Xiaomi unveils a new Mi Smart Projector that beams Android TV to your wall

Xiaomi has been selling its Smart Compact Projector for a few years in the United States and other countries, complete with Android TV 9.0 and a height of only 5.9 inches. Today, the company revealed a new model, the Mi Smart Projector 2 Pro, with a slightly bulkier design and more features.

The Xiaomi Mi Smart Projector 2 is larger than the original model but can reach a much higher brightness of 1300 ANSI lumens, compared to the 500 ANSI lumens of its predecessor. It also has an output of 1920 x 1080 (Full HD) resolution, HDR10 support, and unidirectional auto-focus (using its built-in ToF sensor).

The sound system is also impressive (for the projector’s size), with dual 10W speakers and compatibility with DTS-HD and Dolby Audio. The projector can also be used as a standalone Bluetooth speaker, so when you’re not watching movies or TV shows, you can still enjoy music without the projection lamp wasting the battery.

Credit: Xiaomi

Like most other smart projectors, the Mi Smart Projector 2 runs on top of Android TV. It’s certified for use by Google, so the Google Play Store and other apps should work just as they do on other Android TV devices. This also means you can use Google Cast to beam content to it as the Chromecast receiver app should be available. You can also talk to Google Assistant, though Xiaomi didn’t specify if the microphone will be on the remote or on the projector itself. It’s also not clear what version of Android TV it will run out of the box.

Xiaomi says the Mi Smart Projector 2 will be available for €999 (with early pricing set at €899), which translates to about $1,177 in the United States or ₹85,554. That’s definitely on the expensive side, but there isn’t much competition in this space — most other smart projectors offer much lower brightness (200-500 ANSI lumens) while many others aren’t officially Android TV certified. The $799 Xgimi Halo with Android TV 9 comes close with its 800 ANSI lumen lamp, but most options brighter than that aren’t intended to be easily portable.

There’s no official release date yet, and Xiaomi has not said which regions the projector will be sold in (besides Europe, as indicated by the Euro pricing).

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Google is using federated learning to improve Assistant’s “Hey Google” accuracy

Google is now using “federated learning” on Android in an effort to reduce “Hey Google” misactivations and misses. Federated learning is a privacy-enhancing technique that allows Google to improve machine learning models without sending any raw data to Google servers.

Select users now have access (via 9to5Google) to a new setting in Google Assistant that allows them to improve the artificial intelligence. Google said it will save audio of those who opt in so Assistant can learn over time.

“When Google Assistant activates or nearly activates, federated learning temporarily stores short bits of voice recordings on your device,” Google said in a support document. “With federated learning, we use these recordings to learn how to adjust Google Assistant’s triggering logic.”

Audio recordings will stay on your device while a privacy-preserving technology combines information from you and many other participants to help Assistant learn over time and develop better smart features. Your device may store up to 20 recordings per day, including information about your phone configuration and how successful an interaction is.

Images via 9to5Google

Google said that with federated learning, its goal is to cut down on instances when Google Assistant randomly misactivates. It also wants to avoid scenarios when you say “Hey Google” and Assistant doesn’t trigger.

“Federated learning uses the voice recordings stored on users’ devices to refine models like ‘Hey Google,’” Google said. “It learns how to adjust the model from the voice data, and sends a summary of the model changes to Google servers. To provide a better model for everyone, these summaries are aggregated across users.”

According to Google, federated learning will perform computations on your device only when the device is idle, plugged in, and connected to WiFi. Recordings used to improve the “Hey Google” model are kept by Google for no longer than 63 days, unless you delete them before then.

If federated learning sounds familiar, that’s because Google has used the feature for its new Health Studies app.

Google Assistant - Get things done, hands-free (Free, Google Play) →

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Samsung Galaxy S21, Galaxy Z Fold 2, and Note 10 are getting April 2021 security patches

We’re just days away from April, but Samsung is already rolling out security patches for next month. The Galaxy S21, Galaxy Z fold 2, and Note 10 are beginning to receive the April 2021 security patches in different parts of the world, so get those downloading fingers ready.

SamMobile said Samsung’s update for the Galaxy S21 series not only includes the April 2021 security patch, but new camera features. The software (G99xxXXU2AUC8) is reportedly over 1GB, and allows Galaxy S21 series owners to use the regular camera to capture portraits. Before, you could only use the telephoto and ultrawide cameras with portrait mode.

The update has apparently been spotted in India, but should begin rolling out to other regions in the coming days and weeks.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Forums || Galaxy S21 Plus Forums || Galaxy S21 Ultra Forums

Samsung is also rolling out camera improvements to the Galaxy Z Fold 2 along with the April 2021 security patch. Unfortunately, Samsung is a little more cryptic with this update, only saying “camera improvements” in its release notes without elaborating. SamMobile said it’s digging deeper into the update in an effort to figure out what’s new. For now, just expect the experience to feel a little more refined, which isn’t a bad thing. The update version number is F916BXXU1DUCE, and has been spotted in Germany and Russia.

Samsung Z Fold 2 Forums

Finally, Samsung has also released an update for the Galaxy Note 10 series, which is rolling out in Germany. As you might have guessed, the update includes the April 2021 security patch. Other details about the release remain unclear, but it’s possible new features will be discovered as more people get their hands on the update. The newest update includes version number N97xFXXU6FUCD.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Forums

These updates are rolling out now and should arrive in your respective device soon. You can always check to see if the update is available on your device by going to Settings > Software update.

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The Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G is a flat screen phone done right

I seem to be in the minority among my peers and colleagues in the tech media scene, but I actually like curved screen phones. Curved screens not only look visually appealing to me — especially with the way visuals seem to spill off the edges like an infinity pool — but also make for a more comfortable in-hand feel. Flat panels by and large don’t feel as premium to me. But Xiaomi’s new Mi 11 Lite is the exception — it’s a flat panel that feels good.

Here’s why I usually dislike flat screens: the corners where the display ends and the chassis begins can result in a sharp edge, which is the case with the Galaxy S20 FE, Realme 8 Pro, and more than a few Redmi devices. If that chassis is too thick like on an iPhone 12, then the whole phone feels angular and blocky.

But the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite is a flat panel done right. The screen itself doesn’t curve, but the edges are chamfered just enough, and the chassis rounded, to make for a device that doesn’t have sharp sides. It feels like the Google Pixel 5 — another flat screen phone that I actually think feels great in the hand.

It’s also very light and thin at just 159g (0.3lbs) and 6.8mm, providing a welcome reprieve from the big, heavy phones I’ve been testing like the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G Forums ||| Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G Forums

Specification	Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G	Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
Build	Colors: Boba Black, Bubblegum Blue, Peach Pink Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass 5	Colors: Truffle Black, Mint Green, Citrus Yellow Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass 6
Dimensions & Weight	160.53mm x 75.72mm x 6.81mm, 157g	160.53mm x 75.72mm x 6.81mm, 159g
Display	6.55” AMOLED DotDisplay (2400 x 1080 FHD+） 10-bit TrueColor and DCI-P3 90Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling rate HDR10 support TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light Certification	6.55” AMOLED DotDisplay (2400 x 1080 FHD+） 10-bit TrueColor and DCI-P3 90Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling rate HDR10+ support TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light Certification
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G CPU 1x ARM Cortex-A76 @ 2.3GHz 1x ARM Cortex-A76 @ 2.2GHz 6x ARM Cortex-A55 @ 1.8GHz GPU: Adreno 618 Samsung’s 8nm LPP manufacturing process Xiaomi’s LiquidCool Technology	Qualcomm Snapdragon 780G CPU 1x ARM Cortex-A78 @ 2.4GHz 3x ARM Cortex-A78 @ 2.2GHz 4x ARM Cortex-A55 @ 1.9GHz GPU: Adreno 642 Samsung’s 5nm manufacturing process Xiaomi’s LiquidCool Technology
RAM & Storage	6GB LPDDR4X RAM + 64GB UFS 2.2 storage 6GB LPDDR4X RAM + 128GB UFS 2.2 storage	6GB LPDDR4X RAM + 128GB UFS 2.2 storage 8GB LPDDR4X RAM + 128GB UFS 2.2 storage
Battery & Charging	4,250mAh battery 33W fast-charging via included charger	4,250mAh battery 33W fast-charging via included charger
Security	Arc side-mounted fingerprint, PIN/Password, Pattern	Arc side-mounted fingerprint, PIN/Password, Pattern
Rear Camera(s)	Main: 64MP (F/1.79, 0.7μm 4-in-1 to 1.4μm, 1/1.97″ sensor size, 6P lens, contrast autofocus) Ultra wide-angle camera: 8MP (F/2.2, 1.12μm, 1/4″ sensor size, 5P lens) Macro: 5MP telemacro camera (F/2.4, 1.12μm, 4P lens, contrast autofocus, 3-7cm) Single-tone flash	Main: 64MP (F/1.79, 0.7μm 4-in-1 to 1.4μm, 1/1.97″ sensor size, 6P lens, contrast autofocus) Ultra wide-angle camera: 8MP (F/2.2, 1.12μm, 1/4″ sensor size, 5P lens) Macro: 5MP telemacro camera (F/2.4, 1.12μm, 1.5″ sensor size, 4P lens, contrast autofocus, 3-7cm) Single-tone flash
Front Camera(s)	16MP in-display selfie camera	20MP in-display selfie camera
Port(s)	USB Type-C	USB Type-C
Audio & Vibration	Dual audio speakers 2x recording microphones Hi-res Audio certification, Hi-res Audio Wireless certification Z-axis linear motor	Dual audio speakers Hi-res Audio certification, Hi-res Audio Wireless certification Z-axis linear motor
Connectivity	Qualcomm Snapdragon X15 4G LTE integrated modem 4G LTE FDD: 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/17/20/28/32/66 4G LTE TDD: 38/40/41 (120M) 3G WCDMA: 1/2/4/5/8 4×4 MIMO (Only 4G, B3, B7) Dual SIM Bluetooth 5.1 Wi-Fi 5 NFC and IR blaster	Qualcomm Snapdragon X53 4G LTE and 5G integrated modem 5G NR: n1/n3/n5/n7/n8/n20/n28/n38/n40/n41/n77/n78/n66 4G LTE FDD:1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/12/13/17/20/28/32/66 4G LTE TDD: 38/40/41 3G WCDMA: 1/2/4/5/8 2G GSM: 2/3/5/8 Dual 5G Bluetooth 5.2 Wi-Fi 6 NFC and IR blaster
Software	MIUI 12 based on Android 11	MIUI 12 based on Android 11

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite comes in two versions: a 4G model that is powered by a Snapdragon 732G and a 5G model running on the brand-new Snapdragon 780G. The latter SoC features Kryo 670 CPU cores clocked at up to 2.4GHz frequency and a triple ISP.

I have the Mi 11 Lite 5G model. Unfortunately, because the device is an early review unit, all the popular benchmark apps from Geekbench 5 to PCMark have been blocked, so I can’t test the phone yet in terms of benchmark performance. I also haven’t had the phone long enough to give definitive impressions about performance and battery life.

But as I said at the beginning of the article, the Mi 11 Lite feels very good in the hand. It’s a typical glass sandwich design, with a 6.55-inch AMOLED panel that refreshes at 90Hz. The back panel has a matte-frosted coating that is grippy yet doesn’t attract fingerprints — but it’s just standard glass, not Gorilla Glass.

Despite the device’s 6.8mm thinness, Xiaomi managed to cram a 4,250 mAh battery inside the Mi 11 Lite, as well as very loud stereo speakers. There’s a triple camera array headlined by a 64MP camera and flanked by an 8MP ultra-wide and 5MP macro lens, as well as a 16MP selfie camera.

I haven’t had much time to test the cameras much, but it seems to be on par with Xiaomi’s more entry-level offerings. What the Mi 11 Lite lacks in hardware prowess, though, the software makes up for.

The cinematic shooting modes that Xiaomi introduced with the Mi 11 are available here too, as is the clone photo/video feature, which has been very fun to play with.

Xiaomi is selling the Mi 11 Lite 5G for ¥2599 in China and €369 in Europe. At these aggressively low prices, Xiaomi obviously had to compromise somewhere, which is why the Mi 11 Lite lacks wireless charging, an IP water resistance rating, or an in-display fingerprint sensor. Instead, the phone comes with a 33W wired charger and uses a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. The latter may not actually be a bad thing, as it’s easier to find by touch and very fast to respond.

This is just my first impression of the device. We’ll be back with more in-depth testing, so keep an eye out for future content on not just the Mi 11 Lite but also the Mi 11 Ultra as well!

Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G

Xiaomi's Mi 11 Lite 5G is the first phone with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 780G. It's a great mid-range phone on paper and is priced very aggressively in Europe.

See at Mi.com

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Two high-profile departures poised to shake up OnePlus and HMD Global

HMD Global and OnePlus are some of the most important players in the smartphone industry right now. Neither company has been around longer than a decade, but HMD Global has managed to carve out a niche selling budget phones with stock-like Android, while OnePlus is setting its sights high with premium phones. However, both companies are now losing key executives, potentially indicating a shift in strategy could be on the way.

Juho Sarvikas, Chief Product Officer at HMD Global, announced on Friday that he had “made the tough decision that is time to move on.” Sarvikas (pictured above) has been one of the most prominent figures at HMD Global, maker of Nokia-branded Android phones, since the company was founded.

After amazing 15 years with Nokia and HMD, I have made the tough decision that is time to move on. I’m so proud of what we have achieved together and know that the success of HMD & Nokia phones will continue. Follow @nokiamobile for Nokia Phones news. Thank you for everything pic.twitter.com/ZyCIsu7ouV

— Juho Sarvikas (@sarvikas) March 26, 2021

Sarvikas joined HMD Global as a founding member in 2016 as Chief Product Officer, leading HMD’s engineering, design, and marketing teams. He later became Vice President of HMD Global’s North American operations while maintaining his role as CFO. Before joining HMD Global, he worked at Microsoft as the head of Nokia’s feature phone business, following eight years at Nokia’s original phone division in various management roles. He hasn’t yet indicated where he will work next.

The Nokia 1.4, launched in February.

Meanwhile, another top executive at OnePlus is leaving the company: Chief Marking Officer Kyle Kiang (via Input). The news broke shortly after the OnePlus 9 series and OnePlus Watch were revealed. Kiang has worked at OnePlus since 2015, first as the Global Head of Marketing then as Chief Marking Officer since 2019. From 2017 to 2019, he was also the company’s general manager for the North American region. Before OnePlus, he worked at LG and PepsiCo in marketing.

OnePlus has seen other high-profile departures over the past few months, indicating the company may be shifting in a new direction. Carl Pei, one of the co-founders, left OnePlus last year. He’s now working at a London-based startup called Nothing, which aims to launch wireless headphones and other tech products. Several top-level communication members also left OnePlus in 2020.

The OnePlus 9 Pro

It’s not clear how Sarvikas leaving HMD Global will impact the company’s product plans, though a shakeup might be exactly what HMD needs. HMD Global has mirrored Motorola’s strategy of releasing a constant barrage of smartphones at similar prices, many of which don’t stand out from the competition. The company’s most recent premium phone is the Nokia 8 V 5G UW, a Verizon exclusive in the United States originally priced at $700 (despite having a mid-range Snapdragon 765G chipset), with only a single promised OS update. Android 11 didn’t start rolling out to HMD Global’s Nokia lineup until February.

OnePlus has also had several missteps recently, though the company remains on a strong trajectory in the flagship smartphone lineup. The OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro are some of its best phones to date, and OnePlus is expanding into new product categories, like wearables and TVs. However, it’s easy to make the argument that OnePlus is moving away from its roots — pricing for its phones has increased with nearly every generation, and OxygenOS has deviated far from stock Android.

Here’s hoping HMD Global and OnePlus continue to release high-quality and competitive smartphones, because the last thing we all need is a duopoly between Samsung and Apple.

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Xiaomi unveils an 80W wireless charger and its take on Apple’s failed AirPower

Earlier today, Xiaomi took the wraps off a handful of new devices, including the Mi 11 Ultra, the Mi 11 Lite series, the Mi 11i, and the Mi Band 6. The company also unveiled a device that’s exclusively available in China: the Mi 11 Pro. It’s similar to the Mi 11 Ultra but costs slightly less. During the announcement of the Mi 11 Pro, though, Xiaomi spent some time detailing a couple of new wireless charging accessories that caught our attention. One of them is an absurdly fast 80W wireless charging stand while the other one is the Apple AirPower clone you might have been waiting for.

Xiaomi 80W Mi Wireless Charging Stand Set

Called the “Mi Wireless Charging Stand Set” (translated), this wireless charging accessory promises up to 80W speeds. For reference, Xiaomi’s fastest wireless charging products, currently the Mi 11 Pro and Mi 11 Ultra, support up to 67W wireless charging. That means this accessory will be a bit future-proofed, which is nice to know considering how quickly we’re seeing advancements in wireless charging technology.

Xiaomi says the Mi Wireless Charging Stand Set has a curved air duct for high-efficiency heat dissipation. It also has a double-coil design to allow for both horizontal and vertical use. There’s even a dedicated key to turn on a faster charging mode that speeds up charging up to 15%. Many phones like the OnePlus 9 Pro feature a toggle in software to slow down the wireless charger, so it’s interesting to see Xiaomi offer a hardware button here.

In China, the 80W wireless charger costs ¥499 (~$76) which is quite expensive for a wireless charger. However, it comes with a 120W power brick in the box so it’s actually quite good value. Xiaomi is also selling an “environmentally friendly” version that doesn’t come with a charger in the box, and they’re also selling a “Special Edition” bundle that adds ¥199 on top of the Mi 11 Pro. Xiaomi says there are “limited numbers” of the product, so there’s no telling how long it’ll be sold in China or if it’ll ship outside of the region anytime soon.

Xiaomi’s version of Apple AirPower

Next up is Xiaomi’s multi-coil wireless fast charging pad, which many in the media have dubbed an AirPower clone. That’s not without warrant, though, as Xiaomi themselves admit they began development 2 years ago, which is the same time when Apple discontinued AirPower. For those not in the know, AirPower was supposed to be an Apple-made wireless charging mat that can charge up to 3 devices simultaneously. It never released, obviously, causing much embarrassment for Apple.

Xiaomi’s take on AirPower involves 19 charging coils and a motor that can silently move coils to begin inductively charging your device. It can wirelessly charge 3 devices simultaneously at up to 20W speed each, totaling 60W of power. In China, it costs ¥599 (~$91) but there’s no word on global availability.

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