Here One Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Would you wear your earbuds in all the time if they worked well enough?
Doppler Labs
When it comes to noise-canceling headphones, Bose is the agreed-upon industry standard. That’s why the company’s new QuietComfort 35 and QuietControl 30 — which combine active noise cancellation and Bluetooth wireless for the first time — have been so eagerly awaited by headphone junkies.
But active noise-cancellation technology — which “cancels out” external ambient noise with mirror opposite sound waves — isn’t perfect. It generally does a good job with constant droning sounds like airline engines, the whoosh of a train or beach surf, but it can’t magically blot out random uneven noises such as crying babies and police sirens.
Unless, of course, it’s the Here One from Doppler Labs. The new wireless earbuds — one for each ear — offer what the company calls “active-filtering smart listening.” And when they ship in November for $299 (equivalent to £226 or AU$408), the Here One headphones aim to deliver a potent combo of next-gen noise-canceling and Bluetooth music streaming that’s primed and ready to work with your digital assistant of choice.
The Here One charges in its own case, like several other fully wireless sets of earbuds.
Doppler Labs
Second-generation smart ‘buds
The Here One headphones look similar to their predecessors, the Here Active Listening headphones. Doppler Labs calls them “in-ear computers” because they have multiple processors that help identify background noise and create an ambient filter on the fly, using directional microphone arrays in each of the two independent earpieces.
Here One is made to be worn all the time, so that voice assistants — Siri, Cortana and the like — could potentially be talking all day long via a phone would be filtered to sound normal in everyday settings, creating what Doppler calls layered audio, or “mixed reality for your ears.”
CNET got to try the first version of Here Active Listening earlier this year. That version raised eyebrows because it never included normal earphone functions for music playback: they were just really smart noise filters. Here One adds the set of EQ settings and noise/frequency filters from Here Active, but adds another layer of “adaptive” filters, which Doppler Labs promises will filter out — or, enhance — sounds around you: a siren, nearby conversation, or a crying baby.
Here One’s phone app and smart filters.
Doppler Labs
Of course, Here’s lofty goals raises a long list of practical questions. First and foremost is battery life. The independently wireless earbuds last about 3 to 5 hours on a charge, and charge up twice more in the included battery-pack case. That isn’t enough for truly always-on and always-in ear-wear. Meanwhile, toggling between “passthrough” and “quiet” modes — flipping between a conversation with the barista and solo music listening — seems like it could be a challenge. And — with respect to anyone who wears a hearing aid — is it going to be socially acceptable to have your headphones in 24-7?
The sci-fi fan in me could see the Here One as an audio alternative to virtual reality/augmented reality/mixed reality tech for the eyes, focusing only on being a better set of earbuds. But the two ideas could dovetail, in theory, with the right apps and tech. (And now I include my requisite reference to “Her.”)
More realistically, though, if Here One manages to mix music, voice feedback and everyday noise into something better than everyday active noise-canceling headphones, they could be onto something.
We’ll know more when we get to try a pair later this year.
Inside review – CNET
The Good Inside is a beautifully designed puzzle platforming game from Playdead, the studio that made Limbo. Its controls are seamless and it tells a wonderfully strange story.
The Bad You’ll just want more of Inside when it’s all said and done.
The Bottom Line Inside is a brilliant work of atmosphere that tells a twisted and engaging story. It’s smart, bizarre and one the finest gaming experiences of the year.
Available on Xbox Store:$19.99
Inside is the type of game I love showing people who aren’t aware that games can actually make you feel things.
That’s the brilliance of Inside, the sophomore effort from Danish developer Playdead, the team that brought us 2010’s Limbo. It’s a remarkably emotional trip through a quietly horrific world that is as fresh as it is unique.
If you in subscribe to the notion that videogames aren’t just about killing zombies and shooting soldiers, it’s your responsibility to give Inside a shot.
It’s been six years since Limbo creeped me out to the point where I couldn’t play it alone (or with the lights off) and Inside hits every single mark I hoped it would — and then some.
Playdead
Inside is a natural evolution of the themes and platforming of Limbo. The most satisfying part is seeing all of its predecessor’s nuances fleshed out and better realized. There’s a maturity in every element of Inside, from its wicked puzzle design to its brooding score.
It’s worth noting this isn’t a game for everyone. It’s dark, occasionally upsetting and downright macabre throughout. For me that’s part of its charm, but I can’t deny how brutal it can be.
Similar to that first reaction I felt to dying in Limbo, the first time you die in Inside might force you to let out a genuine gasp before the screen fades to black.
Your character, a faceless boy, follows a single line through a world that’s somewhere between two- and three-dimensional. He can’t interact with the fore and backgrounds, so he’s essentially stuck on a plane all the way through the game.
Playdead
Where Limbo felt like the whole thing was being shown through a dirty projector on the wall of an abandoned asylum, Inside has a cleaner look, opting for the striking visuals of a decrepit flooded industrial wasteland. Instead of black and white, Inside opts for shades of desaturated colors, but most of its bleak palette is made up of a variety of grays.
The camera follows the boy on a left to right adventure through a world that is isolating, oddly tranquil and cold. You’re not sure how you got there, but you quickly learn there are people in this place who don’t want you out and about, discovering their dark secrets of experimentation and control.
Devialet Gold Phantom Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Bombs and Rockets. If French audio company Devialet was an ’80s synth band this would be the title of its sophomore album. For while the company gleefully compared the amount of pressure inside the Silver Phantom to a type of bomb, it says the new Gold Phantom has the same power as a rocket launch. Lesson in short: don’t drop these things from a great height.
In terms of price alone, the Devialet is winning the arms race when it comes to high-end wireless speakers at $3,000 or £1,690 (about AU$3,050). Below it sits models such as the Raumfeld Stereo L, the Naim mu-so and two other Devialet Phantoms.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The Gold model is $600 more than the Silver and the company says the changes have not only been about extending frequency response but also providing a smoother response in the mids and treble. One of the improvements is the move from an aluminum tweeter to a stiffer titanium one, which Devialet says allows for a more extended treble.
The frequency response is now listed as 14Hz to 27kHz, which is way beyond both human hearing and the limits of a CD. Some of the improvements are as a result of the company tuning the digital signal processing (DSP) in the unit and Devialet representatives say this means users of the other Phantoms in the range will also see an improvement to their units with future firmware.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The other improvement is that the power has been boosted yet again from a ridiculous 3,000 watts to an absolutely ludicrous 4,500W. This has enabled the designers to wring an extra couple of decibels out of the machine to top out at a rock concert-worthy 108 decibels.
As you’d expect from a “gold” product the new Devialet actually includes the precious metal in the finish. The “gills” on each side are covered in 22-carat rose gold but it isn’t as gaudy in the flesh as it might sound.
The Phantom is a Wi-Fi-centric speaker and is controlled by the Phantom Spark app (for Android, iOS and Mac), which plays music from your phone as well as Tidal and Spotify Connect, plus Deezer and Qobuz in applicable markets. Other streaming services are yet to be confirmed.
If you don’t want to connect via Wi-Fi though, you have the option of Bluetooth or even optical. Finally, as with the other two Phantoms you can pair them together for stereo listening, but at $6,000 for a pair they’re in pretty heady territory.
The Devialet Gold Phantom is a high-end wireless speaker with 4,500W of power.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Ears-on tests
If there’s one thing I noted about the performance of the Silver Phantom is that it tended on the bright side of neutral. Based on a short listening test the sound I heard lacked the brightness of the previous model and instead sounded open and nuanced. Nick Cave’s “Red Right Hand” had the three-dimensionality I’d heard in “proper” stereo systems and managed to untangle the knotty mass of deep vocals and bass line.
Dead Can Dance’s “Yulunga (Spirit Dance)” exhibited plenty of air during the 2-minute opening and then when the shaker egg appeared it sounded incredibly present. It was as if someone was shaking it in the room with us. The drums that accompany the shakers weren’t as bombastic as I’ve heard previously, but I couldn’t say without further testing of the Phantom with bassy material whether this was a good or bad thing.
Conclusion
The Devialet Gold Phantom will be available for pre-order on France’s national holiday, Bastille Day, July 14. This is obviously not your typical Bluetooth speaker. It is the Lamborghini Gallardo of wireless speakers: beautiful to look at and (potentially) performs well too. As nice as it is, however, unless you have a palatial room to fill, the “entry-level” 750W Phantom at $1,990 or £1,390 (about AU$2,510) will probably do almost as good a job.
Huawei’s MateBook is beautiful, but fundamentally flawed
For many people, Huawei isn’t a name they associate with premium gadgetry. Sure, it’s the world’s third biggest smartphone maker, and in China it’s gained a reputation for quality, but in the US and most of the Western world it’s mostly known as a purveyor of cheap phones. With the MateBook, a hybrid tablet that marks the company’s first stab at a full-fledged computer, Huawei is hoping to change that. But while it certainly looks nice, the MateBook’s keyboard cover ultimately dooms it as something I can’t recommend.
Hardware
“Wow, that looks expensive.” That’s something I’ve heard, unprompted, from several different people while testing the MateBook. It has a sleek unibody aluminum design that’s only 6.9 millimeters thin, and it weighs just 1.4 pounds. In comparison, Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4 is heavier and a tad wider at 1.7 pounds and 8.4 millimeters thick. The MateBook’s 12-inch screen takes up most of its front, with very little bezel around the display itself (usually a hallmark of good design). A simple chamfered metal trim adds some additional class.
The MateBook is surprisingly comfortable to hold with one hand, and it feels pretty solid too, with very little flex when I tried to bend the case. Around the sides, you’ve got the usual power and volume buttons, as well as a single USB-C port for charging and plugging in accessories. There’s also an incredibly thin fingerprint reader resting between the volume buttons, which is compatible with the Windows Hello fast sign-on feature. The MateBook’s back is cleaner than most other tablets since it forgoes a rear camera, but there’s a 5- camera up front for video chatting. Huawei throws in a USB-C to micro-USB cable in the box, as well as a USB-C to traditional USB-A adapter.
Unfortunately, Huawei pulled a Microsoft and chose to make the MateBook’s keyboard cover an additional $129. At least it also looks expensive, with a faux-leather finish that wraps completely around the tablet, portfolio style. It offers 1.4mm of key travel, which is impressive for a mere tablet cover, and the buttons are also surprisingly large. The keyboard cover doubles as the MateBook’s kickstand; you just have to fold the back over, similar to Apple’s iPad Pro. It’s fairly thin, but it adds an additional pound of weight to the MateBook. (In comparison, the Surface Pro 4 Type Cover weighs 0.6 pounds.)
That lone USB-C connection probably won’t be enough when using the MateBook as a laptop, so Huawei also developed the MateDock ($89), which adds two USB 3.0 ports, Ethernet and HDMI/VGA connectors. And since this is a hybrid tablet, there’s also the expected stylus, the MatePen ($59), which has 2,048 levels of pressure sensitivity, as well as a laser pointer built in. The latter feature probably won’t be useful to most consumers, but I suppose it’s one way Huawei can differentiate it from the scores of other stylii out there.
Display and pen input
The MateBook’s 12-inch display packs in a 2,160 by 1,440 pixel resolution, which is sharp, but less so than the iPad Pro (2,732 x 2,048) or the Surface Pro 4 (2,736 x 1,824). You likely won’t even notice the slightly lower resolution in a screen that size, though. For the most part, the display looks adequate, with strong colors and detail. But it’s also a surprisingly dark at times; I had plenty of issues using it outside in direct sunlight. Even sitting in front of a window with sun pouring in was enough to wash it out. And it didn’t help that the screen is also very reflective, which makes things seem even darker. When it comes to watching movies and reading digital comics, it didn’t have much of a “wow factor.”
Huawei’s MatePen felt similar: It’s an adequate stylus, nothing more. It worked well enough for jotting down handwritten text and drawings in OneNote, and it effectively detected varying levels of performance. But the pen itself isn’t comfortable to hold, and writing on the screen feels nothing like actual handwriting. I gave Microsoft lots of credit for trying to mimic the feeling of pen and paper with its latest Surface Pen (it even has different styles of tips for different tastes). The MatePen feels like Huawei didn’t consider much about the handwriting experience; it simply created a stylus because everyone else did. But hey, it at least has a laser pointer!
Typing (and cover) experience
This is where Huawei truly broke my heart. On paper, the MateBook’s keyboard should be fantastic. I was looking forward to feeling every bit of its 1.4mm key travel, I really was. But looks can be deceiving. While mashing down on those keys feels pretty good, it couldn’t keep up with my (admittedly harsh) typing style. I could type quickly, but most of the time I’d end up with gibberish that I’d have to go back and correct. I was able to type around 60 words per minute in TypingTest.com’s Aesop’s fables test, which discounted words that I misspelled. On the MacBook Air and my desktop keyboard, I get around 90 accurate words per minute. Key comfort is a big deal, sure, but accuracy is just as important.
Similarly, the keyboard cover’s trackpad looks inviting, with a large and seemingly smooth surface. But it’s incredibly inaccurate when it comes to mousing around Windows; navigating through menus and websites with links closely packed together was an exercise in frustration. The trackpad’s buttons have trouble determining if I’m trying to left- or right-click, and you can forget about trying to highlight text and scrolling at the same time. I gave up after several minutes of trying to copy large chunks of notes for this review.
The MateBook’s cover proves that Huawei has learned how to mimic designs from better computer makers, but doesn’t actually have a clue why consumers love Apple’s trackpads or Lenovo’s keyboards.
Oh, and I haven’t even gotten to the best/worst part: Huawei’s keyboard makes for a terrible kickstand. It can hold the MateBook up in two positions — 67 degrees and 52 degrees — but there’s no flexibility outside of that. And it’s not even good at maintaining those angles. If you move the screen too far back, or simply shift the MateBook the wrong way, the entire thing falls apart. As someone who’s grown to love the Surface’s stable, fully articulating kickstand, Huawei’s implementation feels like a complete disaster. And you can forget about holding the MateBook on your lap: It works, but only if you sit just right. Otherwise get ready for your 12-inch tablet to come crashing to the floor.
Performance and battery life
| Huawei MateBook (1.1 GHz Core M3, Intel HD 515) | 3,592 | 2,867 | E1,490 / P887 | 2,454 | 538 MB/s / 268 MB/s |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet (1.2 GHz Core M7-6Y75, Intel HD 515) | 4,951 | 3,433 | E1,866 / P1,112 | 2,462 | 545 MB/s / 298 MB/s |
| Samsung Notebook 9 (2.5GHz Core i7-6500U, Intel HD 520) | 5,309 | 3,705 | E2,567 / P1,541 / X416 | 3,518 | 539 MB/s / 299 MB/s |
| Dell XPS 13 (2.3GHz Core i5-6200U, Intel Graphics 520) | 4,954 | 3,499 | E2,610 / P1,531 | 3,335 | 1.6GB/s / 307 MB/s |
| HP Spectre x360 15t (2.4GHz Core i5-6200U, Intel HD 520) | 5,040 | 3,458 | E2,672 / P1,526 / X420 | 3,542 | 561 MB/s / 284 MB/s |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 4 (2.4GHz Core i5-6300U, Intel HD 520) | 5,403 | 3,602 |
E2,697/ P1,556/ X422 |
3,614 | 1.6 GB/s / 529 MB/s |
| Lenovo Yoga 900 (2.5GHz Core i7-6500U, Intel HD 520) | 5,368 | 3,448 |
E2,707 / P1,581 |
3,161 | 556 MB/s / 511 MB/s |
| Microsoft Surface Book (2.4GHz Core i5-6300U, Intel HD 520) | 5,412 | 3,610 |
E2,758 / P1,578 / X429 |
3,623 | 1.6 GB/s / 571 MB/s |
The MateBook I tested packed in a Core m5 processor running at 1.1 GHz (with boost speeds to 1.4 GHz) and 4GB of RAM. Not exactly powerhouse specs, but enough to get some work done. When it came to browsing the web, using Slack and typing in Evernote, the MateBook held up just fine. But honestly, the best specs on the market wouldn’t make a difference with such a horrific typing and mousing experience. I also noticed that the MateBook’s back got surprisingly warm whenever I stressed the system.
The MateBook lasted around six and a half hours in our typical battery test, which involves looping an HD video until the computer dies. That’s significantly less than Huawei’s claim of nine hours, and it’s on the low-end of the Ultrabooks we’ve tested.
Battery life
Huawei MateBook
6:35
Surface Book (Core i5, integrated graphics)
13:54 / 3:20 (tablet only)
MacBook Air (13-inch, 2013)
12:51
HP Spectre x360 (13-inch, 2015)
11:34
Surface Book (Core i7, discrete graphics)
11:31 / 3:02 (tablet only)
Apple MacBook Pro with Retina display (13-inch, 2015)
11:23
iPad Pro
10:47
HP Spectre x360 15t
10:17
Chromebook Pixel (2015)
10:01
Lenovo Yoga 900
9:36
Microsoft Surface 3
9:11
Samsung Notebook 9
8:16
Apple MacBook (2015)
7:47
Dell XPS 13 (2015)
7:36
Microsoft Surface Pro 4
7:15
Lenovo Thinkpad X Tablet
7:05
HP Spectre x2
6:43
Razer Blade Stealth
5:48
Dell XPS 15 (2016)
5:25 (7:40 with the mobile charger)
Configuration options and the competition
The MateBook starts at $699 with an Intel Core m3 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. Jumping up to $849 adds a much more usable Core m5 chip, and for $999 you can get the m5 with 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD. At the top end, there’s the $1,199 Core M5 model with a 512GB SSD. Huawei also mentioned that it’ll offer Core m7 processors eventually, but it’s not saying anything about pricing and availability of that configuration just yet. And remember, you have to add $129 for the keyboard and another $59 for the MatePen (not that you’d miss the latter).
Huawei is certainly entering a crowded market. Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4 starts at $899 with a Core m3 chip, 4GB of RAM and 128 GB SSD, but at least with that you’ve got the option of a much better keyboard (for an additional $130). If you were really gunning for a hybrid, I’d recommend shelling out $999 for the Core i5 Surface Pro 4. There is of course the slightly cheaper Surface 3, which starts at $499 but is saddled with a much slower Atom processor.
Among other Windows hybrids, there’s the Lenovo X1 Tablet starting at $1,029 (it includes the keyboard cost), and I’m personally looking forward to testing ASUS’s upcoming Transformers. Apple’s iPad Pro is another solid competitor starting at $799, but again you’ll have to add $169 for the keyboard cover. And of course, you’re stuck with iOS and not a full-fledged desktop OS and real productivity apps.
TL;DR: There are plenty of better hybrids out there.
Wrap-up
Huawei’s MateBook is a confounding device. It impresses upon first glance, but it’s not long before you realize it’s only beautiful on the surface. If Huawei’s goal was to prove it could make a premium-looking device, well, mission accomplished. It just forget to make a device you’d actually want to use.
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!
Buy the Xiaomi Mi Max now
Fujifilm Instax Share SP-2 Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
The Share SP-2 is an instant-film printer for your smartphone.
Fujifilm
Fujifilm’s Instax instant film cameras are fun to use, but since the cameras are completely analog you get one print for every shot you take. Not only can it get expensive (a single picture costs about $0.50 to $1) but it’s the only picture you get — there is no digital version.
Fujifilm redesigned the SP-2.
Fujifilm
The Tokyo-based imaging company’s solution is the $200 Instax Share SP-2 mobile printer (about £150 or AU$270), which lets you transform any photo on your smartphone or tablet to an instant film print. To use it, you just need a smartphone or tablet with the company’s updated Share app for iOS or Android installed. The printer creates its own Wi-Fi network that you connect your device to and from there you just use the app to pick, edit and send photos to the printer.
A 10-print cartridge of instant film sits inside, the kind most commonly associated with Polaroid cameras. It’s the same film used for Fujifilm’s Instax Mini cameras and can be found for about $20 (about £18, AU$30) for a two-pack. The prints are small at 3.4 by 2.1 inches (86 by 54 mm), though the actual image size is 2.4 by 1.8 inches (62 by 46 mm).
That’s not exactly cheap, but the benefit here is that, unlike using one of the Instax Mini cameras, there are no wasted prints since you’re using shots from your smartphone. And the app has been updated with new filters and templates including the ability to create your own. You can also adjust the brightness, contrast and saturation of prints.
Fujifilm says it used a new laser exposure system to drop the print time to 10 seconds. That’s not a huge increase in speed from the SP-1 — it took about 16 seconds for one of those to go from photo print — but, you know, faster is faster.
The SP-2’s design is also completely new, making it look more like a modern mobile accessory and not a bland, utilitarian photo printer.
Look for the Fujifilm Instax Share SP-2 in mid-July.
HP Elite x2 (2016) review – CNET
The Good The updated HP Elite x2 has a slim, sturdy design, a more comfortable keyboard than Microsoft’s Surface Pro and it includes that keyboard in the base price. With a fingerprint reader, replaceable components and docking options, it’s suitable for both work and play.
The Bad The Elite’s touchpad is easily confused, sometimes unresponsive, and the battery won’t quite last a full day.
The Bottom Line HP’s Elite x2 is a must-look for any buyer considering a Microsoft Surface-like computer, and the quality bundled keyboard means it effectively costs less, too.
“The tablet that can replace your laptop.” That’s what they say in those Microsoft Surface ads. But the Microsoft Surface Pro doesn’t come with a keyboard — if you want to replace your laptop, you’ll need to pay $130 extra for that in the US.
The HP Elite x2 is different. Starting at the same $899 as a Surface Pro 4 (£708 in the UK or AU$1661 in Australia), HP’s 12-inch tablet includes the keyboard cover that Microsoft’s slate lacks. And a fingerprint sensor. And a non-proprietary USB-C charger that can power other devices as well.
And — get this — a design where users can actually open up the case and replace the components, including the battery, storage module, Wi-Fi chip and the colorful display. As far as we’re aware, it’s the first ultrathin, fanless tablet to offer such easy access.
So last month, I tried to replace my laptop with an Elite x2. Here’s what happened next.
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HP’s Elite x2 includes the keyboard that Microsoft’s Surface Pro lacks.
James Martin/CNET
The commute
At just under two pounds and 13.45mm thick — with the keyboard attached — the Elite x2 is among the most portable computers I’ve ever carried. I love how the fabric-covered keyboard and shiny silver kickstand snap into place, how easily it slips into my messenger bag and that it barely seems to add any weight. Sometimes I walk out the door and wonder if I forgot to pack it.
On the train, things aren’t quite as easy. I use the Elite x2 on my lap, adjusting that shiny silver kickstand again and again to find the best angle, its corners digging into my thighs. The Elite can’t quite lean back far enough to align with my face unless I risk it tumbling backwards. A jolt as the train comes to a stop — the tablet pops right off its magnetic hinges. Both pieces clatter to the floor.
This computer can survive a tumble.
GIF by Sean Hollister/CNET
After the spill, the Elite x2 is perfectly fine — no damage to the strong aluminum rim or shock-resistant Gorilla Glass 4-covered screen, which HP claims it tests to military durability standards. But every time it happens over the next few weeks, I can’t help but think I’d be better off with a traditional clamshell PC.
The so-called “lapabilty” problem isn’t unique to the Elite x2, by the way. It’s simple geometry: a kickstand and detachable keyboard take up way more room than a standard laptop bottom.
Depending on your commute and the shape of your lap, it might not be an issue at all.
The desktop
While the Elite x2 only has three visible ports — a full-size USB 3.0 port for thumbdrives and peripherals, a USB-C port for charging and a 3.5mm headset jack for audio — you can buy one of three different docking stations (starting at US$150) to turn it into a fully-fledged multitasker.
LG SH7B review – CNET
The Good The LG SH7B offers excellent performance for the money, particularly for movies. The connectivity on offer is better than most competitors with HDMI, optical, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Streaming options include Google Cast, Spotify and Pandora.
The Bad Adding surrounds is a little ad hoc. If you want to listen to music, a dedicated stereo system will sound better for the money.
The Bottom Line The LG SH7B proves how far affordable sound bar/wireless subwoofer systems have come, and sounds equally credible with movies and music.
While Samsung and LG may be known variously as “those TV guys,” or even “they make cell phones,” both have been making inroads into audio for some years. Samsung says it wants to compete with Bowers and Wilkins, and LG was collaborating with hi-fi specialists as far back as 2008.
While LG’s partnership with Mark Levinson was short-lived, the company has seemingly been focused on sound quality ever since. The last few years of LG sound bars have been largely excellent — see 2015’s LAS751, for example — and the SH7B continues in this tradition.
For a $400 sound bar, the LG SH7B has a few more features than most in its price class, including multiroom streaming, Bluetooth and an HDMI input. Its performance is also a cut above competitors with a skilfully blend between the wireless sub and sound bar. While it’s best for movies, as most sound bars are, if you’re looking for a music player as well it will also do a more than creditable job.
Design
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The LG SH7B is a wireless soundbar and subwoofer combo which offers excellent performance and a wealth of connectivity options.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Slimline and discreet, the LG doesn’t impose itself too much on your living area. It’s roughly 42 inches wide and 2 inches high — and designed to complement 49-inch TVs — and the design features a mesh grille and finned ends. The LED display pokes through the grille and informs you of volume or your input. As the SH7B lacks an onscreen display, most of the functions are performed via this one-line readout.
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Sarah Tew/CNET
The subwoofer is a small, bookshelf-speaker-sized unit with a similar grille to the main speaker. It’s compact enough to be placed out of the way and yet we found that despite its diminutive size it was capable of plenty of impact. It connects to the soundbar wirelessly, so the only cable is the AC power cord.
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Sarah Tew/CNET
Though the remote that shipped with the LAS751 was a metal-decked affair, the SH7B is simple plastic. All of the functions for adjusting sound presets are available, though advanced functions such as streaming and adding rear speakers are provided by the Music Flow app.
Features
The SH7B is a 340W sound bar with a wireless subwoofer which offers HDMI input and output. The rest of the connectivity offering is high with the addition of Bluetooth wireless, digital optical, analog 3.5mm, plus Ethernet and Wi-Fi networking options.
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Sarah Tew/CNET
Of interest to people looking for a true surround system the sound bar is able to pair with other wireless LG speakers to act as surrounds, though competitors implement it more seamlessly.
The sound bar is part of LG’s Music Flow multiroom system, which boasts its own app. One of our favorite things about this player is that it can also serve as your on-the-go player, which enables you to seamlessly playback your Now Playing on your system when you get back home.
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