News

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 improves on predecessor in every way

Published

September 11, 2017

Marvin Velasco

The original Mi Mix was a trendsetter for getting near-borderless smartphones to the mass market before the likes of the LG G6 and Samsung Galaxy S8. As the successor, the Mi Mix 2 banks on improving on every aspect of the original’s winning formula.

Obviously, the primary attention goes to the screen once again. Now smaller, the 6-inch 1080p LCD screen is narrower as well with a 18:9 aspect ratio (compared to last year’s 17:9), but with the same super-slim bezels.

The aluminum frame makes a return, along with the ceramic back that set the first Mi Mix apart. It’s slightly more curved on the back this time, even though the display itself is totally flat.

To make the front more seamless, the 5-megapixel front-facing camera is all black so it blends in with the bottom chin better. So yes, you still have to rotate the phone if you want to take selfies or go on video calls.

For the single 12-megapixel rear camera — which now has optical image stabilization but no secondary shooter — an 18K gold rim can be found around the lens, just like on the Exclusive Edition of the Mi Mix.

As you’d expect, Xiaomi fitted the Mi Mix 2 with some of the best specifications you could find on a modern flagship: a Snapdragon 835 processor, 6GB of memory, up to 256GB of non-expandable storage, and a hefty 3400mAh battery. What’s missing is a 3.5mm audio port, like on the Mi 6.

There’ll also be a Special Edition of the Mi Mix 2 with more memory at 8GB and a set storage of 128GB. It’ll come in a ceramic unibody with a choice between two colors: black or white. The former has 18K gold rims for both the rear camera lens and fingerprint scanner, while the latter owns rose gold rims for the two circles.

Correction: The Special Edition has 8GB of memory

And for the cherry on top: The Mi Mix 2 will retail for CNY 3,299 (US$ 505) for the 64GB storage version, CNY 3,599 (US$ 555) for 128GB of storage, and CNY 3,999 (US$ 615) for the largest 256GB configuration. The Special Edition costs CNY 4,699 or about US$ 720.

Like with other China-launched gadgets, global availability for both models is still uncertain.

[irp posts=”19694″ name=”Xiaomi unveils Mi A1 with Android One and dual cameras”]

Related Topics:Mi Mix 2 Xiaomi Xiaomi Mi Mix 2

News

Honor is reportedly working on a 14000mAh battery

How much is too much?

Published

June 25, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Nothing goes together more than a Chinese smartphone brand and the relentless pursuit for a bigger battery. For years, Chinese brands have engaged in a war for this particular component. Now, the latest salvo has been fired. Honor is reportedly working on a phone with a gigantic 14000mAh battery.

Today, the biggest battery capacity you can find on an Honor phone is 11000mAh. The Honor X80 Pro Max already offers a battery that can last you more than a single day. At this point, it’s certainly more than enough for our daily needs.

According to Digital Chat Station on Weibo, a smartphone brand is currently working on a 14000mAh battery. Though the leak does not explicitly pinpoint Honor, the emoji used (a wolf) is historically used to imply the Chinese brand in Weibo parlance.

A 14000mAh is just absurdly huge. With a battery larger than some powerbanks, battery anxiety becomes moot. It’s bordering on “can we bring this on a plane” territory.

As with all rumored features, the next question is when this battery will arrive on a consumer-ready device. Given how serious the battery wars are for the Chinese market, it’s only a matter of time.

News

Nothing Phone (4b) shows up online, spoils some specs

It’s a step below the Phone (4a) series.

Published

June 25, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Yesterday, Nothing officially teased the Phone (4b), an all-new line positioned below the Phone (4a) series. At the time, the teaser revealed nothing but the design of the upcoming phone. However, ahead of its July 7 launch, the Phone (4b) suddenly appeared on Geekbench, spoiling a few of its mysterious specs.

According to the listing, the Phone (4b) will run the SM6650, more popularly known as the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4. It’s a modestly powered processor built for the budget to midrange segments of the performance spectrum. Having this processor does confirm that the phone belongs to the step below the Phone (4a), bringing affordability to a name other than CMF.

Besides the processor, the new phone will come with an Adreno 810 GPU and 8GB of RAM. Inside, it will ship with Android 16 out of the box, but this will likely be upgradeable to Android 17 later this year.

It’s already confirmed that the Phone (4b) will be quite the looker. The phone will slightly depart from the design philosophy of the Phone (4a) series. Though it will still have a sizable rear island, the camera setup will just be a small vertical strip on the top-left corner. Additionally, the lighting element typical of all Nothing phones will be a small horizontal strip on the bottom-right corner.

Thankfully, the wait for more specs won’t be long. Nothing has confirmed that the phone’s launch is set for July 7.

News

Polaroid says, enjoy the beach before AI ruins it

“We know what we stand to lose if we don’t protect it.”

Published

June 25, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Tongue-in-cheek marketing is a soothing balm for a world where false promises are more often advertised. But, what happens when those tongue-in-cheek jokes strike a nerve and make you think, “maybe this isn’t a joke anymore”? Polaroid, a huge proponent of analog technology, has put up such a billboard to enjoy the beach “before the data centers drink it all up.”

Right in front of Coney Island (and right in time for summer), Polaroid has a simple message: “Go jump in the water before the data centers drink it all up.”

Though funny by itself, the message plays on an ongoing fear that today’s data centers, built for AI, have such a high water requirement that each query takes up gallons every time. This is, of course, slightly hyperbolic, but data centers are indeed exerting a lot of pressure on their area’s resources. They take a lot of water for cooling and electricity to keep open.

In a statement, Polaroid says that they’re not anti-digital. Rather, “we know we have to live alongside it, but we’re deeply pro-human and know what humanity gives us. And we know what we stand to lose if we don’t protect it. That’s a fight worth fighting,” says Polaroid’s creative director Patricia Varella, via LBB.

Now, this isn’t a completely altruistic ad. It’s still advertising the new Go Generation 3. Still, if you’re looking for a product to go alongside today’s shifting sentiments against AI, a Polaroid might be it.