Xiaomi’s Electric Car Emerges In China; Company’s CEO Claims It Won’t Be Available Anytime Soon

Xiaomi is the biggest smartphone manufacturer in China, and third worldwide, but this company isn’t only a smartphone manufacturing company. As you already know by now, Xiaomi also makes smart TVs, tablets, wearables, all sorts of other smart gadgets and they’re also developing their own Android-based OS, MIUI. Xiaomi has a big appetite though, they’re constantly expanding their presence in the market and the range of projects they’re working on. Back in December, a report arrived stating that the company is working on a mini car codenamed “Mistla” that could cost 39,999 Yuan ($6389). This news seemed fishy and kind of unreal.

Company’s CEO, Lei Jun, did say quite recently that the company won’t release an electric car in the next 3 to 5 years, but an interesting image appeared in China though. As you can see, this is a car which has a Xiaomi logo on the back (well, half of Xiaomi’s logo acutally), and it also has a “Lei Jun electric” writing on the back. This seems to be a rather small vehicle, and it seems quite ordinary from the outside. Now, there are several possible scenarios here. This the logo and the writing on the back of this picture might be photoshopped, or perhaps this car is real, but only a prototype of some sorts. Lei Jun was rather clear when he said that the company has no intentions of releasing a car in the next 3 to 5 years, so don’t hold your breath for that.

This Chinese company certainly does have big plans for the future, but don’t expect this car to become a reality anytime soon. This is a bit far-fetched even for Xiaomi at this point, and the company’s CEO did confirm that the company isn’t going to announce anything of the sort anytime soon. You can expect them to release something like this in the future though, Xiaomi is full of ideas it seems, and you can expect to see a lot of interesting projects coming from the Xiaomi camp in the future. That being said, would you like to see Xiaomi release something like this in the future?

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Sponsored App Review: Math Mania

Math Mania is an Android game that’s all about using your brain. On the face of things, it might look like a game for kids, but it’s actually a quickfire quiz game for all ages. You’re presented with two numbers and then an answer, you need to choose whether the operation is to add, subtract, divide or multiply the numbers to get the answer. You need to choose the operation in a matter of seconds in order to get the question right and to then move on to other questions. The quicker you answer questions, and the more of them you answer, the closer you’ll become to beating Einstein’s score. Math Mania is something for those looking to really test themselves, and will be a great game for math buffs or gifted children looking to perfect their skills.

To get started with Math Mania, all you need to do is to download it from the Play Store. Then you can get started.

There’s a very short and to-the-point tutorial when you start playing Math Mania, but it’s really not that helpful.

Thankfully thought, there’s little you need to think about when it comes to controls and such. All you need to do is to tap the right operation that would get the answer at the bottom of the screen. You have a seriously slim amount of time to get these questions right though, as there’s a timer at the top of the display that lasts only a few seconds.

When you get a question right, you’re given a star-rating, and the quicker you get something right, the higher a rating you’re given.

At the end of your game time, you’re given a score, as well as a general overall rating and how close you’ve come to Einstein’s score.

That’s all there is to the gameplay, but there are achievements and you can connect with Google Play Games as well. The real fun is in beating your high score time after time and seeing how long you can play for without making a mistake. Chaining answers together will get you double points and keep you going, but it is a very difficult game there’s no denying that.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with Math Mania, having said that I do wish that there was a different difficulty setting or something as my math skills are okay I’d say, and I was really struggling to get past more than a few answers in a row. The game is fairly new however, so there’s a chance that this sort of thing can be added in the future and I’m sure they’re working on new game modes and that sort of thing. As for the overall look and feel of the game, I was happy that Math Mania used fairly neutral colors, and there’s very little to get in your way or distract you when you’re trying your best to answer tough questions as quickly as possible. It’s a fun game, there’s no denying that, but I wouldn’t recommend this to everyone. Just like I would love a difficult word game, I wouldn’t see some of my friends enjoying it. A game that’s suited to those that enjoy using their brain and have a knack for tricky math questions, Math Mania is a challenging game that can be great fun.

Ratings

• Speed (4/5) – Math Mania runs nice and quickly, and this is a game you can play in small chunks at a time, making it great for on the go gaming.


• Features (3.5/5) – This is a game that’s just getting off the ground, but it’s one that already has a lot going for it, and I’m sure it’ll get more difficulty settings and extra modes in future releases.


• Theme (4/5) – It might not be that exciting, but the basic color scheme make this a game that is both easy to understand and the music is pretty good, too.


• Overall (4/5) – For a new game, Math Mania ticks a lot of the right boxes, but I wish there were different difficulty settings and other game modes. Right now though, this is still a game for those that love working out their brain and are decent mathematicians.

Pros

• No complicated controls or anything to remember, just pick the right answer and you’re done.


• Great for small sessions on the way to work or while waiting for a train or something like that; it’s well-suited no matter how much time you have.


• Nice challenge for those big on their math, or those looking to keep their brains sharp.


• Good replay value as once you get used to the game and sharpen your brain up, you can go for that high score of Einstein’s.

Cons

• Won’t appeal to those not so hot on their math skills.


• Difficulty adjustment would be nice as the game is very challenging right from the go.

Math Mania might not be a game for everyone, but it’s something that brain training fans will really enjoy and those looking to get their brain sharp for an upcoming exam or just to keep their brain fresh will love this. It’s challenging, easy to play and a great game when you’re on the move, it might not be easy to some, but Math Mania is one of the few games that makes Math even remotely exciting.

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Sony May Be Testing Android Lollipop For The Xperia C3

Sony recently reported that the Xperia Z devices are receiving Android 5.0 Lollipop because the software is currently undergoing final testing. We’ve a leak today that appears to show the Xperia C3 running an official release of Android Lollipop. The device is running Sony firmware version 19.3.A.0.222, which compares with the current Kit Kat version of 19.2.1.A.0.72. What is not clear is of the C3 will receive the update or not. We’ve the Sony Media Communications team say that Sony’s lower and mid-range Xperia line of Android devices will not receive the update, instead this is essentially reserved for the Z range. These leaked screen images may be associated with internal testing of the software: perhaps Sony is still considering the update and this software build is a part of this process?

In terms of hardware specification, the C3 certainly appears variable of running Android Lollipop. It was released at the end of Summer 2014 so it has only been out by seven to eight months. The smartphone is based around a 5.5-inch, 720p IPS LCD incorporating Sony’s Mobile Bravia 2 image processing engine and a Triluminos display. It’s powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, which is a 32-bit, quad-core, 1.2 GHz processor used in a number of other devices. There’s 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of internal storage (which has about 5 GB of space available for the user) plus a MicroSD card slot to add another 32 GB of storage. Around the back, there’s a 8MP camera and a 5MP front-facing unit. The C3 is kept powered up by an internal 2,500 mAh rechargeable battery. The core processor, screen and memory specification is similar to other devices already running Android Lollipop, such as the Moto G, although these handsets do not have Sony’s Xperia user interface.

Going back to Android Lollipop, Sony have included a number of Google’s revisions to the newer version including the task switcher view, the notification screen and the drop down settings screens, all of which look close to the stock interface. The firmware also appears to include Sony’s bundled entertainment applications such as the Walkman, Video Unlimited, plus the customizable Small Apps running at the bottom of the task switcher. Android Lollipop also includes two important changes under the skin – the operating system has moved to the Android RunTime away from the Dalvik RunTime, which means applications take longer to install but are much quicker to launch and require fewer device resources. Another change is the inclusion of a network scheduler, which aims to collate all application network requests and defer them until as many as possible may be fulfilled at the one time, which helps keep the device asleep rather than allowing applications to constantly wake the device. The network scheduler could be integrated into Sony’s STAMINA technology, which is designed to reduce battery consumption by disabling certain aspects of the device and stopping certain applications from connecting to the Internet.

Do you have the Xperia C3? If so, is today’s leak encouraging? Do you want to see Android Lollipop on you device? Or are you happy with things as they are? Let us know in the comments below. Meanwhile, if we hear anything official from Sony, we’ll let you know.

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Oppo’s Smartwatch Will Allegedly Be Called The “OWatch” And Sport Circular Design

We’ve seen a lot of wearables being launched in 2014. Many manufacturers are pushing their own wearable devices out to the market, and smartwatches are a big part of the whole picture. Smartwatches are far from being mainstream at this point, but they’re certainly gaining popularity. As smartwatch platforms develop, their marketshare will rise, hopefully. Anyhow, more and more smartphone manufacturers are pushing their smartwatches on the market, mostly Android Wear-powered devices, and it seems like Oppo plans to join those OEMs soon.

According to the latest report coming from China, Oppo is intensively working on the development of their first smartwatch. Very few details are known at this point, but it seems like the company’s smartwatch will be called “OWatch”, and it will most likely be powered by Android Wear operating system. This report also claims that the watch will sport circular build (image down below), though these are not official news, of course. Oppo is well-known for their design, this company pays special attention to the design of their smartphones, so the expectations for their first smartwatch are rather big at this moment. Oppo tends to use metal when assembling their smartphones, at least as far as their mid and high-end lines go. They’ve also used sapphire glass on the Oppo R1C model, for example, and we expect the company to do something similar when it comes to this smartwatch. No matter whether they come up with a circular or square smartwatch, metal material(s) will most likely going to be a part of the package.

This report didn’t bring any ETA when it comes to this thing, but it is to be expected that Oppo will launch this smartwatch before the end of this year. If we stumble upon some additional information, we’ll make sure to let you know, of course. In the meantime though, let us know what you think about all this, do you think that the so-called “OWatch” will sport a design similar to the already-announced smartwatch models, or can we expect something new and unique from the Oppo camp? Let us know what you think, we’d love to hear from you, as usual.

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Xiaomi CEO: Next-Gen Redmi Device Will Feature Extremely Thin Bezels

Xiaomi managed to sell 61 million handsets last year, which are staggering results for the company. This China-based smartphone manufacturer intends to improve upon last year’s results in 2015 though. They have a lot of plans for this year and have already launched a bunch of devices this year, Xiaomi Mi Note and Mi Note Pro are the company’s newest flagship, but the company has also launched the Redmi 1S’ successor, the Redmi 2. This handset is a mid-range offering by the company, but a very capable mid-ranger. This handset is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 410 64-bit quad-core chip and is available in two versions, the 8GB of internal storage + 1GB of RAM variants, or the 16GB of internal storage + 16GB of RAM model. The availability is limited though, as is with most of Xiaomi’s devices. This company sells their devices officially only in parts of Asia, though you can get it via resellers elsewhere.

That being said, company’s CEO, Lei Jun, posted some information about the next-gen Redmi handset. Lei Jun said that the next-gen Redmi will sport the same size display as the current version, but will come sporting significantly smaller / slimmer bezels. The company is working on improving the design of their upcoming smartphones, and trimming down the bezels is definitely a part of that procedure it seems. The Redmi 2 handset launched back in January, so we don’t expect the Redmi 3 to launch for a long time, but it is possible that Mr. Jun didn’t refer to the Redmi 3, but the Redmi Note 2 which might arrive quite soon actually. Anyhow, the company will definitely launch more smartphones this year, not only is the Redmi Note 2 expected to launch, but the company’s Mi5 flagship is also due to arrive in the next couple of months.

We’ve seen a lot of leaks regarding the Xiaomi Mi5, and the device will sports thinner bezels as well (compared to its predecessor), it remains to be seen how thin those bezels will be though. The Xiaomi Mi 4 was announced back in July 2014, so its successor is due to arrive mid-2015. Do you think that the Mi 5 will sport extremely thin bezels, and will the device resemble the Mi 4 or do you expect Xiaomi to mix it up a bit?

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ZTE Schedules Nubia Z9 Launch Event For March 26; More Nubia Z9 Max Images Surface

ZTE Nubia Z9 will be the company’s new flagship. We’ve been hearing about this device for quite some time now, a lot of rumors and leaks have come our way in the past couple of months. Well, the company has now released a teaser for the upcoming phone on their official Weibo (Chinese social network) page, revealing that they’ll hold an event on March 26th and reveal the device then (along with other devices from the Nubia Z9 line probably). The ZTE Nubia Z9 is quite an interesting device, at least according to the rumors. Many rumors thus far have claimed that this device won’t have any bezels on the side, and several designs came our way, some of them more believable than others.

Either way, this device is going to come with high-end specifications and premium build, that’s for sure. The Nubia Z7 which launched last year sports a 5.5-inch QuadHD display and 3GB of RAM, along with a ton of other top of the line specs. The Nubia Z9 is expected to sport that very same display, 3 or 4GB of RAM and the device will almost certainly going to be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810, a 64-bit octa-core chip by Qualcomm. Android Lollipop will also come pre-installed here, and you can expect metal materials to be included in the device’s build. Anyhow, stay tuned, I’m sure we’ll get some additional information before the device launches.

Speaking of the Nubia Z9, the company has showcased the Nubia Z9 Max during MWC in Barcelona recently. They did not announce that handset though, but showed it off behind the scenes to a couple of select companies, you can read about that here if you’d like. The Nubia Z9 Max will also be launched on March 26th. We have some additional images to share with you today regarding this device, which came straight from China (check out the gallery down below). The Nubia Z9 Max sports a 5.5-inch display (quite probably QuadHD resolution), 3GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable internal storage, a 16-megapixel camera on the back and Android 5.0.2 is pre-installed here. As you can see, these specifications are rather similar to what Nubia Z9 is expected to ship with. The launch event will take place in a couple of weeks, stay tuned.

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Xiaomi Mi 4 Is Malware-Free After All, The Company Claims That The Tested Unit Is A Counterfeit

A well-known security firm, Bluebox, recently claimed that they found malware in Xiaomi’s Mi4 handset. This (understandably) upset many owners of the said device, and brought the company under the spotlight. Well, it seems like that’s not the case, and the Mi4 is clean, anyhow, read on. We were contacted by Xiaomi, and the company claims that the tested device is a counterfeit product purchased on the streets in China through an unofficial channel. The company says that third-party companies / developers tend to temper with software which originally comes installed on devices in China, and that there are also a ton of counterfeit products sold in China which are almost indistinguishable from the original.

Xiaomi assures us, that their products are completely malware-free, and that the company is taking measures to crack down on manufacturers which sell counterfeit devices and people who tamper with their products. The company also recommends you to purchase their devices through authorized channels, through their official Mi.com webshop, and a number of their partners (mobile carriers and a couple of retailers like Flipkart). This China-based smartphone manufacturers also claims that MIUI is true Android, contrary to what Bluebox has stated, and that MIUI follows exactly Android CDD (Google’s definition for Android devices). They also say that MIUI passed every single one of Android’s CTS tests, which confirm complete Android compatibility, this can be said for every single Xiaomi device that was launched thus far.

There you have it folks, it seems like the device that Bluebox tested wasn’t exactly the original Xiaomi device. The seems to be doing everything they can in order to tackle counterfeiters, though there are a lot of manufacturers which are pushing such devices out to the market. It is always recommended that you purchase devices through official channels, that can be said for every brand, not just Xiaomi. We’ll make sure to let you know if any additional developments occur in the following days, of course. If you’d like to share your thoughts, feel free to do so in the comments, we’d love to hear what you have to say.

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