Xiaomi starts rolling out software update to fix Mi 4i heating issues

After some issues with the original fix for Mi 4i’s heating problems, Xiaomi has started rolling out a new update for the smartphone owners.

According to Xiaomi’s Hugo Barra, the new MIUI v6.5.5.0 update is now being rolled-out to the Mi 4i over-the-air and will reach all units over the week. He claims that the update will bring down the smartphone heating in the process-intensive tasks.

“We’ve heard from some Mi 4i users that their devices can get warm under more strenuous conditions such as complex 3D gaming for extended periods of time. To address these concerns, we’ve optimized our thermal control algorithms to better regulate the temperature. The new thermal controls adjust frequency, voltage and the number of cores in use depending on the chipset temperature,” wrote Barra in a Facebook post.

If you don’t want to wait for the OTA update, you can grab the update file from MIUI forum and flash it yourself, but unless you have done the same on previous occasions, it will better if you wait for the OTA update.

Here is the complete change-log of the MIUI v6.5.5.0 update:

System

Optimization – Optimized device temperature controlling parameters
Fix – Poor speaker quality when audio volume was low
Fix – Some earphones types were recognized incorrectly
Phone

Fix – Sometimes, calls could not be made when there was only one SIM card inserted
Home screen

Fix – Apps’ names and images did not match when they were displayed in card mode in Recents page

Camera

Optimization – Unified animations when switching between front and rear camera using gesture and icon
Optimization – Optimized exposure time icon
Fix – Select/cancel icons and flash/hdr/switch cameras icons displayed simultaneously after third party apps used camera to take videos
Fix – Shutter speed was incorrect

Sony unveils new Xperia Z3+ flagship smartphone

As expected, Sony has taken the wraps off the new Xperia Z3+ smartphone. It is the same phone, which was recently launched in the Japanese market as Xperia Z4.

According to Sony, Xperia Z3+ will go on sale globally in June in both single and dual-SIM versions. There is no word on the pricing at this point. It will be offered in Black, White, Copper and Aqua Green colours.

Sony Xperia Z3+ sports a 5.2-inch full HD display and is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor. The smartphone is also water and dust-proof and has been rated IP65/IP68.

In its 6.9mm thick chassis, the Sony smartphone also packs a 2930 mAh battery, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of built-in storage and microSD card slot.

On the software front, Xperia Z3+ runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop and comes with Sony’s usual software enhancements. In terms of the imaging capabilities, the company has included 20.7MP primary camera with LED flash and 5.1MP wide-angle front shooter in the Z3+. In addition, various connectivity options like 4G LTE support, 3G, Wi-Fi, NFC and Bluetooth are present in the smartphone.

Sony has also stated that the single-SIM version of the new flagship also support quick-charging.

Sony introduces Xperia C4 in India, goes on sale in June

In addition to the new Xperia M4 Aqua dual smartphone, Sony India on Tuesday introduced the Xperia C4 dual smartphone in the country. The smartphone will be available starting next month in Black, White and Mint colours. There is no word on the pricing of the C4 at this point and it will be revealed closer to the actual availability.

Introduced earlier this month, Sony Xperia C4 is being targeted to the selfie-enthusiasts with its 5MP front shooter, which comes with LED flash, wide-angle lens and a number of software enhancements to help in creating great selfies. There is a 13MP rear camera with auto-focus support and LED flash as well in the smartphone.

Other specifications of the Xperia C4 dual include 5.5-inch full HD IPS display, 1.7GHz MediaTek MT6752 octa-core processor, Android 5.0 and 2GB of RAM. The Xperia C4 also packs 2600 mAh battery, 16GB of in-built storage, and microSD card slot.

On the connectivity front, the C4 dual includes dual-SIM support, 4G LTE connectivity, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC.

Meizu M1 Note priced at INR 11,999 in India, goes on sale today

Chinese smartphone vendor Meizu has finally revealed that price of its M1 Note smartphone for the Indian market. According to the company, the phone will retail at INR 11,999. As already announced by the company, the Meizu M1 Note goes on sale at 2PM today exclusively via Amazon India.

M1 Note is the first smartphone from Meizu to reach the country and comes with features like 5.5-inch full HD display, octa-core MediaTek MT6752 processor, 2GB of RAM, 3140 mAh battery and dual-SIM support. The phone also packs 13MP primary camera, 5MP front shooter, 4G LTE support, and 16GB of internal storage. On the software front, Meizu M1 Note runs on Android 4.4-based Flyme OS 4.

If import data records are any indication, Meizu seems to be planning to offer only 4000 units of M1 Note today, which is a surprisingly low number and is likely to sell out within minutes if not seconds. However, given the fact that this is the first sale from Meizu and the company has not idea of the consumer demand of its products in India, it is expected that Meizu will want to play safe.

M1 Note will be competing with the likes of Xiaomi Mi 4i and Asus Zenfone 2 in the country.

Lenovo launches S60 Android phone in India at INR 12,999

Chinese tech giant Lenovo on Monday introduced its S60 smartphone in the Indian market. The phone has been priced at INR 12,999 and will be offered in White, Grey and Yellow colour options. The S60 is now on sale at the company’s The Do Store and Amazon India.

A cheaper cousin of the company’s S90 smartphone, the new S60 features a 5-inch HD display and is powered by 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 64-bit processor. It runs on Android 4.4 KitKat with Vibe UI 2.0 and there is no word on the roll-out of the Android 5.0 update for the phone.

Other specifications of the smartphone include 2GB of RAM, 8GB of on-board storage, microSD card slot and 2150 mAh battery. In addition, Lenovo has packed dual-SIM support, 13MP primary camera with LED flash, 5MP front shooter with fixed-focus, and 4G LTE connectivity in the S60.

At the given price-tag, the phone will be competing with the Asus Zenfone 2 and Xiaomi Mi 4i in the country, both of which are better than the Lenovo S60, at least on paper.

Meizu M1 Note to be available on May 20 at Amazon India

Chinese smartphone maker Meizu on Monday revealed its India launch plans. The company announced that it will begin the sales of its M1 Note smartphone in the country on May 20. The phone will be available exclusively at e-retailer Amazon.

The price-tag of the phone still remains a mystery and is most likely to be revealed on Wednesday ahead of the actual sale at 2PM. It also isn’t clear at this moment which colour options of the phone the company plans to release in the country.

Although the company has fixed a sale date and time for the M1 Note, it is not going for the flash sale model, but will be offering the smartphone in an open sale.

To remind you, Meizu’s M1 Note comes with a 5.5-inch full HD display with Gorilla Glass 3, 64-bit octa-core MediaTek MT6752 processor, dual-SIM support and 3140 mAh battery. Other specifications of the phone include 13MP f2.2 primary camera with dual-tone flash, 5MP f2.0 front shooter, 2GB of RAM, Flyme OS and 4G LTE support.

LG Watch Urbane goes on sale in India via Amazon at INR 29,990

LG has quietly released the Watch Urbane in the Indian market. The smartwatch is now on sale via Amazon India at INR 29,990, making it the most expensive Android Wear smartwatch in the country.

First showcased at the Mobile World Congress in February, LG Watch Urbane sports a metal-clad chassis with a round watch-face. It is being offered in Silver and Gold finishes with a 22mm leather strap, which is user-replaceable.

The smartwatch runs on the latest version of Android Wear platform and comes with specifications such as Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, 1.3-inch P-OLED 320x320p display, 512MB of RAM and a heart-rate sensor. LG Watch Urbane is also water and dust-resistant.

There is no word on whether the smartwatch will be exclusive to Amazon India, but the e-retailer does mention the same at some places on its website, however we will wait for an official announcement to get a confirmation.

The pricing of the smartwatch is disappointing as the same device is sold around $350 (plus taxes) in other markets like US and LG has priced it at $471 in India. Given the fact that smartwatches are still sold only for their novelty and not for any special functionality that they bring, we don’t expect to see many takers for the Watch Urbane in India at INR 30K.

Meizu to reveal India launch plans on May 18

Meizu has revealed on its official India Facebook page that it will be detailing its device launch plans for the country on May 18.

Since the company has been teasing the M1 Note for quite a while now, we already know that it will be the first device from the company to reach India, but the pricing and availability details are still a mystery, which shall become clear next week.

To remind you, Meizu M1 Note features a 5.5-inch full HD display, 1.7GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6752 processor, 2GB of RAM and 13MP f2.2 primary camera.

The company also took a shot at Xiaomi with the “Are you Ok?” in its teaser, indicating that the company will be targeting its fellow Chinese smartphone maker in the country. However, unlike Xiaomi, Meizu is expected to tie-up with both e-retailers and physical stores to sell its devices in the Indian market and will not go the exclusive route, noted the company execs recently at tech press meet in Bengaluru.

XOLO launches Prime Android phone at INR 5,699

Indian smartphone vendor XOLO has released a new Android smartphone in the country. Dubbed as XOLO Prime, the new smartphone carries a price-tag of INR 5,699 and will be available in four colour options – Red, Blue, Black and Gold.

Coming to the specifications, the XOLO Prime sports a 4.5-inch FWVGA IPS display and is powered by 1.3GHz quad-core processor. The smartphone runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop and includes 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage and microSD card slot.

In addition, XOLO has packed 5MP auto-focus primary camera, front shooter, 1800 mAh battery, and the usual set of connectivity options.

It will compete with the Android One phones, Moto E (2nd Gen), and Asus Zenfone C in the country.

Intex launches Cloud N at INR 4,199

Intex has tied-up with ebay India to offer its new smartphone – ‘Cloud N.’ According to Intex, the phone has been priced at INR 4,199 and is now available at the e-retailer. The company has added that the ebay exclusivity will be valid only for a limited period, but did not specify an exact period.

“Increasingly we are witnessing that our customers are seeking value for money products and mobile phones are the most sought after products on ebay.in. Availability of Intex Cloud N smartphone exclusively on our platform is our attempt to keep adding wide variety of gadgets on the marketplace. We are confident that the Intex Cloud N will soon become a preferred choice among Indian consumers,” said Pankaj Ukey, Director, Categories eBay India.

As per a press release issued by Intex, the Cloud N features a 4-inch WVGA display, 1.2GHz quad-core Spreadtrum SC7731 processor, Android 4.4.2, and 1GB of RAM. The phone also comes with 8MP rear camera with LED flash, 2MP front shooter, 1400 mAh battery, and 3G support.

In addition, the company has included 8GB of internal storage, microSD card slot, dual-SIM support, and GPS in the smartphone.

Google Maps adds Indian Railways schedules for public transit directions

Google on Tuesday announced that it is adding Indian Railways schedules to Google Maps, which will be using the information to offer directions for inter-city public transit travel. In addition, the company has refreshed the metro and bus routes to better cater the intra-city commuters.

“Google Transit is part of our effort to make Google Maps more comprehensive, accurate and useful for millions of people around the world who take buses, trains, metros or trams to their next destination. We hope that the addition of the Indian Railways schedules pan India and updated information for eight cities to Google Transit in India will make it a little easier to plan your next trip,” said Suren Ruhela, Director, Program Management, Google Maps.

According to Google, the railways schedules will be available on Android, iOS as well as the desktop version of the Google Maps, and offer information for as many as 12,000 trains.

Yu Yuphoria is official, goes on sale May 28 at INR 6,999

Micromax-subsidiary Yu Televentures on Tuesday unveiled its second smartphone at a press event in New Delhi. Dubbed as Yu Yuphoria, the phone is an attempt from the company to take on the likes of Xiaomi Redmi 2 and Lenovo A6000 Plus.

According to Yu, the Yuphoria has been completely designed in India and the company will soon even start assembling it in the country.

Coming to the phone specifics, the smartphone sports a 5-inch 1280x720p HD IPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 in 8.25mm metal chassis. It is powered by 1.2GHz 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 quad-core processor and runs on Android 5.0-based Cyanogen OS.

On the imaging front, Yu has packed an 8MP f2.2 camera on the back with LED flash and a 5MP f2.0 wide-angle shooter on the front in the Yuphoria. In addition, the phone comes with 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, 2230 mAh battery with quick-charge support, 4G LTE, and dual-SIM connectivity.

Yu has stated that Yuphoria will be available beginning May 28 exclusively via Amazon India. It has been priced at INR 6,999 and will be released in Buffed Steel and Champagne Gold. Like it did with Yureka, the company is using the flash sales to offer the Yuphoria and the registrations for the May 28 sale will open at 5PM today.

OnePlus and Huawei power banks go on sale in India, priced at INR 1399

Chinese smartphone makers OnePlus and Huawei have released new power banks in the Indian market. Priced at INR 1,399, these power banks will be competing with Xiaomi’s much popular Mi Power Bank in the country.

Starting with the OnePlus’ 10,000 mAh Power Bank, which was originally released in March this year. It is now on sale exclusively via Amazon India in Sandstone Black and Silk White colours and offers two USB 2.0 outputs of 5V/2A. It takes around 5 and a half hours of charging time.

Coming to the Huawei’s 13,000 mAh Honor AP007 Power Bank, which like OnePlus Power Bank also offers two USB 2.0 outputs of 5V/2A. The charging time of the device is unclear. It can be grabbed exclusively from Flipkart.com in Silver colour.

Among other vendors, Asus is also set to launch its ZenPower 10050 mAh power bank soon. It carries a price-tag of INR 1,499.

New Asus Zenfone 2 variant with 4GB RAM & Z3560 CPU pops up, priced at INR 18,999

Looks like Asus isn’t done releasing variants of the Zenfone 2 smartphone. Adding to an already confusing state of the Zenfone 2 versions, the company has now launched a new variant of the smartphone, which comes with 1.8GHz Intel Atom Z3560 quad-core processor, 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage.

Apart from a different processor, the new Zenfone 2 is basically same as the INR 19,999 model. With the latest model, there are now four 4GB Zenfone 2 variants and two 2GB RAM variants, and most of them include different SoC and on-board storage. The cheapest model even comes with a lower-res display.

The new Zenfone 2 variant, which comes with model ID – ZE551ML-6J226WW, can now be grabbed from Flipkart in Greyish Silver colour option at INR 18,999.

OnePlus, Micromax settle legal dispute; One will continue to get Cyanogen OS updates

Although OnePlus One smartphone recently received the Android 5.0-based Cyanogen OS 12 update in India, it was unclear what happened of the OnePlus and Micromax legal dispute, which had put OnePlus One’s software future in jeopardy. Things were looking so bleak to OnePlus that it rushed to complete its Oxygen OS, which was earlier supposed to debut with OnePlus Two.

“The month of December last year was a momentous occasion for the OnePlus family. We launched our flagship phone, the “OnePlus One” much to the delight of our consumers here in India. And then we unexpectedly got hit by a legal snag! For reasons that were made public earlier, we had to take a legal recourse to protect our rights in light of the proceedings initiated by Micromax,” OnePlus on Friday wrote in a blog post.

Now, OnePlus has announced that they have settled the legal disputes with Micromax out of the court and with mutual consent, which means the One will continue to receive whatever future Cyanogen OS updates are released for the phone in India too.

While OnePlus One will get Cyanogen OS for the time-being, the overall partnership between OnePlus and Cyanogen Inc is over, as revealed by the Cyanogen CEO Kirt McMaster in a recent interview with Forbes. The OS maker is currently in talks with various other smartphone vendors in China to pre-load Cyanogen OS in their phones.

Android M to let users choose what apps can access on their devices: Report

Google is reportedly planning to give Android users more control over what applications can access on their devices. According to a report in Bloomberg Business, the upcoming Android release ‘M’ will introduce a feature that will allow the users to pick and choose the app permissions, similar to what Xiaomi offers in MIUI.

Bloomberg reports that Android M will give detailed choices to the users over what app can read or write on their devices, like whether the app can access their contacts or photos or call-log. Given the surprisingly long lists of permissions asked by apps these days, this feature will be a welcome move from Google.

No specifics of this upcoming tool are known at this point, but as Android M is expected to be previewed at the Google I/O developer conference later this month, we won’t have to wait for long.

Apart from the so-called ‘permissions manager,’ Google is also expected to introduce “voice access” feature in Android M, which will let the users control their Android devices completely by voice, if they want.