Xiaomi earlier this week has launched the Mi MIX 3, Black Shark Helo Gaming Phone. It also launched the 6GB RAM variant of the Mi A2 in India. Meizu has launched the Note 8, OPPO introduced the R15x in China and lots more from this week in our weekly roundup.
Xiaomi’s Black Shark launched the Black Shark Helo Gaming Phone has a 6.01-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with HDR support even in games with independent image processing chip, is powered by Snapdragon 845 SoC with up to 10GB RAM, two liquid cooling pipes to keep the phone cool when gaming by reducing the CPU’s core temperature by up to 12-degree, compared to 8-degree in the predecessor.
The Xiaomi Black Shark Helo is priced at 3199 yuan (US$ 416 / Rs. 33,920 approx.) for the 6GB RAM with 128GB storage version, 8GB RAM with 128GB storage version costs 3499 yuan (US$ 504 / Rs. 37,100 approx.) and the top-end 10GB RAM with 256GB storage version with both right and left gamepads costs 4199 yuan (US$ 605 / Rs. 44,520 approx.). It will be available for order from today and will go on sale in China from October 30th.
Xiaomi also announced Mi MIX 3, the company’s latest flagship smartphone in the Mi MIX series at an event in China. It has a 6.39-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display 93.4% screen-to-body ratio, thanks to narrow bottom bezels which is reduced by 4.46mm compared to the Mi MIX 2S. It also has a customized antenna design so the antenna space is reduced by 72%. It is powered by Snapdragon 845 with up to 10GB of RAM, has support for Google ARCore and runs Android 8.1 (Oreo) with support for AI voice assistant as well as a dedicated AI button to launch it.
The Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 comes in Onyx Black, Jade Green, and Sapphire Blue colors, is priced at 3299 yuan (US$ 474 / Rs. 34,800 approx.) for the 6GB RAM with 128GB storage version, 3599 yuan (US$ 518 / Rs. 37,965 approx.) for the 8GB RAM with 128GB storage version, 8GB RAM with 256GB storage version costs 3999 yuan (US$ 575 / Rs. 42,185 approx.) and the top-end 10GB RAM with 256GB storage ‘The Palace Museum’ Special Edition that comes with 24K gold-coated bronze statue costs 4999 yuan (US$ 719 / Rs. 52,770 approx.). It will go on sale in China from November 1st.
Xiaomi launched the Mi A2 Android One smartphone in India in 4GB RAM with 64GB RAM version back in August. After over three months, the company has launched the top-end version of the phone in the country. It comes with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. The Xiaomi Mi A2 6GB RAM with 128GB storage version is priced at Rs. 17,999, which is for a limited period says the company, so it might increase later. The new version of Mi A2 is already available from Amazon.in. Check out our Mi A2 review, if you are planning to get the phone.
Meizu has announced Note8, the company’s latest mid-range smartphone in China, as it had promised. It has a 6-inch Full HD+ 18:9 aspect ratio display, is powered by Snapdragon 632 with 4GB of RAM, runs Android 8.1 (Oreo) with flyme OS on top, has a 12-megapixel rear camera with Dual PD auto focus, Sony IMX362 sensor, f/1.9 aperture along with a 5-megapixel secondary camera for portraits. It has an 8-megapixel front camera with support for face unlock. The Meizu Note8 comes in Black, Blue, Purple and Red colors, is priced at 1298 yuan (US$ 186 / Rs. 13,680 approx.) and will go on sale in China from November 1st.
OPPO has announced the R15x in China. It has similar specifications as the recently-announced K1. It sports a 6.4-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with Waterdrop notch display with screen-to-body ratio up to 91% for a more immersive experience, Octa-Core Snapdragon 660 AIE with 6GB RAM, ColorOS 5.2 based on Android 8.1 (Oreo), 16MP rear camera with LED flash, secondary 2MP camera and a 25MP front-facing camera. It has in-display Fingerprint sensor, 3D glass back and a 3600mAh battery.
The OPPO R15x comes in Glacial Silver and Nebula colors, is priced at 2499 yuan (US$ 360 / Rs. 26,410) for the 6GB RAM with 128GB storage version and will go on sale in China from November 1st. It is also expected to be go on sale in offline markets in China, hence the price is higher compared to the K1 that has similar specifications.
Google has quietly launched its third-generation Chromecast in India, after it was introduced at the Pixel event earlier this month. It still has a circular design with built-in HDMI cable and it comes with Wi-Fi 802.11ac (2.4GHz/5Ghz) support, however the Wi-Fi reception has been improved with maximum antenna gain of 4dBi compared to Chromecast 2’s 2.1dBi gain, which is about 50% improvement. The Google Chromecast 3 comes in Charcoal color, is priced at Rs. 3,499. It is available from Flipkart. It comes with a one-year Sony LIV Premium subscription along with a six-month Gaana Plus subscription.
Samsung has introduced Galaxy A6s, a new mid-range smartphone as well as A9s in China. The A6s has a 6-inch FHD+ display, is powered by Snapdragon 660 with 6GB of RAM, runs Android 8.1 (Oreo), has a 12-megapixel rear camera with f/1.8 aperture, Dual Pixel technology along with a secondary 5-megapixel camera for AI portrait shots, and a 12-megapixel front camera.
The Samsung Galaxy A6s comes in Black, Red and Blue colors and is priced at 1799 yuan (US$ 258 / Rs. 18,975 approx.) for the 64GB storage and the 128GB storage version costs 2199 yuan (US$ 316 / Rs. 23,190 approx.). The Galaxy A9s comes in Black, Blue and Pink colors, only in 128GB storage version and costs 3499 yuan (US$ 503 / Rs. 36,905 approx.). These are available for pre-order in China and will go on sale from next week.
Infinix has launched Hot S3X, the company’s latest mid-range smartphone in the ‘Hot S’ series in India. It has a 6.2-inch HD+ 19:9 display with a notch, has a 12-megapixel rear camera along with a secondary 2-megapixel camera for portait shots and a 16-megapixel front camera with selfie flash, 4-in-1 pixel technology merges 4 pixels into one pixel, which helps in capturing more light for better quality selfies, AI beauty algorithm that scans up to 255 facial points. The Infinix Hot S3X comes in Ice Blue, Sandstone Black and Tradewinds Gray colors, is priced at Rs. 9999 and will go on sale exclusively on Flipkart during “Big Diwali Sale” starting from 1st to 5th November.
RED, popular for its high-end cameras announced its entry into phone market with the RED HYDROGEN ONE Android smartphone with world’s first holgraphic display last year. Last week, at an event in NYC, the company confirmed the complete specifications and also detailed the content strategy. The phone has 5.7-inch QHD 4-View Lightfield Display that the company says will create an experience that goes beyond 3D—with no glasses required. Powered by Nanotechnology, the display delivers
realistic depth, light and textures bringing content to life in fundamentally new ways.
The RED HYDROGEN ONE went on pre-order last year at $1,195 (Rs. 87,550 approx.) for aluminium version and $1,595 (Rs. 1,16,770 approx.) for titanium version. The company is already shipping out the pre-orders and is getting ready for launch.
Xiaomi-backed Yeelight has launched its Smart LED Lights, Motion Sensor, Aurora Lightstrip Plus and Yeelight Candela Rechargeable LED Candle Light and Aurora Lightstrip Plus RGB Wireless Strip Light Kit and Yeelight Motion Sensor Night Light Battery Powered USB Rechargeable LED Night Light in India. These LED Bulbs and the Aurora Lightstrip Plus works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and IFTTT. The Yeelight Smart LED Light Bulb – Rs. 2,799, Yeelight Smart Tunable White LED Bulb – Rs. 2,499, Yeelight Motion Sensor Night Light – Rs. 1,799, Yeelight Candela – Rs. 4,999, Yeelight Aurora Light Strip Plus – Rs. 1499 (3.3FT/1M Extension) / Rs. 3999 (6.5FT/2M).
Sony India has launched DSC-WX800 compact camera with world’s smallest body in the Cyber-shot line-up. It offer versatile zoom range from 24mm at the wide end up to 720mm super-telephoto. In addition to 4K recording, it has BIONZ X image processing engine combined with a front-end LSI that delivers high-speed continuous shooting at up to 10 fps with a buffer limit of up to 155 images. The Sony DSC-WX800 is priced at Rs. 34,990 and will be available across all Sony Center, Alpha Flagship stores and major electronic stores across India from 29th October, 2018 onwards.
Panasonic has launched Eluga Z1 and Z1 Pro, two new smartphones in the Eluga series. These have 6.19-inch HD+ notch display, powered by MediaTek Helio P22 SoC, comes with 13-megapixel rear camera along with a secondary 2-megapixel camera with AI features, 8-megapixel front camera with AI beautify, LED flash and face unlock. The Panasonic Eluga Z1 and Z1 Pro smartphones come in Black, Gold and Blue colors, are priced at Rs. 14,490 and Rs. 17,490 respectively and will be available from offline stores starting October 31st,2018.
Saregama has entered into a strategic partnership with audio brand Harman Kardon, by HARMAN, for the launch of next generation of Carvaan range of products. The first product from this partnership, Carvaan Gold has been launched just in time for festival season. The Saregama HARMAN Carvaan Gold is priced at Rs. 14,990 and comes in Champagne Gold and Rose Gold colors.
After so much hype, HTC has introduced its new blockchain-powered smartphone, “EXODUS 1,” as it promised. Right from the way how consumers can order the devices, the EXODUS 1 is wholly dedicated to blockchain encryption. The Exodus 1 sports similar specifications as the HTC U12+, including a 6-inch QHD+ 18:9 display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, 6GB RAM, 128GB storage, dual rear cameras, 8-megapixel dual selfie cameras with a bokeh effect, Android Oreo, dust- and water-resistant body with a rating of IP68 and a 3500mAh battery.
EXODUS 1 can be purchased through the early access program website and will be available in 34 countries including the US, Taiwan, HK, Singapore, New Zealand, UK, Austria, Norway, and other European countries. However, it can be purchased only using Bitcoin or Ethereum and will cost 0.15 Bitcoin or 4.78 Ethereum (roughly around $960 or Rs. 70,565). It will ship from December 2018.
HP has introduced the redesigned the Spectre x360 13 and HP Spectre x360 15. These come with Bang & Olufsen audio and come with aluminum CNC machining. The dual chamfer design makes the lid easier to lift from three sides. There is also a privacy camera kill switch allows the user to electrically turn off the webcam when not in use.
The HP Spectre x360 13 will be available in November at a starting price of $1,149.99 (Rs.84,265 approx.). The device is expected to be available at Best Buy stores in December. The HP Spectre x360 15 will be available in November at HP.com for a starting price of 1,389.99 (Rs.1,01,851 approx.). The device is expected to be available at Best Buy stores in December. The HP EliteBook x360 1040 will be available at the end of October at HP.com for a starting price of $1,499 (Rs. 1,09,839 approx.). The HP USB Fingerprint Mouse will be available in December at HP.com for a starting price of $49 (Rs. 3,590 approx.). The HP EliteDisplay E243d Docking Monitor will be available in December at HP.com for a starting price of $329 (Rs. 24,104 approx.).
Lexar has introduced the world’s highest-capacity 512GB microSD with support for Application Performance Class 1 (A2) requirements from the latest SD Association’s 6.0 specifications to help launch and load apps faster, compared to A1. This offers up to 100MB/s transfer speed. The 512GB Lexar 633x microSDXC UHS-I card is available late-October at MSRP of US$299.99 (Rs. 21,940). Lexar will be showcasing it at this year’s PhotoPlus Expo held at Javits Convention Center in New York City, New York, from October 25th – 27th.
Samsung Electronics has announced a new advanced display technology for the HMD Odyssey+, bringing true-to-life Windows mixed reality space through the Windows Mixed Reality Platform. It comes with exclusive Anti-Screen Door Effect (Anti-SDE) Display innovation. The Samsung HMD Odyssey+ is already available at the Microsoft store and Samsung.com and is priced at $499 (Rs. 36,823 approx.). The company says that it will soon be available in other regions including Korea, China, Hong Kong, and Brazil.
Samsung has introduced Flash, its new laptop with Intel’s 802.11 ac 2X2 Gigabit wireless LAN card that supports speeds up to 1.7 gigabytes per second. It sports a 13.3-inches Full HD display and is customized for network services of KT Corp. mobile carrier. The new Flash laptop is available in White, Charcoal and Coral, colors with a retro-looking keyboard and is priced at 820,000 won ($715 / Rs. 52,360 approx.).
Four Indian brands; iBall, Sirena Technologies, boAt, and MyBox have announced products with Alexa built-in. These brand new products will enable users to ask questions, play music, control smart home devices, and more – hands-free. These four devices include Breathe-M, Vood, and boAt Stone 700A shockproof, waterproof smart speaker. Breathe-M from iBall wireless Bluetooth over-ear headset with built-in Mic is priced at Rs. 2,225. Vood portable smart speaker cost Rs. 2,699. It will be available from mid-November. boAt Stone 700A shockproof, waterproof smart speaker is priced at ₹7,999. MyBox Alexa Kit for the set-top box (STB), paired with a voice remote costs Rs.1,999.
Toreto has launched two new wireless headsets; the Thunder Pro and Explosive Pro. These are stylish and easy to operate headsets that come with extra bass. It connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth and has a range of up to 10m. The Toreto Thunder Pro is priced at Rs. 2,999 and comes in classic Black color. On the other hand, the Explosive Pro costs Rs. 2,299 and is available Red and Black colors. The Thunder Pro and Explosive Pro are available at all retail stores and on Amazon.in starting as low as Rs. 1,609.