Xiaomi launched the Mi MIX 2, and the Mi Note 3 today. Starting with the Mi MIX 2, it features a 5.99-inch bezel-less display with an 18:9 aspect ratio. It has a 12-percent smaller chin than the previous generation Mi MIX, and it uses a hidden sound-guided speaker as well as an ultrasonic proximity sensor. Prices for the Mi MIX 2 start at CNY 3,299 (roughly Rs. 32,300) for its 6GB RAM/ 64GB storage variant, moving all the way to CNY 4,699 (roughly Rs. 46,000) for the 8GB of RAM and 128GB storage variant.
Moving on to the Mi Note 3 launch, it’s essentially a larger version of the Xiaomi Mi 6 launched earlier this year, with some minor differences. The company is touting its newly developed AI-based Beautify feature, a 16-megapixel front camera, and dual rear cameras, apart from facial recognition unlocking and a 4-sided curved body. It’s price starts at CNY 2,499 (roughly Rs. 24,500) for the 6GB RAM/ 64GB storage variant, going up to CNY 2,999 (roughly Rs. 29,400) for the 6GB RAM/ 128GB storage variant.
Also launched today was the Mi Notebook Pro laptop. Compared to the MacBook Pro 2017, it will ship in three variants – Intel Core i7 with 16GB RAM at CNY 6,999, Intel Core i7 with 8GB RAM at CNY 6,399, and Intel Core i5 with 8GB RAM at CNY 5,599. The Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro features up to eight generation Intel Core i7 processors, with dedicated graphics card (Nvidia GeForce MX150), up to 16GB of 2400MHz DDR4 RAM, and an up to 256GB PCIe SSD. The 15.6-inch display features a 72 percent NTSC colour gamut and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3.
iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus specifications and features Leaked
Ahead of Tuesday’s big iPhone event, a plethora of details about the upcoming iPhone models and other products and services have surfaced online. These leaks point to wireless charging on at least one of the iPhones, with some 3D animations showing up when charging. iPhone 8 is said to feature 2GB of RAM, while the iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X feature 3GB RAM each. iPhone X may feature a 12-megapixel rear camera with support for 4K videos at 60fps and 1080p videos at 240fps. The iPhone X is also expected to feature a 7-megapixel front camera which will offer support for video recording in 1080p resolution at 30fps. iPhone X may feature a six-core Apple SoC.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 pre-bookings reportedly cross 72,000 in India
Over 2.5 lakh people in India have registered to buy the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, with nearly 1.5 lakh people registering on Amazon and one lakh on Samsung’s India website. Of these, 72,000 have pre-booked the phone for purchase on release day. The smartphone will be launched in the country on September 12. While the response in India for the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is no surprise, what is, is how tough it is to repair the device. According to renowned break-and-repair guide website iFixit, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 display is a pain to remove and is filled with a lot of adhesive, leading to a 4/10 score in terms of repairability.
Airtel 4G VoLTE services launched
Airtel has started to support Voice over LTE, joining the ranks of Reliance Jio to offer such functionality to its subscribers. Currently VoLTE feature is now live for customers on its network in Mumbai. It intends to expand the reach of VoLTE support among its subscribers soon, Airtel said. The company is not charging any additional charge for VoLTE service.
Meanwhile, state-owned BSNL is betting on national rollout of 4G VoLTE services, even as it begins preparatory work on 5G to stay future-ready, a top official has said.”We are looking forward to pan India 4G VoLTE roll out and seeking spectrum from government,” BSNL chairman and managing director Anupam Shrivastava said. Late last year, the telco had written to the Department of Telecom (DoT) to allocate airwaves in the 700MHz band for rolling out 4G services.The company expects to get the government’s approval soon for using airwaves in 700MHz band for offering 4G and 5G services in the future.
Airtel said to be in talks with handset companies for Rs. 2,500 4G smartphone to rival JioPhone
In other Airtel news, the company is also said to be in talks with handset companies for a Rs. 2,500 4G smartphone to rival the Jio Phone. While Jio has announced plans to offer Internet-enabled feature phone for a refundable deposit of Rs. 1,500, Airtel is placing its bet on a full-fledged smartphone as it believes people would be ready to shell out a little more to get a loaded handset. A source familiar with the development said the new 4G smartphone – that will debut around Diwali – will come bundled with Airtel’s 4G connection and “attractive” data and voice plan to woo mass market customers.
The planned dual-SIM 4G smartphone will sport a 4-inch display, front and rear cameras, VoLTE calling and a solid battery life. The Android handset will come with 1GB of RAM, said the source who wished not to be named. He, however, did not say when the phones would be available for booking.
Xafecopy Trojan detected in India, steals money through mobile phones, says Kaspersky Lab
A new malware Xafecopy Trojan has been detected that steals money through victims’ mobile phones, cyber-security firm Kaspersky said in a report. Around 40 percent of target of the malware has been detected in India. “Kaspersky Lab experts have uncovered a mobile malware targeting the WAP billing payment method, stealing money through victims’ mobile accounts without their knowledge,” the report said.
Xafecopy Trojan is disguised as useful apps like BatteryMaster, and operates normally. The trojan secretly loads malicious code onto the device. Once the app is activated, the Xafecopy malware clicks on web pages with Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) billing – a form of mobile payment that charges costs directly to the user’s mobile phone bill. After this the malware silently subscribes the phone to a number of services, the report said.
SIM cards not linked to Aadhaar may be deactivated
The government is moving ahead with linking Aadhaar with mobile SIM cards and all unlinked phones will be deactivated after February 2018, according to a new report. The Aadhaar-mobile linkage is reportedly being done as per the orders of Supreme Court passed in February this year in Lokniti foundation case, and all SIM cards have to be verified with Aadhaar within a year from the date of judgement, with all unlinked phones to be deactivated after February next year, so criminals, fraudsters and terrorists cannot use the issued SIMs. The sources said that biometrics cannot be stored by the mobile operators nor they have access to any of the other personal data.
LG G6 gets a price in India cut
LG has yet again slashed the price of the G6 by Rs. 9,000, which now makes it available at an MOP of Rs. 37,990 in India. The new price is effective on both online and offline purchases of the smartphone. LG confirmed the price cut in a communication to retailers seen by Gadgets 360. This is the third price cut for the handset, which is a rival to the likes of iPhone 7 Plus and Google Pixel XL. It has a 5.7-inch FullVision display with 18:9 aspect ratio, Android 7.0 Nougat software, Snapdragon 821 processor, 4GB RAM, dual rear camera setup, 5-megapixel front camera, and 3300mAh battery.
Moto X4 Android One Edition tipped to launch in US, render image leaked
A Moto X4 smartphone with Android One branding has now been leaked in a render image and the handset has been tipped to make its way to the US soon. Popular tipster @evleaks aka Evan Blass on Saturday shared the render image of the Moto X4 smartphone with Android One branding at the back. While there seem to be no other changes in terms of design, as can be seen from the camera module, the handset in the render image can be seen sporting an Android One moniker towards the bottom end. Further, a report back in April claimed the Moto X series smartphone for this year might be among the prime contenders to be launched in US as part of Google’s Android One program. The publication has now reiterated that Moto X4 will likely to be the first Android One handset to be launched in the US.
Google privacy dashboard redesign makes It easier to find what Google knows about you
Google will soon update its privacy and security dashboard to simplify the design and make it easier for users, including mobile users, to find what sort of personal information they share with the company. The update is part of a “ground up” redesign Google said, which it plans to roll out to users “in coming days”. The company said the redesign is also aimed at making it easier for users to navigate the dashboard on a touchscreen-enabled device. Launched in 2009, the dashboard is home to My Activity and My Account tools, which document all actions a user has performed across Google services, and all the personal information that they have shared with Google services, respectively.
