Xiaomi Redmi Y1, Y1 Lite go on sale at Amazon, Mi Store: Know prices, specs

Xiaomi’s Redmi Y1 and Redmi Y1 Lite went on sale at noon on Wednesday, November 15, on the Amazon India and Mi store platforms. The Redmi Y1, with 32 GB storage and 3 GB RAM, is priced at Rs 8,999, while its premium variant with 64 GB storage and 4 GB RAM costs Rs 10,999. The Redmi Y1 Lite is priced at Rs 6,999.

We reviewed the Redmi Y1 to test its selfie camera capabilities, besides the overall smartphone performance. Here are our observations:

Camera

The Redmi Y1 sports a 16-megapixel front camera, coupled with an LED flash. The images captured using the selfie shooter come out clean, but show heavy post-processing. The soft flashlight assists in taking low-light shots but limits the use only to selfies. The overall picture quality is nothing exceptionally good but praiseworthy for its price segment.

The 13MP rear camera takes better photographs than the higher resolution front-facing selfie camera. It performs well in bright lighting but shakes in low-light conditions.

Performance

This selfie-centric smartphone is no powerhouse. Running on Qualcomm’s entry-level Snapdragon 435 SoC, it does well in daily tasks like checking emails, browsing the web, calling and messaging, with no signs of a lag. The performance takes a toll, however, during processor-intensive tasks like broadcasting live video on social media channels for extended hours or playing games while keeping screen recorder active in the background.

The dual-SIM smartphone offers VoLTE capabilities on both SIMs, with good network reception and a satisfactory call quality. Also, there is a dedicated memory card slot that comes in handy for additional storage.

The smartphone runs Android Nougat 7.1.1 out of the box, covered under MIUI 8.5. The recently announced MIUI 9 Global ROM is scheduled to come sometime this month.

Design

The smartphone wears a metallic finish that looks premium. The front is covered with a 5.5-inch HD screen, which is bright but marred at times by limited pixels per inch. The screen is covered with a 2.5D Gorilla Glass that blends perfectly in the chassis.

The sensor placed on the back recognises fingerprints quickly, even if your fingers are moist. It takes almost no time to unlock the screen, irrespective of how you are holding the phone in your hand.

Battery

The Redmi Y1 houses a 3,080 mAh battery that keeps the show running for almost a day. The software-optimised battery assistant helps keep the phone running optimally but requires regular check-ups to clean the processes that drain the battery in the background.

Verdict

With a price starting at Rs 8,999 for the base model, the Xiaomi Redmi Y1 meets the need of selfie lovers. Being a budget smartphone, the Redmi Y1 seems like an updated Redmi 4 with a few major changes here and there. In the sub-Rs 10,000 price segment, the smartphone could be a challenger to the Asus Zenfone 4 Selfie.

OnePlus 5T leak hints slim bezels, 18:9 screen: Here’s speculations roundup

China-based smartphone maker OnePlus is reportedly working on the next iteration of its current year flagship OnePlus 5. Dubbed as ‘OnePlus 5T’, the upcoming smartphone’s image render has been leaked by Evan Blass on Twitter.

In a photo post uploaded on Twitter by Evan Blass, a famous tipster known for sharing inside information in the technology space, the upper front side of the still unconfirmed OnePlus 5T is revealed. Based on the image, it can be assumed that the phone will sport super slim bezels on sides and marginally slim bezels on top compared to its predecessor.

Based on earlier reports, the OnePlus 5T is also believed to sport a big 6-inch Optic AMOLED screen in 18:9 aspect ratio format with FHD+ resolution. Just like other smartphones with ultra-wide screens, the OnePlus 5T is reported to sport a fingerprint scanner on the back that will allow the phone to accommodate a big screen on the front with small bezels.

Recently, an online technology information portal, Android Authority, released OnePlus 5T’s purported picture render that showed the phone from an angle revealing the almost similar build but with a new widescreen and no fingerprint scanner on the front.

The smartphone’s benchmark report on Antutu hints at the specification of the upcoming device. According to the benchmark report, the OnePlus 5T might not see major changes under the hood and is reported to run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, coupled with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage. However, the report also hints that the new phone would sport an upgraded dual camera set-up with 20-megapixel lenses powering both the sensors this time, instead of the 20+16 MP setup that was there in OnePlus 5. Also, with a 6-inch screen in 18:9 aspect ratio, the resolution will take a bump to FHD+ and the phone will house a bigger battery than its predecessor. 

OnePlus CEO Pete Lau on October 25 tweeted an image of the soon-to-be-launched OnePlus 5T. Before the launch of OnePlus 5 also, the company’s CEO used the same trick to highlight the imaging prowess of the smartphone’s camera.

The upcoming smartphone is believed to carry a $549 price tag, according to third-party e-store Oppomart. The store listed OnePlus 5T on its portal and also put it on pre-orders with shipping date marked as end of November.

Foldable iPhone coming! Apple partners LG for OLED smartphone screens

As Samsung plans to launch a bendable smartphone “Galaxy X” in 2018, Apple has reportedly begun work on a foldable iPhone with LG Display.

According to a report in the Korean website The Investor, Apple has decided to go with LG and not Samsung (Samsung OLED displays are the best in the industry) owing to the fear that specifications could be leaked as Samsung is its arch-rival.

“According to The Bell, LG Display recently created a task force to develop a foldable OLED screen for the new iPhone model,” the report said on Thursday.

The foldable iPhone panel production could start from 2020.

LG has reportedly completed its own foldable OLED panel prototype and has been upgrading the durability and the yield rate.

The company recently started its first OLED production for phones at its E5 plant in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province.

Also Read: Apple receives US patent to create self-adjusting watch band

Apple is also considering investing in LG to speed up OLED production.

Meanwhile, Samsung is exclusively supplying panels for the latest iPhone X — the first OLED iPhone.

“Amid Samsung’s near monopoly in mobile OLED production, Apple has been strengthening its partnership with LG Display, its long-time LCD partner,” the report added.

In 2017, Samsung will hold approximately 89 percent of the AMOLED (active matrix OLED) display panel market, analysts at UBI Research said recently.

Currently, some smartphones that feature OLED screens are iPhone X, Samsung Galaxy S8, Samsung Galaxy S8+, Samsung Galaxy Note 8, OnePlus 5, LG V30 and Vivo X9s.

The Samsung “Galaxy X” is likely to make an appearance during the CES consumer technology show in January.

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 launching tomorrow: specifications, features & more

Catching up on the bezel-less screen race in the smartphone domain, China-based smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi is gearing up to launch its flagship bezel-less device Mi Mix 2 in India on October 10.

The smartphone, an improvement on the concept of Mi Mix that was launched in China last year, boasts flagship specifications and features. The device sports a 5.99-inch display in 18:9 aspect ratio and is powered by Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 845 SoC. The curved body of the phone is made from airplane grade 7-series aluminum alloy frame, which helps the phone shed some weight in comparison with Mi Mix.

The smartphone comes with three storage variants and two RAM variants. In China, the phone comes with 64/128/256 GB storage with 6 GB RAM or a 128 GB storage with 8 GB RAM. It is yet to be seen if Xiaomi brings all the storage and RAM variants to India.

Here are the key features of the Mi Mix 2: 

5.99-inch screen in 18:9 aspect ratio

12% reduced chin size

Hidden speaker & proximity sensor

Snapdragon 835, 6GB RAM

Sony IMX386 sensor, 1.25μm large pixels

4-axis optical image stabilization

Four-sided curved ceramic body

7-series aluminium alloy frame

Global LTE support, 6 modes 43 bands

After successful run of Redmi 4 and Mi A1, Xiaomi has once again partnered Flipkart for online sales of its flagship Mi Mix 2 smartphone in India.

Coolpad Cool Play 6: Heavy-duty phone at reasonable price for Rs 14,999

Be it for gaming, chatting on social media, or watching videos and movies, almost everybody — not just a fortunate few — now needs a heavy-duty phone that works fast without screaming for a battery charge after a few hours of use.

Chinese smartphone maker Coolpad’s Cool Play 6, launched in India for Rs 14,999, may make it possible for many to own one without burning a hole in their pocket.

What works for the device?

Coolpad Cool Play 6 comes in a metal body and the rounded edges of the phone provide an easy grip. The phone, which is now available in gentle gold colour on Amazon, looks pretty decent at this price point.

Powered by a 1.95GHz Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 653 processor, Cool Play 6 is now the most affordable 6GB RAM smartphone in the country. Once charged to its capacity, its massive 4,000 mAh battery ensures you can put it to all kinds of use for almost an entire day without plugging in again. The phone offers fixed 64GB of internal storage.

In comparison, the 4GB RAM Moto G5 Plus, which is available for the same price, has a 3,000mAh battery and offers 32GB internal memory. Honor 6X with 64GB internal memory will cost you Rs 1,000 less, but it has a 3,340mAh battery and provides 4GB RAM.

Cool Play 6 runs on the Android 7.1 Nougat operating system. In fact, in terms of specifications, many of Cool Play 6 features are comparable to phones which cost double the price. And in terms of performance too, it does not disappoint.

The phone is targeting gamers and its 5.5-inch IPS full HD-display works equally well for those who want to use it for watching movies. Another plus is its speaker, which offers clear sound. Running the device for three consecutive hours does not make you feel it is heating up.

Besides the powerful processor, time-tested operating system and a massive battery, one more area where the phone is likely to strike the right chord with its users is its camera which can open a whole new world for those willing to experiment with photography.

Both the 13 MP + 13 MP dual primary camera and an 8 MP front shooter for selfies produce impressive photos. With the primary camera, one can even shoot SLR-level bokeh photos. To highlight an area in the picture you are taking, all you need to do is tap the screen.

The monochrome sensor also allows you to experiment with arty pictures and videos. While the HDR option can help you add a dynamic range to your photographs, the Pro mode can help make your pictures look professional. The device is equipped with night mode and flash too. There is also an option to record videos in slow motion.

The phone supports dual Nano SIM cards and USB Type-C reversible connector. The fingerprint sensor works quite fast. An intriguing feature of the phone is the Dual App which allows you to run two Facebook accounts on the same device.

What doesn’t work?

Design is one area where the makers of the phone could have worked more. Compared to the hardware and software it has, the design is no match. So it fails to stand out at first glance.

The phone is also slow at charging. It takes an hour to charge just around 25 per cent of the battery. Some people may find it annoying, especially because several phones at this price range come with speed-charging features.

And, surprisingly, the phone also does not offer an option to expand its 64GB memory.

Conclusion: Overall, we find the device quite sturdy for a below 15K device. And given the fact that Coolpad is coming up with more of its exclusive service centres in India, which is one of its most important overseas markets, Cool Play 6 has the potential to make the country’s “game of phones” under 20K a lot more competitive.

Details out! Xiaomi launches Mi A1, an Android One smartphone, at Rs 14,999

Xiaomi India has launched Mi A1, an Android One smartphone in partnership with Google, at Rs 14,999 in India. The device will go on sale on September 12 on Flipkart and Mi Store — as well as offline channels. The phone will be available in three colour options – Black, Rose Gold and Gold.

Xiaomi India has launched Mi A1, an Android One smartphone in partnership with Google, at Rs 14,999 in India. The device will go on sale on September 12 on Flipkart and Mi Store — as well as offline channels. The phone will be available in three colour options – Black, Rose Gold and Gold.

The Mi A1 is the first device from the stable of Xiaomi to run stock Google Android instead of Mi user interface, which has been part of all other Xiaomi devices. The partnership with Google should assure timely future updates and stock Android user experience.

 Apart from stock Google Android, the key feature of Mi A1 is its dual camera setup at the back that utilises dual 12 megapixel sensors – wide angle and telephoto lens. The telephoto 50mm telephoto lens captures the main image and wide-angle lens measures the depth of field to create bokeh effect, which blurs the background. The dual camera setup enables up to 2x optical zoom capabilities and up to 10x digital zoom.

The Mi A1 sports a 5.5-inch full HD screen protected with curved glass. The device is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor, coupled with 64 GB internal storage and 4 GB RAM. The smartphone comes bundled with free unlimited storage on Google Photos to sync and store images and videos on Google cloud platform.

The smartphone features fingerprint sensor placed at the top centre and comes with a dedicated amplifier for enhanced audio output. Xiaomi has partnered telecom major Airtel to offer additional 200 GB 4G data to subscribers who buy the Mi A1.

Kodak Ektra: Genuine camera-smartphone blend or merely selling nostalgia?

Known for its stellar film-based cameras in the 1980s and 90s, the name Kodak brings a certain sense of nostalgia to people born in those decades. The brand has lost much of its sheen with digital cameras becoming more popular and smartphones sporting advanced camera features.

But now, to cater to millennials’ growing demand for digital content and smart features, Kodak has decided to reinvent itself by blending its expertise in making cameras with new-age smartphones. The latest Kodak product, the Ektra, is a camera-first smartphone named after the classic 35mm cutting-edge film-based camera introduced in the 1940s.

Does the Kodak Ektra live up to its branding as a camera-first smartphone? Or is it just nostalgia that Kodak is trying to sell? Business Standard takes a look:

In terms of its operability as a smartphone, the Ektra seems below par. It runs the rather outdated Android Marshmallow operating system with camera-based bloatware apps added by Kodak. The Mediatek X20 processor works fine during regular use but fails to deliver on heavy usage. Also, the graphic processing unit (GPU) appears to be on the weaker side, so the phone skips frames, lags and warms up while playing heavy games like Asphalt 8 and Need for Speed.

Karbonn Aura Note 2 review: The phone that flaunts simplicity

Two months back in June, Karbonn mobiles had launched its Aura Note 2 series to be available in three shades- blue, champagne coffee and black. The smartphone is priced at Rs 7,790. Here, is a closer look at the phone:

Design– Karbonn’s Aura Note 2 flaunts a sleek 115 mm-long body, complemented with a matt finished case at the back, giving it an appealing image.  The silver lining running along the length of the phone on either sides that are no more than 8 mm thick add to the elegance of its overall appearance. In terms of branding, the phone is clearly trying to sell the lean look and is successful in owning it. 

Display– With a 5.5-inch HD display, the phone offers a decent screen size for video streaming without being too stressful for this reviewer’s pair of bespectacled eyes. The range of in-built wallpapers is not exciting but not disappointing either as one gets to choose from several categories, including solid colours. The default font and display size is also reader-friendly and the adaptive brightness feature comes in handy.

Hardware– Powered by a 1.25 GHz Quad Core Processor, the dual-SIM phone offers a 2GB RAM and an internal storage of 16 GB- this, however, means that you have an available space of 8.32GB. Despite taking around 3 hours to charge, the battery lasts long enough to get through the day as it offers a talktime of 8 hours and a standby time of 192 hours.

Software– Karbon Aura Note 2 runs on Android 7.0 Nougat and the phone lags a bit with the heavy use of game apps like Mini Militia. The Vistoso application uses artificial technology to create painted versions from saved pictures that can be then printed on merchandise including coffee mugs, T-shirts and bags. The Fashion eye app also uses AI to match wardrobe to pictures that act as samples to prompt an apparel list either on the basis of the identified raw material of the cloth or its print.

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Camera– The 13-megapixel rear camera works fine but a few blurred pictures can be expected since the autofocus feature takes some time to set in. The LED flash, however, comes very handy during dim light conditions. The phone offers a 5 MP front camera and has little to offer as the image quality is not impressive.

The X-factor- The phone has a few unique features like the automatic off/on setting that allows users to pre-set the time for switching a phone off and on. It is great battery saving measure, especially for those who tend to charge their phones during nights and end up either overcharging it or forgetting to plug in the charger. Similarly, the Do Not Disturb setting is also an interesting feature that allows users to limit contact. Users can save select contacts of people, whose calls will come through.  Other calls and message s will not be allowed or received. 

Coolpad Cool Play 6 launched for Rs 14,999, to be sold online from Sep 4

 The 6GB RAM Coolpad Cool Play 6 smartphone launched for the Indian market at Rs 14,999 will be available exclusively on Amazon from September 4, the company has said.

The phone unveiled here on Sunday at an event comes in a metal body and sports a bezel display. It has a 5.5-inch Full HD display with 1080 x 1980 pixels screen resolution.

Powered by 1.95GHz Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 653 processor Cool Play 6 would be the most affordable 6GB RAM smartphone in India. It also has a fingerprint sensor.

India and the US have now become two of the largest markets for Coolpad overseas.

“We have always believed in launching products that start a trend in the market and Cool Play 6 is yet another winner from Coolpad,” James Du, Global CEO, Coolpad Group, told reporters.

“We are also coming with exclusive Coolpad services centres in India with plan to have these in at least five cities in the next six months,” Du said.

The phone will be available exclusively on Amazon.in from September 4, in two colour variants — gold and black, Coolpad announced.

The phone offers 64GB of internal storage and packs 13 MP + 13 MP dual primary camera and a 8 MP front shooter for selfies.

It has 4000 mAh, non-removable Li-Po battery with a standby time up to 300 hours, with support for USB Type-C reversible connector and Dual SIM (Nano), the company said.

The phone runs on Android 7.1.1. The Android 8.0 OTA update will be provided by December, Coolpad said.

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“In the last couple of years Coolpad has done well and we have beaten even our own estimates. Year 2017 has been a game changer for Coolpad in India and we continue to put our resources in the country with a plan to achieve 50 per cent growth to extend our market share to six per cent of the total market in India,” Syed Tajuddin, CEO, Coolpad India, said.

“We already have offline presence in eight states with a reach in 3,000 multi-brand outlets and have plans to expand it to a total number of 18 states in the next one year,” Tajuddin said.

“Coolpad smartphones have a 25 per cent market share on Amazon in the Rs 8,000 category,” he added.

Independence Day offer: Buy OnePlus 5 and get free flip cover, other deals

Planning to buy the OnePlus 5? Why wait – this is one of the ideal times to buy it as OnePlus is offering a free flip cover to those who purchase the phone on or before August 15.

Along with a free flip cover, buyers can also avail 50 per cent off on OnePlus Bullets (V2), OnePlus 5 Essentials Bundle at 10 per cent off when purchased with the Oneplus 5 device.

The OnePlus 5 flip cover normally costs Rs 1,290 and are available in two colours- Black and Grey. The OnePlus 5 costs Rs 32,999 for 6GB RAM and Rs 37,999 for the 8GB variant. 

Today is also the last day of Amazon Great Indian Sale. Amazon is offering a discount of Rs 2000 on OnePlus 3T with 6GB RAM + 64GB memory. Hence, it will be sold at a price of Rs 27,999.

ALSO READ: Amazon Great Indian Sale: 50% off on smartphones, home appliances, fashion

With its flagship OnePlus 5, launched in India on June 22, smartphone manufacturer OnePlus has shrugged off other Chinese handset makers’ strategy of targeting the budget smartphone segment. The result: A smartphone that is the priciest OnePlus device but the most affordable flagship product. 

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