HIGHLIGHTS
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 launch seems imminent
Existing Aircel subscribers can get unlimited calls at Rs. 199
Amazon, Best Buy, and others have kicked off their Black Friday sales
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 has been leaked again. This time, an image via Weibo suggests the smartphone will run MIUI 9.7.9.26 based on Android 7.1.2 Nougat, and be powered by a Snapdragon 625 SoC. There's a 4000mAh battery and 12-megapixel rear camera too. Most notably, it is said to have a 5.99-inch display and is the first Redmi smartphone to have an 18:9 aspect ratio with a 1080x2160 pixels resolution.
Some of the other rumoured specifications include a 5-megapixel front camera. There could be two variants of the phone at launch: 3GB RAM with 32GB storage and 4GB RAM with 64GB storage. It is likely to support dual-SIM cards in a hybrid SIM slot configuration.
Xiaomi India Teases 'Desh ka Smartphone' Will Have Great Battery Life, Redmi 5A Expected
In other Xiaomi news, the company is set to launch the 'Desh ka Smartphone' in India on November 30. The Redmi India Twitter account teased a smartphone with great battery life - pointing at either a large battery or optimised software in the form of MIUI 9. Speculation points to the Xiaomi Redmi 5A as the prime candidate for launch on November 30. The reasons are aplenty. First is the fact that the Redmi India handle was used to tweet, revealing it would be a Redmi-branded device. Secondly is its price - CNY 599 (roughly Rs. 5,800). A third reason for this is its battery life - Xiaomi says it will offer a battery life up to 8 days. It also runs MIUI 9 out-of-the-box.
Xiaomi India Cuts Prices of Mi Accessories Thanks to GST Implementation
Xiaomi has announced it would be passing on the benefits of a lower price on its accessories due to a GST (Goods and Services Tax) rate cut to consumers. What this means is, the Mi Power Bank, Mi Business Backpack, Mi Charger, and other accessories see a price revision. The 10000mAh Mi Power Bank 2 is now available for Rs. 1,099 (originally priced at Rs. 1,199), the 20000mAh Mi Power Bank 2 is priced at Rs. 1,999 (previously available for Rs. 2,199). The price drop is also applicable to Mi Business Backpack that arrived in the country at Rs. 1,499. It is now available for Rs. 1,299. You can check out the new prices for all Mi accessories and phone cases here.
Jio Effect: Aircel Launches New Unlimited Voice Call Packs With Data Benefits
The impact of Reliance Jio’s low tariffs is far from over. Aircel has announced new rates for subscribers in Mumbai. They’re available for existing and new prepaid customers. Current Aircel users can get unlimited local and STD calls as well as 2G data for Rs. 199 for 28 days. New customers can get the same benefits for Rs. 178 for 28 days. If unlimited voice calling isn’t crucial to you, existing customers can get local and STD voice calls for 20 paise a minute for a year by recharging with the Rs. 78 pack. New subscribers can avail of the same 20-paisa voice call benefit plus 2GB 2G data for the first six months and a talk time worth Rs. 70 with a recharge of Rs. 88. Comparatively Reliance Jio offers unlimited voice calls and 1GB data per day for 49 days at Rs. 309. Airtel has a similar offer for Rs. 349 but for 28 days.
OnePlus 5T Sold Out Within 5 Minutes in Second Early Access Sale on Amazon India
The OnePlus 5T sold out within five minutes of its one-hour preview sale on Amazon India this Friday. The phone was also on sale on the OnePlus India online store and open to all customers on both platforms. "We have seen unprecedented customer response to the early access sales, in India as well as globally. Hundreds of fans stormed our 'Experience Stores' in Bengaluru and Delhi," Vikas Agarwal, General Manager, OnePlus India, said in a statement. "We are happy to announce that OnePlus 5T will go on open sale, starting on November 28, across all channels including Amazon.in, oneplusstore.in, select Croma stores and 'Experience Stores' in Bengaluru and Delhi," Agarwal added.
OnePlus 5T also broke the company's launch-day sales record on the first early access sale on November 21, and became the company's fastest-selling device in six hours, the company said. Back in India, at the same first early access sale, Amazon said the OnePlus 5T became the highest grossing product for a single day for Amazon Prime members.
Black Friday Deals: The Best Deals From Amazon, Best Buy, and Other Sales; OnePlus Says 'No' to Black Friday Sales, Offers $0.01 Discount
Black Friday sees an assortment of discounts on tech from the likes of Amazon and Best Buy. Some great deals include price drops on the Sonos Play 1 that’s now $149 instead of $199. It works well with Amazon Alexa and can be easily set up over Wi-Fi. There’s the Sony MDR1000X wireless headphones that’s now $228.99 on Best Buy compared to the original price of $399.99 The headphones include adaptive noise cancellation features and a battery that promises up to 20 hours worth of usage. In terms of sound, it competes with the likes of Bose QC35. You can check out all the deals here and if you’re wondering how to order and ship your purchases to India, this handy guide is here to help.
And while every retailer is competing for your Black Friday money, don’t expect the OnePlus 5T to get a discount or at least one that’s substantial. There’s a mere GBP/EUR/USD 0.01 discount on the original price. Though the Dash Power Bundle is 50 percent off for 24 hours in US, UK, and Europe.
"Our goal is to share good technology with the world. That's why we price our devices fairly year-round, so that you don't have to double check the match. Say no to Black Friday price games," OnePlus said.
Google Pixel Gets 'Smart Battery' Feature to Make Better Predictions
The Google Pixel 2 might be in the news for all the wrong reasons but that hasn’t stopped the company from adding new features. Smart Battery now makes it easier for Pixel users to ascertain battery loss. Google explained that past Android smartphone battery life estimates were based on simple assumptions. With Smart Battery, Google Pixel and Pixel 2 users see how battery life is drained over time. Pixel users can see the new battery predictions via Settings > Battery which will now show personalised battery estimates. Michelle adds that it tells you both percent of battery left and how many hours the device will last.
Sony Launches New Range of Noise Cancellation Headphones in India
Sony launched four new wireless headphones in India. The Sony WH-1000XM2 price is Rs. 29,990, while the WH-H900N price is Rs. 18,990, WF-1000X price is Rs. 14,990, and WI-1000X price is Rs 21,990. The WH-1000XM2 and WH-H900N will be available from December 14 while the WF-1000X and WI-1000X are available right now. All the wireless headphones will be available in Black with the WH-1000MX2 available in Gold too.
Twitter Starts Testing 'Bookmarks' Save for Later Feature
Twitter is testing a new feature called Bookmarks. It’s aimed at helping its users privately flag tweets for viewing later.
"News from the #SaveForLater team! We've decided to call our feature 'Bookmarks' because that's a commonly used term for saving content and it fits nicely alongside the names of the other features in the navigation,” tweeted Tina Koyama, a product designer at Twitter.
The feature will help users keep a private list of tweets they can refer to at their convenience rather than using the heart button which is publicly visible and can be misconstrued as ‘liking’ or endorsing a tweet instead of bookmarking it for later consumption.
Amazon Workers Strike at Italian, German Warehouses on Black Friday
While the concept of Black Friday is slowly being embraced by Indian retailers, Europe sees Amazon’s workers in Italy and Germany striking on Black Friday due to a breakdown in discussions regarding bonuses.
Unions said in a statement more than 500 Amazon workers at the Piacenza site in northern Italy had agreed to strike following a failure to negotiate bonuses with the company.
Workers have also decided not to do any overtime until December 31, covering the peak season for the online retailer which hires temporary workers during this period. The Verdi trade union in Germany said Amazon employees would also strike on Friday at six distribution centres in the country as part of a long-running dispute over pay and conditions.
"The world's biggest online retailer wants to achieve record sales on this day, but employees have to produce record performance not only on this day so that everything runs how Amazon wants it," said Verdi board member Stefanie Nutzenberger.