Good news for Xiaomi fans everywhere, MIUI 9 Global ROM 7.9.7 update is now live and the third batch of Xiaomi smartphones are now eligible to download it which you can get it from Xiaomi's forum thread here. Below is the list the third batch that can be updated:

Xiaomi just announced that the latest MIUI 8.2 update is now rolling out to most of the Xiaomi phones made over the last 2 years. These devices would progressively receive the update over-the-air (OTA) through the Updater app. Users can also run a manual update by downloading the update from here too.

The first round of devices that’ll receive the MIUI 8.2 update are: Mi 3, Mi 4, Mi 4i, Mi Note, Mi Max, Redmi 1S and Redmi Note 4G.

Xiaomi's MIUI 8 beta has been going well so far, the Stable version is ready and has started rolling out in Over-the-Air (OTA) update worldwide. Xiaomi smartphones that are running on MIUI 5, 6 and 7 will definitely get the update. Below is the official list of phones that will get the update first:

This coming season, Xiaomi will be launching a Christmas sale on 10 December until 12 December 2015 on their website. The highlights of the sale is the Santa’s Special Bundle which includes the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 + 10000 mAh Mi power bank Christmas Edition + Mi Teddy Bunnies for just RM709.

The second highlight is other bundles - such as the Santa Claus Bundle,  Rudolph Bundle and the Jingle Bells Bundle with a slashed price; and a free soft case with a Mi Note purchase or free rechargeable battery with Redmi 2 purchase for RM1549 or RM399 respectively.

The MIUI 7 Global Stable Build has finally arrived in Malaysia, and today I’ll be reviewing the changes with the Xiaomi Redmi 2. The MIUI 7 is based on Android Lollipop patch so expect some nice improvement from it, here-we-go. 

Note - It's been said that the over-the-air (OTA) download is not 100% ready yet, so for now head over to this site to download the MIUI 7 manually. 

Xiaomi recently announced that it will manufacture devices locally in India in support of the current 'Make in India' Initiative. Partnering with Foxconn Technology Group, this initiative has resulted in the announcement of the Xiaomi Redmi 2 Prime, a version of the Redmi 2 with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage for 6999 rupees (RM431) that is to be manufactured wholly in India. Other tech specs and features include a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor, 4.7-inch HD display and dual SIM 4G LTE connectivity. Production on the Redmi 2 Prime has already begun at the Sri City factory with units produced there to be sold in India. No Malaysia release dates yet for a Redmi 2 Prime here but it could eventually mean more affordable Xiaomi devices in the future. 

Mi Malaysia recently announced that they will be bringing in the Xiaomi Redmi 2 Enhanced with 2GB RAM for RM459. The smartphone will be available on 16 July 2015 from 12PM at the Mi Malaysia site. Tech specs remain mostly the same with a 64-bit quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor and 2GB RAM but there is also 16GB worth of storage, double that of the 8GB storage on the Redmi 2. The Redmi 2 is currently retailing for RM399 so another RM60 for double the RAM and storage is a fairly good deal. Check out the full Xiaomi Redmi 2 Enhanced tech specs and features below:

• 64-bit quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB storage + up to 32GB microSD 
• 4.7-inch display (1280 x 720 HD screen, 312 PPI)
• 8MP rear camera (BSI f/2.2) + 2MP front camera (BSI, 720p video recording)
• features 4G Dual SIM, Dual Standby
• 2200mAh battery (Quick Charge 1.0)

Xiaomi Mi Malaysia have just announced that their Xiaomi Redmi 2 smartphone is now available for RM399. This is RM50 off of the original price of RM449 and according to them is due to lower costs. In addition, the current "Jom Raya Dengan Mi" event (currently happening today) and PayPal deal will also let you get another RM50 discount if you pay using PayPal for a value beating price tag of just RM349. The 64-bit Redmi 2 certainly offers a good deal in terms of value even without the RM100 decrease in price but if you need a few more details feel free to check out our Xiaomi Redmi 2 reviewor the Mi Malaysia site for other details.

Xiaomi recently announced several news including that as of the first half of 2015 they've managed to sell 34.7 million smartphones. This has allowed them to maintain their ranking as China's top smartphone vendor in terms of market share for the fifth consecutive quarter. The Mi 2, Mi 3, Redmi, Redmi Note, Mi 4 and Redmi 2 in particular have so far shipped over 10 million units each. In related news, they have also appointed former partner of international investment fund DST Shou Zi Chew as their new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Other big name joins include former president of Qualcomm Greater China, Wang Xiang who became senior vice president of strategic cooperation at Xiaomi. Xiaomi have also announced their entry into new markets such as Brazil with their Redmi 2 smartphone going for as low as 499 BRL (RM599). No news yet of any other Xiaomi releases for Malaysia but stay tuned for more developments.

Vivo Malaysia recently launched their new Vivo X5Pro smartphone for RM1599. Featuring a full metal frame and 2.5D curved glass on the front and back the X5Pro also comes with a 13MP f2.0 camera with phase detection autofocus and sapphire lens. Other stand-out features include dedicated HiFi audio with a Cirrus Logic DAC AK4375 audio chip but like the previous Vivo X5Max, this is only discernible with headphones. Other tech specs include a 64-bit 1.5GHz octa-core Snapdragon 615 processor, dual SIM 4G LTE support, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, 5.2-inch FHD super AMOLED display, 8MP front camera and 2450 mAh battery. It will run Android 5.0 Lollipop right out of the box with vivo's FunTouch OS 2.1 and is available at all authorized dealers in Malaysia.