[RaguHolla]

Originally Posted by tbppjpr

I would rather say that this is not only the matter of personal data breach, but its also a matter of national security, please you don't play with it just becasue you are a Xiaomi fan which saves few bucks in your pocket while buying it over other established brand devices. .

If one has to worry about security or national security one should stop using mobile phones or phones altogether. Motorola is a Lenovo brand, will you stop using Motorola now on?

There is nothing called established brands. Entire android is subsided based on availability of data to harvest.

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by tbppjpr

-----

Unfortunately we don't have any provision to scrutinise such spying gadgets in our country so the situation will remain same and security of out country will remain compromised.

Not only that, but we are SO ignorant that we have allowed a spyware manufacturer to set up base right inside India to assemble their phones?(Xiaomi in Vishakhapatnam, I think)
I am sorry, but even if with such "irrefutable" proofs, and studies, this has been allowed? By the governments, etc?
Wow!

[tbppjpr]

Originally Posted by RaguHolla

If one has to worry about security or national security one should stop using mobile phones or phones altogether.

Entire android is subsided based on availability of data to harvest.

This is another popular logic given by the Chinese gadget fans in favour of them, I knew it was coming. Whole planet is polluted, don't go out and breath.

Do you think its practical and possible? This is why I also wrote this:

Originally Posted by tbppjpr

Unfortunately we don't have any provision to scrutinise such spying gadgets in our country so the situation will remain same and security of out country will remain compromised.

Its same like how we don't yet have nay vehicle crash test assessment program. Its high time the authorities pull up their socks and reform some stricter laws and more importantly they ensure that such reforms are implemented strictly.

People keep buying compromised Chinese gadgets and Indian manufactured cars even when they know about the security and safety flaws in them. Only way to control this seems to be to make law and enforce it strictly which doesn't look to be happening anytime in near future.

Originally Posted by RaguHolla

If one has to worry about security or national security one Motorola is a Lenovo brand, will you stop using Motorola now on?

Why do you feel I won't?


Okay, my question to all the Chinese gadget fans, especially to the Xiaomi fans that why any manufacturer will make it's ROM available for other devices also which Xiaomi does with MIUI? Anyone can download and flash the MIUI ROM in their devices. Samsung doesn't do it, HTC doesn't do it, neither LG or Sony do it including many others, then why Xiaomi?

[theexperthand]

Originally Posted by RaguHolla

This is because (my assumptions) Redmi devices have Qualcom's snapdragon as well as MediaTek's processors(which are not mod friendly). Hence Redmi devices are stuck to android version it came with.

I don't think so - the Redmi Qualcom devices and Redmi MediaTek devices have separate update tracks which are independent of each others. But since Mi is the flagship line, it may be the internal decision to upgrade the flagship line to latest Android first.

--Anoop

[lordvader]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

FP is nice but nothing truly integrated.

This is opposed to iOS where apps like iMobile use it, and it has replaced the App Store password too.

The home button is far better simply because you often wish to check notifications like messages while working.

Google play store has the option but from android 6 onwards.

On second thought, FP on home button would be really handy to operate while using phone in car mobile holder.

[WindRide]

Originally Posted by mukul32

...Further, the camera is a considerable upgrade, ...

Looks like g4+ has full manual mode, which interests me.

Originally Posted by lordvader

.. scanner on backside is definitely more conducive to the work flow than the one at home button...

OTOH, i feel its more user-friendly if its on the front - no need to pick/flip phone off desk to unlock phone.


Ok, so If g4+ is the one to settle for, wondering if i should go full monty and plonk 15k for the 3GB/32GB model. Am seeing quite a few reviews of g4+ plus being sluggish on 2GB. How true/frequent is it from your experience?

[sairamboko]

Has anyone purchased a mobile from Shopmonk? They are selling an imported S7 at Rs.38,990 and this is a steal, however they are offering 1 year shopmonk warranty since its imported. Anything that i should be concerned while making this purchase?

[poloman]

Originally Posted by sairamboko

Has anyone purchased a mobile from Shopmonk? They are selling an imported S7 at Rs.38,990 and this is a steal, however they are offering 1 year shopmonk warranty since its imported. Anything that i should be concerned while making this purchase?

I think most of these imported units will be in unboxed condition. Chances of returns or refurbished ones are much higher. Since GS7 is now available for roughly 44,000 after cash back , is this worth the risk for such a costly phone? Also there can be issues with updates.
I think S7 is one of the rare phones from Samsung which has not seen an official price cut for over 4 months.

[sairamboko]

Originally Posted by poloman

I think most of these imported units will be in unboxed condition. Chances of returns or refurbished ones are much higher. Since GS7 is now available for roughly 44,000 after cash back , is this worth the risk for such a costly phone? Also there can be issues with updates.
I think S7 is one of the rare phones from Samsung which has not seen an official price cut for over 4 months.

Thanks poloman! That makes sense! I will check with retail shops and see.

[JonSnow]

Originally Posted by tbppjpr

Okay, my question to all the Chinese gadget fans, especially to the Xiaomi fans that why any manufacturer will make it's ROM available for other devices also which Xiaomi does with MIUI? Anyone can download and flash the MIUI ROM in their devices. Samsung doesn't do it, HTC doesn't do it, neither LG or Sony do it including many others, then why Xiaomi?

Xiaomi started off making ROMs for flashing on other phones. Later it launched its own devices.

Originally Posted by theexperthand

IIRC, Mi provides monthly updates to MIUI users (if you are on developer rom, you get more frequent updates).

--Anoop

Originally Posted by sairamboko

@Anoop - thats true but thats more related to MIUI and not related to Android. Still majority of the MI devices are in lollipop.

Xiaomi does provide monthly security updates, even though they don't upgrade the android version.

[nareshov]

@_chikku
@landcruiser123
@arindambasu13

Thanks for the pointers!

I was quite enamoured by the UI and size of the Mi5. But given the issues stated by Arindam, I can't live with them.

Decided to give-in and purchase a 5.5" device - the OP3 which was quite well reviewed by Anandtech in two parts:

- http://www.anandtech.com/show/10411/...eplus-3-review
- http://www.anandtech.com/show/10445/...-the-oneplus-3

I briefly considered the LG-G4 (primarily due to the camera) but it felt like a "side"grade compared to my iPhone 5S in most departments. So did the Nexus 5X.

I also toyed with the idea of Moto G4 but looked no further on noticing the heat-throttling prone Snapdragon 61X series. I thought I'd go cheap with the Vivo V3 (right size, 32GB internal ROM storage, GPS+GLONASS), but then again same 61X series Snapdragon.

The Moto Turbo would've been ideal as a package but again has the laggy 80X processor and no LTE band 40 support.

Past two weeks were quite fatiguing in making this buying decision because for me:
- there are barely any decent phones sized below 5.2"
- Apple phones are weirdly priced in India <http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/gadgets-computers-software/38465-iphone-thread-608.html#post4024886>
- A whole generation of snapdragon chipsets were prone to heating issues and heat throttling

[mukul32]

Originally Posted by tbppjpr

Okay, my question to all the Chinese gadget fans, especially to the Xiaomi fans that why any manufacturer will make it's ROM available for other devices also which Xiaomi does with MIUI? Anyone can download and flash the MIUI ROM in their devices. Samsung doesn't do it, HTC doesn't do it, neither LG or Sony do it including many others, then why Xiaomi?

Well, that's because Xiaomi is born out of a custom ROM, MIUI! MIUI was initiated back in 09-10 sometime, based off AOSP 2.2 Froyo and CyanogenMod 6, and IIRC the first device to have it was ironically a Nexus! (The Nexus One perhaps)
It was seriously fugly stuff compared to today's standards, yet it somehow took off and was among topmost custom software all the time it was around.
So from a custom ROM developed for a third party device, they've come as far as being in top 5 world smartphone sales, venturing into PC's and VR, and hiring Hugo Barra over from Google.

And as much as I hate Xiaomi and their software, I simply have to admit they've come a long long way, and are set to go even further the way they have been doing their business of late.
They practically live off those metal/glass-clad 'affordable flagships' (which is as oxymoronic and well, stupid, a term as our 'Urban SUV' ) and despite the 'Chinese' tag and no offline presence, they've managed very good business in India as well.
And even as a custom ROM, they have managed a huge third party device directory, update their own flagships as old as Mi2 yet, and have surprisingly managed to crack the MediaTek puzzle. MIUI ports run quite stable on a lot of MediaTek based devices, many of which have almost no AOSP custom support.

And to be honest, MIUI today is far better than all the other similar "UI's" (EMUI, Vibe UI, Hive UI, Zen UI, Color OS, and other similar crap) and one of the most polished software skins out there. It's that they try to run away from the Google (and Material) ecosystem which they live off, and in turn try to shamelessly ape Apple, creating inconsistency and lack of aesthetic appeal and continuity, that is one of their major annoying things.
If MIUI were like CyanogenMod instead, I'd have been typing this on a RedMi Note 3.
In fact, in my personal opinion, even though it doesn't come anywhere near good ol' stock Android or CyanogenMod, today I would take MIUI 8 over the newest iteration of TouchWiz and LG UI too, that have started to become more cartoony, bloated and iOS like than ever before.

[indian21r]

Originally Posted by nareshov

Past two weeks were quite fatiguing in making this buying decision because for me:
- there are barely any decent phones sized below 5.2"
- Apple phones are weirdly priced in India <http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/gadgets-computers-software/38465-iphone-thread-608.html#post4024886>
- A whole generation of snapdragon chipsets were prone to heating issues and heat throttling

If you are okay with Non Qualcomm Chipset and not into heavy gaming, Honor 5C is a pretty decent phone @5.2"

I gave a brief review few pages ago if you want to look at

[mukeshgoel]

Originally Posted by sairamboko

Motorola wont provide monthly security updates. The main USP of buying a Motorola phone was its bloat free android experience and it provides updates time to time.

http://www.cybershack.com.au/news/mo...-hard-280716-1

They were not provided monthly security updates even before this announcement.

They have not provided any update to Moto X Style since February. Android security patch level is "1 February 2016" in my phone.

They have not updated it to 6.0.1.

They have also not enabled VoLTE on it (hardware supports it) whereas they have done it for its younger brother Moto X Play.

I can't believe they can do it to their (then) flagship model.

Lenovo effect obviously.

[praful]

Any phone other like the Redmi Note 3? It checks most of my needs -

1. Big Battery - 4000mah
2. Adequate Memory - 3 gigs (more is welcome)
3. Adequate Storage - 32 gigs (more is welcome)
4. Dual SIM - Added bonus

I just picked one up for my mom and seems pretty decent so far, especially considering the price. I would have considered picking one up for myself too, but the camera is sub par for me. Need something with RN3 like specs but with a better camera, I can bump up the budget a bit too.