New Year’s Resolution Apps: CARROT Fit, Lifesum, Mint and More
January 1 is a popular day to begin New Year’s resolutions, but many people fall back to bad habits by February because the goals they set are not realistic. If you are one of those people, consider focusing on making small improvements to your lifestyle this year by taking advantage of iOS apps that can help you succeed.
Drink more water with Lifesum, a free healthy living app for easily tracking each glass or bottle of water you drink. The daily goal is set to 8 glasses, or 68 fl. oz, by default, but can be adjusted based on your personal needs. Water intake data can be exported to Apple’s official Health app.
Drinking water can contribute to better alertness and productivity, weight loss, improved digestion and many other benefits. Lifesum can also help you track your breakfast, lunch, dinner and exercise. Some features require upgrading to a Lifesum Gold subscription. [Direct Link]
Save more money with Mint, a free app that links to your U.S. or Canadian bank account and provides an overview of your cash flow, recent transactions, upcoming bills and spending habits based on categories such as restaurants, groceries, fast food, alcohol and bars, clothing and more.
Mint enables you to create budgets to help you save money. Aim to reduce your spending by a realistic amount relative to your net income. If you spend $83.33 less per month on non-essential purchases, for example, the savings quickly add up to $1,000 in one year. [Direct Link]
BUDGT [Direct Link] is a simplistic budget and expense tracking alternative that does not link with your bank account. The app costs $1.99.
Get in shape with CARROT Fit, a top-rated fitness app that delivers an exhaustive 7-minute interval workout based on 12 high intensity 30-second exercises with 10 seconds of rest in between each set. The app also features a step counter, weight tracker, workout calendar and more.
CARROT Fit is $2.99, so it is worth a try before signing up for an annual gym membership or personal training, which can easily cost upwards of $300 or $50 per hour respectively. The app’s 7 Minutes in Hell workout can be completed anywhere, and the only equipment needed is a chair. [Direct Link]
Quit smoking with Smoke Free, which tracks how much money you have saved since quitting, how many cigarettes you’ve avoided smoking, how long you’ve been smoke free, how many hours of life you’ve theoretically regained, overall health improvements and more.
Smoke Free provides you with daily missions and tips to help you stop smoking, and rewards you with badges for not smoking or avoiding cravings for various lengths of time. These features can be unlocked via in-app purchase, while most of the app’s other features are free to use. [Direct Link]
Wake up rested with Sleep Cycle, a free intelligent alarm clock app that analyzes your sleep and wakes you in the lightest sleep phase, allowing you to feel rested and relaxed. The app has patented technology that monitors your sleep movements using sound or vibration analysis.
Simply open Sleep Cycle and place your iPhone on a nightside table or floor near your bed, and the app will find the optimal time to wake you up during a 30 minute window that ends at your set alarm time. Make sure that your iPhone is connected to a power source to ensure it does not die overnight. [Direct Link]
Sleep Cycle offers an optional annual Premium subscription for $1.99 per year featuring online backup, long term sleeping trends, sleep notes, a heart rate monitor, Philips HUE lightbulb support and more. Sleep Cycle’s developer Northcube AB says the app was developed using proven sleep science and years of research and development. The app is also fully integrated with Apple’s stock Health app.
Organize your life with Wunderlist, a popular task management and to-do list app acquired by Microsoft in June 2015. The app allows you to create to-do lists with optional subtasks, notes, files and comments, and set due dates and reminders for important deadlines.
Wunderlist is free to use, while upgrading to Wunderlist Pro is optional and provides unlimited access to Files, Assigning and Subtasks for $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year through an auto-renewing subscription. [Direct Link]
Lifesum, Mint, CARROT Fit and Wunderlist have companion Apple Watch apps available.
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What’s on your HDTV: NYE, ‘Ash vs. Evil Dead’ season finale
Now that we’re finally getting to bowl games that matter, it’s also time for the inevitable slew of New Year’s Eve celebrations. The first season of Ash vs. the Evil Dead is wrapping up on Starz, and Netflix is losing a bunch of streaming content, including man Sesame Street videos because of its deal with HBO. On the plus side The Simpsons are back after a short break, along with a new series Cooper Barrett’s Guide to Surviving Life, and Downton Abbey on PBS. Look after the break to check out each day’s highlights, including trailers and let us know what you think (or what we missed).
Blu-ray & Games & Streaming
- Hitman: Agent 47
- Shameless (S5)
- Heist
- The Perfect Guy
- Ray Donovan (S3)
- Bone Tomahawk
- Nurse Jackie (S1 – S7) (Netflix)
- Blood Code (PC)
- Kill the Plumber (PC)
- Beatsplosion for Kinect (Xbox One)
Monday
- WWE Raw, USA, 8PM
- Monday Night Football: Bengals/Broncos, ESPN, 8:15PM
- Heroin: Cape Cod, USA, HBO, 9PM
- Legends (series finale), TNT, 9, 10 & 11PM
- Superstore, NBC, 9PM
- Telenovela, NBC, 9:30PM
Tuesday
- The 38th Annual Kennedy Center Honors, CBS, 9PM
- Inside the NFL, Showtime, 9PM
- Married at First Sight, A&E, 9PM
- The Expanse, Syfy, 10PM
Wednesday
- Mozart in the Jungle (S2), Amazon Prime, 3AM
- Rocketjump: The Show, Hulu, 3AM
- I Get That a Lot, CBS, 8PM
- Road to the NHL Winter Classic, Epix, 10PM
- The Real World/Road Rules Challenge, MTV, 10PM
- NFL Turning Point, NBC Sports Network, 11PM
- True Life: I Had My Cousin’s Baby, MTV, 11:30PM
Thursday
- Pitbull’s New Year’s Eve Revolution, Fox, 8PM
- Dick Clark’s Primetime New Year’s Rockin Eve, ABC, 8PM
- A Toast to 2015, NBC, 8PM
- New York Philharmonic New Year’s Eve, PBS, 8PM
- WWE Smackdown, Syfy, 8PM
- Chargers/Raiders football, NFL Network, 8:25PM
Friday
- Unforgettable, A&E, 8PM
- A Football Life, NFL Network, 9PM
- Sherlock: The Abominable Bride, PBS, 9PM
- The BET Life of: Brandy, BET, 10PM
- The Rap Game (series premiere), Lifetime, 10PM
- Smartest Guy in the Room (series premiere), History, 10 & 10:30PM
Saturday
- Mythbusters Revealed, Discovery, 8PM
- Don’t Wake Mommy, Lifetime, 8PM
- Ash vs. Evil Dead (season finale), Starz, 9PM
- Love in Paradise, Hallmark, 9PM
- Austin City Limits: Alabama Shakes/Vintage Trouble, PBS, 9PM
- 48 Hours, CBS, 10PM
Sunday
- 60 Minutes, CBS, 7:30PM
- Galavant (season premiere), ABC, 8PM
- Countdown to Downton Abbey, PBS, 8PM
- The Simpsons (winter premiere), Fox, 8PM
- Sunday Night Football: Rams/Packers, NBC, 8:30PM
- Cooper Barrett’s Guide to Surviving Life (series premiere), Fox, 8:30PM
- Downton Abbey (season premiere), PBS, 9PM
- Hoarders (season premiere), A&E, 9PM
- Family Guy (winter premiere), Fox, 9PM
- Bad Sister, Lifetime, 9PM
- Bordertown (series premiere), Fox, 9:30PM
- The Royals, E!, 10PM
- StarTalk, National Geographic, 11PM
[Image credit: Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy]
HTC will ‘never disappear’, CEO assures fans
HTC CEO Cher Wang has assured fans that the company will continue to have a presence in the market, despite some predictions saying otherwise.
The group boss deemed it necessary to speak out following comments made by Reuters columnist, Robyn Mak. Mak claimed that HTC will become one of several smartphone brands to ‘head for extinction’ in 2016.
He commented: “Loss-making brands, from HTC to Sony, might be forced to conclude that the game is over.”
Despite Mak’s comments, Wang remains confident that HTC will keep its head above water. In a recent meeting with press, the boss promised that 2016 would be ‘a big year’ for HTC, aiming to penetrate the high-end market and offer affordable products too.
Back in August, Phandroid reported that HTC’s company stock was falling dramatically, ‘around 60%’ since the group released its Q2 financial report. The website’s report went on to add that of the 22 analyst firms tracked by Bloomberg, none would recommend buying stock in HTC.
Meanwhile, HTC continues to work on its VR headset, the HTC Vive, set to make an appearance at CES. Speaking at HTC’s Vive Unbound event in Beijing, China, Wang claimed that the release delay (now set for April 2016) was due to a ‘very, very big’ technological development.
HTC will surely be hoping the rumoured M10 flagship smartphone also does enough to calm the doubters.
Source: FocusTaiwan
Via: Phandroid
Come comment on this article: HTC will ‘never disappear’, CEO assures fans
Samsung Pay will support online shopping in 2016
Samsung will be expanding its mobile payment system in the US next year by allowing users to shop online, also adding support for more smartphones.
The news, detailed by Reuters, means that lower-priced Samsung smartphones will support the system ‘within the next year’.
Speaking about the changes to Samsung Pay, Thomas Ko, global co-general manager of Samsung Pay, said: “[Wider] handset availability of Samsung Pay as well as online payment support is coming soon”.
Despite the announcement, there was no mention of which other countries will support Samsung Pay in the future.
Ko notes that Samsung Pay is already ‘the most widely accepted mobile wallet in the United States’, largely due to compatibility with both old and new credit card terminals. In a press statement, HTC said:
“Samsung Pay continues to expand its reach and provide its customers unparalleled choice, flexibility and access.”
Apple Pay, which launched in September 2014, requires stores to install new equipment to function correctly, ‘hindering wider acceptance’ in the process, consultants have said.
Earlier in the month, we reported on news that Samsung has added 19 new issuers to the Samsung Pay ecosystem, with the line-up now featuring PNC Visa credit and debit cards and KeyBank MasterCard credit and debit cards.
Samsung’s decision to support online payments will see the mobile group take on PayPal, a massive player in the online retail game. Bitcoin will also serve as another competitor.
Samsung Pay first arrived in South Korea on a handful of Samsung gadgets including the Galaxy Note 5, S6 and S6 Edge+.
Source: Reuters
Come comment on this article: Samsung Pay will support online shopping in 2016
Vladimir Putin dissolved Roscosmos, Russia’s federal space agency
With the flourish of a pen earlier today, Russian president Vladimir Putin officially put an end to Roscosmos, the country’s federal space agency. That decree capped off over a year’s worth of organizational despair as the agency saw its ten-year budget cut (again), the loss of a handful of spacecraft and the misuse of over 92 billion rubles (or $1.8 billion) in part thanks to a pervasive culture of corruption. Don’t worry about the country’s spacebound ambitions, though — Roscosmos will be reborn as a state-run corporation on January 1.
So, what does that actually mean? Well, we’re not really sure yet. With some luck, the new Roscosmos will operate with a stricter level of government oversight to help reign in costs and complete the construction of a 342 square mile Cosmodrome near Russia’s far-eastern border with China. Its structure as a corporation, though, could mean the revived agency is better equipped to compete in the realm of commercial spaceflight — a notion Putin is clearly fond of. After all, the rise of ambitious US competitors like SpaceX could put a damper on Russia’s surprisingly lucrative spaceflight business. In mid-2015, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden told Congress the going rate to stick six US astronauts on Soyuz rockets through 2017 would be $490 million — that works out to a cool $82 million per seat, up from roughly $70 million the year before. Feeding and swapping out our astronauts in low-Earth orbit is big business, so don’t expect a whole lot of the organizations day-to-day launch business to change much.
Source: TASS
Christopher Nolan goes to war in ‘Dunkirk’
His last movie took audiences to the other side of a black hole, but director Christopher Nolan’s next project is an altogether different trip back in time. Dunkirk tells the story of one of World War II’s early battles, where Allied forces were trapped on a French beach. Remember, this was back in 1940 and they were surrounded by German soldiers — it wasn’t a vacation. As he’s part of the lobby that pushed film studios to essentially keep celluloid company Kodak afloat, the movie’s naturally being shot on large format 65mm film stock in addition to his favored IMAX 65mm.
Using film stock that size can have its problems though, as it seems that modern movie theater projectionists aren’t exactly used to the format. During the recent limited run of Quentin Tarantino’s latest on 70mm film, The Hateful Eight, Variety reports that it was slightly out of focus or the audio and video weren’t synced properly. But that’s not on Nolan, who’s currently searching for unknown teenage actors to round out possible returning members of his troupe including Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises, Inception).
If all goes according to plan, Dunkirk will debut July 21st, 2017. For geeks of a different stripe, that’s perhaps better known as the week before the latest Spider-Man reboot releases.
Via: Variety
Source: Businesswire
Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 review
Along with a larger focus on affordability this year in the mid-range and high-end segments, there has also been a slew of lower-end smartphones launched, falling in the sub-$200 category, that have proved to be impressive as well. Granted, these devices aren’t perfect and often have their fair share of compromises, but Chinese OEM Xiaomi is looking to shake things up with their latest addition to the affordable Redmi series. Does this device prove to be a compelling choice? We find out, in this in-depth Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 review!
More Xiaomi smartphones
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Design
The Redmi Note 3 may feature some elements of the design language of its predecessor, but when it comes to build quality, the metal unibody construction of the former is in stark contrast to the matte finish plastic build of the Redmi Note 2. That’s not to say that the build quality and design of the Redmi Note 2 was bad by an stretch, but the premium look and feel its successor provides is certainly something that users will appreciate, and is a very pleasant surprise, given its price point.
The curved edges and sides of the device make for a somewhat better handling experience, but the metal body is quite slippery, so using this rather large phone with one hand isn’t the easiest. The metal backing transitions into convincingly colored plastic caps at the top and bottom that are likely in place to help with antenna reception, but also provide a nice gripping point when holding the device in the landscape orientation.
Taking a look around the device, the power button and volume rocker are on the right side, and provide exceptional tactile feedback and responsiveness. The headphone jack and microUSB port are at the top and bottom respectively, and up top is also an IR blaster. On the back is the single speaker unit, along with the new addition of a fingerprint scanner that is found below the camera. Up front are three capacitive navigation keys, with the first being assignable to open either the Recent Apps tray or an App Menu.
Display
The Redmi Note 3 comes with a 5.5-inch IPS LCD display with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 403 ppi. The display is quite good overall, but is somewhat lacking in contrast and resolution, and there are certainly devices that fall in this price range with better displays out there. The display’s sunlight readability and minimum brightness level are notably good however, and the adaptive brightness feature also worked really well during our testing.
Performance and hardware
Under the hood, the Redmi Note 3 comes with an octa-core MediaTek Helio X10 processor, clocked at 2 GHz, and backed by the PowerVR G6200 GPU and 2 or 3 GB of RAM. This particular review unit is of the 3 GB RAM variety, and as expected, multi-tasking is a breeze, but 2 GB of RAM should be more than enough as well. On the performance front, the Redmi Note 3 performs surprisingly well, especially when considering its price point.
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Everything is very smooth, and minimal lag is to be seen only when running more processor-intensive tasks. Gaming is also very enjoyable on the device, but keep in mind that this is only when the device is set to Performance Mode, and there is some stutter and lag when switched to the other battery modes.
16 GB or 32 GB storage options are available, which also determines the RAM you get, but with no expandable storage via microSD card to be found, most users will be better off opting for the higher storage version anyway. The device also comes with a standard suite of connectivity options, but given the fact that it isn’t officially available in the US, access to 4G LTE networks isn’t possible. HSPA+ on the AT&T and T-Mobile networks is plenty fast though, and the call quality proved to be pretty good as well.
The rear speaker of the Redmi Note 3 is about average, and while it gets reasonably loud, the sound quality is tinny and somewhat distorted. The speaker is also very easy to muffle when the device is placed on a flat surface, as is the case with most rear speaker setups. A new addition in hardware is the fingerprint scanner on the back, which is ideally placed to be within comfortable reach of the index finger, and proves to be fast and very accurate. When compared to the high-end Nexus 6P, the scanner may not be as fast, but the accuracy is just as good, which is fantastic to see on an affordable smartphone.
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The battery of the Redmi Note 3 may not be user replaceable, but making up for it is its large 4,000 mAh capacity. The battery life is impressive, with anywhere between 4 and 5 and a half hours of screen-on time possible, and the device has no problem allowing for a full day of usage comfortably. There is no fast charging capabilities to be had, but the great battery life means that it isn’t a requirement either.
See also: Best cheap Android phones (December 2015)
Camera
The Redmi Note 3 comes with a 13 MP rear camera, with a f/2.2 aperture and phase detection auto focus, along with a 5 MP front-facing camera with a f/2.0 aperture. Overall, the primary camera allows for decent image quality. There does seem to be a lack of saturation and detail in most images however, and the camera does have a tendency to underexpose outdoor shots as well. HDR does help with the latter issue, but using this mode adds a few seconds to the shooting time. Indoor images also contain noticeable amounts of digital noise, but don’t look that bad.
As far as the camera application is concerned, you do get an easy to use auto experience, but there are also a number of filters and camera modes available for those who want to use them, including panorama, a timer mode, and a manual mode, that allows for granular control over aspects like white balance and ISO, which is certainly nice to have.
Software
On the software side of things is where Xiaomi seems to have injected the most value into the Redmi Note 3. The latest version of MIUI 7 is based on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop, but with it being a very heavily skinned interface, you won’t notice any Material Design elements. However, MIUI is arguably one of the most polished skins around, courtesy of the amount of customization and number of features it offers. Some of these features include transition effects, and weekly developer OTA updates, and with everything being smooth and snappy overall, MIUI allows for one of the best software experiences available on a device priced at under $200.
There are some elements that take some getting used to however, such as the lack of an app drawer, leaving users dependent on folders to keep things organized, and the inability to dismiss notifications directly from the lock screen. Given that this version of the device is intended for the Chinese market, Google apps aren’t pre-installed, and while it is quite easy to install them, they don’t always work as well as one would expect. It’s important to note here that a global version of the device will be available shortly which will have the Google apps built in, and so, you can wait a little longer to avoid the hassle of going through the process.
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Xiaomi hasn’t had the best track record with offering the latest versions of Android, as is very evident here, but what they do offer frequent software updates for the MIUI OS that essentially includes all the features that you’d expect from newer versions of Android. If you are a stickler for running the latest and greatest, keep in mind that the Redmi Note 3 may not see anything beyond Android 5.0.2 Lollipop, but lack of features is certainly not going to be a concern.
Specifications
| Display | 5.5-inch IPS LCD, 1920 x 1080 resolution, 403 ppi |
| Processor | 2 GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6795 Helio X10 PowerVR G6200 GPU |
| RAM | 2/3 GB |
| Storage | 16/32 GB, not expandable |
| Camera | 13 MP rear camera with LED flash 5 MP front camera |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.1, FM Radio, IR Blaster |
| Battery | 4,000 mAh |
| OS | MIUI OS 7 based on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop |
| Colors | silver, gray, gold |
| Dimensions | 150 x 76 x 8.7 mm 164 grams |
Gallery
Pricing and final thoughts
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is currently available only in China, priced at RMB 8,999 for the 16 GB and 2 GB RAM version, while the Prime iteration, with 32 GB storage and 3 GB of RAM, is priced at RMB 11,999, which roughly translates to $140 and $172 respectively. Importing the device will result in a higher price tag, but the soon to be released global version should feature the same pricing.
So there you have it for this detailed look at the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3! Like most other smartphones that fall in the sub-$200 category, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 has its issues, particularly with its lackluster display and average camera experience. However, this smartphone does excel in key areas where its competitors do not, including its fantastic design and build quality, exceptional battery life, and the inclusion of a fast and accurate fingerprint scanner. This is yet another very commendable effort from Xiaomi, and is a device that is certainly worthy of your consideration.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 review
Along with a larger focus on affordability this year in the mid-range and high-end segments, there has also been a slew of lower-end smartphones launched, falling in the sub-$200 category, that have proved to be impressive as well. Granted, these devices aren’t perfect and often have their fair share of compromises, but Chinese OEM Xiaomi is looking to shake things up with their latest addition to the affordable Redmi series. Does this device prove to be a compelling choice? We find out, in this in-depth Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 review!
More Xiaomi smartphones
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Design
The Redmi Note 3 may feature some elements of the design language of its predecessor, but when it comes to build quality, the metal unibody construction of the former is in stark contrast to the matte finish plastic build of the Redmi Note 2. That’s not to say that the build quality and design of the Redmi Note 2 was bad by an stretch, but the premium look and feel its successor provides is certainly something that users will appreciate, and is a very pleasant surprise, given its price point.
The curved edges and sides of the device make for a somewhat better handling experience, but the metal body is quite slippery, so using this rather large phone with one hand isn’t the easiest. The metal backing transitions into convincingly colored plastic caps at the top and bottom that are likely in place to help with antenna reception, but also provide a nice gripping point when holding the device in the landscape orientation.
Taking a look around the device, the power button and volume rocker are on the right side, and provide exceptional tactile feedback and responsiveness. The headphone jack and microUSB port are at the top and bottom respectively, and up top is also an IR blaster. On the back is the single speaker unit, along with the new addition of a fingerprint scanner that is found below the camera. Up front are three capacitive navigation keys, with the first being assignable to open either the Recent Apps tray or an App Menu.
Display
The Redmi Note 3 comes with a 5.5-inch IPS LCD display with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 403 ppi. The display is quite good overall, but is somewhat lacking in contrast and resolution, and there are certainly devices that fall in this price range with better displays out there. The display’s sunlight readability and minimum brightness level are notably good however, and the adaptive brightness feature also worked really well during our testing.
Performance and hardware
Under the hood, the Redmi Note 3 comes with an octa-core MediaTek Helio X10 processor, clocked at 2 GHz, and backed by the PowerVR G6200 GPU and 2 or 3 GB of RAM. This particular review unit is of the 3 GB RAM variety, and as expected, multi-tasking is a breeze, but 2 GB of RAM should be more than enough as well. On the performance front, the Redmi Note 3 performs surprisingly well, especially when considering its price point.
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Everything is very smooth, and minimal lag is to be seen only when running more processor-intensive tasks. Gaming is also very enjoyable on the device, but keep in mind that this is only when the device is set to Performance Mode, and there is some stutter and lag when switched to the other battery modes.
16 GB or 32 GB storage options are available, which also determines the RAM you get, but with no expandable storage via microSD card to be found, most users will be better off opting for the higher storage version anyway. The device also comes with a standard suite of connectivity options, but given the fact that it isn’t officially available in the US, access to 4G LTE networks isn’t possible. HSPA+ on the AT&T and T-Mobile networks is plenty fast though, and the call quality proved to be pretty good as well.
The rear speaker of the Redmi Note 3 is about average, and while it gets reasonably loud, the sound quality is tinny and somewhat distorted. The speaker is also very easy to muffle when the device is placed on a flat surface, as is the case with most rear speaker setups. A new addition in hardware is the fingerprint scanner on the back, which is ideally placed to be within comfortable reach of the index finger, and proves to be fast and very accurate. When compared to the high-end Nexus 6P, the scanner may not be as fast, but the accuracy is just as good, which is fantastic to see on an affordable smartphone.
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The battery of the Redmi Note 3 may not be user replaceable, but making up for it is its large 4,000 mAh capacity. The battery life is impressive, with anywhere between 4 and 5 and a half hours of screen-on time possible, and the device has no problem allowing for a full day of usage comfortably. There is no fast charging capabilities to be had, but the great battery life means that it isn’t a requirement either.
See also: Best cheap Android phones (December 2015)
Camera
The Redmi Note 3 comes with a 13 MP rear camera, with a f/2.2 aperture and phase detection auto focus, along with a 5 MP front-facing camera with a f/2.0 aperture. Overall, the primary camera allows for decent image quality. There does seem to be a lack of saturation and detail in most images however, and the camera does have a tendency to underexpose outdoor shots as well. HDR does help with the latter issue, but using this mode adds a few seconds to the shooting time. Indoor images also contain noticeable amounts of digital noise, but don’t look that bad.
As far as the camera application is concerned, you do get an easy to use auto experience, but there are also a number of filters and camera modes available for those who want to use them, including panorama, a timer mode, and a manual mode, that allows for granular control over aspects like white balance and ISO, which is certainly nice to have.
Software
On the software side of things is where Xiaomi seems to have injected the most value into the Redmi Note 3. The latest version of MIUI 7 is based on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop, but with it being a very heavily skinned interface, you won’t notice any Material Design elements. However, MIUI is arguably one of the most polished skins around, courtesy of the amount of customization and number of features it offers. Some of these features include transition effects, and weekly developer OTA updates, and with everything being smooth and snappy overall, MIUI allows for one of the best software experiences available on a device priced at under $200.
There are some elements that take some getting used to however, such as the lack of an app drawer, leaving users dependent on folders to keep things organized, and the inability to dismiss notifications directly from the lock screen. Given that this version of the device is intended for the Chinese market, Google apps aren’t pre-installed, and while it is quite easy to install them, they don’t always work as well as one would expect. It’s important to note here that a global version of the device will be available shortly which will have the Google apps built in, and so, you can wait a little longer to avoid the hassle of going through the process.
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Xiaomi hasn’t had the best track record with offering the latest versions of Android, as is very evident here, but what they do offer frequent software updates for the MIUI OS that essentially includes all the features that you’d expect from newer versions of Android. If you are a stickler for running the latest and greatest, keep in mind that the Redmi Note 3 may not see anything beyond Android 5.0.2 Lollipop, but lack of features is certainly not going to be a concern.
Specifications
| Display | 5.5-inch IPS LCD, 1920 x 1080 resolution, 403 ppi |
| Processor | 2 GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6795 Helio X10 PowerVR G6200 GPU |
| RAM | 2/3 GB |
| Storage | 16/32 GB, not expandable |
| Camera | 13 MP rear camera with LED flash 5 MP front camera |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.1, FM Radio, IR Blaster |
| Battery | 4,000 mAh |
| OS | MIUI OS 7 based on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop |
| Colors | silver, gray, gold |
| Dimensions | 150 x 76 x 8.7 mm 164 grams |
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Pricing and final thoughts
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is currently available only in China, priced at RMB 8,999 for the 16 GB and 2 GB RAM version, while the Prime iteration, with 32 GB storage and 3 GB of RAM, is priced at RMB 11,999, which roughly translates to $140 and $172 respectively. Importing the device will result in a higher price tag, but the soon to be released global version should feature the same pricing.
So there you have it for this detailed look at the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3! Like most other smartphones that fall in the sub-$200 category, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 has its issues, particularly with its lackluster display and average camera experience. However, this smartphone does excel in key areas where its competitors do not, including its fantastic design and build quality, exceptional battery life, and the inclusion of a fast and accurate fingerprint scanner. This is yet another very commendable effort from Xiaomi, and is a device that is certainly worthy of your consideration.
LinkNYC’s Public WiFi hotspot installation has begun in New York City
New York City has finally begun the transformation of 10,000 archaic public phone booths into futuristic, city-wide Wi-Fi terminals. We reported last year that construction was to begin by 2016, and with just three days to spare, the first few kiosks have began undergoing the conversion.
Witnesses on the street have seen these new LinkNYC kiosks being erected around the five boroughs of New York. When they are up and fully functional, New Yorkers, and tourists alike, will be able to connect to free Wi-Fi within 150 feet of any kiosk. Any passerby will also be able to access an Android tablet inside of the kiosk for web access, travel maps, and much more. These kiosks will also display advertisements for funding purposes, as well as breaking news alerts to keep the citizenry informed.
For those of you excited for these new Wi-Fi enabled kiosks, you will only have to wait a little while longer. Once the kiosks are up and running a test wave will commence to ensure that the Wi-Fi is functioning properly across the city. After the Wi-Fi connection is found up to snuff, the Android tablets, with their added functionality, will be brought online.
Source: LinkNYC
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Japan Display Inc starts production on Pixel Eyes 2, might come to next gen Xperia phones
Japan Display Inc. has started building the 2nd generation “Pixel Eyes” touch LCD display modules. The new modules are designed with high performance phones in mind.
The new materials used in the 2nd gen modules produce much deeper blacks, shave off border edges (0.5mm versus 0.8mm previously), and bring the ability to use a finer stylus (1mm versus 2mm previously). They also bring wet finger support.
Although Sony hasn’t come right out and said it, they have said there is a high chance these displays will be used in the next Xperia Z phones.
Source: Japan Display Inc.
Via: Xperiablog
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