Video reviews are already proving their worth in MLS

Slowly but surely, technology is making its mark on world soccer. Goal-line technology is already helping rule out goals in the Premier League, Germany’s Bundesliga, France’s Ligue 1 and Italy’s Serie A and FIFA will soon embark on its plan to track players’ fitness in real time.

But there’s also something happening in some leagues around the world that could all but remove contentious decisions from the game: video assistant referees (VAR). This weekend, after a year of preliminary testing in official matches, video replays were unveiled at Major League Soccer matches, and it didn’t take long for them to show their effectiveness.

FC Dallas became part of history as the first MLS team to have a goal ruled out by VAR. Dallas striker Maxi Urruti thought he had pulled a goal back when his side was 3-0 down to Philadelphia Union, but had it chalked off when a video review showed a foul on the Union goalkeeper.

.@FCDallas goal ruled out after Video Review. #PHIvDAL https://t.co/ZYQ2ziu3yV

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 6, 2017

That wasn’t the only VAR decision this weekend. When the Portland Timbers met LA Galaxy on Sunday, goals came early. After just ten minutes, tied at 1-1, LA’s Gyasi Zardes scored what appeared to be a messy but legitimate goal. A handful of Portland players, however, believed LA Galaxy had benefited from an unfair advantage. Footage of the goal was beamed to a pitch-side display, which revealed that Zardes had controlled the ball with his hand before bundling it into the net.

After the Video Review, the #LAGalaxy goal has been disallowed. It’s 1-1 in Portland. #PORvLA https://t.co/6wQRBLjZU9

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 6, 2017

The event was described as a “key moment” in the match, but both coaches agreed it was a fair decision: “It was the correct reasoning, but it’s a goal that we should have just headed in,” said LA head coach Sigi Schmid. “In that moment, going down 2-1 vs. staying at 1-1, that was a key moment in the match,” added Timbers manager Caleb Porter.

While both decisions were ultimately correct, VAR will likely stir up controversy. The video and official match referee are still the ultimate decision makers and must identify potential issues using the same tools that players, coaches and fans have access to.

Right now, the system can only be used to decide goal/no-goal decisions, penalty/no penalty decisions, direct red cards (not second yellow cards) and cases of mistaken identity. Despite its limitations, leagues and teams all over the world will be watching with a keen interest.

Source: MLS Soccer

Official Wikipedia App for iOS Introduces Dark Mode and iMessage Sticker Pack

The official Wikipedia app for iOS [Direct Link] has been updated this week with an all-new dark mode, letting users adjust the app for better Wikipedia browsing and reading in low-light environments. Aside from expected darker colors, the new dark mode is said to include “image dimming,” so brighter pictures aren’t as harsh when scrolling through Wikipedia entries.

A separate option in sepia colors is available now as well, and Wikipedia said that users will also be able to adjust text size in appearance controls.

Dark mode! Read in comfort with new Appearance controls, including dark colors and image dimming. Make those late night Wikipedia sessions easier on the eyes. Choose between sepia, dark or white themes to read Wikipedia your way!

The version 5.6 update also introduced an iMessage sticker pack for Wikipedia users, and a few new ways for readers to explore and discover new articles. In the Explore feed, an “on this day” card will highlight interesting events that happened on the day in question throughout history, with a timeline that users can scrub through to see other events on the same day.

Standalone iOS apps have been gaining support for dark mode individually over the years, although a system-wide solution introduced on Apple’s part remains omitted from any version of iOS. The upcoming launch of iOS 11 will include a new “Smart Invert” feature in accessibility options, reversing the display’s colors with an overall effect that’s similar to what users want out of dark mode. But the feature doesn’t extend to all UI elements in iOS 11, including exceptions related to images, media, and some apps.

The official Wikipedia app is available to download for free from the iOS App Store. [Direct Link]

Tag: Wikipedia
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YouTube clarifies how much cash its creators can make

A lot of creators rely on YouTube to make a living, but despite recent efforts to improve, the Google-owned site still takes videos down for no good reason. On top of that, mismatching ads to offensive videos recently spawned an “adpocalypse” that deprived legitimate creators of revenue. In a blog post, YouTube now says it will unveil new icons to let you know to what extent your video is being monetized. It’ll also give you a new way to appeal directly in the Video Manager for copyright and community guideline problems.

Three new icons (shown below) will appear in the Creator Studio over the next few weeks to show creators how their videos are monetized. The first, a dollar sign in a green circle, means that you’re earning money via “the broadest set of advertisers” as well as on YouTube Red.

The dollar sign in a yellow circle, however, means that a video can only earn money from YouTube Red or a limited set of ads, because it has been deemed “not suitable for all advertisers.” Confusingly, it could also mean that it has been fully demonetized because “it doesn’t meet our advertising guidelines,” YouTube says.

Finally, a slashed-out dollar sign means videos will get no revenue from YouTube Red or advertising. “This might be because of a copyright strike, Content ID claim, or Community Guidelines strike,” it explains. (A “strike” means the video has been taken down completely, so it obviously isn’t earning any revenue.)

YouTube points out that the new icons don’t change your earnings in any way, but at least “give you a more detailed understanding of whether your video has been identified as not suitable for all advertisers.” Should there be a problem, you can launch an appeal directly from the Video Manager, rather than being shuffled over to another area as is the case now. “We want our systems to get better and better — and every appeal helps,” it adds.

Last year, Google created a team to deal with monetization and policy issues, but the “adpocalypse” problem resulting from ads on offensive videos happened well after that. Since then, however, Google has emphasized “Google Preferred,” or the five percent most viewed channels, and many advertisers have returned there, according to Adweek.

With 1.5 billion monthly users, the site has a lot of content to deal with, which makes it tough to separate legitimate takedown requests from spurious ones. It didn’t say exactly how it plans to deal with the extra appeals that the new monetization system will no doubt create.

Source: YouTube

Watch the most impressive ‘Game of Thrones’ VFX reel yet

Warning: Spoilers ahoy. This week’s Game of Thrones episode wasn’t dampened by hacking or leaks, mainly because the “Loot Train” battle was so spectacular. The producers have posted a new YouTube breakdown (below) showing how the VFX and stunt team used everything they’ve learned so far to pull it off. On top of the CGI, there are acrobatic horse stunts, multiple people on fire, and most of all, those fire-breathing dragon scenes. “It’s like a time travel movie — what if somebody had an F-16 that they brought to a medieval battle?” said executive producer D.B. Weiss.

The show uses CGI to bring its fire-breathing lizards to life, of course, since 747-sized dragon props are hard to come by. While shots from several years ago were serviceable, the CGI has clearly improved with more realistic dragon texturing, rippling “manes” and less hokey shots of actress Emilia Clarke aboard “Drogon.” To get the latter, the team developed a full rig for Clarke to ride that moved perfectly in time with the motion of her fire-breathing steed.

To add realism to the digital creations, the team also did a lot of practical work on set with special flying cameras, pyrotechnics and fire — lots of fire. In one spectacular Drogon destruction POV scene, they used a cable-camera rig mounted on two tall cranes to capture the pyrotechnic effects. “We had to have the ‘spider-cam’ camera fly in real time and in perfect sync with a hundred feet of ground explosions that are huge,” said VFX supervisor Joe Bauer.

For the piece de resistance, the team set no less than 20 stuntmen on fire, the most ever in a single TV shot. “The difficulty with 20 people is that you ramp up the safety aspect of it, because there are more people in harm’s way and more that can go wrong,” said Producer Chris Newman.

It’s just about as impressive to watch the scene as the real-life execution. The stunt coordinator does a countdown from 12 after the explosion, then yells “Out! Out! Out!” At that point, technicians armed with fire extinguishers swarm in to make sure everyone is safe.

Source: HBO/Game of Thrones

Tile Launches New ‘Pro’ Bluetooth Trackers: Up to 2X Range, Twice as Loud, and More Water Resistant

Tile today released two new Bluetooth lost-and-found trackers, Tile Sport and Tile Style, which together make up the new Tile Pro Series.

Tile Sport and Tile Style feature a Bluetooth range of up to 200 feet, double that of the previous Tile Mate and Tile Slim. They’re also twice as loud, with new silent, normal, and loud volume options in the updated Tile app for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, rolling out on the App Store [Direct Link] today.

Tile’s app has also been updated with two additional ringtones and a redesigned proximity meter that provides improved accuracy.

Tile Sport and Tile Style have improved IP68-rated dust and water resistance, a marked improvement over the IP5X and IP57 standards of the Tile Mate and Tile Slim respectively. Tile says the new Pro Series trackers can withstand submersion in up to 1.5 meters of water for at least 30 minutes.

Both new trackers have more rugged designs than their predecessors. Tile Sport features a tread-like design with a graphite ring for increased durability, while Tile Style is satin white with a so-called subtly-ridged texture.

Unlike the Tile Slim, both new trackers have a cutout in the top-left corner so they can be looped onto keychains or other items. But they’re also the thickest Tiles ever at 5.9mm, which is even thicker than the original Tile launched in 2014.

Just like all other Tile trackers, non-replaceable batteries in the new Pro Series models are guaranteed to last one year with no charging required. After 11 months, Tile Sport and Tile Style owners can replace their current Tiles at a discounted price of $25 each through the reTile program. Tile then recycles the old ones.

Tile Sport and Tile Style are available today on Tile’s website, and at retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, and Target. The trackers retail for $35 each, or $60 for a two-pack, in the United States. They’re $45 each in Canada.

So, What’s a Tile?

Tiles are small Bluetooth trackers that can be attached to valuable items like a MacBook, passport, or car keys, or placed inside items like wallets and purses, to help you locate them in the event they are lost. Tile’s app always shows the last time and place it saw your Tile on a map.

If prompted with the Tile app, the Tile Sport or Tile Style deliver an audible chime to help you locate an item by sound when it’s within a range of up to approximately 200 feet, but out of sight. Or, if you lose your iPhone, simply tap the button on the Tile and the device will start chiming, even in silent mode.

Tile also has a feature it calls Community Find, which potentially allows millions of other Tile owners in more than 230 countries to help find your lost item.

If your Tile moved location since the app last saw it, tap the Notify When Found button in the app. This will securely and anonymously put all other Tile apps on the lookout for your Tile. You’ll receive an alert when another Tiler comes within range of your item. We call this feature Community Find.

Tile has generally received decent reviews, but the non-replaceable battery turns what would be a one-time purchase into an annual subscription. If you are a forgetful person, then perhaps it’s worth the investment.

Tag: Tile
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Apple Supplier Japan Display Potentially Seeking Help From Outside Investor for Shift to OLED

Last month, Apple supplier Japan Display reportedly asked local banks and its own shareholders for around $897 million to fund part of an “extensive” restructuring effort of its business, which would see the supplier’s manufacturing output shift from LCD to OLED panels. Now, the company is said to be seeking an outside partner to help pay part of the funds (via Nikkei).

Japan Display is facing a troubled time due to its speciality of making LCD displays in an era when companies are slowly shifting to OLED-only smartphones, including its main customer Apple, so the restructuring money will go towards installing OLED panel lines at some of its plants.

A recent concept of the 2017 OLED iPhone 8
Japan Display is looking at investors both locally and abroad, who could both “shore up its shaky financial base” as well as help out with running manufacturing operations in the shift from LCD to OLED production. Its decision on an outside partner is said to be planned for “as soon as next year.”

Smartphone makers including Apple, its largest customer, are increasingly turning away from LCDs and toward state-of-the-art organic light-emitting diode displays, where the Japanese company lags far behind South Korean rivals.

JDI, as the company is also known, has drawn up plans for extensive revamping in response, and is on the hunt for investors at home or abroad that can help shore up its shaky financial base and lend a hand in running operations.

Japan Display will begin with a cut back on LCD production as well as laying off “more than 3,500 workers” at parts assembly plants in China and the Philippines. In Japan, the company will initiate an “early retirement program” for 250 volunteers. LCD-focused plants, including a central location in Japan, will completely halt production and be repurposed for OLED panels, while the remaining workers will be transferred to other factories.

The cost of Japan Display’s restructuring plans is estimated at around $1.35 billion, with many market watchers expecting the supplier to end its next fiscal year with another monetary loss, “marking the company’s fourth straight year in the red.” For its bank loans, three local banks have agreed to extend Japan Display new lines of credit worth about $997 million.

Other Apple suppliers have already begun making OLED panels, including the current leader in the field, Samsung Display, and up-and-comer LG Display. Apple itself is said to be investing in LG Display’s OLED production, with the hopes that it can lessen its reliance on Samsung as it shifts to OLED-only iPhones in 2018 or 2019.

For Japan Display, the company’s planned shift to OLED began with a report from December 2015, where it cited a plan to begin mass producing OLED panels for iPhones by spring 2018. Then, in November 2016, the supplier sought a government-backed fund to improve its LCD technology and introduce OLED lines at its plants.

Tag: Japan Display
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A Boston Dynamics robot fell off a stage and the audience loved it

Why it matters to you

If the robot uprising is ever going to happen then they’ll really have to stay on their feet.

Anyone sweating it over the robot apocalypse will be delighted to learn that it probably won’t be happening for a while, at least if Boston Dynamics‘ recent fail is anything to go by.

The company has built a deserved reputation in recent years for creating incredibly capable robots, among them BigDog, WildCat, Handle, SpotMini, and Atlas.

Ah yes, Atlas. Although this 5-foot 9-inch humanoid robot spends most of its time wowing us mere humans with its stunning ability to stroll nonchalantly across various kinds of challenging terrain as well as grab and effortlessly lift heavy objects, it recently had everyone laughing in the aisles after tripping over on stage and landing in a heap.

The unfortunate incident took place last month during a Boston Dynamics presentation at the Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders. On stage, CEO Marc Raibert was showing off Atlas and SpotMini, a four-legged “robot giraffe” capable of picking up objects and carrying out various chores.

During the slot, an assistant controlled SpotMini remotely, while Atlas used its sensors to get around. Keen to demonstrate Atlas’s ability to lock onto an object and respond accordingly, the team placed a box on the stage for the robot to pick up. At first, its vision system failed to notice the box, which caused a few chuckles in the audience.

“It’s the normal course of business for things not to always work right,” Raibert said, unaware that in a couple of minutes his words would ring even truer.

A moment later, Atlas located the box, lifted it up, and put it back down again. The audience applauded in response.

For the next demo, the team decided to have some fun, getting SpotMini to move the box a little bit away from Atlas every time it bent down to grab it. Eventually SpotMini let Atlas take the box, and once again, the audience showed its appreciation.

As Raibert thanked SpotMini and Atlas for their efforts, Atlas wandered off toward the back of the stage, still holding the box. It seemed perfectly in control, confident in where it was heading, until it tripped on a stage light and went crashing to the ground, disappearing behind a curtain as it did so. SpotMini trotted over, seemingly curious to see if its buddy was OK.

Seeing the funny side, Raibert quipped, “I wish I could pretend it was supposed to do that.”

Knowing Atlas’s remarkable ability to steady itself if it gets shoved, its on-stage mishap may surprise some. The robot is actually capable of getting back on its feet after a fall, though we’ve know idea if Atlas managed it this time around. But with every unexpected tumble will come analysis and improvements, taking us another step closer to the day when robots have us for breakfast.

But until that happens, let’s enjoy a couple more robot fails, such as this one by Honda’s Asimo robot a few years back …

And this hilarious compilation of humanoid robots crashing down during a DARPA contest in 2015 …

Trying trippy tech beneath the experimental domes of The Lab

Last year, Goldenvoice — organizers of the popular Coachella festival — installed a huge dome full of tech experiences at the inaugural Panorama Music Festival in New York City. The Lab, as it was known, blew people away. This year it’s back, and three times larger than before.

It’s also more immersive, as artists were required to increase interconnectivity, according to Justin Bolognino, founder and CEO of META — the company which curated the artists featured in The Lab. “Eight people, minimum, had to be able to interact with an installation at the same time,” he told Digital Trends.

We stepped inside The Lab, explored its exhibits, and spoke with the lucky fans who experienced it alongside us. Here’s what we saw, heard, and yes, smelled.

Heartfelt by Ekene Ijeoma

Visitors become human wire in Heartfelt, an installation that challenged them to conduct electricity to light poles by holding onto each other. New York-based artist Ekene Ijeoma built it as a reminder of how interconnected people are. The lights would change colors as each person who passed through gave their time and energy.

That intriguing message may have been too subtle for this crowd, though. Most people I saw participate in it left after a few minutes. They either could not figure it out, or were dissuaded from staying upon learning it could take an hour of holding a pole before you saw a light change colors.

“It took us five minutes. We didn’t figure it out. But, it was still fun, though. It was pretty fun how you had to touch each other and touch all the lights.”- E.J. Hunter, 20

Future Portrait by Prism

As visitors walked across a ramp into Future Portrait, their bodies were shown digitized into colorful particles on a screen beside them. A live drummer provided a background soundtrack for the installation, which was built by Brooklyn-based creative studio Prism.

A lot of people passed through Future Portrait without taking a second to glance at the screen, and I don’t really blame them. The motion tracking was accurate, but there was nothing else that personalized the experience.

“It feels like there is an impetus to move through it instead of staying there and thinking through it.”- Matt D, 24

Mirror Room by HP

A cube made of mirrors and flashing lights make HP’s trippy Mirror Room appear to go on forever, but it’s basically a glorified selfie station. People were able to choose their own lighting schemes with the HP Spectre x2.

It was my least favorite installation in The Lab, but the long lines and reluctance to exit I saw from dozens of people show I was an outlier.

“Honestly, it was one of the best things here. I just enjoyed it. I liked the pictures I took of myself. “- Adrian Reina, 24

Volume by SoftLab

A collection of illuminated mirrors moved around based on the sound and motions in front of them in Volume, an installation by design studio Softlab. Each mirror used motion sensors and a Microsoft Kinect to follow passersby.

Initially this too appeared to be yet another cool way to take a selfie, but some visitors were entranced. Once people figured out the mirrors were following them, they would not leave the installation until they could get a mirror to perfectly align with their body.

“I think it’s intelligent and compelling. I think they did something very creative with this space, especially when it interacts with the people moving about.”- Margot Young, 30

VAVR by Visual Agency

Inspired by digital artist Android Jones’ Microdose VR app, the VAVR experience had attendees strap on the HTC Vive, and create abstract designs that also produced beautiful music. With the tap of a button you could spray vibrant, bass bumping hexagonal shapes, or cover the sky in a string quartet of rainbow-colored blocks.

This was a huge fan favorite, with lines that extended around the corner into the Heartfelt installation. Sometimes the music that played in the room was louder than what I could hear in my headphones. Still, VAVR was a stunning VR experience.

“I had no idea what I was doing, pressing the buttons. But, the music, the beat, and the different patterns were pretty cool.”- Wilson Lee, 35

Boolean Planet by Future Wife

Boolean Planet was one of Digital Trends’ favorite installations from Complex Con last November, and has only gotten better. In the installation, a large ball sat the middle of the room. It displayed abstract images that attendees could manipulate by pressing on the ball.

Few other installations elicited zealous giggles from nearly every person, both young and old, who pressed their bodies against the giant ball. Before I knew it, I was working with a stranger next to me, gyrating and wiggling to see what would happen. It was just as hilarious and strange as it sounds.

“I like that there is a tactile element to it. Instead of just seeing a screen, you can apply pressure, you can do it with your friends, and you can feel people on the other sides doing it.” Janet Kim, 25

Dream Machine by Emile Baltz

For Dream Machine, attendees pushed up and down on pumps attached to one of 10 tubas until a smell or sound was emitted, meant to represent a human emotion. Artist Emile Baltz mapped out 10 emotions — contentment, sadness, fear, anger, disgust, shame, happiness, liking, respect, and fear — and worked with the fragrance company Givaudan, which used an algorithm to determine which smells best elicit certain emotions.

The Lab was the Dream Machine’s world premiere, and is my pick for the best experience. Inside each tuba was an image of the facial expression meant to indicate the emotion. Pumping on a lever while staring at the face you would eventually make once the smell or sound hit you is strangely rewarding. Tuba farts have never smelled so good.

“I think it’s the coolest thing ever, honestly. I like the way it’s set up, the sounds it is making, and how you can collaborate with other people on it.”- K. Taylor, 21

Right Passage by The Windmill Factories

The Right Passage was the only installation involving human performers. Within the first three minutes, I was face to face with an immobile man dressed in a cloak. Attendees walked around a dark, misty room as those cloaked performers lugged around large, glass walls, creating a labyrinth that guided where people walked.

Flashing lights in dark, misty rooms with moving glass walls felt boring to me, but was surprisingly one of the most popular installations from people I interviewed. The most appealing part to those who loved it was, ironically, how the people and not the tech were the center of the experience.

“The wall guys were very dedicated to it. I was into it. I was watching them the whole time.”- Adriana “Danger” P, 27

The Ark Dome Show by Dirt Empire

Created by experiential production company Dirt Empire, The Ark Dome Show took attendees on a warped, intergalactic survival adventure, shown on a 90-foot dome. Attendees could lay back in stiff, but reclinable seats. Last year, people had to lay on the cold, hard floor to take in the full scope of the film on the dome.

The Dome was the final installation of The Lab, and just like last year, it was a standout. The film masterfully played with perception. It flew people through massive structures that felt like worlds, only to have the camera pan out, revealing it was only part of an elaborate spaceship. The only time you could exit The Lab was during The Ark Dome Show.

“It was like a planetarium, but 1990’s The Lawnmower Man virtual reality kind of stuff.”- Scott Thoresen, 34

Tile Pro Series locating beacons are twice as loud, work up to 200 feet away

Why it matters to you

If you’re prone to losing keys or wallets, Tile’s new Pro Series, which can locate objects from up to 200 feet away, might be able to help.

Tile, the California-based company behind the Bluetooth beacons that attach to car keys, wallets, and other valuables you can’t afford to lose, is gearing up to launch a whole new lineup of tiny trackers. On Tuesday, Tile announced the Tile Style and the Tile Sport, two new locating beacons that round out its Tile Pro Series.

Both the Style, which features a ridged texture in satin white, and the Sport, which has a slate finish with graphite accents, improve on their predecessors’ location-tracking capabilities. The Pro Series beacons feature double the Bluetooth range (up to 200 feet) and double the loudness (from 88 decibels), a redesigned proximity sensor that delivers better accuracy, and an IP68-rated body that’s waterproof in up to 5 feet of water for 30 minutes.

In addition to upgraded hardware, the Style and Sport ship with a new Tile app designed exclusively for the Pro Series. Users can see the beacons’ last known location on a map, and ring the Style and Sport with one of six preset ringtones — or use the beacons in reverse to find their phone.

“The Tile community is creating a world where everyone can find the things that matter to them,” Mike Farley, co-founder and CEO of Tile, said in a statement. “The new Tile Pro Series was built with both performance and style in mind so that Tilers can find their things wherever life takes them — whether hitting the slopes, traveling the world, or enjoying a night out.”

The launch of Tile’s new Pro series also marks the rollout of a new app for users of Tile’s legacy Bluetooth trackers, the Tile Mate and Tile Slim. In the coming weeks, owners will start to get “personalized insights” that show “more about the […] community around them and their role as a part of it.” The company says that the Tile network spans more than 230 countries and territories, and locates more than 2 million items every day, from lost cars and bikes to jewelry, pets, and passports.

Existing Tile users are getting support for voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant, too. Users can say, “Alexa, ask Tile to ring my keys,” or “OK Google, ring Tile” and Alexa or the Google Assistant will ring them if they’re within Bluetooth range, or provide the last known location if they aren’t.

“When it comes to Tile, what you see is a tiny device that attaches to your things,” Farley said. “What you don’t see are the millions of Tile community members helping keep your belongings safe. Every day, we hear powerful stories of how the anonymous heroes of our community help each other simply by running the Tile app. It’s a simple action, but one that has a lasting impact,” said Farley.

The Tile Pro Series is available from Tile’s website and retailers including Amazon, Best Buy, and Target. The Tile Style and Tile Sport retail for $35 each, or $60 for a two-pack, and last a full year on battery.

Xiaomi’s dual camera-toting Mi 5X may launch in India next month

Xiaomi is launching its first dual camera phone in India next month.

Xiaomi is currently riding a high, and the company is looking to capitalize on that momentum by introducing a new phone in the Indian market. Xiaomi VP and India head Manu Kumar Jain tweeted that the company is all set to launch its first dual camera phone in the country next month, and all signs point to the device being the recently announced Mi 5X.

Can’t wait for you guys to check out Xiaomi’s first dual-camera phone in India! Coming next month! ☺️Can you guess which one? pic.twitter.com/UhtFphm0GT

— Manu Kumar Jain (@manukumarjain) August 8, 2017

The phone features a 5.5-inch Full HD display, Snapdragon 625, 4GB of RAM, 64GB storage, 5MP front camera, Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 4.2, and a 3080mAh battery. The highlight of the Mi 5X is its dual 12MP cameras — a primary lens augmented by a telephoto shooter. The camera configuration is the same as that of the Mi 6, while the design of the device is reminiscent of the Mi Max 2.

The Mi 5X is a better choice for the Indian market considering the device is targeted at the budget segment. The Mi 6 is a better device overall, but Xiaomi’s cachet is all about value for money, and that doesn’t translate very well for a device that would end up costing over ₹30,000 in the country. The Mi 5X, on the other hand, will likely be sold for around the ₹15,000 mark, with the dual cameras making it stand out in this segment.

The Mi 5X won’t be the first budget phone with dual rear cameras — the Honor 6X has that honor — but it will be the first that’s actually usable (the second camera on the Honor 6X doesn’t do much). You guys excited for the launch of the Mi 5X in India?