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Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 goes all screen with magnetic camera slider
No more awkwardly placed selfies

Ever since the first Mi Mix launched, Xiaomi has been taking its time in finding a way to relocate the awkwardly placed selfie camera and go all-screen in front. It took a while, but that major redesign has finally happened.
The Mi Mix 3 is the fourth entry in the series (counting the Mi Mix 2S released earlier this year), and it brings what you’d expect from a high-end Xiaomi: the best-possible specifications.
Let’s see: You get a Snapdragon 845 processor, up to 10GB of memory, up to 256GB of storage, and a 3200mAh battery. Seems like your usual excessive Mi product at first, but there’s more to it.
The real innovation is in the magnetic camera slider. Unlike OPPO’s Find X, you have to manually activate the dual 24- and 2-megapixel front cameras by sliding the back panel up with your fingers. It harkens back to when slider phones were still a thing.
With that, the Mi Mix 3 has a virtually bezel-less 6.4-inch 1080p AMOLED in front, and a pair of 12-megapixel cameras on the rear. The fingerprint scanner is found on the ceramic back as well, so no under-display magic here.
Also mentioned during the event, is the Mi Mix 3’s DxOMark score of 103, placing it above the likes of Huawei’s P20 and Samsung’s Galaxy S9+, as well as surpassing the Mi 8 and Mi Mix 2S.
In addition, Xiaomi announced that a 5G version of the Mi Mix 3 will launch during the first quarter of 2019 in Europe. This development was teased by the company last month, but it’s only now that we have an actual time frame.
It currently retails for CNY 3,299 (US$ 475) for the 6GB+128GB configuration, CNY 3,599 (US$ 515) for the 8GB+128GB variant, and CNY 3,999 (US$ 575) for the 8GB+256GB model. The available colors are Sapphire Blue, Jade Green, and Onyx Black, all of which come with a 10W wireless charger.
Finally, there’s a special Palace Museum Edition Mi Mix 3 with 24K gold trims and a beefier 10GB+256GB config for CNY 4,999 (US$ 720).


Do you need an AI chatbot to hold a conversation? Instagram seems to think so. As the world rapidly experiments with developments in AI technology, the platform is reportedly working on a chatbot for its users.
According to Alessandro Paluzzi, a reverse engineer who usually digs up future plans for popular apps, Instagram is working on the AI chatbot feature for a future iteration of the app. Much like other chatbots out in the market today, Instagram’s unnamed bot will enable users to interact with it in casually flowing conversation.
— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) June 5, 2023
The screenshots obtained by the engineer read that it “answers questions, gives advice.” Additionally, it helps users “find the best way to express [themselves] … [through] writing messages.” From a usability standpoint, the feature can help users craft replies to direct messages. They can also bring the bot into human-to-human conversations by mentioning the bot in the conversation.
To add to the quirkiness, Instagram will supposedly add 30 different personalities to the chatbot. Users can pick and choose which one they like the best. The sneak peek does not reveal any personalities included in the feature. (We’re hoping for a snarky one that judges and critiques posts.)
The feature has no timetable as to its release. However, since TikTok already released its own chatbot for testing, it should stand that Instagram’s feature will come out soon.

The ROG Ally has some hefty shoes to fill. Touting an impressive slate of specs, the upcoming handheld console is one of the first true competitors to the dominating Steam Deck. Unfortunately, early reviews revealed a flawed comparison against Valve’s juggernaut of a console. Now, days ahead of its official launch, ASUS is releasing new firmware which drastically improves the console’s performance.
Getting down to the nitty gritty of things, the ROG Ally, in its unpatched version, lacked performance in low-wattage scenarios. Early reviewers found that the console could not keep up with the Steam Deck under such circumstances.
A new update, which started rolling out to early units, started catching up. According to YouTuber Dave2D, the update easily improves the console by 15 to 20 percent better than its initial release. First of all, it brings the ROG Ally almost at par with the Steam Deck in low-wattage scenarios. While the results aren’t as good as the latter device yet, it’s a much better performer compared to the former on day one. ASUS acknowledges that Valve really did its homework in low-wattage scenarios.
More notably, the update dramatically boosts the ROG Ally’s performance in higher wattages. The console is now close behind the Ayaneo 2S, a beefier alternative to the Steam Deck. Before the update, the ROG Ally could barely touch the Steam Deck, let alone the Ayaneo 2S.
ASUS also notes that the update should include improvements for the battery life. The lackluster battery has been a point of contention among all early users.
The ROG Ally is officially launching on June 13 and will start at US$ 699.99.
SEE ALSO: How well do PlayStation games run on the ROG Ally?

In recent years, Motorola and Samsung have proved that the clamshell phone is more than just a resurrected fad. Both companies have developed solid lineups capable of becoming daily drivers. Now, others want to get into the market. Following the footsteps of its contemporaries, Xiaomi is reportedly developing a clamshell phone of its own.
Even before the unannounced clamshell phone, Xiaomi has some experience in the foldable market. The Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 was quite the impressive powerhouse when it launched last year. The foldable smartphone even bagged the title as the thinnest foldable at the time (before Huawei grabbed the title soon after).
Now, the Chinese company is seemingly tapping into the same lineup for a rumored clamshell phone. According to Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station, the brand is indeed looking at an extremely light version of the vertically folding form factor.
Unfortunately, not much else is known about the upcoming device yet. However, Xiaomi’s supposed entry into the market shouldn’t be a surprise. After all, the brand’s competitors — Huawei and vivo — are already deep inside the clamshell segment. The latter, for example, just released the vivo X Flip, its first device in the vertically folding market. Expect things to heat up in the Chinese foldable market soon.
SEE ALSO: The vivo X Flip is the company’s first vertical-folding smartphone
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