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Xiaomi Mi MIX Nano rumored to make a debut in early December

Alexandra Arici
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Last week a few pictures showcasing the smaller variant of the Xiaomi Mi MIX, dubbed Nano surfaced online.

According to the leak, the phone will abandon the huge 6.4-inch form factor of the Mi MIX and will feature a more acceptable 5.5-inch display. Well according to the most recent word on the street coming to us via Android Soul, the Xiaomi Mi MIX Nano appears to be slated for an immediate release – the first week of December to be more precise.

But this is not official information yet, so you better take this with a healthy grain of salt.

better-view-of-two-xiaomi-mi-mix-phonesOther than the smaller form factor, the Mi MIX Nano is expected to feature pretty much the same specs as the Mi MIX.

In early December we might see the Mi MIX Nano go live with a 5.5-inch display with 1080p resolution, a Snapdragon 821 processor and 4GB of RAM plus 64GB of internal storage. Apparently the phone will launch with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow but Android 7.0 Nougat will probably be offered at some point, although we don’t know exactly when.

two-xiaomi-mi-mix-phonesXiaomi is currently recruiting Android Nougat alpha testers for the Mi5 flagship, but surely other premium phones will follow.

Anyway today’s leak gives us another look at the upcoming phone, although it reveals nothing news. It’s expected the phone will land on the market with a $435 price attached to it.

xiaomi-mi-mix-vs-mix-nanoIn other news, Xiaomi has just confirmed its first time presence at CES next year in Las Vegas. The company has teased an all-new global product release. Hopefully Xiaomi meant a phone. If the Mi MIX Nano doesn’t come this December, chances are it might get unveil in Las Vegas.

Huawei gets crowned most profitable Android OEM in Q3

Alexandra Arici
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Major Android OEMs like Samsung, HTC and LG might be losing a lot of money through their mobile division, but others are thriving.

A new report coming out of Strategy Analytics reveals more data on the smartphone market in Q3. According to the information, the mobile industry posted $9.4 billion in profits.

As you can see for yourselves, 91% of that number was grabbed by Apple. In second place with only 2.4% came Huawei, which means the Chinese manufacturers can now take the crown as most profitable Android OEMs in Q3. Goodbye, Samsung!

smartphone-profit-q3In Q3 Apple took home up 8.5 billion in profits, while Huawei managed to snatch $0.2 billion. Executive director at Strategy Analytics, Neil Mawston commented on Huawei’s success. He believes that the company’s efficient supply chain, great product lineup and powerful marketing campaigns are the key ingredients to Huawei’s success.

Huawei does indeed offer a wide range of phones, from the premium P9 or newly unveiled Mate 9 to the more affordable Honor 8 and low-budget Enjoy 6.

huawei-honor-8-9Huawei is riding the wave right now. The company produced Google’s Nexus 6P and is so secure that it passed on the opportunity to make the Pixel phones, leaving that “pleasure” to HTC. We all know the Taiwanese device maker was left out of all Pixel promotional and branding affairs and Huawei would have none of that.

Strategy Analytics also names two other OEMs and to the surprise of everyone, they are also Chinese companies. They are Vivo and Oppo – both with 2.2% of global smartphone profit share (around $0.2 billion).

Vivo for example, recently unveiled a Galaxy S7 edge competitor with a dual-edged panel design, which offers some improvements over the Samsung phablet. Slowly but surely, customers seems to be migrating towards Chinese OEMs and their affordable products.

vivo-xplay6-launchesA notable absentee form the list, Samsung is trying to recover from the Galaxy Note7 fiasco. But judging buy a recent poll which claims the phablet debacle hasn’t damaged Samsung’s reputation in the US, the Korean tech giant should have no problems in making a comeback in Q4 (which is incidentally the holiday quarter).

The report clams that the global operating profit of $9.4 billion for the quarter ending in September marks a decrease from the $13.5 billion in the same time last year. With the smartphone becoming more and more ubiquitous, less people are buying a handset for the first time and this is reflected in the numbers above.

The making of UMi Plus E – the pinnacle of craftsmanship

AndroidGuys
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Nowadays, a lot of companies promise premium build quality on their smartphones, but not everyone manages to match the expectations when their product is released.

UMi, on the other hand, has always been confident about the quality of its products. The company has shown different times in the past how its products are manufactured, showing materials and productive processes used in order to achieve the ideal result.

making_plus_e_01

The UMi Plus E, the latest flagship made by the Chinese company, makes no exception. UMi recently released a video where you can see the full working process which transforms a piece of metal into the finely crafted body of the Plus , in this case the Onyx Black variant. Watch and you’ll see how much work and care is put behind every single unit.

More than 125 complex processes to making one Onyx Black UMi Plus E

The process starts when choosing the best aluminium alloy 6000 series, which is finely assembled to give the best possible tolerance when facing bumps and falls without deforming. Then, the body faces some CNC polishing processes, to give the smoothest and refined feeling to the touch: sandblasting, Anodic Oxidation, manual sand papering. After putting the logo and writings with laser, openings are made and the frame is finely worked. Then the coating is applied to give the final appearance of the device.

making_plus_e_02

While this is a very simplified description of what happens in these 125 processes, it gives the idea of how much care and attention is needed when crafting every single unit of the UMi Plus E, it’s a process which relies constantly on the experience and the craftsmanship of the artisans involved, something which would be impossible to achieve if only machines were used in the process.

About the UMi Plus E

UMi Plus E is world’s first Helio P20-powered smartphone. The phone packs an impressive 6GB LPDDR4 RAM, 64GB of internal storage (expandable up to 256GB via a microSD card), a 5.5-inch fullHD (1920 x 1080) display made by Sharp, a 4,000mAh battery with PE+ Fast Charging support, a 13-megapixel PDAF Samsung snapper placed on the back of the UMi Plus E aerospace-class aluminum chase.

A fingerprint scanner (Touch ID 2.1) is also included; the device offers support for Cat. 6 4G LTE connectivity.

Available now, you can pick up the phone for only $199.99. Heads up, though, there are only 999 pieces worldwide, so it’s first come, first served! You can also leave your comment to participate to UMi’s giveaway to win one UMi Plus E for free on the same page. Find more information about UMi Plus E here.

Samsung Galaxy S7 edge Glossy Black smiles for the camera

Alexandra Arici
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Samsung recently made available a new version of the Galaxy S7 edge. The new phones take advantage of a color hue which made a debut on the dearly departed Galaxy Note7 – Coral Blue.

Now that the Coral Blue Galaxy S7 edge is out and about, Samsung seems to be planning the release of another version. This time is the Glossy Black one.

Samsung probably wants to offer an alternative to the recently launched Jet Black iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. The folks at Sam Mobile have spotted a few images showcasing the upcoming phone on Samsung’s official Weibo account, which indicates the handset isn’t far from being released.

samsung-galaxy-s7-edge-front-viewThe Glossy Black model is quite akin to the Black Onyx one, except that instead of the matte finish, the back is now coated with a shiny layer of paint.

samsung-galaxy-s7-edge-incomingWe’re not given any extra information of when the Glossy Black model might be expected to arrive in the wild or in which markets. We can only hope the shiny black phone will land in the US, as well and won’t be limited to China and other Asian countries.

Samsung is currently looking to create more interest around the Galaxy S7 edge, in the wake of the Galaxy Note7 demise.

samsung-galaxy-s7-edge-in-boxThe Korean tech giant allows Note7 refugees to exchange their Note7 for a Galaxy S7 edge. And next year those enrolled in the Galaxy Upgrade program will be able to purchase next year’s Galaxy S8 or Note8 at half the price.

samsung-galaxy-s7-edge-backSome Galaxy Note7 owners are still having time renouncing their premium phablet and taking up the slightly older Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge instead. Some users feel like going from the Note7 to the Galaxy S7 qualifies as a downgrade, so they are waiting for the Galaxy S8 next year.

However, a new Galaxy S7 edge Glossy Black model might have the power to attract the eyes of a few customers. Or at least Samsung hopes so. What do you think?

Xiaomi announces CES 2017 presence, will unveil all-new global product [Update]

Alexandra Arici
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Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has gained quite a reputation over the past few years, which was build on its solid yet affordable smartphones.

Xiaomi is quite big in Asia at the moment, but the company hasn’t officially extended its presence in the US. Sure you can get Xiaomi products from third-party sellers, but the company doesn’t officially sell its smartphones and tablets through an online store.

But that’s about to change soon enough. Xiaomi has just confirmed its first time attendance at CES 2017 which will be hosted in Las Vegas in January. The event is one of the biggest consumer electronics tradeshows in the world, gathering iconic tech giants from around the world.

xiaomi.logo_1Xiaomi has also teased it will announce an “all-new product globally”. Naturally we’re hoping Xiaomi means a smartphone or at least a tablet. However the company produces quite a lot of devices – anything from wearables to Bluetooth speakers, so we can’t be 100% Xiaomi will launch a smartphone in Las Vegas.

Over the years, Xiaomi’s Global VP, Hugo Barra has made a point in saying the company will eventually launch a smartphone in the US. When it’s ready. Barra explained that due to the competitive nature of the American smartphone market, they are not looking to rush things.

ces-2017-flyerWe should remind you that Xiaomi did launch the Mi Box Android TV in the US earlier in 2016, so the company might want to stick to non-smartphone products for now.

Other Chinese companies are not as skittish as Xiaomi. Huawei and OnePlus for example are already offering their products in the country and other more obscure players like ZTE, LeEco or UMi are all trying to make a name for themselves in the States.

Xiaomi has announced their presence at CES 2017 via a Tweet in which it is asking fans to make guesses about the upcoming product to be unveiled at the event. However, the Tweet has been taken down, at the time of writing this article.

Nevertheless, the Xiaomi News Conference event does appear the official CES website and we’re keeping our fingers crossed that Xiaomi unveils a phone.

In recent times, the Chinese device producer unveiled the Mi Note 2 – a phablet that gives off Galaxy Note7 vibes.

xiaomi-mi-note-2-piano-blackThe phone brings to the tablet quite a powerful set of specs including a 5.7-inch display with 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution and a Snapdragon 821 chipset. Other specs include 4GB/6GB of RAM and 64GB/128GB of internal storage, 22.56MP/8MP camera combo and large 4,070 mAh battery.

Hopefully Xiaomi will announce something similar at CES 2017.

[Update]: Xioami has reached out to us to clarify that although some info characterizing the nature of the new product as being global in nature has been shared on Xiaomi’s social channels, the final market availability of said product is yet to be determined. Xiaomi will be offering more information shortly, so keep checking back for updates.

3 unlocked ASUS ZenFone 3 smartphones are now available at Amazon

Alexandra Arici
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Looking for an affordable unlocked handset this holiday season? If none of the Black Friday promotions we shared with you so far inspire you, then maybe you should look to ASUS.

The Taiwanese phone maker just made available three affordable handsets through Amazon. The first one of the three unlocked models is Amazon ZenFone 3 Max. The phone comes with an US warranty and free shipping. Here’s what you can expect to get from it:

ASUS ZenFone 3 Max

  • asus-zenfone-max-front5.2-inch display with 720 x 1280 resolution
  • MediaTek MT6736 processor (quad-core)
  • 2GB of RAM
  • 16GB of internal storage (expandable via microSD)
  • 13MP/5MP camera combo
  • Fingerprint scanner
  • LTE
  • 4,100 mAh battery
  • Android 6.0 Marshmallow
  • $149 price

As you can see the ZenFone 3 Max is quite basic, but it does offer some nifty features like the big battery that will supposedly support 20h of talk time and 18h of Wi-Fi web browsing. The fingerprint scanner onboard can also be used to activate the camera app.

asus-zenfone-max-camerasasus-zenfone-max-fingerprint-sensorasus-zenfone-max-batteryMoving on, we have the ASUS ZenFone 3 Laser which comes with slightly better specs. This is what it offers:

ASUS ZenFone 3 Laser

  • asus-zenfone-3-laser-front5.5-inch display with 1080 x 1920 resolution
  • Snapdragon 430 (octa-core)
  • 2GB of RAM
  • 32GB of internal storage (expandable via microSD)
  • 13MP/8MP camera combo
  • Fingerprint scanner
  • LTE
  • 3,000 mAh battery
  • Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
  • $199 price

asus-zenfone-3-laser-focusasus-zenfone-3-laser-craftmanshipasus-zenfone-3-laser-camerasLast but not least we have the ASUS ZenFone 3 Delux, which is offers the most advanced specs. Naturally it comes at a higher price tag, as well. Here’s what ou can expect:

 ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe

  • asus-zenfone-3-deluxe-4k-video5.5-inch display with 1080 x 1920 resolution
  • Snapdragon 625 (octa-core)
  • 4GB of RAM
  • 64GB of internal storage (expandable via microSD)
  • 16MP/8MP camera combo, main camera capable of 4K recording
  • Fingerprint scanner
  • LTE
  • 3,000 mAh battery
  • Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
  • $369 price

asus-zenfone-3-deluxe-gamingasus-zenfone-3-deluxe-processorASUS might not be the most popular smartphone seller out there, but if you’re looking for a phone with big battery or a handset with decent specs, the ZenFone 3 lineup has something to offer.

Come CES 2017 in January, ASUS is looking to launch new products that it hopes will attract customers’ interest.

The rumor mill claims the Taiwanese manufacturing has in plan to unveil a new ZenFone 4 handset and a Project Tango-based ZenFone AR. The second product could prove to be quite interesting, especially since there aren’t many Tango phones available on the market just yet.

Chuwi drops prices by 30% at retailers for holiday shopping

AndroidGuys
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What a time to be a tech shopper. Whether it’s phones, tablets, portable accessories, drones, or something else, this is the best time of the year to make a purchase. Of course you already knew that, what with all of the Black Friday promotions and discounts happening.
Chuwi, a brand we’ve profile a here on multiple occasions, has slashed prices on a number of products as part of its own Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping season. With items that span a variety of device types, there’s something for everyone. In fact, there’s a whole sub-section at AliExpress dedicated to the cause.
hi10-plus
Take the Chuwi Hi10 Plus, for instance. With a 10.8-inch display at 1920 x 1080 pixels, it’s a great size for getting things done around the home. Snap on the keyboard (sold separately), however, and now you’ve boosted your productivity.
Powered by two operating systems, Windows 10 and Android 5.1, it means you can hop from one environment to another. Separate your work from play? This is exactly the sort of thing you’ll want.
  • 10.8″ 1920 X 1280 IPS Full HD 3:2 Ratio Screen
  • Latest 2016 Intel X5 Z8350 Quad Core 64-Bit CPU
  • Windows 10 Redstone + Android 5.1 Dual OS
  • Leather Keyboard Case, Rotary Shaft Keyboard & Stylus Support
Already a bargain at $215 on a regular day, it’s discounted by 30% and now runs a mere $150. That’s a limited time price, of course, so you will want to act fast if you plan to take advantage. Plus, with only so many products on hand, you could also miss out because demand is so high.

But wait, there’s more!

Here’s a list of some other Chuwi products on sale right now. Prices and discounts are shown as are known limited quantities.

  • CHUWI Hi12 12″ Windows 10/Android 5.1 Dual OS 2in1 Stylus Tablet | Special price $229.9, original price $270.5 (15% off, limited to 100 units)
  • CHUWI HiBook Pro 10.1″ 2K 2560*1600 Intel X5 Dual OS 2in1 Tablet| Special price $186.99, original price $233.7 (20% off, limited to 100 units)
  • CHUWI Hi10 Pro 10.1″ Windows 10/Remix OS 2in1 Stylus Tablet | Special price $166.77, original price $200.93 (17% off, limited to 100 units)
  • CHUWI Hi8 8″ 1920*1200 Intel Z3736F Quad Core Dual OS Tablet | Special price $74.9, original price $93.63 (20% off, limited to 100 units)
  • CHUWI Hi10 10.1″ Windows 10/Android 5.1 Dual OS 2in1 Tablet | Special price $157.72, original price $192.34 (18% off, limited to 100 units)
  • CHUWI Hi-Power 10000mAh Two-way 18W Quick Charge 3.0 Power Bank | Special price $19.9, original price $24.9 (20% off, limited to 100 units)

Where and When to Buy

You can get started on any of these products as quickly as you’d like. Really, you should jump as soon as possible, especially for those with really low quantities.

Disclaimer: This article is a sponsored post from Chuwi; AndroidGuys does not claim any responsibility for it beyond the pre-approved links and content.

Geekbuying’s 72 Hour Shopping Carnival kicks off Black Friday

AndroidGuys
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We’re closer than ever to Black Friday and that means the snowball of deals and discounts is turning into an avalanche or sales. Nearly every major retailer, OEM, carrier, or industry player has put together some form of promotion around the shopping weekend. One such company, Geekbuying, has something special in store for the coming days.

Dubbed the 72 Hour Shopping Carnival, it’s a three-day sale that’s home to savings on phones, tablets, 2-in-1’s, wearables, and all sorts of great products at low prices. We probably don’t have to tell you, but we will anyhow; some of the discounts put items at less than half of what they normally run.

Wearables

mi_bandIf you’re looking for an activity tracker, it doesn’t get much cheaper. The Xiaomi Mi Band 1S is only going to cost a mere $9 during the campaign. Yes, that’s it! And it has a heart rate monitor in it, too!

Phones

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 Pro

xiaomi-redmi-note-4-pro

In the market for an unlocked phone? There are some downright incredible deals to be had on those, too. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 Pro, for instance is only $169.99 and packs a 5.5-inch display, 64GB storage, and a 4100mAh battery. That’s insane!

  • 5.5-inch capacitive screen, 2.5D arc screen, FHD (1920×1080 pixels) screen display,401PPI
  • CPU: Helio X20 MTK6797 deca core 64bit 2.1GHz, GPU: Mali T880 MP4 700MHz
  • MIUI 8 (Base on Android 6.0 OS), 3GB RAM +64GB ROM
  • 5.0MP front camera
  • 13.0MP back camera with PDAF foucus,f2.0 aperture and LED flash.
  • Dual SIM Card Dual Standby
  • Full metal unibody,4100 mAh battery with fast charge
  • Support 4G/3G/GPS/Bluetooth 4.2/multi-language/TOUCH ID/2.4G,5G wifi
  • Networking:2G GSM:900/1800/1900MHz
    • 3G WCDMA:850/900/1900/2100MHz, TD-SCDMA: B34/39
    • 4G FDD-LTE:850/900/1800/2100/2600MHz, TDD-LTE: 38/39/40/41MHz

Redmi 3S only $99!

The Xiaomi Redmi 3S/3S Pro features a 5-inch HD (720×1280 pixels) display and packs an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor, with four cores clocked at 1.4GHz, and four cores at 1.1GHz. The handset includes 2GB/3GB of LPDDR3 RAM, Adreno 505 GPU, as well as 16GB/32GB of inbuilt storage that’s expandable via microSD card (up to 128GB). SHOP

What Else?

Thinking about making your TV a little bit smarter? Add a set-top box that’s powered by Android 6.0 and capable of all sorts of great things! The Xiaomi 4K unit runs only $80 and delivers 4K video, Google Cast, Play Store, and all of the media you can shake a remote at.

mi_box

  • Android TV 6.0 Marshmallow
  • CPU Quad-core Cortex-A53 2.0GHz
  • GPU Mali 450 750MHz
  • RAM 2GB DDR3
  • ROM: 8GB eMMC

Worth noting is that this unit doesn’t appear to be available for those of you living in the United States. Sorry, Yankees, this one is more geared to our international readers!

Original Xiaomi VR only $11.99

GPD Win 5.5 inch Gamepad Tablet only $329.99

Xiaoyi YI 4K Action Camera II only $206.99

 

mi_mouseTime for a new mouse for your PC or laptop? Check out the Xiaomi portable mouse which connects via Bluetooth 4.0 or 2.4GHz. With 10 meters range it’s the sort of device you can use for a lean back experience on your set-top box. Moreover, it can be paired to two devices; a button lets the user swap from one unit to the other.  You’ll be able to grab this mouse for a shade over $20 once it goes on sale!

Disclaimer: This article is a sponsored post; AndroidGuys does not claim any responsibility for it beyond the pre-approved links and content.

[LEAKED] Chinese website leaks new Snapdragon chips

Andrew Orr
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Chinese website anzhuo.cn has leaked an image of specs for new Snapdragon chips by Qualcomm. Last week Qualcomm announced the Snapdragon 835, but the image reveals more details – as well as a second chip called Snapdragon 660.

Image credit: anzhuo.cn
Image credit: anzhuo.cn

It sounds like the 835 chip is going to be based on an altered Kryo 200 CPU architecture, which has eight cores – four big, four small – although the clock speeds are anyone’s guess right now. The SoC will also contain an Adreno 540 GPU and Qualcomm’s X16 LTE modem.

This chip uses Samsungs 10nm FinFET manufacturing process, which is entirely brand new and is said to bring a 30% boost in area efficiency and a possible 27% higher performance power at the same usage or 40% lower power consumption at the same performance level. The 835 chip might even work with Qualcomm’s upcoming Quick Charge 4.0.

Qualcomm’s website promises the X16 will be the world’s first gigabit-class modem, with download speeds up to 10 times as fast first generation 4G modems.

x16_gigabit

The 835 chip can also support four-channel LPDDR4X-1866 RAM, working in tandem with the UFS2.1 flash memory. The Snapdragon 835 looks like it will appear on the market in Q1 2017, and might even power the Samsung Galaxy S8.

The Snapdragon 660 SoC looks like it will use Samsung’s 14nm FinFET manufacturing process. It will be another quad-core, with four 2.2GHz cores and four 1.9GHz cores. The chip also uses the Adreno 512 GPU with an X10 LTE modem. Two-channel LPDDR4X-1866 RAM will be used with the 660. It sounds like this chip will replace the Snapdragon 652.

ZTE Axon 7, Axon 7 Mini get hefty discounts starting on Black Friday

AndroidGuys
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Not to be outdone by other smartphone makers, ZTE is discounting two of its phones for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and beyond. If you’ve had your eye on the Axon 7 or Axon 7 Mini, you will certainly want to pay attention to this weekend’s deal. We’re talking $50 and $100 discounts!

This year’s savings include:

Black Friday, Nov. 25 through Sunday, Nov. 27

  • Axon 7 Mini (Ion Gold) for $199.98 at Best Buy ($100 savings)
  • Axon 7 Mini (Platinum Gray) for $249.98 at Amazon, Best Buy, B&H, Fry’s, Newegg and ZTEUSA.com ($50 savings)

Cyber Monday, Nov. 28 – Sunday, Dec. 4

  • Axon 7 is available for $349.98 at Amazon, Best Buy, B&H, Fry’s, Newegg and zteusa.com ($50 savings)

Pretty tough stuff to pass up if you ask us!

 

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