Heena Sharma Blog

  From entry-level budget ones to premium, smart televisions now come at all price points. Irrespective of price-point, however, every smart television aims to offer better contrast, light control and vibrant colours. These parameters are important because they can truly elevate your home entertainment experience, be it while watching video, listening to music, and playing games. Business Standard lists five best smart televisions across market segments that deliver top-notch experience for their prices. Take a look: Sony A8H OLED The Sony Bravia A8H is among the best 4K smart TV that your money can buy. From exceptional picture quality to immersive sound experience, there is no parameter where the Sony Bravia A8H seems lacking. It boasts a plush design, OLED screen with support for most high dynamic range formats, actuators-based sound system, Android operating system with Play Store for TV for apps, and support for Amazon Alexa, Apple AirPlay and Apple HomeKit, besides Google As

  Qualcomm Inc on Tuesday released its new top-tier smartphone chip aimed at premium-priced Android phones with features like sharper photos and graphics than handsets using chips from rivals. The San Diego, California-based company is the biggest supplier of the chips at the heart of many Android phones, competing against rivals such as Taiwan's MediaTek Inc and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, which uses Qualcomm chips in some of its phones but self-supplies chips for some models. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip released Tuesday will have similar computing cores to rivals like MediaTek, which this month announced a chip aimed at premium phones. But almost every other part of the chip are custom designed by Qualcomm, including those playing a role in the visual quality of photos and graphics-intensive apps like games. Alex Katouzian, senior vice president and general manager of mobile, compute and infrastructure for Qualcomm, said the company has been crafting software that will l

  Poco is one of the brands that do not shy away from experimenting with radical colour themes in their smartphones. That legacy continues with the Poco X3 Pro . Aimed at young buyers, the phone comes in three jazzy colour options – graphite black (review unit), steel blue and golden bronze. The colour theme is accentuated by an unconventionally shaped rear camera module and an intriguing patterned design on the back cover. Speaking of the back cover, it is made of good quality polycarbonate featuring a thick glossy stripe at the centre sandwiched between stripes in matte finish on the sides. The centre stripe features a Poco logo, which is big enough to come to notice but outlined for minimal distraction. Rounding up the package is the IP53 rating, which is good to handle minor water splashes and dust abuse. It is, however, strongly advised not to expose the phone to either water or dust as both can damage the phone severely. While the overall design is good, the build is uninspiring

  Xiaomi is no newbie in the premium smartphone segment, but in India it is not so well known for its flagship offerings as it wasn’t until recently that this Chinese technology company started bringing such products here. Expanding its premium smartphone portfolio, the company recently launched the Mi 11 Ultra in India. Touted as ‘the Superphone’, this flagship smartphone is brimful with industry-leading features and specifications. That said, the Mi 11 Ultra is capable of beating other premium smartphones on more parameters than one, but the real-life experience shows it wanting in some areas. Beginning with strengths, the Mi 11 Ultra is a spectacular smartphone with regard to display, audio, imaging, performance, and battery efficiency. The display is sharp, bright, vivid and responsive. It is loaded with value-added features like an adaptive refresh rate, motion smoothing, support for high dynamic range content (HDR10+ and Dolby Vision), etc. That said, the display is full o

  The interesting Xiaomi - realme war on social media has once again gain attention of their fans and this time, it is regarding the camera technology, as both the companies claim that they brought smartphones housing 64MP sensor to the world, with realme saying on Friday that they offered the first-ever "hands-on experience" on the technology. According to realme, it showcased its latest 64MP quad-camera set up to the consumers and fans in India on August 8, 2019, and "was the first to provide the world a hands-on experience of 64MP quad-camera and the technology behind it". "realme marked that day by hosting a unique photography event in New Delhi, wherein the audience was provided with a personal experience and briefing about the 64MP technology," the company told IANS. "realme has consistently delivered a cutting-edge, premium smartphone experience to Indian customers at the most value-driven price points and has always showcased its true c

  Xiaomi is gearing up for the global debut of its Redmi Note 10 series from India on Thursday at 12 pm. The Chinese technology company is expected to launch at least three models in the Redmi Note 10 series, including a model with 108-megapixel-based quad-camera array on the back. The series is expected to be powered by Qualcomm mobile processors, big capacity batteries, and Android operating system based MIUI user interface. Importantly, the series is expected to bring smartphone with 4G LTE network connectivity, and not 5G. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 series: Livestream details The Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 series launch event is set to begin at 12 pm on March 4. The virtual event will livestream on Xiaomi India’s YouTube channel. Besides, Xiaomi will share live updated from the event on its social media handles on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Read More

  Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has unveiled its flagship smartphone " Mi 11 " in the global market through a virtual event that features Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G mobile platform, making it one of the first smartphones to come with this processor. The smartphone comes in two storage variants -- 8GB+128GB and 8GB+256GB at Euro 749 and Euro 799, respectively -- and it will be available from March. Xiaomi Mi 11 features 6.81-inch AMOLED panel with WQHD+ resolution, a 120Hz maximum refresh rate and 1500 nits maximum brightness. It supports HDR10+ and 100 per cent of the DCI-P3 colour gamut. The display is housed in a minimal-bezel chassis with a 91.4 per cent screen to body ratio and protected by the toughest Gorilla Glass Victus. Snapdragon 888 5G mobile platform offers significant improvements in performance per watt, AI acceleration, 5G support, computational photography, gaming performance, wi-fi speed and photo security, ZDnet reported on Monday. The Mi 11 has

  Chinese technology company Xiaomi on Tuesday launched in India the Mi 10i 5G smartphone . The Mi 10i will be available in Pacific Sunrise, Midnight Black, and Atlantic Blue colour variants. The smartphones comes in 6GB+64GB, 6GB+128GB and 8GB+128GB RAM and on-board storage variants priced at Rs 20,099, Rs 21,999, and Rs 23,999, respectively. While the 6GB+64GB variant will be available for sale on later dates, the 6GB+128GB and 8GB+128GB variants will be available on the Mi online portal, Mi Homes, Amazon India, Mi Homes and Mi Studios from 07 January 2021. As for the launch offers, the Mi 10i will be available with up to Rs 2,000 cashback offer on the ICICI bank credit/debit cards. Besides, the phone will be available for up to 12 months no-interest equated monthly instalment offer. Mi 10i specifications The Mi 10i sports a 6.67-inch IPS LCD display of fullHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. The phone supports adaptive sync refresh rate, which automatically switches the refre

  I thought it would not be easy to like any other smart television after my experience with Sony’s flagship A8H OLED TV (review). Now it seems I might have been wrong. Xiaomi’s debutant 55-inch QLED TV is quite a competent smart television. Though not as technology-rich as Sony’s OLED, it delivers a comprehensive experience that few premium smart TVs can match. Important to note that the Xiaomi Mi QLED TV 4K is priced at Rs 54,999 which makes it an entry-level smart TV in the QLED segment. The Mi QLED TV 4K does carry an accessible price tag, but make no mistake: It barely cuts corners on any major features, technology or otherwise. Starting with the design, the Mi QLED TV 4K boasts a metallic frame with a 55-inch screen covering almost the entire front. The edge-to-edge stretched screen leaves negligible borders and the otherwise prominent bottom bezel is also reasonably thin. The TV’s metallic frame has a glossy finish with diamond-cut edges for a smooth profile, and laser cut en

  Xiaomi has launched as many as eight phones in the Redmi 9 series in India and now, the company has launched an affordable Redmi 9 Power device with a massive 6000mAh battery. The Redmi 9 Power is priced starting at Rs 10,999 for the base variant with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage and Rs 11,999 for the 128GB storage option. The phone is offered in four colours -- mighty black, blazing blue, fiery red and electric green. We used the 128GB variant in blazing blue colour option for around a week and here is what we think about the new budget device. At the base, it features a Type-C port at the base with a mic on the right side and a single grille speaker on the other side. At the top, it has IR Blaster along with a 3.5mm audio jack. The volume rocker is on the right, with the fingerprint sensor which also doubles up as a power and display button just below it. There's a USB Type C port on the base. Read More  

  Xiaomi on Wednesday expanded its smart TV portfolio in India with the launch of Mi QLED TV 4K . Priced at Rs 54,999, the smart television features Dolby Vision HDR, Dolby Audio, Vivid Picture Engine, Android TV 10, and more. The TV comes in 55-inch screen model with aluminum alloy frame. It boasts an almost bezel-less horizon display for a 96 per cent screen-to-body ratio, according to the Chinese electronics maker. The smart TV supports the commonly available high dynamic range codecs including, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10 and Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG). The Mi QLED TV boots Android TV 10 operating system with Google Assistant and Chromecast built-in. Like other Xiaomi TVs, the Mi QLED TV is powered by company's Patchwall user interface, which is touted to bringing together content from more than 25 content partners. Additionally, the PatchWall features universal search, user centre, kids mode, smart recommendations and live TV utilities. Read More

  Chinese tech major Xiaomi on Monday said it has partnered with Hyderabad-based Radiant Appliances as it ramps up production of its smart TVs in the country. The move comes ahead of Xiaomi's foray into the premium Xiaomi QLED TV segment in India. Xiaomi India Category Lead (Smart TV) Eashwar Nilakantan said when the company had launched its smart TVs in 2018, there were two key trends - Internet tariffs were getting cheaper and speed was faster, and there was a proliferation of content. "Since then, we have already sold over 5 million smart TVs and continue to be No. 1 in the segment. Last year, we started with 4K TVs and that has also seen strong growth. In the pandemic, content consumption has gone up drastically and people are also looking for movie theatre-like experiences at home," he told PTI. Read More

  Xiaomi sub-brand Redmi on Friday launched its first smartwatch in China for about $45. The watch will go on sale in China on December 1, but it may come to other markets - including the US, reports The Verge. It comes in varied dial colour options like elegant black, ink blue, and ivory white. Strap colour variants include elegant black, ink blue, ivory white, cherry blossom powder, and pine needle green.   The smartwatch features a 1.4-inch (320x320 pixels) square display with 323ppi pixel density and 2.5D tempered glass screen. The watch has 120 watch face options, and it comes with a 230 mAh battery. Redmi says the watch will take two hours to get charged completely with seven days of battery life in regular usage and 12 days in battery life mode. Read More

  Chinese electronics maker Xiaomi has announced its Black Friday sale in India. The sale starts from November 26 and will continue till November 29 on Xiaomi web portal, Amazon, Flipkart and offline stores. In the sale, the company is offering discounts on wide range of Mi and Redmi branded products, including smartphones, audio products, health and fitness products, and lifestyle products. Here are the details: Smartphones Xiaomi is offering discounts on its budget and midrange line-up of Redmi branded smartphones. The Redmi 8A and Redmi Note 8 (4GB + 64GB) are available at a discounted price of Rs 6,999 and Rs 11,499, respectively. The Redmi 9i, Redmi 9 Prime and Redmi Note 9 Pro’s 4GB + 128GB variant are available at a discounted price of Rs 8,999, Rs 10,999 and Rs 14,999, respectively. Read More

  Xiaomi restricted itself to budget and mid-range smartphones in India’s price conscious market for a long time. This year, however, the Chinese electronics maker took the leap and launched its premier smartphones in India. Fresh in the line-up is the Mi 10T Pro , which epitomises the company’s efforts in display technology and imaging. Priced at Rs 39,999, the Mi 10T Pro is one of the smartphones that seems to offer sheer value-for-money, at least on paper. Is it as good in real life usage? Let’s find out: Mi 10T Pro: Design The Mi 10T Pro is huge, bulky and heavy. Look elsewhere if you need a compact smartphone because this one is a brick not meant for single hand operations. The smartphone boasts premium glass-metal construction with Gorilla Glass 5 protection on the front and back, and on the rear camera module. Though the phone has a premium built, its glossy rear profile makes it susceptible to accidental slips from hands. Moreover, the phone’s back cover attracts fingerpri

  Expanding its notebook line-up in India, Chinese electronics maker Xiaomi on Thursday launched the Mi Notebook 14 e-learning edition with 10th Gen Intel Core i3 processor. Touted as e-learning device, the notebook will be available in Silver colour at an inaugural price of Rs 34,999 on Mi.com, Mi Homes, Amazon and offline stores.   “We are super thrilled to be expanding our portfolio, this time focused on addressing the growing needs of learning from home. Mi Notebook 14 e-learning edition is a perfect model for young professionals and students and will provide an intuitive and user-friendly experience,” Raghu Reddy, Chief Business Officer, Mi India said in a statement. The Mi Notebook 14 e-learning edition sports a 14-inch screen of fullHD resolution stretched in 16:9 aspect ratio. The screen is covered with an anti-glare coating to filter reflections and reduce strain on eyes while working in a bright environment or under a direct light source. Read More

  Xiaomi on Thursday launched the Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro flagship smartphones as part of the Mi 10T series for the India market. The Xiaomi Mi 10T is priced at Rs 35,999 for the 6GB+128GB storage variant, and Rs 37,999 for the 8GB+128GB model. The Mi 10T Pro, on the other hand, is priced at Rs 39,999 for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage configuration. "With the launch of Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro, we focus on redefining the possibilities of what smartphones could offer by bringing features such as Intelligent AdaptiveSync technology, coupled with higher refresh rate, 108MP camera and Qualcomm Snapdragon 865," said Manu Kumar Jain, Vice President, Xiaomi and Managing Director, Xiaomi India. Read More

  Xiaomi’s run for value-for-money products continues as the Chinese technology company forays into categories other than smartphones. After a successful showing in the smart television and smart fitness wearables space in India, the company has now entered the smart speaker segment with the launch of Mi Smart Speaker. The Mi Smart Speaker is a Google Assistant-powered device, with built-in Chromecast for easy content streaming. Besides being a smart speaker, it lets you manage and operate supported internet-of-things (IoT) products through voice commands. Priced at Rs 3,999, the Mi Smart Speaker is an entry-level voice-enabled speaker that promises audio quality better than Google’s and Amazon’s budget smart speakers. But does it live up to its name and promise? Let’s find out: The Mi Smart Speaker is a lot bigger and heavier than its palm-sized peers from Amazon and Google. Its big stature, however, gives it space to accommodate a 2.5-inch audio driver, which is the biggest you

  Chinese technology company Xiaomi on Wednesday launched in India the Redmi Sonicbass wireless earphones and Redmi Earbuds 2c wireless earbuds. Priced at Rs 1,299, the Redmi SonicBass Wireless earphones will be available in black and blue colours at an introductory price of Rs 999 from October 7 at Mi online store, Flipkart, Mi Homes, Mi Studios and select retail stores. The Redmi Earbuds 2C are priced at Rs 1,499 and it will be available at an introductory price of Rs 1,299 from October 7 at Mi online store, Amazon, Mi Homes, Mi Studios and select retail stores. Redmi SonicBass wireless earphones: Features The Redmi SonicBass wireless earphones are in-ear neckband styled earphones. It boasts an anti-slip design made of flexible material for comfort. The earphones have an on-board volume controls and a multi-function button for ease of access to various multimedia controls. The earphones weigh 21.2g and feature anti-wax silicone ear tips with magnetic earbuds. It has 9.2mm audio

  Chinese electronics maker Xiaomi’s spin-off smartphone brand POCO on Tuesday launched in India the POCO C3 . The smartphone comes in 3G RAM + 32GB onboard storage and 4GB RAM + 64GB onboard storage configurations priced at Rs 7,499 and Rs 8,999, respectively. It will be available in arctic blue, lime green and matte black colour from October 16 as Flipkart Big Billion Days special. In terms of specifications, the POCO C3 features a 6.53-inch 20:9 aspect screen of HD+ resolution. The phone’s display boasts TUV Rheinland certified reading mode. The smartphone boasts P2i’s nano-coating for protection against minor water splashes and spillages. It boots Android 10 operating system-based MIUI 12 for POCO user interface, which is similar to one that powers Xiaomi smartphones but without UI advertisements. Read More