect the pricing of the device only be a bit higher, somewhere around 999 Yuan ($157). This model will actually makes sense now given that Meizu has already unveiled its all metal (crystal metal) smartphone called as the Meizu Metal, costing just 1099 Yuan ($173).

Well, we still don’t know the launch date of the device. But it may not be far off since the company is expected to release the Mi 5 flagship before the end of the year.

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Although Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 was already available for sale a couple of times via flash sales, there were only limited colors available for the device. However, during the time of launch, the company had said that the Redmi Note 2 will come in five different colors. Now, Xiaomi has made all the other four colors available for purchase on its official website.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 China Mobile Edition will get five different color options like white, dark gray, pink, yellow, and blue. The price will still be 799 Yuan ($125) for the 2GB + 16GB version. However, as mentioned above, the additional four colors will only be available for the China Mobile edition. The other version starting at 899 Yuan will only have one color, white.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 with all these color options does turn out to be a great budget option. But despite its budget price tag, the specs are of a powerful mid-ranger. The Redmi Note 2 comes with a 5.5-inch FHD 1080p display with MT6795 octa-core processor under the hood. There will be 2GB of RAM on board along with 16GB / 32GB storage options. At the back, there will be a 13MP camera while up front, there will be a 5MP shooter. The battery capacity will be of 3060mAh, a slight upgrade from the previous generation. Finally, the phone will run on the latest MIUI 7 version based on Android 5.0.

Overall, a great package for $125! What do you think?

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We know that you all are excited to see the new Xiaomi Redmi Note 2. The phone features one of the best specs in a device that retails for only about $125. There are many high-end features on this affordable device like MT6795, 13MP camera with PDAF (0.1s focus) and 3060mAh battery with Quick Charge 2.0.

Overall, the Redmi Note 2 is a value for money package. And its time to take a look at a few hands on pictures of the device. The design looks almost the same as the previous generation Redmi Note, with only a few subtle changes.

So, you get a round camera sensor at the back, with the speakers around the center. Another important difference is the addition of the IR blaster on top, which lets your smartphone act as a remote to your home appliances. The option to choose between five different colors  is definitely an added plus.

Here’s a quick specs summary before we move on to see the Redmi Note 2 hands on images.

Here’s the first official Redmi Note 2 hands on images

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Time and again, we have received reports that the upcoming Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 phablet will feature the flagship MT6795 Helio X10 chipset. However, if this was true, then the pricing leaked earlier, around $127 was definitely not possible.

Given that this is a flagship chip, with eight-cores clocked at 2GHz, there’s no way that Xiaomi could price its new device so low. But just a few hours ago, a new report claims that the Redmi Note 2 price will be around 1299 Yuan. This seems to be a much better estimate of the price,

Along with the MT6795 chip, the Redmi Note 2 will come with PowerVR 6200 GPU, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, and a 5.5-inch 1080p display. There will be Android 5.0.2 Lollipop OS with MIUI 7 on top and 4G LTE network connectivity.

The above image shows us the basic comparison between the famous MT6795 powered models in the market. As you can see, if the Redmi Note 2 price is at just 1299 Yuan, it will be the cheapest Helio X10 smartphone in the market.

Anyways, we hope to get more details about the second handset, powered by Snapdragon 615 before the company makes it official. So, stay tuned for more details in the next couple of days.

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Its almost time to see the new Xiaomi Redmi 2 model. According to the latest teasers, it looks like we may see the phablet as soon as Aug 13, when Xiaomi announces the new MIUI version. But before that, we have caught a glimpse of the upcoming device, thanks to a leak from a Chinese tipster on Weibo.

As you can see in the image above, we can see the new Redmi Note 2 handset placed just above its box. The design looks similar to the existing Redmi Note version. We also get to see its specification, which is once again similar to the one that was leaked before. 

The new Redmi Note 2 will come with the Mediatek MT6795 oct-core chip, which is usually used in high-end flagships. There will be 2GB of RAM on board along with 16GB of internal storage. Up front, the phone will feature a full HD 1920 x 1080p display. The rear camera will be of 13MP while there will be a 5MP camera at the back. The phone will be powered by a 3100mAh battery and will run on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop version. Finally, it will measure 8.05mm in thickness and weigh about 159 grams.

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These specs are much better than the current Redmi Note version. But it is said that a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 model with 2GB RAM is also in the works. We will probably see these two variants when its announced on Aug 13.

We are still not sure about the pricing, with recent rumors claiming that the phone will sell for $177, instead of $127 as previously said.

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Xiaomi has just sent out invites for its special event to be held on July 16. While the teaser image fails to explain what to expect from the company, it could be for the Xiaomi Mi5 flagship. Earlier reports have said that the phone could be unveiled sometime in September, but the company could have brought the date ahead to July.

Xiaomi aims to sell around 100 million smartphones by the end of this year. However, according to the recent report, the company managed to sell only about 34.7 million in the first half of 2015. Which is why it won’t be surprising if we see a major smartphone release like the Mi5 at the event.
Another possibility is the rumored launch of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 mid-range flagship. This would make much more sense given that Mi5 is expected to come with Snapdragon 820 and theres still time for the chip to hit the market.
Anyways, we will keep a close eye on the company in the coming days. So stay tuned.

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Remember a few days back, we had spotted a render that was reportedly of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2. Now, we have much more than a render, thanks to the picture that leaked earlier today of the actual device. The design looks exactly the same as the render, which makes us believe that this could indeed be one of the various versions of the upcoming Redmi Note 2.

From the image, we can see that the phone uses an all metal design. There is a round camera sensor at the back along with dual LED flash just below it. You will also find a fingerprint sensor below the camera unit. The ‘MI’ logo lies near the bottom of the back along with the speaker grill. The overall design looks quite good, but if not for the logo, you could have easily mistaken this phone for an HTC or Meizu device.

In fact, here’s the Meizu device in comparison with Xiaomi’s device. You can easily tell that the general design is similar to Meizu.

As for the specs, the phone is said to come in two different variants, one powered by Snapdragon 615 (Pro version) and the standard version powered by Snapdragon 410. The display is expected to be of 5.5-inches with 1080p resolution. There will be 2GB RAM on board with 13MP + 5MP cameras.

Since its been more than a year since we saw the first Redmi Note flagship, expect Xiaomi to release its successor sometime soon. Stay tuned for more details.

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We have been hearing a lot about the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 since the past few months. In fact, a series of leaks have even revealed a few alleged pictures of the handset, in an all metal design.

Earlier today, Chinese media reported that a new smartphone has hit the Chinese Quality Certification Center. And it looks like the phone could the new Redmi Note 2.

While the listing doesn’t reveal the true identity of the device, the timing as well as a few other info hints that it could be the next generation Redmi model. The phone supports TD-LTE 4G networks and is built in a Foxconn production plant in Langfang, China. It was earlier reported that the phone is already ready for mass production and the timing of this 3C Quality certification kind of hints that this could be the upcoming Redmi Note 2.

Of course, this information is based on speculation and hence, take it with a pinch of salt. As for the specs, earlier rumors have said that the phone will come with MT6795 octa-core 64-bit chip with 3GB RAM and 3100 mAh battery. To be honest, these specs look too high-end for a Redmi model, so its best to wait for something more conclusive. Meanwhile, you can expect to see the Redmi Note 2 officially by July this year.

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Its about time we see a new Xiaomi Redmi Note flagship and looks like the launch is nearing. Earlier today, a couple of pictures of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 leaked online once again confirming an all metal design.

It looks like the upcoming Redmi Note 2 will have slightly different looks than the current generation model. The pictures reveal a metal design with a smooth back cover. The overall design looks much more premium especially with that solid metal frame that you can see in the image.

As for the specs, a leaked Xiaomi product roadmap revealed that there will be two different versions of the Redmi Note 2. The regular version will feature Snapdragon 410 with 5.5-inch HD display while the Redmi Note 2 Pro version is said to feature a full HD 5.5-inch panel with Snapdragon 615. Both the models will come with 2GB RAM and 13MP+5MP camera units on the back and the front respectively.

According to the same roadmap, we can expect these models to debut sometime in July, which is just a month away. So, stay tuned for more details.

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Xiaomi has been busy this year, with new product lineups and partnerships. Just yesterday, the company officially released the top-end Xiaomi Mi Note Pro flagship. However, the company had already revealed the device back in January, which meant that the Mi Note Pro launch was not exactly a new release.

But it looks like the company has four new handsets for release in the second half of 2015. A leaked product roadmap reveals some of the specs as well as release schedule of the four handsets.

The Xiaomi Mi5 and Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 launches were expected later this year. But what comes as a surprise is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 Pro and the Xiaomi Mi4S launches. Yes, it looks like the company will first release the Mi4S in June and then, later launch the Mi5 in November.

The leak also shows off some of the specs of the device. So, the Xiaomi Mi4S which will launch in June is expected to come with the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 MSM8994 processor with a 5-inch full HD 1080p display, 13MP OIS camera and a 4MP Ultrapixel front facing camera.

A month later, i.e. in July, the company will reportedly launch the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 and the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 Pro versions. The Redmi Note 2 Pro will feature a full HD 5.5-inch display with MSM8939 processor (snapdragon 615). On the other hand, the regular Redmi Note 2 version will feature a 5.5-inch HD display just like the current generation Redmi Note and MSM8919 (Snapdragon 410 chipset). Both will feature 13MP and 5MP camera units on the rear and the front respectively.

As for the Xiaomi Mi5, the phone is expected to debut in November this year with the new Snapdragon 820 chipset. It is said the the Mi5 will feature a 5.2-inch display with WQHD display and a 20.2MP rear camera.

While this news will definitely excite a lot of Xiaomi fans around the world, remember that the leak comes via Weibo and we are not sure whether its 100% true. So, like always, we advise you to take this news with a pinch of salt.

It is also worth noting that above the Xiaomi leak, you can also see the product roadmap for Huawei’s smartphones including Ascend D8, Mate 8 and the Honor 7 which was leaked a few days before.

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Things have been confusing for the past few days. The internet is flooded with many articles claiming to be the new Xiaomi flagship. Some say that is the Mi5 / Mi4S that’s going to be announced tomorrow, while others say it is the Redmi Note 2 that’s gong to be released at the event. Now, Xiaomi has revealed another teaser for the tomorrow’s event, this time its a poster saying the words “See you tomorrow, NOT5”

This only increases the confusion about the upcoming flagship, but since this is the official one, lets ignore all other news that we saw in the past few days. According to the poster, tomorrow, we’ll see a new product called as the NOTE! Now, as you can see, there is a ‘5’ at the end of the word ‘NOT5’ instead of an ‘E’, so could the company be calling it the Note 5 or the Mi5 Note? But it doesn’t make any sense. What makes sense is something that one of our readers pointed out,– it could be “NOT 5″, meaning its not the Xiaomi Mi5 flagship that will be announced tomorrow like previously rumored. So, now there are two possibilities. One, it can be a new lineup called Xiaomi Note or it can also be called as the Redmi Note 2 as previously rumored. We know one thing for sure, there will be a device with the name ‘NOTE’, since the company had revealed this in the previous teaser.

This could be one of the releases tomorrow, as another poster had said that Xiaomi will release two new devices at the Jan 15 event. Given that one of this bears the NOTE name, it will most likely be the bigger sized model. The screen size is not yet revealed, but we have a feeling it should be somewhere around 5.5-5.7inches. Anything less than that won’t justify the Note name, since the regular Mi4 comes with a 5-inch screen.

The specifications of this model is not yet confirmed but it is said that the display will feature a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and will be powered by the same 2.5GHz Snapdragon 801 processor as the existing Mi4 flagship. The company had also said that the phone will be very thin and light, but as of now, we don’t have any particular figures to confirm the claim.

Anyways, this doesn’t really help to clear out the confusion about the Xiaomi device, but luckily, we don’t have to wait too long to know which flagship model will be unveiled since we are less than 24 hours away from the event.

Make sure you stay tuned to the website for more up to date news. Connect with our Facebook and Twitter pages for the  latest updates.

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Since the past one week, not a day goes by without a leak about the upcoming flagship from Xiaomi. Some say it is the Xiaomi Mi4S that’s going to be announced, while others claim its the Redmi Note 2! We think the company may announce both the device at the January 15 event.

Today, we have some leaked images of the upcoming flagship with some new specifications. This makes things a lot more confusing but here’s what we’ve got. The leaked images and specifications say this is the new Xiaomi Mi4S. It looks a lot like the images which were leaked earlier, only a little smaller which hints a 5.2-inch display rather than a 5.7-inch screen. Like earlier images, the placement of the sensors and the front camera have been changed and the bezels are a bit thinner, but other than that, the Mi4S seems to have a similar design as the Mi4. Also, the three traditional capacitive keys are seen below the screen on this device.

As for the tech specs, the phone is reportedly running on a Snapdragon 801 processor, the same one that’s currently inside the Xiaomi Mi4 clocked at 2.5GHz.  The overall body frame is said to be made of aluminum alloy and is much thinner than the existing flagship. In the AnTuTu benchmark test results, the phone secured a score of over 46866 points, which is almost 4000 points higher than the average score of Mi4 (42000). This ranks it higher than other powerful flagships like the OnePlus One, Galaxy Note 4 and the Galaxy Alpha. Only the Nexus 6 and Meizu MX4 are have scored above 46000 points.

The company will finally unravel the mystery behind its new flagship on January 15, which is just two days away.

In the meantime, check out the above images of the upcoming Xiaomi flagship and tell us what you think. Connect with us via our Facebook and Twitter pages for more updates.

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Yesterday, we were the first ones to report that Xiaomi was launching the new Redmi Note 2 on January and not the Xiaomi Mi5 as earlier predicted. Looks like the company has finally confirmed our report today by releasing a new teaser image with a puzzle piece that needs to be deciphered to get to know all the features of the upcoming flagship phone.

It took some time to decipher the puzzle completely but once you are done, you’ll get to know more about the Redmi Note 2. If you want to try to decipher the puzzle, below is the image released by the company. Try out your luck. It’s not very hard.

The image reveals a set of features about the device as well as confirms its the new Redmi Note. Overall, the image says that “our new flagship is the redmi note, thinner, larger, lighter, faster, hifi-sound, and all glass laminate”

This finally clears up any confusion we had about the new flagship device. Also, these features are in line with the other teasers that the company had released a few days back. It really looks like the upcoming Redmi Note 2 is going to be an interesting device.

While the company has confirmed the glass finish, it hasn’t yet said anything about the curved rear glass that we saw in a few pictures yesterday. But given that the device and its features are more or less similar to what Xiaomi describes its new phone to be, we are quite certain that the curved glass back will end up on the new Redmi Note 2 that will be showcased at the 15 January 2015 event.

The company also released another image with two hands that look like there are holding two devices. The image says that a ‘double blessing has descended on the house’. So, Xiaomi could be trying to say that there will be two launches on Jan 15. The other device could be the 5.2-inch model that was leaked earlier, but we can’t be sure of that right now.

Also, Xiaomi could unveil a brand new device itself at the event like the rumored Xiaomi TV. But once again, we can’t really confirm that until Xiaomi releases something more conclusive. So, for now, we know that there will be atleast two devices at the event, possibly two phones out of which one will be the new Redmi Note 2 flagship.

Even before the official confirmation, we had got the design and spec details of the new device. Check out that post for more information. Here are some additional pictures that showcase the phone’s curved glass display.

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The post Xiaomi confirms a thinner, lighter and bigger Redmi Note 2 launch on Jan 15 appeared first on Gizmochina.

We earlier reported that upcoming Xiaomi flagship, the Redmi Note 2 will feature the world’s first curved glass body. Now, just a few hours later, we have two new images which show off this body.

The images reveal a similar form factor as the earlier leaks hinted. So, it does look like an enlarged version of the Xiaomi Mi4. Coming to the interesting part, if you look closely enough, you can see that the back cover curves at the sides. The body curved towards both the sides of the device, confirming the earlier leak which claimed a curved glass body on the Redmi Note 2. Finally, the leak also said that the back side will have gorilla glass protection.

There are three capacitive buttons, menu, home and back below the display. At the back, the camera and the LED flash lies on the top left corner while the ‘Mi’ logo lies at the bottom of the rear curved panel. The speaker grill and the microUSB port is located at the bottom and the SIM card slot on the right side. The phone has a full black glass finish which looks quite premium and polished.

Like we said earlier, overall the phone comes out as a great device. We are not explaining much in this article as we have already covered all that in our previous post. Check out that post to get full details about the specs, pricing and more images of the upcoming Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 flagship.

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The post First look at Xiaomi Redmi Note 2’s curved glass back design appeared first on Gizmochina.

Looks like we have been guessing everything wrong all this time!

All the leaks that we saw till now claiming to be the next Xiaomi flagship was right, BUT, it was not the Xiaomi Mi5 as we expected. Surprised? Yes, we were too, but looks like all the previous leaks and rumors that we saw in the past one month was of another Xiaomi flagship!

Now, if its not the Xiaomi Mi5, then which flagship are we talking about? Some may have already guessed it, but those who are still thinking, STOP, its not a new lineup — its the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 that we are talking about! Yes, in an unexpected turn of events, the latest reports suggest that Xiaomi will release the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 on the 15 January 2015 and not the Xiaomi Mi5.

But this is not something to be unhappy about, as the phone will look much like what the recent rumors show it to be. So, all this time we have been seeing the Redmi Note 2 in pictures but guessing it to be the Xiaomi Mi5.

According to the recent listing on Oppomart, which is a known e-commerce website for selling Chinese smartphones, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 is what we should expect at the next week’s event. The website has revealed full technical specifications of the upcoming device, confirming the design but proving most of the other rumored specifications wrong.

Before checking out the specs, lets take a look at how the device is designed. First of all, if this source turns out to be true, the phone will look nothing like current Redmi flagship. In fact, it will take its design inspiration from the current Mi flagship i.e. Xiaomi Mi4. The front will be protected by Gorilla glass as will be the back, however the rear gorilla glass body will be curved. Oppomart says that the phone will have the “World’s First Curved Glass Body“.

You have the sensors and the camera right on top of the display up front. There is also the ‘MI’ logo on the top left corner, much like the Mi4. Then at the bottom, you have three capacitive buttons. Yes, looks like Xiaomi will not be getting rid of these buttons for on screen ones, which is the current trend among newer phones. On the right, there is the volume rocker keys and the power button. We don’t see anything on the left side, but it will probably have the microSD and SIM card slots there.

According to the listing, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 will come with a 64-bit Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor with 2GB RAM and 16GB/ 32GB storage options. The screen size will be of 5.7-inches and will be made of 2D glass,(an upgrade from the 5.5-inches on the current Redmi Note) and will feature a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. There will be a 13MP rear camera (Sony IMX214 with zero shutter lag) and a 5MP front shooter on the device.

Coming to the interesting part, the device will measure 141.89mm x 71.4mm x 6.1mm, which makes it thicker than what the earlier leaks said. If this is true, we feel Xiaomi made a right decision by going with a thicker body because if it was just 5.1mm thick, then we would have never seen a 3600 mAh battery onboard. Yes, to our delight, the listing says that the phone will indeed have a large 3600 mAh battery which should give more than average battery life even with its stunning 5.7-inch display!

As for connectivity options, the phone is said to feature dual microSIM slots and will support GSM: 850/900/1800/1900MHz; WCDMA: 850/900/1900/2100MHz, FDD LTE: 1800/2100/2600MHz. Yes, it is rumored to have FDD-LTE support which it compatible with a lot of country’s 4G network band. It will run on Android 4.4 KitKat OS along with the current MIUI 6.0 on top.

The device is said to retail for 1499 Yuan i.e. around $249 which is a great price for a phone with such specs. Ofcourse, it is much higher than the Redmi Note, but then this device has a much premium design and specs which justifies its price tag, if it is true.

Moreover, the company has released almost four teasers till now revealing small aspects about the upcoming device. The first one said that it would be thin, and this new leak says it will be around 6.1mm thick, which is considered as thin. Second teaser said it would be large, which once again this leak confirms. Third said it would be light weighted, and the fourth said it would have amazing sound quality. We can’t really confirm both these features, but other than that, this looks like the real deal. We have added the teases down below.

We think this leak could be true as we have heard rumors about a Jan launch of the Redmi Note 2. Secondly, Xiaomi usually unveils its flagship devices around June, which will make this release date quite unusual. On the other hand, the company releases its Redmi series phones earlier in the year (last year it was in March!). So, if we start thinking practically, a Redmi Note 2 launch would be logical this early in the year.

For some, things just got a bit more confusing while for others things have become clearer. All depends on how you take this leak. Either you can believe that this one is false and you’ll see the Xiaomi Mi5 on 15 Jan or you can go with this leak and believe this is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 flagship. Whatever you do, don’t worry, things will clear up soon after next week’s announcement.

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The post Exclusive: Xiaomi to launch Redmi Note 2 flagship on Jan 15, not Xiaomi Mi5! Specs, design & price revealed appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi Redmi Note is highly popular among budget phablet lovers and apparently the second generation model, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 has been leaked online. While the picture does not reveal the full body of the device, but it does show the back cover, which is a bit different than current Redmi Note model.

The camera sensor and the LED flash are located on the top left corner of the new device instead at the top center region. Moreover, the slightly large opening on top could indicate a dual LED flash instead of the single LED flash found on the current Redmi Note. the ‘Mi’ branding remains at the bottom region of the rear panel. Interestingly, we don’t see a speaker grill on the leaked panel.

As you can see, there are some measurements given on the picture too, however, it doesn’t look like they are right. The length and width are okay at 159mm and 82mm respectively, but the thickness as given on the picture — 25mm is too big. The current generation model has a width of around 9.5mm, so it’s better we ignore the dimensions given by the source for now.

The same source also revealed the possible specs of the device. So, the new Redmi Note 2 is expected to come with the same 5.5-inch display as the original model but with a bumped up resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. An eight-core 64-bit processor will power the device (probably Snapdragon 615 or Mediatek 6752) along with 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage. At the back, there will be a 13MP camera sensor while on the front, it will have a 5MP shooter. The battery is said to be above 3,000 mAh. The Redmi Note 2 will run on Android 4.4 KitKat with MIUI 6 on top.

The source reveals that the phone will be released between January 21 to January 28 2015.

While these specs are slightly better than the current Redmi Note, they might just be enough to upgrade the device yet maintain the same price tag. The current generation model came with a 5.5-inch 720p display, an eight-core processor but not 64-bit and just 8GB internal storage. These are the specs that have been bumped up in the new generation Redmi Note 2. The camera and the battery capacity which were already good on the Note have been kept the same. So, if the leaked specs does turn out to be true, we may have a winner here.

With these leaked specs, the Redmi Note 2 could prove a worthy competitor to the Meizu M1 Note (Blue Charm). Both the devices are aimed at the budget customers looking for the best experience and both have enough hardware to keep their customers excited. So, it would be interesting to see how both perform in the market at a similar price tag.

Meanwhile, read our earlier article where Xiaomi Redmi was spotted with a fingerprint sensor.

The post Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 back panel and specs leaked appeared first on Gizmochina.