Audeze SINE headphone review: High-end on-ears, because why not?
You may have not heard of Audeze, and that’s okay. The company makes some of the most premium (and expensive) headphones out there, specializing in high-end planar magnetic driver technology. Now, most of its inventory is large, open-back over-ears, but the company has just launched a more mobile and wallet-friendly solution for the more general audience who want a taste of what planar magnetic technology can do. Let me introduce the SINE On-ear.
If you compare the SINE to the rest of Audeze’s lineup, it’s obvious that the SINE is new territory. It’s on-ear, closed-back, and doesn’t cost a fortune. Fortunately, that doesn’t mean that Audeze skimped on the package. This is the world’s first on-ear that uses planar magnetics. Let’s check out if the SINE are the new leader in the on-ear headphone market.
Design
From a distance, the SINE aren’t that special-looking. The design is fairly basic, and its black, stealthy styling is somewhat discrete – nothing like the over-engineered cans that Audeze is known for.
That isn’t necessarily a bad thing; not everyone likes to draw attention with a flashy adornment on their head. However, this isn’t to say that they don’t look/feel expensive. Their sleek shape and premium materials ensure that the user will get their money’s worth. And when you take a close look, you’ll see that Audeze is serious about every detail.
When you pick up the SINE you’ll immediately notice that the frame is completely metal, resulting in a satisfying heft. This is certainly refreshing compared to today’s sea of plastic, cheap-feeling headphones. It feels solidly constructed, like a $500 headphone should.
The frame’s unique, truss-like design is from Audeze’s collaboration with a BMW subsidiary called DesignWorks. That group has the freedom to come up with some rad, unconventional designs, and I think added a sweet touch to the SINE’s somewhat basic form. The leather-wrapped ear cups and headband also up the sophistication.
At first glance, you may be fooled into thinking that the SINE are over-ear headphones. The ear cups are fairly large for on-ears. Audeze put a lot of consideration into the ear cup shape, and you’ll notice that their asymmetrical, tapered contour makes sense for the shape of the ear.
While the SINE cannot fold and collapse in size, the ear cups can rotate flat to slim its size.
This also means that Audeze was able to make the driver opening larger than average, which it says allows for more air and better acoustics. I also imagine that you get a better distribution of pressure on your ear. On-ear headphones can be tricky in regard to comfort, because the ear pads rest on top of the ear instead of around it.
Function
So to address one of the biggest questions for on-ear headphones: How comfortable are they?
Very. The larger than standard ear pad size works for me. The comfort is also due in part to the superbly supple ear pads. The cushions are very soft (kind of squishy) and the leather feels great against the ears. Isolation is terrific for an on-ear too, as the large ear pads engulf the ears and mold to fill any openings where air can escape. Thick padded over-ears will still easily beat it out in terms of isolation, but this ain’t bad for an on-ear. But bear in mind that the SINE isn’t exempt from discomfort over a lengthy listening session or heating up your ears.
A nice feature of the SINE is a removable cable, giving you the flexibility to replace it or use a third-party cable. Interestingly, both ear cups get their own 3.5mm audio input (probably the only on-ear on the market like this).
This allows the user to have a balanced output (separate left and right lines, if your player supports it). Although, Audeze only includes a combined cable, but a nice one at that. It’s lengthy (about 46″), very sturdy, and flat (which helps against tangles).
I must mention that the SINE has a unique perk, but sadly for us Android users, it’s only for Apple devices. There’s a variant that comes with a cable that has a custom in-line digital-to-analog converter (DAC). For folks not familiar with what that means, it’s a dedicated sound processor, built into the cable. Only, the only one Audeze makes at the moment has a lightning connector at the end of it. Here’s hoping that Audeze makes a Type-C compatible one in the future.
The $499 model of the SINE includes a quality carrying pouch, an lightning-compatible audio cable with built-in DAC, and a standard 3.5mm jack audio cable.
The 24-bit DAC unit is also a 3-button remote/mic.
The package with the special cable runs at $499 price, while the standard model will save you $50, at $449.
Sound
Since this is Audeze we’re talking about, you’d be right to expect some bangin’ sound quality. Rightly so. One important mention is that despite the SINE being a deviation from Audeze’s typical monster cans, they still pack top-notch planar magnetic drivers. This is a first for an on-ear headphone (I really like how Audeze follows its own standard and not the industry’s). Audeze explains what planar magnetic technology is in comparison to the conventional dynamic driver, so I don’t have to. Essentially, the diaphragm is able to respond more quickly, resulting in better dynamics and more accuracy.
That sounds great on paper, but does it mean anything in the real world? Yes, if you have an ear for the details. You can definitely pick up on the fast-paced response of the driver. This is one of the most detailed reproductions I’ve heard. And I can’t believe I’m saying that for an on-ear headphone.
The upper end is where the technology really shines. The treble is sparkly, airy, and clear. The mid-range is my next favorite. I love that it’s forward, lush, and natural. The sound engages the listener through realistic detail. But with that said, the SINE can’t work magic. It is still an on-ear, and its soundstage can’t quite match the fullness of larger headphones. The SINE is more confined in comparison (more width than height and depth), but still impressive for an on-ear.
The bass response may not be everyone’s cup of tea. I’m not talking about its quality, but it’s presence. The SINE doesn’t produce the head-rattling boom that bassheads live for. I want to describe it as delicate, but it’s still deep, clean, and full-bodied. The SINE tries to stay true to the music, and lets it do the talking.
Final Thoughts
I love that the SINE exists, not just because it’s an excellent pair of headphones, but because it goes against the status quo. We’ve known on-ears to be causal headphones, but Audeze comes in and turns the category around. And not only does it work in being something that audiophiles can be proud of, but the in-line DAC offers something you won’t find on any other headphone (if you’re an Apple user, that is).
And apparently the market is convinced on the idea of a high-end on-ear, because the SINE is currently backordered on its website, “due to overwhelming demand” (as of time of this writing). Hit up the official page at the link below for more details.
Audeze SINE On-Ear product page
Airbnb files suit against San Francisco over rental laws
Airbnb’s long-running tussles with home-city San Francisco have escalated even further. The rental outfit recently sued the city, claiming that a new law requiring hosts to register their living spaces with local government before listing them via Airbnb violates federal law. Which law? The Communications Decency Act, which, in part, ensures a website isn’t on the hook for any damages that arise from what users might post on said website.
The argument here is that Airbnb feels the onus should be on the city to keep track of people who skipped the cumbersome rental-registration process and hold the hosts responsible instead of Airbnb. As The San Francisco Examiner reports, violations would carry a $1,000 per-day penalty for each offense. For its part, San Francisco lawmakers say that Airbnb is essentially reading the CDA how it chooses to.”Nothing in San Francisco’s pending ordinance punishes hosting platforms for their users’ content,” city attorney spokesman Matt Dorsey tells TechCrunch. “In fact, it’s not regulating user content at all — it’s regulating the business activity of the hosting platform itself.”
Airbnb filed the suit on Monday in the hopes of stopping the law before it goes into effect in August. The company lays out a number of proposed changes to the upcoming law on its website, including ending the requirement that hosts pay taxes on household items like bedding and kitchen implements. Hosts needing to have a business license is another bit that Airbnb would like to see changed as well.
“We believe that creative approaches are still possible and hope that the City will reconsider its current path and work with us towards building a new system that is legal, workable and fair to everyone involved,” the company writes.
It’s safe to bet that this legal battle is far from over.
Source: The San Francisco Examiner, Airbnb
How to turn off this creepy Facebook feature – CNET
Facebook’s Suggested Friends category is usually full of casual acquaintances, old friends from high school and other random people.
Lately, however, you may have seen random suggestions of people you don’t know, yet somehow vaguely recognize. It turns out, Facebook is using your phone’s location to match you with fellow Facebook users who are nearby, as first reported by Fusion.
There’s a lot that could go wrong with this feature, and frankly it’s a bit creepy. However, you can disable location services for the Facebook app on your phone, thereby preventing Facebook from trying to play matchmaker.
Android users
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Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
The process will vary depending on your device, manufacturer and the version of Android it’s using. For Android 6.0 Marshmallow users, go to Settings > Apps > Facebook > Permissions > Location > Off.
Users of older Android devices, you may want to look at using Facebook through Google’s Chrome browser on your device. Not only does it prevent location access (assuming you decline when asked) but it also saves on battery life.
iOS users
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Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Open Settings > Privacy > Location Services > Facebook.
There will be three options listed, but the only one we’re concerned with is Never; tap on it.
Get friends or family on a group call for free – CNET
Ever try to coordinate a group for something? A party, an outing, soccer practices, all that stuff — it can be a serious challenge to get everyone on the same page. Email tends to be slow, with threads often veering off in unwanted directions. And group texts can be utter chaos, especially with more than a few people participating.
Sometimes, a phone call makes the most sense. But what’s the best way to get everyone on the line at the same time? Simple: use a conference-call service. You might look upon these as business-only tools, but they have practical personal applications as well — and at least a few of them are free.
Why not just string together a bunch of three-way calls? Because that’s a huge hassle, and sound quality tends to degrade the farther out you drag the chain. Instead, just give everyone a dedicated number to dial and a PIN to punch in. Presto: conference-calling for friends, family members, activity groups and the like.
Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET
Below I’ve wrangled up two extremely easy options for your next group call. One works with up to 10 people, the other with a virtually unlimited number.
Calls for up to 10 people
Got a relatively small group? Start with UberConference, which works like this: Using your browser or the Android or iOS app, you can schedule a conference call or start one straight away. The apps let you choose contacts to invite to the call, though you can also send the details via text or email to anyone not in your address list.
Those details consist of a dial-in number and PIN code. You can also provide your dedicated Web address, because UberConference also offers a screen-sharing option. Cooler still, once the call is under way, you can use the app (or browser) to see who’s on the call, and it’ll even highlight who’s speaking, which is fairly amazing.
Calls for more than 10 people
If you’re dealing with a larger group, turn to FreeConferenceCall.com. It’s not nearly as slick as UberConference, but it gets the job done, and even offers features like call recording. What’s more, anyone who installs the FreeConferenceCall app can easily dial into a call without having to manually dial the number or enter a PIN (which can be challenging, to say nothing of unsafe, while driving).
Given its total cost of $0, this is a surprisingly robust service. It can broadcast your call in real time as internet radio or play a prerecorded message. It can even search recorded calls for transcribed keywords. Much of this is probably overkill if you’re, say, planning a weekend rafting trip with the guys, but it’s still pretty cool.
Have you found a group-calling service you like better than either of these? Name it in the comments!
Save leftover herbs by freezing them in ice cube trays – CNET
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Taylor Martin/CNET
When it comes to fresh herbs, there are several ways to prolong their shelf life. For instance, you can keep herbs like chives, cilantro, green onions or parsley fresh longer by storing them in a jar filled with water, covering them with plastic and sealing it with a rubber band.
Still, this will only stretch out their shelf life by a few weeks, at most. What do you do if you can’t possibly use that large bundle of cilantro from the market or all the rosemary from your herb garden?
Rather than waiting a few weeks and inevitably tossing them, “The One Pot Chef” has another brilliant kitchen tip for saving leftover herbs — throw them in the freezer.
Sounds easy enough, right? Well, there’s a catch. You will need three things:
- An ice cube tray
- Cooking oil (olive, grape seed, canola, etc.)
- Zip-top bags
This trick requires quite a bit of oil. I bought a 500-milliliter bottle and used a little over half for one ice cube tray, though I did go heavy on the oil for a few of the molds. You can expect to use about 250 milliliters per standard ice cube tray.
Saving leftover herbs
Not all herbs freeze well by themselves. Suspending them oil not only helps in the freezing process, but it can help when it’s time to cook, as well. For this trick, you will be dividing up the herbs into single-use cubes that are ready to be cooked.
- Chop your leftover herbs and divide them into the individual molds in the ice cube tray.
- Top each mold off with a cooking oil of your choice. Dosing and proportions are entirely up to you.
- Once you’ve finished divvying up all the herbs, place the tray in the freezer for several hours.
- After the oil has fully frozen, break the cubes out of the tray, place them in a zip-top bag and store in the freezer until you’re ready to cook with them again. If you froze more than one herb, place different herbs into separate zip-top bags.
When you’re ready to cook with the herbs, toss one of the cubes in a sauce pan. The oil will quickly melt and your herbs are already added.
WiFi Nomiku review – CNET
The Good The $249 WiFi Nomiku sous vide circulator lets you use an app to send cook times and temperatures to the device. Food from meals cooked with the Nomiku come out to the correct doneness.
The Bad The countertop kitchen gadget is a lot bulkier and cumbersome than its slimmer, Wi-Fi-less predecessor. The app is sparse when it comes to sous-vide guides and tips.
The Bottom Line The WiFi Nomiku lacks the sleekness and ease of use as similar, less expensive sous vide circulators.
The sous vide game has changed since Nomiku popped up on the scene. The company launched its first immersion circulator on Kickstarter in 2012, making it one of the OGs of at-home sous vide cooking. Nomiku raised nearly $600,000, which proved that home cooks were eager to cook their food in a temperature-controlled water bath.
More about sous vide cooking
- Appliance Science: The warm physics of sous vide cooking
- Buying a sous vide cooker? Grab these things, too
- Spice up your cooking game with sous-vide
Four years later, there’s a new wave of sous vide products out there. And this time, they have Wi-Fi. Once again, Nomiku was one of the first companies to include a wireless connection in an immersion circulator when it launched its Kickstarter campaign for the Wi-Fi version of their original cooker. But a delay in getting the final WiFi Nomiku to backers and retail customers have given other products such as the Anova Bluetooth + Wi-Fi and the FirstBuild Paragon Induction Cooktop opportunities to steal some of the connected sous vide cooking spotlight.
Had the $249 (roughly converting to £190 in the UK and AU$340 in Australia) WiFi Nomiku come out earlier, I might have regarded it as a pioneer in connected sous vide cooking. You can pick the temperature for your water bath from an app, along with set a timer and view user-submitted recipes. And food that I cooked with the WiFi Nomiku was delicious. But when you compare the WiFi Nomiku to other sous vide devices, the WiFi Nomiku feels like a dinosaur — big, intimidating and in danger of extinction if it doesn’t evolve. It’s much bulkier than its less-smart model, which makes it harder to use. And the app lacks some of the tools I’ve seen with other products, such as cooking guides that are helpful to sous vide newbies.
When we first reviewed the original Nomiku, we advised you to hold off for the Wi-Fi version or shop around for a cheaper immersion circulator. Unfortunately, the WiFi Nomiku falls short of the competitors that have emerged in the sous vide marketplace. Before you set your sights on this immersion circulator, consider the less expensive and easier to use $199 (roughly £150 and AU$270) Anova Bluetooth + Wi-Fi.
Nomiku’s Wi-Fi sous vide machine needs some…
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Getting started with the WiFi Nomiku
Sous vide is a relatively new cooking method that has been around since the 1970s. You put your food in a plastic bag, get rid of as much air inside as you can (hence the name “sous vide” is French for “under vacuum”) then put the food in a temperature-controlled water bath. Some countertop appliances are self-contained water-bath devices designed just for sous vide. Immersion circulators (like the WiFi Nomiku) attach to the side of the container of your choosing, which means they take up much less storage space than the water-bath devices and are often less expensive.
The original Nomiku (left) is thinner than the Wi-Fi version on the right.
Tyler Lizenby/CNET
With the exception of the wireless connection, the WiFi Nomiku works the same way as the original version. Once you clip the device onto the side of a container filled with water, you can use a green wheel that surrounds the display to select the temperature you want the water to reach. However, the original Nomiku’s turn wheel was small and included notches for your fingers that made it easy to adjust the temperature. The WiFi Nomiku has a larger display and, therefore, a larger turn wheel without finger notches that makes it harder to manually set the temperature. And the dial isn’t the only feature to gain heft with the second Nomiku: At about 3.75 inches wide (about 9.53 centimeters), the Wi-Fi version is almost twice as wide as the original. The added girth and bulky appearance make the WiFi Nomiku feel outdated, even though it’s a new product.
Anki Cozmo Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Anki, a company that made a splash with AI-controlled Overdrive toy racing cars in 2015, now has a follow-up product called Cozmo. It’s a palm-size robot that will hit home with fans of the film Wall-E. And, much like Wall-E, Cozmo’s expressiveness could be the magic that makes it feel like part of the family.
Anki was known for the artificial intelligence that powered its smart (toy) cars, and now gives that AI a cuddly personality. Cozmo can recognize and remember your face and your name, making it feel almost like a pet dog. It can’t actually speak, but it can get the message across in different ways.
Screenshot by Jacob Krol/CNET
Cozmo has emotions: Happy, Sad, Mad, Angry, Glad, Annoyed and plenty of others. The brain inside of the robot processes interactions invoking these and the algorithms seem pretty responsive in the demo materials provided by Anki.
It “talks” with his own robot sounds, a bit like a droid from Star Wars, so it certainly won’t be quiet. It also moves around, with four wheels and treads, and bulldozer arms. This allows the bot to knock, push and stack “smart blocks,” three of which come with Cozmo in the box, and these will be used for different games.
Cozmo expresses emotions as you play, like a supersmart Furby. If you stack the blocks correctly, it’ll be happy. It’ll be be mad if you knock them over. According to Anki, there will be several games available right out of the box, and the robot will remember your favorites and ask to play those when its programming says it’s bored.
The face of Cozmo reminded me of an old CRT monitor, and it can change depending on what it observes. Not to lean too heavily on the Wall-E comparisons, but it has a glow similar to Eve’s from the animated film.
Anki
While I haven’t gotten to spend any hands-on time with it yet, it’s intriguing to think of an emotion-packed robot that will sell for under $200 in the US, and comes with its own smart blocks and games.
Cozmo will be landing this October and will retail for $180 (about £135 UK, or AU$245). That’s more expensive than robot toys like Sphero’s BB-8, but on paper Cozmo promises to do a lot more.
Xiaomi Mi Max Review
Recently, several smartphone manufacturers have introduced extra-large smartphones, including the Samsung Galaxy A9, LeEco Le Max 2, and Huawei P8 Max. While flagship smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S7 and HTC 10 have trended around 5.2″ for display size, Xiaomi has ignored this trend entirely for their first humongous smartphone: the Xiaomi Mi Max.
With a 6.44″ display, the Mi Max is much larger than what many would consider normal, and it definitely suggests that Xiaomi took the expression “go big or go home” quite literally. Interestingly, Xiaomi is positioning the Mi Max as an affordable mid-range device, one that won’t necessarily compete with LeEco’s phablet, but promises to still offer a great phablet experience.
Recent Xiaomi reviews:
- Xiaomi Mi 5 Review
- Xiaomi Mi 4S Review
- Xiaomi Redmi 3 Review
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Review
So how well does the Mi Max deliver on that promise? Let’s find out with our written review of the Xiaomi Mi Max!
Buy the Xiaomi Mi Max now
Design
Typical: if I had to chose one word to describe the Mi Max’s design, it would definitely be typical. While there is nothing particularly exciting about the design here, I appreciate the Mi Max’s aluminum construction as it provides a premium look and feel. There’s also a few design aspects which make the Mi Max less difficult to hold such as its side tapers on the rear and the perfectly positioned power button and fingerprint reader.
While there are plastic caps on the top and bottom of the Mi Max, which presumably house necessary antennas, these caps are fairly continuous with the rest of the design, in both color and feel. With that said, they may be to blame for notable creaking noises while holding the phone and it’s very likely that they do not help with the phone’s weak structure.
Our Xiaomi Mi Max bends with merely a bit of pressure, an attribute which is remarkably disconcerting. After reviewing many Xiaomi smartphones with excellent build quality over the past few years (some half the price of the Mi Max), I found the Mi Max’s poor build quality to be shocking. Whether this will be an issue you for you will depend primarily on how you use the phone, and it is difficult to deny that this is a very considerable flaw with the device.
Many will detest the black border used around the display
The curved “2.5D” glass on the front of the Xiaomi Mi Max houses three illuminated capacitive keys, positioned in Xiaomi’s standard layout. The display’s side bezels are quite small, although many will detest the black border used around the display. It’s a shame that Xiaomi did not reconsider the use of the black border for the Mi Max, as it has been criticized with in the past when implemented in phones like the Xiaomi Mi 5.
Display
The extra-large 6.44″ 1080P display on the Xiaomi Mi Max places this phone well into phablet territory. When I fist started using the Mi Max, I had mostly mixed feelings. On the one hand, I immediately enjoyed the extra screen real estate for videos, but on the other, I worried how feasible it would be to use the Mi Max day-to-day. While it is possible to sometimes use the Mi Max with a single hand, it can get very uncomfortable very quickly. Once you are subconsciously accustomed to the Mi Max’s size, however, it seems much more normal in the hand. Still, its size does tend to make it slide out of many non-jean pockets, which is definitely annoying.
I immediately enjoyed the extra screen real estate for videos
Whether the extra-large size is the best fit for you will depend both on your usage and your willingness to change how you interact with your smartphone. For me, the transition to the Mi Max wasn’t difficult, but I will still be returning to my slightly smaller Nexus 6P, for its practicality.
The display itself looks pretty good; it has good viewing angles and accurate color reproduction. The 1080P resolution seems a bit low at this size, and I would have liked to see Quad HD, even if it meant for a slightly higher price. Sunlight readability could use some work, and while the reduced contrast sunlight mode does help, the screen on the Mi Max can still be difficult to read outdoors. With that said, kudos to Xiaomi for including Corning Gorilla Glass 4, something that we don’t often see at this price point.
Performance
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor strikes yet again in the Xiaomi Mi Max, and helps make the Mi Max performance comparable to phones with higher-end chips like the Snapdragon 808. MIUI, Xiaomi’s custom software, runs very smoothly on the Mi Max, and the base model’s 3 GB of RAM is generally enough for moderate-to-heavy multitasking. It is important to understand that there are different models available as well, although we do not imagine real-world performance differences between models to be significant.
I also had no trouble playing higher-end games like Asphalt 8, thanks to the phone’s Adreno 510 GPU.
Hardware
The Xiaomi Mi Max offers great call quality, and if you chose to use the device in an official market, you’ll receive 4G LTE speeds. However, if you’re in an unofficial market, like the United States, you’ll be limited to HSPA+ speeds on both AT&T and T-Mobile. That’s quite unfortunate, but it’s worth noting that the Mi Max is an unlocked dual-SIM device, and one of the SIM slots doubles as a microSD card expansion slot, allowing you to expand the phone’s storage up to 256 GB.
The fingerprint reader on the back of the Mi Max is accurate and, in my experience, just a hair faster than the one found on the Nexus 6P. That’s pretty good for the price, and many users will appreciate the added convenience when securing their phones.
What did strike me as odd was Xiaomi’s retreat to microUSB, the now outdated data and charging port standard. While some, like Samsung, have decided to allow USB Type-C to mature before implementing it, Xiaomi embraced it just months ago with phones like the Mi 5, so their inclusion of microUSB now feels like a step backwards more than anything else. With that said, microUSB may still be appealing to those who are still using the older standard and do not want to purchase brand new cables.
A side-firing speaker seems to be a nice compromise in this case
The single side-firing speaker on the Mi Max sounded pretty good in my testing, and sounded only slightly distorted at high volumes. While it would have been great to see front-facing speakers for an even more immersive media consumption experience, they would have likely added to the size of the phone. Therefore, a side-firing speaker seems to be a nice compromise in this case.
Battery Life
Battery life with the Mi Max was excellent in my testing, thanks to its very large 4850mAh non-removable battery. Screen on time did vary considerably depending on my usage. Primarily, I noticed that it did significantly better on Wi-Fi than it did cellular data, but even my heaviest usage was not enough to kill the Mi Max in a single day.
While it does support Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0, Xiaomi has failed to include a Quick Charge 3.0 charger in the box. This was more acceptable even with the more expensive Mi 5, as the charge times still weren’t so bad even on Quick Charge 2.0. But with the Mi Max, the battery is much larger, and therefore takes about four hours to charge…on Quick Charge 2.0! Basically, a Quick Charge 3.0 charger is necessary here, and it’s a shame that Xiaomi is requiring users to purchase one separately.
See also: Quick Charge 3.0 Explained31
Camera
The Xiaomi Mi Max is equipped with a very capable 16 MP f/2.0 rear camera with a dual-LED flash. After taking a closer look at the sample images, it seems that the Mi Max’s camera is one of the best we’ve seen at this price point. Images came out sharp and detailed with visually pleasing color reproduction and great dynamic range.
Autofocus is remarkably slow and finicky
The Mi Max’s camera is far from perfect, however. Autofocus is remarkably slow and finicky and, even when holding the device and subject still, the Mi Max would slightly miss focus more than what we normally expect. It also tended to oversharpen images, to the point of recognition in some images.
Just as is the case with virtually all sub-$250 smartphones, low-light is where the camera truly struggles. While it is possible to get a good image with the Mi Max in a darker environment, it simply can’t be counted out on like some other smartphone cameras can. That’s not a major flaw because of the phone’s price, but it is something to keep in mind.
MIUI’s camera app remains easy-to-use while also offering manual control for those who wish to take advantage of it. The built-in filters are nice to play around with, and the different modes like Panorama can be very helpful in some situations.
Software
Xiaomi has shipped the Mi Max with its own custom version of Android, MIUI 7. Although it is running on top of Android 6.0 Marshmallow, MIUI is a sharp departure from stock Android. And while I do generally enjoy using MIUI 7, I’m looking forward to the production release of MIUI 8, which will bring a great number of UI changes and improvements. At the time of writing, Xiaomi had just begun automatically rolling out MIUI 8 for those on the beta release channel. Normal users can expect the update in the coming weeks.
Since this phone is still shipping with MIUI 7, this part of the review will focus on the MIUI 7 software experience. MIUI has received a number of mixed reviews from Western media, with some criticizing it for being too similar to iOS, and with others praising it for the amount of polish and coherency it offers.
After using MIUI day-to-day myself, I think it’s a great alternative to stock Android, especially for users who wish to customize and tweak. The stock apps are well designed, the UI is remarkably responsive, and the ability to do things like restrict data for specific apps is invaluable. To top it off, the MIUI receives weekly updates, so you’ll be getting bug fixes and new features very often.
With all of that said, the software experience for those importing the device is far from perfect. Reseller loaded bloatware, a hellish bootloader unlocking process, and missing Google apps are major hurdles that importers will face. Even if you do get Google apps up and running with the installer app from the Mi App Store, there are still issues to be had. Random Google app crashes, Google Now issues, failure to place calls with Google Voice, and the inability to do things like consume DRM-protected content can make this experience less than ideal for Westerners.
Gallery
Price & Conclusion
You can purchase the Xiaomi Mi Max in a number of different models globally. Pricing starts at 1499 RMB in China, or about $228, but will pricing will vary based on region. Each model is available in either silver, gold, or dark grey.
The Mi Max is perhaps Xiaomi’s most interesting foray into a single smartphone sub-market. While it has undercut the competition in price, it has also cut corners in many areas, some more than others. The device’s cheap build quality, poor imported device software experience, and lack of U.S. availability are clearly disappointing attributes. But no smartphone is perfect, and the Mi Max has plenty to offer for the price. Its impressive camera, excellent battery life, and smooth performance are all great reasons to buy this phone.
Recent Xiaomi reviews:
- Xiaomi Mi 5 Review
- Xiaomi Mi 4S Review
- Xiaomi Redmi 3 Review
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Review
If you are looking for a great extra-large smartphone on the cheap and can get past its quirks, the Xiaomi Mi Max is likely the best fit for you. With that said, similarly sized options like LeEco’s Le Max 2 are promising and, while they may be priced higher, they may also offer a much more refined experience overall.
It will be very interesting to see where this market heads in the near future. But, we want to know, would you switch to an extra-large smartphone? Let us know in the comment section below!
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Brad Neely’s weird Adult Swim cartoon premieres on Vine
Adult Swim is consistently debuting new shows season after season, but usually not on Vine, right? That’s why the fact that China, IL creator Brad Neely’s Harg Nallin Sclopio Peepio is available on the network is such an interesting change. Neely’s upcoming comedy show can be found via one six-second clip that looks like any other Vine at first, but when you click on it a full version of the 10-minute episode is available (all thanks to the service’s new rules for “select publishers.”)
Adult Swim is all about pushing the boundaries when it comes to both content and the way it’s delivered (especially the topics covered within) so this definitely doesn’t come as much of a surprise. If anything, it’s welcome — we get to check out what Neely’s been up to after the insane and hilarious China, IL.
The full show is debuting on Adult Swim on July 10th, but if you want to check it out right now, it’s available here.
Here’s a full episode of my new show for adult swim.
It airs July 10. https://t.co/daYnv1zuYp
— Brad Neely (@bradneely) June 27, 2016
Via: The Verge
What’s on your HDTV: ‘Shark Week,’ ‘Resident Evil 5,’ ‘Marco Polo’
It’s Shark Week, again. If you’re in any way familiar with Discovery’s summer celebration of all things shark, then you know what to expect. There won’t be any Alien Shark episodes this year, which could be a good or bad thing, depending on your perspective. What i’m most excited to see are the second seasons of Syfy’s series Killjoys and Dark Matter. Last year both of them debuted with surprisingly good first seasons, and hopefully they’ll be even better the second time around.
Gamers can enjoy a remastered version of Resident Evil 5 on Xbox One and PS4 plus new DLC for The Division, while Netflix is streaming season two of Marco Polo. 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
- Kung Fu Panda 3 (3D)
- Eye in the Sky
- Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
- Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan
- Return of the Killer Tomatoes
- Fastball
- Cloud of Sils Maria (Criterion)
- Terrario (Wii U)
- Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens (PC, PS3, PS4, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One)
- Prison Architect (PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One)
- God Eater 2 (PS4)
- The Technomancer (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
- 7 Days to Die (PS4, Xbox One)
- Castles (PS4)
- Resident Evil 5 (PS4, Xbox One)
- Tom Clancy’s The Division: Survival DLC (PC, Xbox One)
- Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness (PS3, PS4)
- Full Mojo Rampage (PS4, Xbox One)
- A Boy and His Blob (PS3)
- Pharaonic (PS4)
- Steredenn (PS4)
- God Eater: Resurrection (PS4)
- Inside (Xbox One)
- Awakened (Mac, PC)
- Klepto (PC – Early Access)
- Doodle God (PS4)
Monday
- So You Think You Can Dance, Fox, 8PM
- WWE Raw, USA, 8PM
- US Olympic Trials: Swimming, NBC, 8PM
- The Fosters, Freeform, 8PM
- American Dad (season finale), TBS, 8:30PM
- American Ninja Warrior, NBC, 9PM
- How to Let Go of the World and Love All The Things Climate Can’t Change, HBO, 9PM
- Guilt, Freeform, 9PM
- Rizzoli & Isles, TNT, 9PM
- Angie Tribeca, TBS, 9PM
- Top Gear, BBC America, 9PM
- 12 Monkeys, Syfy, 9PM
- Triptank, Comedy Central, 10PM
- Major Crimes, TNT, 10PM
- Mistresses, ABC, 10PM
- Turn (season finale), AMC, 10PM
- Extra Gear, BBC America, 10:30PM
- Scream, MTV, 11PM
- Hunters, Syfy, 12AM
- After the Thrones, HBO, 1:15AM
Tuesday
- Powers, PSN, 3AM
- The Mindy Project, Hulu, 3AM
- Casual, Hulu, 3AM
- US Olympic Trials: Swimming, NBC, 8PM
- Zoo (season premiere), CBS, 9PM
- Shark Week: Wrath of a Great White Serial Killer, Discovery, 9PM
- Top Gear (season finale), History, 9PM
- The Greeks, PBS, 9PM
- Animal Kingdom, TNT, 9PM
- Uncle Buck, ABC, ABC, 9PM
- Music Moguls (series premiere), BET, 9PM
- Coupled, Fox, 9PM
- 60 Minutes Sports, Showtime, 9PM
- Containment, CW, 9PM
- Deadliest Catch, Discovery, 9PM
- Shark Week: Air Jaws: Night Stalker, Discovery, 10PM
- Scream, MTV, 10PM
- F in Fabulous (series premiere), BET, 10PM
- Feed the Beast, AMC, 10PM
- Tosh.0, Comedy Central, 10PM
- Wrecked, TBS, 10PM
- Not Safe with Nikki Glaser, Comedy Central, 10:30PM
Wednesday
- Chelsea, Netflix 3AM
- US Olympic Trials: Swimming, NBC, 8PM
- Unsung Hollywood: Rudy Ray Moore (season premiere), TV One, 8PM
- Young & Hungry, Freeform, 8PM
- In A Perfect World, Showtime, 8PM
- Baby Daddy, Freeform, 8:30PM
- Dating Naked: Playing for Keeps (season premiere), VH1, 9PM
- Shark Week: Deadliest Shark, Discovery, 9PM
- The Night Shift, NBC, 9PM
- Dual Survival, Discovery, 9PM
- Kingdom, DirecTV, 9PM
- Maron, IFC, 9PM
- Wayward Pines, Fox, 9PM
- Any Given Wednesday with Bill Simmons, HBO, 10PM
- 9 Months That Made You (series premiere), PBS, 10PM
- Shark Week: Sharks vs. Dolphins, Discovery, 10PM
- Another Period, Comedy Central, 10PM
- Royal Pains, USA, 10PM
- The Real World/Road Rules Challenge, MTV, 10PM
- The Ultimate Fighter, Fox Sports 1, 10PM
- Cleverman, Sundance, 10PM
Thursday
- Chelsea, Netflix, 3AM
- Battlebots, ABC, 8PM
- WWE SmackDown, USA, 8PM
- US Olympic Trials: Swimming, NBC, 8PM
- Shark Week: Nuclear Sharks, Discovery, 9PM
- Greatest Hits: 1980 -1985 (series premiere), ABC, 9PM
- Big Brother, CBS, 9PM
- Beauty and the Beast, CW, 9PM
- Home Free, Fox, 9PM
- Streets of Compton, A&E, 9PM
- Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge, NBC, 9PM
- Alone, History, 9PM
- Shark Week: Jungle Shark, Discovery, 10PM
- Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (season premiere), FX, 10PM
- Queen of the South, USA, 10PM
- Aquarius, NBC, 10PM
- Thirteen, BBC America, 10PM
- Ladylike, MTV, 11PM
Friday
- All or Nothing: a Season with the Arizona Cardinals (S1), Amazon, 3AM
- Marcella (S1), Netflix, 3AM
- Marco Polo (S2), Netflix, 3AM
- Jim Jefferies: Freedumb, Netflix, 3AM
- Chelsea, Netflix, 3AM
- US Olympic Trials: Swimming, NBC, 8PM
- Shark Week: Shark Bait, Discovery, 9PM
- Killjoys (season premiere), Syfy, 9PM
- US Olympic Trials: Track & Field, NBC, 9PM
- Shark Week: Blue Serengeti, Discovery, 10PM
- Dark Matter (season premiere), Syfy, 10PM
- Outcast, Cinemax, 10PM
- Comedy! Bang! Bang! (season finale), IFC, 11PM
- Vice (season finale), HBO, 11PM
Saturday
- NASCAR Sprint Cup Series @ Daytona, NBC, 7PM
- Angel from Hell, CBS, 8PM
- People’s List, ABC, 8PM
- Shark Week: Sharksanity, Discovery, 9PM
- Hell on Wheels, AMC, 9PM
- In An Instant, ABC, 9PM
- American West, AMC, 10PM
Sunday
- US Olympic Trials: Track & Field/Swimming, NBC, 7PM
- Big Brother, CBS, 8PM
- Shark Week: The Killing Games, Discovery, 9PM
- The $100,000 Pyramid, ABC, 9PM
- Ray Donovan, Showtime, 9PM
- Endeavour, PBS, 9PM
- Preacher, AMC, 9PM
- The Last Ship, TNT, 9PM
- Motive (season premiere), USA, 10PM
- Match Game, ABC, 10PM
- Roadies, Showtime, 10PM
- Ride with Norman Reedus, AMC, 10PM
- Feed the Beast, AMC, 10PM
- Declassified, CNN, 10PM
- Murder in the First, TNT, 10PM
- Tunnel, PBS, 10:30PM
(All times listed are ET)
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