News
Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold with Liquid Lens, now official
A big leap for the Mi experiment line
Xiaomi’s Mi Mix line really went from a sliding phone all the way to a folding one with the official reveal of the Mi Mix Fold.
Xiaomi’s first official foldable doesn’t look too different from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2. They both fold in and share a pretty similar look. But of course, the differences are in the details.
Unfolded, it’s slightly larger at 8.01 inches diagonally vs the 7.6 inches on the Galaxy Z Fold2. The outer display also has also slightly bigger measuring 6.52 inches compared to the 6.2 inches on Samsung’s foldable. The Mi Mix Fold also doesn’t have a cutout or punch-hole in the inner, larger display.
Gaming, videos, and performance
Xiaomi says the Mi Mix Fold is fantastic for content consumption. When watching regular 16:9 videos, 75% of the screen is used. The experience is also aided by four Harman Kardon tuned speakers.
They also showcased how MiHoYo’s breakout game of 2020 Genshin Impact looks on the Mi Mix Fold. It fills up the whole screen while playing and the foldable had no problems running the game. This is because it’s also powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chip.
But the company says its true potential is unlocked when used for productivity. It has multi-window support that seems to be expected now of foldable smartphones. But the Mi Mix Fold takes things further with what they call a Desktop Mode or PC Mode.
The user only needs to do a three-finger swipe on the large display to enter Desktop Mode. The mode resembles that of a Windows desktop with a button on the lower left edge of the screen to launch apps nestled on a task bar. It behaves just like a Windows desktop that’s why they’re calling this the “PC at your fingertips.”
Supporting all these functions is a 5020mAh battery with support for 67W fast charging.
Liquid Lens, camera chip
The Mi Mix Fold has a triple camera setup but with a twist. The main camera is a 108MP lens, then there’s 13MP ultra-wide angle lens. Lastly is the 8MP liquid lens that functions as both a telephoto lens with up to 30x Zoom and a Macro lens that’s capable of the gimmicky microscopic shots also seen on the OPPO Find X3 Pro.
Xiaomi says the Liquid Lens functions like the human eye in that it’s a smaller lens that is able to focus faster and more accurately.
The innovative Liquid Lens technology works like a human eye. It’s smaller and can focus faster + more accurately, with both telephoto and macro shooting capabilities. #MiMIXFOLD #XiaomiMegaLaunch pic.twitter.com/cs9QtjKhJZ
— Xiaomi (@Xiaomi) March 30, 2021
Xiaomi’s new foldable smartphone is also home to its proprietary Surge C1 imaging chip. It’s an imaging processor independent from the Snapdragon SoC. It’s supposed to process faster auto focus, provide better white balance and give higher dynamic range.
Pricing and availability
The Mi Mix Fold will come in three configurations with the third one being a ceramic Special Edition. Pricing and configurations are as follows:
Mi Mix Fold
12GB + 256GB — CNY 9999 (around US$ 1521)
12GB + 512GB — CNY 10,999 (around US$ 1673)
Mi Mix Fold Special Edition
16GB + 512GB — CNY 12,999 (around US$ 1973)
News
Is the Pixel 11 copying a feature from Nothing?
A new ad is hinting at something like the Glyph interface.
August 12 cannot come soon enough. On that date, Google is set to launch the upcoming Pixel 11 series. There isn’t much to indicate that the brand is changing the formula this year. Now, a rampant rumor, now seemingly confirmed by Google’s own ad, is hinting that a popular feature from Nothing is making its way to the Pixel.
Besides the transparent rear, Nothing prides itself with numerous iterations of the Glyph interface, a lighting system that serves as customized notifications for your phone. It’s mostly a novelty, but the feature is a unique take in a smartphone market plagued with too much sameness. It looks like Google wants to take a page from that same notebook.
For a while now, it’s been rumored that Google is adopting a version of the feature for the Pixel 11 series. The so-called Pixel Glow will reportedly add a light-based notification feature. Now, Google itself has seemingly confirmed the rumors.
In a new ad, titled “The Obvious Next Move,” Google is teasing a new feature coming to the flagship series. Though the ad leaves the feature untitled and without a description, it’s clear that it’s a circular glowing thing similar to Nothing’s take. The glowing thing is right on the Pixel’s iconic camera bar, just like Nothing.
But again, Google didn’t name the feature. However, if it helps, the ad says that we already use the Pixel for Gmail, Maps, Search, Calendar, and Docs, so the next evolution is whatever is depicted in this ad. August 12 really cannot come soon enough.
News
HONOR debuts refreshed brand identity ahead of Robot Phone launch
New imaging engine announced; HONOR, ARRI team up to bring cinematic workflow to mobile creation
Ahead of the launch of its Robot Phone, HONOR has revealed a refreshed brand identity, including a new logo and the slogan “Dare to Be.”
The brand new logo represents breaking through an endless circle, as mentioned on the description in HONOR’s posts.
It’s about forging a path unlike any other, and continuously innovating instead of settling. This way, it also represents HONOR’s long-term vision for the AI era and its ambition to build an intelligent ecosystem that extends beyond smartphones.
The HONOR Robot Phone is set to launch in China on August 12. It will officially bring an entirely new form factor for smartphones, designed to redefine the relationship between AI and mobile devices.
More recently in Hengdian, China, HONOR hosted the HONOR Imaging Technology Launch where the company introduced its latest mobile imaging technologies.
During the event, HONOR introduced the Optics-Intelligence Evolution principle behind its imaging strategy.
It also showcased its HONOR AiMAGE chip-device-cloud imaging engine, and announced a joint imaging technology lab with ARRI.
New AiMAGE imaging engine
Instead of only focusing on camera specifications, HONOR is building a more complete mobile imaging technology system across professional image capture, AI-powered processing, cinematic color science, and creator-focused workflows.
To support such workflows, HONOR has built a chip-device-cloud AiMAGE imaging engine. This connects the full imaging chain from physical capture to intelligent creation.
HONOR is developing a self-developed Transformer-based native AI ISP to reconstruct the image processing pipeline from the ground up.
This works alongside a next-generation pixel array and EVS sensor technology, designed to improve original image capture.
On the device side, HONOR is combining physical imaging hardware with real-time algorithms. As with the upcoming HONOR Robot Phone, there’s a titanium alloy three-axis gimbal, precision sensing hardware optical technologies, and real-time image processing algorithms.
Lastly, on the cloud side, HONOR is expanding imaging capabilities through RAW-domain image enhancement, spatial imaging technologies, and Imaging Agent tools.
ARRI image science, professional workflows for mobile creation
Furthermore, the partnership with ARRI enables HONOR to integrate selected elements of professional cinema workflow into mobile imaging.
This includes ARRI LogC3, ARRI Wide Gamut 3, and ARRI Looks. These bring a more professional color and workflow foundation to the Robot Phone.
Unlike simple filters, LogC3 and Looks are part of a professional imaging workflow. The former is designed to preserve more brightness and color information for post-production.
Meanwhile, Wide Gamut 3 provides broader color space. ARRI Looks, on the other hand, helps creators apply controlled cinematic styles.
Together, these add-ons support a workflow that gives creators greater flexibility from capture to editing, while helping mobile footage retain more creative information.
To deepen the connection, HONOR and ARRI have also announced a joint imaging technology lab.
This will focus on three key areas:
- sensor-level optics and dynamic range;
- end-to-end cinema industry workflow from capture to post-production; and
- imaging realism and aesthetic standards in the AI era
Entertainment
UNDERTALE: The Determination Symphony hits Makati in October
Determination arrives in October.
For so small of a game, UNDERTALE quickly made it into the gaming world’s hall of fame. Despite being only a decade old, the small title has had a major influence for modern-day gamers because of its unique gameplay, its lo-fi art, and, of course, its catchy soundtrack. If you’re a fan of UNDERTALE’s soundtrack, a unique concert experience is headed your way.
On October 17, Film Concerts PH, in partnership with SOHO Live, is hosting UNDERTALE: The Determination Symphony at the Proscenium Theater in Rockwell, Makati.
The concert will be performed by the Filharmonika Orchestra and conducted by Thanapol Setabrahmana. Personally curated by creator Toby Fox and developed by Lambert Jackson with Materia Music, the concert experience showcases the game’s most recognizable tunes laid over gameplay footage playing simultaneously. Plus, for the world tour, the experience will have expanded scoring.
In the game, you play as a small child stuck in the mysterious Underground filled with interesting characters and monsters. Unlike traditional RPGs, UNDERTALE asks players to choose between building relationships and chasing after wins. It’s a unique experience that’s defined by whether you chose to make friends or fought your way to the top. It teaches players to value different ways to solve problems, all while showering them with its one-of-a-kind humor.
Pre-sales for the concert, exclusively for members of the Film Concerts PH community, start on August 4. Public sales, however, will start on August 11 via Ticketmelon.
SEE ALSO: The hunt begins: The Witcher in Concert hits Manila with surprises in tow
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