Twitter tests Tweet Reactions and a prompt to get users to actually read articles before retweeting

Twitter jumped on the emoji reaction bandwagon earlier this year in January when it rolled out support for emoji reaction in direct messages. The feature works a lot like the emoji reactions on Facebook and Messenger, allowing users to react to messages with one of seven different emoji. Now, according to a recent tweet from Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane), Twitter has started testing emoji reactions for tweets.

Twitter is working on Tweet Reactions…? pic.twitter.com/3Sb6c8cYe3

— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) June 10, 2020

As you can see in the attached image, the feature will allow users to react to tweets with a couple of different emoji, including the 100points emoji, face with tears of joy, no entry sign, surprised face, and the folded hands emoji. Currently, we have no information if the feature will launch only with the aforementioned emoji or if it’ll include more options. It’s worth noting that Twitter isn’t the only platform to introduce the emoji reaction feature this year. Just a few weeks ago, Google also added a similar feature for RCS conversations on the Messages app.

Along with the emoji reactions feature, Twitter is adding an experimental prompt on the Android app which will show up whenever a user retweets an article without opening it on Twitter. The idea behind the prompt is to promote informed discussion on the platform and get users to actually read the article they’re tweeting.

Sharing an article can spark conversation, so you may want to read it before you Tweet it.

To help promote informed discussion, we’re testing a new prompt on Android –– when you Retweet an article that you haven’t opened on Twitter, we may ask if you’d like to open it first.

— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) June 10, 2020

For the feature to work, Twitter will check if a user has clicked on the article link on the platform, but not elsewhere. Users will still be able to dismiss the prompt and tweet the article without clicking on the link first. In response to a comment on the tweet, the company also clarified that it won’t be testing ad products with the prompts.

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[Update: Widely Available] Your Phone app on Windows 10 tests controlling music playback on your Android device

Update 1 (06/11/2020 @ 05:32 AM ET): Music controls on Your Phone app are now widely rolling out. Scroll to the bottom for more information. The article as published on April 29, 2020, is preserved below.

If you have a Windows 10-powered computer, the Your Phone app can prove to be pretty useful: it allows for integrating your computer and your phone, allowing you to call people, message people, see notifications, and much more. The app is also constantly updated by Microsoft to further improve this integration and make it more seamless. Microsoft is now going to include a feature for controlling your phone’s music playback right from your computer.

The feature would allow you to control music currently streaming from your phone, whether we’re talking about locally downloaded music or streaming apps like Spotify, YouTube Music, or Apple Music, without needing to take away attention from your workflow or having to pick up your phone. Tracks, titles, and album art will remain synced between your computer and your phone, and you’ll be able to skip tracks, pause and resume music, and more. You can also change the music source right from your computer by using the dropdown menu in the audio player.

In order to use this feature, you’ll need a PC running Windows 10 (October 2018 update or later), an Android Phone running Android 7.0 Nougat or later, and an app that supports music controls (so pretty much any modern music streaming/playback app). Additionally, whatever music player you’re using must have notifications enabled since that’s what the Your Phone app will be using for controlling music.

The feature in its current state still has a couple of bugs and issues, such as the fact that the “back” button can either do the previous track or rewind track depending on the app. Additionally, YouTube video controls and Audible are currently not supported by this feature.

The feature is currently rolling out right now to people using Windows Insider builds, so it is possible that it will take a few days to show up in the Your Phone app on your computer.

Source: Windows Blog

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Update: Music Controls now widely rolling out on the Your Phone app

The Music Control functionality within the Your Phone app is now widely rolling out to all Android users.

Super convinient while working from home. Now available to all #Android users. Your music #yourphone https://t.co/wuvYdd6otw

— Roberto Bojorquez [Microsoft] (@bojorchess) June 11, 2020

Your Phone Companion - Link to Windows (Free, Google Play) →

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Android 11 upgrades Voice Access to understand screen content, and the results are amazing

Google will release Android 11 this fall season. But, as per the usual tradition, Google has been rolling out Developer Previews for the upcoming version of Android. They even released a fourth Developer Preview back in May to compensate for the unavoidable cancellation of the Google I/O conference due to the global pandemic. Yesterday, Google announced the first Android 11 beta which brings a lot of new functional improvements, privacy features, and a few minor but aesthetic UI improvements.

Android 11 Beta 1 rolled out early to some Pixel 4 users: Here’s what’s new

Besides adding new features, Google has also improved certain existing ones like “Voice Access,” which is an accessibility feature that lets you control the phone without using your hand. As you can imagine, this is designed for users with motor disabilities. These users can simply use their voice to complete basic functions like opening any app, scrolling on the page, or interacting with various responsive elements on the current page by saying the name or the number assigned to each of those elements to make interaction easier.

The Voice Access feature isn’t really new and has been available for over two years. But with the Android 11 beta, Voice Access is becoming more fluid and intuitive, allowing you to just say the name of the thing you want to tap on instead of the number. Dieter Bohn from The Verge has a very informative demo of the feature in the tweet embedded below:

One thing I left out of my Android 11 beta hands on was the improved Voice Access, which now understand screen context and content. That was a mistake – it’s actually incredible.

You don’t have to use a grid or button numbers, you can just say what’s on the screen. Watch: pic.twitter.com/wXidxZGVjt

— Dieter Bohn (@backlon) June 10, 2020

Voice Access is not limited to Android 11 and works with any device running Android 5.0 Lollipop and above. To access the feature, you need to download the app from the Play Store.

Voice Access (Free, Google Play) →

Notably, Apple also has a similar feature called Voice Control which is available for iOS and macOS. The feature as you can see in the promo below is claimed to work flawlessly.

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[Update 3: June 15 Sale] OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro launched in India, starting at ₹41,999 ($549)

Update 3 (06/11/2020 @ 03:47 AM ET): The OnePlus 8 Pro is going on its first sale in India on June 15, 2020.

Update 2 (05/27/2020 @ 11:16 AM ET): OnePlus has delayed the availability of the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro in India.

Update 1 (05/14/2020 @ 01:48 AM ET): OnePlus has shared availability details for the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro in India. Scroll to the bottom for more information. The article as published on April 19, 2020, is preserved below.

After months of leaks and teasers, OnePlus finally launched the OnePlus 8 series earlier this month. However, unlike previous years, the company didn’t launch the OnePlus 8 series in India and China at the same time as the global launch. While OnePlus launched the devices in China just a day after the global launch, the company has now finally gotten around to launching the OnePlus 8, OnePlus 8 Pro, and OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z in India.

OnePlus 8 XDA Forums || OnePlus 8 Pro XDA Forums

OnePlus 8 Series Specifications

Full Specification Table

Specification	OnePlus 8	OnePlus 8 Pro
Dimensions & Weight	160.2 x 72.9 x 8.0 mm 180g	165.3 x 74.35 x 8.5 mm 199g
Colors, Materials, Finish	Onyx Black (glossy) Glacial Green (matte-frosted) Interstellar Glow (glossy) Polar Silver	Onyx Black (glossy) Glacial Green (matte-frosted) Ultramarine Blue (matte-frosted)
Display	6.55″ Fluid AMOLED, single hole-punch (3.8mm) cutout FHD+ resolution (2400 x 1080), 20:9 aspect ratio, 402ppi 90Hz refresh rate, 180Hz touch sampling rate HDR10+ 3D Corning Gorilla Glass Features Vibrant Color Effect Reading Mode Night Mode No Active Digitizer for Active Pen support	6.78″ Fluid AMOLED, single hole-punch (3.8mm) cutout QHD+ resolution (3168 x 1440), 19.8:9 aspect ratio, 513ppi 120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling rate HDR10+ 1300 nits peak brightness, 4096 levels of adjustment 3D Corning Gorilla Glass Features Vibrant Color Effect Reading Mode Night Mode MEMC HDR Boost Adaptive Display No Active Digitizer for Active Pen support
Cameras (Rear)	Primary 48MP Sony IMX586, f/1.75, 0.8µm pixels, OIS, EIS Secondary 16MP, ultra-wide-angle, f/2.2, 116° FOV Tertiary 2MP, macro, f/2.4, 1.75µm pixels Flash Dual LED Flash Autofocus PDAF + CAF Video 4K @ 30/60 fps 1080p @ 30/60 fps Slow Motion 1080p @ 240 fps 720p @ 480 fps Time Lapse 4K @ 30 fps 1080p @ 30 fps Miscellaneous features CINE aspect ratio Ultra Steady at 4K @ 30 fps Other sensors Flicker ambient light sensor (front)	Primary 48MP Sony IMX689, f/1.7, 1.12µm pixels/48MP; 2.24µm [4 in 1]/12MP, OIS, EIS Secondary 48MP, ultra-wide-angle, f/2.2, 119.7° FOV Tertiary 8MP, telephoto, f/2.4, 1.0µm pixels, OIS, 3x Optical Hybrid Zoom Quaternary 5MP, color filter, f/2.4 Flash Dual LED Flash Autofocus All pixel omni-directional PDAF+CAF+LAF Video 4K @ 30/60 fps 1080p @ 30/60 fps Slow Motion 1080p @ 240 fps 720p @ 480 fps Time Lapse 4K @ 30 fps 1080p @ 30 fps Miscellaneous features HDR Video, CINE aspect ratio Ultra Steady at 4K @ 30 fps Audio Zoom Audio 3D Audio Windscreen Color Filter Camera Other sensors Flicker ambient light sensor (front and back) Laser sensor Front RGB sensor
Camera (Front)	16MP Sony IMX471, f/2.0, 1.0µm pixels, fixed focus, EIS, 1080p@30fps	16MP Sony IMX471, f/2.45, 1.0µm pixels, fixed focus, EIS, 1080p@30fps
Software	OxygenOS 10 based on Android 10 2 years of software updates (Android 11 and Android 12 planned), 3 years of bi-monthly security updates A/B partitions for Seamless Updates
System-on-chip	Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 CPU 1x Kryo 585 (ARM Cortex-A77-based) Prime core @ 2.84GHz 3x Kryo 585 (ARM Cortex-A77-based) Performance core @ 2.4GHz 4x Kryo 385 (ARM Cortex A55-based) Efficiency cores @ 1.8GHz Adreno 650 GPU
RAM	8/12GB LPDDR4X	8/12GB LPDDR5
Storage	128/256 GB UFS 3.0+ Dual-Lane
Battery	4300 mAh	4510 mAh
Wired Charging	30W Warp Charge 30T (5V/6A) 15W USB-C Power Delivery (5V/3A)
Wireless Charging	No	Warp Charge 30 Wireless (30W), 10W Qi EPP Reverse Wireless Charging (3W)
IP Rating	No	IP68
Security	Optical under-display fingerprint scanner Software-based facial recognition
Ports & Buttons	USB 3.1 (Gen 1) Type-C with video out (DisplayPort Alternate Mode) Alert Slider Dual nano-SIM slot* *Second SIM will be activated in a post-launch update
Audio & Vibration	Dual stereo speakers. Audio tuned by Dolby Atmos. X-axis linear motor
Multimedia Codec Support	Audio Playback: MP3, AAC, AAC+, WMA, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, WAV, FLAC, APE, OGG, MIDI, M4A, IMY, AC3, EAC3, EAC3-JOC, AC4 Audio Recording: WAV, AAC, AMR Video Playback: MKV, MOV, MP4, H.265(HEVC), AVI, WMV, TS, 3GP, FLV, WEBM Video Recording: MP4 Image Viewing: JPEG, PNG, BMP, GIF, WEBP, HEIF, HEIC, RAW Image Output: JPEG, PNG
Connectivity	Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 modem + Qualcomm FastConnect 6800 Wi-Fi: 2×2 MIMO, 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, 2.4GHz/5GHz Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.1, with Qualcomm aptX, Qualcomm aptX HD, LDAC and AAC NFC: Yes Positioning: GPS (L1+L5 dual-band), GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo (E1+E5a dual-band), SBAS, A-GPS LTE/LTE-A: 4x4MIMO Supports up to DL Cat 18 (1.2Gbps)/UL Cat 13 (150Mbps) depending on carrier. Bands (NA) 5G NSA: n2, n5, n66, n71, n41 5G SA: n71, n41 MIMO-LTE: B2, 4, 7, 25, 66, 41, 48 NR: n2, n66, n41 FDD-LTE: B1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 66, 71 TDD-LTE: B34, 38, 39, 40 (Roaming), 41, 46, 48 GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900 WCDMA: B1, B2, B4, B5, B8, B9, B19 CDMA: BC0, BC1, BC10 Bands (IN) 5G NSA: n78 5G SA: n78 MIMO-LTE: B1, 3, 41, 40 NR: n78 FDD-LTE: B1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26 TDD-LTE: B34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46 WCDMA: B1, B2, B4, B8, B9, B19 CDMA: BC0 (Roaming) GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900 Bands (EU) 5G NSA: n1, n3, n28, n78 5G SA: n78 MIMO-LTE: B1, 3, 7, 38, 40, 41 NR: n1, n3, n7, n78 FDD-LTE: B1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 66 TDD-LTE: B34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46 WCDMA: B1, B2, B4, B5, B8, B9, B19 CDMA: BC0 GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900

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Indian Pricing

India is currently in the middle of a lockdown because of COVID-19, because of which, many OEMs have had to shelve their plans. Nonetheless, the company is going ahead with a price reveal.

The OnePlus 8 series will be available in the following RAM and storage variants at the below-mentioned prices:

• OnePlus 8:
  • 6GB + 128GB: ₹41,999 (Amazon.in exclusive) (Glacial Green)
  • 8GB + 128GB: ₹44,999 (Onyx Black, Glacial Green)
  • 12GB + 256GB: ₹49,999 (Onyx Black, Glacial Green, Interstellar Glow)
• OnePlus 8 Pro:
  • 8GB + 128GB: ₹54,999 (Onyx Black, Glacial Green)
  • 12GB + 256GB: ₹59,999 (Onyx Black, Glacial Green, Ultramarine Blue)
• OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z: ₹1,999 (Black, Blue, Mint, Oat)

XDA Review: OnePlus 8 || OnePlus 8 Pro

Interestingly, India gets a lower RAM variant and an even lower starting price point ($549). Even the matching variants are priced lower in India. For instance, the starting 8GB + 128GB variant of the OnePlus 8 costs ~$588, which is a good ~$100 cheaper than the US pricing of $699. Similarly, the OnePlus 8 Pro’s 12GB + 256GB variant costs ~$785, which is a far cry from the $999 price tag for the top variant. Even the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z is half the price. Keep in mind that the Indian variant lacks some 5G bands, which is a non-issue for India because the country does not have 5G anyway.

The phones and accessories will be available across all online and offline channels when the sale is made possible in India in line with the government’s COVID-19 advisories.

Here is the complete price chart for major markets:

Device	USD	UK	EU	India
OnePlus 8 – 6GB RAM + 128GB storage: Glacial Green	–	–	–	₹41,999 (~$549)
OnePlus 8 – 8GB RAM + 128GB storage: Onyx Black, Glacial Green	$699	£599	€699	₹44,999 (~$589)
OnePlus 8 – 12GB RAM + 256GB storage: Interstellar Glow	$799	£699	€799	₹49,999 (~$654)
OnePlus 8 – 12GB RAM + 256GB storage: Onyx Black, Glacial Green	–	–	–	₹49,999 (~$654)
OnePlus 8 – 8GB RAM + 128GB storage: Polar Silver*	$799	–	–	–
OnePlus 8 Pro – 8GB RAM + 128GB storage: Glacial Green, Onyx Black	$899	£799	€899	₹54,999 (~$719)
OnePlus 8 Pro – 12GB RAM + 256GB storage: Glacial Green, Onyx Black	–	–	–	₹59,999 (~$785)
OnePlus 8 Pro Ultramarine Blue (12GB RAM + 256GB storage)	$999	£899	€999	₹59,999 (~$785)

*Exclusive to Verizon Wireless in the U.S.

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Update: OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro availability in India

The OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro will be available on open sale in India on May 29, 2020 across Amazon.in, oneplus.in, and select OnePlus exclusive offline stores and partner outlets. The OnePlus 8 will also be made available in limited quantities in a special early access sale on Amazon.in on May 18, 2020, at 2 pm IST. The phones are currently available for pre-booking on Amazon.in.

Pre-book OnePlus 8 series on Amazon.in and get ₹1,000 cashback

In addition to the pre-booking offer, there are a few launch offers as well. Customers using an SBI Credit Card can get an instant discount of ₹2,000 and ₹3,000 on the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro respectively. No-cost EMI options are also available across all channels on popular bank debit and credit cards. Reliance Jio users will also be getting ₹150 off on 40 prepaid recharges of ₹349, making it a good deal for their continued data usage.

OnePlus is also offering a Limited Edition pop-up bundle, which will include the device along with a Bullets Wireless Z (Black) earphones, a Cyan Bumper case, and a Karbon Bumper Case at an additional ₹1,000 above the retail price of just the device. The pop-up bundle is available on an invite-only basis for Red Cable Club members initially and will be opened up on select channels later on. Red Cable Club members also get a few other discounts, such as on extended warranty, battery replacement, and assured buyback protection.

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Update 2: Open sales delayed

The open sales for the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro in India were scheduled for May 29, 2020. Unfortunately, OnePlus has now announced that the open sales for the devices have now been postponed indefinitely.

The announcement post mentions that production was temporarily halted. The reason has not been specified, but external sources suggest it is because of workers testing positive for COVID-19 at the assembling facility. The OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro for the Indian region are assembled in India, which is the reason why they are priced competitively, relatively speaking.

Production for the devices is back up and running, but the delay has altered the sales plan. Consequently, the devices will not go on open sale on the mentioned date. Instead, the OnePlus 8 will be available in very limited quantity on the date. Further information on the open sales schedule will be communicated soon.

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Update 3: OnePlus 8 Pro goes on its first sale on June 15, 2020

The OnePlus 8 Pro is finally going on its first sale in India, on June 15, 2020 at 12 noon. However, since the product is expected to have high demand and there have been stocking issues, we presume that the product will sell out quite early owing to its presumed limited quantities.

Source: Ishan Agarwal

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Xiaomi Mi Notebook 14, Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition launched in India, starting at ₹41,990

Xiaomi entered the laptop market all the way back in 2016, with the launch of the Mi Notebook Air in China. Since then, the company has launched several laptops in its home country, including the Mi Notebook lineup and the Mi Gaming laptop. However, despite receiving constant requests from its fans in India, the company hasn’t launched any of its laptops in the country so far. That changes today, as the company has now officially announced the Mi Notebook 14 and Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition for the Indian market.

Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition

The Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition is a thin and light laptop powered by Intel’s 10th-Gen Comet Lake processors. The laptop features a design similar to the MacBook Pro, with a brushed metal body built from an aluminum and magnesium alloy. It houses a 14-inch FHD display in the footprint of a 13.3-inch laptop, with 3mm slim bezels on the top and sides. This gives the laptop a 91% screen to body ratio, which is among the highest in the industry.

The Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition will be available with either an Intel Core i5 10210U or a Core i7 10510U processor, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, 512GB of M.2 NVMe storage, and an Nvidia GeForce MX350 GPU. In terms of I/O, the laptops feature 2 USB 3.1 Type-A ports, a USB 2.0 Type-A port, a USB Type-C port, a headphone/microphone combo jack, and an HDMI 1.4 port. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11ac 2×2 and Bluetooth 5.0.

Powering the laptop is a 46Wh battery which is rated for up to 10 hours of use on a single charge. Xiaomi has included a 65W fast charger in the box, which is capable of charging the laptop up to 50% in just over 30 minutes.

In terms of software, the Mi Notebook Horizon Edition runs Windows 10 Home Edition, which comes with an Office 365 30-day trial. Unlike its smartphones, Xiaomi has limited its own additions to two useful features — Mi Blaze Unlock and Mi Smart Share. The Mi Blaze Unlock feature will allow users to unlock their laptops using a Mi Band, while the Mi Smart Share feature will allow users to share files between devices.

Mi Notebook 14

The regular Mi Notebook 14 features a similar design, however, it doesn’t include the slim bezels offered on the Horizon edition. The top and side bezels on the Mi Notebo0k 14 are noticeably thicker and, therefore, it has a larger footprint.

In terms of hardware, the Mi Notebook 14 will only be available with an Intel Core i5 10210U chip, coupled with 8GB of DDR4 RAM, up to 512GB of SATA 3 SSD storage, and an Nvidia GeForce MX250 GPU on the top-end variant. The other two variants will offer Intel UHD Graphics 620.

Pricing and Availability

Both the Mi Notebook 14 and Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition will go on sale starting from June 17th via mi.com, amazon.in, Mi Home and Mi Studio stores. The Mi Notebook 14 will be available at a starting price of ₹41,990 (~$550) for the Core i5, Intel UHD graphics 620, and 256GB storage variant. The Core i5, Intel UDH Graphics 620, and 512GB storage variant will be available for ₹44,999 (~$590), and the Intel Core i5, Nvidia MX250, and 512GB storage variant will be available for ₹47,999 (~$630). It’s worth noting that these are inaugural prices that are valid until July 16th and we currently have no information on the final pricing for the Mi Notebook 14.

The Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition, on the other hand, will start at ₹54,999 (~$725) for the Core i5, Nvidia MX350, and 512GB storage variant, while the Core i7, Nvidia MX350, and 512GB storage variant will be available for ₹59,999 (~$790). Xiaomi has also announced a launch offer which will get buyers an instant discount of ₹2,000 on the use of an HDFC Bank credit/debit card. It’s also worth noting that since both laptops don’t include a built-in webcam, Xiaomi will ship an external HD webcam in the box with each notebook purchase.

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Xiaomi Mi Band 5 launches with 1.2″ color screen, NFC, and magnetic charging

Xiaomi’s Mi Band series is highly praised in the fitness tracker segment for offering several value features at a very affordable price. With each new generation, the Mi Band fitness trackers gain new functionality compelling existing users to upgrade and new users to get onboard. Last year on June 11th, Xiaomi announced the Mi Band 4 with a colored OLED display and support for a plethora of official and third-party watchfaces for just about $30 and its value allowed Xiaomi to sell a million units in just a week after its launch. Exactly after a year, Xiaomi is launching Mi Band 4’s successor – the Mi Band 5 – with a larger colored AMOLED display, improved fitness tracking, and a magnetic charging dock.

Quite evidently, the first feature to grab users’ attention will be the slightly larger display. The upgraded display on the Mi Band 5 measures 1.2″ diagonally and stretches across a 20% bigger area than 0.95″ display on the previous generation. With this, the Mi Band 5 will also get 100+ new animated watchfaces with characters from popular animated series such as Neon Genesis Evangelion, Case Closed, Hatsune Miku, and SpongeBob SquarePants.

The animated watchfaces from these franchises will be accompanied by matching colored bands as seen in the images below:

The second massive design change is the new magnetically attaching charging dock. Two electrodes stick out of the bottom part of the Mi Band 5 to which the charging dock automatically hooks – even though it will not be backwards compatible with the older generations for which the tracker had to be taken out of the strap and placed into a charging cradle. The new magnetic charging dock eliminates the need for taking the tracker out of the strap or ensuring that it sits properly on the cradle – which has been a problem for older versions just as Aamir mentioned in his Mi Band 4 review.

Xiaomi is launching some new dual-toned straps along with the band. These new bands with the black part wrapping the fitness tracker might set off the illusion that the steps are connected to the two far ends of the body instead of being an entire removable/replaceable strap.

The Mi Band 5 also gets an improved processor for faster and more accurate tracking. Besides 11 fitness tracking modes, female users can use the fitness band to tracking their menstrual cycles. The fitness band will also offer a PAI (Personal Activity Intelligence) score to help you contextualize how physical activities contribute to your fitness. For more efficient sleep tracking, the Mi Band 5 will now also report REM sleep beside deep and light sleep.

Further, the tracker also comes with an inbuilt barometer to gauge the atmospheric pressure and can also be used as a remote shutter button for taking images on the phone from a distance.

Just like the older versions, the fitness band will also support NFC payments in China.

Price & Availability

Xiaomi will start selling the Mi Band 5 in China starting June 18th. The non-NFC variant is priced at CNY 189 (~$27) while the NFC version will be sold for CNY 229 (~$32).

Xiaomi Mi Band 5 Specifications

Specs	Mi Band 5
Size and weight	TBA
Materials	Polycarbonate
Wrist band	Silicone
Compatibility	Android, iPhone
SoC	unspecified
RAM/Storage	unspecified
Network	NA
Display	1.2-inch AMOLED ( x  px)
Connectivity	Bluetooth v5
GPS	NA
Sensors	Heart rate sensor, accelerometer, barometer, proximity sensor
NFC payments	Yes
Battery	mAh
Water resistance	50m up to 30 minutes in freshwater

 

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Realme Band’s v8.0 update finally adds music controls, stopwatch, and a heart rate reminder function

Realme launched the Realme Band in India alongside the Realme 6 series, in March 2020. For the company, the Band represented its first attempt at piercing into a market that has seen domination from the likes of the Mi Band, staying true to the company’s attempt at competing with Xiaomi across all product segments. While ambitions were high and the stakes even higher, the Realme Band was visibly a first-generation product, with shortcomings that dragged it down from being a true competitor worthy of recommendation. Realme has attempted to fix the imperfections with software updates for the Band, and the latest Realme Band v8.0 update brings over music controls, stopwatch, and a heart rate reminder to the company’s first fitness tracker.

The v8.0 firmware update for the Realme Band comes with the following changelog:

• Add Heart Rate reminder function
• Add Music Control function
• Add Stopwatch function
• Fix some known bugs

The fine print mentions that the Realme Band can only support two of the features at a time i.e. only two can be displayed, which is a bummer.

One of the biggest downsides with the Realme Band was its poor display brightness, which rendered the display rather useless when outdoors. Realme attempted to “fix” the issue with a software update that ramped up the brightness. While the brightness did increase, it still is nowhere enough to stand its own ground when out and about in the sun. This experience is in contrast with the company’s audio accessories, namely truly wireless earbuds in the form of the Realme Buds Air and Realme Buds Air Neo, which have performed admirably for their price point.

Realme Buds Air TWS XDA Review: Desirable truly wireless audio meets Realme’s reliability

Realme has also launched its second fitness product, the Realme Watch, which seemingly competes against the Amazfit Bip S in India.

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