Xiaomi Mi Mix Alpha is finally going to hit the market

The Xiaomi’s concept phone, Xiaomi Mi Mix Alpha was announced in September last year, and it features an awesome surrounding display that we’ve never seen before. With the price of ~RM 11,770, it becomes the most expensive smartphone from the company. Now, it is finally being listed on third-party online merchants like Taobao and Tmall.

Xiaomi Mi Mix Alpha was supposed to hit the market last December. Due to its unique design, the production faced technical difficulties which seem reasonable and has since been delayed. Finally, the device might be coming soon after being spotted on the popular retailers' sites, but still without a release date. On top of that, the Mi Mix Alpha is also said to be available in limited stock as the company will not be mass producing the device.

To recap, the Xiaomi Mi Mix Alpha comes with a 7.92-inch flexible S-AMOLED display that wraps around the device. With a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ chipset, it supports up to 512 GB of UFS 3.0 storage and up to 12GB of RAM. For photography, it packs a triple-camera setup that consists of 108MP (main) + 20MP (ultra-wide) + 12MP (portrait) sensors. The device packs a 4050 mAh battery as well that supports 40W fast charging technology.

Let us know what you think about this on our Facebook page. For more smartphone updates, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold 2 could have upgraded screen and under-display camera

When Xiaomi launched the Mi Mix Fold back in March 2021, it was announced that another device with a flexible display will launch later this year. This could be the Mi Pad 5 that was rumoured back in April. But it could also be the Mi Mix Fold 2.

According to MyDrivers (via Gizchina), sources claim that the Mi Mix Fold 2 is the device that's coming in Q4 2021. Compared to its predecessor, the front camera is expected to be an under-display camera. The company also plans to upgrade the flexible display to one with a 120Hz refresh rate.

The Mi Mix Fold had a 20MP camera under a punch-hole

Besides those two changes, it's said that specs would be similar to the Mi Mix Fold. Specifically, it's expected to have the same Snapdragon 888 chipset, up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and up to 512GB of UFS 3.1 storage. It's also expected to have a 5000mAh battery, 67W fast charger, 108MP main camera, and four stereo speakers.

Allegedly, the idea is to have a device that provides a notable improvement over its predecessor while staying at the same price of 9999 yuan (~RM6460). If this is true, that wouldn't be so bad. But what do you think? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for further updates on this.


Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold release: 30x zoom, foldable 8.01-inch main display, 6.52-inch 90Hz display from ~RM6315

Xiaomi has officially unveiled the Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold that’s equipped with an 8.01-inch foldable display and a secondary 6.52-inch 90Hz rear display, and it’s priced at RMB9999 (~RM6135). Unfortunately, there’s no news on whether the smartphone will be available in the local market so you might want to check back with us in the near future for more updates on the matter.

In terms of the tech specs, the Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold comes equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset, up to 16GB RAM, up to 512GB ROM, 8.01-inch foldable display, 6.52-inch 90Hz display, and a 5020mAh internal battery that supports up to 67W fast charging. In terms of the camera, it has a 108MP + 13MP + 8MP camera that’s capable of achieving up to 30x zoom.

As for the features, it comes equipped with harman / kardon speakers, WiFi5, as well as the brand new C1 chip. With that all being said, would you be interested in getting the Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold as soon as it is available in the local market? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite Malaysia release: Snapdragon 730G chipset and 5260mAh battery for RM1599

Besides the launch of the Redmi Note 9 series in Malaysia, Xiaomi also announced that the Mi Note 10 Lite smartphone will be available here. The Mi Note 10 Lite will be available in three colours of Nebula Purple, Glacier White, and Midnight Black for a retail price of RM1599. It's expected to start selling online tomorrow on 12 May 2020.

As part of the Mi Note 10 series, the Mi Note 10 Lite is an upper mid-range that's powered by a Snapdragon 730G chipset. It also comes with 8GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, a 5260mAh battery, and support for 30W fast-charging to quickly top-up that big battery. Additionally, it comes with a nice 6.47-inch AMOLED display set on a 3D curved screen so you can get more screen real estate.

In terms of features, it comes with an in-display fingerprint sensor, HDR10 support, and comes with a low blue light filter to keep your eyes from tiring. It also has a powerful quad-camera at the back, consisting of a 64MP main camera, 8MP ultrawide (120-degree FoV) camera, 2MP macro camera, and 5MP depth sensor. The front camera is a more modest 16MP selfie cam.

If you need a mid-range device with a little more power and battery, the Mi Note 10 Lite is quite a good deal in terms of its price-to-performance ratio. With that said, what are your thoughts on this new phone from Xiaomi? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news.


Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite review - A mid-range phone that is mislabeled as a lite version

By now, many new smartphones are already featuring a 108MP camera sensor and the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 series is one of them. That said, it's the company's first product to introduce a Penta 108MP camera setup and we managed to get our hands on one of the devices for review. Which one did we review? Well, it was the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite, the one that doesn't have a 108MP camera.

The Mi Note 10 Lite version was launched back in April right after the standard and pro variants were introduced. On paper, the tech and specs and features are commendable enough but using it was a different story and we mean that in a good way. Read on below to find out more through our Mi Note 10 Lite review!

Even though this device is the lite version, its design doesn't seem like a downgrade when compared to the Mi Note 10 and Mi Note 10 Pro. The device retains some of that premium look and 'feel', making it possible to mistake it for a premium device at first glance. Perhaps one of the surprising features to see on the design is that the device has a curved edge display because it's not commonly seen on a lite version.

Besides Glacier White, there is also a Midnight Black and Nebula Purple version

The quad rear camera design on the lite version is slightly different from the other two Mi Note 10 variants

The usual speaker grill, USB-C and 3.5mm headphone jack at the bottom

Side view of the SIM card tray, as well as the volume and power buttons

But it's not just the curved edge display alone that gives us that impression. There's also the Corning Gorilla Glass 5 used for the back panel that gives the Mi Note 10 Lite a really shiny look. As pretty as it may be, it will also attract fingerprint smudges all over the device but that can't be helped. If anything, we suggest getting the Glacier White model as the fingerprints won't be so obvious.

Here are the tech specs of the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite:

Since the Mi Note 10 Lite's design does not differ much from the other two Mi Note 10 variants, the tech specs are also similar and the only thing they changed is the camera setup. With that, you still get access to other features such as the Snapdragon 730G chipset, the 6.47-inch AMOLED display, and the huge 5260mAh battery. Worth it!

The in-display fingerprint sensor works well

The Xiaomi camera user interface (left) and the fast-charging animation (right)

Apart from the difference of the camera module, the other feature that the Mi Note 10 Lite is missing is the active noise cancellation (ANC), which is unfortunate but at least the 3.5mm headphone jack port is still there. Also, we found ourselves exiting some apps by accident when touching the curved edge display just by a bit. If you're not careful, it can happen quite a few times so it can be quite an annoying experience.

Coming to the performance part, we think the Mi Note 10 Lite performance is quite impressive. However, don't expect a high level of performance because this just a mid-range device after all. The scores from AnTuTu and 3DMark are 195923 and 2347 (Sling Shot Extreme - OpenGL ES 3.1) points respectively.

Despite the scores, it doesn't really bother us that much as the Mi Note 10 Lite is not designed for mobile gaming in the first place. You can still use it for social media tasks and some casual mobile gaming, the graphics settings in Call of Duty: Mobile and PUBG Mobile can even be adjusted to hit rather high framerates so that's nice.

AnTuTu score (left) and the 3DMark score (right)

PUBG Mobile graphics setting, you can only go up to HD but at least the frame rate can be maximised

On the other hand, you can max out the graphics setting in COD: Mobile

Watching videos on the phone is quite a delight too

The battery for the phone is super durable but it does depend on your phone usage. With 5260mAh, it's possible to use the Mi Note 10 Lite for almost 2 days (if you don't play games) before recharging it again. And if you were in a hurry to charge, the support for 30W quick-charging means that the phone's battery can be filled up in about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Moving on to the camera performance, we were quite satisfied with the photo quality. Thanks to its combination of the lens (ultrawide, macro, depth), we were able to take a few good shots here and there. Besides that, the HDR function is quite commendable in most situations so we think most casual users won't have any problems. Check our sample shots below!

An ultrawide lens shot, the colour contrast is still well preserved

This shot was taken in night mode at 7:40 PM

Even though this is the lite version, the phone is still capable of producing high-quality videos of up to 2160p or 4K on 30fps. One thing to also note is that during recording, the colour contrast tends to be brighter than the original environment so it's a double-edged sword there

All in all, the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite is a strong mid-range phone contender. At just RM1479, there are plenty of reasons to like this phone - premium-like design, decent performance, great battery life, and a pretty good camera even though it doesn't have a 108MP sensor like its siblings. If we really have to nitpick, then it would have to be the curved edge display causing some apps to quit when touched accidentally.

Despite that, the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite does have some competition around. There's the Huawei nova 7 SE at RM1499 and the vivo V19 at RM1699 but in all honesty, those two phones don't quite compare well with the Mi Note 10 Lite because one lacks GMS and the other features lower tech specs at a slightly higher price.

BUT what do you folks think? Do you agree with our review? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for tech gadget reviews at TechNave.com.


5 features that you probably didn't know the Huawei Nova 5T has

The Huawei Nova 5T offers plenty of flagship features with its 5AI Cameras (48MP (Sony IMX 586, F/1.8) + 16MP (Super Wide Angle, F/2.2) + 2MP (Depth Assist, F/2.4) + 2MP (Macro lens, F/2.4) quad rear camera and 32MP front camera). There's also a high-end Kirin 980 chipset, 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage making it worth much more than the RM1599 pre-order price tag it's going for.

It also helps that its also a looker in terms of design with some really stunning colours including Midsummer Purple, Crush Blue and Black. You can check it out below along with a sample pic taken with a Huawei Nova 5T for all the flagship features you'll be getting with it.

There's a lot more to the Huawei Nova 5T than just those though, so here are 5 features that you probably didn't know the Nova 5T has. Check them out below in no particular order!

Many smartphones are using the rear fingerprint sensor, the one on the home button, and the new trend is trying to have an in-display fingerprint sensor. However, there are a few (so few that you can count them with your fingers) that actually use a side-mounted fingerprint sensor and the Nova 5T is one of them. Personally, it's my favourite location.

The Nova 5T's version has one of the fastest unlocking speeds in the industry, being able to unlock in just 0.3 seconds without pressing the button! Furthermore, the way it is strategically placed on the side near the volume buttons makes the one-handed operation more convenient.

If you are tired of the typical incoming ringtone method, you can always try out Huawei's Video Ringtone feature! Introduced from its predecessor, Video Ringtone is a feature for you to make a video into a caller ID which sounds fun.

From making funny faces to cute pets, you can literally do anything on the Video Ringtone. Besides making your own recorded video, you can also download short videos from Tik Tok.

The One Tap Share or also known as Huawei Share or OneHop is also available on the Nova 5T. This allows you to transfer all your file data conveniently to a Huawei Matebook laptop such as the Matebook X Pro and the Matebook D.

With just a touch (pun intended), you can quickly transfer small and big files without having to rely on a USB cable, this includes movie files and many photo samples that you want to transfer!

Perhaps the most obvious one of all since it's just hanging out at the front in plain sight, is the O-cutout front camera, which is placed on the left for the best viewing experience because of how the videos and games rotate on the Nova 5T horizontally. Thanks to this, we aren't bothered by the O-cutout at all.

Moreover, this allowed Huawei to push the limits to a bigger screen-to-body-ratio of up to 91.7%. Granted, it's not a true fullscreen but good enough for your entertainment needs in FHD+.

Last but not least, although the Nova 5T doesn't have a 3.5mm headphone jack anymore. Don't fret, Huawei has integrated the trademark Histen audio chipset with a Virtual 9.1 Surround Sound System for your music pleasure.

To accompany your music odyssey, the Nova 5T has a Bluetooth 5.0 for the best wireless connectivity. In addition it also supports AAC, aptX, aptX HD, LDAC and HWA Audio so you get the clearest and highest quality audio wirelessly.

As announced from our coverage news, the Huawei Nova 5T is currently on pre-order for RM1599 from 29 August until 5 September 2019, bundled with exclusive gifts comprising of a Huawei Mini Speakers (RM198) and a SuperCharge Car Charger (RM127). Huawei is also offering an extended 1-year warranty to those who purchase the phone from today until 30 September 2019. The pre-order can be made at the Huawei Online Store.

You may also trade your Nova phone for the new Nova 5T through the Level-Up Program starting on 7 September 2019. You can go to the nearest participating stores and the roadshows that are listed below:

Just to add on, the MediaPad M5 Lite pre-order is also on the same period mentioned above for RM1299. The 10.1-inch tablet features a Harman Kardon certificated sound system, 7500mAh battery with QuickCharge technology, eye protection and more. Exclusive pre-order gifts include a mini speaker and an M Pen (RM268), while stocks last. If you're interested in the MediaPad M5 Lite you can also check it out here.

Stay tuned for more local tech deals at TechNave.com.


Apple iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C Malaysia telco comparison

The Apple iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C are finally fully available within Malaysia both on the Malaysian Apple Store as well as for most of the telcos in Malaysia. This includes Celcom, DiGi and Maxis for now. For a complete customizable comparison based on price, etc, check out our Technave.com:

Alternatively, you can also check out our other Celcom, DiGi and Maxis telco plans.


Xiaomi Mi Note 10 might receive a 'Lite' version that still comes with 5 cameras

Earlier, Xiaomi has launched its latest Mi 10 series globally that comes with powerful tech specs like Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 chipset and 50W fast charging. Other than that, the event also introduced to us a ‘lite’ version of the Mi 10. It appears to be a more affordable device that houses a Snapdragon 765G chipset. Now, it is rumoured that the Mi Note 10 Lite will be arriving soon as it has been certified by FCC and revealed a few exciting specs.

After the release of the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 series last year, it is surprising to know that it will be including a new member at this moment. The Mi Note 10 Lite was spotted online with a codename Xiaomi M2002F4LG. Its tech specs like a 6.4-inch FHD+ curved OLED, a Snapdragon 730G, a 5260mAh battery and support of 30W fast-charging have also been leaked.

Surprisingly, the ‘Lite’ version is actually not that ‘Lite’ at all. It will still come with five cameras including a 64MP main sensor, an 8MP wide-angle sensor, an 8MP telephoto lens, a 5MP macro lens, and a 2 MP depth sensor. The version of the system is also said to be using Android 10 with MIUI 11. If you’re curious about the price, we might have to wait until the launch to see how much cheaper the Mi Note 10 Lite is going to be.

Let us know what you think about the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more interesting tech news.


Xiaomi Mi Note 10 series with first 108MP camera starts at the price of RM2099

Today, the long-awaited Xiaomi Note 10 and Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Pro were finally announced in Malaysia for the price of RM2099 and RM2499 respectively. The devices (aka Xiaomi Mi CC9 and Mi CC9 Pro Pro in China) house a Snapdragon 730 chipset, with 5 cameras including a huge 108MP camera sensor. They also sport a 5260mAh battery that supports 30W fast charging.

The devices will be available to purchase starting from 7 December 2019. During a special launch promotion period from 7 December to 15 December 2019, you can get RM100 off for both devices with purchase of other Mi Store products. You can also get another perk which is a 12-months warranty for screen replacement if you are purchasing the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Pro.

Xiaomi Mi Note 10 series with five cameras: 108MP (main camera) + 12MP (portrait) + 20 (ultra-wide) + 5MP (telephoto) + 2MP (macro)

6.47″ 3D curved AMOLED display with a 32MP front camera

An IR blaster can be seen in the picture

Xiaomi Mi Note 10 series comes with a type-C charging port and a 3.5mm headphone jack

Volume buttons, power button and sim tray are located at the right side of the device

Xiaomi Mi Note 10 and Mi Note 10 Pro will be available in three colours

Xiaomi Mi Note 10 (6GB RAM and 128GB stograge) priced at RM2099, while the Pro variant (8GB RAM and 256GB storage) priced at RM2499

Special launch promotion for Xiaomi Mi Note 10 series

The Xiaomi Mi Note 10 and Mi Note 10 Pro are the first smartphones yet with a mass-produced 108MP camera. They can take a photo with a resolution of up to 12032 x 9024, 12 times as high as 4K resolutions. The camera also comes with a super large image sensor with a size of 1/1.33" that lets you take perfect pictures in the dark using Night Mode 2.0. There is another 2MP macro camera as well to let you take close-up photos of small objects without losing any detail.

Let us know if you are going to purchase either variant from Xiaomi Mi Note 10 series on our Facebook page! For more smartphone launches in Malaysia, stay tuned on TechNave.com.


Xiaomi Mi Note 10 with 108MP main camera and 5290mAh battery from ~RM2517

A day after the release of the Xiaomi CC9, Xiaomi has recently unveiled Xiaomi Mi Note 10 series starting from the price of 549 Euros(~RM2517) for the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 while the Xiaomi Note 10 Pro starts from 649 Euros(~RM2976). The main highlight of the Mi Note 10 series would be the fact that it comes equipped with a 108MP main camera, which is currently one of the highest in the market at the moment.

In terms of the tech specs, the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 series comes equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G chipset, 6.47-inch FHD+ display, as well as a large 5260mAh battery with 30W fast charging support. As for the camera, the smartphones come with the aforementioned 108MP main camera, 12MP telephoto lens, 8MP ultra-telephoto lens, 20MP super wide-angle and 2MP macro lens at the rear. Other than that, it also comes with a 32MP front-facing selfie camera embedded under the dewdrop notch.

The main difference between the pro and the non-pro variant would be the storage configuration, as the non-pro variant comes with only 6GB RAM + 128GB ROM and 8GB RAM + 256GB ROM for the pro. Furthermore, the non-pro comes with a 7P lens while the pro comes with an 8P lens instead.

On another note, Xiaomi also unveiled the Redmi Note 8T which comes equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 chipset, up to 4GB of RAM, up to 128GB of ROM, 6.3-inch FHD+ display and a 4000mAh battery with 18W fast charging support. Camera-wise, it has a 48MP main camera, 8MP super wide-angle lens, 2MP macro lens, 2MP depth sensor at the back and a 13MP front-facing selfie camera at the front.

The Redmi Note 8T was mentioned to be available in 3GB RAM + 32GB ROM, 4GB RAM + 64GB ROM, and 4GB RAM + 128GB ROM for the price of 179 Euros (~RM820), 199 Euros (~RM912), and 249 Euros(~RM1141) respectively. As of now, there is no official info on the Malaysia release date and local pricing of the smartphones mentioned.

Would you be interested in getting either the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 series or the Redmi Note 8T when it is available in Malaysia? Let us know on our Facebook page, and for more updates like this stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Xiaomi Mi Note 2 now available in Malaysia for RM2499

Today, the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 has landed in Malaysia for RM2499 only. As previously teased by Xiaomi Malaysia, the Mi Note 2 for Malaysia is a global edition packing beautiful dual curve display, along with huge tech-specs for the people who like it big. Below is the official specification:

Designed in glorious dual curves fashion at both sides, the display panel is OLED quality with 110% NTSC colour gamut meaning it gives off great colour contrast. It’s also worth mentioning that the HD audio quality runs at 192kHz / 24-bit resolution with lossless support, so it should be an eargasm for the audiophiles.

The main camera is a beastly one too, coming in 22.56MP (so precise lol) with phase detection autofocus to keep up with moving objects, and video stability because of EIS. The Mi Note 2 will only be sold in black at all Mi Store via Lazada.com.my, Mi Authorized Reseller Store (Penang) and other authorized sellers nationwide on 29 April 2017.


Xiaomi Mi Note Natural Bamboo Edition revealed for 2299RMB (RM1360)

Xiaomi has added a natural wood fiber back to their metal frame Xiaomi Mi Note smartphone with the release of the Mi Note Natural Bamboo Edition for 2299RMB (RM1360). Tech specs and features remain the same though but this isn't a bad thing as you still get a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB RAM, 5.7-inch full HD display, 4G LTE connectivity, 13MP rear camera with dual tone LED flash and 4MP front camera. So far, the Mi Note Natural Bamboo Edition will be available in China starting from 24 March 2015. There are no official Xiaomi Malaysia release dates just yet though as even the Mi Note has yet to break cover but if it does come soon, hopefully the Mi Note Natural Bamboo Edition comes along for the ride as well.


Xiaomi Mi Note and Mi Note Pro officially announced from 2299 CNY (RM1321)

Xiaomi has officially announced it's new Mi Note and Mi Note Pro smartphones. Taking over from the Mi 4, the new Mi Note offers many flagship-level features and tech specs. These include a 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB RAM, 16GB / 64GB internal memory and a 5.7-inch display with 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution and 1400:1 contrast ratio with adaptive dynamic contrast. The display has been curved somewhat with a 2.5D front glass, 3D back glass and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on both the front and back. The sides are brushed metal and rounded corners for a very premium look and feel. Other tech specs include a 13MP rear camera with f/2.0 aperture, dual-tone LED flash and optical image stabilization along with a 4MP front camera with large 2-micron pixel sensor. A 3000 mAh battery keeps the lights on and it connects via dual 4G SIM cards. Surprisingly, the Mi Note is relatively light at 161g and will come with MIUI 6. The 16GB Mi Note is priced from 2299 CNY (RM1322) while the 64GB version will go for 2799 CNY (RM1610).

The Mi Note Pro on the other hand retains most of the same features except for a 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 810 processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage, 5.7-inch display with 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution and 4G LTE Cat9 connectivity. The Mi Note Pro will going from 3299 CNY (RM1897) which should make it a very attractive offer if or when it arrives in Malaysia. No Malaysia release dates or pricing details yet, but it should be soon considering Xiaomi Malaysia.


Xiaomi Mi Note now being offered by third party retailers in Malaysia

Recently, a lot of new Chinese manufacturers have amazed the market with high-end smartphones at an amazing price. Unfortunately, most of them are not available in Malaysia to purchase officially just yet. The same is the case with the recently announced flagship model, the Xiaomi Mi Note. However, a few third party resellers are currently offering the device in Malaysia. SatuGadgetDotCom's facebook page reveals that they have a few Xiaomi Mi Note units to sell. The one in stock is the 16GB LTE model which is priced at RM1888 with free shipping. However, there are others selling this new Xiaomi smartphone as well. A quick search revealed that there are at least three different sellers offering the phone at a similar price tag. The lowest price we could find online was RM1799, which is almost RM400 higher than the official retail price tag of the device. However, that's the premium you have to pay for getting the device before it gets announced officially. Do remember that this is the regular Xiaomi Mi Note model and not the Mi Note Pro which comes with the latest Snapdragon 810. The higher-end model is not yet available for purchase even in China. No exact Malaysia release dates or pricing details yet but if you can't wait, do check out the source links for more details.


Xiaomi Mi Note review - Beautiful 5.7-inch metal and glass phablet with OIS

When the Xiaomi Mi Note first came out it really made waves as the successor to the flagship Xiaomi Mi 4. Unlike the Mi 4, the Mi Note goes for a larger 5.7-inch phablet form factor and a beautiful curved glass-based design different from previous Xiaomi smartphones. Released in two versions, the Xiaomi Mi Note and the Xiaomi Mi Note Pro, the Mi Note is the lower-end version of the two but still offers flagship features like dual 4G LTE connectivity, a brushed metal body, 2.5D front glass, 3D back glass, Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and more. Does it deliver the same level of premium as better known brands? Check out our full review of the Xiaomi Mi Note below to find out.

We have to admit that the first time the Xiaomi Mi Note was announced it took some time to visualize a smartphone that has a metal body, a 2.5D glass covered front and a curved 3D glass covered back. Thankfully, the Mi Note does not disappoint in terms of looks with a strong metal frame much like the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. This includes chamfered chrome trim on the front and backside that curves from the sides to the back. This results in a thinner looking smartphone with a rather sharper edge than usual. While this isn't the most comfortable grip it is very solid and it doesn't slip very easily. Frankly speaking, the 2.5D glass front reminds us a lot about the Nokia Lumia 930 but with a larger 5.7-inch full HD display that looks very nice. Thanks to the 3D glass on the back, the Mi Note looks beautiful, shiny and glossy, but like other glass covered devices, it is a fingerprint magnet. Capacitive keys that light up line the bottom of the front. Both the front and back glass have a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for better scratch and drop resistance as well. Check out our hands-on pics and tech specs for the Xiaomi Mi Note below:

The Xiaomi Mi Note is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor

The back is covered by a slightly curved 3D glass while the full HD display is covered by a 2.5D glass for a premium finish

From the list above, the stand-out features are it's Dual-SIM support, 4G LTE, dual-tone LED flash and Optical Image Stabilization for the 13MP rear camera. You don't often find OIS or Optical Image Stabilization or dual-tone LED flash for devices of this price range, and should provide a good overall camera performance. While the Snapdragon 801 processor is a bit older than some of the newer 64-bit powered processors, it should still provide enough power for a flagship smartphone device. The Quick Charge 2.0 feature also caught our eye and should be helpgul as it can get 60% in just 30 minutes. No microSD slot or expandable memory is an issue but 16GB of storage should be enough for most users.

The Mi Note is quite slim at 7mm thin but is surprisingly solid with it's metal frame

The Xiaomi Mi Note went through AnTuTu and our other benchmarks with good and solid scores. Like other Xiaomi devices it will ask if you want to run the benchmark in performance or balanced modes. For the balanced mode, the Mi Note got 27568 on AnTuTu while in performance mode, the Mi Note got 45570 which is quite good but not as high as some of the latest flagships out there. 3DMark showed some really exceptional scores with a 20332 on Ice Storm Unlimited and this is reflected in Epic Citadel with 60.3 fps on 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution. Overall, the audio is nice, loud and clear but we did notice that the Mi Note does get rather hot, especially if you run it on performance mode. The other major limitation is the MIUI 6 which doesn't let you have any google play, stopping us from using a Google+ identity and effectively stopping us from running games like Asphalt 8: Airborne from the market. Call quality is solid while connectivity is fine and fast with 4G LTE. Battery life is good for the most part, lasting about 1 day on medium to heavy usage (gaming, benchmarking, browsing, taking shots) but if you're careful with it, it should last a bit more than 1 day and a half.

While not the highest, the Xiaomi Mi Note does provide flagship level performance

Graphic performance was very good on 3DMark

Game performance should be equally high with the 60.3 fps on full HD score on the Epic Citadel game engine

Cameraphone performance is very good, providing detailed shots and even flash exposure. Details are clear with vibrant colours and accurate image reproduction. The Optical Image Stabilization or OIS feature is particularly useful if you have shaky hands but we found that the Mi Note did not have 4K video recording, perhaps due to some other firmware limitation. Low-light performance is also good with nearly no noise and the 4MP front camera does well enough for most selfies. We found the multiple filter preview mode to be quite useful (and similar to Apple's) especially if you like seeing everything in one go.

Overall, we found the Xiaomi Mi Note to be a beautifully solid yet thin smartphone that should turn heads for a second glance with ease. Xiaomi have really outdone themselves with the design and the build quality is top notch. Features and performance are also very good but to play certain games or apps you may have to look into side loading them (installing the app from an APK) which is about our only issue with the device. At RM1699 it certainly is higher priced than 2299 CNY (RM1373), which is the price it was initially sold for, but with Xiaomi Malaysia being rather slow to bring devices over and the decreasing value of the ringgit this seems to be worth the price. This makes the Mi Note only available at third-party sellers (for now) like SatuGadgetDotCom and DirectD who are offering the Mi Note for around RM1699. Those with shaky hands will definitely enjoy it as a cameraphone though and it should also be able to handle most apps or games well.

Check out the unboxing for the International version of the Xiaomi Mi Note


Xiaomi Mi Note series is coming back with Mi Note 10?

Today, Xiaomi seems to be bringing back the Mi Note series and it is rumored that the Mi Note 10 will be released at the end of October this year. This will be another breakthrough flagship device since Xiaomi’s CEO, Lei Jun has announced the company will stop launching the Xiaomi Mi Note and Mi Max series earlier this June.

The Mi Note series has always been an upper mid-range device that was packed with flagship tech specs, this time Mi Note 10 is expected to be equipped with a Snapdragon 855+ Soc chipset and also the first 120Hz refresh rate display which may be supported by the latest MIUI 11 OS.

There is not much about the camera, but with Xiaomi’s latest MIUI 10 OS, it is expected to come with a 5x optical zoom, 50x digital zoom and also up to 8K video recording at 30fps camera features.

Either Way, do take this with a pinch of salt as there is no official information on the device yet. But will you be excited about it? Let us know at our Facebook page and stay tuned for more on TechNave.com!


Xiaomi Mi Note teardown reveals the hardware inside the flagship device

Teardowns are one of most interesting things about a smartphone given that a regular fan gets to know what exactly the company has packed inside its phone. Xiaomi's recently announced Mi Note was subjected to a teardown a few days back and like its exterior; the interior of the phone too is quite solid and organized. Xiaomi has just posted the official teardown of its new smartphone on its forum revealing some of the key internals of the device. Along with the regular disassembly guide, the post also explains the intricate features of the new smartphone. The person who took apart the Xiaomi Mi Note mentions that the phone was pretty easy to dismantle. The back came off easily using suction pads on the four corners and removing the screws too didn't take much time. However, it is said that the screws inside are all of different lengths which can be tricky while putting them in. Using a long screw in the slot for a small screw can damage the liquid crystal display on the phone. Overall, the review is quite detailed and the comments on each image help us understand more about the company's new affordable flagship device.


Apple iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C coming to Malaysia by 1 November 2013

Apple has just announced the second phase of it's iPhone roll-out and Malaysia is on the list. With this, Apple has officially confirmed that the Apple iPhone 5S and Apple iPhone 5C will be launched in Malaysia on 1 November 2013. While the announcement covers the Malaysia release date, it doesn't include pricing, so we still don't know the official price of either smartphone. In this case we're happy to be wrong with our initial release date estimates of December 2013 but prices are likely to be a bit higher this time around due to the weaker Ringgit and a currency exchange between US Dollars and the Ringgit. We expect that on the launch date of 1 November 2013, all the major telcos will release their Apple iPhone 5C or 5S bundles as well but it will also likely be made available at other local retail sellers. Stay tuned and we'll keep you posted as to any new development.


Xiaomi Mi Note with 64GB storage available in Malaysia on 28 July 2015 for RM1549

The folks at Mi Malaysia have just launched the Xiaomi Mi Note officially for Malaysia. The version with 64GB storage is priced at a fairly affordable RM1549 and available for purchase at 12pm on 28 July 2015. Initially revealed earlier in January 2015, the Mi Note combines a full metal unibody frame with a 3D glass back and 2.5D glass front (both using Corning Gorilla Glass) for a smartphone that still looks as stunning as ever. Standout features are the 6.95mm thin curved glass body, 13MP f/2.0 rear camera with OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) and Hi-Fi audio with dedicated audio chip. Other tech specs are a mix of old and new with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB RAM, 64GB storage, a 5.7-inch display, 4G LTE connectivity and a 3000 mAh battery. The new RM1549 pricing is a lot better than previous third-party seller pricing around RM1669 especially since this version packs in 64GB of storage but since it is a localized version you also get 4K UHD video recording which was missing in the previous 16GB storage Xiaomi Mi Note we reviewed. Here's what Xiaomi Mi Malaysia had to say about it:

“We are truly excited to bring Mi Note, Xiaomi’s most beautifully designed flagship, to Malaysia. We believe that Mi fans in Malaysia will appreciate such high quality innovation made available to them at an incredible price.” Steve Vickers, General Manager, Xiaomi Southeast Asia


Xiaomi Mi NoteBook 14 series release with up to 10th Gen Intel Core i7, fast-charging tech & more priced from ~RM2356

Earlier today, we talked about Xiaomi teasing their latest Mi NoteBook 14 laptops and they are finally revealed. Turns out that there's not only one, but two laptops which are the aforementioned name and the Mi NoteBook 14 Horizon Edition. There are 5 different variants though, so let's check out the tech specs and features.

Starting with the Horizon Edition, there are two variants based on on the processor - a 10th Gen Intel Core i7 and i5 version - while the rest remains the same. The FHD screen panel measures 14-inches with a screen-to-body ratio of 91% thanks to the slim bezels, 8GB DDR4 RAM on board, alongside a 512GB SATA SSD, and finally an NVIDIA GeForce MX350 GPU with 2GB of VRAM which isn't so bad. As advertised, the battery fast-charging is real with 65W and it can charge from 0 to 50% within 30 minutes.

On the other hand, the vanilla Mi NoteBook 14 comes in three different variants based on GPU and storage space which you can see on the image above. The side bezels are wider than the Horizon Edition but the screen panel size is still the same with 1080p, the processor is the 10th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, followed by 8GB of DDR4 RAM, and also has the fast-charging technology as well.

Besides that, all the laptops have a Mi Webcam HD, Mi Smart Share, and a Mi Blaze unlock that allows you to unlock it via Mi Band. With a total of 5 variants from the Mi NoteBook 14 series, each of them has a different price tag that you can check the images below.

Up until now, Xiaomi Malaysia haven't imported their laptops into the Malaysia market yet so we aren't sure if we will ever see one. Would you want to get one if there was a chance? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Xiaomi Mi Notebook 14 series equipped with up to i7 processor and MX350 GPU from ~RM2,386

It seems that the Xiaomi Mi Notebook 14 series which consists of the Mi Notebook 14, as well as the Mi Notebook 14 Horizon edition has been spotted on Amazon India starting from the price of INR41999 (~RM2386) and INR54999 (~RM3125) respectively. While there is no official information on when the aforementioned laptop series will be available in Malaysia, it will most likely be purchasable via Xiaomi official store on Shopee and Lazada.

In terms of the tech specs, the Mi Notebook 14 will come equipped with a 10th generation Intel Core i5 processor, up to 512GB SSD storage and either an Nvidia MX250 or UHD620 graphics processor. The Horizon Edition, on the other hand, has up to a 10th generation Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB RAM, as well as an Nvidia MX350 GPU.

With all that said, would you be interested in getting the Mi Notebook 14 series as soon as it is available in Malaysia? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro 14/15 release: 120Hz display, GeForce MX450 3.5k OLED display from ~RM3348

Other than the Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold, Xiaomi also unveiled the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro 14 and Notebook Pro 15 starting from the price of RMB5299 (~RM3348) and RMB6499 (~RM4094) respectively. As of now, the laptops are available exclusively in the Chinese market, and there’s no official information on the Malaysia release date and local pricing for now.

In terms of the tech specs, the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro 14 and 15 comes equipped with up to an Intel Core i7-11370H processor, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, 15.6-inch 3.5K display with a 16:10 aspect ratio display, as well as up to a 66WHr battery that supports up to 100W fast charging. Feature-wise, it comes with a 2 in 1 fingerprint power button, WiFi 6, as well as various light sensors which intelligently adjusts screen and keyboard brightness.

Furthermore, the displays support up to 120Hz refresh rate and they’re all calibrated to ensure maximum colour accuracy making them suitable for handling colour-accurate workloads. In terms of the colour options are available in both Lunar Grey and Crescent Silver.

With all that said, would you be interested in getting the Xiaomi Notebook Pro 14 and 15? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro 2021 & RedmiBook Pro 2021 Enhanced Edition announced

In recent months, smartphone brands have started to make a variety of products like notebook computers. Xiaomi is one of the companies that's been doing that, launching the Mi Notebook Pro and RedmiBook Pro earlier this year. Now, the company is getting ready to launch more.

According to Gizmochina, those two models are going to get new variants with better specs. Both the 14-inch and 15-inch models of the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro and RedmiBook Pro will be getting an Enhanced Edition. The new variants feature either the 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11320H or Core i7-11390H CPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage.

Besides the CPU, most of the other hardware and features will probably be the same. The Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro's biggest feature would be its 120Hz refresh rate OLED display. It also supports 100W fast-charging, WiFi 6, and has a 2-in-1 power button with a fingerprint sensor. The RedmiBook Pro models feature standard LCD screens with a 90Hz refresh rate, WiFi 6 support, and can connect directly to compatible phones.

For prices, you can refer to the list below. While not as affordable as its AMD Ryzen variants, the RedmiBook Pro 2021 Enhanced Edition will probably offer the best value. But what do you think? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.


Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro 2021 to come soon with new Intel or AMD CPUs

When CES 2021 is held next month, you can bet that Xiaomi would be one of the brands with something to show. But it's not just the Xiaomi Mi 11 series smartphones that are on the way. Sources have also found benchmarks for what's believed to be new Xiaomi laptops.

According to Gizmochina, these should be new laptops for the Mi Notebook Pro series. Specifically, these new models will feature either Intel's 11th Gen Tiger Lake CPUs or AMD's Ryzen 5000 Mobile series CPUs. So far, we've seen models with the Intel Core i5-11300H and i7-11370H, as well as AMD Ryzen 5 5600H and Ryzen 7 5800H CPUs on Geekbench. These laptops are all listed as "TIMI Laptop".

Due to the number of variants being benchmarked in one go, we believe that Xiaomi is planning to launch it soon. In fact, we're quite certain that these new laptops will show up on CES 2021. In terms of changes, the new models are expected to have thinner bezels and a backlit keyboard. It should also come with a larger SSD storage.

So, would you be interested in getting a new Xiaomi laptop? What would you like to see from a laptop in 2021? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more news.


Xiaomi Mi Pad 2 scores well in AnTuTu, plays League of Legends/Counter-Strike GO

When the Xiaomi Mi Pad 2 was revealed on 24 November, it gained quite a buzz over its mighty 64-bit Intel Atom X5-Z85000 processor with 2GB dual-channel LPDDR3 RAM. Not to mention, the rest of its tech specs are also most impressive. To recap, the device has a 16GB and 64GB internal storage variant, a 7.9-inch IPS display with 2048 x 1536 resolution, 8MP and 5MP for the main and front camera, supports 802.11ac dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1 connectivity, runs on MIU7 and the battery is 6190 mAh.

With such immense tech specs for a tablet, the dark grey/champagne gold full metal device easily scored over 85000 points on the AnTuTu benchmark. This makes the Mi Pad 2 one of the highest performing tablets (using Android), landing it in third placing just behind smartphones like the Huawei Mate 8 and Meizu Pro 5.

But that’s not all, @Sail Osamu_Fan from Weibo even managed to figure out how to fully utilize the device to its full potential. So instead of playing heavy app games, he played League of Legends and Counter-Strike Go.

Sure, both of these games system requirements don’t really demand much. But it’s not like you see someone playing PC games on a tablet, not to mention both of the games run as smooth as butter according to @Sail Osamu_Fan and the Mi Pad 2’s RAM is only 2GB. However, one question comes to mind though is that will the tablet get extremely hot after awhile? The post never mentioned it, but Android users are welcome to try.

There will be a Windows 10 version (only in 64GB) in late December for RMB 1299 (RM861.18), so it’s a good time for a Christmas gift if you’re looking for one. If you’re interested to watch the game play, visit the user’s CSGO or LoL game testing to watch the video.


Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 spotted on various certification agencies

Xiaomi Mi Pad 3, illustration purposes only.

The Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 has been spotted on various certification agencies including the FCC, 3C and MIIT suggesting that the Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 will be fitted with a 18:9 display with an expected resolution of FHD+, Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset, 13MP rear camera, 5MP front facing selfie camera, and lastly, it will be running on a 6000mAh non-removable battery. Other than that, there is no mention on the storage capacity or the RAM capacity of the device for now, expect Xiaomi to reveal those info in the near future.

To give a little perspective on the release date of the device, last year the Chinese Electronics Manufacturer released the Xiaomi Mi Pad 3 on April. Expect to see a similar or even an earlier release date such as on the fourth quarter of 2018 for the Xiaomi Mi Pad 3. As with all leaks, take every bit of information with a grain of salt. For more updates like these, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 Pro to have Snapdragon 870 chipset, but standard variant will run on Snapdragon 860 instead

The Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 is one of the products running the rumour mills lately. Sources suggest that the tablet is about to launch soon, perhaps as early as July 2021. That's not unexpected considering all the leaks on tech specs and features. In fact, some key hardware were just revealed.

According to Digital Chat Station (via GSMArena), the Xiaomi device with model number M2105K81C was certified. This is supposed to be the Mi Pad 5 Pro, which will feature the Snapdragon 870 chipset. It's also rumoured to have up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. Another variant will sport the Snapdragon 860 instead.

Besides the key specs, the Mi Pad Pro is also expected to come with an 11-inch display. It has a max resolution of 2560x1600, 120Hz refresh rate, and 240Hz touch sampling rate. There's also going to be a stylus with 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity, as well as a keyboard cover that was leaked yesterday.

Considering the source, these details are probably accurate. But there hasn't been any official confirmation, so take it with a grain of salt. Having said that, what do you think of these specs so far? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more updates about it.


Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 allegedly certified by FCC, will come with SD860 chipset

After a 3-year absence from the tablet scene, Xiaomi is about to launch a new tablet. We've seen plenty of rumours of the Mi Pad 5, with flagship features like a high refresh rate display. Now, it has begun to receive official certification too.

As spotted by Digital Chat Station, a Xiaomi tablet with the model number 21051182G was certified by the US FCC. The document confirms that it will run on MIUI 12.5, and has a 22.5W charger. The leaker claims that this is a variant of the Xiaomi K82 (Mi Pad 5 Lite) tablet, which will come with a Snapdragon 860 chipset.

Besides that, the new tablet series is expected to deliver flagship specs and features. This includes an 11-inch 2K display with a 120Hz refresh rate, stylus support, and a large 8250mAh battery. It will also come with a 12MP main camera and an optional cover case with a keyboard.

From what we gathered, Xiaomi is aiming for a high-end tablet to directly compete with the Apple iPad Pro and Samsung Galaxy Tab S series. Will it succeed? Well, you'll have to stick around on TechNave.com to find out!


Apple iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C go through Drop Test

The guys at Android Authority are at it again, dropping new smartphones to see how durable they are. This time around it is the Apple iPhone 5S and Apple iPhone 5C which get the drop onto pavement. While the toughness of the aluminum unibody of the iPhone 5S is pretty much known, many are wondering how tough the polycarbonate backplate of the iPhone 5C stands up to a drop. Check out the video below:


Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 could come with charging dock for stylus

Details for Xiaomi's upcoming Mi Pad 5 series have been trickling in the last few weeks. For instance, it's suggested that the device will come with the new Snapdragon 860 chipset. Now, sources have found evidence that it will have stylus support.

According to ITHome, an engineering diagram for a Xiaomi K82_CMF tablet was leaked online. This is supposed to be the model number for the Mi Pad 5 and the visual in the diagram corresponds with renders previously found. As you can see, it shows us the rear camera, USB-C connector, quad speakers, and more.

The interesting bits can be found on the two sides of the tablet. On the left, the Mi Pad 5 will feature the Pogo pin, which is most likely for docking with the rumoured keyboard cover. The diagram also reveals that there's a charging dock for a stylus on the right side. If that's true, then we can expect this model to be bundled with a stylus.

From the description, it's clear that Xiaomi wants this tablet to be a laptop replacement. As such, we might see some features that help with work productivity. For confirmation on that, do stay tuned to TechNave.com for further updates.


Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 could launch as early as in July 2021

For 2021, Xiaomi's Mi 11 series have proven to be some of the most impressive smartphones so far. The company will want its high-end Mi Pad 5 to see the same success too. Now, it's suggested that the launch could be as early as July 2021.

According to Gizchina, Redmi's Thomas Wang has hinted that a new tablet would be launched in 2H 2021. His statement was a reply to a user who asked if Xiaomi had any new large-screen tablets. It's believed that this new tablet will be the Mi Pad 5, which is expected to be a high-end model featuring a Snapdragon 870 chipset, up to 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of internal storage.

No Mi Pad 5 in May, but a large-screen tablet expected in 2H 2021

Besides the key hardware, this tablet should also come with an 11-inch 2K display that will support a refresh rate of 144Hz. It's also expected to have a dual-camera setup (20MP+13MP) and an 8250mAh battery. As for the software features, sources claim that it will have a PC mode, parallel Windows mode, and more.

Please note that July 2021 is just a wild guess. For all we know, the tablet could launch in Q4 2021. Having said that, what do you think about the specs so far? Would you be interested in buying it? Let us know in the comments below, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.


Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 is rumoured to feature a folding screen like the one on Mi Mix Fold

Xiaomi is quite busy this year as the company has planned to present some of the successors that we've been waiting for a long while. After announcing the Mi Mix Fold which was expected to be the Mi Mix 4, the company is now preparing to launch the Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 which is the successor to a tablet that was released three years ago. The latest news has come reporting that the upcoming tablet will also feature a similar folding design as the Mi Mix Fold.

According to reputable tipster Digital Chat Station, the Mi Pad 5 will come with a folding screen and feature a Qualcomm 800 series Snapdragon chip. With this rumour, the source suggests that Xiaomi's upcoming tablet could also support features that were announced with the Mi Mix Fold such as handheld PC mode, parallel windows, dual-screen drag and drop, conference secretary, Multi-image sending, and more. Besides that, the Mi Pad 5 is expected to run a special system that is dubbed "MIUI For Pad".

Furthermore, it is suggested that the tablet is bringing a screen that is measured around 11-inch. The display is also believed to support a 2K resolution with a 144Hz refresh rate. On the rear, the tablet could be equipped with a dual-camera setup including a 20MP sensor with another one being 13MP. It could also use a side fingerprint scanner with its thickness/weight measured 8.13mm/510g.

Let us know if you're excited to see the Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more tablet rumours.


Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 is said to feature an iPad Pro-like design and a 120Hz LCD display

If nothing goes wrong, Xiaomi is set to launch its next tablet which is the Mi Pad 5 in July. Previous rumours have claimed that the upcoming Mi Pad is going to have a huge 8,520mAh battery and possibly be a foldable one. Until now, a new report has arrived suggesting that the device will also feature a design with squared-off edges just like the one on Apple iPad Pro.

Besides an iPad Pro-like design, the Mi Pad 5 is said to bring an LCD panel that supports a 120Hz refresh rate. The tipster also mentioned that the fingerprint scanner is going to be placed at the side. Overall, the tablet is expected to be light and thin as well.

Furthermore, there could be another Pro variant coming with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 870. Meanwhile, the vanilla variant will be powered by MediaTek Dimensity 1200. For now, the exact date of the launch event hasn't been announced yet and we could only wait a little longer for any official information to arrive.

Let us know if you're excited to see the new Mi Pad 5 on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more tech news.


Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 may not come with a charger in the box!

Last week, we reported on the Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 getting certified by FCC and some of the confirmation tech specs and the Xiaomi Smart Pen. As the launch is getting nearer, Xiaomi has officially unveiled the packaging box of the Mi Pad 5 and mentioned there will be a surprise.

According to the official poster, the packaging box is very thin and light, we are assuming that it might not come with a charger in it. There are two box designs, a black and a while design, with a new Xiaomi logo on the front and product name printed in gold. As for the black box, we are assuming it to be the flagship version of the Mi Pad 5 series.

The Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 is said to come with a new system for tablets. Xiaomi’s internal executives revealed that they will develop the MIUI for Pad system specifically for tablet products. It will support the handheld PC mode, multi window features, control center and menu button similar to a computer and more.

As of now, there is still no official information on the tech specs yet, so do take this with a pinch of salt and stay tuned for more tech news updates on TechNave.com


Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 series Smart Pen got certified on FCC by the model number M2107K81PC

Last month we reported on Xiaomi’s upcoming Mi Pad 5’s leaked outlook design and also the accessories as well as the tech specs later on. Today, the Xiaomi Smart Pen received FCC certification ahead of the launch which will likely be bundled together with the Mi Pad 5 series.

According to the certification, the Xiaomi Smart Pen comes with the model number M2107K81PC. It has 40 channels and 2.3Vdc power supply from the battery. Unfortunately, that’s all we have now from the listing for now. But since it's called a Smart Pen, we are also expecting it to have some smart features along with it.

Now the Mi Pad 5 will be equipped with a 10.95-inch IPS LCD display with a whooping 120Hz refresh rate just like on the HUAWEI MatePad 11. It sports a 20MP main camera and a 13MP secondary camera on the rear powered by the Snapdragon 870 chipset with 8,720mAh battery with up to 67W of fast charging. It Runs on Mi PadOS and WIFI 6.


Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 series expected to launch in August 2021, here's what we know so far

Over the last few weeks, we've been seeing some scattered rumours on specs for the Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 series. Some of the rumours don't specify which exact model is being referred to. But with all these rumours provide, we can consolidate what we know so far.

According to GSMArena, multiple sources have confirmed that the Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 series will come with three models. Tentatively, we can assume them to be the Mi Pad 5 Lite, Mi Pad 5, and Mi Pad 5 Pro. These models will come with the Snapdragon 768G, Snapdragon 860, and Snapdragon 870 chipsets, respectively. Also, the three models are expected to launch sometime in August 2021.

Besides the chipset, we have some details on features as well. In particular, the Mi Pad 5 Pro is likely to feature a 10.9-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 240Hz touch sampling rate. It'll also have an 8750mAh battery, 67W fast-charging, and a 48MP main camera.

As for the other models, we're expecting them to have lower specs in terms of refresh rate, battery, and cameras. This will ensure good product differentiation. Mind you, there's still a lot of unknown details, so stay tuned to TechNave for more updates about this!


Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 series release: SD870 chipset, 120Hz display, and 8600mAh battery from ~RM1307

As you already know, the Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 smartphone was launched during yesterday's big Xiaomi event. Another highly-anticipated launch is the Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 series. It's the first premium tablet series from Xiaomi in a while and we have some details on it now.

The Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 series comes in two models - Mi Pad 5 and Mi Pad 5 Pro. There's a Snapdragon 860 chipset in the former, while the latter features the Snapdragon 870 chipset. The Mi Pad 5 is also WiFi-only, but the Mi Pad 5 Pro has a variant with 5G connectivity. Both models have 6GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage, though the Pro also has an 8GB RAM variant. Lastly, the standard model uses an 8720mAh battery, while the Pro has an 8600mAh battery.

In terms of features, they both feature an 11-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 2560x1600 and a 120Hz refresh rate. There's also a dual-camera system at the back for both models. While the Mi Pad 5 uses a modest 13MP+5MP setup, the Mi Pad 5 Pro has a surprising 50MP+5MP combo. There's also support for a magnetic keyboard cover and stylus, but you probably have to buy these separately.

You can check out the product pages for the two devices for more details. We've also included the price list below. In our opinion, the standard Mi Pad 5 is quite a good deal. It's probably better if they bundle the keyboard and stylus, but what do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.


Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 will come with a stylus pen support!

We’ve been reporting on the leaks of the upcoming Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 since February this year. Today a new leak just came into the radar which gives us a clearer picture on the Tablet’s outlook design with the two accessories which are a keyboard and a cover accessory.

The CAD renders were shared by the popular tipster Digital Chat Station. According to the renders, the keyboard will also act as a cover casing for the tablet. It has a squarish cut out for the rear camera and from the image we are expecting the Mi Pad 5 will be supporting stylus input with a cylindrical design stylus pen.

As for the keyboard, it has island-style keys without any trackpad on it. It has four grooves that lock the rear cover case onto it and uses pogo pins to connect the Mi Pad 5 to the keyboard. The tablet is expected to come with a Snapdragon 800 series processor with a 120Hz refresh rate display.

Either way, there is still no official information on the tech specs and Malaysia release dates on the Xiaomi Mi Pad 5, while the real deal may be slightly different from the renders, so take this with a pinch of salt. Stay tuned for more tech news updates on TechNave.com


Xiaomi Mi Pad available in Malaysia for RM799 on 10 February 2015

Xiaomi Malaysia have finally brought in the Xiaomi Mi Pad tablet for Chinese New Year 2015 (it was announced in May 2014). Retailing for RM799, this Android-based tablet is powered by an NVIDIA K1 Tegra processor and offers tech specs that include 2GB of RAM, an 8MP rear camera and 7.9-inch display with 2014 x 1536 pixel resolution. Featuring a colourful Apple iPad mini like casing the Mi Pad will be launched for sale on 10 February 2015. However, Xiaomi Malaysia are currently giving away some Mi Pad tablets to fans who share the news from their Facebook page. Check out the full tech specs and features below:

While the Tegra K1 is still a very powerful processor and offers very smooth graphics, you should know that NVIDIA has already announced the Tegra X1 chip and Xiaomi are supposedly working on the release of their Mi Pad 2 tablet soon. For RM799, the Xiaomi Mi Pad is still a very good value tablet but it does feel a bit late coming to the Malaysian market especially as other 64-bit tablets are making their presence known.


Apple iPhone 5S battery tests completed, some improvement

The Apple iPhone 5S has been out in the market for quite some time. Bringing about a fairly big hardware upgrade over the previous Apple iPhone 5 with the 64-bit A7 processor and chipset along with a number of other upgrades, benchmarks of the iPhone 5S have been quite good in terms of performance. However, it has taken some time for complete battery benchmarks to be done. These battery benchmarks have since been done and the short answer is that the iPhone 5S is a bit more energy efficient than the iPhone 5 with a 5 hour or so battery life compared to the previous version. Bear in mind that this is on really heavy usage and that usuallyt, on normal usage, most users can expect about 10 hours or so worth of battery time on a single charge. This still isn't good enough to take out the battery life champion nor some of the other smartphones in the same price range but it does offer some measure of improvement over the previous iPhone.


Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 3 10000mAh Pikachu edition, priced at ~RM61

Great news to Pokemon lovers because Xiaomi will be launching the Mi Power Bank 3 10000mAh Pikachu edition soon. This power bank will be launch on 5 November for CNY99 (~RM61).

The Mi Power Bank 3 is equipped with 2 input interfaces which are the MicroUSB and USB-C. Besides that, it can go up to 18W during input and complete charging in 4 hours. As for the output, it also features two USB-A and you can charge 2 devices at the same time. Additionally, it sports a single-port 18W fast charging technology.

On top of that, it also supports a low currency mode to charge smart devices such as Xiaomi Bluetooth headsets and Mi Band. Would you grab this power bank if it is launch in Malaysia? Let us know in the comments below, be sure to stay tuned for more tech news on TechNave.com.


Xiaomi Mi Reader Pro release: 7.8-inch e-ink display, 3200mAh battery, and Android 8.1 for ~RM806

If you like to read e-books, a dedicated e-reader might be something you should invest in. When it comes to e-readers, Amazon Kindle is probably the most well-known brand. But did you know Xiaomi also has an e-reader? In fact, the company just launched a new model.

Xiaomi quietly unveiled the Mi Reader Pro on its online store for China yesterday. The new model delivers significant upgrades over the Mi Reader, with a large 7.8-inch e-ink screen for you to read your favourite e-books. Besides that, it comes with LED backlight with 24 levels of adjustment, so you can even read in the dark.

Although some brands like the Amazon Kindle series uses an in-house operating system, the Mi Reader Pro uses Android 8.1 Oreo, so you can get access to e-books from the Google Play Store as well. The device itself has 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, which is more than enough to store hundreds of e-books or more. In addition to that, it has a 3200mAh battery that can last up to 70 days (on standby).

The Xiaomi Mi Reader Pro retails for 1299 yuan (~RM806), but it probably won't be available outside of China anytime soon. Having said that, would you be interested in getting one of these? Let us know in the comments and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more trending tech news.


Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro review - A helpful 2-in-1 cleaner for small apartments and lazy people

As odd as it may sound from a techie, I have never used a robot vacuum before - until I was tasked with reviewing the Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro. Now, I have seen plenty of robot vacuums over the years. But a one that mops? Wow, we have come a long way.

Since I recently moved into a new place (yay), I thought it was the perfect opportunity to test out the Mi Robot. After all, it takes a lot of energy just to clean up an 850sf apartment by yourself, so why not just let the Mi Robot do its job? Oh, in case you're wondering, this device costs RM1499.

The Mi Robot out of the box, the wheels are rather huge for it to move efficiently

You can open the top lid to take out the dust container

Fill it up with water before mopping it with the Mi Robot

Now, I won't be talking much about the design because all robot vacuums look the same these days. However, the Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro has an extra water tank for mopping. You'll find a water tank inside the box, which you can fill up with water. After that, simply slide it in beneath the robot. There's also an extra brush to get rid of dust, and the dust container is easy to remove. No rocket science going on here.

Before you start using it, it's important to have the Mi Home app installed on your phone (Android/iOS) to pair up with the Mi Robot. The quickest way to sync the connection is to scan the QR code provided on the manual book, and you're good to go. Once done, you can pretty much command the Mi Robot to start working from the app as long as it's turned on.

It's able to move over a carpet (and a weighing machine)

In the app, you have several options for how you want to start cleaning. You can choose between the different cleaning modes, silent or turbo cleaning, water level, etc. I'm pretty sure this isn't new, but I quite like how you can command the Mi Robot to start cleaning even if you're not in your apartment. It works as long as it's turned on at the docking station, and just pressing "start" will prompt it to get working.

Before you start, you may want to sort out a few things first. For example, lifting some curtains, cables, floor mats, and others. I even need to pack away my weighing machine, or the Mi Robot will just climb over it. It's also an unspoken rule that you should keep it out of the bathrooms or any other wet areas. Sounds like a hassle, but it's necessary to get the best cleaning result from the Mi Robot.

In 40 minutes, the Mi Robot's battery power went from 100% to 73%. That's not so bad

Work-work over the dust I've intentionally placed around it

The Mi Robot tends to leave some water in a straight line if you don't use the cloth provided for the water tank

My experience with the Mi Robot was alright. At one time, I went to the gym and decided to turn it on to clean up the place. I could actually do it by pressing the start button and letting it do the rest. At one point, it stopped at a spot because I think I accidentally pressed pause. But anyway, it wasn't an issue as the device was able to resume working after I commanded it to. It only took 40 minutes for the Mi Robot to clean and mop my 850sf apartment (minus the bathrooms).

After I got back, it was time for an evaluation - is having a Mi Robot worth it? I went to inspect every spot to see if there were any dirty spots left, and to my surprise - there actually was some dirt left. As you can see in one of my photos, I intentionally left some dust at that spot for the Mi Robot. But for some reason, it didn't clean it successfully.

Beep-boop, back to the dock after a day's work

While it may sound like I'm not satisfied with the performance, well, I am actually. Because overall, the Mi Robot did a rather solid job cleaning up my apartment. I was also surprised to see a huge amount of collected dust, and it only used up a quarter of the water in the tank for mopping. For just RM1499, I think it's quite worth the purchase for a lazy person (like me haha) who dislikes mopping or vacuuming.

That being said, sweeping and mopping the floor in your household is still way more efficient than using a robot vacuum like the Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro. Of course, it takes up a lot of physical energy. So at the end of the day, it really depends on your lifestyle.

Pros - A helpful cleaning device that vacuums and mops apartments for lazy people

Cons - Although it does the job well, it's still not as efficient as manually sweeping and mopping

Conclusion - Feel free to get this if you really don't have time or feel lazy to clean your apartment


Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum Mop P practical for cleaning? | Unboxing & Review!

Recently most of us are now spending more time at home working, it means there will be more effort needed to tidy up your house and help out on the house chores. The most often clean up we need to do will be vacuuming and mopping your entire living space. With that, Xiaomi Malaysia has now launched the new Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum Mop P and it might help you ease up those chores.

The Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum Mop P comes with a new LDS Laser Navigating sensor that will have a more precise and faster mapping for your living space, it also reduces the chances of knocking off obstacles around your house. It also equips with a 2100Pa suction power with a 2 in 1 Vacuum and Mop features as well as Smart Navigation, Mapping, and Scheduled Cleaning through the Mi Home App. While there are still many debates on the practicality of a smart robot vacuum, we did some practical test on the Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum Mop P, we would say we are quite impressed on the smart features it offers as well as the cleanliness on its suction power. Check out the results for yourself in the video below.


Xiaomi Mi Router AX6000 release: WiFi6, mobile syncing, and more for ~RM371

While some expected Xiaomi to make a big announcement at CES 2021, the company later confirmed that it will unveil some new products yesterday. One of them is the Xiaomi Mi 11 series, which you can read about in our other launch report. But Xiaomi also launched a new wireless router.

That's right, Xiaomi has launched a high-speed router called the Mi Router AX6000 yesterday. According to Gizmochina, this is a WiFi-6 Enhanced router with a maximum wireless bandwidth of 6000MBps. Unlike most high-end premium routers you see, it's not really that big. But it does have the hardware to ensure that it has a large WiFi coverage.

Inside the router is a dedicated Qualcomm network chip and six signal amplifiers, which enables the Mi Router AX6000 to have stronger signals with better wall penetration. It also supports 160MHz bandwidth, 4K QAM high-speed transmission, WAN/LAN switching (via its 2500M Ethernet port), and Mesh networking. On top of that, this router will work with Xiaomi's other AIoT products.

At a price of 599 yuan (~RM371), it's a pretty good choice as a high-speed router. We don't know when it'll make its way to Malaysia, but would you be interested in getting one? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more updates on it.


Xiaomi Mi Smart Air Fryer 3.5L Malaysia release: coming soon with an early bird price of RM299

Besides the Xiaomi 12 Lite, Xiaomi Malaysia also unveiled a bunch of smart home appliances last night. The company is known for making a wide variety of electronic devices and it's the first time that an air fryer was introduced. Called the Mi Smart Air Fryer 3.5L, the recommended retail price is just RM359.

The Mi Smart Air Fryer 3.5L is compatible with the Xiaomi Home/Mi Home app and can be easily controlled remotely. With this, you can schedule a cooked meal up to 24 hours in advance. Google Assistant can also be used to start, pause, or check the remaining cooking time, which is shown on the OLED display to let you check the time and temperature.

It can be set to anywhere between 40°C and 200°C, as well as offers more than 100 different Mi Smart Air Fryer 3.5L recipe ideas for quick meals every day. Besides roasting or frying meat, you can also use it to make yoghurt fermentation or pet food dehydration.

Xiaomi Malaysia said that the availability of Mi Smart Air Fryer 3.5L will be announced via Xiaomi’s Facebook Page very soon. If you're planning to get one, there will be an early bird price of RM299 from every Xiaomi Store across the nation. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 5 Malaysia release: 1.1-inch AMOLED display & customizable themes priced at RM169

As reported two days ago, Xiaomi Malaysia announced that they are bringing the Mi Smart Band 5 into Malaysia and it's finally launching here. As speculated, the official price tag is RM169 and interested customers may purchase the wearable through their online store on Lazada and Shopee.

Compared with the predecessor, the Mi Smart Band 5 is a significant upgrade featuring a 1.1-inch AMOLED display which means it can show you more data, real-time stats and even lets you personalize the theme (there are over 65 themes). Of course, you can also find more exercise modes and there are new ones such as rowing, yoga, rope jumping, elliptical and more. A new stress level detection, breathing exercises, female health-tracking, PAI health matrix and others can also be found.

Moreover, the Mi Smart Band 5 has a better and accurate heart rate tracking thanks to the PPG sensor. But perhaps the biggest upgrade is that it now supports magnetic charger and can last up to 14 days of battery life (results may vary based on usage). Finally, it can be connected to both iOS and Android platforms.

If you prefer to purchase the Mi Smart Band 5 at a physical store, you will have to wait at a later date. However, the Mi Store at Sunway Pyramid is already selling the wearable for the same price but as a global version, so we think other Mi Stores around could be doing the same. Are you planning to get it? Stay tuned for more local trending tech deals at TechNave.com.


Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 5 will be arriving in Malaysia this week and could be priced at RM169

Just a few days ago, we reported that a local tech seller is selling the Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 5 (Global edition) at RM179. Although it's not an official price, it's quite a reasonable price when compared with the euro pricing. That said, Xiaomi Malaysia is pleased to announce that the new wearable will be arriving in Malaysia on 24 July 2020.

The company did not reveal the official price tag yet, but the Mi Store from Sunway Pyramid has already posted it on their Facebook page. According to the post, the Mi Smart Band 5 costs RM169. Reading the comments further, this is also the global edition so the legitimacy of the price is questionable. Nonetheless, The price range between RM169-RM179 is a good indicator that the wearable's price should be more or less like that.

Ladies and gentlemen, kindly welcome this long awaited #MiBand5, which just landed in Malaysia. Officially sell at #RM169 你值得拥有

To refresh your memory, the Mi Smart Band 5 features 11 sports modes, a 1.1-inch AMOLED display, a 14-day battery life with magnetic charging support, 50m water resistance and many more. We expect Xiaomi Malaysia to release more information about their other ecosystem products as well this week so until then, stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6 Malaysia release: arriving on 26 April and priced at RM189

As previously announced, the Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6 will be coming to Malaysia soon. Starting from 25 April 2021, this latest wearable will be available for purchase at RM189 at the Xiaomi online stores on Lazada and Shopee and offline at Authorised Mi Stores and other official retailers in Malaysia.

Coming in a wide variety of coloured bands (which are sold separately at a later date), the Mi Smart Band 6 features a 1.56-inch Fullscreen Touch Display and has up to 30 workout modes like stretching and HIIT. If you want professional sports like gymnastics, Zumba and even street dancing, the wearable has them too. You can bring it for a swim too thanks to the 5 ATM water resistance grade.

As expected, health monitoring features such as SpO2 measurement, accurate heart rate monitoring, enhanced sleep tracking function that monitors naps are available. Speaking of napping, the band can track sleep cycles including REM and sleep breathing quality, stress monitoring as well as female health tracking. Mi Smart Band 6 also provides 14 days of battery life with a magnetic port for quick clip-on and clip-off charging.

So there you have it, if this is what you're looking for then mark your calendar for the 25th of April for the Mi Smart Band 6. Stay tuned for more local trending tech deals at TechNave.com.


Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6 NFC, Mi Smart Projector 2, and Mesh System AX3000 unveiled

Yesterday morning, we reported that Xiaomi would launch quite a few products at its global launch. The Xiaomi 11T series, Xiaomi 11 Lite, and Xiaomi Pad 5 series were all launched as expected. But three other products we predicted also made an appearance.

Xiaomi also announced the Mi Smart Band 6 NFC, which comes with a full-colour AMOLED display, blood-oxygen-level monitoring, heart-rate tracking, and more. Then there's the Mi Smart Projector 2 that can output a screen of 60 to 120-inch, has automatic keystone correction, and supports Android TV. Finally, there's the Mesh System AX3000, a 2-pack WiFi system that supports dual-band WiFi 6.

With #MiSmartProjector2, #XiaomiMeshSystemAX3000, and #MiSmartBand6NFC, get your best smart entertainment experience at home! #SmartLivingForEveryone #XiaomiProductLaunch pic.twitter.com/PDeJXHaRtE

Although Xiaomi announced that it's dropping the 'Mi' branding for its products, it's clear now that this doesn't apply to all of its products. Sure, the new smartphones and new tablet didn't. But the new smart band and projector both had the 'Mi' prefix. Xiaomi may maintain this branding style for its AIoT products.

Xiaomi hasn't confirmed when these products will launch here. We do have their estimated prices below, but are you interested in getting one of them? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.


Apple iPhone 5S review - Looks the same, 2x better performance, mostly future proofing

Another year, another Apple iPhone version and this year is the year of the "S" version of the Apple iPhone 5. Usually, "S" versions offer little more than software updates but this year, the Apple iPhone 5S has added a brand new 64-bit A7 processor, fingerprint scanner, larger camera sensor and a completely new iOS 7 operating system. Are these reasons enough for you to make the annual Apple iPhone upgrade? It depends, so read on and find out.

Over the years, the Apple iPhone design has steadily grown better and better. Building upon the single aluminum block unibody chassis, the Apple iPhone has always been first about the design and second about nearly everything else. However, this year's Apple iPhone 5S design is nearly identical to the Apple iPhone 5. The only differences in design is the Sapphire crystal topped Touch ID fingerprint scanner located underneath the Home button. There are definite advantages to this as this means that all the casings and accessories you bought for the Apple iPhone 5, will fit the Apple iPhone 5S. This good news is also the bad news as it isn't different at all so if you're expecting a new look Apple iPhone you'll be a bit dissappointed.

The Apple iPhone 5S in Space grey, Gold and Silver

That being said, Apple have decided to offer the Apple iPhone 5S in new colours, this time in Space Gray (which is a platinum-like colour), Gold (champagne gold colour and anodized aluminum, not really gold plated) and Silver (more or less the same colour as last year). The same 4-inch Retina screen with 1136 x 640 pixel resolutions and 326 ppi pixel density has been retained which still looks good but because of the newly revamped flatter iOS 7 look, apps tend to feel a little cramped on the screen (and so many other competitors are offering 1920 x 1080 pixel resolutions on larger screens). Make no mistake though, the iPhone 5S still feels premium and awesome in the hand but iOS 7 feels like it would be better on a larger screen.

The Apple iPhone 5S doesn't look any different from the Apple iPhone 5

The Apple iPhone 5S sports a number of new internal updates which include the 64-bit A7 Processor and chipset, a larger Camera sensor which follows in the footsteps of the UltraPixel camera technology from HTC and the Touch ID fingerprint scanner built into the Home button. The new iOS 7 operating system also deserves some mention but the above tech specs are the ones that deserve the most mention for the Apple iPhone 5S. The Apple iPhone 5S comes in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB storage options with no 128GB versions just yet.

The Touch ID fingerprint scanner is located beneath the Home button

First off, the main thing is, the new 64-bit A7 processor is much faster than before, nearly double that of the previous A6 processor. Sure, it is still a dual-core processor, but the 1.3GHz Cyclone ARMv8-based processor makes the interface a lot faster and zippier than before. An additional motion tracking M7 chip has been added on to help track accelerometer, gyro, proximity and compass information, which frees up the main processor from doing this and makes it energy efficient. The PowerVR G6430 graphics are also much better and support OpenGL ES 3.0, so you can expect more realistic images and games with many more particles, textures and objects on screen than before. Unfortunately, there aren't many apps that use the full potential of 64-bits, the M7 sub-processor or the better graphics. While we foresee better games with nicer graphics coming soon for the Apple iPhone 5S, we doubt you'll see a use for 64-bits apps until another couple of years. Consider that it took 10 years for PC software to shift fully to 64-bit processing and you'll understand where we're coming from. The mobile industry is much faster though, so a 5 year estimate seems more appropriate.

While the iSight camera sensor on the Apple iPhone 5S remains 8MP, the 1/3" sensor is now 1.5 microns larger (compared to the 1.4 micron sensor in the Apple iPhone 5). According to Apple this helps it process and take in more light allowing it to take better HDR shots and work better under low-light conditions, which sounds a lot like the UltraPixel camera technology from HTC. In addition to this, Apple have also added on True Tone LED flash, which are two differently coloured LED flash. One LED is the normal white, while another is amber coloured, which gives a more natural flesh tone than the standard white colour. Apple have also included a number of filters and improvements such as slow-motion video and an improved Panorama shot. So far, early shots using these new features do show visible improvements in terms of quality with many people posting up slow-motion shots and videos in general. According to Apple, the iPhone 5S does all the filters automatically so you don't have to be a photog to use all of these new camera features.

The new camera features on the Apple iPhone 5S

Located underneath the Home button and protected by a layer of Sapphire crystal, the Touch ID fingerprint scanner works the moment you touch the Home button. It is probably the only 64-bit application of the new 64-bit processor and takes a capacitive screenshot of all the whorls and characteristics of your fingerprint and it does it fast too. Apple have made this very secure and very fast to replace the passcode for both your home screen as well as your iTunes purchases. Unfortunately, it hasn't been worked into any other purchasing application outside of Apple, so you won't be buying any pizza or groceries with the Touch ID anytime soon. Payment options like this do take more time than usual, so we're expecting this to become useful a few more months (or next year) as merchants and vendors add it on to their payment gateways.

The Touch ID fingerprint scanner in action

Gone are the skeumorphic designs and animations of iOS 6 and in comes the paralax scrolling and flat design of iOS 7. We have to say that the overall colours and design are lovely pastel but it reminds us a lot of a Candy Crush game for some reason. There are also a number of iOS 7 features which have been improved such as better multi-tasking and the easier to access one-point Control center. However, not everyone is liking the new iOS 7 as the interface looks very different from iOS 6. A number of people have complained of nausea, vertigo and even diziness because of the paralax scrolling (which can't be turned off completely) and some have flat out refused to use it. We grant you that the changes may seem drastic and the learning curve a bit higher than normal, but after a while you do get used to it as the interface is still fairly intuitive.

Take another look at the Apple iOS 7 operating system

There are apps that do take advantage of the new tech specs and features of the Apple iPhone 5S, and on these, the smartphone really shines. Infinity Blade III for example shows some awesome textures and effects and now loads in seconds rather than minutes on the Apple iPhone 5 which is a huge gap in performance. The 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited test got 13858 compared to about 5500+ on the Apple iPhone 5 proving Apple's claims that the Apple iPhone 5S is 2x better in terms of graphics. It shows that the Apple iPhone 5S has a lot of potential in terms of hardware. However, battery life still mostly feels the same with about 10 hours on 720p video playback. On normal use this means about a full 12 hour working day before you need to recharge, which is about the same as the Apple iPhone 5.

Infinity Blade III is definitely a very pretty game for the Apple iPhone 5S but there are not many other killer apps like this around just yet

The Apple iPhone 5S still has not been officially released in Malaysia, which is why most of the models you will see are overpriced, mainly because sellers have to buy them overseas and ship them over here. If we were to follow last year's Apple iPhone 5 pricing, the Apple iPhone 5S should cost RM2199 which would match the US pricing of $649 for the standard 16GB version. Again, if we follow previous models, we expect the Malaysia release date to be sometime in December 2013 but for now getting the Apple iPhone 5S may cost you from RM2790 to RM3020. Do note that this is for the 16GB version without any telco plan or contract and that warranty is tied to the seller (much like an AP phone). There is a huge demand for the gold coloured version though, so currently the price for this version has been inflated somewhat.

Overall, the Apple iPhone 5S looks the same, performs more than 2x better and is future proofing for the next couple of years. Right now, you won't get many benefits from the 64-bit A7 processor or improved graphics or Touch ID fingerprint scanner as there aren't many 64-bit apps, Apple games that utilize the Apple iPhone 5S GPU to it's fullest or services that use Touch ID. The improved camera is definitely worth it though, but compared to other competitors (which we shall not name) with 41MP and 20.7MP camera sensors the same 8MP but slightly larger 1.5 micron camera sensor on the Apple iPhone 5S cannot compete. Granted, buying an Apple iPhone 5S now is going to be a lot more expensive than waiting for December 2013, but it is the price you pay for having the smartphone now. We'd recommend waiting, but that is more our personal recommendation than anything else.

The Apple iPhone 5S in space grey certainly looks good

In short, if you still like the Apple iPhone 5 and want a more powerful version with better camera then you'll love the Apple iPhone 5S. If you want the most powerful feature-filled smartphone on the market, then it isn't the Apple iPhone 5S but right now you'll still pay more for it than that most powerful smartphone. Our earlier analysis remains the same though in that if you already have the Apple iPhone 5 then there is very little reason to get the Apple iPhone 5S unless you're looking to future-proof your smartphone for a while. However, by the time there are more 64-bit apps, games with more demanding graphics and Touch ID services, most of the competition could be head and shoulders above the Apple iPhone 5S in terms of hardware, performance and features. But if you don't have the Apple iPhone 5, the Apple iPhone 5S should be an awesome buy, but again we recommend waiting for the official Malaysia release as you'll not only get a better price (we hope) but also better warranty options. If you can't wait do check out our Apple iPhone 5S sellers.


Xiaomi Mi TV 2S and Mi Water Purifier officially announced

Xiaomi recently announced two new additions to their growing range of products. This includes the Xiaomi Mi TV 2S, a premium 48-inch 4K display TV with a 9.9mm thin build. Featuring an integrated 1.4GHz quad-core MStar 6A928 processor and Samsung UHD display, the Mi TV 2S will be priced from 2999 CNY (RM1839) and a Theatre Edition version with an independant sound system for 3999 CNY (RM2452). This sound system consists of a subwoofer and soundbar incorporating the latest Dolby sound technology. The other product is the Xiaomi Mi Water Purifier, an Internet of Things (IoT) smart water purifier that can be monitored via the Mi Home app, allowing users to check real-time filter effectiveness complete with reminders on when to change filters which can be purchased within the app. As far as water purifiers go, the Mi Water Purifier uses reverse osmosis utilizing activated coconut carbon filter for better tasting and cleaner purified water. No Malaysia release dates or pricing details yet, but these devices could come later as Malaysia's IoT infrastructure matures.


Xiaomi Mi TV 6 details revealed, will be QLED TVs with AMD FreeSync Premium, 100W speaker, and more

As revealed earlier this week, Xiaomi is planning to launch a new TV series on 28 June 2021. The Mi TV 6 series is the successor to the Mi TV 5 series from 2019. And since there's a 2-year gap, it's expected to have a lot of new features and Xiaomi is happy to show them off.

In the last few days, Xiaomi has been revealing more about the Mi TV 6 series on its Weibo page. It's confirmed that the new TVs will support Dolby Vision IQ, IMAX Enhanced, and HDR10+. In terms of audio, it'll also have up to a combined speaker output of 100W. As for the features have also been revealed that the TVs will support WiFi 6, HDMI 2.1, AMD FreeSync Premium, and will be Xbox-compatible.

Xiaomi has also revealed some specs for the Mi TV 6 series. So far, it's confirmed that these will be QLED TVs. They will have a refresh rate of 120Hz and colour accuracy of around Delta-E 1.5. While unconfirmed, there should at least be two model or sizes. Since they're QLED TVs, they should also come with 4K resolution.

As mentioned in our previous news, Xiaomi plans to retail its new TVs around the 10000 yuan (~RM6416) range. Depending on the size, these could be very affordable TVs or playing games and watching movies. But what do you think? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more updates on this.


Xiaomi Mi TV 6 set to launch on 28 June 2021

Just last week, Xiaomi hinted at a new TV that's coming soon. Specifically, Xiaomi TV's General Manager posted an image on Weibo showing what seems to be a new OLED TV. Well, it turns out that its launch is happening sooner than we had expected.

In an official Weibo announcement, Xiaomi has confirmed that the new Mi TV 6 series of Smart TVs would be launching on 28 June 2021. Based on the tagline on the teaser poster, the company will be launching two flagship-class TVs with a focus on video quality. If that's accurate, then they could both be OLED TVs. This is because OLED is currently considered the best display panel when it comes to visual quality.

The Xiaomi Mi TV 5 series was launched back in 2019 and was available in 55-inch, 65-inch, and 75-inch sizes. We can probably expect the new Mi TV 6 series to have similar sizes. Aside from that, there's not much else we know at the moment. The posts mentioned challenging the visual quality achievable by TVs below the 10000 yuan (~RM6416) range, so the prices could be relatively reasonable.

We can't confirm anything until we get more details though. But would you be interested in getting an OLED TV if it's that affordable? Let us know in the comments below, and stay tuned to TechNave for more updates on this.


Xiaomi Mi TV ES 2022 to offer plenty of features for ~RM2576

By now, you might have seen our news about the upcoming launch of the Xiaomi Mi TV 6 series. But that's not the only TV series that the company plans to launch tomorrow (28 June 2021). In fact, a more affordable model with plenty of features has also been confirmed.

According to the Weibo announcement, the TV mentioned is the Mi TV ES 2022 edition. Xiaomi claims that it will deliver greater image quality than its predecessor. On top of that, it will have multi-zone local dimming, high colour accuracy, and high brightness levels. All this will be in a TV that will retail for 4000 yuan (~RM2576).

Besides that, the Mi TV ES 2022 will also offer blue light protection, large internal storage, and far-field microphones for voice control. In terms of design, it's going to have a metal chassis and ultra-thin bezels. Considering the features and price, this TV should be around the 40-inch to maybe 46-inch range.

Quite a few Xiaomi TVs have been launched in Malaysia, which means this model could arrive here. With that said, we'll find out more about it later tomorrow, so stay tuned to TechNave for our launch report on it.


Xiaomi Mi TV LUX OLED Transparent Edition release: Transparent display, 10-bit colour, and 120Hz refresh rate for ~RM30231

It was certainly a big day for Xiaomi yesterday. Besides launching the Mi 10 Ultra and Redmi K30 Ultra, the company also officially unveiled a new TV. Specifically, it's the new Mi TV LUX OLED Transparent Edition and it's a transparent TV as the name suggests!

Although other companies like LG are also working on transparent TVs, Xiaomi has now become the first to mass-produce them. As Xiaomi announced, the Mi TV LUX OLED Transparent Edition is a flagship OLED TV that looks like a glass display when it's not turned on. It will retail for 49999 yuan (~RM30231) and will be available in China starting from 16 August 2020.

All the key components of the TV are inside the base

Moving on, this 55-inch OLED TV comes with some amazing tech specs. It has a static contrast ratio of 15000:1, covers 93% of the DCI-P3 colour spectrum, and supports 120Hz refresh rate. Inside the base of the TV where all the components are contained, you'll also find a custom MediaTek 9650 chipset that is supposed to help tweak the TV's picture settings according to the content being watched.

Xiaomi has not mentioned if this TV will be launched outside of China, but we think it's only a matter of time before we see a global launch. With that said, would you be interested in this transparent TV? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news like this.