Category: Xiaomi

Xiaomi No Longer Exclusive With Flipkart; Partners with Snapdeal and Amazon

On the occasion of completing five years Xiaomi announced that it will be joining hands with Snapdeal and Amazon as the company’s distribution partners. This means that along with Flipkart, the Mobile Store and the Bharti Airtel stores, Xiaomi products will soon be available on Snapdeal and Amazon too. We currently don’t have any information about if they’re going to stop the flash sale system just yet, though one thing is for certain – Xiaomi is here to stay.

Manu Jain, India Head of Xiaomi, confirmed the same via a tweet –

1) To mark this special occasion, we are announcing two new partnerships with @Snapdeal n @amazonIN :) #MiFanFest

— Manu Kumar Jain (@manukumarjain) April 7, 2015

Xiaomi entered the Indian market with the Xiaomi Mi3, which was launched on Flipkart in July 2014. Since then, the company has been releasing several handsets via Flipkart through the flash sales.

The company has also come up with a range of offers for its customers in India which will be valid only for a day, i.e., April 8th, from 12 noon to 12 midnight. As per the offers, the Xiaomi Mi 4 will get a price cut of Rs 2,000 on both, the 16GB and the 64GB variant. Buyers who purchase the Redmi Note 4G from online partners, Flipkart, Snapdeal or Amazon, will receive a Mi in-ear headphones for free. If the same is purchased from the Airtel or The Mobile Store, the buyer will receive a 5,200mAh Mi Power Bank for free.

For Snapdeal, this will be a major upgrade as they have lagged behind in bagging exclusive partnerships with major tech brand. Meanwhile, Flipkart already enjoys the exclusive partner status with several smartphones like Motorola, Huawei (Honor series), Lenovo, etc. and Amazon is the exclusive seller of Micromax, Yu Yureka and OnePlus One.

April 7, 2015
Xiaomi’s Next Band to Embrace One-Touch Mobile Payment Technology

Xiaomi’s smartbands are assumed to be the next big thing by the tech world; much because they are rightly speculated to be cheaper than the present offerings by other brands. According to a recent disclosure by a Chinese online publication, the next-gen Xiaomi smartband will incorporate a mobile payment solution, providing users a safer, more convenient payment experience.

Huami, the Chinese start-up set to partner with Xiaomi for fitness wearables, declared that it has inked a strategic cooperation in AliPay. The tie-up is aimed at developing a wearable device that fits modern one-touch payment system. The idea is to speed up the payment process and eradicate the need of providing passwords at retail stores.

With this, whenever a user will come in the range of an AliPay client, the mechanism will activate automatically, establishing a link with the client. Through the technology, the payment will be done directly through the wristband.

The smartband works in conjunction with smartphone to function. The band gets connected to the handset through Bluetooth to verify the user’s identity, thereby acting as a channel to enable payments. Once the identity is established, the Xiaomi band then authorizes it to make payments via AliPay client.

Xiaomi smartband payment system

Xiaomi smartband payment system

The start-up further mentioned about the verification technology stating that it uses industry standard encryption measures to make the payments secure. In this, every user is provided with a unique identifier which verifies the status of users after eliminating the password link.

However, the mobile payment technology is not new and many big names in the technology sector have already embedded it to their devices. Though this will widen the reach of the technology. As Xiaomi offers products at a reasonable price, the forthcoming band is expected to become a common accessory and bring a larger change in the retail payment mode used in China.

April 2, 2015
Xiaomi is Currently Working on a Refreshed MIUI 7 That Will Debut on the Mi 5

The tussle to bring the finest product to the customers is getting meaner by the day. With many top-notch smartphones already present in the crowded market, there’s a need for every mobile brand to stand out of the pack. Xiaomi enjoys a large fan base in the world majorly because of its affordably priced devices and for the unique MIUI that makes the smartphones look different, not just externally. The Chinese brand is now considering giving its users a better experience with a brand new user interface.

The company is said to be working on the next instalment of MIUI which will debut with the upcoming Xiaomi smartphone Mi 5. The firm has teamed up with AOKP (Android Open Kang Project) to build the new UI. The latter company made public information about the new interface that gives us a fair idea of MIUI 7.

Minimalistic Look with subtle graphics.ith

According to the official AOKP blog, the forthcoming interface is codenamed MiKangy and will be based on Android 5.1 OS. It will be a whole new take on the Android UX and will combine the salient features of top ROMs like CM, PA, Omni and AOKP. MIUI 7 is stated to “create an experience which completely submerges the user in his own world.” The web page further reads that the UI will evolve with the user, and after a period of time, it will be different for every MI 5 user. Now that sounds innovative.

The market of custom ROMs and user interface has lately grown to become a sizeable industry. There was a time when smartphones were mostly about bumped up specifications and features. The brawl between Micromax and OnePlus on Cyanogen that pushed them to the court room is an example that the tech domain is growing in every sector, largely and rapidly. We hope MIUI 7 turns out to be as good as its description.

April 2, 2015
Xiaomi Announces a Bunch of Smart Products Along with Redmi 2A and Mi Note Pink Edition

On the grand occasion of completing five years in the market, Xiaomi brought out a slew of products. Earlier today, we mentioned the super cheaper Xiaomi Redmi 2A. And the Mi Note Pink Edition, which is just another Mi Note clad in a pink body. Now we will shift our focus to the other highlights of the day:

55-inch Mi TV 2

Xiaomi expanded its Mi TV 2 lineup today with the release of a newer version of Mi TV 2. The latest addition is the 55-inch 4K model, which is quite bigger than 40-inch variant released last week.

The TV sports a 55-inch Samsung LCD panel of (3840×2160) resolution along with MStar 6A928 processor. The device houses 2GB RAM and 8GB of internal storage capacity. Priced at 4,999 RMB (Rs. 50,380 approx), the TV stuffs aluminum Bluetooth subwoofer and speaker soundbar.

Mi Smart Scale

Another product unveiled today was asmart scale that looks pretty cool with its sleek design and rounded edges. The scale depicts weight by means of 161 white LEDs fitted onto the device and it displays weight between 5Kg to 150Kg. The smart scale connects to the smartphone with Android 4.4 and above and iOS 7 and above via Bluetooth.

The Mi scale can track record of as much as 16 people, which helps it measure the progress of each individual. The weighing scale is lowly priced at $16 (somewhere around Rs. 990).

Mi Smart Plug Board

The last offering of the day, is the Mi Smart Plug Board. It comes with 3 standard ports and 3 USB ports to charge mobile devices. The company claims that the Smart Plug Board is more energy efficient than the standard chargers. Mi plug board comes at a minimal price of $8. It allows users to turn the power on and off via Mi Connected Home App.

Meanwhile, these products have only been launched in China and we’re uncertain about if Xiaomi will release them in other markets.

March 31, 2015

Xiaomi Unveils the Redmi 2A, Its Cheapest Smartphone Yet

Xiaomi is celebrating its fifth year in business today. The Chinese electronics company has unveiled a bunch of new devices just for this occasion. One device that catches the eye immediately is the new Redmi 2A. Xiaomi has made its already low priced Redmi 2 even cheaper in this latest version.

Xiaomi Redmi 2A differs from its sibling, the Redmi 2 only in terms of its processor. The device is powered by a Leadcore L1860C quad-core Cortex A7 1.5GHz processor. Apart from that, it packs in the same specifications as the Redmi 2 including the 1 GB RAM and 8 GB of internal storage.

The handset is priced at RMB 599 (Rs.6000) which makes it slightly cheaper than the Redmi 2. It is not sure as of yet if the device will come to India, but buyers would have to consider if they want to pay Rs.1000 less for a new processor or get the Snapdragon powered Redmi 2. Well, it’s still good that they now have a choice, something that a consumer always appreciates.

Specs	Redmi 2
Display	4.7 inch, 1280×720 pixels 312 ppi
Processor	1.5GHz Quad-core Leadcore L1860C
RAM	1GB
Storage	8GB
Expandable Up to	32GB
Main Camera	8 MP
Front Camera	2 MP
Battery	2200mAh
Operating System	Android 4.4 KitKat with MIUI 6.0

March 31, 2015

Xiaomi to Bring Out a Sub-Rs. 5,000 Smartphone on April 8 : Report

Xiaomi is known as an electronics firm that offers premium handsets at a reasonable price range. Since long, rumour mill has suggested Xiaomi is planning to release an entry-level smartphone. The same device has now appeared online through a leaked image. The handset is expected to debut on April 8 and will cost 499 Yuan (approximately Rs. 5,000).

From what it appears from the first look of the upcoming phone, it seems to be a cheaper version of Redmi 2. Some reports have also surfaced that throw light on the inner details of the smartphone. According to Chinese blog Mydrives.com, the phone will sport a 4.7-inch (720x1280p) screen. A 1.6GHz Leadcore LC1860 quad core processor, along with 1GB of RAM. The device will run on Android 4.4 KitKat with MIUI skin on top.

Coming to its optics, an 8MP rear camera paired with a 2MP secondary shooter will sit on the device. The storage option includes 8GB of inbuilt space, which at this point of time is unknown if it would be expandable.

Until now, it is not known if the smartphone will make it to countries outside China, but some online publishers are claiming it may arrive in India by April 8. Few days back, Xiaomi teased a picture of a dress that had a NSSJ caption on top. The smartphone is stated to launch today at the occasion of the company’s fifth anniversary.

The launch event can take place anytime soon. We will keep you updated with information on the availability of the latest device as soon as something arrives. Keep checking back.

March 31, 2015

Xiaomi Announces Second Open Sale of Mi Pad in India

There is good news by Xiaomi for those who missed the chance to own a Mi Pad in the first open sale held on March 24. The Chinese electronics major is holding a second sale today through its exclusive online partner Flipkart, and just like the previous time, users are not required to register for the device. The tablet is on open sale and it’s available to buy 12 noon onwards today.

The Beijing-based firm spread the word about the sale via Facebook –

The Mi Pad is one superior tablet that has the specifications of a high-end device. It is affordably priced at Rs. 12,999. The Mi Pad is thin at 9.4mm and sports a 7.9-inch IPS display with a resolution of 2048×1536. The tablet is powered by a 2.2 GHz Nvidia Tegra K1 SoC ARM Cortex-A15 processor, 2GB RAM and 16GB inbuilt storage space. The Xiaomi tablet runs on Android 4.4 KitKat with MIUI skin on top. The device comes with an 8MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera, and has a powerful battery of 6700mAh.

Brief details about its specs are provided below:

SPECS	Xiaomi Mi Pad
Display	7.9-inch IPS326 PPI
Processor	2.2 GHz Nvidia Tegra K1 SoC ARM Cortex-A15
RAM	2GB
Internal Memory	16GB
Expandable up to	128GB
Camera	8MP rear, 5MP front
Battery	6700mAh
Operating System	Android 4.4 KitKat
Price	Rs. 12,999

March 30, 2015

Xiaomi Ties Up with The Mobile Store to Sell Smartphones in Retail Stores

Since the arrival of Xiaomi in India, the Chinese manufacturer has been selling phones through the exclusive online partner Flipkart. Now, the company is giving a boost to its business on the Indian soil. China’s largest smartphone maker has adopted the offline sales policy in the country and will retail its smartphones through the brick-and-mortar outlets of The Mobile Store.

The company head of India operations Manu Jain notified about the same with his statement –

This will be the first time we’re getting into offline trade in India. In China, about 20-30% of total sales come from telecom operators’ stores while the rest come from our online store – Mi.com

Now, one can walk into any of the 55 outlets of The Mobile Store in Delhi-NCR and own a Redmi handset. Meanwhile, the company has drawn out two models, Mi 4 and Redmi Note 4G for sale, and they can be grabbed at the price range of Rs. 19,999 and Rs. 9,999 respectively. The sale begins from Saturday, 28th March, onwards.

Xiaomi Mi 4

For the moment, only the national capital’s stores offer the devices, but The Mobile Store will soon make them available in its 300 stores across the nation. The stores will not only retail the phones but will also offer repair service, as announced by Himanshu Chakrawarti, Xiaomi Chief Executive.

Meanwhile, the company’s association with the e-commerce partner still exists, and all the Xiaomi products will be available on Flipkart as always. The Indian online retail channel appreciated Xiaomi’s step and said that the brands sold on Flipkart are always welcome to explore alternative channels.

Redmi Note

Over the past year, Xiaomi has undertaken rigorous efforts to establish itself in the Indian market. It is building up its Research and Development centre in Bangalore and has inaugurated its India-centric online store Mi.com in India. Anyone can order authentic Mi accessories like headphones, power bank and other products from there.

It is also estimated that the Chinese electronics brand can start its own smartphone store in India if the offline programme goes well. The company has received tremendous response in the country for offering impeccable devices at afforable rates. Lately, it launched its new budget superstar, Redmi Note 2, in India which is available via flash sale on Flipkart. We hope that the trial proposal gets a thumps up and we finally bid farewell to the entire flash sale shenanigans as they have become tiring now.

March 28, 2015
Xiaomi Teases A Women-Centric Product For Its Big Event on 31st March

Xiaomi embarked on a journey into the tech segment on March 31, 2010. The company has had a splendid time in the world of electronic equipments and the brand went bigger and bigger every passing year. On March 31 this year, the Chinese manufacturer will become five-year-old and it has some big plans to celebrate the fifth anniversary with its fans.

According to Gizmo China, Xiaomi is geared to release some products that are different from its present offerings. Xiaomi’s co-founder Lin Bin posted an image through the company’s official account on Weibo which suggest that the next product from Xiaomi would be women-centric.

As one can see, the teaser image comprises an outline of a dress with a feminine pink background. A text in block letters NSSJ in written on the top of the dress. The dress is enough a hint to inform users that the upcoming product would cater to females.

Apart from that, Xiaomi is shifting its focus from sleek construction and curvy edges to being more fashionable. As per a conversation between Bin Lin and a fashion group, it appears like Xiaomi is collaborating with the fashion group to bring out a gadget that is high on fashion.

Meanwhile, there is no information if Xiaomi will launch an all-new device or will just give a fashion angle to its already existing line of gadgets. But according to Times of India, it could launch a mid-range smartphone codenamed ‘Ferrari’. The handset appeared on the graphics benchmarking website GFXBench.

If the source is to be believed then the next device could be a 4.9-inch FHD device with 1.6GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor, Adreno 405 GPU and 2GB of RAM. The phone is said to pack 16GB of internal memory storage along with 12MP rear and a 5MP front-facing camera. The phone will run on Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box.

The best part is that users don’t have to wait for long. We are less than a week away for March 31 and buyers will get to know about the devices shortly at the forthcoming event.

March 26, 2015

Xiaomi Mi Pad to Go on Open Sale Today via Flipkart

When Xiaomi launched its first tablet in India on March 12 this year, everyone was was surprised at the low price of the device. The Mi Pad holds specifications of a top-end gadget and is pocket-friendly at Rs. 12,999. The budget blockbuster Mi Pad is now going on sale in India today at noon via online retail website Flipkart.

The company has ditched the flash sale model and potential customers can get their hands on Mi Pad without registration. There are no details about the number of units going up for sale.

Recalling the specs of the device, then Mi Pad is thin at 9.4mm and weighs a mere 360g. It sports a 7.9-inch IPS display with a resolution of 2048×1536 and a pixel density of 326 PPI. Corning Glass 3 protects the screen from accidental drops. The tablet is powered by 2.2 GHz Nvidia Tegra K1 SoC ARM Cortex-A15 processor paired with 2GB of LPDDR3 RAM. The Mi Pad offers 16GB of in-built storage space which can be expanded up to 128GB via MicroSD card. The Xiaomi tablet runs on Android 4.4 KitKat with MIUI skin on top.

It sports an 8MP rear camera with Sony BSI sensor for full-HD resolution videos, along with a 5MP front snapper at the top of the display for selfies and video chats. The table is juiced up by a 6700mAh battery that keeps the device running all day long. Connectivity options include Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac.

Here’s a quick look at its specifications:

Specs	Mi Pad
Display	7.9-inch IPS326 PPI
Processor	2.2 GHz Nvidia Tegra K1 SoC ARM Cortex-A15
RAM	2GB
Inbuilt Memory	16GB
Expandable Up to	128GB
Rear Camera	8MP
Front Camera	5MP
Operating Stystem	Android 4.4 KitKat
Battery	6700mAh
Price	Rs. 12,999

March 24, 2015

Xiaomi’s E-Store Goes Live in India, Sells Accessories But Not Smartphones

Till date, Xiaomi was dependent on its exclusive online partner Flipkart to sell its products in India, but not anymore. The Chinese electronics producer has finally opened an official Mi Store in India from where one can order products. The online store grasps the absolute authority Flipkart used to enjoy over the large chunk of Xiaomi followers in the country.

As stated by the firm, Xiaomi will only sell accessories in India and not smartphones. The exclusive rights to sell Mi handsets still remain with the e-commerce website. Meanwhile, potential customers can grab protective cases, earphones and power banks; the last one being out remains out as of now.

However, the company hasn’t turned down the fact that other products may appear on the online store in the future. This means that more products by Xiaomi like Yi camera and Mi Band (fitness tracker) arrive in the Indian market in coming months.

In three short years Xiaomi has established itself as a tech beast. The electronics enterprise conquered China few months back as the biggest smartphone vendor and lately, it defeated Apple and Samsung in India and became the biggest seller of 4G devices for January. Its smartphones have done a total sale of over a million since July last year, and considering its affordable price policy, Xiaomi seems to be breaking all records.

The organization came out with Note series in January and launched Mi Note and Mi Note Pro. The latest addition to the series is the Bamboo edition of Mi Note. It is also heard that another flagship called Mi Note Plus is next in line to release.

March 19, 2015
Xiaomi Beats OnePlus, Brings Out a Bamboo Version of the Mi Note

One of the most awaited features of the OnePlus One were the multiple textured back panels which were called the StyleSwap Covers by the company. But citing technical issues during production, the company said last year that they were stopping production of the covers as they didn’t meet the standards. That news disheartened a lot of users who wanted to customize their devices with those innovative covers. OnePlus’s compatriot, Xiaomi though has raced ahead of OnePlus in this regard and has brought out a new Bamboo edition of the recently launched Mi Note.

The Mi Note Natural Bamboo edition is priced at $370 (approx Rs. 23000). It is powered by a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor along with 3 GB RAM. It flaunts a 5.7-inch Full HD display (1080×1920) with 386 pixel density. It offers support for 4G networks on both of its SIM slots. The device runs MIUI v6, which is based on Android 4.4.4 KitKat. It offers 13MP rear camera with dual-tone dual-LED flash and a 4 MP front camera for clicking selfies. The handset gets its juice from a 3,000 mAh battery.

The kickass back panels promised by OnePlus that never came to the market.

Not to be outdone by Xiaomi, OnePlus also came out with a DIY (Do It Yourself) post which shows how you can easily create customized back panel graphics for your One. The instructions are simple, and it’s really easy to create the back panels which broadcasts your personality to onlookers. All you need is a OnePlus clear case, a printer, photo-editing software, the downloadable OnePlus One blueprint file and a pair of scissors. The blog post by OnePlus also shows some amazing designs that you choose for your One.

The DIY backpanels for the OnePlus One.

The Bamboo edition of the Mi Note will go on Sale in China from March 24th. The textured or back panels are necessary as they transform the monotonous bar shaped devices into personalised art pieces. We hope that more companies start bringing out customizable back panels for the Indian consumers as there is a demand for it especially from the youth market.

March 18, 2015
Xiaomi is India’s Biggest 4G Device Vendor for January, Knocks Down Apple and Samsung

The battle to become the top smartphone vendor is getting tougher and steamier. After conquering China’s smartphone market, Xiaomi has once again proved itself, but this time of India. According to a report by the market analysis firm CyberMedia Research (CMR), the Chinese electronics maker Xiaomi brought down the leaders Samsung and Apple, and emerged as the biggest 4G handset seller in India. The fresh records are of January this year.

According to the data released by the research firm for January, Xiaomi is ahead of the reputed smartphone manufacturers and holds a market share of 30.8 percent. Apple, Samsung, HTC, and Micromax follow respectively at 23.8 percent, 12.1 percent, 10 percent, and 8.3 percent. Few months back, another analysis firm reported Apple as the frontrunner of the fourth quarter of 2014. The Cupertino-based tech giant held the 45 percent market share, which was followed by HTC and Samsung.

These figures showcase the shipment of only 4G handsets in India. Samsung still leads the pack with 17.3 percent market share which includes feature phones, smartphones, 3G and 4G mobile phones. Lava, Microsoft, Micromax, Intex have comparatively lesser share with 11.9 percent, 10.3 percent, 9.7 percent and 8.5 percent respectively.

This outcome by CMR is a massive blow for the world’s largest smartphone vendors. Although, the numbers represent the sales figure of a month only, but it’s an indication that Samsung and Apple need to take Xiaomi as seriously as any other contender out there.

March 17, 2015
Details of Xiaomi Mi Note Plus Revealed

It’s safe to say, Xiaomi has been on a roll. It has unveiled several new smartphones in the market, which are undoubtedly remarkable and are gaining fame for being reasonable priced. The Chinese smartphone brand showcased a new smartphone line back in January called Mi Note, which comprises of Xiaomi Mi Note and Mi Note Pro. It appears like the firm has one more device in the Mi Note series to offer which is being worked on secretly.

A new premium device showed up on GeekBench that speaks of the high specifications of the forthcoming device. It also illustrated the benchmark scores of Mi Note Plus, along with Samsung Galaxy S6 and HTC One M9. According to the cross-platform processor benchmark, Xiaomi Mi Note Plus sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor and 4GB of RAM, just like the Mi Note Pro. The device will run on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop.

From the revelations, it is observed that the fundamental specifications of the Plus version of Mi Note are identical to Mi Note Pro. Also the GeekBench scores, the Mi Note Plus stood close to HTC One M9 with single-core score at 1282 and multi-core score at 3928. The Mi Note Plus, on the other hand, scored 1235 and 4039 in single-core and multi-core score respectively.

We doubt Xiaomi’s new offering will give th Galaxy S6 tough competition, but given the price range of the Galaxy S6, the Mi Note Plus is expected to attract more customers. Recently, Lin Bin, Co-Founder and President of Xiaomi also hinted that a special edition of Mi Note would be coming out soon. The fresh device is expected to release today. It is uncertain if Xiaomi is pointing to the Plus version as the special edition, but once the firm makes the announcement, things will come to light.

March 17, 2015
Report : Xiaomi is Building its First Smartwatch

Xiaomi smartphones have been well received world over. The company has expanded itself to various sections with Mi purifiers, power banks and pen drives. The Chinese electronics producer had not shown any inclination to smartwatches till now, but the rumour mill suggest another story. Xiaomi seems to have taken the recently launched Apple Watch as a challenge and according to a report, the China’s Apple is working furiously to gain a foothold in the smartwatch segment.

GSM Arena recently reported a few features of Xiaomi’s first smartwatch. According to the source, the Xiaomi smart watch will be clad in an elegant metal design and boast a circular dial. Also, it is said to equip a pulse wave velocity determiner that keeps a check on the stiffness of arteries. Overall, Xiaomi’s upcoming smartwatches will gauge your internal body activities all the time.

Xiaomi isn’t only known for its smartphones, the company recently unveiled a super affordable action camera.

For the time being, these are just reports and there’s no solid proof of its authenticity. Very scarce details are known about the watch, but from the little information, it can be said that Xiaomi is prepping to answer back to its competition. The company is renowned for providing superior specs at affordable prices like the new Mi Pad, Mi Note, and most recently, a super cheap action camera. It’s an easy conclusion, if the news turns out to be real, Xiaomi’s first smartwatch will be priced lesser than the other wearables in the market.

March 16, 2015