Last month that allow game streaming services such as Google Stadia, Microsoft’s xCloud, and NVIDIA’s GeForce Now to run on iOS devices. Sadly, the update notes stated that: "Games offered in a streaming game service subscription must be downloaded directly from the App Store, must be designed to avoid duplicate payment by a subscriber, and should not disadvantage non-subscriber customers.”
Many users have pointed out that downloading games to play them defeats the purpose of game streaming services. Now iOS users may have a workaround that will let them play Stadia games without any download, ...
The Mi Smart Speaker sounds just as good as the Google Home, and costs less than half as much.
If there's one trait that defines Xiaomi, it is value. Regardless of whatever Xiaomi product you pick up from Chinese manufacturer's portfolio — whether it's a $100 entry-level phone, $600 value flagship, or even a $2,000 laser projector — you know that you're getting a great value.
Xiaomi used this value-focused approach to considerable benefit in the handset market, and it is now doing the same with the smart home category. Xiaomi has a vast ecosystem of smart products, and its latest offering in this segment is one that I've been particularly looking forward to for some time.
The Mi Smart Speaker is a smart speaker with Google Assistant integration, much like the Sonos One, Sonos Move, JBL Link 300, Bose Home Speaker 500, and others. You get the full range of features that Google Assistant has to offer, the ability to add the speaker to an existing multiroom configuration within the Google Home app, and so much more. And because this is made by Xiaomi, you're getting incredible value as well.
This isn't the first time Xiaomi is making a smart speaker, but its initial offerings have been limited to China and feature the manufacturer's own XiaoAI assistant. This particular model debuted in China earlier this year, and is now available in India, with availability in other global markets kicking off later this year.
Xiaomi is positioning the Mi Smart Speaker as an alternative to the Google Home, touting significant gains in audio at a lower cost. The Mi Smart Speaker is now up for sale in India for ₹3,499 ($48), and will be coming to other global markets later in the year. With Xiaomi undercutting Google by a significant margin, let's take a look at what the Mi Smart Speaker has to offer, and why it may just be the ideal smart speaker in India.
Xiaomi Mi Smart Speaker
Bottom line: The Mi Smart Speaker delivers everything you're looking for in a Google Assistant speaker, and does so on a budget. You get similar audio quality as the Google Home for less than half the price, and a design that emulates the Sonos One.
The Mi Smart Speaker is a Google Assistant speaker, so in terms of functionality it is identical to the Google Home or Nest Mini. The speaker has an interesting design with a metal grille that has 10,531 perforations, and the overall aesthetic is similar to what you get on the Sonos One. The design allows it to stand out from what Amazon and Google offer in this segment.
The Mi Smart Speaker delivers Google Home-level performance for the price of a Nest Mini.
There is a light ring at the top that gives you a visual indicator for any notifications — à la Echo — and you get a control surface with four buttons: volume down, play/pause, mute, and volume up. There's a Mi logo at the front, and rubber feet at the bottom ensure the speaker stays planted on a surface.
There are two far-field mics at the top that do a great job picking up your voice commands from all the way across the room. The Mi Smart Speaker is taller than the Google Home and Echo, and is twice as heavy as the Google Home. The power unit for the speaker sits inside the housing, and you get Wi-Fi ac connectivity.
Powering the Mi Smart Speaker is a 2.5-inch driver that delivers 12W of sound. The sound signature is warm and inviting, and the speaker sounds just as good as the Google Home and Echo. That's a big deal when you consider the Mi Smart Speaker costs less than half as much as Google and Amazon's offerings.
A key feature on the Mi Smart Speaker is Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity. You can connect to the speaker as you would to any regular Bluetooth speaker, making it that much more versatile. You can also pick up two speakers and create a stereo pair.
Because the Mi Smart Speaker is a Google Assistant speaker, it has Chromecast built-in, and you can set it up and configure settings via the Google Home app. In terms of features, it is identical to the Google Home: you can get your daily briefing and run Google Assistant routines, ask queries, get timer and notification alerts, and so much more.
The Mi Smart Speaker also ties in seamlessly with your existing multi-room configuration. I have three Google Homes, a Nest Hub, and five speakers hooked up to Chromecast Audio, and I was able to add the Mi Smart Speaker to that configuration from within the Home app without any hassle. And because of Chromecast built-in, it showed up as a Cast target for Spotify and Tidal.
Xiaomi Mi Smart Speaker What needs work
The Mi Smart Speaker has the same set of features as the Google Home, and I didn't run into any issues with it in my usage. Xiaomi mentions that it is in charge of delivering firmware updates for the device, so that may be an issue down the line if Google decides to add new features to Assistant. With Xiaomi handling the firmware, the speaker may not get the new additions at the same time as Google's own speakers.
Xiaomi Mi Smart Speaker The competition
If you're looking to get started with a smart speaker, the Echo Dot is the obvious choice. The 4th-gen Echo Dot is now on pre-order for ₹4,499 ($61) (or $60 in the U.S., and it comes with an interesting new spherical design that delivers better sound. The Echo Dot's low cost makes it an ideal option to get started with Alexa.
If you're like me and are invested in Google's ecosystem, the ₹3,999 ($55) ($50 in the U.S. is a better choice. While the Nest Mini does a great job as an Assistant-enabled device, the sound quality is lackluster. That's an area where the Mi Smart Speaker handily beats Google's offering.
Xiaomi Mi Smart Speaker Should you buy?
You should buy this if ...
You want a smart speaker with Google Assistant integration
The Mi Smart Speaker offers the same functionality as Google's first-party Google Home and Nest Mini.
You want great audio at an affordable cost
You get the same audio quality as a Google Home or Echo at less than half the price.
You want seamless integration with the Google Home app
Want to add the Mi Smart Speaker to your existing multi-room audio setup? You can do that with ease.
You should not buy this if ...
You don't want a smart speaker
Not sold on the idea of a Google Assistant-enabled smart speaker yet? Then the Mi Smart Speaker is not for you.
At ₹3,499 ($48), the Mi Smart Speaker is positioned against the Echo Dot and Nest Mini in terms of price, but it delivers performance that's equivalent to the Echo and Google Home, which cost twice as much. That's what makes the Mi Smart Speaker so enticing.
A bulk of smart speaker purchases are in the $25 to $50 category, and by offering the Mi Smart Speaker for under $50, Xiaomi is clearly going after Echo Dot and Nest Mini buyers. In doing so, it has offered one of the best Google Assistant speakers in the market today.
Xiaomi's differentiator is that the Mi Smart Speaker delivers incredible sound quality for the asking price. I've used the speaker alongside the Google Home and Echo, and it is on par in terms of audio quality. Xiaomi has once again managed to beat the incumbents by offering a speaker that has excellent value, and if you're looking to get started with a Google Assistant smart speaker, the Mi Smart Speaker is the default option for under ₹5,000.
4.5out of 5
The Mi Smart Speaker is now on sale in India, and Xiaomi will bring the speaker to global markets, including the UK, Europe, and other countries. It won't see a formal launch in the U.S., however, so if you're looking to pick it up from the U.S., you'll have to do so from Amazon UK.
Xiaomi Mi Smart Speaker
Bottom line: The Mi Smart Speaker costs the same as the Nest Mini but offers a feature-set that's more in line with the Google Home. It has Bluetooth connectivity, excellent audio quality, and the value on offer is incredible.
Google's new Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 phones won't be launched in India.
What you need to know
The Pixel 4a will finally be available to purchase in India starting October 17.
It will be sold in the country via Walmart-owned e-commerce giant Flipkart.
The price for the Indian market, however, hasn't been revealed yet.
Google's budget-friendly Pixel 4a, which was launched in August, will finally go on sale in India later this month. Replying to a query from a fan on Twitter, Google has revealed that the Pixel 4a will be available in India from October 17.
Hi Roger, we appreciate your interest in our Pixel devices. The Pixel 4a launches in India on October 17th and will be available for purchase on Flipkart. To learn more about the Pixel 4a check out the official blog post here: https://t.co/EOgWtQ7NMg Appreciate it.
As confirmed by Google in August, the Pixel 4a will be sold in India exclusively via Flipkart. A landing page) for the phone is already live on the Flipkart website, although it doesn't mention the October 17 launch date.
Even though the phone's India launch date has now been confirmed, its price is yet to be revealed. While the Pixel 4a is priced at just $349 (₹25,600) in the U.S., it is expected to cost around ₹30,000 ($409) in India for the lone 6GB/128GB version.
Unfortunately, however, Google will not be bringing its new Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 phones to India. The Pixel 4a will be the only phone that the search giant will launch in the country this year.
Google's Pixel 4a features a 5.81-inch FHD+ display with a hole-punch cutout on the top-left corner for an 8MP selfie camera. Under the hood is an 8nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G chipset, paired with 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage. Around the back of the phone is a single 12.2MP camera with support for up to 4K video recording. It also comes with a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, stereo speakers, and a 3140mAh battery with 18W fast charging.
Alphabet's Google is set to win EU antitrust approval for its $2.1 billion acquisition of fitness tracker maker Fitbit with its latest concessions to address EU antitrust concerns, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.
Google Meet is rolling out noise cancellation feature for its Android and iOS apps. The feature automatically filters out background noise from your device’s audio input, while still letting your voice through.
The US judge who stopped a ban on TikTok downloads from kicking in on Monday said that President Donald Trump likely overstepped the law with the attempted move.
The Trump administration faces ongoing court battles after two legal setbacks in its efforts to bar US app stores from offering Chinese-owned TikTok or WeChat for download.
Microsoft said late Monday a recent change it introduced likely caused a major outage, affecting users' access to multiple Microsoft 365 services, including Outlook.com and Microsoft Teams.
Android 12 will make it easier to use third-party app stores, Google has announced through a blog post. The Android maker has also updated its payments policy to emphasise on the requirements for enabling in-app purchases.
The Lord of the Rings prequel series has reportedly resumed filming in New Zealand. Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop will join The Lord of the Rings prequel series in resuming production this Wednesday.
Epic Games on Monday failed to convince a US judge to make Apple put its hit title Fortnite back in the tech giant's App Store, while their legal battle heads for a possible trial next year.
Google on Monday sought to rebut criticism that it selectively enforces its 30 percent Play Store tax, demanding that the over 3 percent apps selling digital items without complying follow the rules within a year.
A judge was set to rule Sunday on whether to allow a Trump administration ban on downloads of popular video-sharing app TikTok, which is seeking an injunction to prevent what it said could be a devastating blow.
Epic Games will strive anew Monday to convince a judge that its hit title Fortnite should be restored to Apple's App Store, despite sidestepping the tech titan's standard commission on transactions.
Google plans to push harder for developers to give the company a cut of in-app purchases through its Play app store, according to people with knowledge of the move.
Google just gave away the India launch date for the Pixel 4a.
The phone will land in India on October 17.
It will go on sale through Flipkart.
Google has finally announced the India launch date for the Pixel 4a. The mid-range Google phone that debuted in the US back in August will reach Indian shores on October 17. Google confirmed the Pixel 4a India launch while replying to a query on Twitter.
It’s possible that Google’s Twitter account jumped the gun because we were initially expecting the company to announce the India availability of the Pixel 4a during the Pixel hardware event that concluded a few hours back. When that didn’t happen, we thought Google would put out an official Pixel 4a India launch announcement at a later date. Looks like the cat is finally out of the bag.
Where to buy the Google Pixel 4a in India and for how much?
The Google Pixel 4a will be made available in India through Flipkart. The e-commerce platform has already put up a dedicated page for the phone on its website. However, it doesn’t mention the October 17 launch date just yet.
The Pixel 4a is a mid-tier smartphone that features the Snapdragon 730 chipset. Unlike its recently launched successors — the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 — the phone does not support 5G connectivity. Not that India has any 5G networks to speak of. The good thing is that it comes with the same primary camera as the more premium Google phones so expect to take some quality photos with the device.
It’s also cheaper than the new Google phones at $349. This translates to somewhere around Rs. 25,000 in India. However, Google phones are usually marked up in India compared to their international counterparts, so the phone could cost a bit more than the direct price conversion.
The Pixel 4a will launch in India in a single 6GB RAM and 128GB storage model. Buyers will also get three-month free trials of YouTube Premium and Google One with the phone.
If you’re thinking of waiting for the Pixel 4a 5G or the Pixel 5 instead? Don’t. Google has already announced that it won’t launch the phones in India.
Since 2012, Chinese phone and networking equipment manufacturer has been considered a national security threat. Perceived ties with the Communist Chinese government have the current administration concerned that Huawei collects personal and corporate data using back doors placed inside the company's handsets and networking gear. Even though this has never been proven and has been denied by the company, President Donald Trump cited "security" for placing Huawei on the Entity List last year preventing the firm from accessing its U.S. supply chain.
Remember a few months ago when Google teased an announcement for July 13th, only a week after the company said it was working on a new smart speaker? Remember how the big announcement was just that the Google Store had sales on hardware bundles, and the sales weren't even that good? Now Google is doing that again, but in a more permanent way.
The Google Store now has three new bundle categories based around Nest hardware: Video Entertainment, Audio Entertainment, and Home Security.
Ginny Weds Sunny, Arrow season 8, Serious Men, Star Trek: Discovery season 3, Hubie Halloween, The Haunting of Bly Manor, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Fast & Furious Spy Racers: Season 2: Rio — the biggest movies and TV shows on Netflix India in October 2020.
In 2013, Google launched the first version of its Chromecast TV dongle. It was designed to cast smartphone apps, including video streaming apps, to big-screen televisions. Seven years later, the market for streaming TV apps has changed, and Google is changing with it. Today, it officially announced Chromecast with Google TV.
So what are the similarities and the differences of Chromecast with Google TV vs Chromecast? Good question. As you will see, the original Chromecast is still very useful. However, the new Chromecast with Google TV offers a lot more, and it’s not that much more expensive.
Back in 2013, smart televisions were still something of a novelty. The first Chromecast allowed TV owners to quickly turn it into a smart television, and inexpensively. If you had a smartphone, and your apps supported Chromecast, you could connect the dongle to your TV’s HMDI port. Then you could cast and watch movies, play games, and more from your phone to your TV.
Later versions of Chromecast did basically the same thing as the original. However, the current third-generation Chromecast streamed smartphone content at 1080p resolution. The more expensive Chromecast Ultra. which launched in 2016, increased the streaming resolution to 4K. It also added support for HDR10 and Dolby Vision video formats and an Ethernet port. It also allowed users to stream high-end PC and console games to their TV via the Google Stadia service.
The new Chromecast with Google TV is a very different device. While it can still cast smartphone apps to your TV, it has Android TV built-in as well. That means you can watch streaming TV and apps directly, with no smartphone required. It comes with its own hardware remote for controlling those apps. It also supports Google Assistant to control apps with your voice, again via the remote.
In fact, for this product, Google has installed a new UI on top of Android TV. That’s where the “Google TV” part of the brand comes in. It allows you to watch movies and TV shows across several streaming apps and services on one screen, rather than switching between apps. It’s very similar to what you will find on the Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV apps. The device supports up to 4k resolution, along with HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision video formats.
Unfortunately, the new Chromecast with Google TV does not yet support the Google Stadia game streaming service. That support is supposed to be added sometime in 2021. If you want Stadia gaming on your big-screen TV right now, you need to either keep or purchase the Chromecast Ultra.
One other minor addition to Chromecast with Google TV are color choices. You have snow, sunrise, and sky colors to pick from.
Chromecast with Google TV vs Chromecast: Price
The current third-generation Chromecast is available for $29.99, while the Chromecast Ultra is priced at $69. The Chromecast with Google TV is on sale now in the US for $49.99.
If you own a 1080p TV, and want an inexpensive way to stream video and other content on your television, the regular Chromecast is your best best. If you want to try out Stadia game streaming, get the Chromecast Ultra. However, if you have a 4K television, and want a better movie and TV show streaming experience without the need for a smartphone, Chromecast with Google TV is a must.
The Apple Watch remains one of the most expensive smartwatches on the market if we don't count the luxury models launched by TAG Heuer and other similar brands focusing on these types of products.
Even the older models continue to be quite expensive long after they made their debut on the market. That means that even if has already introduced , the previous models still cost more than $300.
Although Woot offers customers who purchase an Apple Watch Series 5 a discount of up to $100, you're still going to pay more than $300 for the cheapest one. For the next four days, you can pick ...
We can't say that this wasn't bound to happen at some point, but Facebook's announcement remains a big surprise for Instagram and Messenger users. The social media giant earlier today that it merged Messenger and Instagram and enabled cross-app messaging.
According to Facebook, its research revealed that four out of five people who use messaging apps in the United States say that spending more time connecting with friends and family on these apps is important to them. However, one out of three people finds it difficult to remember what app their friends are using.
WhatsApp has released a new beta version for Android devices that brings a redesigned Storage Usage section for testing purposes. Some screenshots showing the update emerged on the Web last month. However, the WhatsApp 2.20.201.9 beta for Android has debuted as the first release by the Facebook-owned company that gives us a glimpse of the redesigned Storage Usage sect...
Reliance Industries Limited and Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL) on Wednesday announced that General Atlantic, a global growth equity investor, will invest Rs. 3,675 crores into RRVL, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries.
It’s a nice and welcome change to have apps offer more collaboration possibilities, along with more ways to connect with friends and family, especially in current times. Now, that Spotify’s Collaborative Playlist feature is getting some nice new updates to make connecting with friends through music and podcasts even easier.
The new update, announced on , primarily focuses on making it easier to create and manage a Collaborative Playlist, made by you and your friends or family. Now, some new features are added.
The first one is a new Add User button, located on the playlist header, ...
Google is extending its unlimited time (up to 24 hours) video calls policy on Google Meet till March 31, 2021. Google had earlier set September 30 as the deadline for free users to conduct video calls on the app for longer than 60 minutes but is now extending the policy until March next year.
The US Department of Justice is expected to sue Google as soon as next week.
It’s believed that the lawsuit accuses Google of putting search rivals at a disadvantage.
The department is also said to be investigating search advertising under Google’s search box.
Google has faced several legal challenges in recent years regarding its search and advertising business, and it looks like the US is next in line to take aim at the company.
According to Reuters, citing three sources familiar with the matter, the US Department of Justice is set to file a lawsuit against Google as soon as next week. It’s alleged that the department is also calling on state attorneys general to sign onto the suit.
The lawsuit reportedly accuses Google of trying to put search rivals such as Bing at a disadvantage. More specifically, it’s claimed that Google deprives rivals of “the data about users and user preferences” that these rivals need to improve their services and advertising.
Reuters says the Department of Justice is also focusing on search advertising that appears under Google’s search box, noting that Google controls these search boxes and the associated tools.
Recent actions against Google
This wouldn’t be the first time Google came under fire for its search and advertising practices, as the European Commission levied a €1.49 billion (~$1.7 billion) fine against Google last year for online advertising abuse.
The EU found that Google barred rival search advertisers — such as Bing and Yahoo — from displaying ads on publishers’ search pages. The EU also found that publishers had to get written approval from Google before making visual changes to rival ads.
Google was also fined almost $5 billion by the EU in 2018 for abusing its dominant position in the Android space. The EU took issue with Google requiring Android OEMs to bundle the Chrome browser and Google Search app if they want to install Google Play Services on their devices. The European Commission also said Google incentivized some manufacturers and operators to exclusively pre-install Google Search, and that it prevented partner OEMs from releasing devices with a forked version of Android.
It’s taken Poco two years since the launch of the original Poco F1 to come up with a fresh new design. Amidst widespread criticism for cribbing Xiaomi designs for the Poco X2 and the Poco M2 Pro, the sub-brand has finally come up with a smartphone that is uniquely Poco — the Poco X3.
The Poco X3 was announced earlier this month and is available in Europe as the Poco X3 NFC. India, however, gets a variation on the global model with some notable changes under the hood.
Curious about how it differs? Let’s take a look in Android Authority’s impressions of the Poco X3 India edition.
Poco X3 India vs Poco X3 NFC: What’s the difference?
Right off the bat, if you’re after camera samples or performance figures you can read our in-depth thoughts on the Poco X3 NFC model in our full written review or by watching the video at the top of the page. For the most part, differences between the Indian and European edition of the Poco X3 are limited to two key areas — NFC and battery capacity.
To start with the Indian Poco X3 does not include NFC. This might seem like a glaring omission, but with digital payments in India bypassing tap-to-pay and moving straight to QR code based transactions, it makes for an obvious cost-saving measure. Still, NFC makes it easy to quickly connect to Bluetooth speakers and headphones, and I found myself missing the feature.
However, the loss of one feature has let Poco add in a major upgrade to the battery capacity. The Poco X3 in India packs a 6,000mAh cell which is a significant step-up over the 5,160mAh battery in the NFC edition.
The 6,000mAh battery is a significant step-up over the 5,160mAh cell in the Poco X3 NFC edition.
In our review, we found that the Poco X3 could easily power through two days of use on a single charge. Paired up with the efficient chipset, my experience with the Indian variant suggests that even three days wouldn’t be entirely out of reach. Charging speeds remain the same 33W across the two devices.
Switching over to the software, while the Poco X3 ships with a fair few pre-loaded applications, most of them can be uninstalled. Additionally, I haven’t noticed any ads in the interface so far. While my colleague, Ryan, understandably pointed this out as a major flaw in his review, it appears that Poco is sticking to its promise of not including ads in India.
There's a price to be paid for that large battery.
On the design side of things, there are subtle differences in weight and thickness. The Indian variant of the Poco X3 measures 10.1mm compared to the 9.4mm thickness of the global version. This might seem like a small difference, but it makes the X3 positively chubby.
The larger battery also tacks on an extra ten grams of weight. The 225g weight makes the Poco X3 a particularly hefty device to hold and this becomes very evident when holding up the phone for hours on end.
The Poco X3 is priced starting Rs. 16,999 ($231) for the 64GB variant, and goes all the way to Rs. 19,999 (~$271) for the top-tier variant with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage.
The Poco X3 goes up against alternatives like the Realme 7 that sports a 90Hz panel and a 5,000mAh battery, compared to the 120Hz display and 6,000mAh cell on the X3, at about the same price.
Meanwhile, the Redmi Note 9 Pro also has a smaller battery and not as fast chipset making the Poco X3 a better overall package for most users.
Polarising design aside, the Poco X3 is a return to form for the company. Between the packed spec sheet, 120Hz display, and tremendous battery life, Poco has managed to create a device that can go head to head with tough competition. However, the real trump card here is the lack of ads. Competing options from stablemate Xiaomi and competitors like Realme have opted for interstitial ads to help offset costs, the lack of these in the Poco X3 in India goes a long way towards making the Poco X3 an even better buy.
Poco X3A ton of phone for the price
The Poco X3 NFC brings a lot to the table for Rs. 16,990. You've got a Snapdragon 732G chipset, 6.67-inch 120Hz LCD screen, and a huge 6,000mAh battery. Toss in 33W charging, IP53 splash resistance, and solid camera credentials and you have a full-featured budget device.
Earlier this month, Google released the for download to devices that were not part of the Google Pixel series. that now Google is working on additional features to improve the user experience on the dialer app.
Reportedly the Google Phone app will soon get a Caller ID announcement feature, which, if enabled, will read out the called name or number, so you can easily know who’s calling you before your look at your screen. Another useful feature the app will reportedly be getting is the possibility to delete older Call Screen recordings and transcripts automatically after 30 days.
After one month earlier, now Mozilla is working on improving the user experience on the mobile browser even more. that the company is now going to add some welcome browser extensions, however, these are first coming to for testing.
that the new extensions will be available in the release version of Firefox for Android in November, that’s why they are currently being tested out on the browser’ Firefox Nightly version (used to be called Firefox Preview).
The new extensions the mobile browser is getting include some quite useful features. The first one, called Video Background ...
About a week and a half ago, we told you that . But if you are thinking about purchasing an Apple iPhone 12 right after they are unveiled next month, you might not want to install iOS 14.2 on your current phone. That's because launched iOS 14 on September 16th and will soon launch iOS 14.2. What about iOS 14.1 you ask? Because of the delay in the release of the iPhone 12 series this year, instead of being released with iOS 14 pre-installed, the new handsets will come out of the box with iOS 14.1.
The problem is, if you download the iOS 14.2 beta on let's say, ...
Xiaomi's product goals don't align with the Chromebook segment right now, but that may change in a few years.
At the outset, Xiaomi feels like the ideal brand to release a Chromebook; the Chinese manufacturer is associated with value, and Chromebooks are all about delivering great value on a budget. If you think about it, a Chromebook would be a perfect addition to Xiaomi's growing portfolio of products.
It's not like Xiaomi is a stranger to the notebook business. Xiaomi has rolled out products in the Mi Notebook series for four years now, and while these products were limited to the Chinese market, Xiaomi introduced the category earlier this year in India with the Mi NoteBook Horizon Edition.
So, why not a Chromebook? I chatted with Xiaomi India's Chief Business Offer Raghu Reddy to understand why the brand hasn't released a Chromebook yet. Reddy is in charge of Xiaomi's product portfolio and has final say in new growth areas and product categories, making him the ideal person to talk to about Xiaomi's Chromebook plans.
Reddy says Xiaomi hasn't released a Chromebook because of the inherent challenges in making inroads into the category. The Chromebook segment leans heavily on business-to-business (B2B) sales; while there are plenty of Chromebooks on sale in markets like the U.S., a decent chunk of purchases are made by school districts or organizations that buy Chromebooks en masse. From Reddy:
We are pretty young in the notebook business — we sell our notebooks in just China and India for now. We're still learning the nuances of this particular category, so we'll first have to get a better handle on how to run the notebook business and then we'll start making some of those calls to venture into new categories.
The best Chromebooks are filled with models from manufacturers that have an established presence in the enterprise segment. As Xiaomi is still primarily a business-to-consumer (B2C) brand that sells directly to customers, it doesn't see a lot of value in entering the Chromebook segment at this point in time:
Xiaomi is a business-to-consumer (B2C) company; our strength lies in being able to reach out to customers directly and offer good value. For now, our aim is to strengthen our consumer business before making a play for the enterprise. Our focus has always been to take it segment by segment; solidify growth in one category before thinking about the next phase of growth.
Interestingly, Reddy revealed that Google broached the subject of Chromebooks when Xiaomi was talking to the search giant over Google Assistant integration for the Mi Smart Speaker. For now, Xiaomi is focused on building market share for its Windows-based notebooks, so we're still a few years out from seeing a Xiaomi-branded Chromebook.
Reddy mentioned that the addressable userbase is a key consideration when deciding to venture into new product categories, and Chromebooks haven't moved the needle enough in markets where Xiaomi has a strong presence. You obviously won't find Chromebooks in China — where Google services are banned — and the devices failed to gain any momentum whatsoever in India over the last decade.
But with Xiaomi focusing on a connected ecosystem as being a key differentiator for the brand. While Chromebooks aren't a focus for the manufacturer right now, that may change in a few years as Xiaomi's notebook business gains momentum.
The Dyson V11 costs a lot of money, but it is well worth the investment.
I used a $150 corded vacuum for the better part of the last five years, and more recently switched to a robot vacuum. It's hard to be excited about a vacuum cleaner (unless you have the Darth Vader Powerbot), so when the folks at Dyson asked if I wanted to take a look at the V11 — the brand's current-gen cordless vacuum — I was ambivalent.
But I attended a demo session (virtually, of course) where a Dyson specialist went through everything the V11 can do, and I was intrigued. What interested me the most was its versatility; with seven attachments in total, the V11 cleans just about any surface. I also liked the fact that it works as a handheld and a regular stick vacuum, and that there's a built-in LED that shows the remaining battery time.
One of the reasons I didn't pick up a Dyson cordless vacuum in the past was because of the price. At just under $700, the Dyson V11 is several magnitudes costlier than regular vacuums, and on par with high-end robot vacuums. But as I've found out over the course of the last four months, the Dyson V11 is worth every penny. It pays for itself when you factor in the time savings versus using a traditional vacuum, and the versatility makes it a fantastic overall choice.
Dyson V11 Absolute Pro
Bottom line: The Dyson V11 is the best cordless vacuum cleaner you can buy today. It delivers outstanding performance in day-to-day use, comes with a lot of useful attachments, and is easy to use and maintain. With a 60-minute runtime, three cleaning modes to choose from, and a built-in LCD that shows real-time battery level, the V11 is a great overall option.
The Dyson V11 doesn't look like any other vacuum in the market today. The design immediately suggests this is a high-end product, and the attention to detail is remarkable. The blue and red accents contrast against the grey finish rather nicely, and the V11 is just a nice-looking piece of kit (I didn't think I would ever say that about a vacuum).
The Dyson V11 combines a sleek design with incredible real-world performance.
An interesting addition with the V11 is the LCD screen that lets you view the remaining battery and mode. There are three modes to choose from — Eco, Medium, Boost — and for my use case, the Medium mode worked best. You can easily change modes via the button below the screen, and the ability to glance at the screen to see how much runtime is left makes a lot of difference in day-to-day use.
There's also a nifty auto mode that adjusts suction on-the-fly based on the surface. If you're unsure what mode to use, the auto setting is reliable most of the time.
The batteries are built into the main body, and Dyson touts a 60-minute runtime in Eco mode. That's in-line with what I've seen in the last four months, with the Medium mode averaging about 40 to 45 minutes of use. It takes just over four hours to fully charge the vacuum, and the built-in battery life was enough to clean my 2,000 sq. ft. home two times over. The V11 also has "high-integrity seals" located at the back that ensure the dust that's sucked into the vacuum isn't just blown out again.
At the heart of the Dyson V11 is the cyclonic motor, which delivers 185 Air Watts of suction — 20% more than the V10. The suction is powerful for just about any debris or pet hair, and the Dyson V11 holds up incredibly well in real-world usage conditions. I threw biscuit crumbs and oats on the floor to test the V11's effectiveness, and it cleaned them up without any issues. The vacuum is ideally suited if you have pets, with the V11 Animal designed to clean up pet hair.
I routinely use the V11 on tiled floors and carpets, and it is just as effective on either surface. I was unsure whether a cordless vacuum would be able to deliver enough power for cleaning the house, but my worries were unfounded — the Dyson V11 worked just as effectively as my corded vacuum and did a better job than the robot vacuum I was using.
While a robot vacuum is great at automated cleaning, it's limited to cleaning floors and needs a clear route without any obstacles to do an effective job. My home currently looks like a warehouse with the number of packages strewn about, so it was much more convenient to just use the V11 to clean than rely on a robot vacuum. Then there's the fact that a robot vacuum is limited to cleaning floors, and lacks the versatility that you get with the V11.
One of my favorite features on the V11 is the easy-release latch for the bin. All you have to do is pull down the lever and the lid at the front pops open, and you can just empty the contents of the bin without coming into contact with it.
Based on the V11 variant you're picking up, you'll get anywhere from eight to 11 accessories in the box. I'm using the V11 Absolute Pro, and it comes with seven attachments, a docking station, an extension hose, a wand storage clip, and two extensions bundled with the package. The attachments include a high torque cleaner, soft roller cleaner, a combination tool, a crevice tool for cleaning between sofa cushions, a mini motorized tool, a soft-dusting brush, and even a mattress cleaner head.
I used the soft roller and high torque attachments most of the time, and the best part about these cleaner heads is that they have an articulated design, making it a breeze to clean under the sofa or under the bed. All the accessories attach to the body with a satisfying click. As you'd imagine for a high-end vacuum, the fit and finish here is top-notch, and the V11 should hold up just fine even after several years of use.
Dyson V11 Absolute Pro What needs work
If there's one thing I would change about the V11, it would be the option to switch out batteries. Right now, the batteries are built into the body of the unit, and while the battery life is still just as good as four months ago, Lithium-ion batteries degenerate over time, so a removable solution with the ability to switch out batteries after a few years would have been ideal.
Dyson V11 Absolute Pro The competition
If you don't want to shell out $700 on a vacuum cleaner, you can pick up Dyson's older models at discounted prices. The Dyson V10 is now $440, and that's very decent value for what you're getting with the vacuum.
The Dyson V7 is even better value at $287. Sure, you don't get quite the same amount of suction power as the V11, but it manages to do a great job in day-to-day usage. You get a 30-minute runtime between charges and a variety of cleaning attachments.
Dyson V11 Absolute Pro Should you buy?
You should buy this if ...
You want a powerful cordless vacuum
With a powerful motor and 60-minute runtime, the Dyson V11 dominates in terms of real-world performance.
You want a vacuum with lots of attachments
See yourself using the crevice tool a lot? The V11 comes with seven attachments and a few other accessories, making it a great option.
You need a vacuum that's easy to maintain
The V11 has an easy-release lever for getting rid of the accumulated garbage.
You should not buy this if ...
You want an affordable model
The Dyson name carries a premium, and that makes the V11 one of the costliest vacuums around.
Testing the Dyson V11 over the last four months made me realize just how effective it is around the house. I abhor chores of any kind (I'm waiting for a robot dishwasher that loads itself) but found myself liking the V11. It cuts down on the amount of time I take to clean the house, and that alone makes it an easy recommendation.
Ease of use is one of the biggest selling points of the Dyson V11: the cordless design eliminates a lot of the hassle involved in using a vacuum, the easy-release lever ensures you can get rid of the dust accumulated in the bin without touching it, and the versatility on offer makes the V11 a standout choice in this segment.
4out of 5
Yes, you're paying a lot of money for a vacuum, but you are also getting an incredible product. The time-saving alone justifies investing in the V11.
Dyson V11 Absolute Pro
Bottom line: The Dyson V11 has everything you could ask for in a cordless vacuum. It looks great, delivers outstanding performance, and the number of attachments on offer makes it the most versatile vacuum in the market today. Yes, it is costlier than other cordless options, but you are getting your money's worth here.
Last month that allow game streaming services such as Google Stadia, Microsoft’s xCloud, and NVIDIA’s GeForce Now to run on iOS devices. Sadly, the update notes stated that: "Games offered in a streaming game service subscription must be downloaded directly from the App Store, must be designed to avoid duplicate payment by a subscriber, and should not disadvantage non-subscriber customers.”
The Apple Watch remains one of the most expensive smartwatches on the market if we don't count the luxury models launched by TAG Heuer and other similar brands focusing on these types of products.
We can't say that this wasn't bound to happen at some point, but Facebook's announcement remains a big surprise for Instagram and Messenger users. The social media giant earlier today that it merged Messenger and Instagram and enabled cross-app messaging.
It’s a nice and welcome change to have apps offer more collaboration possibilities, along with more ways to connect with friends and family, especially in current times. Now, that Spotify’s Collaborative Playlist feature is getting some nice new updates to make connecting with friends through music and podcasts even easier.
Earlier this month, Google released the for download to devices that were not part of the Google Pixel series. that now Google is working on additional features to improve the user experience on the dialer app.
After one month earlier, now Mozilla is working on improving the user experience on the mobile browser even more. that the company is now going to add some welcome browser extensions, however, these are first coming to for testing.
