News & Reviews:   Xiaomi Mi4

Malaysia is finally getting the Xiaomi Mi 4 for RM1199. While it isn't available through the official online Mi Malaysia channel, local distributor Mont Asia is bringing in the 3G 16GB storage version for RM1199. It will be made available through roadshows and Mont Asia distribution channels soon and come with a 1 year limited warranty from Xiaomi Malaysia. Mont Asia can be contacted via Whatsapp at +6017-4590001. Tech specs for the Mi 4 are still quite high-end with a 2.5Ghz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB RAM, 5 inch 1920 x 1080p display, 13MP rear camera, 8MP front shooter, an IR blaster and IP67 certification for water and dust resistance.

Xiaomi have officially announced their Mi 4i flagship smartphone, looking not unlike their original Mi 4, except that the metal frame has been replaced by an all plastic but definitely more colourful polycarbonate backside. It does update the processor to a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor (that supports 4G LTE) but the most notable feature could be the 3120 mAh battery which uses  4.4V 700Kh/L Polymer Cell technology to squeeze this capability into a smartphone of this size. At 7.8mm thin and 130g, the Mi 4i is quite compact and lightweight still with a 5-inch display featuring a 1920 x 1080 full HD pixel resolution. The Mi 4i packs in 2GB of RAM and 16GB storage along with 13MP rear camera (f/2.0 lens, dual tone flash) and 5MP front camera (f/1.8 lens). Granted, the metal frame may be missed somewhat but these tech specs are all going for just 12999 Indian Rupees (RM746) which is quite respectable indeed. No exact Malaysia release date yet but it is expected to come here to Malaysia sometime in May 2015.

Chinese brands like Xiaomi and Meizu have gained international recognition lately. While Samsung and Apple are the top two smartphone makers worldwide, the third position is currently being battled over by Chinese manufacturers like Xiaomi, Huawei and Lenovo. Many consider them to be direct competitors in the industry. However, according to Huawei's Chief, Richard Yu, the company's real competitor is Samsung and not Xiaomi. According to him, the affordable smartphone maker Xiaomi has no chance against Huawei in the high-end segment. He claims that his company's flagship devices are much better than Xiaomi's offerings. This comment doesn't come as a surprise since he recently criticized both Xiaomi and Meizu for incorporating a Quad HD resolution display on their devices. Both the Xiaomi Mi Note Proand the Meizu MX4 feature quad HD ultra-high resolution displays. His recent comment indicates that Xiaomi's Mi Note flagship and Xiaomi Mi 4 doesn't offer the advantages of Huawei's devices like theHuawei Mate 7 and the Honor 6 Plus. The two Chinese companies are expected to unveil a number of devices later this year, including flagships like the Xiaomi Mi 5, Huawei P8 and even the next generation model of the popular Mate 7. So, it would be interesting to see which one actually comes out as the winner in 2015.

Xiaomi, once a small Chinese manufacturer has now emerged as the world's fourth largest smartphone maker. The company has managed this feat just by operating online, through exclusive tie-ups with a number of online retailers worldwide. Looks like Lenovo is taking some pointers from Xiaomi as the company Senior Vice President, Chen Xudong announced last Thursday that it would soon launch a new brand called the 'Fancy Maker' which will operate via online channels only. The name sounds unlike any other smartphone brand that we have heard recently. It could offer features like the Motorola's Moto Maker which allows users to customize a number of aspects of a smartphone like the final finish, color accents and so forth. Lenovo has been trying to compete with Xiaomi through budget models like the Lenovo K3. But so far, its smartphones have failed to create a buzz like Xiaomi's Redmi 1S and Mi-3 models. This new Fancy Maker brand could be Lenovo's new strategy to compete with Xiaomi. The company will reportedly debut the brand on 1 April 2015. Apart from the name 'Fancy Maker', Lenovo has not officially revealed any other details like Malaysia release dates or pricing about its upcoming smartphone brand but it could come to Malaysia eventually.

Xiaomi has made sure that its latest Xiaomi Mi 4 flagship smartphone is one of the best in the market with a powerful 2.5Ghz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB RAM and a large 3080 non-removable Lithium-ion battery. In a recent battery tests conducted by PhoneArena, the Xiaomi Mi4 came out as one of the best in terms of battery life with enough charge to power the phone for 8 hours and 32 minutes. In real life terms (moderate usage), this talk time figure would translate into around 2 days of usage without having to connect to a power outlet. The Motorola Droid Turbo and the Sony Xperia Z3 were the only two smartphones that could beat this impressive figure. The fourth in the list was the OnePlus One at 8 hours and 5 minutes. Other notable Mi4 features and tech specs include a 5 inch 1920 x 1080p display, 13MP rear camera, 8MP front shooter, 4G LTE connectivity, an IR blaster and IP67 certified for water and dust resistance.

Lenovo Malaysia has just revealed the release date and pricing of the upcoming Lenovo Vibe X2 smartphone. The company will launch the dual SIM variant of the device in Malaysia next week for a price tag of RM1199. The Vibe X2 smartphone is Lenovo's answer to Huawei's Honor 6 and Xiaomi's Mi4. It comes with a Mediatek MT6592 Octa Core processor clocked at 2.0GHz with 2GB RAM. The 32GB internal storage that comes with the device is non-expandable. You get a 5 inch screen up front with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and it is pretty compact too, measuring 140.2 x 68.6 x 7.3 mm. Unlike the smartphones these days which feature a Unibody design, Lenovo has taken a different route with its Vibe X2. The device has a unique three tone layered metal design which sets it apart from other phones in the market. But even with the extra layers, the device remains thin at 7.27mm. At the back, you have a 13MP camera, while up front you get a 5MP shooter. It runs on Android 4.4 Kikat with Vibe UI 2.0 on top and comes with a 2300mah battery. If you'd like to be there when it comes Lenovo are offering a chance to win 500 free invites for the Malaysia launch party of the Lenovo Vibe X2.  

Xiaomi recently made their latest flagship smartphone, the Mi 4 officialy with a launching in Beijing yesterday. The smartphone may not have a metal backside but it does offer a tough stainless steel frame and very flat and thin Apple iPhone like design. The more notable tech specs for the Xiaomi Mi 4 include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB RAM, 4G LTE and the new Sony MIX214 camera sensor for the 13MP rear camera. What is even more jaw-dropping is that it is priced at just RMB1999 (RM1099) for the 16GB version and RM2499 (RM1299) for the 64GB version. Check out the full Xiaomi Mi 4 tech specs below:

• 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor
• 3GB RAM
• 16GB / 64GB storage
• 5-inch display (IPS, 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, Sharp / JDI OGS full lamination display, 84% of NTSC range)
• 13MP rear camera (Sony IMX214,dual-LED flash, ƒ/1.8 aperture, real-time HDR, 4K video recording) + 8MP front camera (Sony IMX219, 80-degree wide angle)
• Supports 4G LTE, WiFi ac, A-GPS, IR blaster, IP67 certified for dust and water resistance, Wet Finger tracking technology
• 139.2 x 68.5 x 8.9 mm | 149g
• 3080 mAh battery (Non-removable)
• Android 4.4.3 KitKat
• RMB 1999 (RM1099) for 16GB / RMB 2499 (RM1299) for 64GB

The upcoming Xiaomi Mi-4 or Mi4 smartphone is set for it's official announcement tomorrow on 22 July 2014 but leaks of the device have appeared showing the front and back. Somewhat blurry, the images show a shiny backside but according to those who have actually touched it, this is actually plastic. When it was first teased with the statement, "The journey of a piced of steel metal" many industry watchers thought it would mean an all metal casing, including us. Still the statement would still be accurate if the Xiaomi Mi4 uses a tough unibody frame. Other rumoured features and tech specs include a quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB of RAM, 16GB storage, a 5-inch display with a resolution of 1440 x 2560 and a 13MP rear camera along with a 5MP front camera. THe smartphone may also have a large 3000 mAh battery. No news yet on Malaysia release dates or pricing but stay tuned for the full reveal tomorrow as we'll keep you updated as soon as new developments occur.

AnTuTu benchmark screenshots of a mystery device have shown scores breaking the 40000 score limit. The screenshot reveals some tech specs of this mystery device which include a MediaTek MT6595 processor, 3GB of RAM and Android 4.4.2. The model name has been blanked out but it doesn't seem like this is a doctored screenshot, as these have appeared on AnTuTu before. So far, rumours are flying about that it could be the next Xiaomi Mi4 but Xiaomi has typically used Snapdragon processors for their Mi range of smartphones. Neither would it be Huawei because Huawei are currently using their own Kirin 920 range of processors as well. Our guess is that the device could come from Alcatel, Acer, Lenovo or some other China-brand smartphone manufacturer as these manufacturers use MediaTek processors more often than not. No other details were available such as Malaysia release dates or pricing but we'll let you know as soon as we find out.