Xiaomi Hoping Mi 4 Smartphone Will Boom In Market

Xiaomi Hoping Mi 4 Smartphone Can Take on Apple's iPhone

Xiaomi launched its flagship Mi 4 smartphone at a glitzy event in Beijing, where the Chinese budgethandset maker's chief executive sought to challenge larger U.S. rival Apple Inc.

The Mi 4 comes as budget handset makers in China are competing more aggressively on price and generous features, with even high-end manufacturers feeling the pressure.

South Korea's Samsung Electronics Ltd said this month that its disappointing smartphone shipments were due to poor sales in China, which had 1.27 billion mobile subscribers in June.

Dressed in a black T-shirt and blue jeans, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun took aim repeatedly at iPhone maker Apple during the presentation on Tuesday, comparing the design and manufacturing process of his new 4G handset to the U.S. firm's more expensive offerings.

"Our product really is better than the iPhone," said Lei.

"Our white version is also better than their white version," he joked. "Even our white color is whiter!"

Apple, which was due to announce second-quarter earnings later on Tuesday, was not immediately available to comment.

The forthright Jun spent nearly an hour on stage describing the Mi 4 phone's construction - particularly its beveled metal rim whose similarity with Apple's phones drew murmurs of "iPhone" from the journalists at the event.

The Mi 4, which goes on sale July 29 for 1999 yuan ($320), has a 5 inch, 1080p screen and a Qualcomm Inc Snapdragon 801 2.5GHz processor. An equivalent iPhone 5s costs $650.

Analyst Neil Shah at technology consultant Counterpoint said that while Xiaomi was gaining swiftly in emerging markets, it did not pose a real threat to Apple just yet.

"Right now it's more a big talk rather than real threat to Apple," said Shah.

"In emerging markets they are growing in leap and bounds, attracting buyers who aspire to Apple but they can't afford to buy Apple.

"But if tomorrow Xiaomi raise their price to Apple levels, they won't sell. They're trying to build that brand equity by comparing themselves to Apple."

Founded in 2010 by Lei and seven others, Xiaomi seeks to cut costs by eschewing brick-and-mortar stores in favor of web-based distribution and word-of-mouth marketing.

Xiaomi became the world's sixth-largest smartphone vendor in the first quarter of 2014, according to data firm Canalys, after repeatedly doubling its sales. The company was valued at $10 billion last year, drawing industry speculation that the fast-rising company could threaten Apple and Samsung, which dominate the premium market.

Xiaomi sold 18.7 million smartphones in 2013 and on Tuesday maintained a 60 million sales target for 2014. For comparison, Huawei Technologies Co Ltd has said it is targeting 80 million smartphone sales for the year. 

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Agricultural Robots Are Appearing On Farms

Agricultural robots are appearing on farms

Significant numbers of robots are now appearing on farms.  These have been in development for 20 years and are now cheap and sophisticated enough for mainstream use. New scanning and imaging technology has solved the problem of allowing robots to handle the varying shapes of individual fruits and vegetables. Their on-board computers can now differentiate between an object and its shadow and between green fruits, leaves and vines. This is accomplished using an array of cameras, each picking up a different spectrum of light and creating a perfect picture of the obstacles and topography in the robot's surrounding environment.

Complex algorithms allow robotic workers to "learn" the longer they are on the job, so they become more adept as time goes on. This helps the computer to recognise a fruit that is partially covered by a leaf or similar obstruction, for example. The grasping tools themselves are based on human movements and are programmed to apply the correct pressure.

Advantages of this technology include much greater accuracy in spraying pesticides (cutting its use by 80%), uninterrupted output, and, as the technology improves, greater efficiency and speed. Initially, these robots are present on a small number of farms, often working alongside traditional human workers. As the years go by, however, and the technology proliferates, more and more farms begin to adopt robotic workers. By the 2020s, entire farms are becoming fully automated.

The increased output helps to alleviate food shortages caused by rising global populations. Despite these gains, agricultural robots prove controversial. They exacerbate the ongoing unemployment crisis, with the potential of putting many thousands of workers out of a job. Mechanisation continues its unending progress, as yet another industry begins to be handed over to machines.

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India's First Space Flight

India's first manned space flight

India becomes only the fourth nation – after Russia, the US and China – to independently launch humans into space. The rocket used is a variant of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark 2, operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). This carries a largely autonomous 3-ton capsule, with a two-person crew on board. They remain in orbit around the Earth at 248 miles (400 km) altitude for seven days, before splashing down in the Bay of Bengal. The total cost of the project is about 124 billion rupees ($2.67 billion USD).

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Windows 9 is Ready To Release

Windows 9 is released by Microsoft

Following the much-criticised Windows 8, Microsoft launches a major overhaul of the operating system in 2015. Windows 9.0 addresses a number of usability issues – refining the "Metro" design language of its predecessor and providing a more distinct experience for desktop, mobile and other platforms. This includes a return of the traditional Start Menu. The OS introduces a more unified code base, for improved compatibility and simpler transfer of data between various devices and services. There is a much greater focus on apps. Highly advanced gesture recognition is also incorporated, now that 3D cameras are becoming more common. It also deals with power management issues. Initially codenamed "Threshold", it is released in April 2015.

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First Self Regulating Artificial Heart

The first self-regulating artificial heart

In 2013, French Professor Alain Carpentier engineered the first self-regulating artificial heart, using biomaterials and electronic sensors. The device weighed 900g, was roughly the same size as a real heart and could imitate its functions exactly. In a 10-hour operation, it was successfully implanted within a 75-year-old patient at the Georges Pompidou European Hospital in Paris.

Permanent artificial hearts had been around since 1982, with similar inventions that preceded them going back to the 1940s. Unlike previous versions, however, Carpentier's invention was the first to be completely artificial and self-regulating. Electronic sensors and microprocessors could monitor blood pressure and flow in real time – instantly adjusting the pulse rate – while a "pseudo-skin" made of biosynthetic, microporous materials could prevent blood clots, which had been a major issue in the past.

By 2015, after a period of clinical trials, it is available within the European Union, priced between 140,000 and 180,000 euros (about US$190,000 to $250,000). 

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Trucks with Emergency Braking Systems are Mandatory in Europe

Trucks with emergency braking systems are mandatory in Europe

In November 2015, an EU law comes into effect which mandates that all new trucks must be fitted with emergency braking and collision warning systems.  This has been introduced in an effort to lower the number of rear-end collisions, which account for a significant proportion of road accidents.

A radar and camera, working together to identify and monitor vehicles in front, can prevent a collision with a moving target at relative speeds of up to 44 mph (70 km/h). When the system detects a vehicle that the truck will hit at its current speed, the warning system activates a constant red light in the windscreen in order to attract the driver's attention.

If the truck fails to detect any reaction from the driver, such as steering or braking, the light begins to flash red accompanied by a beeping sound. If there is still no reaction, the system applies the brakes gently. When all this fails too, an emergency braking system is activated, bringing the truck to a complete stop. In addition, to alert other drivers to the situation, the brake lights on the rear of the truck will change from fixed to flashing.

By the end of this decade, the system is being extended to cars, too.  As more and more technology appears both in vehicles and road infrastructure, the number of accident fatalities continues to trend downwards,  reaching almost zero in the latter half of the century, with human drivers being entirely replaced by AI.

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Battery Technology Gets Boost

Battery technology gets a boost

Various new methods of charging lithium-ion batteries have emerged, enabling them to be powered an order of magnitude faster and lasting over ten times as long. One such technology involves a chemical oxidation process that creates miniscule holes (10 to 20 nanometres) between layers of graphene. This provides lithium ions with a shortcut to the anode. Energy density is boosted by inserting clusters of silicon between each graphene slice, which allows more ions to gather at the electrode. By 2015, the process is used in many consumer electronics. Mobile phones can now be charged from empty in under 15 minutes, with a single charge lasting up to a week. This technology also paves the way for smaller and more efficient batteries for electric cars.

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DDR4 memory reaches the home PC market

DDR4 memory reaches the home PC market

DDR4 is the fourth generation of double data rate, synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) after DDR (2002), DDR2 (2004) and DDR3 (2007). It features greater speed, memory density and energy efficiency, with devices using 20 nanometre (nm) process technology allowing consumer-grade modules of up to 32 GB. Though Samsung and others introduced DDR4 memory boards in 2013, processor boards like Intel's Broadwell did not yet support this standard. High-end servers in data centres were able to take advantage of DDR4 in 2014. However, the home PC market would have to wait until 2015.

		DDR	DDR2	DDR3	DDR4
	Year of release	2002	2004	2007	2013
	Speed	266 Mhz	400 Mhz	1066 MHz	2133 MHz
	Maximum size	1 GB	2 GB	16 GB	32 GB
	Energy required	2.5 volts	1.8 volts	1.5 volts	1.2 volts

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Smart Flo Poise review: A decent smartphone at Rs 5,000

Like many other Indian brands, Spice offers a number of smartphones at a pretty low price point in a bid to tap into switchers (people who are moving from feature phones to touchscreen smartphones). It is estimated that the low-end segment is responsible for a huge chunk of smartphone sales in the Indian market, and Spice has entered the battle with the ultra-cheap Smart Flo Poise. 

The smartphone has a 4.5-inch display, dual-core processor, rear camera with LED flash, 1GB RAM and dual sim functionality. It carries the price tag of just Rs 5,400, but is available online at Rs 5,000. 

This combination of spec sheet and price certainly makes for a pretty tempting offering for buyers who want a low-end smartphone. But does the performance justify the price? And is it a better alternative than Samsung's entry-level Galaxy Star smartphone or Nokia's Asha 500, a similarly-priced smart feature phone from a bigger brand? We get you the answers in this review: 

Looks and build quality
Spice smart flo poise is a smartphone that takes a lot of design cues from Samsung's Galaxy S2, but with a few changes of its own. So, the chrome lining on the sides is much wider here and the overall design is very boxy and chunky, and the edges are sharper. The device is pretty heavy, but feels very solid and sturdy when held in the hand. 

Below the screen are the three touch-sensitive keys for Menu, Back and home; the speaker is located at the back, next to the camera. The Power button is placed on the right, just above the Volume key; both are pretty easy to access while using the device with one hand.What is really striking is the fit and finish of Smart Flo Poise for its price. Having become used to shoddy build at this price point, we were surprised to see the high quality of plastic used, level of care taken in manufacturing and no creaking at all. We don't usually see this level of detail from most smartphones under Rs 10,000, so this is a change we welcome wholeheartedly. 
Hardware

Smart Flo Poise has better hardware than what rivals offer at this price. You get an IPS display with resolution of 480x854p, which trumps the 240x320p resolution of most competitors by a wide margin. There is a 1.3GHz dual-core processor with 512MB RAM, 4GB internal storage, 32GB microSD support for storage expansion, 3.2MP rear camera with LED flash, 1.2MP front camera and 1,450mAh battery.There is no 3G support in Spice's ultra-cheap smartphone, something it has in common with most headset in this segment; it can access the internet over 2G and Wi-Fi. 

Software
Spice has used Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) operating system in Smart Flo Poise smartphone. The ageing OS is overlaid with a custom launcher that eliminates the app menu and puts all the downloaded apps (with redesigned icons) on home screens. We are not particularly fond of this setup, though it is fast becoming pretty common among smartphones made in China. 

Apart from this custom launcher, there are four themes that you can choose to use as the home screen. These are similar to the themes available on Play Store and seem a little childish in appearance.You can also select the type of animation you see while moving between home screens; there are 12 options in total and are pretty standard fare to anyone who has used such customization apps in google’s marketplace earlier. But the impression we get from this software is that Spice wants to give the popular animations to buyers, who are likely to be first-time Android users, without them having to visit Play Store. 

Performance
Spice's low-cost offering has a screen size and resolution that is hard to match in Rs 5,000-price segment, but numbers don't tell the real story. The display is bright and vibrant indoors and suffers from only slight pixilation, but much better than what you get from products by most other brands, both Indian and global. 

However, when we step out into the Sun, the screen washes out totally and it is hard to figure any what is displayed on the screen, even at maximum brightness. This is a major flaw than can prove detrimental to sales and popularity of the smartphone. 

On the software side, the heavy customization bogs down the performance. Apps don't open fast enough, but the smartphone's response time is still better compared to that of others at the same price. We feel that using stock Android would have been a better option at this price point and helped the device perform better. 

Preloading the smartphone with multiple browsers and as many as 48 apps does not really help the user considering the low-end hardware it features. Thankfully, users have the option to uninstall most of the preloaded apps to get rid of the clutter and improve performance. You can not only delete third-party apps like Opera browser, but also a few Google and Spice apps. 

We uninstalled the unnecessary apps, retaining only Facebook, WhatsApp, NQ Mobile Security and a few others, and then used a third-party launcher. This improved the performance of the smartphone drastically, with minimal lag while switching between apps. 
Images taken with Spice Smart Flo Poise's 3.2MP rear camera are disappointing, with poor details. The colours appear okay most of the times, but look a bit dull in some photos. The camera app has a number of settings, but tweaking them does not help much either. The 1,450mAh battery ensures that the smartphone runs for about 8-9 hours once fully charged with 2G data turned on. The usage included an hour of web browsing, couple of hours of using WhatsApp and Facebook, three hours of music playback, half an hour of calling and an hour of YouTube before the battery was exhausted. 

Verdict
Spice Smart Flo Poise is a pretty good smartphone for the price. The screen quality in sunlight and camera are its two major flaws, but the overall performance is something you don't find at Rs 5,000 easily. Moreover, most other smartphones at this price come with lesser hardware, older Android versions and a laggy performance. It is also a better option than Nokia's Asha 500, which has grown very little on the software side and is not really an option if you want a smartphone.

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HTC Desire 816 Review

HTC DESIRE 816 REVIEW: BIG ON 

FEATURES

HTC Desire 816 is part of the Taiwanese device maker's mid-range smartphone lineup. The company is now banking on this very segment to revive its fortunes in addition to riding on the critical acclaim that its flagship phone, One (M8) received. With Desire 816, HTC is perhaps looking at offering a feature-complete, yet affordable, big-screen smartphone to consumers. Does it succeed? We try to find out in our review.

Build & design

HTC Desire 816 essentially follows the same design philosophy as the company's flagship phone, HTC One, complete with front dual stereo speakers. However, unlike the One's all-metal chasis, Desire 816 is made of plastic.

Since the phone sports a big, 5.5-inch display, the overall footprint is also larger compared to One. Having said that, it doesn't look unwieldy like One Max and people with small fingers will also find the phone's use manageable.

It sports a unibody form factor with rounded corners. Although made of plastic with a glossy finish, the build quality is pretty good and exudes a premium feel. In fact, it reminds us of AppleiPhone 5C.

The display is flanked by dual stereo BoomSound speakers on both sides. The speaker grill fits in a single line, with bigger holes unlike the One's grill that is spread over four lines. The 5MP front-facing camera lens sits above the display and is prominent.

Just like HTC One (M8), this phone doesn't sport physical keys at the front and uses on-screen keys for navigation.

The left edge of the phone features the Power/Screen lock and the volume rocker keys that offer decent tactile feedback, while the right side sports a plastic flap that hides two nano-sim card slots and a microSD card slot. We found the positioning of the power button a bit awkward. It's more towards the top and is on the right side, making it cumbersome to use.

One of the sim card slot supports both CDMA-EVDO and GSM-HSPA sim cards, while the other one supports a GSM-only sim card.

The 3.5mm headset jack sits at the top while the micro-USB port is placed at the bottom edge.

The back of the phone features a 13MP rear camera and LED flash. It sports a glossy finish, but it is designed such that smudges are not easily visible.

Overall, Desire 816 feels durable as HTC has used quality plastic material.

Display

The front of the phone is dominated by a 5.5-inch Super LCD 2 display with a resolution of 720 x 1280pixels. Although, the number of pixels packed are less due to the large size of the display, we did not notice any pixilation and images and text appeared sharp and crisp.

Watching videos and movies is a pleasurable experience thanks to the phone's big screen. Having said that, a single hand usage becomes a little difficult due to its large form factor.

Viewing angles were also good and colours appeared vivid, though not as vibrant as that on HTC One (M8). Under-sun legibility was good.

Unfortunately, Desire 816's display doesn't come with Gorilla Glass protection, so you'll need a scratch guard, or be careful about protecting it from keys and coins.

Software

HTC Desire 816 comes with Android 4.4.2 KitKat, the latest version of the OS with Sense 6, the new version of HTC's custom UI, running on top. The software on the phone is very similar to the one on HTC One (M8), HTC's flagship phone for 2014.

However, unlike One (M8), Desire 816 does not offer support for gestures like 'double tap to unlock' and 'swipe to unlock' to a home screen/Blinkfeed. The gestures would have made more sense on 816 given its bigger form factor and the awkward placement of the Power/Unlock key.

While the UI looks very different from stock Android, we quite like the Sense 6 interface. It doesn't look very different from that of the previous version of Sense.

It sports the on-screen navigation keys which hide while playing games and using apps that make use of Android's new immersive mode. For more on the user interface, you can check out our HTC One (M8) review.

Camera

    

      Unlike HTC One (M8), Desire 816 doesn't feature an UltraPixel camera. Instead, it includes a 13MP BSI sensor with f/2.2 aperture and a 28mm lens.

Unlike HTC One (M8), Desire 816 doesn't come with HTC ImageChip. This means that features like the Zoe mode are not included and the camera takes extra time to process the image after capturing it.

Images shot with the phone in optimum light looked great. Colour reproduction, exposure and contrast were just right and images looked natural.

However, the same can't be said about low-light photos (without the use of night mode) which looked noisy and lacked detail. The camera also offers Panorama and HDR modes.

It is capable of capturing 1080p videos and did not disappoint us in terms of audio and video quality.

Desire 816's front-camera has a 5MP sensor with f2.0 wide angle lens for taking selfies. It also includes a timer switch and touchup feature for enhanced selfies. The phone clicks good-quality selfies and offers a number of options to eliminate blemishes, fix red eye and whiten skin tone.

Performance

HTC Desire 816 is powered by a 1.6GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quad-core processor and 1.5GB RAM. Even though it is a mid-range device, the 816 never felt underpowered with thehardware being capable of supporting multitasking and gaming without hiccups.

We did not notice any lag while launching and switching between apps, editing photos, browsing the web, clicking pictures, watching high definition videos, or playing graphics-heavy games.

In synthetic benchmarks, the phone scored 20,623 in Antutu, 12,653 in Quadrant, 1466 in Geekbench 3(Multi-core) and 58.1 in Nenamark 2 benchmark tests.

We were able to play videos of popular file formats without any issues. Additional file formats can be played through third party video player apps. The phone also comes with FM Radio.


HTC Desire 816's front stereo speakers offer enhanced sound quality in addition to delivering sound that's much more powerful and clear compared to many phones.

Call quality was excellent and the phone works well even in weak signal areas. We also observed that 816 catches even weak Wi-Fi signals. The phone comes with GPS and A-GPS for navigation and maps, and it was easily able to lock a signal.

It supports Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX codec support. This allows the phone to deliver CD-like sound over Bluetooth (usually, the sound quality deteriorates over Bluetooth). We found that the phone offers good sound quality even when connected to a Bluetooth stereo headset.

But the thing we liked the most about this phone is its battery backup. The phone comes with a 2600mAh battery and will last you more than a day with moderate to high usage including about one to two hours of making calls, playing games, clicking some pictures, listening to music and browsing the web; and about one-and-a-half day if you don't play games or watch multimedia content.

Just like One (M8), the phone comes with an Extreme power-saving mode, activating which will make the phone's battery last much longer. The mode restricts background data and offers access to Phone, Messages, Mail, Calendar, and Calculator apps.

Gaming

We were able to play games like Subway Surfers, Riptide GP2 and Asphalt 8(with Visual Quality set to High and Engine at 100%) without encountering any frame drops or freezes. The phone tends to get a little warm after long gaming sessions.

Verdict

Desire 816 is a capable mid-range phone that offers almost all features you'll care about. If you can't afford One (M8) but want a similar experience, this is the closest you'll get by shelling out less than Rs 24,000. All the more better if you're a fan of big displays.

The phone is well-built, sports a decent display, offers good performance, great battery life and comes with the tag of a premium brand. The enhanced audio quality and multimedia experience is the cherry on the cake.

We have no qualms in recommending the phone over others in the same price range and feel that it is a value for money proposition. If you want an even bigger phone, Sony Xperia T2 Ultra is an option but you'll need to spend about Rs 1,000 more. However, that phone comes with a slightly inferior chip and an older version of Android.

You can also take a look at Moto X if you're okay with a smaller screen and want a near-stock Android experience.

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Xiaomi Mi 3 review: Redefining value for money

Xiaomi Mi 3 review: Redefining value for money

Xiaomi, the Chinese device major known for selling high-end smartphones at budget prices, has finally arrived in India. The company has kicked off its Indian operations with the launch of Mi 3, its flagship device that features high-end hardwere  rivalling the likes of Nexus 5, but costs almost half the price. Is it the best smartphone you can buy in terms of value for money? We find out in our Xiaomi Mi 3 review...

In the box
Xiaomi Mi 3 comes in a very simple box that includes a charger and USB cable besides the smartphone. It doesn't come with earphones or a case to cut costs and it appears these two accessories will be sold separately by the company. Our unit came with a Chinese charger not compatible with most Indian plug points. We hope Xiaomi replaces it in the retail units.

Build & design
Xiaomi Mi 3 looks and feels like a premium smartphone. It features an aluminum-magnesium alloy frame coated with 3 layers of thermal graphite enclosed with a back panel made of good quality plastic and a Full HD display.

The back has a metal finish that has been done in a manner which makes it really hard to guess that it is actually made of plastic. In our use, we found that the back is not prone to smudges and scratches won't easily show up.

Xiaomi Mi 3 is 8.1mm thick but not too heavy at 145gram. Despite its large size (especially the length), the phone is easy to carry around. It reminded us of the Nokia N9 and the Nokia Lumia 800 with its rounded edges.

The power and volume keys are placed at the right edge while the left edge is barren. The speaker grill and microUSB port are at the bottom edge while the 3.5mm headset jack sits at the top, along with a sim card tray. The single-sim phone supports regualar sized sim cards. So if you're using a nano or micro-sim, you'll need to get an Adapter.

The front panel is not flush with the back but is a bit raised. It features three capacitive keys for navigation, just below the display, and a 2MP front-facing camera above it. The phone doesn't have rounded corners. The corners are a little sharp but they don't impact usability.

The 13MP rear camera and dual-LED flash are placed at the back, towards the top left.

The phone is only available in metallic grey colour at the moment. Overall, Xiaomi Mi 3 is a well built phone with a design that is subtle, durable and pleasant to use.

Display

Xiaomi Mi 3 sports a 5-inch Full HD (1080p, 441ppi, 16:9) IPS LCD display manufactured by either Sharp or LG. We were impressed with the display's brightness and colour rendering. The phone offers three modes for colour temperature (Warm, Standard and Cool) and two for saturation (Brilliant and Standard).

Text and pictures appeared crisp and sharp and the viewing angles were pretty good. Touch sensitivity was also great and the company claims that you can even operate the phone when you hands are wet. You can turn on the glove mode for increased sensitivity.

Having said that, we found the screen to be very reflective, resulting in reduced sunlight legibility. While the company does not mention it on the official specs page, the phone's display panel does come with Gorilla Glass protection.

Software
Xiaomi Mi 3 runs MIUI, a heavily customized version of Android. You would be familiar with the MIUI ROM if you're an Android enthusiast and like flashing different ROMs on your device. The ROM is available for a large number of Android Phones and tablets.

However, the software shines on the Mi 3, which efficiently leverages its features.

While the MIUI software is based on Android 4.4 (KitKat), it looks totally different. In fact, people used to draw parallels between MIUI and iOS as the former follows a similar navigation structure.

The UI is devoid of an app drawer and app icons and widgets are spread across the home screens. The unified home screen-app launcher style may come across as user-friendly to people who have not used an Android phone before. But it will take some time to get used to if you have already been using an Android smartphone. You can of course download and install an alternate launcher.

Unlike the MIUI ROM and the Mi 3's Chinese variant, the Indian version of the phone comes preloaded with Google Play Store and all Google apps including Maps, Gmail, YouTube and Hangouts.

One of the highlight features of MIUI is the ability to customize the user interface  with themes, downloadable wallpapers and clocks. The Themes app offers a large number of free themes, each of which comes with a different set of icons, wallpapers, app switcher, font style, sounds, lock screen styles and even system apps.

Unlike themes that we've seen on other Chinese devices, the MIUI themes are really good looking with attention to detail.

The software does not include any stock Android app and everything including the Gallery, Music, Calculator, Calendar and Email apps are built by MIUI team. The apps look beautiful and offer additional value added features, though most of them have skeuomorphic design elements trying to ape their real world counterparts.

The MIUI app switcher can be launched by long pressing the Menu key and though it doesn't look as rich as the stock Android launcher on KitKat that offers app previews, it comes with the ability to free up memory by killing background tasks and clearing the cache. It even lets you lock certain background apps to exclude them from getting killed.

There are a number of additional features that MIUI offers compared to stock Android. For instance, the phone app features the ability to block calls and messages from select numbers. It also offers a built-in call recording feature that allows you to record calls for all numbers or select ones, depending on settings.

The Messaging app lets you pin important messages on top and hide messages from select contacts in a private messages folder which is smartly hidden in the inbox.

The home screen widgets for the Music and Calendar apps look gorgeous. There's a even a widget mode for Notes and Music that lets you quickly access the functions without opening the apps.

The software has built-in security features including a virus scan and permission manager for apps. You can choose to get data usage notifications and see the network speed at the status bar. You can even choose if you want a particular app to work and connect only when you're connected to the internet via Wi-Fi (or only on 3G.)

Camera

Xiaomi Mi 3 sports a 13MP rear camera accompanied by a Philips dual-LED flash. According to Xiaomi, the Mi 3's 5-piece lens includes an infrared filter, that delivers more accurate colours in photos. It has an ƒ/2.2 aperture to capture more light, and 28mm wide-angle lens to cover more.

The Camera app offers Simple as well as an Advanced mode with the latter offering granular settings for attributes like contrast, saturation, sharpness, ahi banding, and exposure, among others.It also offers HDR, Panorama, Burst modes in addition to filters. The video mode offers slow and fast motion recording options.

Images captured by the camera in day light turned out really well with good level of detail, accurate colour reproduction, little or no noise and good contrast.

Low-light and indoor shots were also good, but these had some noise, especially at 100% zoom. Shots taken under HDR mode had deeper colours and were devoid of shadows but were not as good as flagship phone cameras.

The phone has a 2MP front-facing camera and we found the quality of selfies captured by it, to be pretty impressive.

Xiaomi Mi 3 offers video recording in 1080p, 720p and 480p resolution and includes an image stabilizer anti-shake feature (doesn't include Optical Image Stabilization though). It takes good quality video and thanks to the three microphones, the quality of audio is also good.

Overall, the Xiaomi Mi 3 offers the best camera experience under Rs 15,000 but you can't compare the quality with that of the Samsung Galaxy S5 or Sony Xperia Z2.

Performance
Xiaomi Mi 3 is powered by a 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor with 2GB RAM. The phone is extremely responsive and snappy with its MIUI software being optimized for the hardware.

We did not experience any lag whatsoever while navigating through the home screen and menus, launching apps and switching between them. Scrolling was smooth and the phone was able to play Full HD video files without any problems.

In synthetic benchmarks, the phone scored 30,441 in Antutu, 17,764 in Quadrant and 59.9 in Nenamark 2 benchmark tests. Some of these scores are much better than the Nexus 5, which costs Rs 15,000 more and sports similar hardware specifications. Mi 3 does lag behind the latest flagships from Samsung, HTC and Sony in the benchmark tests. We do not recommend a phone based solely on benchmarks as real world performance is different at times.

Of the 16GB internal storage, about 12GB is available to the user. Unfortunately, you can't expand the storage as the phone doesn't come with a memory card slot which is such a pity. However, you can plug in a flash drive with a USB on-the-go cable.

Xiaomi Mi 3 offers Bluetooth, NFC, Wi-Fi and GPS connectivity options. It offers good call quality and signal reception and we did not encounter issues while making calls even in areas where cell signal is relatively weaker. The phone was able to lock to GPS without any hiccups.

It offers FM radio with recording capability and the app works even without plugging in headphones. We were able to play most popular video and audio file formats. The phone offers customized audio settings for different kinds of headphones.

The external speaker outlet on the phone, located at the bottom edge, offers loud sound output without distortion but is not stereo. We also liked the placement of the speaker outlet.

The phone is backed by a 3,050mAh battery (non-removable) and will last you a full working day (11-12 hours) if you put the screen brightness at the highest level and use 3G data all the time. You'll be able to make about 1-2 hours of phone calls, play some casual games and browse the web in this time period.

We expected better from the battery but your mileage may vary with different usage pattern. The phone offers three power modes and you can choose the economy mode to save some juice.

Gaming

We were able to play games like Subway Surfers, Temple Run 2, Banana Kong, Asphalt 8 and Dead Trigger without encountering frame drops or freezes.

Verdict
Going by the features and user experience, it's hard to believe that Xiaomi Mi 3 costs ​just Rs 13,999.

Before it arrived, the hardware specifications it struts were not available below the Rs 25,000 price point. However, it's not just the hardware specifications that make this phone special. It is a combination of high-end hardware, software full of usability tweaks and good build quality that places it right next to the likes of the Nexus 5 and other more premium phones. It is a 'no compromise' phone that offers excellent value for every rupee of yours.
The only compromises it makes is the lack of expandable storage slot and 4G LTE connectivity (which is still at a nascent stage in India). The camera is one of the best in this price range but not comparable with high-end flagship phones. Some may not like its long frame or sharp corners but we didn't face any usability issues because of these. If you don't like MIUI, you can use a different launcher.

Of course, a large number of people (barring tech enthusiasts) wouldn't have heard about the brand. It is a major player in the Chinese market and known for its high quality smartphones. The company released its MIUI Android ROM in 2010 and its first smartphone in 2011.

It's only recently that Xiaomi decided to expand internationally and launched phones in Singapore, Malaysia and Philippines. In fact, Xiaomi claims that its entire Mi 3 stock sold out in 2 minutes in Singapore.

The company sells phones almost at cost and earns profits from the fall of component prices over a period of time and by selling themes, apps and accessories. It doesn't advertise via conventional channels or runs physical outlets. The only way you can buy the phone is by going online (it's a Flipkart exclusive to begin with).

But what about the after-sales service experience? Xiaomi has 36 service centres in India, with two exclusive ones in Delhi and Bangalore. It targets a turnaround time of one day for complaints and wants to reduce even that to a few hours.

Overall, Xiaomi Mi 3 redefines the term 'value for money' and is certainly the best smartphone you can buy at a price less than Rs 15,000. It's very difficult to suggest an alternative in this price range.

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Asus ZenFone 5 review: Best smartphone under Rs 10,000

Asus has entered the smartphone fray in India and launched five smartphones in one go. The Asus ZenFone 5 is the best positioned of the lot, offering a 5-inch HD screen, Android 4.3 and 2GB RAM and still keeping the price under Rs 10,000 for the base variant. However, unlike most Android phones today, the handset is powered by an Intel processor, not Qualcomm or Mediatek.

Does it fare well against the Moto G's base variant? Should you buy this smartphone or spend another Rs 4,000 and go for Xiaomi Mi 3? We answer these questions and more in our Asus ZenFone 5 review...

Design and display
Asus ZenFone 5 has an understated look, with the company opting largely for plastic construction with only a hint of metal. The plastic used here is not cheap and has matte finish that feels good to the touch. However, the look is rather plain and does not set the smartphone apart from the competition either.

In the front, just below the screen you will see a metallic strip featuring concentric semi-circles, taking up less than a centimeter of space on the front panel. Though this strip is not too bold, it certainly adds a little flair to the design character, which the device doesn't seem to have otherwise. Asus uses the same metal trim in its laptops.

ZenFone 5's removable back panel is curved, which make it easy to hold with one as well as two hands. However, the smartphone itself is a little big and, thus, a little difficult to operate with one hand. At 145gram, it is a little heavy, but feels solid.

One thing we don't like about Asus ZenFone 5 is the wide bezels, which make ZenPhone 5 unnecessarily large. The smartphone could have been much more compact, somewhere to the tune of Samsung Galaxy S4, but the wide bezels on all sides make it too large for comfort. The home, Back and Task Switcher buttons have not been given on the screen as well, thus adding to its size.

Asus ZenFone 5 sport a 5-inch display with 720p resolution. The screen's colour reproduction is balanced, delivering accurate and balanced colours in most cases. Being an IPS panel, it offers good viewing angles, ensuring that colours do not wash out when viewed from the sides. Pixilation is not noticeable either.
Asus ZenFone 5 comes across pretty well-equipped when it comes to the hardware. The smartphone has the Intel Atom Z2560 dual-core processor running at 1.6GHz; it features Hyperthreading technology, meaning that it can act as a quad-core CPU when too many processes are running.

The India variant of ZenPhone 5 comes with 2GB RAM, 8GB and 16GB internal storage options and microSD card support up to 64GB. Connectivity options are standard: 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and microUSB 2.0. The smartphone also sports an 8MP camera flanked by LED flash on the back, and a 2MP camera in front. It has a non-removable 2,110mAh battery.

The 8GB variant has been priced at Rs 9,999, whereas the 16GB model can be purchased for Rs 12,999.

Software
Software is yet another highlight of Asus ZenFone 5. Android smartphone  makers try to set themselves apart via customized software, but most do not turn out well and make the phone appear cluttered.

However, Asus, despite its rather limited experience with smartphones, has done a very good job, giving us an Android launcher that improves the basic functionality of Android, is pleasing to the eyes and does not make you cringe when you look at the icons.

ZenFone 5 comes preloaded with Android 4.3, but the Android 4.4 update is around the corner. There is no word on Android L release for this smartphone.



Much like HTC's Sense UI, the Asus custom skin brings shortcuts to the lock screen so that you can open the apps that you use the most without unlocking the device. It also displays time, weather and upcoming events on the lock screen.

While you swipe downwards to open the Notifications Bar, a swipe from the left side of the screen opens your notifications whereas the swipe from the right opens all the toggles, just like it happens in Android tablets nowadays. Brightness, Flashlight, Memory Booster, Calculator and Quick Memo are permanent in the toggles menu, but you can choose the remaining toggles that show up in Notifications from Settings.



Another feature worth mentioning here is Easy Mode, which lets you choose and control those apps you may use most frequently. Much like the similar feature by Samsung, Sony and HTC, Asus ZenPhone 5 shows common apps like Dialler, Contacts, Camera etc by default, but also lets you set which other apps can be opened in this mode.

Via Settings, you can enable ZenFone 5 to open the camera by clicking the Volume Down key twice when the screen is turned off. You can also take screenshots by just tapping the Task Switcher haptic key twice.

Also worth mentioning is the design of the icons you see in several Asus apps. The icons are flat and minimalist, making the screen uncluttered even if it has several apps and widgets.

Of course, all this doesn't mean that Asus, like other manufacturers, hasn't preloaded its own set of apps in ZenFone 5. Along with Google apps, the Taiwanese manufacturer has put several apps on the device, and not all are useful.

Those worth mentioning are AudioWizard and Splendid. The former, as the name suggest, lets you control the phone's audio profile depending upon the functions you are performing. There are six modes in this app, namely Speech, Music, Recording, Movie, Gaming and Power Saving.

Splendid enables you to control the colour reproduction on the display, allowing you to make it richer or colder.

Asus has said that it will update ZenFone 5 to Android 4.4 (KitKat) in coming weeks, but there is no word on an upgrade to Android L release.

Performance
We have been fairly impressed by the software, hardware, design and display quality of Asus ZenFone 5. But what about the performance in everyday usage? ZenFone 5 did not fail us even once, delivering consistent performance without a single glitch.

What's more surprising is that the Intel-powered smartphone delivered a user experience that was as good, if not better, than that of its Qualcomm-powered counterparts. Apps opened quickly and switching between them was smooth. With 2GB RAM at its disposal, the smartphone did not give any 'out of memory' error as well.

The smartphone performs well as a gaming machine too, but resource-hungry games feel a little slow to start. The Power VR GX544MP2 GPU renders rich graphics without a hitch. The games we tried, Real Racing 3 and Dead Trigger 2, played smoothly and there were no frame drops.



In benchmark tests, Asus ZenFone 5 gave pretty good results. In fact, its scores were right up there with those of Google Nexus 4 in most tests we used, and decidedly better than that of Moto G.

Call quality on both sim cards, in our experience, has been fine, but nothing to write home about. Wi-Fi and 3G networks too worked smoothly in all environments.

As a multimedia device, however, Asus ZenFone 5 is not good. Though the display is great and all video formats play easily, the sound is just not enough. It is not loud enough, and thus makes playing songs or videos a poor experience. Due to the low sound output, using this smartphone in loudspeaker mode is also useless.

One problem we faced while handling the device is that the haptic keys are not backlit. Therefore, using it in the dark is a little difficult.

Battery life is also a concern. During regular usage, where we keep the brightness at 50% and always keep either 3G or Wi-Fi turned on, the battery drained in approximately 6-7 hours. Turning off internet connectivity helps the ZenFone 5 get through a day. The smartphone has battery saver modes, but they don't do help much unless the internet is turned off. It is, therefore, advisable to keep the charger with you for emergency situations.

Camera
The camera of ZenFone 5 is decent for an 8MP camera, and especially good for the sub-Rs 10,000 range. Asus has used also added several software feature to give users an array of image capturing options, such as Depth of Field, Miniature, Smart Remove.



In Auto mode, the lighter parts in photos are overexposed, while dark areas are underexposed. Colours in daylight photos are accurate and the white balance also okay. Lowlight photos come out pretty great and show a little less noise compared to rival smartphones.

You can make GIFs using the smartphone, much like Nokia Lumia phones' CinemaGraph. The Miniature feature lets you bring a single object in focus, while keeping the rest faded. The Depth of Field feature works well, but is a little slow and it took us several tries before we got a satisfactory photo.

Verdict
If you are looking for a smartphone under Rs 10,000, then Asus ZenFone 5 should easily be your first choice. Battery life is a concern, but a wall charger or power bank in your bag is a simple fix. The screen, software, camera and overall performance compensate more than enough for the small battery.

However, if you can stretch your budget to Rs 14,000, then you should go for Xiaomi Mi 3, which is a fantastic smartphone that does much more than what ZenFone 5 can.

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