Skip to content

Archive for

27
Mar

Harvard’s new skin-style bandages heal wounds at an accelerated rate


A team of researchers at Harvard University have developed two novel nanofiber wound dressings which are able to rapidly accelerate the healing process, as well as improve tissue regeneration. Described in separate academic papers, the new bandages use proteins which are found naturally occurring in plants and animals to promote enhanced healing.

“In these papers, two novel fibrous materials were developed and specifically tailored to applications in the field of regenerative medicine,” Christophe Chantre, a graduate student at Harvard’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering and the Disease Biophysics Group, told Digital Trends. “One was produced from soy protein that contains several human peptide analogs, critical in regulating wound closure, while the other was manufactured from a protein called fibronectin that is believed to play a crucial role in regeneration.”

Although both of these materials have been studied in the past, this is the first example of them being used to produce nanofibrous scaffolds, which mimic the structure of human skin. In tests, the researchers found that the soy and cellulose-based dressing resulted in a 72 percent increase in healing wounds compared with no dressing at all, and a 21 percent increase in healing wounds compared with non-soy protein dressings. Meanwhile, the fibronectin dressing resulted in 84 percent tissue restoration within 20 days, compared to just 55.6 percent restoration using a standard dressing.

“Both wound dressings had their respective advantages,” Chantre continued. “The fibronectin dressings enabled considerable tissue restoration, and even promoted regeneration of hair follicles. By contrast, the cellulose soy dressing demonstrated slightly reduced wound healing performance, but was significantly cheaper to produce.”

At present, the researchers are working on the second generation of its wound dressings, with improved fabrication and regenerative performance. “Our preliminary results in mice are encouraging and should provide sufficient validation for moving towards more relevant preclinical models and hopefully first-in-human trails within the next couple of years,” Chantre said. The technology has been protected by the Harvard Office of Technology Development, which is exploring possible opportunities for commercialization.

One of the papers was recently published in the journal Biomaterials, while the other was published in the journal Advanced Healthcare Materials.

Editors’ Recommendations

  • Blink to click? Nanotube-coated tissue paper sensor can track eyeball movement
  • A material supreme: How graphene will shape the world of tomorrow
  • Today, A.I. helps detect tiny earthquakes. Tomorrow, it might predict the big one
  • Crumble-proof concrete? Fungi could help it heal itself of cracks
  • Scientists have figured out how to make wood even stronger than steel


27
Mar

What’s weirder: A Chrome OS tablet or an Android laptop?


Just this morning, two interesting pieces of news hit in the internet regarding the future of Google’s computing products. The first was the announcement of the inaugural Chrome OS tablet, Acer’s Chromebook Tab 10. It doesn’t have a keyboard like most Chromebooks, but instead comes packaged with a Wacom-branded stylus. In other words, it’s an actual tablet, meant to compete with the cheap iPad that Apple is expected to announce on March 27.

The second piece of news was that Google has been testing Android on laptops. The Androidification of Chrome OS has been a reoccurring theme in software updates over the past six months, bringing in things like the Google Play Store, touch and stylus support, and Android notifications. But according to the report, Google has been testing out the most recent version of Android on Chromebooks.

So which would be worse: An Android laptop with its limited keyboard and productivity support or a relying exclusively on the poor touch capabilities of Chrome OS?

Now that both could happen, which would be weirder to use: a @googlechrome OS tablet or an @Android Chromebook?

Please RT for a larger sample size.

— Digital Trends (@DigitalTrends) March 26, 2018

So far, it looks like people are more confused by the cross-pollination of these platforms than anything else.

We all enjoy the touch-capable, on-the-go features of a mobile operating system like Android, along with the keyboard-ready, productivity power of a desktop interface like Chrome OS. To have them in one product would be a dream come true, but so far it hasn’t been done — at least, not perfectly. The closest you get is an iPad Pro or a Surface Pro, both of which still favor one kind of experience over the other due to the limitations of the form factor and operating system.

An odd product like a Chrome OS tablet exists for only one reason: Google’s tablet business, has all but disappeared. Regardless of how good some of them were, even Google’s own Pixel-C 2-in-1 was a complete failure. Alongside the collapse of Android tablets was the growing success of Chromebooks, offering a more traditional desktop interface at extremely low prices. The blur between the two lines has always been confusing, with the two product lines managed by different teams, built from the ground up for very different purposes.

“I think we’re very fortunate as a company to have two very successful platforms each in their own way and in their own segments,” Senior Vice President of Android, Chrome OS, and Play Hiroshi Lockheimer said in late 2016. “For us, there’s no point in merging them. They’re both successful. We just want to make sure both sides benefit from each other, so that’s why we brought Google Play from Android over to Chrome OS.” 

That kind of an attitude is what produces these Frankenstein mashups, for better or worse.

Editors’ Recommendations

  • Best Chromebooks
  • Samsung Notebook 9 Pen vs. Pixelbook
  • Chrome OS may jump straight to eating Android Pie rather than munching on Oreo
  • Can a Chromebook replace a laptop in a photographer’s workflow?
  • Acer updates the Chromebook Spin 11 with a slimmer figure and Pentium CPU


27
Mar

Nvidia’s next gaming cards could be the GTX 11 Series, not the GTX 20 Series


Nvidia’s next family of graphics cards for gaming might not be the GeForce GTX 20 Series after all. An unnamed source claims that Nvidia will use the GTX 11 Series brand instead, staying somewhat true to the numerical order it’s used for years. The branding makes perfect sense, but if the source is correct, Nvidia doesn’t plan to label the new cards by tens, such as the current 1080 or 1070 models. Instead, Nvidia may go with the GTX 1181 or the GTX 1185. 

Nvidia introduced the GeForce 100 series in 2009, the successor to the GeForce 9 series launched in 2008. The company’s naming system progressed by the hundreds since the 100 Series hit the streets, ending with the 900 Series in 2016. Nvidia then jumped to the 10 Series in 2017 seemingly because it’s simply easier to read (and type) than “GeForce GTX 1000 Series” even though the cards have four digits. 

Yet in 2018, Nvidia’s naming scheme could go either way and it works just fine in the overall big picture: GTX 11 Series or GTX 20 Series. But Nvidia’s branding history shows that the company typically relies on product names that end with zeroes and fives, so the new, unannounced cards will likely end with a five as a logical differential from the current GTX 10 Series models. 

When the next family will appear is unknown, but all bets are placed on the GPU Technology Conference (GTC) starting on Tuesday, March 27, in San Jose, California. The company may reveal the GTX 11 Series (or GTX 20 Series) during the keynote that is reportedly based on a new architecture dubbed as “Turing.” Rumor points to a possible July release along with cards dedicated to cryptocurrency mining. 

Also during the keynote, Nvidia could reveal new graphics cards slated for the enterprise and data centers based on a new architecture dubbed as “Ampere.” This design is to replace the current “Volta” architecture used in the Telsa V100 and Titan V add-in cards. The latter model could be used for gaming although Nvidia stresses that gaming is not its primary market. 

Whether the gaming cards will appear during the keynote or not depends on the source. GTC 2018 is the ideal launch platform although it’s more fitting for Nvidia’s enterprise-targeting products whereas the E3 2018 show in June is a better launchpad for its gaming cards. With a possible availability in July, the E3 2018 show seems more likely to be the GTX 11 Series big reveal. 

Then again, just look at the GTX 1080 and GTX 1070. Nvidia introduced those two cards at a special event in early May 2016 followed by a retail launch at the end of the month. Since then, the company has rolled out a large selection of GTX 10 Series cards, with the GTX 1080 Ti serving as the latest and final GTX 10 Series product.  

Nvidia’s keynote starts a 9 a.m. PT on March 27, so we will know more about the company’s rumor-inducing plans during the broadcast. 

Editors’ Recommendations

  • Leak shows Inno3D cryptocurrency mining card based on the GTX 1080 Ti
  • Digital Storm packs plenty of Nvidia GTX punch in its tiny Project Spark PC
  • Nvidia’s top-end GTX graphics cards could more than double in price
  • Vizio P-Series (P65-E1) review
  • Leaked Nvidia GTX 1050 Max-Q cards could target Intel AMD combo chips


27
Mar

Elon Musk’s new idea involves Boring Company rock and ancient Egyptian sites


Moving from branded caps to flamethrowers was a pretty big leap for Elon Musk’s Boring Company. His latest idea, revealed by the man himself on Monday, seems to nestle neatly between the two (in terms of nuttiness).

We’re talking giant Lego-like “bricks” that can be used to create sculptures and buildings. In a series of tweets, Musk explained that the interlocking bricks will be made from rock excavated during the company’s ongoing tunneling efforts.

The billionaire entrepreneur said the bricks “are interlocking with a precise surface finish, so two people could build the outer walls of a small house in a day or so.”

If that all sounds rather too sensible and not at all zany, then wait till you hear about Musk’s idea for the “debut kit,” which he says is “coming soon.”
The kit, he says, will enable you to knock together versions of ancient Egyptian monuments — he singles out the pyramids, the Sphinx, and the Temple of Horus. Musk describes the Lego-like bricks as “life-size” so these sculptures could turn out real big.

First kit set will be ancient Egypt — pyramids, Sphinx, temple of Horus, etc

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 26, 2018

While it’s not difficult to understand how Musk was able to sell huge numbers of his branded caps, or indeed flamethrowers, we’re not so sure there’s much call for pyramid kits. Still, he has his fans, and if any of them have money to burn and a very large yard, it’s possible a Sphinx replica could really spruce up the place.

On a more serious note, we already know that the company wants to recycle the excavated earth “into useful bricks to be used to build structures.” Its FAQ page also suggests that the bricks “can potentially be used as a portion of the tunnel lining itself, which is typically built from concrete. Since concrete production accounts for 4.5 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, earth bricks would reduce both environmental impact and tunneling costs.”

So it seems that Musk, a true master of marketing, is using ancient Egypt to get more eyeballs on the idea and to keep the Boring Company’s efforts in the news.

Elon Musk has been using his offbeat side projects — caps, flamethrowers, and now bricks — to help publicize the Boring Company’s main goal: To build a subterranean transportation system in L.A. comprising networks of tunnels with high-speed electric sleds capable of carrying vehicles across the city. The company has also proposed an East Coast transportation project called “the DC-to-Baltimore Loop” that it claims will lead to “decreased commute times, decreased urban congestion, decreased public transportation trip times, decreased transportation costs/fares, and decreased greenhouse gas emissions.”

The price and release date of the Boring Company’s “Egypt kit” are yet to be announced.

Editors’ Recommendations

  • Elon Musk proposes name changes to his flamethrower in order to appease customs
  • From flamethrowers to brain linking, here are Elon Musk’s 5 craziest ideas
  • Elon Musk starts 2018 with $1M for tunneling plan after ‘boring’ caps sell out
  • 5 practical uses for Elon Musk’s impractical flamethrower
  • Check Out Elon Musk’s $500 ‘Boring Company’ flamethrower


27
Mar

Ford’s giant ‘car vending machine’ is now open for business in China


We first heard about the extraordinary “car vending machine” at the end of last year. Now, Ford and Alibaba, who teamed up to design the system, have flipped the switch on the massive machine so that people can try it out for real.

It’s located in Guangzhou, China, and offers a range of vehicles for three-day test drives. The five-story contraption, which holds 42 vehicles in all, is essentially a Ford-branded garage with rotating platforms, similar in design to those commonly seen in Japanese cities and other countries in Asia.

You can begin the transaction via an app before turning up to collect the car from the vending machine, dubbed the “Super Test-drive Center.”

There’s no human interaction during the process. You simply browse the app for the car you’d like to take out for a spin — the guy in the video above opts for a Ford Mustang — and then take a selfie. This enables the vending machine’s facial recognition technology to confirm your booking, and presumably also gives the cops a decent image to work with should you fail to return the car.

When you arrive at the Super Test-drive Center, you’ll need to tap on the digital display so the machine can match your face with your car selection. No, the car doesn’t drop into a tray like a regular vending machine. That would be daft. And a little costly for Ford.

Instead, the machinery grinds into action, with your chosen vehicle brought down to ground level in just a few minutes. The system lets you test up to two cars consecutively, which ensures you don’t end up “test driving” Ford cars for life rather than making an actual purchase.

If you have a decent credit score — calculated according to previous Alipay transactions — you can try out the cars for free. Otherwise you’ll have to pay a fee, though exactly how much isn’t immediately clear.

Ford announced its partnership with Alibaba at the end of 2017. The three-year deal offers the American automaker a chance to expand its presence in the Chinese market through Alibaba-owned Tmall, the country’s largest online shopping mall. Alibaba said it’ll work with Ford to “leverage digital channels to identify new retail opportunities [and] redefine how consumers purchase and own vehicles.” An enormous great vending machine in the middle of town is certainly a start.

Ford’s recently announced “China 2025 Plan” aims to introduce more than 50 all-new vehicles by 2025, including 15 electric vehicles.

Editors’ Recommendations

  • In China, lowly vending machines are transforming into smart storefronts
  • Good luck getting out of a ticket with Ford’s A.I.-enabled police car
  • It’s almost here! Here’s the best of what’s coming at CES 2018
  • Trucks, muscle, and futurism: 7 Detroit Auto Show rides we can’t wait to drive
  • Ford will power Postmates’ on-demand delivery service with self-driving cars


27
Mar

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S unveiled with Snapdragon 845, dual cameras, Oreo, and wireless charging


The Mi Mix 2S offers key upgrades over its predecessor, and is the first Xiaomi phone to feature wireless charging.

xiaomi-mi-mix-2s-2.jpg?itok=hVcXCeQP

At a media event in Shanghai, China, Xiaomi unveiled its first flagship of 2018. The Mi Mix 2S follows the same design language as its predecessor — last year’s Mi Mix 2 — but offers significant hardware upgrades for 2018. The phone is powered by Qualcomm’s latest 10nm Snapdragon 845, offers a dual camera setup at the back, and features wireless charging based on the Qi standard.

Early renders hinted at a cutout for the front camera à la Essential Phone, but Xiaomi has retained the same design aesthetic as the Mi Mix 2. There’s a 5.99-inch display at the front with ultra-thin bezels on three sides and a bottom bar that houses the sensors and the front camera module.

Xiaomi went into a lot of detail about how the Mi Mix 2 is a permanent fixture at major international museums for its design prowess, with the phone winning several design awards last year. The thin bezels combined with the ceramic back is definitely eye-catching, and although the design hasn’t changed from the first-gen Mi Mix, the Mi Mix 2S is one of the best-looking phones in the $500 category.

Round the back, the main change is the dual camera setup at the back, with the phone offering gold accents around the sensor. The phone will be available in two color options — black and white — and both models are made out of ceramic with an aluminum mid-frame.

On the hardware front, the phone is powered by the Snapdragon 845, with eight Kryo 385 cores clocked up to 2.80GHz. The standard version comes with 6GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB of internal storage, and there’s a high-end model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. There are two 12MP cameras at the back, with the primary camera featuring Sony’s latest IMX 363 imaging sensor. The secondary 12MP camera is a telephoto lens that offers 2x lossless zoom.

  • Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S specs
  • Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S preview: Great hardware and vastly improved software

Xiaomi is touting significant improvements to the camera, and is introducing an AI-assisted feature that automatically selects the ideal shooting modes based on the lighting conditions. I’ve been using the Mi Mix 2S for just over two days, and this is the best camera on a Xiaomi phone by some margin.

With the Mi Mix 2S, Xiaomi is also overhauling the software side of things. The phone comes with MIUI 9.5 based on Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box, and the user interface feels much more refined over Nougat-based builds. Xiaomi is touting a new voice assistant for its local market, but it’s unlikely the feature will make its way outside of China.

The Mi Mix 2S will go on sale in China starting this week for ¥3,299 ($530) for the model with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The model with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage will be available for ¥3,599 ($575). Then there’s the variant with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, which will retail for ¥3,999 ($640). The 8GB version is the only model with global LTE bands, and the phone also comes bundled with the wireless charging mat.

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S preview: Great hardware and vastly improved software

27
Mar

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S specs: Snapdragon 845, dual cameras, and global LTE bands


The Mi Mix 2S ticks all the right boxes when it comes to the hardware.

xiaomi-mi-mix-2s-4.jpg?itok=WahIWVkU

With the Mi Mix 2S, Xiaomi is looking to build on the success of the Mi Mix 2 while offering key upgrades for 2018. The phone follows the same design language as its predecessor, but comes with a vastly improved dual camera at the back, and things have changed significantly on the software side of things as well.

Xiaomi’s flagships have offered top-notch hardware for a few years now, and that thankfully doesn’t change with the Mi Mix 2S. You get up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage with the device, and it is powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 845. Here’s a detailed look at the hardware powering the Mi Mix 2S:

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S specs

Operating System MIUI 9.5 based on Android 8.0 Oreo
Display 5.99-inch 18:9 IPS LCD 2160 x 1080Gorilla Glass 4403ppi pixel density
Chipset Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845Four Kryo 385 cores up to 2.80GHzFour Kryo 385 cores at 1.70GHz10nm
GPU Adreno 630
RAM 6GB/8GB LPDDR4X
Storage 64GB/128GB/256GB UFS 2.1
Expandable No
Battery 3400mAh
Charging USB-CQuick Charge 3.0 (9V/2A)Wireless charging
Water resistance No | No
Rear Camera 12MP f/1.8 1.4-micron pixels + 12MP f/2.4 telephoto lensSony IMX 363 + Samsung S5K3M3 Dual Pixel autofocus, 4K@30fps, 720p@120fps
Front Camera 5MP f/2.0 lens with 1.12-micron pixels
Connectivity Wi-Fi 802.11 ac MU MIMO, 2×2 MIMONFC, LTE with VoLTE, Bluetooth 5.0GPS/AGPS/GLONASS/BeiDou
Security One-touch fingerprint sensor (back)
SIM Dual Nano SIM
Network LTE: Band 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/17/1819/20/25/26/27/28/29/30/34/38/39/40/41
Dimensions 150.9 x 74.9 x 8.1mm
Weight 191g
Colors Black, White

Looking for more on the Mi Mix 2S? Read our preview, and see how it differs from the Mi Mix 2:

  • Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S preview: There’s a lot to get excited about
  • Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S vs. Mi Mix 2: What’s the difference?

27
Mar

Xiaomi’s Qi-based wireless charging mat for the Mi Mix 2S costs just $15


Xiaomi’s wireless charging mat will retail for just ¥99 in China, or the equivalent of $15.

xiaomi-mi-wireless-charging-mat.jpg?itok

The Mi Mix 2S is the first Xiaomi phone to offer wireless charging, and at the launch event the manufacturer rolled out a wireless charging mat designed for the device. The charging mat works on the Qi wireless protocol — the same used by the phone, and the highlight is that it retails for just ¥99 in China, or the equivalent of $15.

Xiaomi made its name by selling high-quality products at throwaway prices, and the wireless charging pad reinforces that notion. The charger is certified by Qi and delivers a maximum charge of 7.5W, which according to Xiaomi will charge up the Mi Mix 2S in under three hours. The maximum charge is lower than what Samsung’s wireless charger manages at 9W, but Xiaomi’s offering costs less than a third.

The phone comes with Quick Charge 3.0, so if you’re looking for a quick top up in the middle of the day, it’s always easier to just plug in to a wall adapter. But if you charge your device overnight, the wireless charging mat comes in handy.

There’s no mention of whether Xiaomi’s wireless charging mat will make its way outside of China, but with the company making its accessories available in more and more Western countries, there is a high likelihood that the charging mat will make its way to global markets.

Looking for more on the Mi Mix 2S? We have you covered:

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S preview: Great hardware and vastly improved software

27
Mar

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S preview: Great hardware backed by vastly improved software


The Mi Mix 2S combines the latest hardware with the most refined build of MIUI yet.

xiaomi-mi-mix-2s-front.jpg?itok=-aFnOfCl

Xiaomi unveiled the Mi Mix 2 in China back in September, and six months later, we’re getting a mid-cycle refresh in the form of the Mi Mix 2S. With the Mi Mix 2S, Xiaomi is retaining the same design aesthetic while introducing upgrades in key areas. Initial rumors hinted at a device with a cutout at the top of the display, but thankfully that isn’t the case. The Mi Mix 2S has the same design up front as its predecessor — with ultra-thin bezels on three sides and a bottom bar that houses the camera module.

The back of the phone is still made out of ceramic, but you’ll notice a few differences here, starting with that dual camera. The sensors are arrayed vertically — much like the Redmi Note 5 Pro — but they don’t jut out nearly as much from the body. The Mi Mix 2S also features, wireless charging based on the Qi standard, a first for Xiaomi.

If you’ve used a Mi Mix 2 or even the first-gen model, you’ll feel right at home on the Mi Mix 2S. The overall design hasn’t changed much in the last two years, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The Mi Mix 2S is still one of the best-looking phones in its category, but with 18:9 panels becoming more mainstream, it doesn’t evoke that “wow” factor anymore.

Like Xiaomi flagships in years past, the Mi Mix 2S features the latest hardware available today. The phone is powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 845, and based on when it makes its way to India, it could be the first device to offer the Snapdragon 845 in the country (the Galaxy S9 in India is powered by the Exynos 9810). I’ve been using the phone for just over two days, and it’s right up there with the Galaxy S9+ in terms of performance.

Xiaomi is also offering the Mi Mix 2S with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage, becoming one of the first Android manufacturers to do so. There’s also a standard variant that comes with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Technically, 64GB of storage should be more than adequate for most users, but if you’re looking to future-proof your phone, the 256GB option should do the trick.

Like Xiaomi flagships of years past, the Mi Mix 2S offers top-notch hardware.

Like the Mi Mix 2, the Mi Mix 2S also has global LTE connectivity, with the device offering 43 bands in total. Xiaomi is eventually going to make its debut in the U.S., stating earlier this year that it was targeting a launch sometime by the end of 2018 or early 2019, but if you’re interested in the Mi Mix 2S, you can import the device and use it on U.S. networks. With the brand now having an official presence in Spain, the Mi Mix 2S should also make its way to European markets in the coming months.

The Mi Mix 2S inherits its predecessor’s strengths, as well as its weaknesses — there’s no 3.5mm jack, so you’ll have to use the provided dongle or pick up wireless audio gear.

xiaomi-mi-mix-2s-oreo.jpg?itok=9zWoCnWc

With the Mi Mix 2S, Xiaomi is rolling out MIUI 9.5 based on Android 8.0 Oreo. It’s great that the manufacturer is finally including Oreo out of the box, but there’s much more to get excited about. The introduction of MIUI 9.5 is a pivotal moment for Xiaomi as the ROM finally feels polished. There aren’t any glitches, and the interface doesn’t feel bloated anymore.

In short, the Mi Mix 2S is the fastest Xiaomi phone I’ve used by some margin. Just using the Mi Mix 2S next to the Snapdragon 835-powered Mix 2 is enough to see the leaps and bounds by which MIUI has improved in six months.

Xiaomi also rolled out a host of new features in MIUI 9.5: there are gestures similar to what you’ll find on the iPhone X, and there’s finally a new multitasking pane. There are three gestures that let you navigate the interface — a swipe up from the bottom of the screen to go to the home screen, swipe up from the bottom and hold to surface the multitasking pane, and a swipe right or left from either edge to go back.

There’s a tutorial built into the device settings that shows you how to use the gestures, and it usually takes a day to get acclimated to using them. The multitasking window in MIUI 9.0 looked like something out of the KitKat era, and that’s because it was. In MIUI 9.5, however, you get a card-based interface that looks much more modern. Oh, and you can now set animated backgrounds on the lock and home screens.

I had no idea MIUI could be this fast.

MIUI 9.5 also fixes one of the main issues I’ve had with the ROM over the last two years. Instead of offering the ability to restore from a previous Android phone via your Google account, Xiaomi had its own solution in place that relied on Mi Cloud. So if you were making the switch to a Xiaomi phone from another manufacturer, you had to effectively start from scratch.

Thankfully, that has changed with MIUI 9.5, as you can now use your Google account or another device to configure your Xiaomi phone. The global MIUI ROM for several years has just been an offshoot of the China ROM with the Play Store and Google services built-in, but we’re finally starting to see differentiation on this front. That’s a huge deal as Xiaomi tries to venture into Western markets. MIUI is finally at a place where it doesn’t feel like a disadvantage anymore.

xiaomi-mi-mix-2s-back.jpg?itok=taS_pWA3

Xiaomi stated at the start of the year the camera was a key area of focus going forward — we’ve already seen the same in the budget segment with the Redmi Note 5 Pro — and now the Mi Mix 2S builds on that. The phone has dual cameras at the back, with a primary 12MP sensor augmented by a secondary 12MP telephoto lens.

Xiaomi is touting AI capabilities as a differentiator on the Mi Mix 2S. The AI-assisted feature automatically tweaks filters and picks the ideal shooting mode — similar to what Huawei and others have been doing in this segment. It also lets you create GIFs for portraits, with options to tweak the settings after taking a photo.

xiaomi-mi-mix-2s-camera-3.jpg?itok=pwPygxiaomi-mi-mix-2s-camera-2.jpg?itok=5H2Ccxiaomi-mi-mix-2s-camera-1.jpg?itok=bGk0wxiaomi-mi-mix-2s-camera-4.jpg?itok=TciBNxiaomi-mi-mix-2s-camera-5.jpg?itok=phTrkxiaomi-mi-mix-2s-camera-6.jpg?itok=qg1wixiaomi-mi-mix-2s-camera-7.jpg?itok=Dv_te

The primary camera is interesting as it is the first to feature Sony’s IMX 363 imaging sensor. It also has 1.4 micron pixels, which lets in more light. Xiaomi also overhauled its image processing algorithms, and the result is that the Mi Mix 2S may just have the best camera ever on a Xiaomi phone, including the excellent Mi Note 3. In fact, it may even be as good to take on the likes of “true” flagships like the Galaxy S9+:

mix-2s-camera-low-light.jpg?itok=3ZbMaSEsamsung-galaxy-s9-camera-low-light.jpg?i

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S to the left, Galaxy S9+ to the right.

xiaomi-mi-mix-2s-wireless-charging.jpg?i

Rounding out the lengthy list of features is wireless charging. Xiaomi has retained the ceramic back, but included Qi-compatible wireless charging with the Mi Mix 2S, and the manufacturer also rolled out a $15 charging mat. I didn’t get my hands on Xiaomi’s wireless charging mat yet, but the phone works flawlessly with Samsung’s wireless charger.

xiaomi-mi-mix-2s-2.jpg?itok=hVcXCeQP

The Mi Mix 2S doesn’t look all that different from its predecessor, but it comes with a slew of meaningful updates to make it stand out from the standard Mi Mix 2. The software experience in particular is the highlight, and Xiaomi has pulled out all the stops to make MIUI feel rock-solid. Then there’s the camera, which has the potential to be the best in this category.

With more and more Android manufacturers going with the notch, it’s great to see Xiaomi not follow suit with its latest flagship. The phone will be going up for sale in China from later this week for $530 for the variant with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage will retail for $640, and we should be hearing more about global availability in the coming weeks.

I’ll be pitting the Mi Mix 2S against the Pixel 2 XL and the Galaxy S9+ and go into detail over how the AI-assisted features work over the coming weeks, so stay tuned. In the meantime, let me know what you think of the Mi Mix 2S in the comments.

27
Mar

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S vs. Mi Mix 2: What’s the difference?


The Mi Mix 2S is a mid-cycle refresh of the Mi Mix 2 featuring the Snapdragon 845, dual rear cameras, and wireless charging.

xiaomi-mi-mix-2s-vs-mi-mix-2-front.jpg?i

Xiaomi unveiled the Mi Mix 2 in China last September, with the phone featuring a ceramic back and smaller 5.99-inch display. The company is now introducing a mid-cycle refresh — the Mi Mix 2S — that shares the same design aesthetic while offering upgrades in several areas.

Although both phones look identical from the front, the Mi Mix 2S sports a lot of changes. Turn the phones around and you’ll see a dual camera setup on the Mi Mix 2S — which offers AI-assisted scene selection. Then there’s the internal hardware, with the phone featuring Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 845 chipset.

Xiaomi also incorporated wireless charging into the device, and the company has introduced an affordable wireless charging mat that costs just $25. Here’s a quick look at the differences between the two phones at a hardware level:

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S vs. Mi Mix 2: Specs

Operating System MIUI 9.5 based on Android 8.0 Oreo MIUI 9 based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat
Display 5.99-inch 18:9 IPS LCD 2160 x 1080Gorilla Glass 4403ppi pixel density 5.99-inch 18:9 IPS LCD 2160 x 1080Gorilla Glass 4403ppi pixel density
Chipset Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845Four Kryo 385 cores up to 2.80GHzFour Kryo 385 cores at 1.70GHz10nm Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835Four Kryo 280 cores at 2.45GHzFour Kryo 280 cores at 1.90GHz10nm
GPU Adreno 630 Adreno 540
RAM 6GB/8GB LPDDR4X 6GB LPDDR4X (8GB LPDDR4X special edition)
Storage 64GB/128GB/256GB UFS 2.1 64GB/128GB/256GB UFS 2.1 (128GB special edition)
Expandable No No
Battery 3400mAh 3400mAh
Charging USB-CQuick Charge 3.0 (9V/2A)Wireless charging USB-CQuick Charge 3.0 (9V/2A)
Water resistance No No
Rear Camera 12MP f/1.8 1.4-micron pixels + 12MP f/2.4 telephoto lensSony IMX 363 + Samsung S5K3M3 PDAF, 4K@30fps, 720p@120fps 12MP f/2.0, 1.25-micron pixelsSony IMX 386, 4-axis OIS, two-tone flashDual Pixel autofocus, 4K@30fps, 720p@120fps
Front Camera 5MP 5MP
Connectivity Wi-Fi 802.11 ac MU MIMO, 2×2 MIMONFC, LTE with VoLTE, Bluetooth 5.0GPS/AGPS/GLONASS/BeiDou Wi-Fi 802.11 ac MU MIMO, 2×2 MIMOLTE with VoLTE, Bluetooth 5.0GPS/AGPS/GLONASS/BeiDou
Security One-touch fingerprint sensor (back) One-touch fingerprint sensor (back)
SIM Dual Nano SIM Dual Nano SIM
Network LTE: Band 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/17/1819/20/25/26/27/28/29/30/34/38/39/40/41 LTE: Band 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/17/1819/20/25/26/27/28/29/30/34/38/39/40/41
Dimensions 150.9 x 74.9 x 8.1mm 151.8 x 75.5 x 7.7mm
Weight 191g 185g
Colors Black, White Black, White

xiaomi-mi-mix-2s-vs-mi-mix-2-1.jpg?itok=

The Mi Mix 2S will go on sale in China starting later this week for the equivalent of $530 for the model with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. As of now, there’s no word on availability outside the country. But with Xiaomi looking to solidify its position at the top of India’s handset market, the phone should make its way to the subcontinent shortly. In the meantime, let me know what you guys think of the Mi Mix 2S in the comments.

Looking for more on the Mi Mix 2S? Check out our preview of the device:

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S preview: There’s a lot to get excited about