MIUI 10 Global Beta First Impressions: Should you update?

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July 20, 2018

MIUI 10, MIUI, REDMI NOTE 5 PRO — MIUI 10 is powered by AI at its heart and comes with features like AI Portrait and AI Preload.

Xiaomi recently showcased their latest iteration of the MIUI operating system, the MIUI 10. They have now gone ahead and announced the global beta version of the operating system. We did a guide on how to update your Xiaomi smartphone to the latest version of MIUI 10. However, the operating system is still in beta phase. This means the software still has a lot of bugs and crashes a lot. So the question arises, should you update your Xiaomi smartphone to MIUI 10 or not?

The company claims that MIUI 10 is powered by AI at its heart and comes with features like AI Portrait camera capturing mode allowing for depth of field shots with just a single camera and AI Preload which pre-loads apps based on the user’s usage patterns. Along with all those AI features, it also brings a UI redesign, which includes a new notification panel, a new recents menu along and much more new features. The company claims the new UI is optimized for devices with a high screen to body ratio like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro. So here are the features the new MIUI 10 brings.

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1. MIUI 10: Gestures

The new gestures based system in the MIUI 10 is really easy to use.

The operating system with it brings a new way to navigate around your smartphone. The now utilises a gesture-based navigation system is a lot like the Apple iPhone X. Many will argue that the MIUI 9.5 also had the same gestures based navigation feature, however, it has been improved significantly. The gestures are very simple and intuitive to use. Swiping from the bottom of the screen gets you to home. Swiping from the bottom and holding for a second gets you to recents menu. Also, swiping from the left or right takes you back and swiping from left or right and holding helps you switch between recent apps.

Also Read: Xiaomi Mi A2 to launch on July 24: Here is all we know about the Android One smartphone

2. MIUI 10: UI Changes

MIUI, MIUI 10, MIUI 10 Notification Shade

The revamped Notification Shade will solve many problems MIUI users had with it.

MIUI 10 brings loads of UI improvements with it, one of which is the Notification Shade. The company has completely revamped the Notification Shade of the operating system. It is now designed to look more like Google's Android P operating system. The recents menu has also been revamped. The new card-based recents menu looks great and optimizes the space. Also clicking and holding on the app card brings options like split screen, app info and more. The volume control has also been updated to look and perform like the Android P beta volume control.

Also Read: Xiaomi Mi Max 3 retail box leaked ahead of launch: Here are the specs

MIUI, MIUI 10, MIUI 10 More UI Changes — The new revamped UI is a delight to use and comes with features from Android P

Also Read: How to install MIUI 10 on Xiaomi smartphones

3. MIUI 10: AI features

The new AI features like the AI preload which preloads the application based on the user's usage pattern to increase app opening times is a great bonus. Other AI features include features like the ability to take portrait mode shots with phones with a single camera. However, we tested the MIUI 10 on a smartphone with a dual camera setup so we can't confirm its efficiency.

Nokia 3.1 launched in India: Price, Specifications and Alternatives

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Tech Desk

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July 19, 2018

HMD Global has launched a new budget smartphone in India, the Nokia 3.1. The smartphone now comes with an 18:9 display. Just like the other Nokia phones, this one also runs on stock Android. The phone is launched in India with a price tag of Rs. 10,499 and will be available in Blue, Black and White colour variants.

Specifications

In terms of specifications, the Nokia 3.1 features a 5.2-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 720x1440 pixels and an 18:9 aspect ratio. The smartphone is powered by the MediaTek MT6750 chipset which is an octa-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz. The dual-SIM handset packs in 2GB of RAM coupled with 16GB of onboard storage which is further expandable using a microSD card. The phone runs on Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box and all of this is backed by a 2,900mAh battery.

On the optics front, the Nokia 3.1 sports a 13-megapixel camera at the back with f/2.0 aperture and a LED flash. Up front, there is an 8-megapixel selfie shooter.

Alternatives

Nokia 3.1 sure has a solid build but the hardware underneath isn't as powerful as some of its competition. So if you are someone who cares more about the performance, take a look at these alternatives.

Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1

In case you want a stock Android experience just like the Nokia 3.1 with much better hardware, the Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1 should be your pick. The smartphone features a 5.99-inch FullHD+ display. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 SoC. The device comes in 3GB+32GB and 4GB+64GB variants. The smartphone is available at a starting price of Rs. 10,999.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

The Nokia 3.1 with its Rs. 10,499 price tag gives direct competition to the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 which also makes it for a great alternative. The smartphone comes with a 5.99-inch FullHD+ 18:9 display and it is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset. The Redmi Note 5 is available in India at a starting price of Rs. 9,999.

10.or G

Just like the Nokia 3.1, the 10.or G offers a stock Android experience with much better specifications and a lower price tag. However, what you lose here is the 18:9 panel as the 10.or G comes with a traditional 16:9 panel. The latter phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 SoC coupled with 3GB or 4GB of RAM. The smartphone is available at a starting price of Rs. 7,699.

Top 5 reasons why you should not buy the Vivo Nex

By

Brahmjot Singh

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July 19, 2018

vivo, vivo nex, price, specifications — Vivo Nex comes with an in-display fingerprint scanner

Vivo today launched the much anticipated Vivo Nex smartphone in India. The highlights of the smartphone include its pop-up selfie camera and the in-display fingerprint scanner. It is the latest flagship offering from the company but here are the top 5 reasons why you should avoid this one.

Pop-up camera

The Vivo Nex comes with an all-screen design up front and to achieve that the company had to hide the front-facing camera. As the selfie camera mechanically pops out, the durability and the longevity of the camera, as well as the whole mechanism, is questionable.

Earpiece

Just like the Xiaomi Mi Mix, the Vivo Nex also uses a small vibration motor which is hidden under the display and transmits the sound wave through the whole screen. Though the technology feels futuristic, it is not as good as a normal earpiece. So if you are someone who is always on calls and need a really good audio quality, you might wanna skip this one.

Biometrics Unlock

Unlike the Oppo Find X, the Vivo Nex does not require to pop out the camera everytime the user needs to unlock the phone. This is possible due to the in-display fingerprint scanner on the smartphone. An in-display fingerprint scanner is a futuristic approach but it is not as fast and reliable as a typical capacitive fingerprint scanner.

Also Read: Here are the Top 5 alternatives to the Vivo Nex

Software

The Vivo Nex runs on Android 8.1 Oreo-based FuntouchOS 4 out of the box. The custom UI on the Nex does bring a ton of features like gesture controls. However, it also brings a lot of bloatware and slows down the device eventually. If you are a kind of a person who prefers stock Android, then this phone is not for you.

Price

Vivo Nex is currently priced at Rs. 44,990 and will be exclusively available via Amazon India starting July 21. The smartphone is not overpriced but considering the fact that this is the first Vivo smartphone to cross the Rs. 30,000 price mark. Also, at around Rs. 45,000, customers can get much better options.

Here are the Top 5 alternatives to the Vivo Nex

By

Devesh Arora

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July 19, 2018

vivo, vivo nex, india launch, price, specifications — Vivo Nex comes with an in-display fingerprint scanner

Vivo is now finally launching the much-awaited Vivo Nex in India today. The smartphone has already launched in China and it is now making its way to the Indian shelves. The key highlights of the smartphone include its all-screen design, the pop-up selfie camera and the in-display fingerprint scanner. Though we do not have any details on the pricing as of now, we expect the device to priced at somewhere around Rs. 50,000. At that price range, here are some alternatives you can look for.

Oppo Find X

In case you are looking for a smartphone with an all-screen design, the Oppo Find X offers one of the best designs. The front, as well as the back cameras of the smartphone, is hidden and come out only when needed. The Find X features a 6.42-inch display with a resolution of 1080x2340 pixels and a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The smartphone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC. The device packs in 8GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage. It is priced at Rs. 59,990.

Vivo X21

Just like the Vivo Nex, the Vivo X21 also comes with an in-display fingerprint scanner. However, it features a 6.28-inch display with a notch upfront. The smartphone comes with Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor. The smartphone is also much cheaper than the Vivo Nex. The X21 is available at a price of Rs. 35,990.

OnePlus 6

OnePlus 6 is currently one of the fastest Android smartphones in the world. If you do not like Vivo's custom UI, you might like the OxygenOS on the OnePlus 6. The latter smartphone features a 6.28-inch Optic AMOLED display with a 19:9 aspect ratio. The handset is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC. OnePlus 6 is available at a starting price of Rs. 34,999.

Samsung Galaxy S9+

If you are looking for a smartphone with a great display and an impressive set of cameras from a tier one brand, the Galaxy S9+ from Samsung should be your pick. The Samsung Galaxy S9+, priced at Rs. 62,195, comes with the Exynos 9810 octa-core processor. The smartphone features a 6.2-inch Super AMOLED display with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio.

Google Pixel 2

Google Pixel, vivo, vivo nex, india launch, price, specifications — Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL runs on stock Android

The people who are looking for the best in class cameras and do not really care about the design and have a look at last year's Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. The smartphones are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor. Google Pixel 2 is available at a starting price of Rs. 52,999 while the larger Pixel 2 XL comes in at Rs. 62,999.

Xiaomi Mi A2 to launch on July 24: Here is all we know about the Android One smartphone

By

Brahmjot Singh

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July 18, 2018

Xiaomi Mi A2, mi a2 lite, specifications, price, xiaomi, mi, mi a2, mi a2 lite, android, android one, launch, specifications — Xiaomi Mi A2 is just the Mi 6X with Android One

Xiaomi is now gearing up to launch the much anticipated Xiaomi Mi A2. The smartphone will be a successor to the last year Mi A1. The latter smartphone gained a lot of popularity due to the fact that it was a part of the Android One program which gave it stock Android and faster updates. Stock Android when combined with Xiaomi's hardware and pricing, makes it one of the best smartphones for the price.

Now the Mi A2 is all set to take the lead in the mid-range smartphone segment. Not only the Mi A2, reports suggest that there will also be a toned down version called the Mi A2 Lite. These smartphones will be a part of the Google's Android One program and will be shipped with Android 8.1 Oreo.

xiaomi, mi, mi a2, mi a2 lite, android, android one, launch, specifications — Xiaomi confirms that Mi A2 and Mi A2 Lite will be launched on July 24

Xiaomi Mi A2 will actually be based on the Mi 6X which was launched in China earlier this year. The smartphone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 SoC paired with 4GB or 6GB of RAM. The handset will feature a 5.99-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1080x2160 pixels and an 18:9 aspect ratio.

Also Read: List of all Amazon Prime Day 2018 deals: Smartphones, TVs, and more

The Mi A2 Lite, on the other hand, will come with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor and a smaller 5.84-inch display.

Both the smartphones will be launched globally by Xiaomi at an event in Madrid, Spain on July 24. As this is a global launch, we can expect the smartphones to go sale in India by the end of this month.

OnePlus 6 scores 96 in DxOMark: Does this mean it has the best camera setup?

By

Devesh Arora

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July 18, 2018

oneplus, oneplus 6, camera,specifications, price — OnePlus 6 features a 16MP+20MP dual-camera setup at the back

OnePlus launched their latest flagship, OnePlus 6 a few weeks ago. The smartphone has achieved a whopping score of 96 on its DxO Mark testing. The brings the latter smartphone right up against flagships from Apple, Samsung and Google. OnePlus 6 was able to get such a score due to the fact that its photo score was recorded as 100 while it scored 87 in the video tests.

According to DxOMark, the OnePlus 6 was able to achieve such high scores because of the performance of its autofocus. The photos obtained from the phone had good colour and exposure which added to the score. However, the smartphone was not able to beat something like the Apple iPhone X due to its poor performance at Bokeh and zoom.

Specifications

In terms of specifications, the OnePlus 6 features a 6.28-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080x2280 pixels and an aspect ratio of 19:9. The smartphone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC. The dual-SIM handset packs in 6GB or 8GB of RAM coupled with 64GB/128GB/256GB of onboard storage. It runs on Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box. Under the hood, there is a 3,300mAh battery with support to Dash Charge.

On the optics front, the handset sports a dual-camera setup at the back consisting of a 16-megapixel primary and a 20-megapixel secondary sensor at the back. Up front, there is a 16-megapixel selfie shooter with f/2.0 aperture.

OnePlus 6 is currently available at a starting price of Rs. 34,999 via both online and offline stores.

Nokia X5 launched in China: Price, Specifications and Alternatives

By

Devesh Arora

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July 18, 2018

HMD Global has finally launched the Nokia X5 in China. The smartphone is a new mid-range offering from the company and it competes against phones like Xiaomi Redmi Note 5. The 3GB+32GB variant of the device is priced at CNY 999 (roughly Rs. 10,200) while the 4GB+64GB variant retails for CNY 1,399 (roughly Rs. 14,300).

Specifications

The Nokia X5 has been launched in two bundles 3GB RAM/ 32GB storage and 4GB RAM/ 64GB storage options, and both the variants are priced at CNY 999 (roughly Rs. 9,999) and CNY 1,399 (roughly Rs. 13,999) respectively. The smartphone will go on sale on July 19, and registrations on Suning.com have already begun. The smartphone will be available in Night Black, Baltic Sea Blue, and Glacier White colour options.

As far as the specifications are concerned, the Nokia X5 features a 5.86-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 720x1520 pixels and an aspect ratio of 19:9 aspect ratio resulting in a notch up front. The smartphone is powered by the MediaTek Helio P60 chipset which is an octa-core processor. The device packs in 3GB or 4GB of RAM coupled with 32GB or 64GB of onboard storage. The dual-SIM handset runs on Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box. All of this is backed by a 3,060mAh battery.

On the optics front, the Nokia X5 sports a dual-camera setup at the back consisting of a 13-megapixel primary and a 5-megapixel secondary sensor. Up front, there is an 8-megapixel selfie shooter with f/2.2 aperture.