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Xiaomi Mi Note 2 has curved display, high-end specs

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Xiaomi MI Note 2 glacier silver

Just as you thought Xiaomi couldn’t do any better than the Mi 5s and 5s Plus, the Chinese manufacturer decided to outdo itself and launch its Mi Note 2 flagship phablet before the holidays. We may have our Galaxy Note 7 replacement.

We can’t call the Mi Note 2 a perfect clone of Sammy’s discontinued engineering marvel, but it comes close in several ways. The most obvious similarity is the 5.7-inch dual-curved OLED display; it’s so comparable to the Note 7’s, we wonder if Samsung provided the panel itself.

[irp posts=”4798″ name=”Xiaomi Mi 5s and 5s Plus set to challenge iPhone 7 and 7 Plus”]

The downside is the limited Full HD 1080p resolution, lower than the Quad HD 1440p normally found on handsets sized 5.5 inches and up. While it isn’t something you’d normally fuss over, the lack of pixels is noticeable if you’re thinking of hooking it up to a virtual reality headset.

Contrary to the leaks we witnessed last week, the Mi Note 2 does not have a dual-camera setup. It’s a surprising omission, considering this being Xiaomi’s supposed best, but the unique imaging capabilities are probably best left on the recently launched Mi 5s to keep it relevant.

Instead, there’s a single 22.5-megapixel camera at the back with a basic set of autofocusing and LED flash features, and no optical image stabilization. The front-facing shooter isn’t anything exciting either, only having an 8-megapixel sensor and autofocusing to its credit.

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 silver and black

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 in glacier silver and piano black

Aside from the sexy display, nothing really shouts “buy me” when looking at the Mi Note 2. You do get a collection of the finest chipset specifications, although they aren’t anything we haven’t seen before.

For one, there’s Qualcomm’s top-performing Snapdragon 821 processor, along with a choice of either 4GB of memory and 64GB of internal storage, or 6GB of memory and 128GB of storage. Picking the latter configuration nets you a future-proofed smartphone for at least the next six months… hopefully.

Go a little bit deeper, and you’ll a find high-quality audio chip capable of 24-bit/192kHz music playback, as well as a satisfactory 4070mAh battery with the ability to charge at a rapid pace thanks to Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0 technology.

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 specs and pricing

Xiaomi Mi Note 2’s highlighted specs and pricing

To be honest, we were expecting a lot more from the Mi Note 2. Yes, the hardware is all there, yet we can’t help but feel underwhelmed after all we’ve seen from recent competitors and the leaks themselves. Call us spoiled, or hungry for some innovation — or just wanting the simultaneously unveiled Mi Mix more.

Spending CNY 3,299 ($487) rewards you with the top variant in Xiaomi’s home country, while CNY 3,499 ($517) is needed if you purchase one outside of China. Make sure to get the latter, global model for the additional 4G LTE frequency bands and English settings out of the box. You also have the option of going for the cheaper CNY 2,799 ($412) version that has 4GB of RAM with 64GB of storage.

The only colors available are piano black and glacier silver, and shipping of units will begin in early November.

[irp posts=”4119″ name=”Xiaomi Mi Max unboxing and hands-on review”]

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Nothing adds color to its wearables with the Headphone (a)

The Pink and Yellow colors look great!

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Last year, the Nothing Headphone (1) added a sense of fashion to the drab headphone market. Today, Nothing is adding a splash of color to its stylish lineup of headphones through the newly launched Headphone (a).

As with the (a) series of phones, the Headphone (a) melds fashion with affordability and performance. For quality, the wearable will have intelligent noise cancellation and sharper voice pick-ups with a 3-microphone Environmental Noise Cancellation system. It will also deliver rich immersive sound through Static Spatial Audio.

It’s only 310g light for easy use throughout the day.

For convenience, the Headphone (a) will have tactile gestures, such as a Button, Roller, and Paddle, to easily control the device without need of a phone. Users can integrate features like Channel Hop and Camera Shutter mode straight into the controls.

The headphones are designed for up to five days of battery life. Plus, a five-minute charge time can already provide five hours of playback. Finally, for durability, it is rated for IP52 resistance.

The Headphone (a) is available for preorders now. Starting March 13, it will be available in White, Black, and Pink. It will sell for EUR 159. Meanwhile, a limited-edition Yellow pair will be available starting April 6.

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Nothing launches the Phone (4a) series

Who needs a flagship in 2026?

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Nothing is not launching the Phone (4) this year. Though the lack of a flagship is certainly disappointing, the brand is still launching the Phone (4a) series, and now that it’s official, there really is no reason to feel like we’re missing out.

Nothing Phone (4a)

The base Nothing Phone (4a) carries over the circular camera island design of the previous Phone (3a). However, this generation will feature the new Glyph Bar, a subtler and more functional take on the brand’s iconic lighting system. It has 63 mini-LEDs in seven square light zones. It provides 3500 nits of brightness, which is 40 percent brighter than the Phone (3a)’s Glyph Interface.

The 6.78-inch AMOLED screen delivers images at 1.5K resolution,120Hz refresh rate, and 440 pixels per inch.

Inside, the Phone (4a) is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4. This is paired with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. It can reportedly play Call of Duty: Mobile at up to 90fps.

For cameras, the model carries a Samsung GN9 50-megapixel main camera. It can take in more light and offer a wider field of view. Plus, the camera can zoom by up to 3.5 times using an optical zoom. There’s also 7x lossless zoom and 70x ultra zoom.

Using Qualcomm’s triple Image Signal Processor, the camera can shoot 4K video at 30 frames per second. It can also shoot Full HD videos at 120 frames per second.

Finally, the Phone (4a) has a large 5080mAh battery, capable of charging up to 60 percent in just 30 minutes.

Nothing Phone (4a) Pro

Meanwhile, the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro takes the best parts of the Phone (3) and brings it to life in the (a) series.

For one, the bolder camera island revives the Glyph Matrix of the flagship series and packs in more shooters inside. The three-camera system consists of a Sony LYT-700C 50-megapixel main shooter, a Samsung J5 50-megapixel periscope lens, and a Sony IMX355 ultrawide camera.

The 6.83-inch LTPS AMOLED screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 7i. It can deliver images at 1.5K resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, and 5,000nits peak brightness.

Inside, the Pro model sports the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4. Plus, the RAM Booster can increase the up to 12GB of RAM to 20GB. It will also have 256GB of internal storage.

It still has the large 5080mAh battery of its regular sibling and all the power that promises.

Price, availability

The Nothing Phone (4a) will be available in black, white, blue, and pink. It starts at EUR 349 for the 8+128GB configuration, topping off at EUR 429 for the 12+256GB model.

The Nothing Phone (4a) Pro will be available in black, silver, and pink. It starts at EUR 479 for the 8+128GB model, with the 12+256GB version selling for EUR 549.

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HMD is developing an AI assistant for the elderly

The company will test it in Europe first.

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In the past, the only way to escape the constant influx of technology is to purposely go for older or “dumber” phones. For example, if you wanted to prevent your elder loved ones from fussing over features they’d never use, you’d give them feature phones. Now, there’s no escape. HMD, one of the biggest names in the feature phone segment, is bringing AI to its devices.

For years, HMD, especially through Nokia, has provided low-tech phones for everyone’s grandma. From merely keeping the Nokia brand of phones alive, the company has now embraced its reputation as the feature phone king, building its own branded phones.

Now, announced during MWC 2026 (via Tom’s Guide), HMD will start infusing its phones with AI, video calling, and a digital wallet.

Of these, video calling is the easiest to digest. Rather than just being simple front-facing selfie shooters, HMD’s phones can also use the camera for video calls.

Secondly, the company is also packing in its own digital wallet into its phones. As with other wallets, HMD’s version can receive, store, and send funds to other users. It’s set to launch in India first.

Now, the AI assistant is the more controversial one among the three. The first rollout is India’s Sarvam AI, which will do the basic tasks you’d expect from an AI assistant. Naturally, this rolls out in India first.

However, HMD is also developing its own AI assistant alongside InTouch. The feature will supposedly provide companionship for elder users. The company will test the assistant in Europe first but aims to launch it globally.

SEE ALSO: HMD announces 1st line of own smartphones

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